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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/30619-8.txt b/30619-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6910d72 --- /dev/null +++ b/30619-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13993 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Epistle Sermons, Vol. III, by Martin Luther + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Epistle Sermons, Vol. III + Trinity Sunday to Advent + +Author: Martin Luther + +Translator: John Nicholas Lenker + +Release Date: December 7, 2009 [EBook #30619] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EPISTLE SERMONS, VOL. III *** + + + + +Produced by Ron Swanson (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries) + + + + + + +LUTHER'S +EPISTLE SERMONS +TRINITY SUNDAY TO ADVENT. + + +TRANSLATED WITH THE HELP OF OTHERS +BY +PROF. JOHN NICHOLAS LENKER, D.D. + +AUTHOR OF "LUTHERANS IN ALL LANDS," TRANSLATOR OF +LUTHER'S WORKS INTO ENGLISH, AND PRESIDENT OF +THE NATIONAL LUTHERAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION + + + + +VOL. III. +(_Volume IX of Luther's Complete Works_.) +Third Thousand + + + + +_The Luther Press_ +MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., U.S.A. +1909. + + + + +_Dedication_ + + +To all Laymen of Evangelical Christendom interested in developing a +deeper Christian Life, on the basis of the spiritual classics of our +Protestant Church Fathers, this volume of sermons that apply the pure +doctrine of God's Word to everyday life, is prayerfully dedicated. + + + + +Copyright, 1909, by J. N. LENKER. + + + + +_Foreword_ + + +Here comes the English Luther in his twelfth visit to your home. In +peasant boots, decorated by no star of worldliness nor even by the +cross of churchliness, but by the Book from heaven pressed to his +heart in a firm attitude of earnest prayer, he comes as the man of +prayer and of the one Book, a familiar friend, to help you to live +the simple Christian life. + +This volume of twenty-four practical sermons from Trinity Sunday to +Advent marks an epoch in that it completes in an unabridged form one +branch of Luther's writings, the eight volumes of his Gospel and +Epistle Postil. They are bound in uniform size, numbered as in the +Erlangen edition from the seventh to the fourteenth volume inclusive, +paragraphed for convenient reference according to the Walch edition +with summaries of the Gospel sermons by Bugenhagen. The few subheads +inserted in the text are a new feature for American readers. + +These eight volumes of 175 sermons and 3,110 pages are the classic +devotional literature of Protestantism. They were preached by its +founder to the mother congregation of Evangelical Christendom in the +birth-period of the greatest factor in modern civilization. No +collection of Evangelical sermons has passed through more editions +and been printed in more languages, none more loved and praised, none +more read and prayed. They will be a valuable addition to the meager +sermon literature on the Epistle texts in the English language. +English Protestants will hereafter have no excuse for unacquaintance +with Luther's spiritual writings. + +What Luther's two Catechisms were in the school room to teach the +Christian faith to the youth, that these sermons were in the homes to +develop the same faith in adults. They have maintained their good +name wherever translated until the present and their contents are +above the reach of critics. These Epistle sermons especially apply +the Christian truth to everyday life. The order in developing the +Christian life with the best help from the prince of the Teutonic +church fathers, should be from the Small to the Large Catechism and +then to his Epistle sermons. Blessed the pastor and congregation who +can lead the youth to "Church Postil Reading"--to read in harmony +with their church-going. Blessed is the immigrant or diaspora +missionary who finds his people reading them in the new settlements +he visits. + +Next to the Bible and Catechisms no books did more to awaken and +sustain the great Evangelical religious movements under Spener in +Germany, Rosenius in Sweden, and Hauge in Norway, than these sermon +books devoutly and regularly read in the homes of church members. + +The transition of a people and church from a weak language into a +stronger, is easy and accompanied by gain; while the opposite course +from a strong into a weaker tongue is difficult; and accompanied by +loss. While in our land the Germans and Scandinavians lose much in +the transition ordeal, all is not lost; they have something to give. + +It is a good sign that two-tongued congregations are growing in +favor. Familiar thought in a strange language is not so strange as +when both language and thought are foreign. A church whose +constituency is many-tongued should avoid becoming one-tongued. +Church divisions are often more ethnological than theological. If +exclusively English pastors learned one-tenth as much German and +Scandinavian as these people do English, unity would be greatly +promoted. As Protestantism is far more divided in the English +language than in German or Scandinavian, the enthusiasm over the +unifying influence of English is misleading. The hope is rather in +the oneness of teaching and of spirit. This treasure, given first in +Hebrew, Greek and German, can be translated into all languages. Who +equals Luther as a translator? May his followers be inspired by his +example and translate the Evangelical classics of this prophet of the +Gentiles into all their dialects! That these volumes may contribute +to this end is our prayer. + +The history of the writing of these sermons is found in volumes 10, +11, 12 and 13 of the Gospel sermons of the "Standard Edition of +Luther's Works in English." + +The German text will be readily found in the 12th volume of the Walch +and of the St. Louis Walch editions, and in the 9th volume of the +Erlangen edition of Luther's works. + +Grateful acknowledgment is hereby made for translations to the +following: To Pastor H. L. Burry, the first sermon for Trinity +Sunday; Pastor W. E. Tressel, Third Sunday after Trinity; Prof. A. G. +Voigt, D. D., the Fifth and Twenty-fourth Sundays; Dr. Joseph Stump, +Sixth, Eighth and Thirteenth Sundays; Prof. A. W. Meyer, Eighteenth +and Nineteenth Sundays; and to Pastor C. B. Gohdes for revising the +Second Sermon for Trinity Sunday and the sermons for the Second, +Tenth, Twelfth and Sixteenth Sundays after Trinity. + +Next volumes to appear will be Genesis Vol. II, Psalms Vol. II and +Galatians. + +Heartily do we thank all parts of the church for their complimentary, +suggestive and helpful coöperation and earnestly hope our work may be +worthy of its continuance. + + J. N. LENKER. + Home for Young Women, + Minneapolis, Minn., Pentecost, 1909. + + + + +_Contents_ + + +Trinity Sunday.--The Article of Faith on the Trinity. The + Revelation of the Divine Nature and Will. Romans 11, 33-36 . . 7 + +Second Sermon.--The Trinity. Romans 11, 33-36 . . . . . . . . . 36 + +First Sunday After Trinity.--Love. God is Love. 1 John 4, 16-21 40 + +Second Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Brotherly Love. + 1 John 3, 13-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 + +Third Sunday After Trinity.--Humility, Trust, Watchfulness, + Suffering. 1 Peter 5, 5-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 + +Fourth Sunday After Trinity.--Consolation in Suffering and + Patience. Waiting for the Revealing of the Sons of God. Romans + 8, 18-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 + +Second Sermon.--Suffering, Waiting and Sighing of Creation. + Romans 8, 18-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 + +Fifth Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to the Fruits of Faith. + Duty of Unity and Love. 1 Peter 3, 8-15 . . . . . . . . . . . 119 + +Sixth Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Christian Living. + Life in Christ. Romans 6, 3-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 + +Seventh Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Resist Sin. The + Wages of Sin and the Gift of God. Romans 6, 19-23 . . . . . . 156 + +Eighth Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Live in the Spirit + Since We Have Become the Children of God, Sons and Heirs. + Romans 8, 12-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 + +Ninth Sunday After Trinity.--Warning to Christians Against + Carnal Security and Its Evils. 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13 . . . . 180 + +Tenth Sunday After Trinity.--Spiritual Counsel for Church + Officers. The Use of the Spiritual Gifts. 1 Corinthians 12, + 1-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 + +Eleventh Sunday After Trinity.--Paul's Witness to Christ's + Resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15, 1-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 + +Twelfth Sunday After Trinity.--The Twofold Use of the Law and + the Gospel. "Letter" and "Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3, 4-11 . . . 223 + +Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity.--God's Testament and Promise in + Christ, and Use of the Law. Galatians 3, 15-22 . . . . . . . . 248 + +Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity.--Works of the Flesh and Fruits + of the Spirit. Galatians 5, 16-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 + +Fifteenth Sunday After Trinity.--Conduct of Christians to One + Another in Church Government. Sowing and Reaping. Galatians 5, + 25-26 and 6, 1-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 + +Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity.--Paul's Care and Prayer for the + Church That It May Continue to Abide in Christ. Ephesians 3, + 13-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 + +Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Live According + to the Christian Calling, and in the Unity of the Spirit. + Ephesians 4, 1-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 + +Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity.--The Treasure Christians Have + in the Preaching of the Gospel. The Call to Fellowship. + 1 Corinthians 1, 4-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 + +Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity.--Putting on the New Man and + Laying Off the Old Man. Ephesians 4, 22-28 . . . . . . . . . . 304 + +Twentieth Sunday After Trinity.--The Careful Walk of the + Christian and Redeeming the Time. Ephesians 5, 15-21 . . . . . 317 + +Twenty-First Sunday After Trinity.--The Christian Armor and + Weapons. Ephesians 6, 10-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 + +Twenty-Second Sunday After Trinity.--Paul's Thanks and Prayers + for His Churches. Philippians 1, 3-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 + +Twenty-Third Sunday After Trinity.--The Enemies of the Cross of + Christ and the Christian's Citizenship in Heaven. Philippians + 3, 17-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 + +Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Trinity.--Knowledge of God's Will and + Its Fruits. Prayer and Spiritual Knowledge. Colossians 1, 3-14 358 + +Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Trinity.--Christ Will Take Both Alike + to Himself, the Dead and Living, When He Comes. + 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 + +Twenty-Sixth Sunday After Trinity.--God's Righteous Judgment in + the Future. When Christ Comes. 2 Thessalonians 1, 3-10 . . . . 380 + + + + +_Trinity Sunday_ + +Text: Romans 11, 33-36. + +33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of +God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing +out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his +counsellor? 35 or who hath first given to him, and it shall be +recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him and through him, and unto +him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen. + + +THE ARTICLE OF FAITH ON THE TRINITY. + +1. This epistle is read today because the festival of Holy Trinity, +or of the three persons of the Godhead--which is the prime, great, +incomprehensible and chief article of faith--is observed on this day. +The object of its observance is that, by the Word of God, this truth +of the Godhead may be preserved among Christians, enabling them to +know God as he would be known. For although Paul does not treat of +that article in this epistle, but touches on it only in a few words +in the conclusion, nevertheless he would teach that in our attempts +to comprehend God we must not speculate and judge according to human +wisdom, but in the light of the Word of God alone. For these divine +truths are too far above the reach of reason ever to be comprehended +and explored by the understanding of man. + +2. And although I have, on other occasions, taught and written on +this article fully and frequently enough, still I must say a few +words in general concerning it here. True, it is not choice German, +nor has it a pleasing sound, when we designate God by the word +"Dreifaltigkeit" (nor is the Latin, Trinitas, more elegant); but +since we have no better term, we must employ these. For, as I have +said, this article is so far above the power of the human mind to +grasp, or the tongue to express, that God, as the Father of his +children, will pardon us when we stammer and lisp as best we can, if +only our faith be pure and right. By this term, however, we would say +that we believe the divine majesty to be three distinct persons of +one true essence. + +3. This is the revelation and knowledge Christians have of God: they +not only know him to be one true God, who is independent of and over +all creatures, and that there can be no more than this one true God, +but they know also what this one true God in his essential, +inscrutable essence is. + +4. The reason and wisdom of man may go so far as to reach the +conclusion, although feebly, that there must be one eternal divine +being, who has created and who preserves and governs all things. Man +sees such a beautiful and wonderful creation in the heavens and on +the earth, one so wonderfully, regularly and securely preserved and +ordered, that he must say: It is impossible that this came into +existence by mere chance, or that it originated and controls itself; +there must have been a Creator and Lord from whom all these things +proceed and by whom they are governed. Thus God may be known by his +creatures, as St. Paul says: "For the invisible things of him since +the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through +the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity." +Rom 1, 20. This is (a posteriori) the knowledge that we have when we +contemplate God from without, in his works and government; as one, +looking upon a castle or house from without, would draw conclusions +as to its lord or keeper. + +5. But from within (a priori) no human wisdom has been able to +conceive what God is in himself, or in his internal essence. Neither +can anyone know or give information of it except it be revealed to +him by the Holy Spirit. For no one knoweth, as Paul says (1 Cor 2, +11), the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him; even +so the things of God none knoweth save the Spirit of God. From +without, I may see what you do, but what your intentions are and what +you think, I cannot see. Again, neither can you know what I think +except I enable you to understand it by word or sign. Much less can +we know what God, in his own inner and secret essence is, until the +Holy Spirit, who searcheth and knoweth all things, yea, the deep +things of God--as Paul says above--reveals it to us: as he does in +the declaration of this article, in which he teaches us the existence +in the divine majesty of the one undivided essence, but in such +manner that there is, first, the person which is called the Father; +and of him exists the second person called the Son, born from +eternity; and proceeding from both these is the third, namely, the +Holy Spirit. These three persons are not distinct from each other, as +individual brothers or sisters are, but they have being in one and +the same eternal, undivided and indivisible essence. + +6. This, I say, is not discovered or attained to by human reason. It +is revealed from heaven above. Therefore, only Christians can +intelligently speak of what the Godhead essentially is, and of his +outward manifestation to his creatures, and his will toward men +concerning their salvation. For all this is imparted to them by the +Holy Spirit, who reveals and proclaims it through the Word. + +7. Those who have no such revelation, and who judge according to +their own wisdom, such as the Jews, Turks and heathen, must consider +the Christian's declaration the greatest error and rankest heresy; +they must say that we Christians are mad and foolish in imagining +that there are three Gods, when, according to all reason--yea, even +according to the Word of God--there can be but one God. It would not +be reasonable, they will say, that there should be more than one +householder over the same house, more than one lord or sovereign over +the same government; much less reasonably should more than one God +reign over heaven and earth. They imagine that thus with their wisdom +they have completely overthrown our faith and exposed it to the +derision and scorn of all the world. As if we were all blockheads and +egregious fools and could not see their logic as well as they! But, +thank God, we have understanding equal to theirs, and can argue as +convincingly, or more so, than they with their Alkoran and Talmud, +that there is but the one God. + +8. Further, we know, from the testimony of Holy Writ, that we cannot +expound the mystery of these divine things by the speculations of +reason and a pretense of great wisdom. To explain this, as well as +all the articles of our faith, we must have a knowledge higher than +any to which the understanding of man can attain. That knowledge of +God which the heathen can perceive by reason or deduce from rational +premises is but a small part of the knowledge that we should possess. +The heathen Aristotle in his best book concludes from a passage in +the wisest pagan poet, Homer: There can be no good government in +which there is more than one lord; it results as where more than one +master or mistress attempts to direct the household servants. So must +there be but one lord and regent in every government. This is all +rightly true. God has implanted such light and understanding in human +nature for the purpose of giving a conception and an illustration of +his divine office, the only Lord and Maker of all creatures. But, +even knowing this, we have not yet searched out or fathomed the +exalted, eternal, divine Godhead essence. For even though I have +learned that there is an only divine majesty, who governs all things, +I do not thereby know the inner workings of this divine essence +himself; this no one can tell me, except, as we have said, in so far +as God himself reveals it in his Word. + +9. Now we Christians have the Scriptures, which we know to be the +Word of God. The Jews also have them, from whose fathers they have +descended to us. From these, and from no other source, we have +obtained all that is known of God and divine works, from the +beginning of the world. Even among the Turks and the heathen, all +their knowledge of God--excepting what is manifestly fable and +fiction--came from the Scriptures. And our knowledge is confirmed and +proven by great miracles, even to the present day. These Scriptures +declare, concerning this article, that there is no God or divine +being save this one alone. They not only manifest him to us from +without, but they lead us into his inner essence, and show us that in +him there are three persons; not three Gods or three different kinds +of divinity, but the same undivided, divine essence. + +10. Such a revelation is radiantly shed forth from the greatest of +God's works, the declaration of his divine counsel and will. In that +counsel and will it was decreed from all eternity, and, accordingly, +was proclaimed in his promises, that his Son should become man and +die to reconcile man to God. For in our dreadful fall into sin and +death eternal, there was no way to save us excepting through an +eternal person who had power over sin and death to destroy them, and +to give us righteousness and everlasting life instead. This no angel +or other creature could do; it must needs be done of God himself. +Now, it could not be done by the person of the Father, who was to be +reconciled, but it must be done by a second person, with whom this +counsel was determined and through whom and for whose sake the +reconciliation was to be brought about. + +11. Here there are, therefore, two distinct persons, one of whom +becomes reconciled, and the other is sent to reconcile and becomes +man. The former is called the Father, being first in that he did not +have his origin in any other; the latter is called the Son, being +born of the Father from eternity. To this the Scriptures attest, for +they make mention of God's Son; as, for instance, in Psalm 2, 7: +"Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee;" and again, +Galatians 4, 4: "But when the fulness of the time came, God sent +forth his Son," etc. From this it necessarily follows that the Son, +who is spoken of as a person, must be distinct from the person of the +Father. + +12. Again, in the same manner, the Spirit of God is specifically and +distinctively mentioned as a person sent or proceeding from God the +Father and the Son: for instance, God says in Joel 2, 28: "I will +pour out my Spirit upon all flesh," etc. Here a spirit is poured out +who is God's, or a divine spirit, and who must be of the same +essence, otherwise he could not say, "my Spirit;" and yet he must be +a person other than he who sent him or who pours out. Again, because +when he was sent he manifested himself, and appeared in his descent +in a visible form, like that of a dove or tongues of fire, he must be +distinct in person from both the Father and the Son. + +13. But in this article of faith, in which we say that the Son of God +became man and that he was of the same nature as we ourselves are, in +order that he might redeem us from sin and death and give us eternal +life without any merit or worthiness of our own, we give Jews and +Turks no less occasion for laughter and mockery than when we speak of +the three persons. For this is a more absurd assertion by far, in the +estimation of human reason, which speculates in its Jewish and +Turkish--yea, heathenish--teachings, on this wise: God is an only, +almighty Lord of all, who has created all men and given them the law +according to which they are to live; accordingly it follows that he +will be merciful to the good and obedient, but will condemn and +punish the disobedient. Therefore, he who does good works and guards +himself against sin, God will reward. These are nothing but +heathenish conclusions drawn from earthly, worldly experience and +observation, as if God's government must be conducted on the same +principles as that of a father among his children and domestics; for +those are considered good rulers and masters who make a distinction +with regard to their own interests. + +14. Such heathen ideas of wisdom, holiness and service of God are +taught and practiced by the Pope. And so we believed, myself and +others, while we were under him, not knowing any better; otherwise we +would have done and taught differently. And, in fact, he who has not +this revelation and Word of God, can neither believe nor teach other +than pagan doctrine. With such a faith, how much better were we than +the heathen and Turks? Yea, how could we guard ourselves against any +deception and lying nonsense that might be offered as good works and +as service of God? Then we had to follow every impostor who came with +his cowl and cord, as if Christ were represented in him; and we +thought that in the observance of these things we would be saved. So +the whole world was filled with naught but false service of +God--which the Scriptures properly call idolatry--the product of +human wisdom, which is so easily deceived by that which pretends to +be a good work and to be obedience to God. For human wisdom knows no +better; and how could it know better without the revelation? Even +when the revelation was proclaimed, human wisdom would not heed it, +but despised it and followed its own fancies. Hence it continued to +be hidden and incomprehensible to such wisdom, as Saint Paul says: +"For who hath known the mind of the Lord?" + +15. But to us this counsel and mind of God in giving his Son to take +upon himself our flesh, is revealed and declared. For from the Word +of God we have the knowledge that no man of himself can be righteous +before God; that our whole life and all our deeds are under wrath and +condemnation, because we are wholly born in sin and by nature are +disobedient to God; but if we would be delivered from sin and be +saved, we must believe on this mediator, the Son of God, who has +taken our sin and death upon himself, by his own blood and death +rendering satisfaction, and has by his resurrection, delivered us. In +this truth we will abide, regardless of the ridicule heaped upon us +because of such faith, by heathen wisdom, which teaches that God +rewards the pious. We understand that quite as well, if not better, +than heathenism does. But in these mysteries we need a higher wisdom +than our own minds have devised or can devise, a wisdom given to us +by grace alone, through divine revelation. + +16. For it is not our intention thus to pry into the counsel, +thoughts and ways of God with our understanding and opinions, and to +be his counselors, as they do who meddle in the affairs that are the +prerogative of the Godhead, and who even dare, in the face of this +passage of Saint Paul, to refuse to receive or learn of God, but +would impart to him that for which he must recompense again. And thus +they make gods after their own fancy, as many gods as they have +thoughts; so that every shabby monastic cowl or self-appointed work, +in their estimation, accomplishes as much and passes for as much as +God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in their eternal divine counsel, +determine and accomplish. And they continue to be nothing but wearers +of cowls and instructors in works, which works even they can do who +know nothing of God and are manifestly scoundrels. And even though +they have long been occupied with these things, they still do not +know how matters stand between themselves and God. And it will ever +be true as Saint Paul says: "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, +or who hath been his counselor?" + +17. For your own theories--which are no more than what anyone can +arrive at, conjecture or conceive in his own mind, without divine +revelation--are not a knowledge of the mind of God. And what does it +avail if you are not able to say more than that God is merciful to +the good and will punish the wicked? Who will assure you that you are +good and that you are pleasing to God with your papistic, Turkish +monkery and holiness? Is it all that is necessary to assert: God will +reward with heaven such as are faithful to the order? No, dear +brother, mere presumption, or an expression of your opinion, will not +suffice here. I could do that as well as you. Indeed, each may devise +his own peculiar idea; one a black, and another a gray monk's cowl. +But we should hear and know what God's counsel is, what is his will +and mind. This none can tell you by his own understanding, and no +book on earth can teach it except the Scriptures. These God himself +has given, and they make known to us that he has sent his Son into +the world to redeem us from sin and the wrath of God, and that +whosoever believes in him should have everlasting life. + + +DIVINE MYSTERIES INEXPLICABLE TO REASON. + +18. Behold, Paul's purpose in this epistle is to show Christians that +these sublime and divine mysteries--that is, God's actual divine +essence and his will, administration and works--are absolutely beyond +all human thought, human understanding or wisdom; in short, that they +are and ever will be incomprehensible, inscrutable and altogether +hidden to human reason. When reason presumptuously undertakes to +solve, to teach and explain these matters, the result is worthless, +yea, utter darkness and deception. If anything is to be ascertained, +it must be through revelation alone; that is, the Word of God, which +was sent from heaven. + +19. We do not apply these words of Paul to the question of divine +predestination for every human being--who will be saved and who not. +For into these things God would not have us curiously inquire. He has +not given us any special revelation in regard to them, but refers all +men here to the words of the Gospel. By them they are to be guided. +He would have them hear and learn the Gospel, and believing in it +they shall be saved. Therein have all the saints found comfort and +assurance in regard to their election to eternal life; not in any +special revelation in regard to their predestination, but in faith in +Christ. Therefore, where Saint Paul treats of election, in the three +chapters preceding this text, he would not have any to inquire or +search out whether he has been predestinated or not; but he holds +forth the Gospel and faith to all men. So he taught before, that we +are saved through faith in Christ. He says (Rom 10, 8): "The word is +nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart," and he explains himself +by saying that this word should be proclaimed to all men, that they +may believe what he says in verses 12 and 13: "For the same Lord is +Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: for, Whosoever +shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." + +20. But he speaks of the marvelous ruling of God in the Church, +according to which they who have the name and honor of being the +people of God, and the Church--the people of Israel--are rejected on +account of their unbelief. Others, on the other hand, who formerly +were not God's people, but were unbelieving, are now, since they have +received the Gospel and believe in Christ, become the true Church in +the sight of God, and are saved. Consequently it was on account of +their own unbelief that the former were rejected. Then the grace and +mercy of God in Christ was offered unto everlasting life, and without +any merit of their own, to all such as were formerly in unbelief and +sin, if only they would accept and believe it. He declares: "For God +hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon +all." Rom 11, 32. + +21. Hereupon follows the text, which Saint Paul begins with emotions +of profound astonishment at the judgment and dealings of God in his +Church, saying: + +"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of +God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing +out!" + +22. Sublime are the thoughts and counsel of God, transcending by far +the mind and comprehension of man, yea of all creatures, when he so +richly pours forth his goodness and out of pure grace and mercy +elects, as beneficiaries of that goodness, the poor and wretched and +unworthy, who are concluded under sin--that is, those who acknowledge +themselves before God to be guilty and deserving of everlasting wrath +and perdition; when he does all this that they might know him in his +real divine essence, and the sentiment of his heart--that through his +Son he will give all who believe everlasting life. And, again, that +they might know how he will reject and condemn the others--those who, +in pride and security, boast of their own gifts and the fact that +they are called the people of God in preference to all other nations; +who boast that they have special promises, that they have the +prophets, the fathers, etc.; who think that God will acknowledge no +nation on earth but themselves as his people and his Church. He will +reject them on account of their unbelief, in which they are fettered +by the pride and imaginations of their own wisdom and holiness. + +23. This is that rich, inexpressible, divine wisdom and knowledge +which they possess who believe in Christ, and by which they are +enabled to look into the depths and see what the purposes and +thoughts of the divine heart are. True, in their weakness they cannot +fully reach it; they only can apprehend it in the revealed Word, by +faith, as in a glass or image, as Saint Paul says. 1 Cor 13, 12. But +to blind, unbelieving reason, divine wisdom will be foreign and +hidden; nothing of it will enter reason's consciousness and thoughts, +nor will reason desire more though a revelation be given. + +24. That attitude Saint Paul encountered, especially when the +arrogant Jews opposed themselves so sternly and stubbornly to the +preaching of the Gospel. Filled with astonishment, he exclaimed: What +shall I say more? I see indeed that it is but the deep unsearchable +wisdom of God, his incomprehensible judgment, his inscrutable ways. +So he says elsewhere: "But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, even +the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the +world unto our glory: which none of the rulers of this world hath +known." 