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eminently the word of God’s grace, and therefore also the most important means of grace.
Strictly speaking, it is the Word as it is preached in the name of God and in virtue of a divine
commission, that is considered as a means of grace in the technical sense of the word,
alongside of the sacraments which are administered in the name of God. Naturally, the Word of
God can also be considered as a means of grace in a more general sense. It may be a real
blessing as it is brought to man in many additional ways: as it is read in the home, is taught in
the school, or is circulated in tracts. As the official means of grace, placed at the disposal of the
Church, both the Word and the sacraments can only be administered by the lawful and
properly qualified officers of the Church. But in distinction from the sacraments the Word can
also be carried out into the world by all believers and operate in many different ways.
B. THE RELATION OF THE WORD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
There has developed in the course of history quite a difference of opinion respecting the
efficacy of the Word, and consequently, as to the connection between the effectual operation
of the Word, and the work of the Holy Spirit.
1. Nomism in its various forms, such as Judaism, Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism Arminianism,
Neonomianism, and Rationalism, deems the intellectual, moral, and æsthetic influence of the
Word as the only influence that can be ascribed to it. It does not believe in a supernatural
operation of the Holy Spirit through the Word. The truth revealed in the Word of God works
only by moral persuasion. In some of its forms, such as Pelagianism and Rationalisem, Nomism
does not even feel the need of a special operation of the Holy Spirit in the work of redemption,
but in its more moderate forms, such as Semi-Pelagianism, Arminianism, and Neonomianism, it
considers the moral influence of the Word insufficient, so that it must be supplemented by the
work of the Holy Spirit.
2. Antinomianism, on the other hand, does not regard the external Word as necessary at all,
and displays a Mysticism which expects everything from the inner word or the inner light, or
from the immediate operation of the Holy Spirit. Its slogan is, “The letter killeth, but the Spirit
giveth life.” The external word belongs to the natural world, is unworthy of the really spiritual
man, and can produce no spiritual results. While Antinomians of all descriptions reveal a
tendency to slight, if not to ignore altogether, the means of grace, this tendency received its
clearest expression at the hands of some of the Anabaptists.
3. In opposition to these two views, the Reformers maintained that the Word alone is not
sufficient to work faith and conversion; that the Holy Spirit can, but does not ordinarily, work
without the Word; and that therefore in the work of redemption the Word and the Spirit work
together. Though there was little difference on this point at first between the Lutherans and