Modern Lutherans and the Distinction Between Law and Gospel

(Truth in Advertising: If you did not know it, I was a Lutheran Christian, but I have left Wittenburg to "swim the Bosphorus" and have been received into the Holy Orthodox Church. It is from this perspective that I now write the following:)
It is my opinion that the present-day understanding of The "Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel" creates handicapped Christians.

Lutherans have a doctrine of Law and Gospel. These are the handles by which they grasp the Scriptures.

If there is a passage in which we are doing or commanded to do the verbs, that is categorized as "Law." The Law has three functions: curbs bad behavior, mirrors our inadequacy, and guides our new life in Christ. Curb, Mirror, Guide, for short.

The Gospel (in this broad sense) is in verses where God does the acting and these passages show us the things He has done for us and how He has saved us.

So they go to the Law, hear about how they don't measure up to the holiness required by God (mirror) and hear threats that persuade them not to behave in certain ways (curb).  This is supposed to make them repentant. (Which reveals another problem, because "the law kills" and only the Gospel motivates and brings to life, so how can they repent without the motivation of the Gospel?)

Once repentant, they are given the Gospel: that they are forgiven, that Christ has accomplished all.

But, even though the Lutheran Confessions talk about the sanctified will, the new man, and how he cooperates with God in the good works in which we are created to walk (Eph2:10), many modern Lutherans don't like "3rd use" or to talk about that stuff.  Again, this is because they don't want to appear "works-righteous," which, in itself isn't a bad thing.  But it seems that they want to hear the Gospel and stop there. "I'm sorry for being bad, reassure me that I'm forgiven, but don't tell me what to do next. That's between me and the Holy Spirit."

The reason they stop there, in my opinion (formed by teaching and experience), comes from this:
While the Law has "three functions," there is also a fourth:
"Lex Semper Accusat" - The Law Always Accuses.
If you preach Law (something YOU should DO) after you've proclaimed the Gospel, you could undo the peace and assurance they received and could plunge them into despair, because Lex Semper Accusat and the Mirror function team up to demolish the proud sinner.

In the face of the fear wrought by Rome, it is well intended and makes sense to bring the comfort of the Gospel to fearful Christians.  Unfortunately, although the Confessions speak of the new man and cooperating with God, today's Lutherans, generally speaking, don't talk that way and go to some length to attribute even that to "Christ in me" as though you are just a shell, or a lifeless tool used by God, with no participation of your own will, contra Philippians 2:13 and their own Confessions.

An unintended consequence of this current understanding of Law and Gospel is that some parts of Scripture are viewed with fear or suspicion or perhaps just discarded.  People don't realize this is happening, but tell a Lutheran "be ye perfect" and they might react in a way that would make you think you just assaulted them.  "Kind of heavy on the Law!" "Well I can't, so thank God for forgiveness!" These are responses you might get before you are dismissed and the verse is regarded as having second-class status. Again, I don't think it's intentional or a conscious opinion. Indeed, Lutherans love and cherish the Scriptures, but there's no denying that this reaction takes place.

The more I considered this phenomenon, the more it seemed like Lutherans had left the Confessions and become a particular kind of antinomian; one that denies the "third use," that the commands in Scripture are any good for us, or that we could even actually *do* good.

The Orthodox don't have a dogmatic distinction between Law and Gospel.  Instead, they believe that "every word is God-breathed and useful," that God works in us "to will and to do that which is pleasing to Him."  Of course, they also love to proclaim the good news of the Gospel, the free gift of Salvation in Christ Jesus, but they don't shy away from things that help us "work out our salvation" and "walk in the light." They understand the failure to hit the mark, and thus individual confession and absolution is a prominent feature in Orthodoxy: Everyone goes to the priest for confession, regularly. We fall. We get up. We are encouraged to learn and grow and live more fully in Christ.

If Lutherans could return to the Confessions and embrace that Third Use and their sanctified will, it would deepen their spiritual walk and enrich their daily life in this world.  Christ calls us to *life* in Him, and over and over again urges us to act.  The meme below is kind of an absurd demonstration of many present-day Lutherans' attitude toward commands.

But, just as Christ's command to Lazarus to "come out" is, indeed, a command, it is a command which, when followed by Lazarus in his subsequent DOING the coming out, enriches not only his life but his sisters and friends as well.

Not ALL Lutherans believe this way, but this has been the "majority opinion" in my experience.  We have trained our ears to hear these things discreetly, and to recoil at any sermon that might tell you what to do next, so much so that people have complained of "not getting the Gospel" even though they just spent an hour and a half in the full Liturgy and received the Sacrament of the Altar.  This is the handicap: the second-class status of certain Scriptures, the restriction of living out our life in Christ, and the inability to appreciate the lavish gifts that are showered on you in the Liturgy. It should not be so.

When you hear the Lord calling you to action, don't wallow in inability or failure. Make a beginning to do what He says. Don't lie in the tomb and say to yourself "I have heard the voice of the Lord! He has given me new life. I will lie here and do nothing because He has done it all."
No. Come out!