This paper investigates how German Lutheran Pietists received Martin Luther's teaching on justification and why they believed the reformation of a doctrine should lead to the reformation of life.[1] It examines Johann Arndt's True Christianity, Philipp Jakob Spener's Pia Desideria, and two brief works of August Hermann Francke, Scriptural and Basic Introduction to True Christianity and On Christian Perfection, all of which are representative of their understanding of justification and were widely used by the churchly Pietists.[2] The term 'reception' in the title alludes to the thesis and also to the methodology of the paper. The thesis is that the keen interest of the Pietists in the work of the Holy Spirit in Luther and in the ordo salutis in the Confessions resulted in an understanding that just as a correct understanding of justification was vital to the Reformation of the Church, a correct understanding of how rebirth was related to justification was of vital interst to the Church becasue the Reformation was incomplete until it led to the reformation of life in its members. The incredible missinal growth that Lutherans experienced under the leadership of Spener and Francke was a direct result of this emphasis on reformed lives through rebirth.

Lutheran Pietists warned against opus operatum, so while they practiced infant baptism and believed in baptismal regeneration, they thought virtually all adults would have lost this through rebellion, therefore they needed conversion and regeneration. Based on Martin Luther's Preface to Romans, the Pietists taught that through 'true faith,' the Holy Spirit effects change in us; hence, our eternal security is in being 'reborn from God.'[3] The implementation of Pietist emphases[4] gave birth to a movement; hence, the appropriate methodology is to give investigation of praxis priority over theology. Therefore, attention is given to what they did. An examination of the Pietist critique of the Lutheranism of their day, urging a more biblical faith, rejecting opus operatum, and the necessity of being born again, raises questions today concerning possible applications for their theology, especially their pneumatology.

Could it be that one of the reasons the Evangelical Lutheran Church is in decline in the West is that it preaches the need for grace but fails to proclaim that the Holy Spirit gives power to transform? Essentially, we are asking if there was something distinctive and valid in Lutheran Pietism about the relationship between a justifying faith and the works that the Spirit accomplishes in the lives of the believer, and was this, as they believed, a completion of the reformation understood to have been commenced by Martin Luther.

Methodology

This paper proceeds in three phases. First, it examines the faith that inspired the reform and eventual renewal of a church enabling it to aid revivals when they broke out in an unexpected manner. It does so by tracing the development of the Pietist emphases from Arndt, to Spener, to Francke, a theological study of their writings, that is, what they said, and, a historical look at what happened under their influence, what they did. The main body of the second section on practice is devoted to two case studies, the University of Halle under Francke, and the Silesian Revival and how it was aided by the Halle Pietists. The third section is devoted to an analysis of the research from a contemporary Lutheran perspective in the categories of regeneration, Spirit and Word, Faith and Works, Eschatology and Ecclesiology and Trinitarian Theology.

The Pietist Movement

The practice of Pietism is experiential, idealistic, biblical, and oppositional.[5] Churchly Pietism practiced what it preached, for example, it taught a good deal about prayer, centered its praxis in devotional groups, collegia pietatis, taught about and prayed in the "hope for better days,"[6] but they also worked to help bring it in. Pietism emphasized the role of prayer for an experiential relationship with God, and its spread can be traced as a movement of prayer. Besides the streams in Holy Scripture, Pietists drank from many "mystical" brooks, including Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed spiritual authors. Spener-Francke Pietism was an ecumenical movement which led to the creation or strengthening of organizations which still exist. Pietism was always in tension with the establishment yet creating bridges between like-minded believers in different traditions under different rulers whether they be princes or bishops. As piety is itself an emphasis on the participation of the person's whole life with the life of God, Pietism is a participation of the lives of all like-minded believers across denominations and communions. Each pietist collegium was a communion in the Holy Spirit and among the participants.[7] Pietism and related movements such as revivalism were and always will be, controversial. Holding Scripture above both Luther and the Confessions, with the understanding that is what all the theologians involved taught themselves, but the Confessions, and even Blessed Martin, had in practice become almost idolatrous for Lutheran Orthodoxy, Pietism accomplished reform of Church, government, education, and culture, and facilitated the creation of new forms, i.e., ecclesiolae in ecclesia, and new institutions, especially schools, hospitals and homes for widows and orphans, and important missionary organizations.[8] For example, August Hermann Francke (1663-1727) corresponded with about 5,000 people, and he kept in constant contact with between 300 and 400 ecclesiastical leaders.[9]