1 Cor 2, 7-8. + +25. This depth and richness of wisdom and knowledge, we Christians +apprehend through faith; for, as Saint Paul says, it cannot be +apprehended nor comprehended otherwise. Though the world will not do +it, we will firmly believe that God is a true God and Lord, wise, +just and gracious, whose riches and depth are ineffable. We will +glorify him with our whole heart, therefore, as he ought justly to be +praised and glorified by every creature, for his wonderful government +of his Church, through his Word and revelation. Whosoever will hear +and receive the same shall have light that will turn them to him and +give them a knowledge of their salvation--an experience which others +can never realize. And he is to be glorified because he manifests +such unutterable goodness to all who are in sin and under God's wrath +that he translates them, though they are unworthy and condemned, from +the power of death and hell into the kingdom of eternal grace and +life, if they will only seek grace and believe on Christ his Son. +And, on the other hand, he is to be glorified because, as a just +judge, he rightfully rejects and condemns those who will not believe +the revelation and testimony of his will in his Son; who insist on, +and boast of, their blind fancies, of their own wisdom and +righteousness. Being accordingly deprived of such light, such grace +and consolation, they must forever be separated and cast forth from +the kingdom of God, regardless of what great name and fame may have +been theirs when they were supposed to be the people and Church of +God. + +26. And such are God's unsearchable judgments and his ways past +tracing out. Such are his government and works. For by "judgments" is +meant that which in his view is right or wrong; what pleases or does +not please him; what merits his praise or his censure; in short, what +we should follow or avoid. Again, by "his ways" is meant that which +he will manifest unto men and how he will deal with them. These +things men cannot and would not discover by their own reason, nor +search out by their own intellect, and never should they oppose their +judgments or speculations to God. It is not for them to say what is +right or wrong, whether an act or ruling is divine. They should +humble themselves before him and acknowledge that they cannot +understand, they cannot teach God in such matters; they should give +him, as their God and Creator, the honor of better understanding +himself and his purposes than do we poor, miserable worms. + +"For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his +counselor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be +recompensed unto him again?" + +27. Paul states three propositions which take away from the world all +its boasting concerning divine things: To know the mind of the +Lord--what are his thoughts and purposes, or what he has determined +within himself from eternity; to be his counselor--advising or +showing him what to do and how to do it; to give to him--assisting +him, by one's own ability, to accomplish his divine purpose. All this +is impossible to human nature; it cannot know his mind, and how much +less will it be able, with all of its wisdom and activity, to counsel +him or give him anything. + +28. Therefore, it is a shameful presumption on the part of the world +to presume by its own powers to ascertain and discover God's essence, +his will and works, and to counsel him as to his duties and +pleasures; and shameful is it that it presumes with its works to have +merited something from him, and to have earned a recompense; shameful +presumption to expect to be honored as having achieved much for God's +kingdom and for the Church--strengthening and preserving them and +filling heaven with holiness! + +29. God must defeat minds so perverted. In his administration he must +disregard their opinions and attempts. Thus, being made fools by +their own wisdom, they may stumble and be offended at it. So would +God, by showing us the realities, convince us of the futility of our +own endeavors and lead us to acknowledge that we have not fathomed +his mind, his counsel and will, and that we cannot counsel him. No +man or angel has ever yet first thought out for God his counsel, or +offered suggestion to him. Much less is he compelled to call us into +counsel, or recompense us for anything we have given to him. + + +THREE CLASSES OF PEOPLE. + +30. There are three different kinds of people on earth, among whom +Christians must live. The first of these are that rude class which is +unconcerned about the nature of God and how he rules. They have no +regard for God's Word. Their faith is only in their mammon and their +own appetites. They think only of how they may live unto themselves, +like swine in the sty. To such we need not preach anything of this +text: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge +of God." They would understand nothing of it though we were to preach +it to them everlastingly. They would rather hear of the husks and +swill with which they fill themselves. Therefore we will let them +remain the swine that they are, and separated from others as they +are. But it is exasperating to have to encounter them among +Christians. + +31. The second class are they who are still reasonable, concerning +themselves, about God's purposes and their fulfilment, and how we may +be saved. The heathen, and even we ourselves when under the papacy, +contended, according to reason, over these things. Here is the +beginning of all idolatry on earth; everyone teaches of God according +to his own opinion. Mohammed says: He that believes his Koran and its +doctrines is pleasing to God. A monk: He that is faithful to the +order and its regulations will be saved. The Pope: He who observes +his prescriptions and ritual, who makes a pilgrimage to the apostles +at Rome, buys himself an indulgence; he has acquired the forgiveness +of sins: but he who neglects it is under the wrath of God. These +observances they call judgments and ways, controlling consciences and +directing them to eternal life; and they imagine that they are God's +judgments and ways. + +32. On the contrary, the Word declares that God wants none of these +things; that they are error and darkness and a vain service--idolatry, +which he hates and which provokes him to the utmost. All must +acknowledge who have practiced their own self-appointed observances +for any length of time, that they have no real assurance that God +will be gracious unto them and take pleasure in them because of their +lives and observances. Yet, in their blind delusion and presumption, +they go on in their vagaries till God touches their hearts by a +revelation of his law; then, alarmed, they must admit that they have +lived without a knowledge of God and of his will, and that they have +no counsel or help unless they lay hold on the words of the Gospel of +Christ. + +33. We were all like that heretofore. Even I, a learned doctor of +divinity, did not know better. I imagined that with my monk's cowl I +was pleasing to God and on the way to heaven. I thought that I knew +the mind of God well. I wanted to be his counselor, and to earn a +recompense of him. But now I realize that my belief was false; it was +blindness. I know that I must learn from his Word; that nothing else +avails before him but faith in the crucified Christ, his Son; and +that in such faith we must live, and do as our respective callings or +positions require. Thus we may know right and wrong in God's sight; +for our knowledge is not of our own invention, but we have it from +revelation. By revelation God shows us his mind; as Saint Paul says +(1 Cor 2, 16): "We have the mind of Christ." And again (verse 10): +"But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit." + +34. The third class are those who transgress, having knowledge. They +have the Word of revelation. I am not now speaking of those who +knowingly persecute the truth--those of the first class, who are +unconcerned about God--but I am speaking of those who recognize the +revelation but are led by the devil to override it and go around it. +They would conceive ways and judgments of God that he has not +revealed. If they were Christians, they would be satisfied and thank +God for having given us his Word, in which he shows us what is +pleasing to him and how we may be saved. But instead, they allow +themselves to be led by the devil to seek for other revelations and +to speculate on what God in his invisible majesty is, and how he +secretly governs the world, and what he has determined in regard to +the future of each particular individual. And so presumptuous is our +human nature that it would even interfere, with its wisdom, in God's +judgment, and intrude into his most secret counsel, attempting to +teach him and direct him. It was because of his arrogance that the +devil was cast out into the abyss of hell; because he aspired to +interference in the affairs of divine majesty, and would drag down +man in the fall with himself. So did he cause man to fall in +paradise, and so did he tempt the saints; and so he tempted Christ +himself when he set him on the pinnacle of the temple. + +35. Against this third class Saint Paul directs his words, in answer +to the impudent questions of wise reason as to why God punished and +rejected the Jews, as he did, and allowed the condemned heathen to +come into the Gospel grace; why he so administers justice as to exalt +the godless and allow the godly to suffer and be oppressed; why he +elected Judas as an apostle and afterwards rejected him and accepted +a murderer and malefactor. With these words Saint Paul would command +the wise to cease their impertinent strivings after the things of the +secret majesty, and to confine themselves to the revelation he has +given us; for all such searching and prying will be in vain and +harmful. Though you were to search forever you would nowhere attain +the secrets of God's purposes, but would only risk your soul. + +36. If you, therefore, would proceed wisely, you cannot do better +than to be interested in the Word and in God's works. In them he has +revealed himself, and in them he may be comprehended. For instance, +he manifests his Son, Christ, to you, on the cross. This is the work +of your redemption. In it you may truly apprehend God, and learn that +he will not condemn you on account of your sins, if you believe, but +will give you everlasting life. So Christ tells you: "God so loved +the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever +believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." Jn 3, 16. +In this Christ, says Saint Paul (Col 2, 3), are all the treasures of +wisdom and knowledge hidden. Herein you will have more than enough to +learn, to study and ponder. You will marvel at the wonderful +revelation of God, and you will learn to delight in and love him. It +is a mine which can never be exhausted in this life by study, and in +the contemplation of which, as Peter says (1 Pet 1, 12), even the +angels never tire, but find unceasing joy and pleasure. + +37. I say this so that we may be prepared to instruct and direct +those we may meet who, assailed and tormented by such thoughts of the +devil, are led to tempt God. They are beguiled by the devil to search +and grope, in his false ways, after what may be the intention of God +concerning them, and thereby they are led into such apprehension and +despair that they are unable to endure it. Such individuals must be +reminded of these words, and be reproved by them. So did Paul reprove +the Jews and cavilers of his day when they presumed to comprehend God +with their wisdom, to instruct him as his counselors and masters, to +deal with him directly themselves, without any mediator, and to +render him such service that he would owe them a recompense. Nothing +will come of such searching. Against its endeavors he has erected +barriers that, with all your striving, you will never be able to +overcome. And so infinite are his wisdom, his counsel and riches, +that you will never be able to fathom nor exhaust them. You ought to +rejoice that he gives you some knowledge of his omnipotence in his +revelation, as follows: + +"For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be +the glory for ever." + +38. Why should we boast, he would say here, when everything that has +being--and our own wisdom and capabilities, of course--did not +originate itself but had its origin in him and must be preserved by +him, must exist through him? He says (Acts 17, 28): "For in him we +live, and move, and have our being." And again (Ps 100, 3): "It is he +that hath made us, and not we ourselves." That is, what we are and +are able to do, and the fact that we live and have peace and +protection--in short, all the good or evil that happens to us--comes +to pass not by accident or chance. It all proceeds from his divine +counsel and good pleasure. He cares for us as his people and flock. +He governs us and gives us good things. He aids and preserves us in +every time of need. Therefore, all honor and glory are due to him +alone, from his creatures. + + +EVERYTHING IS OF GOD. + +39. But when he says, Of him, through him, in him, are all things--he +says in the simplest way that the beginning, middle and end is of +God; that all creatures have their origin in him, also their growth +and their limitations. To illustrate: Every little grain of corn has +its beginning. A root springs from the dead seed in the ground; then +a shoot comes forth and becomes a stalk, a leaflet, an ear of corn, +and here it pauses, having the three parts it is intended to have. +All creatures also have their beginning, their continuation and end, +filling up the period of their existence. When this order ceases, +every creature will cease to exist. That which has a beginning and +grows but does not attain its end, does not reach perfection, is +nothing. To sum it all up, everything must be of God. Nothing can +exist without origin in him. Nothing that has come into being can +continue to exist without him. He has not created the world as a +carpenter builds a house and, departing, leaves it to stand as it +may. God remains with and preserves all things which he has made; +otherwise they would not continue to exist. + +40. Saint Paul does not simply say--as he does elsewhere--Of him are +all things. He adds two other assertions, making a triple expression, +and then unites the three thoughts into one whole when he says, "To +him be the glory for ever." No doubt it was his intention therewith +to convey the thought of this article of faith and to distinguish the +three persons of the Godhead, even though he does not mention them by +name, which is not necessary here. The ancient teachers also looked +upon this passage as a testimony to the Holy Trinity. Their analysis +was: All things are created by God the Father through the Son--even +as he does all things through the Son--and are preserved, in God's +good pleasure, through the Holy Spirit. So Paul is wont to say +elsewhere; for example (1 Cor 8, 6): "There is one God, the Father, +of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, +through whom are all things." And concerning the Holy Spirit, Genesis +1, 31 says: "And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it +was very good." + +41. The Scriptures teach us that all creation is the work of one God, +or the whole Godhead; and yet, inasmuch as they make a distinction +between the three persons of the one Godhead, we may properly say +that everything had its origin, everything exists and continues, in +the Father as the first person; through the Son, who is of the +Father; and in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from both the Father and +the Son; which three, nevertheless, are comprehended in the one +undivided essence. + +42. But how such a distinction of persons exists in the divine +essence from eternity is a mystery which we shall and must leave +unsolved. For we cannot, with our crude understanding, even fathom +God's creatures; no creature is wise enough to understand these three +parts of itself--the beginning, the middle and the end. Though they +are distinct from each other, nevertheless they are so closely +connected that we cannot with our physical senses separate one from +the other. Who has ever been able to discover or explain the process +by which a leaflet grows from a tree, or a tiny grain of corn becomes +a root, or a cherry grows from the blossom to wood and kernel? Again, +who can explain how the bodily members of a human being manifestly +grow; what the sight of the eye is; how the tongue can make such a +variety of sounds and words, which enter, with marvelous diversity, +into so many ears and hearts? Much less are we able to analyze the +inner workings of the mind--its thoughts, its meditations, its +memory. Why, then, should we presume, with our reason, to compass and +comprehend the eternal, invisible essence of God? + + + + +_Trinity Sunday_ + +Second Sermon. Text: Romans 11, 33-36. + + +THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.[1] + +[Footnote 1: This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.] + +1. This festival requires us to instruct the people in the dogma of +the Holy Trinity, and to strengthen both memory and faith concerning +it. This is the reason why we take up the subject once more. Without +proper instruction and a sound foundation in this regard, other +dogmas cannot be rightly and successfully treated. The other +festivals of the year present the Lord God clothed in his works and +miracles. For instance: on Christmas we celebrate his incarnation; on +Easter his resurrection from the dead; on Whitsunday the gift of the +Holy Spirit and the establishment of the Christian Church. Thus all +the other festivals present the Lord in the guise of a worker of one +thing or another. But this Trinity Festival discloses him to us as he +is in himself. Here we see him apart from whatever guise assumed, +from whatever work done, solely in his divine essence. We must go +beyond and above all reason, leaving behind the evidence of created +things, and hear only God's own testimony concerning himself and his +inner essence; otherwise we shall remain unenlightened. + +2. Upon this subject the foolishness of God and the wisdom of the +world conflict. God's declaration that he is one God in three +distinct persons, the world looks upon as wholly unreasonable and +foolish; and the followers of mere reason, when they hear it, regard +every one that teaches or believes it as no more than a fool. +Therefore this article has been assailed continually, from the times +of the apostles and the fathers down to the present day, as history +testifies. Especially the Gospel of St. John has been subjected to +attack, which was written for the special purpose of fortifying this +dogma against the attacks of Cerinthus the heretic, who in the +apostolic age already attempted to prove from Moses the existence of +but one God, which he assigned as reason that our Lord Jesus cannot +be true God on account of the impossibility of God and man being +united in one being. Thus he gave us the prattle of his reason, which +he made the sole standard for heaven to conform to. + +3. O shameless reason! How can we poor, miserable mortals grasp this +mystery of the Trinity? we who do not understand the operation of our +own physical powers--speech, laughter, sleep, things whereof we have +daily experience? Yet we would, untaught by the Word of God, guided +merely by our fallible head, pronounce upon the very nature of God. +Is it not supreme blindness for man, when he is unable to explain the +most insignificant physical operation daily witnessed in his own +body, to presume to understand something above and beyond the power +of reason to comprehend, something whereof only God can speak, and to +rashly affirm that Christ is not God? + +4. Indeed, if reason were the standard of judgment in such matters, I +also might make a successful venture; but when the conclusions of +even long and mature reflections upon the subject are compared with +Scripture, they will not stand. Therefore we must repeat, even though +a mere stammering should be the result, what the Scriptures say to +us, namely: that Jesus Christ is true God and that the Holy Spirit is +likewise true God, yet there are not three Gods; not three divine +natures, as we may speak of three brothers, three angels, three suns, +three windows. There is one indivisible divine essence, while we +recognize a distinction as to the persons. + + +SCRIPTURE PROOF THAT CHRIST IS GOD. + +Paul, speaking of Christ in Hebrews 1, 3, refers to him as the +express image of God's substance. Again, in Colossians 1, 15 he says +of Christ: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of +all creation." We must take these words for what they say--that all +creatures, even angels and men, are ranked below Christ. This +classification leaves room for God only: taking away the creature, +only God remains. It is one and the same thing, then, to say that +Christ is the firstborn of all creatures and that Christ is true and +essential God. + +5. To make the matter as clear as possible Paul uses the expression +"image of the invisible God." If Christ be the image of God he must +be a person distinct from him whose image he is, but at the same time +in one divine essence with the Father. He and the Father are not one +person, but two, and yet Christ could not be the express image of the +Father's person, or essence, if he were not equally divine. No +creature can be an image of the divine essence, for it does not +possess that essence. To repeat, Christ could not be called the +express image of God if he and the Father were not distinct persons; +there must be one imaged and one who is the image. Expressed more +clearly and according to Scripture, one person is the Father, who in +eternity begets the other; the other is the Son, begotten in +eternity, yet both are equally eternal, mighty, wise and just. + +6. Though the Jews and Turks ridicule our doctrine, as if we taught +the existence of three brothers in heaven, it does not signify. Might +I also cavil were it to serve any purpose here. But they do us wrong +and falsify our teaching; for we do not conceive of the Trinity as in +the nature of three men or of three angels. We regard it as one +divine essence, an intimacy surpassing any earthly unity. The human +body and soul are not so completely one as the Triune God. Further, +we claim the Holy Scriptures teach that in the one divine essence, +God the Father begot a son. Before any creature was made, before the +world was created, as Paul says, "before the foundation of the +world," in eternity, the Father begot a Son who is equal with him and +in all respects God like himself. Not otherwise could Paul call +Christ the express image of the invisible God. Thus it is proven that +the Father and the Son are distinct persons, and that nevertheless +but one God exists, a conclusion we cannot escape unless we would +contradict Paul, and would become Jews and Turks. + + +PAUL AND MOSES AGREE IN TESTIMONY. + +7. Again, Paul makes mention of Christ in different phrase, saying: +"Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were +destroyed of serpents." 1 Cor 10, 9. Now, keeping this verse in mind, +note how Paul and Moses kiss each other, how clearly the one responds +to the other. For Moses says (Num 14, 22): "All those men ... have +tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice," and +in this connection the speaker is represented by the term "Lord," +everywhere in the Bible printed by us in capitals to indicate a name +belonging only to the Eternal, applicable to none but the one true +God. Other terms used to designate God are sometimes applied also to +men, but this word "Lord" refers only to God. + +Now, Moses says: "And the Lord [Adonai, the true God] said ... All +these men ... have tempted me these ten times." Then comes Paul +explaining who this God is--saying they tempted "Christ." Crawl +through this statement if you may; the fact remains that Paul +declares it was Christ who was tempted, and Moses makes him the one +eternal and true God. Moreover, Christ was not at that time born; no, +nor were Mary and David. Nevertheless, the apostle plainly says, They +tempted Christ, let us not also tempt him. + +8. Certainly enough, then, Christ is the man to whom Moses refers as +God. Thus the testimony of Moses long before is identical with that +of Paul. Though employing different terms, they both confess Christ +as the Son of God, born in eternity of the Father, in the same divine +essence and yet distinct from him. You may call this difference what +you will; we indicate it by the term "person." True, we do not make a +wholly clear explanation of the mystery; we but stammer when speaking +of a "Trinity." But what are we to do? we cannot better the attempt. +So, then, the Father is not the Son, but the Son is born of the +Father in eternity; and the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father +and God the Son. Thus there are three persons, and yet but one God. +For what Moses declares concerning God Paul says is spoken of Christ. + +9. The same argument substantially Paul employs in Acts 20, 28, when, +blessing the Church of Miletus and exhorting the assembled ministers +concerning their office, he says: "Take heed unto yourselves, and to +all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to +feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood." +This, too, is a significant text, proving beyond all controversy that +Christ our Lord, who purchased the Church with his blood, is truly +God, and to him the Church belongs. For the apostle plainly asserts +it was God who bought the Church with his blood and that the Church +is his own. + +Now, in view of the fact already established that the persons are +distinct, and of the further statement that God has purchased the +Church through his own blood, we inevitably conclude that Christ our +Saviour is true God, born of the Father in eternity, and that he also +became man and was born of the Virgin Mary in time. + +10. If such blood--the material, tangible, crimson blood, shed by a +real man--is truly to be called the blood of God, then he who shed it +must be actually God, an eternal, almighty person in the one divine +essence. In that case we truly can say the blood flowing from the +side of the crucified One and spilled upon the ground is not merely +the blood of an ordinary man, but God's own. Paul does not indulge in +frivolous talk. He speaks of a most momentous matter; and he is in +dead earnest when he in his exhortation reminds us that it is an +exalted office to rule the Church and to feed it with the Word of +God. Lest we toy in the performance of such an office we are reminded +that the flock is as dear to him as the blood of his dear Son, so +precious that all creatures combined can furnish no equivalent. And +if we are indolent or unfaithful, we sin against the blood of God and +become guilty of it, inasmuch as through our fault it has been shed +in vain for the souls which we should oversee. + +11. There are many passages of similar import, particularly in the +Gospel of John. So we cannot evade the truth but must say God the +Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three individual +persons, yet of one divine essence. We do not, as the Jews and Turks +derisively allege, worship three Gods; we worship only one God, +represented to us in the Scriptures as three persons. + +Christ said to Philip (Jn 14, 9), "He that hath seen me hath seen the +Father." There Christ claims unity and equality with the Father in +the one divine essence. So does Paul in Colossians 1, 15, where he +calls Christ "the image of the invisible God," at the same time +indicating two distinct persons: the Father is not the Son and the +Son is not the Father, yet they are one God. Such passages, I say, +are frequent. By means of them the sainted fathers valiantly +maintained this dogma of the Trinity against the devil and the world, +thus making it our heritage. + +12. Now, what care we that reason should regard it as foolishness? It +requires no skill to cavil over these things; I could do that as well +as others. But, praise God, I have the grace to desire no controversy +on this point. When I know it is the Word of God that declares the +Trinity, that God has said so, I do not inquire how it can be true; I +am content with the simple Word of God, let it harmonize with reason +as it may. And every Christian should adopt the same course with +respect to all the articles of our faith. Let there be no caviling +and contention on the score of possibility; be satisfied with the +inquiry: Is it the Word of God? If a thing be his Word, if he has +spoken it, you may confidently rely upon it he will not lie nor +deceive you, though you may not understand the how and the when. + +Since, then, this article of the Holy Trinity is certified by the +Word of God, and the sainted fathers have from the inception of the +Church chivalrously defended and maintained the article against every +sect, we are not to dispute as to how God the Father, the Son and the +Holy Spirit are one God. This is an incomprehensible mystery. It is +enough that God in his Word gives such testimony of himself. Both his +nature and its revelation to us are far beyond our understanding. + + +PHYSICAL LIFE INEXPLICABLE TO REASON. + +13. And why should you presume to comprehend, to exactly understand, +the sublime, inconceivable divine essence when you are wholly +ignorant of your own body and life? You cannot explain the action of +your laughter, nor how your eyes give you knowledge of a castle or +mountain ten miles away. You cannot tell how in sleep one, dead to +the external world, is yet alive. If we are unable to understand the +least detail of our physical selves, anything so insignificant as the +growth of a mere hair, for instance, can we, unaided by the +revelation of God's Word, climb by reason--that reason so blind to +things within its natural realm--into the realm of heavenly mysteries +and comprehend and define God in his majesty? + +If you employ reason from mere love of disputation, why not devote it +to questions concerning the daily workings of your physical nature? +for instance, where are the five senses during sleep? just how is the +sound of your own laughter produced? We might without sin occupy +ourselves with such questions. But as to the absolute truth in a +matter such as this, let us abide patiently by the authority of the +Word. The Word says that Christ is the express image of the invisible +God, the firstborn of all creatures; in other words, he is God +equally with the Father. + +14. Again, John 5, 23 testifies that all should honor the Son as they +honor the Father. And in John 12, 44 we read: "He that believeth on +me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me." Also, John 14, 1: +"Believe in God, believe also in me." And again, John 16, 15: "All +things whatsoever the Father hath are mine." These and similar +passages are armor that cannot be pierced: for they are uttered by +God, who does not lie and who alone is qualified to speak the truth +concerning himself. Thus the dogma of the Trinity is thoroughly +founded upon the holy Scriptures. + + +THE THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY. + +15. Now, having established the existence of Christ in the Trinity, +we must next consider the third person, the Holy Spirit, in Scripture +sometimes termed the "Spirit" of God and sometimes his "Soul." This +person is not spoken of as "born"; he is not born like the Son, but +proceeds from the Father and the Son. To express it differently, he +is a person possessing in eternity the divine essence, which he +derives from the Father and Son in unity in the same way the Son +derives it from the Father alone. There are, then, three distinct +persons in one divine essence, one divine majesty. According to the +Scripture explanation of the mystery, Christ the Lord is the Son of +God from eternity, the express image of the Father, and equally +great, mighty, wise and just. All deity, wisdom, power and might +inherent in the Father is also in Christ, and likewise in the Holy +Spirit, who proceeds from Father and Son. Now, when you are asked to +explain the Trinity, reply that it is an incomprehensible mystery, +beyond the understanding of angels and creatures, the knowledge of +which is confined to the revelations of Scripture. + +16. Rightly did the fathers compose the Creed, or Symbol, in the +simple form repeated by Christian children: "I believe in God the +Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his +only Son ... I believe in the Holy Ghost." This confession we did not +devise, nor did the fathers of former times. As the bee collects +honey from many fair and gay flowers, so is this Creed collected, in +appropriate brevity, from the books of the beloved prophets and +apostles--from the entire holy Scriptures--for children and for +unlearned Christians. It is fittingly called the "Apostle's Symbol," +or "Apostle's Creed." For brevity and clearness it could not have +been better arranged, and it has remained in the Church from ancient +time. It must either have been composed by the apostles themselves or +it was collected from their writings and sermons by their ablest +disciples. + +17. It begins "I believe." In whom? "In God the Father." This is the +first person in the Godhead. For the sake of clear distinction, the +peculiar attribute and office in which each person manifests himself +is briefly expressed. With the first it is the work of creation. +True, creation is not the work of one individual person, but of the +one divine, eternal essence as such. We must say, God the Father, God +the Son and God the Holy Spirit created heaven and earth. Yet that +work is more especially predicated of the person of the Father, the +first person, for the reason that creation is the only work of the +Father in which he has stepped forth out of concealment into +observation; it is the first work wrought by the divine Majesty upon +the creature. By the word "Father" he is particularly and rightly +distinguished from the other persons of the Trinity. It indicates him +as the first person, derived from no other, the Son and the Holy +Spirit having existence from him. + +18. Continuing, the Creed says, I believe in another who is also God. +For to believe is something we owe to no being but God alone. Who is +this second person? Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son. Christians +have so confessed for more than fifteen hundred years; indeed, such +has been the confession of believers from the beginning of the world. +Though not employing precisely these words, yet this has been their +faith and profession. + +19. The first designation of God the Son makes him the only Son of +God. Although angels are called sons of the Lord our God, and even +Christians are termed his children, yet no one of these is said to be +the "only" or "only-begotten" Son. Such is the effect of Christ's +birth from the Father that he is unequaled by any creature, not +excepting even the angels. For he is in truth and by nature the Son +of God the Father; that is, he is of the same divine, eternal, +uncreated essence. + +20. Next comes the enumeration of the acts peculiar to him: "Who was +conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under +Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into +hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into +heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from +thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." The distinct +personality of the Son is thus demonstrated by acts peculiar to +himself. Not the Father and not the Holy Spirit, but the Son alone, +assumed human nature of flesh and blood, like unto ours, to suffer, +die, rise again and ascend into heaven. + +21. In the third place we confess, "I believe in the Holy Ghost." +Here again a distinct person is named, yet one in divine essence with +the Father and the Son; for we must believe in no one but the true +God, in obedience to the first commandment: "I am Jehovah thy God ... +Thou shalt have no other gods before me." + +Thus briefly this confession comprehends the unity of the divine +essence--we accept and worship only one God--and the revealed truth +that in the Trinity are three distinct persons. The same distinction +is indicated in holy baptism; we are baptized into the faith of one +God, yet Christ commands us to baptize "into the name of the Father +and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." + +22. The peculiarity of this third person is the fact that he proceeds +from both the Father and the Son. He is therefore called also the +Spirit of the Father and the Son; he is poured into the human heart +and reveals himself in the gathering of the Church of Christ in all +tongues. Through the Word of the Gospel he enlightens and kindles the +hearts of men unto one faith, sanctifying, quickening and saving +them. + +23. So the Creed confesses three persons as comprehended in one +divine essence, each one, however, retaining his distinct +personality; and in order that the simple Christian may recognize +that there is but one divine essence and one God, who is +tri-personal, a special work, peculiar to himself, is ascribed to +each person. And such acts, peculiar to each person, are mentioned +for the reason that thus a confusion of persons is avoided. To the +Father we ascribe the work of creation; to the Son the work of +Redemption; to the Holy Spirit the power to forgive sins, to gladden, +to strengthen, to transport from death to life eternal. + +The thought is not that the Father alone is the Creator, the Son +alone Redeemer and the Holy Spirit alone Sanctifier. The creation and +preservation of the universe, atonement for sin and its forgiveness, +resurrection from the dead and the gift of eternal life--all these +are operations of the one Divine Majesty as such. Yet the Father is +especially emphasized in the work of creation, which proceeds +originally from him as the first person; the Son is emphasized in the +redemption he has accomplished in his own person; and the Holy Spirit +in the peculiar work of sanctification, which is both his mission and +revelation. Such distinction is made for the purpose of affording +Christians the unqualified assurance that there is but one God and +yet three persons in the one divine essence--truths the sainted +fathers have faithfully gathered from the writings of Moses, the +prophets and the apostles, and which they have maintained against all +heretics. + +24. This faith has descended to us by inheritance, and by his power +God has maintained it in his Church, against sects and adversaries, +unto the present time. So we must abide by it in its simplicity and +not be wise. Christians are under the necessity of believing things +apparently foolish to reason. As Paul says (1 Cor 1, 21): "It was +God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save +them that believe." How can reason adapt itself to comprehend that +three are one, and one is three; that God became man; that he who is +washed with water in obedience to Christ's command, is washed with +the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and cleansed from all sins? Such +articles of faith appear utterly foolish to reason. Paul aptly calls +the Gospel foolish preaching wherewith God saves such as do not +depend on their own wisdom but simply believe the Word. They who will +follow reason in the things dealt with in these articles, and will +reject the Word, shall be defeated and destroyed in their wisdom. + +25. Now, we have in the holy Scriptures and in the Creed sufficient +information concerning the Holy Trinity, and all that is necessary +for the instruction of ordinary Christians. Besides, the divinity of +our Lord Jesus Christ and that of the Holy Spirit is also attested by +miracles not to be lightly esteemed nor disregarded. The Lord our God +brings to pass miraculous things for the Christian's sake--for the +strengthening of his faith--and not merely as a rebuke to false +teachers. Were he to consider the false teachers alone, he might +easily defer their retribution to the future life, since he permits +many other transgressors to go unpunished for ten, twenty or thirty +years. But the fact is, God openly in this life lays hold upon +leaders of sects who blaspheme and slander him with their false +doctrines. He inflicts upon them unusual punishments for the sake of +warning others. Besides being openly convicted of blasphemy and +having the condemnation of their own conscience, the misguided ones +receive testimony to the fact that these false leaders are +instigators of blasphemy against God's name and his Word. All men are +compelled to admit God can have no pleasure in their doctrine, since +he visits them with special marks of his displeasure, destroying them +with severer punishments than ordinarily befall