The Terminus
Via Hans Iwand, Glaubensgerechtigkeit nach Luthers Lehre, p. 193
Jesus Christ alone stands among us all as true human being – this is the significance of his incarnation… Ergo, the incarnation of Christ is the very opposite of the deification of Adam. The crucified, ‘as true human being,’ stands in a world whose people gave up their own truth, the truth of their existence, depriving themselves of the knowledge of God. Hence, he stands as the true human being amidst ‘unfortunate, arrogants gods.’
Via Hans Iwand, Gesetz und Evangelium, p. 278
Justification is the ‘incomprehensible,’ profoundly ‘scandalous,’ at the same time absolutely ‘unpractical’ and ethically ‘contestable’ of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Justification is not ‘there’ for achieving ‘something.,’ as thought by Ritschl and his school, such as giving the human being a good conscience that enables him, as an ethical person, to continue the struggle against his instincts and false inclinations. Hence, it is not the motivating force within the entire ethical process, but is itself a ‘terminus,’ an end, the ultimate power and purpose of all purposes.