Though Pietism was the most significant movement within the Church since the time of the Reformation,[10] and it has had a lasting influence on Lutheranism,[11] continues to influence Lutheran churches throughout the world,[12] as well as the entire evangelical movement, it is misunderstood and underappreciated in the United States.[13] Jonathan Edwards saw God's hand at work in a world wide revival, "Most especially in Germany, through the endeavours of an eminent divine there, Augustus Hermann Frank, professor of divinity at Halle in Saxony," [14] yet German Lutheran Pietism is an underappreciated model in Academy and Church. It must be admitted that it carries within itself the seeds of its chief distraction, moralism,[15] as does its cousin Puritanism, indeed all holiness, charismatic and pentecostal movements, but this hardly accounts for the neglect of its theological insights. Since the implementation of Pietism's pneumatological emphases were so far reaching,[16] this paper might ask, "In an age when liberation theologies are in favor, could Pietism be understood as a liberation movement? After all, it was born in a struggle and existed as such, and its detractors said it put practice above theology. Though it was embraced and nurtured by many members of the nobility,[17] Pietism was essentially a freedom movement of the people, giving laity, women in particular, a voice they had not had, hence, it should be evaluated with a similar methodology as liberation theologies.[18]

Brief Context for the Pietist Movement

Not having space for a substantive review of the historical context,[19] the principal point to be stated is that Pietism was a result of the intellectual battleground behind the writing of the Formula of Concord[20] that came before a long and treacherous war which had religious conflict as one of its causes. Not only would mercenaries switch sides for better pay, sometimes Lutherans would ally with Catholic to fight Reformed, hence the total effect of the Thirty Years War's trauma besides having a profound devastation of family and institutions, was to create a landscape of moral bankruptcy. Johann Arndt, either best seen as Father of Pietism,[21] or the founder of the Arndtian Piety Movement,[22] wrote True Christianity as an appeal to the heart of a church whose clergy's efforts were aimed at the head. Spener built upon this, and Francke expanded on Spener's organizational genius. A glance at the ordo salutis is the place to first look for a clue how this movement spread.

Ordo Salutis

Luther himself never gave an ordo as Arndt, Spener, and Franke did, but it needs to be understood that this is not a sign of deviation from his teaching, rather an offshoot of the same plant. The ordo salutis was common to both Orthodoxy and Pietism (as was the rebirth motif). The roots of ordo salutis lie in the seed bed of Aristotelian scholasticism entrenched in Lutheran orthodoxy. The ordo became typical of Lutheran systematic theology, which can be discerned as early as the Augsburg Confession,[23] and seen in its evolved state in the Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord. The following, from a list of the "errors of the Schwenckfelders," shows that these signatories in 1577 used the language of conversion, repentance, faith, and new obedience.

2. That the ministry of the church, the Word proclaimed and heard, is not a means whereby God the Holy Spirit teaches men the saving knowledge of Christ, conversion, repentance, and faith or works new obedience in them.

5. That a Christian who is truly born again through the Spirit of God is able to keep and fulfill the law of God perfectly in this life.^{^[24]}

Clearly, point 2 assumes that conversion, repentance, and new obedience are normative, within its major point which is to condemn any understanding that this happens outside the proclamation of the Word.

Once Orthodoxy established a system such as an order of salvation, the seed of Pietism was sown, as faith became a concept which could be intellectualized.[25] Orthodoxy's emphasis on the objective and devaluation on the subjective created a false dichotomy. Faith came to mean an intellectual acceptance of doctrine, which became the objective of preaching. This led to the neglect of practical theology and moral edification, which combined with other factors such as compulsory attendance of Sunday services, led to the need for a fresh movement. This is the background of the three Pietist theologians listed in the methodology.

Johann Arndt

Johann Arndt (1555-1621) served as a Lutheran pastor, became a superintendent, had sermons published in a postil and wrote other devotional works, but he is known chiefly for the devotional True Christianity, which was received enthusiastically by many,[26] as well as being condemned by a few Orthodox theologians.[27] Its influence went beyond the Pietists, for whom it is seminal in its emphasis on the power of God to transform the believer in regeneration and the importance of regeneration in sanctification; therefore, True Christianity is a fitting place to begin this study.