offenders. + +26. History records that John the evangelist had as contemporary a +heretic, by the name of Cerinthus, who was the first to arise in +opposition to the apostolic doctrine and in blasphemy against the +Lord Jesus with the claim that Jesus is not God. This blasphemy +spread to such an extent that John saw himself compelled to +supplement the work of the other evangelists with his Gospel, whose +distinct purpose it is to defend and maintain the deity of Christ +against Cerinthus and his rabble. + +A feature of John's Gospel patent to all is the sublime beginning of +his Gospel which renders it distinct from the others. He does not lay +stress upon the miraculous doings of Christ, but upon his preaching, +wherein he reveals himself powerfully as true God, born of the Father +from eternity, and his equal in power, honor, wisdom, righteousness +and every other divine work. + +With respect to John and Cerinthus it is reported that the former, +having gone to a public bath with some of his disciples, became aware +that Cerinthus and his rabble were there, also. Without hesitation he +told his disciples to be up and away, and not to abide among +blasphemers. The disciples followed his advice and departed. +Immediately after their departure the room collapsed, and Cerinthus +with his followers perished, not one escaping. + +27. We also read concerning the heretic Arius, the chief foe of his +time toward the dogma of the deity of Christ. The injury done by this +man to the cause of Christ was such as to occupy the Church for four +centuries after his death; and still today his heresy has not been +altogether rooted out. But the Lord took the matter in hand by the +performance of a miracle which could not but be understood. + +History records that Arius had ingratiated himself into the favor of +Constantine, the emperor, and his counselors. With an oath he had +succeeded in impressing them with the righteousness of his doctrine, +so that the emperor gave command that Alexander, bishop of +Constantinople, should recognize him as a member of the Christian +Church and restore him to the priestly office. When the godly bishop +refused to accede to this demand, knowing full well the purpose +pursued by Arius and his followers, Eusebius and the other bishops +who supported Arius threatened him with the imperial edict and +expressed the determination to drive him out by force and to have +Arius restored by the congregation as such. However, they gave him a +day to think the matter over. + +28. The godly bishop was fearful. The following of Arius was large +and powerful, being supported by the imperial edict and the whole +court. The bishop, therefore, resolved to seek help from God, where +alone it is found in all things relating to God's honor. He fell down +upon his face in the church and prayed all night long that God should +preserve his name and honor by methods calculated to stem the tide of +evil purpose, and to preserve Christendom against the heretics. When +it was morning, and the hour had come when Alexander the bishop +should either restore Arius to office or be cast out of his own, +Arius convened punctually with his followers. As the procession was +wending its way to the church, Arius suddenly felt ill and was +compelled to seek privacy. The pompous procession halted, waiting his +return, when the message came that his lungs and liver had passed +from him, causing his death. The narrative comments: Mortem dignam +blasphema et foetida mente--a death worthy such a blasphemous and +turpid mind. + +29. We see, then, that this dogma has been preserved by God first +through the writings and the conflicts of the apostles, and then by +miracles, against the devil and his blasphemers. And it shall be +preserved in the future likewise, so that, without a trace of doubt, +we may believe in God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. +This is the faith which we confess with our children daily. To guard +against a mixing of persons or the abandonment of the tri-personality, +three distinct acts are predicated. This should enable the common +Christian to avoid confusing the persons, while maintaining the divine +unity as to essence. + +We proclaim these things on this Sunday in order to call attention to +the fact that we have not come upon this doctrine in a dream, but by +the grace of God through his Word and the holy apostles and Fathers. +God help us to be found constant and without blemish in this doctrine +and faith to our end. Amen. + + + + +_First Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 John 4, 16-21. + +16 God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God +abideth in him. 17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may +have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are +we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love: but perfect love +casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth +is not made perfect in love. 19 We love, because he first loved us. +20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: +for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God +whom he hath not seen. 21 And this commandment have we from him, that +he who loveth God love his brother also. + + +GOD IS LOVE. + +This epistle text is amply expounded in the "Explanation of Certain +Epistles of the Apostles" printed in other volumes. Those who wish +may read there one or more sermons for themselves or their people. +They are too long to insert here. + + + + +_Second Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 John 3, 13-18. + +13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 14 We know that we +have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He +that loveth not abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is +a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in +him. 16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: +and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso +hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and +shutteth up his compassion from him, how does the love of God abide +in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither with +the tongue; but in deed and truth. + + +EXHORTATION TO BROTHERLY LOVE. + +1. The Epistles and Gospels selected for the Pentecost cycle of +Sundays have love as their general theme. They deal not only with the +love we owe to Christ and God, which is only to be thankful for the +unspeakable blessing of forgiveness of sins and salvation through +Christ's blood and death, but also of the love we owe our neighbor; +not a love in return for favors, but one that unceasingly gives, +forgives and works all good even when unrequited. + +2. John here admonishes the Christian to exercise the virtue of love. +Considering the evident rarity of love among men, this admonition is +necessary. He particularly warns Christians not to wonder at the +world's hatred and desire for their death. Such was the hate of Cain +for his brother, of which the apostle has just spoken. The world's +hate, it must be admitted, repels love and powerfully obstructs its +exercise. + +3. Is it not surpassing strange that one can hate those who love him +and from whom he has received only kindness? Such wickedness is +almost inconceivable, we say. What incentive is there for any to +render the world service when in ingratitude it rewards love with +hatred? But let us examine ourselves, who are baptized and have +received the Gospel, and confess how we requite the supreme love of +God in giving us his Son. What a beautiful example of glad gratitude +we display! For the shame of it we ought to despise ourselves before +God and his angels. + +And what shall we say of those who will not endure the preaching of +the glorious message of God's grace and blessing, but condemn it as +heresy? to whom they who seek to serve, to benefit and save the world +by declaring the good news, must be, as Paul says, "as the filth of +the world, the offscouring of all things," 1 Cor 4, 13. Indeed, no +criminal receives more wretched and ignominious treatment and +execution, of which the Pope and his followers are a case in point. + + +THE WORLD'S HATRED. + +4. While experience has proven this otherwise incredible fact, John +vouchsafes the admonition notwithstanding: "Marvel not, brethren, if +the world hateth you." If we are not to wonder at this, is there +anything in the world to incite wonder? I should truly think the +hearing of a single sermon on the grace of Christ would suffice to +bring the world to receive the Gospel with intense joy and never to +forget the divine mercy and blessing. It would be no wonder should +the earth suddenly open and engulf mankind because of its ingratitude +to God who has given his Son to become man for the purpose of +redeeming us condemned mortals from sin and death and restoring us to +life and salvation. Is it not a horrible thing that any man should +shun and oppose such a Savior and his doctrine even more than he does +the devil himself? + +5. But what is God's attitude toward such conduct? Well does he say +to the Jews through the prophet: "O my people, what have I done unto +thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. For I +brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of +the house of bondage; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and +Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab, devised; +and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him; remember from Shittim +unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteous acts of Jehovah." Mic 6, +3-5. And well does Christ say to his ungrateful people: "O Jerusalem, +Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent +unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even +as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" +Mt 23, 37. As if he would say, "I surely did not come to effect your +death and condemnation by my message. I am about to suffer death and +God's wrath for your sins. I bring you God's endless grace and +blessing for time and eternity. Then why this bitter hatred against +me and my message?" + +6. "Since the world hates even God for his kindness," argues John, +"marvel not, my beloved, that you suffer the same fate. What does it +signify that I show my love by hazarding life and limb to sustain +this doctrine of the Gospel and help my neighbor? Mine is but a poor, +mean, uncouth, offensive love in comparison with the love that led +Christ to die for me and to redeem me from eternal death. If God's +supreme, unfathomable love fails to awaken the gratitude of the +world, what wonder if the world hates you for all your kindness? Why +will you bring down your fist and stamp your foot in anger at such +ingratitude? You are yourselves of that race for whom the Son of God +had to die. And even were you to die for the Gospel, your sacrifice +would be as nothing in comparison to the fact that God, for the sake +of the world, spared not his own Son but permitted the world to put +him to death." + +7. But whence arises the world's hatred? John tells us in verse +twelve when he mentions the incident of Cain, who, he says, "was of +the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? +Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous." An +excellent reason, indeed, for hating--the hater and murderer is evil +and the benefactor good! In civil and domestic affairs it is the +evil-doers and disobedient who incur displeasure and receive +punishment; and such reward is just. But whenever God has dealings +with the world, it shows what a rotten fruit it is by hating, +persecuting, and putting to death as evil-doers and impostors its +very benefactors. This trait it inherits, John tells us, from its +ancestor Cain, the great fratricide saint. He is a true picture of +the world of all times, and ever its spirit and fashion is patterned +after him. + +8. When mother Eve, the dear, godly woman, bore her first son, she +declared in her joy and her hope of God's promise of the future seed +that should bruise the serpent's head: "I have gotten a man with the +help of Jehovah" (Gen 4, 1); and she named him Cain, which means +"obtained," as if she would say, "I have obtained the true treasure." +For she had not before seen a human being born; this was the first, +precious fruit of man. Over Cain she rejoiced, pronouncing herself +blessed. This son was trained in the hope that he should be a savior +of the future race, a comfort to his brothers and sisters with all +their offspring. Nor was he unaware of these proud hopes. Proudly he +lorded it over his brother, who in contrast had to bear the +ignominious name of Abel, meaning "nothing," or "vanity," as if +voicing the thought of the parents' hearts: "Alas! this one has no +future. Cain is the rightful heir to the blessing God has promised +man; he is lord and master of his brethren." + +9. It is likely that the godly father and mother for many years drew +their solace from the hope placed in their first-born son, as they +looked forward with intensest longing to the redemption from their +deplorable fall. Doubtless they trained both sons very carefully and +instructed them concerning their own sin and fall and the promise God +had given them, until they were fully grown and had entered into the +priestly office. Cain the first-born was particularly zealous in that +respect, desiring to be first inasmuch as he offered his first fruits +of the earth, given by God and obtained by his own labor, as he no +doubt had seen his father offer. Abel, however, the inferior, the +poor shepherd, offered the firstlings of his sheep, given him of God +and obtained without effort and toil of his own. Now, God in a +wonderful way manifested his preference concerning the gifts upon the +altar. Fire descended from heaven and consumed Abel's offering, but +Cain's remained. The fire was the sign of God's favor. The text says: +"And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain +and to his offering he had not respect." Gen 4, 4-5. + +10. Thereupon Adam and Eve saw that the hope and solace centering in +their first-born son, were a delusion. They began to learn the +wonderful judgments of God, who gave precedence to Abel, the male +counterpart of Cinderella--which is all he was in his own sight when +he compared himself with his brother. Now Cain, with full confidence +in his position, spoiled by the delusion of his parents that as the +first-born he was God's preference, felt himself outraged. His +hypocrisy, hitherto masked, comes to the surface. He burns with +secret hate against God, with hate and anger against his brother, +which he takes no trouble whatever to disguise. The parents rebuke +him, but effect nothing. The flame of his resentment rises higher, +and meeting him alone upon the field, he fells him to the ground. Far +from contemplating amendment of life or seeking grace from God, he +has no mercy upon the only brother he has on earth, who has done him +no harm whatever. He cannot forgive him and leave him in unenvied +possession of the grace of God. + +11. Such was the solace and joy poor Adam and Eve lived to experience +in their first children! From this time on their earthly life was +fraught with gloom and sorrow, particularly since they could not but +see the source of these in their own fall and they would have pined +to death had not God comforted them with another son. For when it +became evident that the hope they had placed in Cain was a delusion, +and that they were deprived of the son who, beyond a doubt, possessed +the grace of God, they, without another son, would not have known +where to look for the solace of the promised seed. + + +CAIN THE WORLD, ABEL THE CHURCH. + +12. Note, in this man Cain is pictured the world in its true, +characteristic colors; in him its true spirit stands reflected. +Certainly his equal has never been. In him are unquestionably +prefigured the very flower, the very quintessence, of holiness on +earth--the most pious servants of God. On the other hand, that poor, +wretched, abject male counterpart of Cinderella, Abel, well +represents the obscure little brotherhood, the Church of Christ. She +must yield to Cain the lord the distinction of being everything +before God, of being the recipient of every gift of God, of being +entitled to all honor and every privilege. He feels important in his +imagined dignity, permits this spirit to pervade his sacrifices and +his worships, and thinks that God cannot but favor and accept his +offering rather than that of his brother. + +Meanwhile, the pious Abel goes his way, meekly suffering his +brother's contempt. He willingly yields Cain the honor, esteems +himself vastly inferior and beholds no consolation for himself aside +from the pure mercy and goodness of God. He believes in God and hopes +for the promised future seed. In such faith he performs his sacrifice +as a confession, a sign, of his gratitude. + +13. This illustration is intended by God as solace for his little +throng; for the incident is not written for Abel's sake but for the +sake of the humble children of God, whose condition is like that of +Abel. God has not forgotten them, though they are haughtily ignored +by proud Cain, who regards them as nothing in his presence. God +graciously looks upon them and rejects proud Cain with his birthright +and offering. + +14. Innocent Abel becomes the object of anger and hatred when the +Word of God lays hold of Cain revealing God's displeasure where he +had fancied himself worthy, and God's unwillingness to regard his +offering and devotion as superior to this of his brother and more +meritorious. Cain begins bitterly to hate and persecute his brother. +He finds no rest until Abel is laid low and cut off from the earth. +Now you have the cause of the world's hatred and anger against +Christians; simply this, as John says of Cain: "Because his works +were evil, and his brother's righteous." + +15. What offense had godly Abel committed against his brother to be +so hated? He had even regarded that brother as the first-born, as +vastly superior to himself, and had done him all honor and loved him +as became a brother. He was easily satisfied, desiring simply the +grace of God. He prayed for the future seed, that is, for the +salvation and happiness of his parents, his brother and the entire +human race. How could Cain be unmerciful and inhuman enough in his +frenzy to murder his own flesh and blood? + +The answer is found in the fact that the devil had filled Cain's +heart with pride and vanity over his birthright. He considered +himself a man of distinction, with every claim upon God's favor and +sinless, whilst his brother was nothing whatever. Cain's heart is +devoid of true brotherly love; he has only contempt for Abel. He +cannot endure God's manifest favor toward his brother, and will not +be moved by the injunction to humble himself and seek God's grace. +Anger and envy possess him to the extent that he cannot tolerate his +brother alive. In violation of God's commandment and his own +conscience, he becomes a murderer, and then goes his way as if he had +done right. + +16. This is what John means when he says that Cain had no other cause +for his crime than that his own works were evil and his brother's +righteous. Similarly, that obedient daughter of Saint Cain, the +world, hates the Christians; and for no other reason than the +latter's love and goodness of heart. Witness the examples of the holy +patriarchs, the prophets and, most of all, of Christ himself. + +17. What sin against the world did the beloved apostles commit? They +desired the injury of none, but went about in extreme poverty and +toil, teaching mankind how, through faith in Christ, to be saved from +the devil's kingdom and from eternal death. This the world will not +hear and suffer; hence the hue and cry: "Kill, kill these people! +Away with them from off the earth! Show them no mercy!" Why this +hostility? Because the apostles sought to relieve the world of its +idolatry and damnable doings. Such good works the world could not +tolerate. What it desires is nothing but praise and commendation for +its own evil doings, expecting from God the impossible endorsement, +"Your deeds are good and well-pleasing to me. Pious children of mine +are you. Just keep on cheerfully killing all who believe and preach +my Word." + +18. In the same way does the world conduct itself today with +reference to our Gospel. For no other reason are we hated and +persecuted than because we have, through God's grace, proclaimed his +Word that recovered us from the blindness and idolatry in which we +were sunken as deeply as the world, and because we desire to rescue +others. That is the unpardonable sin by which we have incurred the +world's irreconcilable anger and its inextinguishable hatred. It +cannot permit us to live. + +We preach no other doctrine than faith in Christ, which our children +pray and they themselves confess in words. We differ only in our +claim that Christ having been crucified for us and having shed his +blood to redeem us from sin and death, our salvation is not effected +by our own works, or holiness or devotion. The fact that we do not +regard their faithless worship equal to Christ himself, but teach men +to trust in the grace of God and not their own worthiness, and to +render him gratitude for his grace--this fact is intolerable to the +world. It would be well for our adversaries if they would receive +such teaching, since it would render them more than ever what they +profess to be: our superiors in wisdom, knowledge and reputation--a +claim we are willing to concede. But Cain's works are evil and Abel's +righteous. The world simply cannot tolerate the Gospel, and no unity +or harmony is ever to be hoped for. The world will not forsake its +idolatry nor receive the faith. It would force us to renounce the +Word of God and praise its Cain-like worship, or take death at their +hands. + +19. Therefore, John says, "Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth +you," for it is compelled to act according to the nature inherited +from its father Cain. It would have all merits and concede to Abel +none. The world comprises the exalted, the wise, the learned, the +mighty. The Scriptures represent these as under necessity to hate and +persecute the poor throng of the Church of Christ by reason of the +good works done by them. They can under no consideration tolerate the +idea of being taught by this despised and humble throng the doctrine +of salvation through the grace and mercy of God alone, not through +man's own merits. They cannot endure the teaching that their +offering--the mass, regarded by the Papists as a work of superlative +merit and holiness--avails nothing before God. + +20. In the text the nature of the world is portrayed for our +recognition. So to understand the world as to know what may be +expected from it is essential and valuable knowledge for the +Christian. Thus armed he will not be dismayed and become impatient of +suffering, nor permit its malice and ingratitude to mislead him to +hate and desire for revenge. He will keep his faith and love, +suffering the world to go its way if it refuse to hear his message. +The Christian should expect nothing better from the world than its +bitter persecution in return for his good works and love. The Church +of Christ on earth, let him remember, is never to have an easier lot. +He is not to judge according to show and appearance, thinking: "They +are the great throng, the wisest and cleverest people on earth; how +is it possible that they should all be in error and under +condemnation?" + +21. It is necessarily true that discipline and peace are impossible +without the most excellent, exalted, erudite, clever people--royal, +princely, noble in achievement and honor. Cain is never plain and +lowly. He is always eminently clever, wise, holy and in every way +vastly Abel's superior. In fact, he must in himself represent all +desirable things, as his name indicates. And the same characteristic +is manifest in his children, who are ingenious in the invention of +every variety of art. Deplorable the fact that a man of Cain's +qualifications, born of godly parents and signally honored of God, +should display such hatred and inhumanity toward poor Abel merely +because of God's Word and Abel's faith. + +22. Such knowledge is comforting to the godly little company of +Christians, who are confident they have God's favor and know it to be +the occasion of their persecution; they have no protection and succor +but are exposed to the same fate as Abel. If they fare better, they +may thank God for it. But they are ever to abide in love toward God, +whose love they have received and felt, and likewise toward men, +their enemies not excepted. This was Abel's way; could he have lived +again, he would have kept his brotherly love for his murderer, +forgiving him and even imploring God's forgiveness for him. + +"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love +the brethren." + + +LOVE MOVES CHRISTIANS. + +23. To abide in love should be the motive for us Christians. John +contrasts it with the motive of the world in hating us--its +wickedness. The world's hatred of you, as John's words imply, is not +strange. The contrast between you and the world is exceedingly great. +Through its own evil works, unbelief, pride, contempt for the Word +and grace of God, and the persecution of the godly, the world has +become by this time the victim of Satan and eternal death. It spurns +all counsel and aid directed toward its rescue. Stiff-necked and +hardened, under evident condemnation by its own conscience, it has +chosen to persist in its doom. But we believers in Christ, God be +praised! are different people. We have come forth from death; we have +passed through death and entered into life through the knowledge and +faith of the Son of God, who has loved us and given himself for us. + +24. Such grace and goodness of God, says the apostle, should prompt +you not to be offended and vanquished by the world's ingratitude, +hate and malice, and thus to cease from holy endeavor and become +likewise, evil, which course will result in the loss of your +treasure. It is yours, not by your own effort, but by grace alone; +for at one time you as well as they languished in the kingdom and +power of death, in evil works, far from faith and love. + +Remember to comfort yourselves, therefore, with the thought of this +great blessing, an advantage you enjoy above the others. What if the +world, abiding in death, does hate and persecute you who abide in +life? Whom can its hatred injure? It cannot take from you the life +which it lacks while you possess it, nor deliver you to death, from +which you have passed, through Christ. When it does its worst it may +perhaps falsely slander you, or deprive you of your property, or +destroy your corrupt body--the final home of maggots and in any event +doomed to corruption--and thus through the death of the body help you +gain true life. Thus vengeance will be yours rather than its own. +Yours will be the joy of being transplanted from death into life, +whereas the world must abide in death. While they of the world think +to deny you both the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth, they +themselves lose body and soul. What more terrible retribution could +their hatred and envy receive? For the sake of denying gratification +to the devil and the world, and much more for your own welfare, you +must not allow your persecutions to rob you of your peace and +salvation, nor to lead you to lose your faith through impatience and +desire for revenge. Rather, pity their wretchedness and doom. You +lose nothing by their oppression; yours is the gain, theirs the loss. +For the slight grief inflicted upon you with reference to body and +time, it shall dearly pay both here and hereafter. + +25. How do we know we have passed from death unto life? John says, +because we love the brethren. Just what does he mean? Is it not our +doctrine that Christ first loved us, as John elsewhere says? that +before we ever loved him he died and rose again for us? When we fully +believe in our Savior's love, then our own hearts respond with +perfect love to God and our neighbor. Why, then, does John say, "We +have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren"? + +26. The explanation is found in the words "We know." John says +plainly, "From the fact that we love the brethren, we know we have +passed out of death into life." Love of the brethren is the test +whereby we may ascertain who are the true believers. The apostle +directed this epistle especially against false Christians; many there +are who extol Christ, as did unbelieving Cain, and yet fail to bear +the fruit of faith. John's reference is not to the means whereby we +pass from sin and death to life, but to the proof whereby we may know +the fact--not to the cause, but to the effect. + +27. It is not sufficient to boast of having passed from death into +life; there must be evidence of the fact. Faith is not an inactive +and lifeless thing. When there is faith in the heart, its power will +be manifest. Where power is not in evidence, all boasting is false +and vain. When the human heart, in its confidence in divine mercy and +love, is thrilled with spiritual comfort, and also warmed into +kindness, friendliness, humility and patience towards the neighbor, +envying and despising none but cheerfully serving all and ministering +unto necessity even to hazarding body and life--when this is the +case, then the fruits of faith are manifest. + +Such fruits are proof that the believer has truly passed from death +into life. Had he not true faith, but doubted God's grace and love, +his heart would not prompt him, by reason of his love and gratitude +to God, to manifest love for his neighbor. Where man has faith, and +where he realizes God's infinite mercy and goodness in raising him +from death to life, love is enkindled in his heart, and he is +prompted to do all manner of good, even to his enemies, as God has +done to him. + +28. Such is the right interpretation and understanding of John's +expression: "We know that we have passed out of death into life, +because we love the brethren." It leaves in its integrity the +foundation, justification, or deliverance from death, through faith +alone. This is the first element of Christian doctrine. Granting that +faith does justify, the next question is whether the faith is real or +simulated, being merely a deceptive show and unsupported claim. The +clear information imparted by the apostles is, that love, indeed, +does not deliver from death, but that deliverance from death and the +presence of life becomes a matter of sight and knowledge in that love +has been wrought. With true faith we must have come to the point +where we no longer, like Cain, in our pride and conceit, despise our +neighbor; where we are not filled with envy, hatred and bitterness; +where we desire, and to the extent of our power, promote the +interests of our neighbor and work him all good. + +29. John draws to a close by showing the opposite side of the +picture, in that he addresses earnest words that reëcho like peals of +thunder to those who make the carnal boast of being Christians while +destitute of love. He cites several facts as evidence that where love +is lacking, necessarily faith and deliverance from death are absent, +likewise. Thus no opportunity is given for self-deception or a +frivolous excuse based upon wordy boasting of one's faith. The +reality of the inner life is known by the presence of love, which in +turn attests the presence of faith in the heart. + +I. "He that loveth not abideth in death." + +30. Here, in clear, decisive words, the conclusion is expressed that +no man may boast of life unless he has love. If it is true that faith +must be active, it is conversely true that the absence of fruitage +demonstrates one's continuance in the old Cain-like manner of +existence, torpid and dead, bereft of solace and the experience of +God's grace and life. Let no one presume to think he has passed into +life so long as he is devoid of love and the fruits of faith. Let him +become serious, and in alarm make ready to become a true believer, +lest he remain in eternal death and under greater condemnation than +those who have never heard the Gospel. + +II. "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no +murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." + +31. Still clearer and stronger becomes the argument that lack of love +means continuance in death. The stern and frightful judgment is here +expressed that the unloving person is no better than Cain the +fratricide. His heart is under the influence of deadly hate and +murderous malice against the brother who refuses to be subservient to +his desires. Kindling rage will prove its existence by appropriate +works unless restrained by the fear of disgrace and punishment. He +wishes his brother nothing good, but rejoices in his misfortune. + +All this, however, is impossible for one who believes that he has +been delivered from death. One who knows the wretchedness and misery +of death from experience, but has entered upon life with its solace +and joy, blessings he seeks to maintain--such a person will desire +for others the same blessing; he cannot rejoice in another's death. +Therefore it is true conversely: "We know that no murderer hath +eternal life abiding in him." + + +HATRED NATURAL TO HUMAN REASON. + +32. Thus we see the nature of the human heart without faith and the +knowledge of Christ; at bottom it is but the heart of a Cain, +murderous toward its neighbor. Nor can anything better be expected +from him who is not a Christian. The Scriptures repeatedly denounce +such faithless hypocrites as bloodthirsty and deceitful. "Jehovah +abhorreth the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." Ps 5, 6. "For their +feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood." Prov 1, 16. See +also verse 11. All mankind are by nature the children of the murderer +Cain. They are, of course, no better than their father. While Cain +was a man most magnificent, intelligent and wise, being the first +fruit born of those holy parents Adam and Eve, and in his superior +endowment with natural virtues infinitely superior to all who come +after him, he was nevertheless an unbeliever before God. Hence he +became the murderer of his brother. + +III. "Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and +we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath the +world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his +compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?" + +33. These words delineate true Christian love and hold up the sublime +example, or pattern, of God's love manifest in Christ. Christ's blood +and death is God's own blood and death. Paul in Acts 20, 28, speaks +of God having purchased the Church "with his own blood." The heart of +man by faith receives and apprehends this sacrifice. Under its +transforming influence he is disposed to work good to his neighbor as +he has himself received good. He even jeopardizes his life to that +end, being conscious of his redemption from eternal death, and +knowing physical death powerless to affect his eternal life. But the +heart that fails to appropriate Christ's sacrifice is without faith +and insensible to God's love and eternal life. + +34. John uses an illustration plain enough for anyone to understand, +and from which we may judge that the soul found wanting in small +duties will be deficient in great ones. According to the apostle, if +one possesses this world's goods and sees his neighbor want, he being +able to render assistance without injury to himself, and yet closes +his heart against that neighbor, not assisting him with even the +slightest work of love, how can the love of God dwell in him since he +appreciates it so little that he will not spare his needy brother a +penny? How can he be expected, then, to render a greater service--to +even lay down his life for his brother? What right has such a soul to +boast--how can he know--that Christ has laid down his life for him +and delivered him from death? + +35. How frequently are such people to be found! Having this world's +goods and being able to help the needy, they close their hearts +against the unfortunate, as did the rich glutton toward poor Lazarus. +Where shall we find in imperial courts, among kings, princes and +lords, any who extend a helping hand to the needy Church, or give her +so much as a crust of bread toward the maintenance of the poor, of +the ministry and of schools, or for other of her necessities? How +would they measure up in the greater duty of laying down their lives +for the brethren, and especially for the Christian Church? Note the +terrible judgment that they who are devoid of brotherly love are in +God's sight murderers and cannot have eternal life. + +36. But the merely selfish may well escape our censure in comparison +with those who not only close their purses to the poor but +shamelessly and forcibly deprive and rob their needy neighbor of his +own by overreaching, by fraud, oppression and extortion; who take +from the Church the property rightfully hers and especially reserved +for her, snatching the bread from her mouth, so to speak. Not only is +the papistical rabble today guilty of such sin, but many who would be +known as evangelical practice the same fraud with reference to the +parochial estates and general property of the Church, and, in +addition, tyrannically harass and torment the poor ministers. But oh, +how heavy and terrible the impending judgment for those who have +denied to Christ the Lord in his thirst even the cup of cold water! + +IV. "My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the +tongue; but in deed and truth." + +37. The world and the false Christians in word pretend great love; +but in practice, when love should manifest itself in deeds, it is +found to be insincere. So John admonishes that where our love is not +ardent enough to lead us to lay down our lives for our brethren, +however much we may profess Christ, that love is assuredly only a +vain show, a false pretense, wherewith we deceive ourselves and +remain in infidelity and death, and in a more deplorable condition +than those who are wholly ignorant of the Gospel. Therefore, let him +who would proceed safely and prove himself a Christian remember to +prove himself such by his deeds and works. Then men will know that he +does not, a murderer and liar, like others, follow the devil. They +will know, on the contrary, that he truly and with the heart clings +to the Word of God, having passed from death to life. + + + + +_Third Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Peter 5, 5-11. + +5 Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you +gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God +resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble +yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt +you in due time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he +careth for you. 