Full Text for Dogmatics 4- Volume 15 - Would it also be correct to anticipate that the Lord will both motivate and move me to honor my neighbor with my actions? (Video)

No. 15. >> That was really good. Your reference to one of your favorite theologians helped me clarify my understanding. Would it also be correct to anticipate that the Lord will both motivate and move me to honor my neighbor with my actions? Actions which are consistent with the will of God. His law. >>DR. JOEL D. BIERMANN: Yeah. The Gospel certainly does motivate us. And drives us. And so when I know where I stand before God, I have this tremendous desire to love him and to serve him. But he says: You know, the best way to serve me is by serving my creation. Go out there and serve your neighbor and love him. And so the Gospel does provide that motivation and that drive. And then the law provides sort of the concrete details of what's involved. And sometimes I might be overwhelmed with the desire to do the right thing but not know what it is. I'll give you the example from married life. Often husbands say: I love my wife so much and I just want to do things to show her my love. And then he'll do the things on his list. And the wife will come and say: That's not what I want at all. So he doesn't know how to kind of channel and harness his feelings until she gives him some concrete things that make a difference for her. Spend some time with me. Or let's go out and spend an afternoon. Just listen to me when I talk. Those are the things that matter to me. And he says: Wow. That's news. Okay. Fine. I'll do those things. So now he has some concrete things. The law I think works that way for us. We have this tremendous love for what God has done for us. And now the law provides the concrete structure so we know how to go out and live the life. Sometimes it's been said that the law is nothing more than the shape of the Christian's life. It's the shape that your life begins to take as you do God's will because that's what the law is. God's will for his creatures.