True Christianity, begins with the story of our creation in the image of God. Arndt, like most Pietists, is repetitive,[28] especially so for modern taste, therefore his emphasis on the centrality of the imago dei motif is easy to recognize. As humankind was created not only in but also with the image of God, the mind along with its will, understanding, and spirit were in conformity with the Holy Trinity and the divine qualities.[29] The image of God gave Adam union with God, and when Adam rebelled, the image and union were lost, and his descendants' only hope for it to be regained is through rebirth. Being reborn is being justified and sanctified through faith by the Holy Spirit.

The new birth is a work of God the Holy Spirit, by which a man is made a child of grace and blessedness from a child of wrath and damnation, and from a sinner a righteous man through faith, word and sacrament by which our heart, thoughts, mind, understanding, will and affections are made holy, renewed, and enlightened as a new creature in and according to Jesus Christ. The new birth contains two chief aspects in itself: justification and sanctification.[30]

Humanity needs salvation because Adam did not protect the image of God in humility and obedience, failing to be content with having the image he wanted to be the "highest good."[31] Image and union are regained through a rebirth wrought through the Word. "The Word of God is the seed of new birth."[32] Citing John, rebirth is through the "power and activity of the Holy Spirit, first through the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:4), secondly through faith, in the third place through holy baptism (Jn 3:5).[33]

Out of Adam came the highest evil, unbelief, and rebellion, but out of the Second Adam, Christ, humanity can inherit the highest good through faith. In a Trinitarian understanding, Arndt kept the Incarnation in tension with the activity of the Holy Spirit, for example, that for the salvation of Adam's descendents to be possible, Christ had to become human and be "sanctified with the Holy Spirit beyond measure."[34] The new birth gives new life in the Spirit, the reborn have the fruits of the Spirit, are empowered to be conformed to Christ by following Christ's example of humble suffering, their "example, mirror and rule of life."[35] This new life is 'true Christianity,' which subsists in denying self, breaking self will, resignation (surrender), rejecting worldly glory, considering human wisdom and power as nothing, practicing "inner repentance and mortification of the faith are the true cross that we are daily to bear."[36]

Fortunately for our research, Arndt wrote in his "Foreword to the Christian reader" that justification "is sufficiently discussed in chapters 5, 19, 34 and 41 of this book, and the first three chapters of Book II."[37]A survey of the chapters which Arndt cites as exemplary of his teaching on justification shows a different approach than one finds in contemporary Protestant preaching and systematic theology. Not only are the terms 'forensic justification' and 'imputation' rare, justification is treated as a discrete chapter only once in the 61 chapters of Books I and II. When Arndt wrote on justification, he preferred to use its cognate term, righteousness, and usually concerning the granting of righteous for renewal. The themes of the four chapters in Book I concerning justification are actually faith, humility, grace, and the reestablishment of the image of God in the believer. Since Arndt stated that these are the chapters which "sufficiently" discuss justification, he clearly understands justification as one step among others of the journey toward God which begins with God's action toward humanity in Christ. Justification is union with God which comes with the forgiveness received through sincere repentance wrought by true faith and the consequent rebirth, shown in sanctification, holiness and righteousness, all leading to union with God and eternal life.[38]

Chapter 5 addresses what true faith consists of, chiefly a deep assent and trust in God's grace which is brought about by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. By grace through faith, sins are forgiven not by any human merit but Christ's merit. Forgiveness of sins is righteousness. Even if human faith is weak, sins are covered by grace for Christ's sake. Faith is assent and the believer's heart is given over to God completely and is united to God. Arndt is not deviating from Martin Luther or his as much as expanding on a motif less important to him, union with God. We see below how justification does not stop with a declaration of forgiveness.

By this deep trust and heartfelt assent, man gives his heart completely and utterly to God, rests in God alone, gives himself over to God, clings to God alone, unites himself with God, is a participant of all that which is God and Christ, becomes one spirit with God, receives from him new power, new life, new consolation, peace and joy, rest of soul, righteousness and holiness, and also, from God through faith, man is newborn. Where new faith is, there is Christ with all his righteousness, holiness, redemption, merit, grace, forgiveness of sins, childhood of God, inheritance of eternal life.[39]

One can know their justification with confidence and complete certainty, parrhisia and plerophoria, citing Eph 3:12;Phil 1:20; 1 Jn 2:28; 3:21 and 1 Thess 1:5, 2:2. Justification is part of a new life in which victory over sin, death and the devil will be experienced as a reality.