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as +a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom +withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings +are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. 10 And the +God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, +after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, +establish, strengthen you. 11 To him be the dominion for ever and +ever. Amen. + + +HUMILITY, TRUST, WATCHFULNESS, SUFFERING + +1. This is the conclusion of Saint Peter's epistle. It is an +exhortation to good works, such as a Christian, or believer, should +practice. It is evident that the doctrine of the Gospel is not such +as is charged by some, forbidding good works, or not earnestly +commanding and urging them. Most diligently and repeatedly it urges +the doctrine of works--such works as are, indeed, good works. There +are in this epistle four natural heads which furnish us four good +sermons. + + +I. HUMILITY. + +2. The apostle has, in the verses immediately preceding our text, +exhorted the elders, that is, preachers, to be in their lives +"ensamples to the flock," not "lording it over the charge allotted" +to them, but using their office for the service of others. And here +in our text he exhorts the others, especially the young, to "be +subject unto the elder." And, in general, he admonishes all to "gird" +themselves "with humility, to serve one another." So Paul likewise +admonishes that we should honor one another. Humility is the noblest +and sweetest virtue love brings forth, and it is the most essential +to peace and discipline. But especially does it become and adorn the +young, making them pleasing and precious to God and men, bringing +forth an abundance of good fruits. + +3. If mankind could be led so to believe this that the virtue of +humility would be generally practiced, it would be well everywhere. +This would be a beautiful world, filled with discipline and good +works. I would much prefer to see a city in which the young are +reared in this virtue than a hundred monasteries of barefooted and +Carthusian friars, though they lived ever so strictly. Alas! the +greatest and most frequent complaint heard anywhere is concerning the +disobedience, wantonness and pride of the younger generation found +among all ranks. Therefore it is necessary to use all diligence that +this exhortation be instilled into the hearts of the young and urged +upon them, in the hope that it may benefit them. + +4. First of all, Peter presents the divine command. We are not left +to our own good pleasure in the matter--to show humility or not, as +we please. God earnestly asks it of us, and asks that we do it +lovingly and willingly. Otherwise his anger will be poured out upon +us and we will have no happiness nor favor, not even among men. For +everyone is a foe to pride and arrogance. These offenses are +condemned by the whole world, even by strangers whom they do not +concern. + +One may be guilty of pride and not see his own shame, yet he cannot +suffer it in another; he will hate and condemn that one. This vice +hurts no one save himself. He makes himself hateful and contemptible +before God and men. Everyone calls him a great, proud bag of filth +and cries shame upon him. God metes out judgment and scorn to him, +witnessing that he will not let this vice go unpunished, but will put +the offender to shame. As Peter here says: "God resisteth the proud." + +5. Men should be moved by the examples which daily come to light in +fulfilment of this passage. If we should have no regard for our own +honor and standing before the world, neither for the contempt and the +curses of all men; if the illustrious example of the noble character +and eternal majesty of God's Son, our Lord, should not stir us (which +ought to move us if we have one spark of Christianity in us), as we +behold his unspeakable and incomprehensible humility which, rightly +viewed, should melt the Christian's heart--if all this does not move +us, we should be humbled by the many awful examples of God's fearful +wrath which, from the beginning, he has hurled against pride. + +6. What is more terrible than the eternal, irreparable fall and +banishment of once lofty angelic nature that resulted when the devil +robbed himself of the honor and glory enjoyed by the noble blessed +spirits, and of the contemplation of eternal God, and brought upon +himself everlasting and intolerable damnation by seeking to make +himself equal with God, and through similar pride, led the human race +to its awful fall? But what a blind, condemned creature are you, who, +with your filthy, shameful pride and haughtiness, become like the +spirit of evil, thereby turning all the world into your enemy and +opposing yourself to the divine majesty, before which even the angels +must tremble! If you have no fear of losing the favor and prayers of +mankind, at least be afraid lest God send down upon your head his +lightning and thunder, with which he crushes iron, rocks, and +mountains, and hurl you forever into the abyss, as he hurled down the +proud spirit and his angels. + +7. Saint Peter exhorts both those who are in the office of the +ministry, and other Christians, to whom God has given something, that +they abide in their calling and office and conduct the same humbly, +gladly obeying and serving others. Right here this vice of pride is +the most hurtful to Christianity. For its whole government, life and +essence are so ordered by God that no one should exalt himself and +lord it over others, as the Pope, the true Antichrist has done. Only +humility and deeds of Christian love and service should prevail in +all classes and in all offices and works. + + +PRIDE OPPOSED TO THE FIRST TABLE. + +8. Pride in this order of the Church is really and directly opposed +to the first table of the law. It is a genuinely devilish pride in +God's name and Word on the part of such people as would be wise in +matters of faith and would lord it over God's Word. They puff +themselves up if, forsooth, they have a gift more than others, and +they hold God and all men as nothing. This vice is common among the +great, learned and wise bishops and preachers. It prevails among +those who learn of them and cling to them, especially beginners who, +inexperienced and undisciplined, are brought into prominence. Such +puff themselves up and boast: "I also am a learned doctor. I love the +Spirit and other gifts just as well as, and even in greater measure +than, these preachers." So they think they deserve to be heard and +honored above others. They consider themselves so wise that all the +world, in comparison, are geese and fools. + +And the greater one's gifts, the greater and more harmful such pride. +It is common in other professions, also. He who has a little ability, +or bears the title of doctor, makes much ado about it, and despises +others. He acts as if what he has were not given him by God, but as +if it were his by nature and birth, and therefore he deserves the +praise and worship of all men. Such persons do not realize they are +acting in opposition to God, and that they will themselves plunge +into the abyss of hell before they can hurl God down from his +heavenly throne. + +9. See, from the examples of our own time, how God has overthrown +such people. Thomas Münzer, with his tumultuous prophets, and later +the Anabaptist faction, were proud of heart, would not listen to +admonition, and lo! suddenly they went down to ruin, not only in +utter disgrace, but to their own miserable and eternal loss and that +of many people who had been misled by them. So, too, there are at the +present day many proud spirits. Some dare not yet publicly show +themselves. Such as have perceived that they are learned, or are held +in regard by men, thereupon grow boastful and, despite all their +skill and learning, abide without the Spirit and without fruit, even +if they do not work more harm in addition to bringing themselves into +condemnation. + +10. Thus it is in all kinds of gifts and offices where men are not +God-fearing and humble. For example, those who are intrusted with the +civil government--princes, counselors, lawyers (where they are not +"theologians," that is, Christians)--are so insolent and proud that +they imagine themselves alone to be the people, whom others are to +reverence as gods. In their pride, they despise God and men, and by +their arrogance they lead the land and the people to destruction. +These have already the judgment upon themselves that they, as God's +enemies, must be hurled down. For they have cut themselves loose from +God's kingdom and grace; and the blessings of baptism and of Christ, +with his suffering and blood, are lost upon them. + +11. We have now shown how pride conflicts with the demands of the +first table of the law. Men do not employ the spiritual treasures and +gifts to God's honor nor to the good of their neighbors. Thus they +mar these gifts and, in their wicked course, go to the devil, into +whose likeness they have grown. + + +PRIDE OPPOSED TO THE SECOND TABLE. + +12. Further, this vice is just as general in the sphere of the second +table of the law--among the common people and in the temporal life of +the world, each one boasting of himself and despising others. Prince +and nobleman think that all the world is nothing in comparison with +themselves. Commoner and peasant, puffed up because they have much +wealth, imagine they must defy everybody, and do good to nobody. +These deserve to be spit upon by all men. Such pride does not become +them better than ornaments of gold or silver would become an image of +stone or a wooden block. Finally, the women, with their foolish pride +of dress, must not be forgotten. One prides herself on being better +or more beautifully adorned than her neighbor. She is, in truth, a +finely decorated goose. She imagines that no other woman equals her. +Yea, there is scarcely a house-servant or maid but brags over others. + +13. In short, we have come to the point where all men, with their +insolence and boastfulness, seek to lord it over others. None will +humble himself to another. Each thinks he has full right to act as he +does, and is under no obligation to yield to others. And the civil +government has grown so weak that there is no hope of restraining the +haughtiness of all classes, from the highest to the lowest. At last, +God must strike with thunder and lightning to prove to us that he +resists such people and will not tolerate pride. Therefore the young, +who can still be led, should be exhorted and trained, as far as +possible, to guard themselves against this vice. + +14. Peter uses for his purpose a peculiar term when he says, "Gird +yourselves with humility." "Gird" has the meaning of being bound or +joined together most firmly; or, as a garment, most carefully woven +through and through so that it cannot tear. He illustrates by this +term how Christians, with all diligence, should strive after the +virtue, and manifest and practice it among themselves, as if upon +them as a band it was a special obligation. Thus, he says, must you +be twined together and bound to each other, and your hands clasped +together. So must you be joined by humility, which cannot be +dissolved, dismembered, or torn, even though occasion be given one, +here and there, incited by the devil, or the evil word of someone +else, to fly into a passion, and grow defiant and boastful, as if to +say: Must I suffer such things at the hands of this man? But rather +say to yourselves. We are Christians, and must bear with each other +and yield, in many things; for we are all one body, and we are placed +together here on earth for the sole reason that we may, through love, +serve one another. + +15. And each should recognize his own weakness. He should remember +that God has given others also something and can give them yet more, +and that therefore he should gladly serve and yield to others, +remembering that he needs their help. Each one is created for the +sake of others, and we are all to serve one another. God gives the +same grace and salvation to all, so that none may exalt himself above +his neighbor; or, if he lift himself up, that he lose the grace +conferred and fall into deeper condemnation. Therefore we must hold +fast to this humility, so that the unity may not be destroyed. For +Satan seeks to destroy this also, and uses every possible means to +lead people to despise each other and to be proud and insolent in +their treatment of each other. And these are things to which flesh +and blood, even without special incitement, are inclined. Thus +humility is easily and quickly lost if men are not alert to fight +against the devil and their own flesh. + + +THE BEAUTY OF HUMILITY. + +16. Humility is one of the beautiful garments and ornaments with +which Christians should adorn themselves before God and the world. +Paul, in Colossians 3, 12, says, "Put on humility." He regards this +virtue as more precious than all earthly crowns and splendor. This is +the true spiritual life. It is not to be sought elsewhere, by running +into the cloisters or the deserts, by putting on gray gown or cowl. +Peter here admonishes all classes to cultivate this virtue. This +sermon on good works concerns every station in every house, city or +village. It is for all churches and schools. Children, servants and +the youth should be humbly obedient to parents, superiors and the +aged. On the other hand, it is for those in the higher stations of +life who serve their inferiors, even the lowest. If all men so +observed this virtue the world would be full of good works. For it is +impossible that humility should do evil. It is profitable and +pleasant to all men. + +17. By this virtue, true saints and Christians can better be known +than by monastic seclusion and holiness. It requires no great effort +to wear a gray cowl. It is not even such a great trial to lie on the +ground at night and to arise at midnight; scoundrels, thieves, and +murderers must often do the same. But to wear and hold fast to this +angelic garment, humility--this the world is not so willing to accept +as monasticism and its works. And thus it comes to pass that flesh +and blood do not strive after this holy life. Each man seeks an easy +life, in which he can live to himself and need serve no one nor +suffer anything at the hands of others; just as the monks have sought +and chosen. + +18. Peter adds to this admonition the reason: "For God resisteth the +proud, but giveth grace to the humble." As I have said above, he +strives to show the earnestness of God's command. The command is +accompanied by a threat. He does not simply say, God punishes the +proud, or God is hostile to them; but he "resisteth" them, he sets +himself against them. Now, what is the pride of all men toward God? +Not so much as a poor, empty bubble. Their pride puffs itself up and +distends itself as though it would storm the sky and contend against +the lightning and thunder, that can shatter heaven and earth. What +can the combined might of all creatures accomplish if God oppose +himself thereto? And how does a miserable man, whose heart is +overwhelmed by a small pestilence, rise against the majesty of heaven +which can, any moment, cast him down into the abyss? What are earth +and ashes proud of? says Sirach, 10, 9. + +19. Is it not enough and more than enough that other sin and +disobedience are laid to our account, by which we anger God and merit +heavy punishment, without our trying further to provoke him with our +pride and haughtiness, so that he must arise in his majesty and +resist us? With other sins he can have patience, that he may exhort +and incite us to repentance. But if, in hardened impenitence, we defy +and oppose him, he cannot but rise up against us. Who is there that +will bear it, or be able to stand, when God sets his countenance and +his power against a poor man already subject, every moment, to death +and the power of the devil? + + +THE CONSEQUENCE OF PRIDE. + +20. From the beginning, innumerable instances in history have proved +the truth of this saying, "God resisteth the proud." They show how he +has always overthrown and destroyed the proud world and has cast down +the haughty, scornful kings and lords. The great king of Babylon, +Nebuchadnezzar, was humbled when banished from his royal throne to +the companionship of the beasts of the field and compelled to eat +grass with them, Dan 4, 30ff. Again, remember how suddenly the great +king Alexander was hurled down, when after the victory and good +fortune God had given him, he began to grow proud, and wanted to be +reverenced as a god? Again, there was King Herod Agrippa, Acts 12, +23. The proud, learned emperor Julian, a virulent mocker and +persecutor of Christ, whom he had denied--how soon was he drowned in +his own blood! And since then, what has become of all the proud, +haughty tyrants, who proposed to oppress and crush Christianity? + +21. The Pope, also, has ever, in devilish pride, exalted himself, and +in the temple of God set himself forth as God. Further, in worldly +pomp and pride he has lifted himself above all others. He has even +learned, from heathen emperors, as Diocletian and other tyrants, to +have men kiss his feet. Yea, he has forced emperors and kings to +submit to this humiliating act. What open, inhuman insolence and +pride Pope Alexander the Third practiced when, by threatening against +him his empty ban, he compelled the pious and mighty German emperor, +Frederick Barbarossa, to prostrate himself at his feet while he +stepped upon him and said, Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; +and when the emperor protested against such shameful pride and said, +Non tibi, sed Petro (Not to thee, but to Peter), the Pope, with +increasing scorn, replied, "Et mihi, et Petro" (Both to me, and to +Peter). This is pride carried almost to its highest point. + +22. The Turk, too, is prouder now than ever, and, I hope, has reached +the heights of pride, beyond which he cannot and shall not proceed. +Meantime, may he not attack and humble us! But it will come to pass, +in the end, that God will overthrow both pope and Turk through his +divine power, and, as Daniel says, without the aid of men. This word +will not fail, "God resisteth the proud." Its truth must appear in +human events, so that men may see what is meant by the declaration, +"God resisteth"; otherwise no one would believe it. Though the Turk +and all the world should be a thousand times more proud and powerful, +this should not help them when he who is above sees and grows angry, +and lifts his hand. He asks as little about the power of all Turkish +emperors and of the Pope as about a dead fly. + +23. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," +Heb 10, 31. This, however, is nothing else than with scorn and +defiance to oppose his will, so that he, in turn, must set himself +against man and must lift his hand. Therefore, let everyone beware +lest he boast and grow defiant in the presence of the divine majesty. +Not only must he beware, that he may not awaken God's anger, but that +he may have grace and blessing in the things he ought to do. For, if +thou beginnest something in thine own power, and wisdom, and +haughtiness, think not he will grant thee success and blessing to +carry out thy purpose. On the other hand, if thou humblest thyself, +and beginnest aught in accordance with his will, in the fear of God +and trusting in his grace, there is given thee the promise, "He +giveth grace to the humble." So, then, thou shalt not only have favor +with men, but success shall crown thine efforts. Thou shalt prove a +useful man, both to God and to the world, and shalt complete and +maintain thy work despite the resistance of the devil. For where +God's grace is, there his blessing and protection must follow, and +his servant cannot be overthrown or defeated. Though he be oppressed +for a time, he shall finally come forth again and be exalted. So +Peter concludes by saying: + +"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he +may exalt you in due time." + +24. Peter shows in these words what true humility is and whence it +comes. The heart, through knowledge of its sin, becomes terrified in +the presence of God's anger and anxiously seeks grace. Thus a +humility is born, not merely external and before men, but of the +heart and of God, from fear of God and knowledge of one's own +unworthiness and weakness. He who fears God and "trembles at his +word" (Is 66, 5), will surely defy or hector or boast against nobody. +Yea, he will even manifest a gentle spirit toward his enemies. +Therefore, he finds favor both with God and men. + +25. The cause of this, Peter says, shall be "the mighty hand of God." +As though he would say: Ye may not do nor leave undone this thing for +the sake of men, but ye ought to humble yourselves under the hand of +God. God's hand is powerful and mighty in a twofold respect: It +dashes down and overthrows the proud and self-secure, however hard +and iron their heads and hearts may be. They must languish in dust +and ashes; yea, must lie despondent and desperate in the anguish and +torments of hell, if he touch them but a little with the terrors of +his anger. These are experiences through which the saints also pass, +and concerning whose severity they make lamentation. "For thine +arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no +soundness in my flesh because of thine indignation," Ps 38, 2-3. "For +I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. +Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast taken me +up, and cast me away," Ps 102, 9-10. "I am consumed by the blow of +thy hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou +makest his beauty to consume away like a moth," Ps 39, 10-11. + + +THE REWARD OF HUMILITY. + +26. In the second place, God's hand is mighty to raise, to comfort +and strengthen the humbled and the fearful, and, as Peter says here, +to exalt them. Those who in terror have been cast down should not, +therefore, despair, or flee before God, but rise again, and be +comforted in God. God wants it preached and published that he never +lays his hand upon us in order that we may perish and be damned. But +he must pursue this course in order to lead us to repentance; +otherwise we would never inquire about his Word and will. And if we +seek grace, he is ready to help us up again, to grant us forgiveness +of sins, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. The Psalms and the +Prophets here and there speak of this. "Jehovah hath chastened me +sore; but he hath not given me over unto death," Ps 118, 18. "Jehovah +raiseth up them that are bowed down," Ps 146, 8. + +27. God will "exalt you in due time," says Peter. Though God's help +be delayed, and the humbled and suffering seem to lie oppressed all +too long under God's hand, and on that account to languish, +nevertheless, let them hold to the promise Paul has given: God "will +not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able," 1 Cor 10, 13, +but he will hear your cry, and will, at the right time, help; and +with this let them be comforted. But again, let the proud fear, even +though he permit them to go unpunished and to continue in their +boastful course for a time. He watches their lives, and, when the +proper time comes, he will descend all too heavily upon them, so that +they cannot bear it. He has already stretched forth his mighty hand, +both to cast down the godless and to exalt the humble. + +II. "Casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you." + +28. What will become of him who lives a God-fearing and humble life, +suffering the insolence, pride and wantonness of the world? Or, where +will he find protection and defense, to abide in his godly ways? We +see daily how the pious are harassed and persecuted, and are trod on +by the world. The Apostle says: "Ye Christians must endure temptation +and adversity, want and need, both physical and spiritual, in the +world, and your heart is oppressed with anxiety and cares, and ye +think within yourselves: O, what will become of me? How shall I be +supported? What if I should die?" (The world only concerns itself +about how it may be enriched and be filled, and anxious, unbelieving +consciences would, through themselves and their own good works, seek +to have a gracious God and to die in peace.) "In view of all this," +he says, "only hearken, I will counsel and instruct you aright as to +what disposition you should make of your troubles." + +There is a brief passage in the 55th Psalm, verse 22, which reads: +"Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will +never suffer the righteous to be moved." Follow ye this advice. Let +not your burden rest upon yourselves; for ye cannot bear it, and must +finally perish beneath its weight. But, confident and full of joy, +cast it from you and throw it on God, and say: Heavenly Father, thou +art my Lord and God, who didst create me when I was nothing; moreover +hast redeemed me through thy Son. Now, thou hast committed to me and +laid upon me, this office or work, and things do not go as well as I +would like. There is so much to oppress and worry, that I can find +neither counsel nor help. Therefore I commend everything to thee. Do +thou supply counsel and help, and be thou, thyself, everything in +these things. + +29. Such a prayer is pleasing to God, and he tells us to do only what +we are commanded, and throw upon him all anxiety as to the issue and +what we shall accomplish. As also other passages of Scripture +declare: "Commit thy way unto Jehovah, trust also in him, and he will +bring it to pass," Ps 37, 5. No heathen, philosopher, jurist, if he +have not God's Word, can throw his care and complaint upon God. He +thinks that all the world, especially the great, the wise, who rule, +must accomplish everything by their own planning and circumspection. +And where trouble arises--for it is quite common for even the +greatest and wisest people to make mistakes--he becomes a madman or a +fool, and begins to murmur and argue against God and his government, +as though God's rule merited criticism. But such men receive their +deserts when God permits their calculations and hopes to fail, and +lets the reverse obtain. For they will not admit they have need of +him. They think they have sufficient wisdom and power, and that God +must respect their plans. Thus, they spend their lives in many vain, +useless cares and projects, and must, in the course of their +experience, learn and confess, many a time, that the very opposite of +their judgment is the truth. + +30. Christians have the rare faculty, above all other people on +earth, of knowing where to place their care, whilst others vex and +torture themselves and at length must despair. Such must be the +consequence of unbelief, which has no God and would provide for +itself. But faith understands this word Peter quotes from the +Scriptures: "Because he careth for you." It joyfully meditates +thereon and does and suffers faithfully. For faith knows this to be +its duty. Its trouble, however, it commits to God, and proceeds with +vigor against all that opposes. It can call upon God as a father, and +it says: I will do what God has commanded me and leave the result +with him. + +31. The Christian must take this course if he would proceed safely +and happily in matters of the highest import. In time of danger and +in the hour of death, when, with all his worrying, he cannot discover +where he is or how he is journeying, he must, with eyes, senses and +thoughts closed to the world, surrender himself in faith and +confidence and cast himself upon God's hand and care and protection, +and say: God has permitted me to live until this hour, without my +solicitude. Moreover, he has given me his beloved Son as a treasure +and sure pledge of eternal life. Therefore, my dear soul, journey on +in joy. Thou hast a faithful Father and Savior, who has taken thee +into his own hand, and will preserve thee. + +32. The Christian Church collectively must so proceed in the +discharge of its high spiritual office, of which Peter speaks here, +that no man or creature, by his own wisdom and power, can sustain or +accomplish any work. No power, might, or protection that can comfort, +or upon which one may rely, is to be sought in the world. Wholly in +God, and in God alone, must help be sought. By his divine power God +must uphold the Church. He has, from the beginning, always and +wonderfully preserved it in the world, in the midst of great +weakness, in disunion occasioned by schismatics and heretics, in +persecution by tyrants. And the government is wholly his, though he +commits the office and service to men, whom he would summon and use +to administer his Word and sacrament. Therefore, each Christian, +especially if he fills such an office and partakes of this +fellowship, should be intent, in that whereunto God has called and +appointed him, upon serving God faithfully and doing that which is +commanded him. The anxiety respecting the Church's continued +existence and her preservation against the devil and the world, can +be left to the Lord. He has taken this upon himself and thus has +removed the burden from our shoulders, that we might be certain of +the permanence of the Church. If its preservation were committed to +human counsel, might and will, the devil, with his power, would soon +overthrow and destroy it. + +33. Likewise, in every office and station, each one should follow +this counsel of Saint Peter. A prince should seek to protect his land +and people, to promote God's Word, to maintain discipline and peace, +to do justice to every man, to punish the disobedient, etc. Councils, +officials, and those in authority should faithfully advise and direct +to this end. Pastors and preachers should rightly and fearlessly +declare God's Word and truth. Every citizen and subject should be +intent upon his work and duty, and whatever, in connection therewith, +is unusual he must simply commit to God. + +But the world does not pursue this course. Each one says: Why should +I incur so much danger, opposition and hostility? Again, why should I +labor and toil for naught? I will not accomplish my work at any rate. +In this spirit of fear and worry, his proper office and work are +delayed, or he is always careless. + +But let such people know that they are not Christians, nor do they +promote God's kingdom or profit the offices conferred on them. If +they do not propose to mend their ways, they should give up the +office bestowed on them by God. It is not enough to simply sit at +ease in one's office and accept the plaudits of men. We all like to +render esteem and honor to office and station. But know this, that +you are not in office to parade about in beautiful garments, to sit +in the front row, and be called "Gracious Master" and "Esquire." You +are to conduct faithfully the office with which God has clothed and +honored you, regardless of human honor and profit, shame or injury. + +34. But men are not generally inclined to believe and trust God. They +are not inclined to remember that he cares for us; that he has +assumed and must bear the greatest of burdens, which no man on earth +can bear; that he cared for us before we were born, and could still, +of himself, execute all things dispensing with all human help, but he +prefers to accomplish his purpose through human means, and to employ +us as instruments in these divine works--governing, punishing, +teaching, comforting. + +35. The world is particularly culpable in this matter of pride. When +divinely charged with some great work, it always seeks to determine, +in advance, by its own wisdom, all future danger and accidents, and +tries to anticipate them. The world looks for man's help, and seeks +friendship and assistance wherever it can. It makes alliances, and +resorts to other schemes. It puts its trust in these and then +considers itself strong enough to meet opposition, and is sure of its +cause by reason of its own efforts. This is not showing faith in God. +It is not committing our cause and all care for ourselves to him. It +is maintaining the cause through one's own anxiety and forethought. +It is ignoring and disbelieving the fact that nothing can be +accomplished by one's own vexed effort. No human wisdom has power to +foresee the future. If we looked back at the examples furnished by +history, we should learn how woefully human wisdom is deceived when +it relies upon itself. The results are not what was expected, but the +very opposite. + +36. The Scriptures give many pertinent examples of the kings of Judah +and Israel, whom the prophets often and severely rebuked because they +sought refuge and help among strange nations and kings. The prophets +warned them that they should not trust in human aid, but should do +according to God's Word and command. They told them he would protect +and uphold them. But the kings would not hear. They continued to form +friendships and alliances with the kings of Egypt, Syria, Babylon and +Assyria, and thus invited them as guests into the land, whereupon the +heathen kings came with force and led away captive the inhabitants +and laid everything desolate. That was their reward for not heeding +God's Word; for not believing that he cared for them, and desired to +protect and defend them if they would but trust and obey him. + +The wisest and most eminent, even among the heathen, have lamented, +in the light of their own experience, that they have been shamefully +deluded by their counsels, even though founded on the most careful +deliberations. Nor can it be said that the world has grown wiser in +consequence of its own or others' sufferings. + +37. This exhortation is preached to no one except the few who are +Christians. They have regard for God's Word, and, now humbled, have +learned that they should not rely on their own wisdom and reason, or +upon human help and comfort. They have come to the belief that God +cares for them. So they do what they know is right and are in duty +bound to do, and suffer themselves not to be hindered by such fears +as possess the world concerning dangers, injuries, and adversities. +They commend all such things to God, and at his word go right through +with courage. + +38. Let me illustrate from my own experience. What should I have done +when I began to denounce the lies of the indulgence system, and later +the errors of the papacy, if I had listened and given heed to the +terrible things all the world wrote and said would happen to me? How +often I heard it said that if I wrote against such and such eminent +people I would provoke their displeasure, which would prove too +severe for me and the whole German nation. But, since I had not begun +this work of myself, being driven and led thereto by reason of my +office (otherwise I should have preferred to keep silence), I must +continue. I commended the cause to God and let him bear the burden of +care, both as to the result of the work and also as to my own fate. +Thus I advanced the cause farther, despite tumultuous opposition, +than I had ever before dared to think or hope. + +39. Oh, how much good would God accomplish through us if people could +be persuaded, especially the eminent lords and kings, that what Peter +here says is true: "He careth for you!" How much he could do if they +believed that truth instead of seeking, through their own wisdom and +reason, to equip, strengthen, and compose themselves by aid of human +might and assistance, friendship and alliance, for the accomplishment +and maintenance of their cause! It is apparent that mortal plans fail +and have always failed, and that they accomplish nothing. God hinders +and resists man's work when he will not trust him. Hence God can +grant no success or favor to that which is founded on human wisdom or +on trust in human powers. This is a truth men must finally perceive +by experience, and they must lament because they would not believe +it. + +40. Let him who would be a Christian learn to believe this. Let him +practice and exhibit faith in all his affairs, bodily and spiritual, +in his doing and his suffering, his living and his dying. Let him +banish cares and anxious thoughts. Courageous and cheerful, let him +cast them aside; not into a corner, as some vainly think to do, for +when burdens are permitted to conceal themselves in the heart they +are not really put away. But let the Christian cast his heart and its +anxieties upon God. God is strong to bear and he can easily carry the +burden. Besides, he has commanded that all this be put upon himself. +The more thou layest upon him, the more pleasing it is to him. And he +gives thee the promise that he will carry thy cares for thee, and all +things else that concern thee. + +41. This is a grand promise, and a beautiful, golden saying, if men +would only believe it. If a powerful ruler here on earth were to give +such a promise, and were to demand that we let him have all the +concern about gold and silver and the needs of this life, how +cheerfully and contentedly would every one cling to such promise! But +now a greater lord says all this, one who is almighty and truthful, +who has power over the body and life, and who can and will give us +everything we need, both temporal and eternal. We should have in all +this, if we only believed it, half of heaven, yea, a perfect paradise +on earth. For what is better and nobler than a quiet, peaceful heart? +For this all men are striving and laboring. So have we been doing +hitherto, running to and fro after it. Yet it is found nowhere except +in God's word, which bids us cast our cares and burdens on God and +thus seek peace and rest. It counsels us to throw upon him everything +that threatens to oppress and worry us. God would not have anxiety +dwell in our hearts, for it does not belong there; it is put there by +the devil. + +42. Therefore, a Christian, even though obliged to suffer all manner +of adversity, temptation and misfortune, can cheerfully go forward +and say: Dear Lord God, thou hast commanded me to believe, to teach, +to govern and to act; this I will attempt in thy name, and I will +commend to thee whatever may happen to me in the course of duty. +There you have a man who is equal to any task, and can do much good. +For he is freed from the greatest misfortune and has laid the +heaviest weight upon God, whilst another man does nothing except fill +his heart with anxiety and gloom. This other can apply himself to no +good work. He becomes unfit both to do and to suffer. He is afraid of +every trifle and, because of his vexation or impatience, can do +nothing worth mentioning. + +What is the world doing now? Princes, lords, counselors, citizens, +and peasants--all want only power, honor, and wealth. None desires to +render service. Everyone fears that this or the other thing might +happen to him. Though the world never needed more careful rule than +at the present time, lords and princes, simply because they are such, +idly sit adorned with beautiful crowns, though they have received +their trust from God to discharge their princely office. For the +world must be governed, the youth must be educated, the wicked must +be punished. But if thou desirest the honor only, and art not willing +to step in the mire, to suffer people's displeasure, and through it +all learn to trust God and for his sake do everything, thou art not +worthy of the grace given for the accomplishment of a good and +praiseworthy work. In punishment, resting under God's wrath, thou +must remain unfit for every good work. + +III. "Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring +lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom withstand +stedfast in your faith." + +43. The apostle has set forth two things to be practiced throughout +the Christian life; namely, Christian humility--which is fear of +God--and faith and confidence in God. Now he admonishes his readers +to battle and warfare, that these blessings may be preserved. He +shows us our enemy and adversary who seeks to rob us of our treasure +and deprive us of our salvation and eternal blessedness. Hence he +would say: Be not concerned about living a life of earthly glory, and +let not anxious cares fill your soul. But be intent on humbling +yourselves before God. Trust in him. Let this be your care, that you +may abide in the grace of humility. Let it never be wrested from you. +For the devil seeks to instill these forbidden cares, and to produce +disobedience against God, that he may tear faith and God's Word out +of your heart. + + +WATCHFULNESS ENJOINED. + +Therefore, you must not ignore these facts, and meanwhile strive +after something else. You are not to go along in false security or +sleep and snore as though there were no danger. You must rather know +that you have not been placed in a garden of roses here, but in the +midst of heavy conflicts, where you must be on your guard, always +watchful and prepared for resistance. For you have an adversary who +is not insignificant or to be despised, but is strong, mighty, and +moreover wicked and ferocious. He does not fight with stone and wood, +destroying rocks and trees, but he has his eye fixed on you +Christians. He never grows tired or weary, but without rest and +ceasing he pursues you; not only to spy upon you and to harass you, +in which he can be withstood, but he desires utterly to devour you. + +44. His sole purpose and plan is to murder and destroy men, +spiritually and bodily; even as, at the beginning, when man had been +created, he led and cast him into death. He practices his schemes +with awful and deadly effect in the world against those who do not +believe in Christ, and he will never stop until the judgment day. One +can perceive his incessant activity. He bustles about and openly +raves and roars against all Christendom. He uses for his purpose the +Turks, and other tyrants and godless people, not to speak of the +sorrow and murder he works by so possessing people that in their +frenzy they do themselves injury, or without cause murder others. He +otherwise, through wicked and shameful snares, leads men into +misfortune and sorrow. + +In short, the world is nothing else than the devil's murderous cave, +both spiritually and physically. God, in order to somewhat hinder and +restrain physical murder, has ordained temporal government, parental +and other authority. These in their office are to be sober, watchful, +and diligent. We ought to thank God for his preservation of such +authority, for otherwise there would be no peace--everywhere on earth +nothing but murder. Nevertheless, the awful murder the devil +perpetrates on those who are without God's Word and faith, is not +thereby checked. + +45. Some other defense and protection, then, another kind of +watchfulness, must be sought, in order that men may remain +undestroyed and unharmed in the presence of this bloodthirsty +murderer. Of this Peter speaks here to the little company of +Christians, and says: Ye, through Christ's blood and death rescued +from the devil's lies and murderous intent, have been made alive and +have been transplanted into the heavenly life, like your beloved +fathers, Adam, Abel, and others. They are no longer under bondage to +Satan, but live in Christ, though the body lie for a time in the +earth and truth and life must be supplied to their body and soul. But +because ye still dwell in the world, ye are exposed to all danger. +Physically, ye are yet in the murderer's house; therefore ye must +take good heed, that he may not kill you again, and murder your souls +dwelling in these mortal bodies. It shall harm you none that the soul +was ruined and the body is yet subject to death. "Because I live," +says Christ (Jn 14, 19), "ye shall live also." However, ye must +struggle if ye are to abide in the truth and life. To this ye are +appointed whilst ye live here on earth; otherwise ye would already be +in Paradise. But the devil has not yet been consigned wholly to the +punishment of his damnation, which will be at the last day, when he +will finally be cast down from his airy height, and from the earth, +into the abyss of hell. Then he will no more be able to attack us, +and there will no longer be cloud or veil between us and God and the +angels. + + +SOBERNESS ESSENTIAL. + +46. In order, now, he continues, that ye may be saved from his +murderous designs, and may preserve the life you have begun, ye must +be sober and watchful; not only mindful of the body, but much rather +of the mind and soul. It is true that a Christian who is to resist +the devil must be physically sober, for a full hog and drunkard +cannot be watchful nor can he plan defense against the devil. Yet +must a Christian much more guard himself, lest the soul become sleepy +or drunken. As the soul is burdened by the body when the latter is +overwhelmed by drunkenness, so, when the soul is watchful and sober, +the body also is temperate and prepared to hear God's Word. But where +the body is oppressed by drunkenness, there the soul must first have +been a drunkard, not heeding God's Word nor giving attention to +prayer. Where the soul is drunken and drowned in such security, it +will not avail that the body suffer hurt by strict fasting and +self-mortification, after the fashion of the Carthusians and hermits. + +47. Saint Peter, then, forbids not only bodily drunkenness, but also +drunkenness of the soul. One's soul is drunk when he lives in carnal +security, without thought and anxiety as to whether he have and hold +God's Word or not; when he asks no questions, either about God's +wrath or his grace; and when he, moreover, lets himself be filled +with the sweet poison of false doctrine through the mob of evil +spirits Satan employs for this purpose, until he grows numb, loses +faith and clear judgment and finally becomes overfull of drunkenness +and spews it out upon others. + +48. The same thing results when men begin to be wise in divine things +by following human reason. Saint Peter aptly describes this false +doctrine with the expression, "cunningly devised fables," 2 Pet 1, +16. He says: "We did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we +made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." +Such are the beautiful words and sermons which make a great show of +wisdom and holiness, and naturally please men. For instance it is a +cunningly devised fable when one with the aid of philosophy, which +reason can understand, sets forth in grandiloquent words what a fine +thing it is for a man to live honorably, chastely, and to practice +good works and virtues. The aim is, with such pretense, to have us +believe that we, through these works (not alone through faith), are +justified before God; that is, are redeemed from sin and death. + +49. Again, other factious spirits travel about with worthy sayings +which they have heard from us--externals do not help souls; the +Spirit must do the work--and then they proceed to fling contempt on +baptism and the Lord's Supper. So Thomas Münzer, with his seditious +peasants, and the Anabaptist rabble, went about, with great +demonstration, preaching about the shameful, wicked life of the +world, especially of the authorities, declaring that these were +godless people and tyrants, and deserved God's wrath and punishment; +that therefore men should depose and execute them, and establish a +new government, of only pious and holy people. + +These and similar things Peter calls "cunningly devised fables." They +are exaggeratingly pretended to be the product of great wisdom and +art, and are rendered sweet and palatable to reason. So has all +idolatry, heresy, and false doctrine, from the beginning on, +prevailed, being fashioned and most beautifully adorned by people +learned and wise and held in the esteem of the world. + +50. How admirable did the position of Arius and his adherents appear +in comparison with the true faith concerning the divinity of Christ, +when they declared that though Christ should be exalted above all +angels and creatures, and that all honor, dominion and power in +heaven and on earth belong to him, yea, that he is quite equal to +God--all this, yet he is not "homo-ousios"; that is, he is not in one +undivided, divine, eternal essence, which is of such unity that it +could be imparted to no one else. It would be too much to say that a +man is God, etc. With such pretense was a great multitude of +Christians seduced. Even few bishops remained in the pure doctrine +and faith. And afterward this poison prevailed among the wise people +of Asia and Greece, until Mohammed, with his Saracens and Turks, had +miserably corrupted the greatest part of the world. + +51. Likewise the Pope has adorned and colored with a glorious form +his abominations and idolatry, claiming for his order of service that +it is a meritorious and beautiful thing. Again, he calls attention to +the serviceableness of the beautiful, orderly government and power of +the Church, with its well regulated gradations of office and +position--bishops superior to the ordinary priests, and over the +bishops Saint Peter's chair at Rome. In that chair is vested the +authority for the convocation of general councils so often as these +may be necessary. These councils are to judge and decide in all +matters of faith, and their decisions everyone must follow and obey. +Again, he boasts what great service and consolation to the whole +world is the work of the priests in the mass, when they daily renew +and offer to God the sacrifice made by Christ on the cross. This is +the sweet wine in the "golden cup" of the scarlet harlot of Babylon, +with which she has made drunken all kings and nations, Rev 17, 2-4. + +52. Where the devil finds those who give ear to such fables, he takes +them captive and so fills them with these falsehoods that they +neither see nor hear anything else. They think their belief is the +only one, and they will not suffer themselves to be instructed out of +God's Word. And so, in their madness, without rightful intelligence +of faith and all principles of pure doctrine, they continue in their +darkened mind, with their fantastic, lying prattle, without +repentance and amendment, having no grace to learn or do anything +good. This is amply proved by the example of all seditious spirits. + +53. Therefore, Peter admonishes us to be "sober and watchful," +especially in spirit, and to guard ourselves against this sweet +poison and these beautiful, adorned lies and fables of the devil. He +teaches us how to equip and defend ourselves against his wicked +devices. + +"Whom withstand stedfast in your faith." + +54. The true defense and resistance, in which we are to be sober and +watchful, is to be well grounded in God's Word and cling firmly +thereto when the devil seeks, with his cunningly devised fables, born +of human understanding and reason, to overthrow our faith. Reason is +the devil's bride, and always vaunts itself wise and skilful in +divine things, and thinks what it holds to be right and good must be +accounted so before God. But faith holds to God's Word alone. It +knows that before God, human wisdom, skill and power, and whatever +gifts and virtues man may have, count for nothing. Only his grace and +the forgiveness of sins in Christ has value. Therefore, faith can +repel and defeat all these fine pretensions and cunning fables. + +55. Worldly dominion and authority boasts before God in this fashion: +My crown is a crown in God's sight, for my power and sovereignty have +been given me by God. Therefore, whatever I say he must respect and +regard as valid, and everyone must endorse my words and actions. + +The wise philosopher or jurist would thus give expression to his +boasts and pretensions: We are the learned, the wise rulers of the +world, and have admirable laws and statutes. We have superior and +beautiful doctrines concerning good works and virtues. Men must +listen to us and allow our judgment to have precedence. He who can +do, or does, such things as we have done is, in God's sight, superior +to others. + + +FAITH, NOT WORLDLY WISDOM, ESSENTIAL. + +56. No, dear man, says faith to this, I grant that the things of +which thou boastest have been ordained and confirmed by God; but they +are not of value save for this temporal life. The world regards it a +crown to be known as wise. But in the presence of God thou shouldst +lay aside thy crown, let thy might and power, thy law and wisdom, go, +and say: God, be merciful to me a poor sinner! Reason has this +advantage, that it is equipped and adorned with God's promise to +confirm its rule here on earth and to be pleased therewith; but with +the provision that reason shall not interfere in God's government, or +boast over against him. Let it be known that what is called wisdom +and prudence on earth, is foolishness before God. What in the sight +of the world is commended and honored as beautiful, valuable, as of +honor and virtue, is before God sin, and subject to his wrath. What +on earth is called life, is before God nothing but death. + +57. If, now, the parental, governmental, and other authority which +he, himself, has arrayed and through his word established, and which +is even administered by Christians, does not endure before him in +that other life, how much less will he allow that to stand which man +has devised or subtly contrived out of his own head and heart! +Wouldst thou be wise and prudent, then cultivate these virtues in the +sphere appointed thee, in thy home, the State, and whatever office +thou hast. In these temporal things, rule as well as thou canst. Thou +wilt find little enough to help in all thy books, thy reason and +wisdom. But when thou beginnest to devise out of thine own reason the +things of God, though they may all seem trustworthy wisdom, yet, as +Peter says, they are nothing else than fables and lies. + +58. For example, a monk's words: Whoever dons a cowl can lead a holy +life, for he is cut off from the world, can banish all care and +sorrow, and can undisturbed, in peace and quietness, serve God--these +words appear wisely spoken, but at bottom they are nothing but +unreliable and useless chatter. This is proved from God's Word, which +teaches that God has forbidden us to invent our own worship; also, +that God would have us serve him in our ordinary life and station and +not by fleeing therefrom. Hence, such monkery can not be a holy, +godly life. In Psalm 119, 85, we read: "The proud have digged pits +for me, who are not according to thy law." That is, they preach to me +about praiseworthy things, and represent their cause as most worthy, +in order to overcome me. But when I look at their words aright, I do +not find them to be in accord with thy Word and commandments, which +(says he) "are faithful." A lie is always beautiful. It attracts and +pretends to be truth. It has, further, the advantage that it can +adorn itself from the wardrobe of God's Word, and, perverting the +Word, can use it in an uncertain sense. On the other hand, the truth +does not so glitter, because it does not make itself plain to reason. +For example, a common Christian, a type of the brethren, hears the +Gospel, believes, uses the sacraments, leads a Christian life at home +with wife and children--that does not shine as does the fascinating +lie of a saintly Carthusian or hermit, who, separated from his fellow +men, would be a holier servant of God than other people. Yet the +latter is useful to nobody. He lets others preach and rule, and labor +in the sweat of their brows. + + +GOD'S WORD THE CHRISTIAN'S GUIDE. + +59. The one important thing, then, is to see to it that we have God's +Word, and that we regulate all the teachings and claims of men in +accordance therewith. We will thus distinguish between the true and +the false. We must remember, also, that human reason holds a far +inferior position to faith and is not to be acknowledged as +trustworthy, save as it is authorized by God for temporal authority. +He who has faith can easily perceive when reason conflicts with God's +Word or seeks, in its wisdom, to rise superior thereto; just as, in +worldly things, each one in his station, office, or calling, knows +full well, when another attempts the same work, whether he does it +right or not. So every householder well understands that in his home +wantonness and wrong-doing on the part of the servants are not to be +tolerated. However, in divine things, reason can so attire and adorn +itself as not to be recognized except by one who, guided by faith, +has a right knowledge of God's Word. + +Reason will not refrain from intruding, with its wisdom and prudence, +into the affairs of God, where it has no orders. Thus the devil +creates endless misery, as he did at the beginning in the case of our +first parents. And yet reason will not permit, in its own domain, the +slightest interference of one unskilled in reason's code. + +60. If a cobbler were to arise in the Church and censure the people +because they did not wear his make of shoes, and should try to +convince people that such a procedure was necessary to salvation, +they would pursue him out of the Church with shoes and slippers, and +cry after him: Stay at home in your shop with your shoes and lasts! +What does that concern the spiritual estate? + +But when a factious spirit stands up and in his supposed wisdom +grunts forth: I am a holy, pious man. I have a special illumination +from the spirit. Therefore do not believe what the others say, which +is nothing but the dead letter, that one person can be God and man; +that a virgin can be a mother; that a man can be cleansed from sin by +water and the spoken Word, etc.,--when he does this, then there is no +one to offer resistance. Reason then gains the victory if it only +claims the glory of guidance by the Spirit, of a holy life, etc., +even though God's Word and faith are not present in their purity. +Behold, what mischief the Turk, with his Mohammed, has wrought and is +still working, solely by claiming the honor of worshipping the one +God, and asserting that he alone has the true God! He declares that +only he and his followers are God's people on earth, to honor which +God they war and fight against the Christians. He presses his cause +the more vigorously because he has such large fortune and victory; so +even many Christians who come among them adopt their faith and become +Turks. But none of the Turks turn Christian. + +61. Therefore, no other counsel can be offered for resisting the +devil and escaping destruction by him, than this, that we remain firm +in faith, says Saint Peter. One must have a heart which holds fast to +God's Word and fully understands the same and holds it to be true. +For faith cannot exist or endure without the Word, nor can it hear or +understand aught else. One must separate the Word far from all reason +and wisdom, placing it above these. He must hold reason as +nothing--yea, as dead--in matters pertaining to God's government and +to how man is to escape sin and eternal death. Reason must keep +silent and give to God's Word alone the honor which belongs to the +truth, "bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of +Christ," as Saint Paul says, 2 Cor 10, 5. If reason is to be my +teacher in these things, what need is there of faith? And why should +I not throw away all the Scriptures? We Christians, says Paul (1 Cor +1, 20-21), preach something else and higher than reason comprehends, +for the wisdom of the world is mere folly. If reason taught me that +the mother of Christ is a virgin, the angel Gabriel might have +remained in heaven and kept silent concerning the matter. Your faith, +says Paul again (1 Cor 2, 4), should not stand in the wisdom of men, +but in the power of God. Now you have seen the tricks and wiles of +the devil with which he seeks to devour you, which he bases on reason +as opposed to God's Word. + +62. Peter admonishes all Christians, especially the preachers, how to +defend themselves against the devil's intrigues and artifices, with +which he seeks to capture them. In order that Christians may be +properly equipped, Saint Peter calls attention to two things: First, +we must know the enemy and realize his purpose; second, we must be +armed to meet him and defend ourselves, that we may stand before him +and conquer. He is a terrible, mighty foe, says Peter, and is the god +of this world. He has more wisdom and more deceptive snares than all +men, and can so blind and unsettle reason that it will cheerfully +believe and follow him. + +He is, moreover, a wicked and bitter enemy to you who in Christ have +life. He cannot bear to see you Christ's. He thinks and plots about +nothing else than your overthrow. And think not that he is far from +you, or that he will pursue you from a distance. He has encamped +close to you and right around you; yea, in your own territory--that +is, in your flesh and blood. There he seeks how to reach you, and +overtake you when unguarded, attempting now this, now that. Misguided +faith, doubt, anger, impatience, covetousness, evil passions, etc., +are points of attack--any place where he finds an opening or +discovers that you are weak. Therefore, think not that he is simply +jesting. He is more furious and hungry than a famished and angry +lion. He does not purpose merely to wound or prick you, but wholly to +consume you, so that nothing of body or soul will remain. + +63. Whoever would withstand such a foe must be equipped with other +armor and weapons than those furnished by human wit and +understanding, by human powers or ability. Your defense is nothing +else, says Peter, than faith, which holds and grasps God's Word. And +because the believer holds fast to this, the devil can gain nothing. +It is God's truth and power, before which, with his lying and +murdering, he cannot stand; he must yield and flee. Therefore +Ephesians 6, 16 says: "Taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye +shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one." These +fiery darts are chiefly those he hurls into the heart through the +beautiful thoughts of human reason. He thus transforms himself into +an angel of light, to displace right thoughts and faith, and to +introduce human whims and false faith. His aim is, also, to lead into +doubt, distrust, hatred, and anger toward God. + +Thus it is, too, in the other temptations and trials of life, when +Satan drives men into sin and disobedience against God's commandment, +into such sins as avarice, usury, anger, revengefulness, unchastity, +and other vices. Here he uses the same insidious arts, first tearing +God's Word out of the heart, then blinding reason with sweet and +beautiful thoughts. He says: The thing proposed is not so wicked. God +will not be so angry with you. He can afford to be patient with you, +you still love the Gospel. With such suggestions as these he carries +you away and plunges you under God's fearful anger and condemnation. + +64. If you would withstand these wiles, there can be no other plan or +counsel than this: Fight with God's Word in firm faith against these +suggestions and allurements. Further, keep in mind both your former +misery and your present treasures of grace. Remember how you were +once under God's wrath when, without fear of God and without faith, +you were the devil's own, subject to all his will, and must have +perished had not God, in boundless goodness, forgiven you your sin +and bestowed on you his grace. And now give heed that you may not +lose this treasure, to which end the Holy Spirit has been promised +you. You need not succumb if you remain in faith. Again, if you +experience weakness and suffer want, you are bidden to call upon him, +certain that he will hear you. The promise is: "If ye shall ask +anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name," Jn 16, 23. +Also: "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever +ye will, and it shall be done unto you," Jn 15, 7. + +65. Peter would, with his admonitions, make Christians bold and +confident for resisting the temptations of the devil and defending +themselves. He would not have us feel terrified nor despair before +Satan, even though that wicked one press us hard through the +instrumentality of the world and of our own flesh, as well as by his +direct onslaughts. We are not to fear though he seem too strong for +us, and though surrender to his prowess seems inevitable. We are to +have a manly heart and fight valiantly through faith. We must be +assured that, if we remain firm in the faith, we shall have strength +and final victory. The devil shall not defeat us; we shall prove +superior to him. + +We have been called of God and made Christians to the end that we +renounce the devil and contend against him, and thus maintain God's +name, Word, and kingdom against him. Christ, our head, has already, +in himself, smitten and destroyed for us the devil and his power. In +addition, he gives us faith and the Holy Spirit, whereby we can +wholly defeat Satan's further wickedness and his attempts to +overthrow us. + +66. A Christian should bear all this in mind, I say, and learn to +experience the strength and power of faith. So will he not yield to +temptation and enticement. Nor will he, from love of the devil or the +world, to his own eternal hurt, and for the sake of small temporal +advantage, pleasure, or honor, cast from him God's grace and the Holy +Spirit, and put himself again under God's eternal anger and +condemnation. + +IV. "Knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your +brethren who are in the world." + +67. This is a very precious and comforting passage, the truth of +which Peter learned not only by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but +from his own experience. One instance of his experience was when, in +the high-priest's house, he thrice denied his Lord, and soon +thereafter fell into such anxiety and despair that he would have +followed the traitor Judas had not Christ turned and looked on him. +It was for this reason that Christ, so soon after his resurrection, +first of all commanded that the glad tidings should be announced to +Peter. Christ also said to him, before all this happened: "Simon, ... +I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, +when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren," Lk 22, +31-32. + + +CONDUCT IN SUFFERING. + +Peter makes faithful use of the present passage for his readers' +comfort: Ye must expect, in the world, says he, to suffer many and +severe things, both in temptations of soul and body, against the +first and the second table of the law, Satan lying in wait for you +with his deceitful and murderous arts. + +68. Weak Christians suffer beyond measure because they are plagued +and beset so constantly by the devil. Their afflictions so sorely +oppress them that they conclude that no one suffers so severely as do +they. Especially does this seem the case in the great spiritual +temptations which come to those endowed with peculiar gifts and who +are called to positions of prominence in the Church. So Paul often +laments his great temptations, which the common people do not +understand and cannot endure. God, moreover, is careful to lay on +each one just the cross he is able to carry. Still these sufferings +are such that even the great and strong must languish and wither +beneath them were it not for the comfort God bestows. These troubles +grip the heart, and consume the very marrow, as the Psalms often +lament. + +69. Some of those living in cloisters, and other pious, tender +consciences, have learned by experience how hard such burdens are to +bear, especially in the darkness of the papacy, where they receive +but little genuine comfort. There are, also, some inexperienced and +forward spirits who have seen but have not understood these things, +and who yet desire to be regarded as people of large experience. +When, however, the test comes, they are found wanting. It is related +of one of this class, who heard others bemoaning their temptations, +that he prayed God to let temptation visit him also; whereupon God +permitted him to be tempted with carnal lust. But when he found he +could not bear it, he again prayed God, asking that the burden of his +brother, whom he regarded inferior to himself, be given him. But when +this request was granted, he prayed yet more earnestly that God would +give him back his former burden. + +70. Amid such temptations Peter comforts suffering Christians by +telling them that they are not the first, nor the only ones, to be +thus assailed. They are not to feel as if it were a wonderful, rare, +unheard of cross which they bear, or that they bear it alone. They +are to know that their brethren, the Christians of all times, and +scattered through all the world, must, because they are in the world, +suffer the same things at the hand of Satan and his minions. It +assuages and comforts beyond measure for the sufferer to know that he +does not suffer alone, but with a great multitude. + +71. It is true that in external temptations this comfort is easily +grasped, because of the knowledge of others' experiences. But when +Satan assails thee alone with his poisonous darts--for example, when +he tempts thee to doubt God's grace, as if thou alone hadst been cast +off; or when he suggests horrible blasphemies, hatred of God, +condemnation of his government, and so tortures and fills with +anguish thy heart that thou art led to think that no man on earth is +more fearfully assailed than thyself--then there is need to make use +of this comfort which Peter offers thee and all Christians. In other +words, Peter would say: "My friend, let not the devil and thy +sufferings terrify thee or lead thee to despair. Thou shouldst know +this for a certainty, that thou sufferest not alone. No matter how +shamefully he attacks thee, he has done and is doing the same to +others." + +The devil seeks, not only our own destruction, but also that of all +Christendom. It is ever his purpose to tear out of men's hearts, in +the midst of their sufferings, God's Word and faith. He would rob +them of their comfort in Christ, and depict God in the most horrible +and hostile light, that the heart may have not one kind thought +regarding him. And he can do this; not only with lofty, refined, +subtle thoughts, but also by gross suggestions from without, before +which a man must fear and shudder. I, myself, saw and heard a girl +who complained of a temptation of this nature; namely, that while she +stood in the church and saw the sacrament elevated, the thought +occurred to her: Lo, what a big knave the priest is elevating. And +she was suddenly so frightened at the terrible thought that she sank +to the floor. + +72. Such terror and anxiety proceed from the fact that one imagines +that no one else has ever experienced such dreadful assaults. He +thinks he has a special, strange, and unusual affliction. Although it +is true that men's temptations differ and come from different sources +and one may imagine his own a peculiar kind, yet the sufferings and +temptations of all Christians are alike in this, that the devil tries +to drive them all from the fear and confidence of God into unbelief, +contempt, hatred, and blasphemy against God. Therefore, the apostles +are accustomed to call Christians' sufferings a fellowship in pain +and tribulations. They point all men who suffer to the agonies of +Christ our Lord, as the head and exemplar. Peter says in his first +epistle, ch. 1, 11: "The Spirit of Christ ... testified beforehand +the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them." +And Paul says, "I fill up on my part that which is lacking of the +afflictions of Christ in my flesh," Col 1, 24. + +73. If one would speak of specially severe sufferings, surely no +human heart can comprehend, much less tell, how great and heavy were +the anxiety and sorrow of our first parents on account of their +miserable fall. And what sorrow must Adam have witnessed during the +nine hundred years of his life in the experiences of his first son +Cain, and his children! No man has ever borne such a burden as lay on +both parents for nearly a hundred years after Abel's death, until +their third son was born. Truly, these nine hundred years were a +period of sorrow and misery. + +Perhaps, on the last day, we shall discuss with this our father the +solitary suffering of that time, of which we know nothing. And we +shall willingly confess that in sorrow's school he stands far above +us and we have been only insignificant pupils. It must have been most +severe and dangerous for him, since he had no example before