Are you nomian or antinomian? Hopefully, this quiz will provide some insight into which camp you reside. All of the statements in the quiz were extracted from the translated records of the 16th century Antinomian Disputation events. (Some of the statements were adapted slightly for readability within the quiz.)
Please select the best answer for each statement.
#1. [Repentance] is sorrow on account of sin with the added intention of a better life. Properly speaking, sorrow is nothing else — and cannot be anything else — than the touch or feeling of the law in the heart or the conscience. [Sorrow] is caused solely by the law. The second part, the good intention, cannot be caused by the law.
[1]29, [2]ff. 19
#2. By God’s grace alone repentance is worked in us. Therefore no part of repentance can be ascribed to the law. “Turn to me and I will be turned, etc.” (Jeremiah 31:18) “Create a clean heart in me, O God” (Ps. 51:10)
[1]38, [2]ff. 19
#3. Whatever increases sin is not to be required. The law increases sin (Romans 5:20) Therefore it is not to be required.
[1]46; 202, [2]ff. 23
#4. The law is given to the Jews, not to the Gentiles. Yet we are not Jews. Therefore, there is no law given to us, and it also must not be imposed on us; and, by way of consequence, those who burden us with the yoke of the law act impiously.
[1]48; 172, [2]ff. 23, John 14:15-24
#5. The Old Testament is removed and the New is chosen as substitute instead. The law pertains to the Old Testament. Therefore the law is not to be taught. Since it [the Old] is removed, the law too is taken away.
[1]48, [2]ff. 23, John 5:46-47
#6. Whatever is annulled is not effective. The law is annulled. Therefore, it is not to be taught. Paul proves to the Romans, that it is annulled, “you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14) The sermons of Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and others in Acts prove the same thing.
[1]43; 37, [2]ff. 23, John 14:15-24
#7. A shadow is not efficacious. The law is a shadow, as Paul says (Col 2:17) a shadow of things to come. The law, therefore, is not efficacious.
[1]70, [2]ff. 23, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#8. Whatever makes that we properly arrive at justification, that justifies. The showing of sin or contrition leads to justification. Therefore the showing of sin or the law justifies.
[1]115, [2]ff. 27
#9. Evil is not to be done to bring about good (Romans 3:8). Yet the preaching of the law is evil. Therefore, the law is not to be preached.
[1]87, [2]ff. 31, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#10. Paul says in (Galatians 5:18): If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. But the Church is led by the Spirit. Therefore, the Church is not under the law.
This statement may be true or false depending on which aspect of the “law” is inferred.
[1]93; 180; 192, [2]ff. 31, [3]
#11. What is abolished is temporal. The [natural moral] law is abolished. Therefore the [natural moral] law is temporal.
[1]204; 205, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#12. What is abolished is temporal. The [ceremonial and judicial] law is abolished. Therefore the [ceremonial and judicial] law is temporal.
[1]204; 205
#13. The repentance of the believers in Christ goes beyond actual sins, is ongoing, and stretches to death throughout the entire life. For Christ rightly says about all who are his (Mark 1:15): “Repent;” that is, he wants the entire lives of those who are his to be repentance.
[1]125, [2]ff. 37, Mark 1:15
#14. All works done after justification are nothing else than repentance or the good intension against sin. For nothing else happens than that the sin that is shown by the law and forgiven in Christ are driven out.
[1]125; 126, [2]ff. 37
#15. The Lord’s Prayer, taught by the Lord himself to his saints and believers, is part of repentance and is full of the teaching of the law.
[1]126, [2]ff. 41
#16. [Whoever] asks for anything first confesses that he does not have what he asks for and expects it to be given. Yet it is the law that first shows us what we do not have, and that it is nonetheless necessary to have this. It follows from this that those enemies of the law also need to eliminate the Lord’s Prayer itself when they eliminate the law.