Everything that is born of God is truly no shadowy work, but a true life work. God will not bring forth a dead fruit, a lifeless and powerless work, but a living, new man must be born from the living God. Our faith is the victory that conquers the world. That which man is to conquer must be a mighty power. If faith is to be victorious over the world, it must be a living, victorious, active, working, divine power; indeed Christ must do everything through faith.

Righteousness comes with the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit. Faith performs two actions to renew the believer: places Christ in the believer and secondly, initiates the process of sanctification.

The true sanctifying faith renews the whole man, purifies the heart, unites with God, makes the heart free from earthly things, hungers and thirst after righteousness, works love, gives peace, joy, patience, consolation in all suffering, conquers the world, makes children heirs of God and of all heavenly eternal goods.[40]

Chapter 41 considers the significance of repentance to root out the image of Satan in him," and illustrates the place of justification in the order of salvation: original sin, free will, repentance, faith, justification, prayer, the new life, and obedience.[41] God's image once shown forth in the soul, but since the fall "original unrighteousness," the image of Satan, holds body and soul captive,[42] but "a mighty person who is Lord over sin and death" can effect a change in human nature, renew it, and make it righteous.[43] There remains a spark of free will in the soul, but it has influence for external works only, which Arndt calls the law of nature, such as marital love without which we would not be able to exist. However, as Luther would say, in spiritual matters "he has no spark of spiritual light," completely unprepared for that which the human was created, "full, divine, spiritual life."[44] The remedy is to "by the Spirit of God you must fight and strive with the old Adam, the image of Satan in you." Therefore, pray, weep, wail, seek, knock, and the Holy Spirit will be given you."[45]

While Arndt departs from Luther in his emphasis on regeneration and personal experience, both of these themes are found in Luther.[46] What was unique is the emphasis placed on new birth and sanctification for a real change of heart and the transformation that could bring for those who would truly yearn for it. Secondly, the need for that transformation to be lived out in holiness. The possibility for transformation was Arndt's contribution. Whereas Spener wished to reform the Lutheran Church and Franke wanted to reach the world,[47] there is no evidence that Arndt intended to begin a movement. Arndt did not stress the implications of his insights beyond the individual; hence, Arndt is seen as a forerunner of Pietism by some historians and not a Pietist per se, because pietism was a movement.

Philipp Jakob Spener

Additional background is necessary for Spener and Francke because much can be learned about the Pietist movement through the events in their lives. Nurtured by devout parents in upper Alsace with connections to the noble house of at Rappoltsweiler, young Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705) was mentored by his devoutly religious godmother, Agatha von Rappoltstein (d. 1648) and her chaplain, Joachim Stoll (1615-78), who became his catechist. From his extensive writing equal in volume to Luther's Works, we know he read his father's copy of True Christianity, a book he read the most after the Bible, and also acknowledged the influence by German translations of English devotional writers Lewis Bayly, Daniel Dyke and Emmanuel Sonthomb, especially Bayly's Practice of Piety, Dyke's Know Thyself and True Repentance, and Sonthomb's Golden Jewel. Spener thanked Stoll for revealing these works deeper meanings and "the first spark of true Christianity" as well as a life-long practice of focusing on Holy Scripture when preaching.[48]

Spener began his university education some thirty miles from his home at Strasburg in 1651, a Lutheran school whose faculty had a life-long influence shown in ongoing correspondence and reference to them in his writings, chiefly Johann Schmidt (1594-1658), Johann Konrad Dannhauer (1603-1666) and Sebastian Schmidt (1617-96). Johann Schmidt influenced Spener as one who combined a strict Orthodoxy with deep piety, stressed the importance of teaching the catechism, and taught the necessity of the preacher to prepare by prayerful meditation and make the sermon more accessible to the congregation by being less doctrinaire and removing quotes of church fathers in Latin.[49] Spener saw that a learned preacher with a reputation for combining word and deed who strove to make the common people understand the gospel could draw large numbers and have a great influence. From Dannhauer, Spener received a foundation for Luther's thought which he built upon later while writing a projected commentary which was never published. Spener encountered many ideas for Lutheran Church reform in Dannhauer's lectures as well.[50] Sebastian Schmidt gave Spener the new historical-critical tools for studying biblical texts. Spener's studies at Strasbourg ended in 1659 and he began his further studies at Basel and Geneva. At Geneva, he heard sermons by Jean Labadie, former Jesuit and secular priest who decided to become a French Reformed minister after reading Calvin's Institutes. Labadie impressed the young Spener enough that he translated a pamphlet into German. When Labadie formed groups that were separatist in nature in the Low Countries, Spener distanced himself from his writings besides the ones written earlier in Geneva