him of +similar suffering with which to comfort himself. + +74. Likewise, if thou couldst rightly understand what the other holy +patriarchs, the prophets and apostles--especially Paul and Peter--and +later all the beloved martyrs and saints, have endured thou wouldst +be forced to say that all thy temptation and suffering are nothing in +comparison. But above all these must we reckon the experiences of the +Lord Christ, whose heart was so pierced by Satan's fiery darts and +bitter thrusts that the bloody drops of sweat were pressed out of his +body. He has gone before and surpassed us on the way of sorrow. We, +with all our suffering, can only follow his footsteps. + + +OF TEMPTATION. + +75. Therefore, learn well this saying of Peter, and think not that +thou alone endurest this severe, fearful temptation and these +onslaughts of the devil. Remember that thy brethren, not only they +who are dead--who also have set thee a good example--but also those +who live with thee in the world, have suffered and do suffer such +terror and distress. For they have the very same enemy Christ and all +Christendom have. Thou canst be glad and shout: God be praised! I am +not the only one that suffers, but with me there is a great +multitude, all Christians on earth, my beloved brothers and sisters, +even down to the last who shall walk this earth. And in this passage +Peter comforts and strengthens me, as Christ commanded him, who also +has tasted of these sorrows, and, indeed, in far greater measure than +I and others have. + +76. I have at times thought, in my trials, that I should like to +argue with Peter and Paul as to whether they were tried more severely +than I. For, when he can do nothing else, the devil resorts to the +plan of leading a man to fix his attention solely on his own +affliction, and oppresses him with the thought: No man has been so +cast off by God, or has sunk so deep into anxiety and distress. The +devil has often so wearied me with such arguments that at length I +could offer no further opposition to him, but simply turned him over +to Christ, who can quickly silence him with arguments. If we have not +Christ with us, Satan proves far too strong for us. We cannot silence +him. He soon renders helpless all our skill, and slays us with our +own sword. + +77. Ah, these seditious leaders and other self-secure spirits are +poor, miserable people, who know nothing at all of this conflict! +They drown in their own imaginations, and think they are perfect. And +some of them are so shameless and without fear as to blaspheme, +saying that God himself could not take their virtue from them. The +devil simply strengthens them in these thoughts, and hardens them the +more. This very thing is a sign that they do not yet know the devil; +they are already blinded and taken captive by him, so that he can +ruin them when he pleases. + +78. Genuine Christians are not thus self-confident and boastful when +they are attacked. In severe conflicts and anxieties they labor that +the devil may not deprive them of the sword. I know that I am learned +and have seen something of what the devil can do; but I must bear him +witness, from my daily experience, that he can overcome me unless I +am well established in faith and have Christ in my heart. Thomas +Münzer was so firm and inflexible, as he thought, that he dared to +say that he would not behold Christ, if he did not himself wish to +speak with him. But at last, when the devil began to attack him, men +saw what his pride and boasts were. No, they are not the ones to +accomplish anything, who go about so boastful, as if they had +consumed the devil. They do not see that they, themselves, were long +since devoured seven times over by him and are held fast in his jaws. + +79. The heretic Arius was also secure and proud enough against the +pious bishops and Christians. Yea, when he was punished for his error +by his bishop, and admonished to desist, he became the more +obstinate. He complained about the bitter persecution to which he was +subjected. But his suffering was that they would not approve his +horrible blasphemy. Just so in every age the heretics and +blasphemers, yea, even open murderers and tyrants, pose as martyrs +when they are not permitted to run against God's Word and against +pious people. So confident do they try to be that they have no fear +of God. They count the devil a dead bee until, at length, he suddenly +seizes and destroys them in a moment. + +80. But the poor, tempted Christians have need of the comfort and the +strength furnished by God's Word. They must anxiously contend lest +they lose, in their hours of severe temptation, God, Christ, faith, +and Our Father. Therefore, the mission intrusted to Peter, to +strengthen his brethren, is most needful. So the same comfort was +necessary in his own temptations, and he was even given it beforehand +by Christ, who declared that he had prayed for him that his faith +might not be extinguished nor fail, which faith, however, from the +time of his denial on to the third day did almost die, and scarcely +the smallest spark remained. + +Hence he now, as a true apostle, comforts those who are in the like +fears and straits of a sinking and expiring faith. He says to all the +suffering and comfortless: My dear brother, think not that thou alone +sufferest distress and temptation. Many of thy brethren have suffered +quite as heavily, perhaps more heavily. I, myself, have been as weak +as thou canst ever be. If thou dost not believe this, look and see +what occurred in the house of Caiaphas, the high-priest, when I, who +protested my readiness to go with Christ into prison and death, at a +word spoken to me by a maid, fell, and denied and abjured most +shamefully my beloved Lord. For three whole days I lay in misery. I +had no one to comfort me and none who suffered equally with myself. I +had no consolation except that my dear Master gave me, with his eyes, +one friendly look. + +81. Therefore, no one should regard his distress and need as too +heavy and fearful, as if it were an entirely new thing, something +which had never been experienced by others. To thee it may be +something new and untried. But look about thee, at the great +multitude of the Church, from the beginning until this hour. The +Church has been set in the world to suffer the attacks of the devil, +and without ceasing it must be sifted as wheat, as Christ's words +suggest, Luke 22, 31. + +My friend, thou hast not yet seen nor experienced what our first +parents endured their whole life long, and after them all the holy +fathers until Christ. Peter, also, has been farther in this school +than I and thou, and I would say that the same temptation as his +could hardly be found. Paul says of him and the beloved apostles (1 +Cor 4, 9): "For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of +all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the +world, both to angels and men"--so that Satan may torment us +according to his will, and thus work out his pleasure upon us. And +what are the sufferings of all men combined when compared with +Christ's agony and conflict, in that he sweat blood for thee? + +82. When the devil plagues and assails thee with his manifold +temptations, refer him to Christ, with whom to dispute about the +severe temptations, the death struggle, the anguish of hell, etc. +Comfort thyself that thou art one of a great company of sufferers, +past present and future. O beautiful, glorious company! All under one +lord and head, who took from the devil his power and hell-fire. In +short, thy affliction cannot prove so great that thou wilt not find +it paralleled in the lives of the apostles, prophets, patriarchs and +all the saints, especially of Christ himself; with whom, if we +suffer, let us not doubt, says Paul, that we shall "be also +glorified," Rom 8, 17. + + + + +_Fourth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Romans 8, 18-22. + +18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not +worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to +us-ward. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for +the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected +to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, +in hope 21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the +bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children +of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and +travaileth in pain together until now. + + +CONSOLATION IN SUFFERING, AND PATIENCE.[1] + +[Footnote 1: This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.] + +1. Paul's language here is peculiar. He speaks in a manner wholly +different from the other apostles. There is something particularly +strange about the first sentences of the passage. His words must be +faithfully studied and their meaning learned by personal experience. +The Christian life consists altogether in the practice and experience +of what the Word of God tells us. He who has no experimental +knowledge of the Word will have but little conception and +appreciation of Paul's words here. Indeed, they will be wholly +unintelligible to him. + +2. Up to the point where our text begins, Paul has been assuring us +in this epistle that through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we attain +the high privilege of calling God our Father; that the Holy Spirit +bears witness in our hearts of our sonship, and makes us bold enough +to come, by faith in Christ the Mediator, joyfully before God, +trusting him to fill and bless us. Then Paul draws the conclusion, +first, that we are children of God; next, he says: "If children, then +heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." The second +conclusion is the outcome of the first. For the reason that we have +the boldness and assurance to call God our Father in sincerity and +nothing doubting, we are become not only children but heirs, heirs of +God and brethren to Christ, joint-heirs with him. But all this, as +Paul says, is true "if so be that we suffer with him" (verse 17). + +3. The high prerogative of heirship, Paul faithfully enjoins, is +dependent on a sacred duty. Let him who would be Christ's brother, +and joint-heir with him, remember he must also be a joint-martyr and +joint-sufferer with Christ. The apostle's meaning is: Many are the +Christians, indeed, who would be joint-heirs with Christ and gladly +enjoy the privilege of sharing his inheritance, but who object to +suffering with him; they separate themselves from him because +unwilling to participate in his pain. But Paul says this will not do. +The inheritance follows only as a consequence of the suffering. Since +Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, had to suffer before he could be +glorified, we must be martyrs with him, with him be mocked by the +world, despised, spit upon, crowned with thorns and put to death, +before the inheritance will be ours. It cannot be otherwise. + +A consistent sympathy is essential to Christian faith and doctrine. +He who would be Christ's brother and fellow-heir must also suffer +with him. He who would live with Christ must first die with him. The +members of a family not only enjoy good together but also share in +their ills. As the saying is, "He who would be a companion in eating +must also be a companion in labor." + +4. Paul would earnestly admonish us not to become false Christians +who look to find in Christ mere pleasure and enjoyment, but to +remember that if we are to participate in the "eternal weight of +glory" we must first bear the "light affliction, which is for the +moment." 2 Cor 4, 17. + +By the words "if so be that we suffer with him" the writer means that +we are to do more than exercise the sympathy that grieves over +another's misfortune, though such sympathy is binding upon Christians +and is a superior Christian virtue, a work of mercy: we ourselves +must suffer, non solum affectu, sed etiam effectu, that is, we are +overwhelmed by like sufferings. As Christ our Lord was persecuted, we +also must endure persecution. As the devil harassed him, we also must +be harassed unceasingly. And so Satan does torment true Christians. +Indeed, were it not for the restraining hand of the Lord our God, the +devil would suffer us to have no peace. Paul has reference to a +heartfelt sympathy intense enough to enter into actual suffering. He +says to the Hebrews (ch. 10, 32-33): "Ye endured a great conflict of +sufferings; partly, being made a gazing stock both by reproaches and +afflictions." + +5. And in the verse preceding our text he tells us that as our +blissful inheritance through brotherhood and joint-heirship with +Christ is not a mere fancy and false hope of the heart, but a real +inheritance, so our sympathy must amount to real suffering, which we +take upon ourselves as befitting joint-heirs. Now Paul comforts the +Christian in his sufferings with the authority of one who speaks from +experience, from thorough acquaintance with his subject. He seems to +view this life as through obscurities, while beholding the life to +come with clear and unobstructed vision. He says: + +"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy +to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward [in +us]." + +6. Notice how he turns his back to the world and his face to the +future revelation, as if seeing no suffering anywhere, but all joy. +"Even if it does go ill with us," he would argue, "what indeed is our +suffering in comparison with the unspeakable joy and glory to be +revealed in us? It is too insignificant to be compared and unworthy +to be called suffering." We fail to realize the truth of these words +because we do not see with our bodily eyes the supreme glory awaiting +us; because we fail to grasp fully the fact that we shall never die +but shall have a body that cannot suffer nor be ill. If one could +conceive the nature of this reward he would be compelled to say: +"Were it possible for me to suffer ten deaths by fire or flood, that +would be nothing in comparison to the future life of glory. What is +temporal suffering, however protracted, contrasted with eternal life? +It is not worthy to be called suffering or to be esteemed +meritorious." + +7. In this light does Paul regard suffering, as he says, and he +admonishes Christians to look upon it similarly. Then shall they find +the infinite beyond all comparison with the finite. What is a single +penny measured by a world of dollars? though this is not an +appropriate comparison since the things compared are both perishable. +The suffering of the world is always to be counted as nothing +measured by the glorious and eternal possessions yet to be ours. "I +entreat you, therefore, beloved brethren," Paul would say, "to fear +no sufferings, not even should it be your lot to be slain. For if you +are actually joint-heirs, it must be your fortune, a part of your +inheritance, to suffer with others. But what is your pain measured by +the eternal glory prepared for you and obtained by the sacrifice of +your Savior Jesus Christ? It is too insignificant to be contrasted." +So Paul makes all earthly suffering infinitely small--a drop, a tiny +spark, so to speak; but of yonder hoped-for glory he makes a +boundless ocean, an illimitable flame. + +8. Why cannot we take his view of the insignificance of our +afflictions and the magnitude of the future glory? The extravagance +of our conduct is apparent in the fact that but a harsh word uttered +by one to his fellow will make the injured one ready to overturn +mountains and uproot trees in his resentment. To them who are so +unwilling to suffer, Paul's word of encouragement here is wholly +unintelligible. Christians are not to conduct themselves in this +impatient manner. It ill becomes them to make extravagant complaint +and outcry about injustice. "But," you say, "I have truly suffered +injustice." Very well, so be it. But why do you make so much of your +sufferings and never give a thought to what awaits you in heaven? Why +not exalt the future glory also? If you desire to be a Christian, +truly it will not do to conduct yourself in this impatient manner. If +you must air your grievances, surely you may do it quietly and +decorously. + +9. In this life it must be otherwise than in the life of glory. If +you essay to be a joint-heir with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not +suffer with him, to be his brother and are not like unto him, Christ +certainly will not at the last day acknowledge you as a brother and +fellow-heir. Rather he will ask where are your crown of thorns, your +cross, the nails and scourge; whether you have been, as he and his +followers ever have from the beginning of time, an abomination to the +world. If you cannot qualify in this respect, he cannot regard you as +his brother. In short, we must all suffer with the Son of God and be +made like unto him, as we shall see later, or we shall not be exalted +with him in glory. + +10. Upon this same topic Paul addresses also the Galatians (ch. 6, +17): Henceforth let no one confuse me, say nothing to me about the +doctrine that friendship is rewarded on earth; for I bear branded on +my body the marks of my Lord Jesus Christ. His reference is to the +signs in ancient paintings of Christ, where the Savior was +represented as bearing his cross upon his shoulders, with the nails, +the scourge, the crown of thorns and other emblems in evidence. These +marks or signs, Paul instructs, all Christians as well as himself +must exhibit, not painted on a wall but branded in their flesh and +blood. They are made when inwardly the devil affrights and assails us +with all manner of terrors and overwhelming afflictions, and at the +same time outwardly the world slanders us as heretics, laying her +hand to our throats whenever possible and putting us to death. + + +THE REWARD. + +Such marks, or scars, for Christ the Lord, Paul admonishes all +Christians to exhibit. Thus he encourages them not to be terrified +though they suffer every conceivable wrong, such as our brethren here +and there have suffered now for several years. But brighter days are +in store for us when once the hour of our enemies and the power of +darkness shall come. Our adversaries annoy us now with malignant +words and slanderous writings, and indeed they may take our lives. So +be it. We must in any event suffer if we are ever to attain true +glory. But what they will secure by putting us to death they +certainly shall experience. + +11. In Paul's reference to the glory that shall be revealed in us +there is a hint as to the cause of man's unwillingness to suffer: +faith is yet weak and fails to descry the hidden glory; that glory is +yet to be revealed in us. Could we but behold it with mortal vision, +what noble, patient martyrs we should be! Suppose one stood on yonder +side of the Elbe with a chest full of gold, offering it to him who +should venture to swim across for it. What an effort would be made +for the sake of that tangible wealth! + +12. Take the case of the adventurous officer. For a few dollars per +month he defies spears and guns, exposing himself to almost certain +death. The merchant hurries to and fro in the world in a frenzied +effort to amass riches, hazarding life and limb, apparently careless +of physical cost so long as God's mercy preserves to him but the +shattered hulk of a body. And what must not one endure at court +before he realizes, if he ever does, the fulfilment of his ambition? + +In temporal things man can do and suffer everything for the sake of +honor, wealth and power, because these are manifest to earthly +vision. But in the spiritual conflict, because the reward is not +discernible to the senses it is very difficult for the old man in us +to believe that God will finally grant us glorious bodies, pure souls +and hearts of gladness, and make us superior to any earthly king. +Indeed, the very reverse of this condition obtains now. Here is one +condemned as a heretic; there one is burned or in some other way put +to death. Glory, wealth and honor are not in evidence now. So it +seems hard for us to resign ourselves to suffering and wait for the +redemption and glory yet unrevealed. + +Again, no hardship is too great for the world to undergo for the sake +of sordid gain; it willingly suffers whatever comes for that which +moth and rust consume and thieves steal. + +13. Paul means to say: "I am certain there is reserved for us +exceeding glory, in comparison wherewith all earthly suffering is +actually of no consideration; only it is not yet manifest." If we +have to face the slightest gale of adversity, or if a trifling +misfortune befalls us, we begin to make outcry, filling the heavens +with our false complaint of a terrible calamity. Were our faith +triumphant, we would regard it but as a small inconvenience to +suffer, even for thirty or forty years or longer; indeed, we should +think our sufferings too trifling to be taken into account. May the +Lord our God only forbear to reckon with us for the sins we have +committed! Why will we have so much to say about great sufferings and +their merits? How utterly unworthy we are of the free grace and +ineffable glory which are ours in the fact that through Christ we +become children and heirs of God, brethren and joint-heirs with +Christ! + +Well may we resolve: "I will maintain a cheerful silence about my +sufferings, boasting not of them nor complaining about them. I will +patiently endure all my merciful God sends upon me, meanwhile +rendering him my heartfelt gratitude for calling me to such +surpassing grace and blessing." But, as I said, the vision of glory +will not enter our hearts because of our weak and miserable flesh, +which allows itself to be more influenced by the present than by the +future. So the Holy Spirit must be our schoolmaster to bring the +matter home to our hearts. + +14. Note particularly how Paul expressly states that the glory is to +be revealed in us. He would remind us that not only such as Peter or +Paul are to participate in the blessing, as we are prone to believe, +but that we and all Christians are included in the word "us." Indeed, +even the merest babe obtains at death, wherein it is a joint-sufferer +with mankind, this unspeakable glory, which the Lord Jesus into whose +death it was baptized has purchased and bestowed upon it. Though in +the life beyond one saint may have more glory than another, yet all +will have the same eternal life. Here on earth men differ in point of +strength, comeliness, intellect, yet all enjoy the same animal life. +So in the other life there will be degrees of radiance or glory, as +Paul teaches (1 Cor 15, 41), yet all will share the same eternal +happiness and joy; there will be one glory for all, for we shall all +be the children of God. + +15. Now the first point of consolation is that we turn our backs upon +all suffering, saying: "What is all my pain, though it were tenfold +greater, compared to the eternal life unto which I am baptized, to +which I am called? My sufferings are not worthy to be so termed in +connection with the exceeding glory to be revealed in me." Paul +magnifies the future glory to make the temporal sufferings the more +insignificant. Then follows: + +"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the +revealing [manifestation] of the sons of God. For the creation was +subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who +subjected it, in hope: [For the creature was made subject to vanity, +not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in +hope;]" + +16. Here is the second point of consolation. Paul holds up as an +example to us the condition of the whole creation. He exhorts us to +endure patiently, as the creature does, all the violence and +injustice we suffer from the devil and the world, and to comfort +ourselves with the hope of future redemption. Remarkable doctrine +this, unlike anything elsewhere found in the Scriptures, that heaven +and earth, sun, moon and stars, leaf and blade, every living thing, +waits with sighing and groaning for the revelation of our glory. + + +THE TRAVAIL OF CREATION. + +17. Such sighing and agony of the creature is not audible to me, nor +is it to you. But Paul tells us he sees and hears it, not expressed +by one creature alone, but by all God has made. What does he mean? +What is the sighing and longing of creation? It is not that annually +the leaves wither and the fruits fall and decay: God purposes that +every year new fruits shall grow; he decrees the shattering of the +fallen tree. But Paul refers to the creature's unwilling subjection +to the ungodly; "subject to vanity," he phrases it. + +For instance, the blessed sun, most glorious of created things, +serves the small minority of the godly, but where it shines on one +godly man it must shine on thousands and thousands of knaves, such as +enemies of God, blasphemers, persecutors, with whom the world is +filled; also murderers, robbers, thieves, adulterers. To these it +must minister in all their ungodliness and wickedness, permitting its +pure and glorious influence to benefit the most unworthy, most +shameful and abandoned profligates. According to the apostle, this +subjection is truly painful, and were the sun a rational creature +obeying its own volition rather than the decree of the Lord God who +has subjected it to vanity against its will, it might deny every one +of these wicked wretches even the least ray of light; that it is +compelled to minister to them is its cross and pain, by reason of +which it sighs and groans. + +Just as we Christians endure many kinds of injustice and consequently +sigh for and implore help and deliverance in the Lord's prayer, so do +the creatures sigh. Although they have not human utterance, yet they +have speech intelligible to God and the Holy Spirit, who mark the +creatures' sighs over their unjust abuse by the ungodly. + +18. Nowhere else in the Holy Scriptures do we find anything like +Paul's declaration here concerning the earnest expectation and +waiting of the creatures for the revelation of the children of God; +which waiting the apostle characterizes as a sighing in eager desire +for man's redemption. A little later he compares the state of the +creature to a woman in travail, saying it cries out in its anguish. +The sun, moon and stars, the heavens and earth, the bread we eat, the +water or wine we drink, the cattle and sheep, in short, all things +that minister to our comfort, cry out in accusation against the world +because they are subjected to vanity and must suffer with Christ and +his brethren. This accusing cry is beyond human power to express, for +God's created things are innumerable. Rightly was it said from the +pulpit in former times that on the last day all creatures will utter +an accusing cry against the ungodly who have shown them abuse here on +earth, and will call them tyrants to whom they were unjustly +subjected. + +19. Paul presents this example of the creatures for the comfort of +Christians. His meaning is: Be not sorrowful because of your +sufferings; they are small indeed when the ensuing transcendent glory +is considered. You are not alone in your tribulation and your +complaint at injustice; the whole creation suffers with you and cries +out against its subjection to the wicked world. Every bleat of the +flock, every low of the herd, is an outcry against the ungodly as +enemies of God and not worthy to enjoy the creatures' ministrations; +not even to receive a morsel of bread or a drink of water. Along this +line St. Augustine is eloquent. "A miserly wretch," he says, "is +unworthy the bread he eats, for he is an enemy of God." + +Paul tells us the whole creation groans and travails with us, as if +desiring relief from anguish; that it suffers like a woman in +travail. For instance: the heavenly planets would gladly be freed +from serving, yes, in the extent of their anguish would willingly +suffer eclipse; the earth would readily become unfruitful; all waters +would voluntarily sink from sight and deny the wicked world a +draught; the sheep would prefer to produce thorns for the ungodly +instead of wool; the cow would willingly yield them poison rather +than milk. But they must perform their appointed work, Paul says, +because of him who has subjected them in hope. God will finally +answer the cry of creation; he has already determined that after the +six thousand years of its existence now passed, the world shall have +its evening and end. + +20. Had not our parents sinned in paradise, the world would never be +dissolved. But since man has fallen in sin, we all--the whole +creation--must suffer the consequence; because of our sins, creation +must be subjected to vanity and dissolution. During the six thousand +years, which are as nothing compared to eternal life, all created +things must be under the power of a condemned world, and compelled to +serve with all their energies until God shall overthrow the entire +world and for the elect's sake purify again and renew the creature, +as Peter teaches. 2 Pet 3, 13. + +21. The sun is by no means as gloriously brilliant as when created. +Because of man's ungodliness its brightness is to an extent dimmed. +But on the day of visitation God will cleanse and purify it by fire +(2 Pet 3, 10), giving it a greater glory than it had in the +beginning. Because it must suffer in our sins, and is obliged to +shine as well for the worst knave as the godly man, even for more +knaves than godly men, it longs intensely for the day when it shall +be cleansed and shall serve the righteous alone with its light. + +Neither would the earth produce thistles nor thorns were it not +cursed for our sins. So it, with all creatures, longs for the day +when it shall be changed and renewed. + +22. This is the explanation of Paul's remarkable declaration +concerning the "earnest expectation of the creation." The creature +continually regards the end of service, and freedom from slavery to +the ungodly. This event will not take place before the revealing of +the sons of God; therefore the earnestly expectant creation desires +that revelation to come without delay, at any moment. Until such +manifestation the world will not consider godly souls as children of +the Father, but as children of the devil. So it boldly abuses and +slanders, persecutes and puts to death, God's beloved children, +thinking it thereby does God service. In consequence the whole +creation cries: "Oh, for a speedy end of this calamity, and the +dawning of glory for the children of God!" + +23. We have plain authority for the interpretation of the groaning of +creation in Paul's further words, "the creation was subjected to +vanity, not of its own will." He thus makes all creation--sun and +moon, fire, air, water, heaven and earth with all they +contain--merely poor, captive servants. And whom do they serve? Not +our Lord God; not for the most part his children, for they are a +minority among those ministered unto. To whom, then, is their service +given? To the wicked--to vanity. The created things are not, as they +would be, in righteous service. The sun, for instance, would choose +to shine for Paul, Peter and other godly ones. It begrudges to wicked +characters like Judas, Pilate, Herod, Annas and Caiaphas the least +ray of light; for it is useless service, yielding no good. To serve +Peter and Paul would be productive of pleasure and profit; well may +its benefit be bestowed upon these godly ones. But the sun must shine +as well for the wicked as for the ungodly. Indeed, where it fittingly +serves one godly individual, thousands abuse its service. + +The case is similar with gold and other minerals, and with all the +articles of food, drink and clothing. To whom do these minister? +Wicked desperadoes, who in return blaspheme and dishonor God, condemn +his holy Gospel and murder his Christians. This is wasted service. + +24. So Paul says, "The creature was made subject to vanity;" it must +render service against its consent, having no pleasure therein. The +sun does not shine for the purpose of lighting a highway robber to +murder. It would light him in godly deeds and errands of mercy; but +since he follows not these things the service of the blessed sun is +abused and that creature ministers with sincere unwillingness. But +how is it to avoid service? + +A wicked tyrant, a shameful harlot, may wear gold ornaments. Is the +gold responsible for its use? It is the good creature of the Lord our +God and fitted to serve righteous people. But the precious product +must submit to accommodating the wicked world against its will. Yet +it endures in hope of an end of such service--such slavery. Therein +it obeys God. God has imposed the obligation, that man may know him +as a merciful God and Father, who, as Christ teaches (Mt 5, 45), +makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good. For the Father's sake +the blessed sun serves wickedness, performing its service and +bestowing its favors in vain. But God in his own good time will +reckon with those who abuse the glorious sunlight and other +creatures, and will richly recompense the created things for their +service. + +25. Beloved, Paul thus traces the holy cross among all creatures; +heaven and earth and all they contain suffer with us. So we must not +complain and excessively grieve when we fare ill. We must patiently +wait for the redemption of our bodies and for the glory which is to +be revealed in us; especially when we know that all creatures groan +in anguish, like a woman in travail, longing for the revealing of the +sons of God. For then shall begin their redemption, when they shall +not be slaves to wickedness but shall willingly and with delight +serve God's children only. In the meantime they bear the cross for +the sake of God, who has subjected them in hope. Thus we are assured +that captivity will not endure forever, but a time must come when the +creatures will be delivered. + +"Do ye likewise, beloved Christians," Paul would advise, "and reflect +that as the creature will rejoice with you on the last day, so does +it now mourn with you; that not you alone must suffer, but the whole +creation suffers with you and awaits your redemption, a redemption so +great and glorious as to make your sufferings unworthy to be +considered." + + + + +_Fourth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Second Sermon. Text: Romans 8, 18-22. + + +REDEMPTION OF THE CREATURES. + +1. We have heard how Paul comforts the Christians in their +sufferings, pointing them to the future inconceivable and eternal +glory to be revealed in us in the world to come; and how he has, for +our greater consolation, reminded us that the whole creation as one +being suffers in company with the Christian Church. We have noted how +he sees, with the clear, keen eye of an apostle, the holy cross in +every creature. He brings out this thought prominently, telling us it +is not strange we Christians should suffer, for in our preaching, our +reproving and rebuking, we easily merit the world's persecution; but +creation must suffer being innocent, must even endure forced +subjection to the wicked and the devil himself. + +2. Could the sun voice its experience from Adam's time down, what +misery it has witnessed and endured, undoubtedly it would tell of its +heavy cross in being compelled to serve innumerable adulterers, +thieves, murderers, in fact, the devil's whole kingdom. Yet it is a +noble and admirable work of creation, fit to serve only God, angels +and pious Christians, who thank God for it. But it must serve those +who blaspheme and dishonor God and who are guilty of all wickedness +and lawlessness. Notwithstanding its dislike of such service, it is +with every other created thing obedient to God. + +3. This is a fine and comforting thought of the apostle's, that all +creatures are martyrs, having to endure unwillingly every sort of +injustice. The creatures do not approve the conduct of the devil and +of the wicked in their shameful abuse of creation, but they submit to +it for the sake of him who has subjected them to vanity, at the same +time hoping for a better dispensation in the fulfilment of time, when +they shall again be rightly received and abuse be past. Hence Paul +points to another life for all creation, declaring it to be as weary +of this order as we are and to await a new dispensation. By his +reference to the earnest expectation of the creature he means that it +does not expect to remain in its present condition, but with us looks +toward heaven and hopes for a resurrection from this degraded life +into a better one where it will be delivered from the bondage of +corruption, as he says later. + +4. By these sayings Paul gives us to understand that all creation is +to attain a perfection far beyond its present state where with us it +must be subject to tyrants. These tyrants wantonly abuse our +characters, our bodies, our property rights, just as the devil abuses +our souls. But we must suffer our lot, remembering that mankind is +captive on earth in the kingdom of the devil, and all creation with +it. The earth must submit to be trodden and to be cultivated by many +a wicked one, to whom it must yield subsistence. Likewise is this +submission true of the elements--air, fire, water--all