[1]126, [2]ff. 41
#17. [One of the doctrines] destructive to repentance [was] that of the Papists. It removed the complete and true repentance, while it did not allow the remission of sins to be certain. [They] taught that man — even the penitent — was to be uncertain of God’s grace and the forgiveness of sins.
[1]129, [2]ff. 45
#18. Much more to be avoided are those who do not leave any repentance at all in the Church anymore. For those who deny that the law is to be taught, simply and truly do not want that there be any repentance.
[1]130, [2]ff. 49
#19. Justification, good works, and [holiness] are necessary for the fulfilling of the law.
[1]131, [2]ff. 49
#20. [Christ] came to save what was lost (Matthew 18:11), and to restore everything, as Peter states (Acts 3:21). Therefore the law is not eliminated by Christ, but restored, so that Adam might become such as he was and even better.
[1]131, [2]ff. 49, Matthew 18:11, Acts 3:21
#21. He who burdens the Church with the law, tempts God (Acts 15:10). You burden the Church with laws. Therefore you tempt God.
[1]147, [2]ff. 55, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#22. The principal goal of the law, because of which it is taught, evidently is to call to repentance and obedience to God. Yet the pious have already repented and obey God. Therefore it is not to be taught.
[1]155; 145; 205, [2]ff. 55, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#23. Every doctrine which is taught in the Church ought to make consciences certain. But the doctrine of the law does not make consciences certain, but rather disturbs. Therefore the doctrine of the law is not to be taught in the Church.
[1]157, [2]ff. 55, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#24. For those freed from the law the law is not to be recalled. The Church is freed from the law. Therefore the law is not to be preached. Paul says (1 Tim 1:9): The law is not given for the righteous.
[1]166, [2]ff. 55
#25. No true Christians are to be terrified by the law. All who are members of the Church are true Christians. Therefore none of them is to be terrified by the law.
[1]174, [2]ff. 55
#26. Christ cannot be retained without the law. Christ is salvation and redemption. Therefore salvation cannot be retained without the law.
[1]175, [2]ff. 55, John 5:46-47
#27. What Christ orders to preach, that is to be preached. Christ mandated the preaching of the Gospel (Mark 16:15). Therefore only the Gospel is to be preached and not the law.
[1]187, [2]ff. 55, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#28. Those to be justified need grace and mercy. The law has neither grace nor mercy. Therefore the law is not to be taught.
[1]159, [2]ff. 59, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#29. It is redundant to teach the things that are known by nature. The law is known by nature. Therefore it is redundant to teach the law.
[1]178, [2]ff. 59
#30. Christ’s gentleness and goodness call us to repentance. Therefore the harshness of the law is not needed.
[1]194, [2]ff. 59, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#31. Sin is destroyed. Therefore it does not rule in the living.
This statement may be true or false depending on whether the statement refers to a believer or unbeliever, spirit or flesh, sinner and saint, etc.
[1]163, [2]ff. 63
#32. Christ fulfilled the law. Therefore we need not fulfill the law.
[1]163, [2]ff. 63
#33. The benefits of Christ — justification, vivification, liberation from the law — pertains to the entire person. Therefore this particularity is not to be posed, that we are partly righteous, partly unrighteous. I prove the consequence because we are totally righteous or totally sinners.
[1]186, [2]ff. 63, [4]ff.
#34. No one can teach about faith, about grace without the Holy Spirit. [Those that teach the moral law is unnecessary] teach about faith, about grace. Therefore they have the Spirit and consequently they are not the brothers of the devil.
[1]204, [2]ff. 67
#35. Whatever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23) The law is not out of faith. Therefore it is sin.
[1]205, [2]ff. 67, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#36. Those who teach in the Church are called evangelists. Therefore they ought to teach [only] the gospel.
[1]212, [2]ff. 67
#37. Christians do not have a condemning law. The just does not have a condemning law. Therefore David does not sin when he commits adultery.