In 1667, Spener accepted his first call as an assistant at the cathedral in Strasburg. and continued to pursue his interest in heraldry (which led to many contacts which later proved very useful for the Pietist movement) but when he was offered an important post at Frankfurt. There he implemented the emphases of the Arndtian Piety Movement;[51] Johann Schmidt's model of combining piety and Orthodoxy, accessible preaching and additional catechetical work; Dannhauer's example of rigorous Luther scholarship; Sebastian Schmidt's biblical exegesis; and Labadie's use of small groups. Spener had the opportunity to have his works published in Frankfurt. An imperial free city with many merchants and a diverse population including numerous Huguenot refugees, it had an annual fair featuring book publishers which drew people from all over. Spener first wrote Pia Desideria as a forward to an edition of Arndt's postils which was rushed into print in time for the 1675 fair.

Pia Desideria

Pia Desideria contains Spener's articulation of the doctrine of justification as well as the implications this doctrine should have on church and life. As a call for church reform it gives insights into many aspects of Spener's ecclesiology. It also gives insights into his pneumatology.

Though Pia Desideria is brief, the tone is collegial, and the content is non-academic, it is illustrative of a thinker who has historical breadth and theological depth and shows an appreciation of the work of the Holy Spirit in practical theology. Written in three parts, the first explains the need for reform in three classes of people, civil authority, clergy and the people. Part II is Spener's chiliastic vision, a hope for a better future for the all through a reformed church, and Part III is his six-point plan for reform.

In Part I, Defects of Clergy, Spener explains that clergy who have not been born again are actually unable to set an example by their conduct for their parishioners because they have not yet received the fruits of faith, and what they take to be faith "is by no means that true faith which is awakened through the Word of God, by the illumination, witness and sealing of the Holy Spirit."[52] Unregenerate clergy are able by reason to understand the letter of Scripture and even to obtain enough knowledge and skill to preach it to others, but they themselves "are altogether unacquainted with the true, heavenly light and the life of faith."[53] They are able to preach the Word, but they are not able to teach how to be saved since they do not know how,[54] and they suspect any teachers of holy living as "secret papists, Weigelians or Quakers."[55] The unregenerate clergy's "taste for reason" makes the "simplicity of Christ and his teaching appear to be tasteless," their use of reason "puffs up," which leaving them without a faith awakened by the Word, therefore their preaching contains "subtleties unknown to Scripture,"[56] which "leaves man in his love of self."[57] and such unconverted clergy with "the desire for a great reputation, which leads to the introduction of needless things into the Church while neglecting the one thing necessary, "edifying hearers who are seeking salvation."[58] Spener adds wryly, "They can hardly be kept from taking to market what gives them the most pleasure,"[59] and suggests the simplicity of the proclamation of Paul, "not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power," as a solution, implying that Paul received his understanding from the Holy Spirit and so should they.[60] Pia Desideria contains explicit statements throughout of the necessity of the Holy Spirit, not in the way of orthodoxy as moving theological chess pieces but rather as one who is grounded in biblical theology and a working, experiential understanding.

Spener stated there is need for the Spirit to discern Scripture, which the Holy Spirit guided him in writing his proposals, and he trusted that the power given by the Spirit guaranteed the success of his proposal. He showed his breadth of historical knowledge quoting Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Eusebius in Part II, where he made a significant statement which gave those who embraced Spener's proposal 'hope for a better future.' The basis for his whole approach is, "It is the same Holy Spirit who is bestowed on us by God who once effected all things in the early Christians, and he is neither less able nor less active today to accomplish the work of sanctification in us."[61] It shows that Spener hoped for more than reform, that he also had an idea of a restoration of the apostolic Church through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Pneumatology is central to each step of Spener's proposal from its conception to its implementation. The focus on the work of the Spirit places the emphasis on God rather than on human works, necessary for Spener to remain Evangelical, which is explained clearly in his understanding of justification.

