Law & Gospel for Writers, Part III Written

Welcome again to our series on Law & Gospel for Writers (See Part I and Part II). Today we’re going to stray just a little. After distinctions about the Law, we’re going to look at a distinction of sorts about the Gospel. Don’t worry: we’ll look at what is written in Scripture. Though, please, correct me if I’m wrong! 🙂

Law & Gospel for Writers, Part III-Written

While we as writers can ache over what to write down or edit, our Lord does not. What has He written? Think precisely.

Our Lord has written instruction, history, His Will, and His victories. He has revealed the story of the creation and the world, the history of both sin and salvation, prophecy, and much about Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In Scripture, our Lord has written histories, genealogies, psalms, proverbs, stories, commandments, and, many, many, many promises! Further, He announces Himself through messengers with letters and books of the very words of God. Astoundingly, consider this: He has written our names into the Book of Life!

But, as marvelous as that is, that is not the Gospel. Writing, even the writing of God, is not inherently Gospel. The Gospel is the Good News of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God incarnate, crucified, and risen for the sake of our merciful reconciliation with the Father.

Do we love how God packages that Gospel? Sure! At least, I hope so! 😉 Yet it does us no good to get swept up in daydreams of a heavenly writer above when the Word of God, sent by the Father and accompanied by the Holy Spirit is made flesh down here! Is present and active in church down here.

As Christians we shouldn’t get swept up with the beauty and potential of the written word if it excludes the actual world around us. When God writes to us, He writes to us, whom He takes on as His very own neighbors. Down here.

God is great—much better than ourselves—and thanks be to Him that He continually speaks His Word to us, grounds us time and again back into reality with our vocations and neighbors. Not for the sake of writing or being a writer. It is to show love, grant mercy in ways we can receive it, and incorporate us by the Spirit and Flesh into our Savior, who wraps us in His own righteousness. To God alone be glory.

What have you written today? What has God written about? And, can you find some time to delight in God’s craftsmanship?