[1]213, [2]ff. 67
#38. Abraham and the other fathers were able to render to God true obedience and were moved to true repentance by love of piety and righteousness. Yet at the time of these fathers the law had not been given yet. There is therefore no need to teach the condemning law.
[1]214, [2]ff. 67
#39. The knowledge of virtues is useful for the formation of good customs. Therefore the knowledge of sin and vices impedes good customs.
[1]215, [2]ff. 67, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
#40. Eternal life is the chief and ultimate goal of man. Eternal life is revealed in the Gospel. Therefore the law is not necessary.
[1]216, [2]ff. 67, John 5:46-47, John 14:15-24
Results
How did you fare? Based on your answers it seems your beliefs on the use of the Law are more aligned with Martin Luther and the Lutheran church during the Reformation.
The closer your score is to 40/40 (100%) the closer your beliefs are to the pure Scriptural doctrine of the Law. If closer to 0/40 (0%) then your beliefs are closer to the false doctrine of the antinomians.
Explore the explanations and conclusions behind each statement using the following resources and page numbers:
[1] Sonntag, Holger (2008). Only the Decalogue is Eternal: Martin Luther’s Complete Antinomian Theses and Disputations. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Published by Lutheran Press. ISBN: 978-0-9748529-6-6
[2] Strawn, Paul (2004). Don’t Tell Me That! From Martin Luther’s Antinomian Theses Minneapolis, Minnesota: Published by Lutheran Press. ISBN: 0-9748529-2-9
[3] “The Twofold Use of the Law & Gospel: ‘Letter’ & ‘Spirit'”, by Martin Luther, “The Sermons Of Martin Luther, Vol. VIII,” Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI.
[4] Luther, Martin. Romans Commentary (English translation).
Also, the Holy Bible as specifically noted.
If you find these resources a little too unwieldy, try getting started with these books:
- Luther, Martin (1529). Small Catechism (English translation).
- Luther, Martin (1529). Large Catechism (English translation).
How did you fare? Based on your answers it seems your beliefs on the use of the Law are more aligned with Johannes Agricola and the antinomians that fought against the pure doctrine of the Lutheran church during the Reformation.
The closer your score is to 40/40 (100%) the closer your beliefs are to the pure Scriptural doctrine of the Law. If closer to 0/40 (0%) then your beliefs are closer to the false doctrine of the antinomians.
Explore the explanations and conclusions behind each statement using the following resources and page numbers:
[1] Sonntag, Holger (2008). Only the Decalogue is Eternal: Martin Luther’s Complete Antinomian Theses and Disputations. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Published by Lutheran Press. ISBN: 978-0-9748529-6-6
[2] Strawn, Paul (2004). Don’t Tell Me That! From Martin Luther’s Antinomian Theses Minneapolis, Minnesota: Published by Lutheran Press. ISBN: 0-9748529-2-9
[3] “The Twofold Use of the Law & Gospel: ‘Letter’ & ‘Spirit'”, by Martin Luther, “The Sermons Of Martin Luther, Vol. VIII,” Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI.
[4] Luther, Martin. Romans Commentary (English translation).
Also, the Holy Bible as specifically noted.
If you find these resources a little too unwieldy, try getting started with these books:
- Luther, Martin (1529). Small Catechism (English translation).
- Luther, Martin (1529). Large Catechism (English translation)
This is a difficult quiz! My score was a rather mediocre 78% so I have some room for improvement. I sure hope this is graded on a curve? At least it said I was Lutheran. It suggested that I read my Catechism, I’m working my way through it now. I’m on the 5th Command (You shall not murder).
Thanks for taking the quiz! I think your score is actually very good, considering how tricky many of the statements are.
It was tempting to simplify the statements in the quiz, but it seemed more important to represent them as accurately as possible to provide insights into the nature of Luther’s disputation events and how the Law is often misunderstood.
I hope you will take the quiz again after you complete your study of the Catechism and let us know how much your understanding improves. Thanks!