Justification in Pia Desideria

Spener begins his address of the doctrine of justification referring readers to Paul Tarnov's 1624 address De novo evangelio which criticized a 'new gospel'[62] in which Christians profess the orthodox doctrine of the Lutheran Confessions, attend services and take communion, but show by their actions that they do not follow the 'old' gospel of Jesus Christ.[63] Examples of Spener's understanding of the relation of faith and works include, "We gladly acknowledge that we must be saved only and alone through faith," "works or godly life contribute neither much nor little to our salvation," and his desire to not "depart a finger's breath from this teaching, for we would rather give up our life and the whole world than yield the smallest part of it."[64] This is followed by succinct paragraphs on other basic teachings of Lutheran theology, the doctrine of the Word, and the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. He said he takes more pleasure in Luther than any other author, but all this is preparation for what will be a new emphasis to many.[65] He made this move as he argued that many who call themselves Evangelical are not. Similarly to Tarnov earlier, he says we can know by their actions that they do not have the gospel of Jesus Christ in their heart if they do not have a living faith. There are two types of faith, one is divine, a living, active, mighty, thing; the other is a human idea, of course, quoting Luther's Epistle to the Romans.

By their own powers [they] fashion an idea in their hearts which says, "I believe." This they hold for true faith. But it is a human imagination and idea that never reaches the depth of the heart, and so nothing comes of it and no betterment follows it. Faith, however, is a divine work in us. It changes us and makes us be born anew."[66]

While the forensic justification of Paul is given honor, the biological metaphor of new birth and the new man is preferred over it.[67] Luther was no stranger to rebirth language but used it much less than Paul's legal image. Spener understood the need to point out that when Luther wrote about salvation, he meant ?true' salvation. The Preface to Romans proves the basis in Luther for Pietists that there is a real change in the believer effected through the power of the Holy Spirit. The move from emphasizing regeneration rather than justification is the move that allows a shirt from faith versus works, to a rationale for faith does works.

Against the Lutherans who argue that baptism is a once-for-all action, Spener taught that it is true that you can only be baptized once, but baptism needs to be seen as God making a covenant, grace from his side and faith and a good conscience on the human side, and for the covenant to last "it must remain in constant use throughout your whole life."[68] Baptism is more than wiping the ledger; it is God's power to regenerate. "Nor do I know how to praise Baptism and its power enough," and, "I believe that it is the real ?washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit' (Titus 3:5), "as Luther says in the Catechism, 'it effects forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil and grants (not merely promises) 'eternal salvation.'"[69] Spener believed that baptism gave infants regeneration, but this was lost except in rare cases, hence it was necessary to receive regeneration through conversion.[70] Both Spener and Arndt point out that opus operatum was a dangerous error,[71] leads many to damnation because they think that all Christianity requires of them is to be baptized, go to worship services, listen to sermons, confess sins, receive absolution, sing a few hymns and take the wine and wafer "no matter how their hearts are disposed."[72] What is necessary is to be born again, receiving "a capacity for the Holy Spirit and hence for true faith."[73] In essence, the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to truly believe, and Spener emphasized Luther's warning in the Preface to Romans that belief may not exist because there are two kinds of faith, one that is based on reason and is no more than an opinion but the one necessary is divine.

The danger of opus operatum is if one thinks all they need is the intellectual understanding of faith, one will not yearn for a living, operative faith. This is the essence of Spener's diagnosis of his culture: so few have faith because Christianity is not internalized because of the denial of the validity and importance of the experiential. Luther taught the need of a living faith, but he also warned against ?enthusiasm,' and the latter combined with scholastic orthodoxy gave the impression the faith Luther spoke of was intellectual, but can there be any question what kind of faith Luther meant in his commentary on Galatians in reference to the resurrection of Christ, "To the extent that you believe this, to that extent you have it."^{^[74]}

Rather than emphasizing a legal drama ending with the accused going free, justification was taught as a step in a process which lead to a reformed way of life if one had true faith. Many clergy and theologians took exception at the division between the two categories. Spener pointed out this division in the writings of Luther, the Confessions, and Scripture in Pia Desideria, and asked his colleagues if it was not time to apply these principles. Spener wrote that the conditions of their day, unbelief and the immoral behavior that resulted from it, demanded a cure of the evils. His proposals were principally a turn toward Scripture, a turn away from doctrinal argumentation in the pulpit toward Scripture-centered proclamation augmented with weekly gatherings to study the Bible.

Of Spener's interpretation of Luther, W. R. Ward said,

Luther was no Orthodox collection of proof texts, but a practitioner of living faith and formation. Thus, Spener's doctrine of justification was Lutheran but not quite Luther's; and his systematic development of Luther's hints on the priesthood of all believers was something not found in Luther or Lutheran orthodoxy. He did not create a theological school, but created the basis on which the next generation of Pietists could do so."[75]

Spener's emphasis on justification can be summed up as "justifying faith," as part of the process of regeneration leading to more emphasis on how the born-again life is lived. Justification did not lose its importance as a foundation of an evangelical doctrine, but besides a greater emphasis placed upon regeneration, justification tends to fall into the background being part of an order of salvation begun by Word and Spirit in which one is called, led into conversion through a deep remorse and repentance, followed by justification by grace through faith with the heart, mind, will and intellect being illuminated, being converted in a way that one is reborn, a new creature with a new mind, new will and a new way of life. Spener's theological contribution to the piety movement is that the believer's Christ-likeness becomes the characterization of the Christian life, not one's need for grace.[76] How he and his followers lived it out is examined below.

August Herman Francke

A younger colleague of Spener, it has been said that as Luther had his Melanchthon, Spener had his Francke, but this is hardly fair. Francke stands in no one's shadow. Underappreciated by Lutherans for decades, perhaps puzzled by one of their theologians having a datable conversion, or perhaps because his writings sound moralistic to contemporary ears, still it is passing strange that the one Lutheran who did the most to advance education, missions, renewal and revival, a man who even influenced kings, and the only book-length biography in English since 1867, God's Glory, Neighbor's Good, was written by a Methodist scholar.

In 1689, Francke had several weeks to prepare a sermon on John 20:31, and wrote in his Autobiography, "With this particular text I had the opportunity to discuss true living faith, and how this faith was distinguished from a mere human and imaginary foolish faith."[77] Francke began to question if he had within himself that which he would want to urge in the sermon. He struggled for weeks, finally fell to his knees and asked God to come and take care of the matter "As quick as turning over one's hand," God accomplished this, giving Francke an overpowering experience of peace and overwhelming stream of joy.

It is simple to appreciate the significance of Luther's words in his Preface to Romans on Francke's frame of mind before conversion, "Faith is not the human notion and dream that some people call faith, a human figment and idea that never reaches the depths of the heart [but] a divine work in us which changes us and makes us to be born anew of God,"^{^[78]} and Spener's use of Luther in Pia Desideria, "What they take to be faith is by no means that true faith which is awakened through the Word of God, by the illumination, witness and sealing of the Holy Spirit, but is a human fancy."[79] Spener himself taught that conversion and regeneration by the Holy Spirit was necessary but never spoke of his own conversion, and wrote in 1690, "It is enough for me to feel the wind blowing powerfully even though the first blast was not observed by me."[80] Spener takes pains to point out that one cannot copy another's conversion experience, or discern the state of theirs in comparison to writing, "I consider the description of the conversion of one or another person according to all the particulars to be useful, but the misuse of the same can also be harmful." Francke went to stay with Spener after his conversion, and in a letter to a colleague, Spener called Francke a totus pietatis. Considering the influence Franck was to have, one wonders if there was any significance to a scholar experiencing the new birth which he had studied and for which he yearned.

Sometime in the first decade of the eighteenth century Francke wrote Scriptural and Basic Introduction to True Christianity, a ten-page work consisting of twelve points which gives in brief how he understood the work of the Holy Spirit in justification. It begins in a way which makes few friends in Lutheran circles today, "Not everyone who calls himself a Christian is a Christian." Why? One is made a Christian if one is being influenced by Christ; "believes in his name from the heart, imitates him, and is gifted and anointed to that end with his Spirit, and to follow him faithfully and steadfastly" for one's entire life.[81] It is paramount to know one's sin, and by this, not just the "coarse sins" such as promiscuity, drunkenness, theft, "which even the heathen can avoid," but more importantly, the sin of unbelief. One must ask God to test the heart and reveal where wisdom, righteousness, and holiness are lacking. God then shows that one is utterly unable to do good, and is actually inclined to wickedness. The failure to rely on God is the root of all sin, inner and outward.[82]

Following the section on repentance, Francke treats justification. One must not remain stuck in remorse but rather flee to the cross in faith, humility and confidence that through the blood one may gain grace, forgiveness and eternal, reconciliation, justification and eternal redemption.[83] As Francke quotes, "We are justified without merit," from Romans 3:24-25, it is certain that he is setting forth his teaching on justification. Far from a strictly legal transaction, Francke's portrays justification as grounded in the blood of Jesus, attained by grace, but not through intellectual faith but a God-derived faith attained in a process begun in call or election, aided greatly by God granting the power to search one's soul, and the grace to see the need for redemption, to root out unbelief, and the grace to claim the blood. It is necessary that the believer be assured that this is the case.

"Now if the repentant sinner looks to Jesus in faith and avails himself of his holy merit, God grants him grace and, for Christ's sake the forgiveness of his sins and makes him righteous ? let the faithful not cease with petitions, pleas, seeking, knocking, until through the gracious working of the Holy Spirit he experiences such in his heart and is assured."

Franke teaches to let the believer "to give God all the glory," because it was the hidden, divine power of God "manifested through the Word, kindles faith" and one should "humbly plead" for the grace to know that "his faith not consist of human opinion" but rather "God's power" and that the believer does indeed have true salvation and possess a "true, living faith."[84] Peace and "assurances and fruit of his grace" immediately follow justification. God "will pour out the blessed stream of love in abundance in his heart through the Holy Spirit," and the believer finds "he has received a quite different ?mind' and has become a 'new creature' and no longer fixed on worldly things, looks toward heavenly things. Franke gives practical examples of the new life that the new person would find himself or herself in, for example, in one engaged in idle gossip he or she would experience "great unrest in the heart."[85]

Francke used similar language as Luther's description of faith in the Preface to Romans, "And such a new mind and will is alive, powerful and active in him." Sections 8-12 describe the new life, described as a struggle in which one must keep fixed on God who will restore if stumbling occurs. New life is marked by a desire to daily attending to God's Word, going to worship "diligently out of sincere love of the truth" desiring fellowship with other Christians, giving God praise and thanks, "the Lord's Supper is dear to him," and "strengthened through untiring prayer," and "constant watchfulness over his heart" one "carries out his professional vocation joyfully and cheerfully to the glory of God and his neighbor's good."[86] Francke stressed that justification and the ability to live the Christian life is activated by the power of the Holy Spirit each step of the way solely by grace, which is shown in his repeated admonishments to be humble and explanations how this all works through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In no way may he think he would or could contribute anything through himself and his own natural powers to make himself better, more pious, and holier in his subsequent walk, but rather here also he must give the glory to his Savior alone and know in faith that 'righteousness' as well as 'sanctification' is worked in him through God alone, in whom and through whose grace and Spirit the entire divine work of sanctification must be begun and continued through the end.

Francke taught that justification is part of the process which includes sanctification, and that this is an ongoing process to be marked "in fear and trembling."

On Christian Perfection was written in 1690, the year Francke was ordained. It begins, "We are justified only by faith in the Lord Jesus without merit or addition of work," and, "The justified person becomes completely and totally perfect."[87] How is justification part of a process which includes sanctification, yet it grants perfection? Francke writes, "He who does not have this perfection cannot become holy." One may well begin to wonder if Francke just has a novel definition of justification, but what we have here gives us insight into a basic misunderstanding of how Pietists 'rightly divided' justification and sanctification, and why they moved beyond the dilemma between the Roman Catholic position and Luther.

"Perfection is nothing other than faith in the Lord Jesus and is not in us or ours but in Christ for whose sake we are considered perfect before God and thus his perfection is ours by ascription."[88] The key is in the three little words, "is not ours." Ours by ascription means it is applied to us. Justification is not a possession, but an influence, as seen in the next point, while a justified person can be assured of "his blessedness," that is, his forgiveness of sins, reconciliation and the resulting state of peace of mind, it is not a satiated peace but one in which "he immediately discovers the weakness of flesh."[89] Original sin has not been eradicated, still spawns "all kinds of doubts and evil thoughts, at times evil inclinations of the will," and habit is not eradicated either. So how is one perfect? "Such remaining disorderly patterns and activities, however, are not reckoned to the justified man."[90] It should be clear that the basis for this paradox is found in Scripture, Romans 8:1, as well as Luther and the Confessions, "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." To this Francke adds the Pietist emphasis of the new birth, "If the newborn Christian acknowledges such sins of the flesh, he strives with all earnestness against the evil which arises." Francke shows this comfort in paradox throughout his teaching After explaining why the new Christian still strives, and that this is not done through human ability but "the power of Jesus Christ which is made sanctification for him," this happens day by day, typified as growth from new born, child, youth "