creation +having its cross, yet hoping for the end of the dispensation. + +5. There is a refined and comforting perception in the apostle's +exposition where he represents the entire creation as one being, with +us looking forward to entrance upon another life. We are satisfied +that our present life is not all, that we await another and true +life. Likewise the sun awaits the restoration coming to it, to the +earth and all creatures, when they shall be purified from the +contaminating abuse of the devil and the world. + +6. And this condition is to come about when the children of God are +revealed. True, they are God's children on earth, but they have not +yet entered into their glory. Similarly, the sun is not now in +possession of its real glory, for it is subject to evil; it awaits +the appointed time when its servitude shall cease. With all creation +and with the true saints it waits and longs, being meanwhile subject +to vanity--that is, the devil and the wicked world--for the sake of +God alone, who subjects, yet leaves hope that the trial shall not +continue forever. + +7. We are children of God now on earth. We are blessed if we believe +and are baptized, as it is written: "He that believeth and is +baptized shall be saved." Mk 16, 16. And again: "As many as received +him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to +them that believe on his name." Jn 1, 12. Baptism is a visible rite +and we behold with mortal vision those who receive it; the Word of +the Gospel we hear, and we have in ourselves the witness of the Holy +Spirit that our faith, however weak, is acceptable to God. But who +among men recognizes us as children of God? Who will apply the term +to a class imprisoned and tortured and tormented in every conceivable +way, as if they were children of the devil, condemned and accursed +souls? + +8. Not without significance is Paul's assertion that the glory of +God's children is now unmanifest but shall be revealed in them. In +Colossians 3, 3-4 he declares: "Ye died, and your life is hid with +Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, +then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." So long as God's +children are here upon earth they are not arrayed in the garb of his +own, but wear the livery of the devil. It would be fitting for the +children of the devil to be bound, fettered and imprisoned and to +suffer all manner of misfortune; but it does not so come to pass. +They have the world's pleasures. They are wealthy and powerful, have +honor and money in plenty and withal bear God's name and wear the +garb of his children, as if having his approval. Meanwhile they +regard us as heretics and enemies of God. Thus the rightful order of +things is reversed: they who are God's appear to be the devil's, and +the devil's to be God's. This condition is painful to the pious. +Indeed, heaven and earth and all creatures cry out in complaining +protest, unwilling to be subject to evil and to suffer the abuse of +the ungodly; to endure that dishonor of God that opposes the +hallowing of his name, the extension of his kingdom and the execution +of his will on earth as in heaven. + +9. Because God's children are thus unrevealed and denied their true +insignia, all creation, as Paul says, cries out with them for the +Lord God to rend the heavens and come down to distinguish his +children from those of the devil. Considering the unrevealed state of +God's own on earth, the ungodly in their great blindness are not able +to discern them. The doctrine of the righteous which magnifies God's +grace manifest in Christ is by the wicked termed error, falsehood, +heresy and diabolical teaching. So Paul says the whole creation waits +for the manifestation of the children of God. + + +THE CHRISTIAN'S GLORY TO BE REVEALED. + +John, also, says: "Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not +yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be +manifested, we shall be like him." 1 Jn 3, 2. That is, when our Lord +Jesus Christ comes with his loved angels and we are drawn up into the +clouds to meet him in the air, he will bring to God's children a +glory consistent with their name. They will be far more splendidly +arrayed than were the children of the world in their lifetime, who +went about in purple and velvet and ornaments of gold, and as the +rich man, in silk. Then shall they wear their own livery and shine as +the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Such is the wonderful glory +of the revelation that the radiant beauty of poor Lazarus who lay in +wretchedness at the rich man's gate surpasses all expectation. Upon +this topic, see Wisdom of Solomon, chapter 5, 2ff. + +10. The hope of this wonderful glory, Paul says, is ours and that of +all creation with us, for creation is to be purified and renewed for +our sakes. Then will we be impressed with the grandeur of the sun, +the majesty of the trees and the beauty of the flowers. Having so +much in prospect, we should, in the buoyancy of our hope, attach +little importance to the slight suffering that may be our earthly +lot. What is it compared to the glory to be revealed in us? Doubtless +in yonder life we shall reproach ourselves with the thought: "How +foolish I was! I am unworthy to be called the child of God, for I +esteemed myself all too highly on earth and placed too little value +upon this surpassing glory and happiness. Were I still in the world +and with the knowledge I now have of the heavenly glory, I would, +were it possible, suffer a thousand years of imprisonment, or endure +illness, persecution or other misfortunes. Now I have proven true +that all the sufferings of the world are nothing measured by the +glory to be manifested in the children of God." + +11. We find many, even among nominal Christians, with so little +patience they scarce can endure a word of criticism, even when well +deserved. Rather than suffer from the world some slight reproach, +some trifling loss, for the sake of the Gospel, they will renounce +that Gospel and Christ. But how will it be in the day of revelation? +Beloved, let us be wise now and not magnify our temporal sufferings; +let us patiently submit to them as does creation, according to Paul's +teaching. We may imagine the earth saying: "I permit myself to be +plowed and cultivated for man's benefit, notwithstanding the +Christians whom I bless are in the minority, the great mass of those +profiting by me being wicked men. What am I to do? I will endure the +conditions and permit myself to be tilled because my Creator so +orders; meanwhile I hope for a different order eventually, when I +shall no longer be subject to wickedness and obliged to serve God's +enemies." + +12. Peter also alludes to the new order of creation, saying: "The +heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be +dissolved with fervent heat ... But according to his promise, we look +for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 +Pet 3, 10 and 13. In other words: Here on earth men as a rule are +dishonorable and wicked and obey not the will of the Lord God as it +is done in heaven; but the day will come when only righteousness and +holiness shall dwell on the earth--none but godly, righteous souls. +As in heaven all is righteousness, the devil being banished, so on +the last day, Satan and all the ungodly shall be thrust from the +earth. Then will there be none but holy ones in both heaven and +earth, who will in fullness of joy possess all things. These will be +the elect. This is Peter's meaning in the words, "According to his +promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth +righteousness." Paul adds that all creation waits with us for the +revelation, groaning and crying out in anguish. + +13. But Paul protects the creature from condemnation and reproach for +sinful submission to abuse. He says, in effect: "True, it is subject +to vanity, yet not willingly." Likewise I do not desire to suffer +reproach as a heretic and a deceiver, but I endure it for God's sake, +who permits it. This attitude on my part does not make me partaker of +the sin committed against me by enemies of the truth who reproach me. +The case is the same as that of the creature suffering abuse for the +sake of him who has subjected it. And you Christians are to imitate +the example of creation. The sun seems to say: "Great God, I am thy +creature; therefore I will perform, I will suffer, whatsoever is the +divine will." So when the Lord God sends upon you some affliction and +says, "Endure a little suffering for my sake; I will largely repay +it," you are to say: "Yes, gladly, blessed Lord. Because it is thy +will, I will suffer it with a willing heart." + + +OF HOPE. + +It also belongs to the consolation against suffering to be conscious +that the suffering will not last forever, but will sometime have an +end--on the day of judgment, when the godless shall be separated from +the godly. For this life on earth is nothing else than a masquerade +where people walk in masks, and one sees another different than he +is. He who appears to be an angel is a devil, and those considered +the children of the devil are angels and the children of our dear +Lord. Hence it is that they are attacked, plagued, martyred and put +to death as heretics and children of the devil. This masquerade must +be tolerated until the day of judgment; when the wicked will be +unmasked and will no longer be able to pass as holy people.[1] The +text now continues: + +"That the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of +corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God." + +"[Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the +bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of +God.]" + +[Footnote 1: This paragraph is from the pamphlet edition of 1535.] + +14. We Christians are not the only beings to receive deliverance, +Paul declares; the creature in bondage has the same hope of release +as the poor, enslaved human being. Sun, moon and every other created +thing is captive to the devil and to wicked people, and must serve +them in every form of sin and vice. Hence these sigh and complain, +waiting for the manifestation of the children of God, when the devil +and the ungodly shall be thrust into hell, and for all eternity be +denied sight of sun and moon, the enjoyment of a drop of water or a +breath of air, and forever deprived of every blessing. + +15. So the apostle tells us, "Creation itself also shall be delivered +from the bondage of corruption." In other words, creation must now +subserve most shameful ends. Sun, moon and all creatures must be +slaves to the devil and the ungodly because God so desires. He wills +for his beautiful creation to lie at the feet of Satan and his +adherents and to serve them for the present. Likewise many a +sensitive heart is compelled to obey a tyrant or a Turk because the +Lord has imposed that servitude upon it. Some may even have to clean +the Turk's boots, or perform still more menial duties, and in +addition suffer all sorts of indignities from that individual. + +16. These words, "Creation itself also shall be delivered from the +bondage of corruption," signify that all created things must until +the final reckoning be servants and menials, not to the godly, but to +the devil and wicked men. Paul himself regards with pity the sun and +other creatures because of their forced service to Satan and to +tyrannical beings. The created works no more desire such servility +than we desire subjection to the Turk. Nevertheless, they submit and +wait--for what? The glorious liberty of the children of God. Then +shall they be released from slavery and be no longer bound to serve +the wicked and worthless. More than that, in their freedom they will +have a grandeur far in excess of their present state and shall +minister only unto God's children. They will be done with bondage to +the devil. + +"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain +together until now." + +17. Paul uses forcible language here. Creation is aware, he says, not +only of its future deliverance from the bondage of corruption, but of +its future grandeur. It hopes for the speedy coming of its glory, and +waits with the eagerness of a maiden for the dance. Seeing the +splendor reserved for itself, it groans and travails unceasingly. +Similarly, we Christians groan and intensely desire to have done at +once with the Turks, the Pope, and the tyrannical world. Who would +not weary of witnessing the present knavery, ungodliness and +blasphemy against Christ and his Gospel, even as Lot wearied of the +ungodliness he beheld in Sodom? Thus Paul says that creation groaneth +and travaileth while waiting for the revelation and the glorious +liberty of the children of God. + +18. "And not only so," he adds, "but ourselves also, who have the +firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, +waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." We +pray, we cry with great longing, in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom +come," meaning: "Help, dear Lord, and speed the blessed day of thy +second advent, that we may be delivered from the wicked world, the +devil's kingdom, and may be released from the awful distress we +suffer--inwardly from our own consciences and outwardly from the +wicked. Afflict to the limit these old bodies of ours so long as we +may obtain others not sinful, as these; not given to iniquity and +disobedience; bodies that can never know illness, persecution or +death; bodies delivered from all physical and spiritual distress and +made like unto thine own glorified body, dear Lord Jesus Christ. Thus +may we finally realize our glorious redemption. Amen." + +19. Paul uses a peculiar word here in the text, which we cannot +render by any other in our language than "travail." It carries the +idea of pains and pangs such as a woman knows in childbirth. The +mother's ardent desire is to be delivered. She longs for it with an +intensity that all the wealth, honor, pleasure and power of the world +could not awaken. This is precisely the meaning of the word Paul +applies to creation. He declares it to be in travail, suffering pain +and anguish in the extremity of its desire for release. But who can +discern the anguish of creation? Reason cannot believe, nor human +wisdom imagine, the thing. "It is impossible," declares reason. "The +sun cannot be more glorious, more pleasing and beneficent. And what +is lacking with the moon and stars and the earth? Who says the +creature is in travail or unwillingly suffers its present state?" + +The writer of the text, however, declares creation to be weary of +present conditions of servitude, and as eager for liberation as a +mother for deliverance in the hour of her anguish. Truly it is with +spiritual sight, with apostolic vision, that Paul discerns this fact +in regard to creation. He turns away from this world, oblivious to +the joys and the sufferings of earthly life, and boasts alone of the +future, eternal life, unseen and unexperienced. Thus he administers +real and effectual comfort to Christians, pointing them to a future +life for themselves and all created things after this sinful life +shall have an end. + +20. Therefore, believers in Christ are to be confident of eternal +glory, and with sighs and groans to implore the Lord God to hasten +the blessed day of the realization of their hopes. For so Christ has +taught us to pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come." May he +who has commanded give us grace and strength to perform, and a firm +faith in our future glory. Our faith is not to be exercised for the +attainment of earthly riches, but as a means to bring us into another +life. We are not baptized unto the present life, nor do we receive +the Gospel as ministering to our temporal good; these things are to +point us to yonder eternal life. God grant the speedy coming of the +glad day of our redemption, when we shall realize all these +blessings, which now we hear of and believe in through the Word. +Amen. + + + + +_Fifth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Peter 3, 8-15. + +8 Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, +tender-hearted, humble-minded: 9 not rendering evil for evil, or +reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were +ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For, + + He that would love life, + And see good days, + Let him refrain his tongue from evil, + And his lips that they speak no guile: + 11 And let him turn away from evil, and do good; + Let him seek peace, and pursue it. + 12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, + And his ears unto their supplication: + But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil. + +13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which +is good? 14 But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, +blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; 15 but +sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord. + + +EXHORTATION TO THE FRUITS OF FAITH. + +1. Here you have enumerated again a long list of eminently good works +enjoined upon Christians who believe and have confessed their faith +in the Gospel. By such fruits is faith to be manifest. Peter +classifies these works according to the obligations of Christians to +each other, and their obligations to enemies and persecutors. + +2. Immediately preceding the text, Peter has been instructing +concerning the domestic relations of husband and wife; how they +should live together as Christians in love and companionship, giving +due honor and patiently and reasonably bearing with each other. Now +he extends the exhortation to Christians in general, enjoining them +to live together in Christian love, like brothers and sisters of a +household. In the rehearsal of many preëminently noble virtues and +works, he portrays the ideal church, beautiful in its outward +adornment, in the grace wherewith it shines before men. With such +virtues the Church pleases and honors God, while angels behold with +joy and delight. And what earthly thing is more desirable to man's +sight? What happier and more pleasing society may he seek than the +company of those who manifest a unity of heart, mind and will; +brotherly love, meekness, kindliness and patience, even toward +enemies? Surely, no man is too depraved to command such goodness and +to desire companionship among people of this class. + +3. The first virtue is one frequently mentioned by the apostles. +Paul, for instance, in Romans 12, 16, says: "Be of the same mind one +toward another." Also in Ephesians 4, 3: "Giving diligence to keep +the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Harmony is the +imperative virtue for the Christian Church. Before the other +virtues--love, meekness--can be manifest, there must first be concord +and unity of heart among all. It is impossible that outward +circumstances of human life be always the same; much dissimilarity in +person, station, and occupation is inevitable. + +To this very unlikeness and to the natural depravity of flesh and +blood is due the discord and disagreement of men in this world. Let +one become conscious of personal superiority in point of uprightness, +learning, skill or natural ability, or let him become aware of his +loftier station in life, and he immediately grows self-complacent, +thinks himself better than his fellows, demands honor and recognition +from all men, is unwilling to yield to or serve an inferior and +thinks himself entitled to such right and privilege because of his +superiority and virtue. + +4. Pride is the common vice of the world, and the devil fosters it +among his numerous followers thereby causing every sort of misery and +unhappiness, corrupting all ranks and stations, and rendering men +vicious, depraved and incapable of executing good. In opposition to +this vice the apostles diligently admonish Christians to be of one +mind, regardless of station or occupation, since every individual +must remain in the position to which he has been ordained and called +of God. All ranks and stations cannot be one. Particularly is this +true in the Church; for in addition to the outward difference of +person, station, and so on, there are manifold divine gifts unequally +distributed and varyingly imparted. Yet these many dissimilarities, +both spiritual and secular, are to be amenable to the unity of the +spirit, as Paul calls it, or a spiritual unity. Just as the members +of the physical body have different offices and perform different +functions, no one member being able to do the work of the other, and +yet all are in the unity of one bodily life; so also Christians, +whatever the dissimilarity of language, office and gift among them, +must live, increase and be preserved in unity and harmony of mind, as +in one body. + +5. This matter of harmony is the first and most necessary commandment +enjoined by the doctrine of faith; ay, this virtue is the first fruit +which faith is to effect among Christians, who are called in one +faith and baptism. It is to be the beginning of their Christian love. +For true faith necessarily creates in all believers the spirit that +reasons: "We are all called by one Word, one baptism and Holy Spirit, +to the same salvation; we are alike heirs of the grace and the +blessings of God. Although one has more and greater gifts than +another, he is not on that account better before God. By grace alone, +without any merit of ours, we are pleasing to God. Before him none +can boast of himself." + +6. How can I think myself better than another by reason of my person +or my gifts, rank or office? Or what more than I has another to boast +of before God concerning himself? No one has a different baptism or +sacrament, a different Christ, from mine, or grace and salvation +other than I have. And no individual can have another faith than have +Christians in general, nor does he hear any other Gospel or receive a +different absolution, be he lord or servant, noble or ignoble, poor +or rich, young or old, Italian or German. When one imagines himself +different from or better than his fellows, desiring to exalt and +glorify himself above others, he is truly no longer a Christian; +because he is no longer in that unity of mind and faith essential to +Christians. Christ with his grace is always the same, and cannot be +divided or apportioned within himself. + +7. Not without reason did the beloved apostles urge this point. They +clearly saw how much depends upon it, and what evil and harm result +from disregard of the commandment. Where this commandment is +dishonored, schisms and factions will necessarily arise to corrupt +pure doctrine and faith, and the devil will sow his seed, which +afterwards can be eradicated only with difficulty. When once +self-conceit rules, and one, pretending more learning, wisdom, +goodness and holiness than his fellows, begins to despise others and +to draw men to himself, away from the unity of mind which makes us +one in Christ, and when he desires the first praise and commendation +for his own doctrine and works, his own preaching, then the harm is +already done; faith is overthrown and the Church is rent. When unity +becomes division, certainly two sects cannot both be the true Church. +If one is godly, the other must be the devil's own. On the other +hand, so long as unity of faith and oneness of mind survives, the +true Church of God abides, notwithstanding there may be some weakness +in other points. Of this fact the devil is well aware; hence his +hostility to Christian unity. His chief effort is to destroy harmony. +"Having that to contend with," he tells himself, "my task will be a +hard and wearisome one." + +8. Therefore, Christians should be all the more careful to cherish +the virtue of harmony, both in the Church and in secular government. +In each instance there is of necessity much inequality. God would +have such dissimilarity balanced by love and unity of mind. Let +everyone be content, then, with what God has given or ordained for +him, and let him take pleasure in another's gifts, knowing that in +eternal blessings he is equally rich, having the same God and Christ, +the same grace and salvation; and that although his standing before +God may differ from that of his fellows, he is nevertheless in no way +inferior to them, nor is anyone for the same reason at all better +than or superior to himself. + +9. In temporal affairs, every inequality in the world can be +harmonized by a unity of mind and heart. In relations other than +spiritual there is mutual love and friendship. How great the outward +dissimilarity between man and wife--in person, nature and employment! +likewise between masters and their subjects. Yet, in mutual +conscientiousness they mutually agree and are well satisfied with +each other. So it would be possible to enjoy life upon earth in peace +and happiness were it not that the devil cannot suffer it. He must +divide hearts and alienate love, allowing no one to take pleasure in +another. He who is illustrious, of noble birth, or has power or +riches, feels bound to despise others as silly geese or witless +ducks. + + +SYMPATHY A CHRISTIAN VIRTUE. + +10. The other virtues enjoined by Peter are easily +recognized--"Compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, and +humbleminded" [Luther translates "friendly"--courteous]. These +particularly teach that Christians should esteem one another. God has +subjected them all to love and has united them, with the design that +they shall be of one heart and soul, and each care for the other as +for himself. Peter's exhortation was especially called for at that +time, when Christians were terribly persecuted. Here a pastor, there +a citizen, was thrown into prison, driven from wife, child, house and +home, and finally executed. Such things happen even now, and may +become yet more frequent considering that unfortunate people are +harassed by tyrants, or led away by the Turks, and Christians are +thus dispersed in exile here and there. Wherever by his Word and +faith God has gathered a church, and that spiritual unity, the bond +of Christianity, exists in any measure, there the devil has no peace. +If he cannot effect the destruction of that church by factiousness, +he furiously persecutes it. Then it is that body, life and everything +we have must be jeopardized--put to the stake--for the sake of the +Church. + +11. Christians, according to Peter, should, in the bond of a common +heart and mind, sympathetically share the troubles and sufferings of +their brethren in the faith, whoever and wherever the brethren may +be. They are to enter into such distresses as if themselves +suffering, and are to reason: "Behold, these suffer for the sake of +my precious faith, and standing at the front, are exposed to the +devil, while I have peace. It does not become me to rejoice in my +security and to manifest my pleasure. For what befalls my dear +brethren affects me, and my blessings are the cause of their +misfortune. I must participate in their suffering as my own." +According to the admonition of Hebrews 13, 3: "Remember them that are +in bonds, as bound with them; that is, as if in the same bonds and +distress. Remember them that are illtreated, as being yourselves also +in the body;" as members of the same body. + +12. We are all bound to one another, just as in the body one member +is bound to another. As you know by your own physical experience, +"Whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one +member is honored, all the members rejoice with it," as Paul says in +1 Corinthians 12, 26. Note how, when a foot is trodden upon or a +finger pinched, the whole body is affected: eyes twitch, nose is +contorted, mouth cries out--all the members are ready to rescue and +help. No one member can forsake the others. In reality not the foot +or the finger is injured, but the whole body suffers the accident. On +the other hand, benefit received by one member is pleasing to all, +and the whole body rejoices with it. Now the same principle should +hold in the Church, because it likewise is one body of many members +with one mind and heart. Such unity naturally entails the +participation by each individual in the good and evil of every other +one. + +13. This virtue of sympathy, resulting as it does from a unity of +mind and faith, is impossible to the world. In the world every man +looks only upon what benefits himself and regards not how others, +especially the godly, fare. Indeed, the world is capable of scornful +smiles and extreme pleasure at sight of Christians in poverty and +distress, and in their sufferings it can give them vinegar and gall +to drink. But you who claim to be a Christian, should know it is +yours to share the sufferings of your brethren and to prove your +heartfelt sympathy with them. If you cannot do more, at least show it +with comforting words or prayer. Their suffering concerns you as well +as themselves, and you must expect the same afflictions from the +devil and the wicked world. + + +OF LOVE. + +14. "Loving as brethren." This virtue must prevail among Christians +everywhere. They are to manifest toward one another the love and +faithfulness of brothers according to the flesh. It is a law of +nature that brothers have a peculiar confidence in one another, being +of the same blood and flesh and having a common inheritance. +Particularly is this true when in distress. Although they may not be +united in other respects, yet when stranger blood assails and +necessity comes, they of the same flesh and blood will take one +another's part, uniting person, property and honor. + +15. Likewise Christians should exercise a peculiar brotherly love and +faithfulness toward one another, as having one Father in heaven and +one inheritance, and in the bond of Christianity being of one faith, +united in heart and mind. None may despise another. Them among us who +are still weak, frail and eccentric in faith and morals, we are to +treat with gentleness, kindness and patience. They must be exhorted, +comforted, strengthened. We should do by them as do the brothers and +sisters of a household toward the member who is weak or frail or in +need. Indeed we cannot otherwise dwell in peace. If we are to live +together we must bear with one another much weakness, trouble and +inconvenience; for we cannot all be equally strong in faith and +courage and have equal gifts and possessions. There is none without +his own numerous weaknesses and faults, which he would have others +tolerate. + + +OF MERCY. + +16. "Tenderhearted, humbleminded" [friendly]. Here Peter has in mind +mankind in general--friends and enemies, Christians and persecutors. +Owing to original sin, man is naturally disposed to seek revenge, +especially upon those who injure him without cause. If he can do no +more, he at least maliciously invokes evil upon his enemy and +rejoices in his misfortune. Now, Christians more than any others in +this world are innocently persecuted, injured, oppressed and +aggrieved, even by those having the name and honor of Christians, a +thing of frequent occurrence today. God's people are aggrieved by +such treatment, and if the natural instinct of flesh and blood could +have its way, they would gladly revenge themselves; just as they of +the world mutually exercise their revenge, not content until passion +is cooled. + +17. But a Christian should not, and indeed consistently he cannot, be +unmerciful and vindictive, for he has become a child of God, whose +mercy he has accepted and therein continues to live. He cannot seek +pleasure in injury to his neighbor or enjoy his misfortune. He cannot +maintain a bitter or hard and stubborn heart toward him. Rather he is +disposed to show mercy even to his hostile neighbor, and to pity his +blindness and misery; for he recognizes that neighbor as under God's +wrath and hastening to everlasting ruin and condemnation. Thus the +Christian is already more than revenged on his enemy. Therefore he +should be friendly towards the hostile neighbor and do him every +kindness he will permit, in an effort to lead him to repentance. + +18. Yet, in showing mercy, as frequently enjoined heretofore we are +not to interfere with just and ordained punishments. God's Word does +not teach us to demand mercy or commend kindness where sin and evil +practices call for punishment, as the world would have us believe +when their sins merit rebuke, particularly the vices of those in high +places. These transgressors claim that when reproved their honor is +assailed and occasion is given for contempt of their office and +authority, and for rebellion, a thing not to be tolerated. This is +not true. The lesson teaches the duty of each individual toward all +other individuals, not toward the God-ordained office. Office and +person must be clearly distinguished. The officer or ruler in his +official capacity is a different man from what he is as John or +Frederick. The apostle or preacher differs from the individual Peter +or Paul. The preacher has not his office by virtue of his own +personality; he represents it in God's stead. Now, if any person be +unjustly persecuted, slandered and cursed, I ought to and will say: +"Thank God;" for in God I am richly rewarded for it. But if one +dishonors my baptism or sacrament, or the Word God has commanded me +to speak, and so opposes not me but himself, then it is my duty not +to be silent nor merciful and friendly, but to use my God-ordained +office to admonish, threaten and rebuke, with all earnestness, both +in season and out of season--as Paul says in 2 Timothy 4, 2--those +who err in doctrine or faith or who do not amend their lives; and +this regardless of who they are or how it pleases them. + +19. But the censured may say: "Nevertheless you publicly impugn my +honor; you give me a bad reputation." I answer: Why do you not +complain to him who committed the office to me? My honor is likewise +dear to me, but the honor of my office must be more sacred still. If +I am silent where I ought to rebuke, I sully my own honor, which I +should maintain before God in the proper execution of my office; +hence I with you deserve to be hanged in mid-day, to the utter +extinguishment of my honor and yours. No, the Gospel does not give +you authority to say the preacher shall not, by the Word of God, tell +you of your sin and shame. What does God care for the honor you seek +from the world when you defy his Word with it? To the world you may +seem to defend your honor with God and a good conscience, but in +reality you have nothing to boast of before God but your shame. This +very fact you must confess if you would retain your honor before him; +you must place his honor above that of all creatures. The highest +distinction you can achieve for yourself is that of honoring God's +Word and suffering rebuke. + +20. "Yes, but still you attack the office to which I am appointed." +No, dear brother, our office is not assailed when I and you are +reminded of our failure to do right, to conduct the office as we +should. But the Word of God rebukes us for dishonoring that divinely +ordained appointment and abusing it in violation of his commandment. +Therefore you cannot call me to account for reproving you. However, +were I not a pastor or preacher, and had I no authority to rebuke +you, then it would be my duty and my pleasure to leave your honor and +that of every other man unscathed. But if I am to fill a divine +office and to represent not my own but God's dignity, then for your +own sake I must not and will not be silent. If you do wrong, and +disgrace and dishonor come upon you, blame yourself. "Thy blood shall +be upon thine own head," says Scripture, 1 Kings 2, 37. Certainly +when a judge sentences a thief to the gallows, that man's honor is +impugned. Who robs you of your honor but yourself, by your own theft, +your contempt of God, disobedience, murder, and so on? God must give +you what you deserve. If you consider it a disgrace to be punished, +then consider it also no honor to rob, steal, practice usury and do +public wrong; you disgrace yourself by dishonoring God's commandment. + +21. This much by way of reminder of the difference between official +rebuke and personal anger and revenge. It must constantly be kept +before us because of the artfulness of flesh and blood, which ever +seeks to disregard that difference. True, God would have all men to +be merciful and friendly, to forgive and not to avenge wrong; but the +office, which is ordained for the punishment of the wicked, will not +always admit of that course. Few are willing to forgive, and +therefore God must enforce his government over the merciless. They +must be punished without mercy. This divine principle must not be +restricted. Neither must it be applied beyond measure. Every official +must be careful not to exceed the demands of his office, exercising +his own revenge, his own envy and hatred, in the name and under +pretense of that position. + +22. Peter continues to expatiate upon this topic--the good works he +has been discussing: gentleness, mercy, friendliness--citing +beautiful passages of Scripture and using other exhortations--to +incite Christians to practice these virtues. He says: + +"Not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but +contrariwise blessing: for hereunto were ye called, that ye should +inherit a blessing." + +23. We have now seen whose prerogative it is to avenge, rebuke and +punish evil. This passage does not refer to official duty. When the +judge declares sentence of execution upon a thief we have truly an +instance of vengeance and reproach, and a public and extreme +reflection upon honor. But it is God's judgment and his doing, with +which we are not here concerned. The Christian of true faith and +innocent life, who confesses his doctrine and belief, and as he is +commanded rebukes opposing forces, will provoke the devil and the +world, and will be persecuted, oppressed and harassed in the name of +office and right, even by individuals whose official duty it is to +protect the godly and restrain unjust power. If these cannot do more, +they will at least annoy, hinder and oppose that Christian as far as +possible. If the Christian be quick-tempered and fail to curb his +anger and impatience, he will effect no good. He will only bring upon +himself that disquiet of heart which consumes and worries itself with +thoughts of revenge and retaliation upon the offender; which when the +devil perceives, he rejoices. He so urges and instigates as to cause +more mischief on both sides. Thus he doubly injures the +Christian--through his enemy and through the anger wherewith the +Christian torments himself and spoils his own peace. + + +OF PATIENCE. + +24. What then shall we do, you say, when we must suffer such abuse +and without redress? The only resource, Peter says, is to possess +your heart in patience and commit the matter to God. This is all that +remains when they whose duty it is will not help you, nor restrain +and punish the wrong, but even do you violence themselves. If the +evil receive not judicial punishment, let it go unpunished until God +looks into it. Only see that you keep a quiet conscience and a loving +heart, not allowing yourself, on account of the devil and wicked men, +to be disturbed and deprived of your good conscience, your peaceful +heart and your God-given blessing. But if in your official capacity +you are commanded to punish the evil, or if you can obtain protection +and justice from rightful authorities, avail yourself of these +privileges without anger, hatred or bitterness, ay, with a heart that +prompts to give good for evil and blessing for reviling. + +25. Such conduct is becoming you as Christians, the apostle says, for +you are a people called to inherit a blessing. Oh, wonderful and +glorious fact, that God has decreed and appropriated to you this +blessing whereby all the riches of his grace and everything good are +yours! and that he will abundantly give you his Spirit to remain with +you, blessing body and soul, if only you hold fast his grace and do +not allow yourselves to be deprived of it. What price would you not +gladly pay for this blessing, were it purchasable, instead of being +freely given, without your merits, and were you privileged thus to +buy the assurance of having a God so gracious, one willing to bless +you in time and eternity? Who would not willingly give even body and +life, or joyfully undergo all suffering to have the perfect assurance +of heart which says: "I know I am a child of God, who has received me +into his grace and I live in the sure hope that I will be eternally +blessed and saved." Think, Peter says, what a vast difference God +makes between you and others because you are Christians. He has +appointed you to be heirs of everlasting grace and blessing and of +eternal life. But they who are not Christians--what have they but a +terrible sentence like a weight about their necks? the sentence +pronouncing them children of the curse and of eternal condemnation. + +26. If men would take this to heart, it would be easy by teaching and +persuasion to win them to friendship and kindness toward their +fellow-men; to induce them not to return evil or reviling from motive +of revenge, but when their own privileges and protection and the +punishment of evil cannot be obtained, quietly and peaceably to +suffer injury rather than lose their eternal comfort and joy. +Christians have excellent reason, a powerful motive, for being +patient and not revengeful or bitter in the fact that they are so +richly blessed of God and given that great glory whereof, as Peter +afterwards remarks, they cannot be deprived, nor can they suffer its +loss, if only they abide in it. The apostle emphasizes this fact and +further persuades Christians by citing the beautiful passage in Psalm +34, 12-16: + +"He that would love life, and see good days, let him refrain his +tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: and let him +turn away from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it. +For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto +their supplication: but the face of the Lord is upon them that do +evil." + +27. These words the Holy Spirit uttered long ago through the prophet +David, for the instruction and admonition of all saints and children +of God. David presents to us the matter as he daily saw it in his own +life and learned from his own experience, and as he gathered from +examples of the dear fathers from the beginning of the world. "Come +hither, dear children," he would say, "if you will be taught and +advised, I will give you sound instruction as to how we are to fear +God and become his children. Who desires peace and comfort?" "Oh, who +would not desire peace and comfort?" cries the world. For these +everyone seeks and strives, and all the efforts of the world are +directed toward this end. + + +THE CHRISTIAN'S PEACE. + +28. There are two ways to the goal of peace. One is that chosen by +the world. The world seeks to obtain peace by preserving its own with +violence. It desires the death of all who oppose it and will suffer +injury or evil in word or deed from no one. This method, it is true, +is appointed to governmental authority. It is the duty of civil +rulers to faithfully employ it to arrest and hinder evil as far as +possible. But they can never wholly restrain evil nor punish every +offense. Much wickedness will remain, particularly secret evil, which +must punish itself, either by repentance here or in hell hereafter. +By this procedure Christians will not accomplish for themselves any +personal advantage; the world is too wicked and it will not give them +support. + +29. Therefore, if you desire peace for yourself personally, +particularly as a Christian, you must choose another way. The Psalm +shows it to you when it says: "Refrain thy tongue from evil, and thy +lips that they speak no guile." This injunction really applies to +doctrine, meaning that we are to abide by the true Word of God and +not to allow ourselves to be seduced by false teaching. But Peter +here extends the application to the outward life and conduct of +Christians in the work, the circumstances being such as to call for +this admonition in the matter of refraining the tongue. On account of +the faith and confession for which men are called Christians, they +must suffer much; they are endangered, hated, persecuted, oppressed +and harassed by the whole world. Christ foretold (Mt 10, 22): "Ye +shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." Easily, then, +Christians, might believe they have cause to return evil, and being +still flesh and blood mortals, they are inevitably moved to be angry +and to curse, or to forsake their confession and doctrine and with +unbelievers to join the false church with its idolatrous teaching. +Here the Psalm admonishes: Dear Christian, let not all this move you +to rave, curse, blaspheme and revile again, but abide in the blessing +prepared for you to inherit; for you will not by violence remedy +matters or obtain any help. The world will remain as it is, and will +continue to hate and persecute the godly and believing. Of what use +is it for you to hate, chafe and curse against its attitude? You only +disturb your own heart with bitterness, and deprive yourself thereby +of the priceless blessing bestowed upon you. + +30. We have the same teaching in the fourth verse of Psalm 4, which +comforts saints and strengthens them against the temptation and +provocation to anger and impatience which they must experience in the +world. "Be ye angry," David says, "and sin not: commune with your own +heart upon your bed, and be still." That is, although according to +the nature of flesh and blood you fret because you are compelled to +witness the prosperity of the world in its ungodly life and +wickedness, and how it spites, despises and persecutes you with pride +and insolence, nevertheless let not yourselves be easily provoked; +let wrong, displeasure, vexation and worry remain outside the inner +life; let them affect only the outward life, body and possessions. By +no means let them become rooted in your heart. Still your hearts and +content yourselves, and regard all this vexation as not worth losing +sleep over. If you desire to serve God truly and to render acceptable +sacrifice to him, then with faith in his Word place your hope in him +as your dear Father who cares for you, hears you and will wondrously +support you. + + +GUARDING THE LIPS. + +31. But the psalmist's additional words, "Refrain your lips that they +speak no guile," refer, as I have said, primarily to confession of +the doctrine; but there is another thought: When one is prompted to +anger and to complaint about injury and wrong, in his impatience and +irritation he cannot speak fairly concerning the matter of offense, +but invariably exaggerates. So it is with anger and retaliation. One +receiving but a pin-point wound will fly into a passion and be ready +to break the offender's head. The individual that suffers a single +adverse word immediately proceeds to abuse and slander in the extreme +his opponent. In short, an angry heart knows no moderation and cannot +equally repay, but must make of a splinter, even a mote, a great +beam, or must fan a tiny spark into a volcano of flame, by +retaliating with reviling and cursing. Yet it will not admit that it +does wrong. It would, if possible, actually murder the offender, thus +committing a greater wrong than it has suffered. + +32. So wicked and unjust is human nature that when offended it stops +not with equal measure in retribution; it goes beyond and in its +anger and revenge spares neither the neighbor's honor nor his body +and life. James 1, 20 says: "The wrath of man worketh not the +righteousness of God"; that is, it suffers not a man to abide in his +faith and good conscience. But official indignation, which is God's +wrath, does not so. It seeks not the destruction of man, but only the +punishment of the actual fault. Man's anger and revenge, so wicked +and insatiable are they, return ten blows for one, or even double +that number, and repay a single abusive word with a hundred. + +33. So Peter admonishes you to restrain your tongues, to curb them, +lest they suddenly escape your control and sin with wicked words, +doing injury double that you have received. Guard your lips that your +mouth utter not guile or falsehood through your anger, and that it +may not calumniate, abuse and slander your neighbor contrary to truth +and justice and in violation of the eighth commandment. Such conduct +is, before God and man, unbecoming a Christian and leads to that most +disgraceful vice of slander, which God supremely hates. It is the +devil's own, whence he has his name of liar or slanderer--diabolus, +or devil. + + +GOOD WORKS. + +34. The Psalm says further: "Turn away from evil and do good"; that +is, beware lest on account of the wickedness of another you also +become wicked, for anger and revenge meditate only harm and +wickedness. Therefore be all the more diligent to do good, if you +can, that your heart may retain its honor and joy and that you may +abide in righteousness, and not fall from God's grace and from +obedience to him into the service of the devil. By anger and revenge +the devil tempts you, endeavoring to get you again into his toils and +to embitter your heart and conscience until you shall exceed others +in sin. + +35. "Seek peace and pursue it," continues the apostle. This is a +sublime exhortation, and faithful, divine counsel. You must not +think, Peter would say, that peace will run after you, or that the +world--much less the devil--will bring it into your house. Rather you +will find the very opposite true. From without strife will be carried +to you in bales, and within your own heart will be kindled anger and +bitterness to fill you with everlasting disquiet. Therefore if you +desire peace, wait not until other people help you to obtain it, nor +until you create it for yourself by force and revenge. Begin with +yourself. Turn from the evil to the good. Even undergo suffering to +provide your heart with the peace which endures in spite of all that +would rob you of it. Strive ever to keep your heart firm in the +resolve: I will not be angry nor seek revenge, but will commit my +affairs to God and to those whose duty it is to punish evil and +wrong-doing. As for my enemy, may God convert and enlighten him. And +however much more of violence and wrong I may suffer, I will not +allow my heart to be robbed of its peace. + +36. Notice, the way to preserve peace and to see good days even in +evil times is to keep a silent tongue and a quiet heart through the +comfort of divine grace and blessing. No outward occasion may be +given for strife, but always peace is to be sought with good words, +works and prayers. We must even pursue peace, follow after it, with +genuine and strong suffering. Thus we preserve it by force. In no +other way can a Christian see good days and hold fast his blessing. +Remember you must make strenuous effort if you would not reject your +blessing nor be influenced by another to carelessly lie and otherwise +sin with your tongue. Flesh and blood are weak and sluggish in the +matter of preserving peace, therefore Peter strengthens his +exhortation and further encourages us by the promise of God's help +and protection for the faithful and his punishment of their enemies. +He says: + +"For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto +their supplication." + +37. Inscribe this verse upon your heart in firm faith and see if it +does not bring you peace and blessings. Try to believe that God sits +above, sleepless and with his vigilant eye ever upon you. With +watchful vision he beholds the righteous as they suffer violence and +wrong. Why will you complain and become discouraged by reason of the +harm and grief you experience, when the gracious eyes of the true +Judge and God are upon you and his intent is to help you? All the +wealth of the world would I give, if I might, to purchase that +watchful care, or rather to obtain the requisite faith; for surely +the lack is not in his regarding, but in our faith. + + +GOD OVER ALL. + +38. More than this, God's ears, the apostle tells us, are also open +to the prayers of the righteous. As he looks upon you with gracious, +winning eyes, so also are his ears alert to even the faintest sound. +He hears your complaint, your sighing and prayer, and hears, too, +willingly and with pleasure; as soon as you open your mouth, your +prayer is heard and answered. + +39. Again, Peter says: "The face of the Lord is upon them that do +evil." True, God's eyes are upon the righteous, but nevertheless he +sees also the others. In this case he beholds not with a friendly +look or gracious countenance, but with a displeased and wrathful +face. When a man is angry the forehead frowns, the nostrils dilate +and the eyes flash. Such a manifestation of anger are we to +understand by the Scripture when it refers here to "the face of the +Lord." On the other hand it illustrates the pleased and gracious +aspect of God by "the eyes of the Lord." + +40. Now, why is "the face of the Lord" upon evil-doers and what is +its effect? Certainly God's purpose is not to heed or to help them, +to bestow blessing or success upon their evil-doing. His purpose is, +according to the succeeding words in the psalm, "to cut off the +remembrance of them from the earth." This is a terrible, an appalling +sentence, before which a heart may well be prostrated as from a +thunderbolt. And ungodly hearts would be thus appalled were they not +so hardened as to despise God's Word. + +41. Notwithstanding the indifference of the wicked, the sentence is +passed. Verily it is no jest with God. It illustrates how sincerely +he cares for the righteous and how he will avenge them on the wicked, +toward whom his countenance bespeaks punishment in due time and the +cutting off of their memory from the earth. In contrast, the +righteous, because they have feared God and abode in their piety +though suffering for it, shall, even here upon earth, live to see +blessing and prosperity upon their children's children. Although for +a time the company of the wicked conduct themselves with pride upon +the earth, and imagine themselves secure beyond the possibility of +being unseated, nevertheless when their hour comes they are suddenly +hurled down from earth into the abyss of hell and must suffer the +righteous to remain in possession of the earth. So testifies Christ +in Matthew 5, 5, and Psalm 37 more fully explains the matter. + +42. It is proven by all the examples of Scripture and also by the +experience of the whole world from the beginning, that God casts down +those who seek only to injure. They who have despised God's threats +and angry countenance with security and defiance have at last +experienced the fulfillment of these warnings and perished thereby. +King Saul thought to destroy godly David, to exterminate his root and +branch and blot out his name as if he had been a rebellious, accursed +man. But God effected the very opposite. Because David in his +sufferings and persecution walked in the fear of God and trusted him +with simplicity, desiring no harm to his enemy, God's gracious eye +was ever upon him and preserved him from that enemy. On the other +hand, the angry face of God was bent upon King Saul, and before David +was aware of it the king had fallen, and his whole family met ruin +with him; they were obliged to surrender crown and kingdom to the +persecuted David. + +43. Christians should strengthen their faith with the comforting +thought that God's gracious countenance is over them and he turns eye +and ear toward them; and that on the other hand he looks with angry +face upon their enemies and those seeking to injure, and will take a +hand in their game, obliging them either to refrain from their +evil-doing, or to perish by it. Such retribution is certain. No one +can live long without proving by his own experience and that of other +men the truth of the proverb, "Right will assert itself." However, we +lack in faith and cannot wait God's hour. We think he delays too long +and that we suffer too much. But in reality his time will come +speedily, and we can well wait and endure if we believe in God, who +but grants our enemies a brief opportunity to be converted. But their +appointed hour is already at hand and they will not escape if it +overtakes them without repentance. + +"And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is +good? But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed +are ye." + +44. According to Peter's words here, you have a very great advantage +over all your enemies, whoever they be, in being richly endowed by +God with eternal blessing. You know he will protect, support and +avenge you, hence you abide in your faith and godliness. Although +your adversaries think to trouble and harm you, they can do you no +real injury whatever they effect. For wherein can persecution harm if +you strive for godliness and abide in it? Not by malice, might and +violence can your enemies take from you, or diminish, your piety and +God's grace, his help and blessing. And even from all the bodily and +temporal harm they can inflict, you suffer no loss. For the more they +seek to injure you, the more they hasten their own punishment and +destruction, and the greater is your recompense from God. By the very +fact that they slander, disgrace, persecute and trouble you, they +multiply your blessing with God and further your cause, for God must +the sooner consider your case, supporting you and overthrowing them. +They but prepare your reward and benefit by their wicked, venomous +hatred, their envy, anger and fury. At the same time they effect for +themselves conditions the very reverse. Being condemned by their own +evil consciences, they cannot in their hearts enjoy one good day, one +peaceful hour; and they heap up for themselves God's wrath and +punishment. + +45. Indeed, you are all the more blessed, temporally and eternally, +Peter declares, for the very reason that you suffer for +righteousness' sake. You are so to regard the situation and to praise +and thank God for your suffering. The apostle looks upon tribulation +in this light and exalts it as supreme blessedness and a glorious +thing. Christ says in Matthew 5, 11-12: "Blessed are ye when men +shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil +against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for +great is your reward in heaven." Oh, your adversaries should purchase +a little of this comfort regardless of cost and boast of suffering a +little for the sake of righteousness! Could they understand the +promise and be worthy of it, how intensely might they desire to have +suffered all and much more than they thought to inflict upon you, if +only they might be blessed and prove the comfort of this precious, +divine promise! + +"Fear not their fear, neither be troubled; but sanctify in your +hearts Christ as Lord." + +46. Here again Peter resorts to Scripture and cites a verse from the +prophet Isaiah (ch. 8, 12-13) where he admonishes God's people not to +be terror-stricken by the wrath and threats of men, but firmly and +confidently to trust in God. The prophet speaks similarly in chapter +51, verse 7: "Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye dismayed +at their revilings." As if he would say: Why will you permit +yourselves to be disturbed by the persecutions of men, however great, +mighty and terrible enemies they may be, when you are blessed and +happy in God to the extent that all creatures must pronounce you +blessed? Moreover, you know the eyes of your God behold you and his +ears are open to your cry, and whatever you desire and pray for is +heard and granted. More than this, your adversaries are threatened by +his angry face. What are all men--tyrants, pope, Turk, Tartars, ay, +the devil himself--compared to this Lord, and what can they do +against him, when and wheresoever he chooses to show his power? They +are but as a straw to a mighty thunderbolt which makes the earth +tremble. Therefore, if you are indeed Christians and believe in God +you ought in no wise to fear all these adversaries, but rather, +joyfully and with scornful courage to despise their defiance, their +threatening and rage, as something utterly harmless to you; they are +but effecting their own destruction in hurling themselves at the +Majesty before which all creatures must tremble. + + +TRUST IN GOD ENJOINED. + +47. But this you are to do: Sanctify God; that is, regard and honor +him as holy. This is nothing else than to believe his Word; be +confident that in God you have truly one who, if you suffer for +righteousness' sake, neither forgets nor forsakes, but graciously +looks upon you and purposes to give his support and to revenge you on +your enemies. Such faith and confession honors him as the true God, +upon whom man can confidently and joyfully call for help, reposing +his whole trust in him upon the authority of his sure Word and +promise, which cannot deceive or fail. + +48. In contrast, unbelievers cannot sanctify God; they cannot render +him due honor, although they may talk much of him and display much +divine worship. They do not accept God's Word as the truth, but +always remain in doubt. In the hour of suffering they deem themselves +utterly forgotten and forsaken by the Lord. Therefore they murmur and +fret, being very impatient and disobedient toward God. They rashly +seek to protect and revenge themselves by their own power. That very +conduct betrays them as beings without a God, as blind, miserable, +condemned heathen. Such are the great multitude of Turks, Jews, +Papists and unbelieving saints today throughout the world. + + + + +_Sixth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Romans 6, 3-11. + +3 Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus +were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him +through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the +dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in +newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with him in the +likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his +resurrection; 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with +him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no +longer be in bondage to sin; 7 for he that hath died is justified +from sin. 8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also +live with him; 9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth +no more; death no more hath dominion over him. 10 For the death that +he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he +liveth unto God. 11 Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto +sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. + + +EXHORTATION TO CHRISTIAN LIVING. + +1. In this epistle lesson Paul gives Christians instruction +concerning the Christian life on earth, and connects with it the hope +of the future and eternal life, in view of which they have been +baptized and become Christians. He makes of our earthly life a +death--a grave--with the understanding, however, that henceforth the +risen man and the newness of life should be found in us. And he +treats of this doctrine because of an error that always prevails: +When we preach that upon us is bestowed grace and the forgiveness of +sins, without any merit on our part, people are disposed to regard +themselves as free from obligation and will do no works except those +to which their own desires prompt them. This was Saint Paul's +experience when he so strongly commended the grace of Christ and its +consolation (ch. 5, 20), declaring that "where sin abounded, grace +did abound more exceedingly," and that where there are many and great +sins, there also reigns great, abundant and rich grace. The rude +crowd cried: Oh, is it true that great grace follows upon great sin? +In that case we will cheerfully load ourselves with sin so that we +may receive the greater grace. + + +GRACE DOES NOT GIVE LICENSE TO SIN. + +2. Such argument Paul now confutes. He says: It is not the intention +of the Gospel to teach sin or to allow it; it teaches the very +opposite--how we may escape from sin and from the awful wrath of God +which it incurs. Escape is not effected by any doings of our own, but +by the fact that God, out of pure grace, forgives us our sins for his +Son's sake; for God finds in us nothing but sin and condemnation. How +then can this doctrine give occasion or permission to sin when it is +so diametrically opposed to it and teaches how it is to be blotted +out and put away? + +3. Paul does not teach that grace is acquired through sin, nor that +sin brings grace; he says quite the opposite--that "the wrath of God +is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness +of men," Rom 1, 18. But because the sins of men which are taken away +are so grievous and numerous, the grace which drowns and destroys +them must be mighty and abundant also. Where there is great thirst, a +great draft is needed to quench it. Where there is a mighty +conflagration, powerful streams of water are necessary to extinguish +it. In cases of severe illness, strong medicine is essential to a +cure. But these facts do not give us authority to say: Let us +cheerfully drink to satiety that we may become more thirsty for good +wine; or, Let us injure ourselves and make ourselves ill that +medicine may do us more good. Still less does it follow that we may +heap up and multiply sins for the purpose of receiving more abundant +grace. Grace is opposed to sin and destroys it; how then should it +strengthen or increase it? + +4. Therefore he begins his sermon by inquiring, in this sixth chapter +(verses 1-3): "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that +grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any +longer live therein?" In other words: How is it possible that because +grace should destroy sin ye should live unto sin? And then, further +to illustrate this, he says: + +"Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus +were baptized into his death?" + +5. He speaks here in figurative language to clearly and forcibly +impress this matter upon us; ordinarily it would have been sufficient +for him to ask: "We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live +therein?" that is to say, Inasmuch as ye have been saved from sin +through grace, it is not possible that grace should command you to +continue in sin, for it is the business of grace to destroy sin. Now, +in the figurative words above quoted, he wishes to vividly remind us +what Christ has bestowed upon us. He would say to us: Do but call to +mind why you are Christians--you have been baptized into Christ. Do +you know why and whereunto you have been baptized, and what it +signifies that you have been baptized with water? The meaning is that +not only have you there been washed and cleansed in soul through the +forgiveness of sins, but your flesh and blood have been condemned, +given over unto death, to be drowned, and your life on earth to be a +daily dying unto sin. For your baptism is simply an overwhelming by +grace--a gracious overwhelming--whereby sin in you is drowned; so may +you remain subjects of grace and not be destroyed by the wrath of God +because of your sin. Therefore, if you let yourself be baptized, you +give yourself over to gracious drowning and merciful slaying at the +hands of your God, and say to him: Drown and overwhelm me, dear Lord, +for gladly would I henceforth, with thy Son, be dead to sin, that I +may, with him, also live through grace. + + +THE POWER OF BAPTISM. + +6. When he says, "All we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were +baptized into his death," and again, "We were buried therefore with +him through baptism into death," he speaks in his own Pauline style +concerning the power of baptism, which derives its efficacy from the +death of Christ. By his death he has paid for and taken away our +sins; his death has been an actual strangling and putting to death of +sin, and it no longer has dominion over him. So we, also, through his +death have obtained forgiveness of sins; that sin may not condemn us, +we die unto sin through that power which Christ--because we are +baptized into him--imparts to and works in us. + +7. Yea, he further declares that we are not only baptized into his +death, but, by the same baptism, we are buried with him into death; +for in his death he took our sins with him into the grave, burying +them completely and leaving them there. And it follows that, for +those who through baptism are in Christ, sin is and shall remain +completely destroyed and buried; but we, through his +resurrection--which, by faith, gives us the victory over sin and +death and bestows upon us everlasting righteousness and life--should +henceforth walk in newness of life. + +8. Having these things through baptism, we dare no longer obey--live +unto--the sin which still dwells in our flesh and blood in this life; +we must daily strangle it so that it may have no power nor life in us +if we desire to be found in the estate and life of Christ. For he +died unto sin, destroying it by his death and burying it in his +grave; and he acquired life and the victory over sin and death by his +resurrection, and bestows them upon us by baptism. The fact that +Christ himself had to die for sin is evidence of the severe wrath of +God against sin. Sin had to be put to death and laid away in the +grave in the body of Christ. Thereby God shows us that he will not +countenance sin in us, but has given us Christ and baptism for the +purpose of putting to death and burying sin in our bodies. + +9. Thus Paul shows us in these words what has been effected by +Christ's death and burial, and what is the signification of our being +buried with him. In the first place, Christ was buried that he might, +through forgiveness, cover up and destroy our sin, both that which we +have actually committed and that which is inherent in us; he would +not have it inculpate and condemn us. In the second place, he was +buried that he might, through the Holy Spirit, mortify this flesh and +blood with its inherent sinful lusts; they must no longer have +dominion over us, but must be subject to the Spirit until we are +utterly freed from them. + +10. Thus, we still lie with Christ in the grave according to the +flesh. Although it be true that we have the forgiveness of sins, that +we are God's children and possess salvation, yet all this is not +perceptible to our own senses or to the world. It is hidden in Christ +by faith until the judgment day. For we do not yet experience in +ourselves such righteousness, such holiness, such life and such +salvation as God's Word describes and as faith expects to find. +Wherefore Paul says in Colossians 3, 3-4 (as we have heard in the +Easter sermons), "Your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, +who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be +manifested in glory." + +11. On the other hand, we are outwardly oppressed with the cross and +sufferings, and with the persecution and torments of the world and +the devil, as with the weight of a heavy stone upon us, subduing our +old sinful nature and checking us against antagonizing the Spirit and +committing other sins. + +"For if we have become united [planted together] with him in the +likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his +resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, +that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer +be in bondage to sin; for he that hath died is justified from sin." + +12. This is another distinctly apostolic discourse. Being baptized +into Christ's death and buried with him, to which Paul had just +referred, he here calls being united, or planted together, with +Christ in the likeness of his death. Christ's death and resurrection +and our baptism are intimately united with, and related to, one +another. Baptism is not to be regarded a mere empty sign, as +Anabaptists erroneously hold. In it is embodied the power of both +Christ's death and resurrection. Hence Paul says, "we are planted +together with him," engrafted into him as a member of his body, so +that he is a power in us and his death works in us. Through baptism +he dedicates us to himself and imparts to us the power of his death +and resurrection, to the end that both death and life may follow in +us. Hence our sins are crucified through his death, taken away, that +they may finally die in us and no longer live. + +13. Being placed under the water in baptism signifies that we die in +Christ. Coming forth from the water teaches, and imparts to, us a new +life in him, just as Christ remained not in death, but was raised +again to life. Such life should not and can not be a life of sin, +because sin was crucified before in us and we had to die to it. It +must be a new life of righteousness and holiness, Christ through his +resurrection finally destroyed sin, because of which he had to die, +and instead he brought to himself the true life of righteousness, and +imparts it to us. Hence we are said to be planted together with +Christ or united with him and become one, so that we both have in us +the power of his death and resurrection. The fruits and results of +this power will be found in us after we are baptized into him. + +14. The apostle speaks consolingly of the death of the Christian as a +being planted, to show that the Christian's death and sufferings on +earth are not really death and harm, but a planting unto life; being +redeemed, by the resurrection, from death and sin, we shall live +eternally. For that which is planted is not planted unto death and +destruction, but planted that it may sprout and grow. So Christ was +planted, through death, unto life; for not until he was released from +this mortal life and from the sin which rested on him and brought him +into death on our account, did he come into his divine glory and +power. Since this planting begins in baptism, as said, and we by +faith possess life in Christ, it is evident that this life must +strike root in us and bear fruit. For that which is planted is not +planted without purpose; it is to grow and bear fruit. So must we +prove, by our new conversation and by our fruits, that we are planted +in Christ unto life. + + +CHRISTIAN GROWTH. + +15. Paul gives the reason for new growth. He says: "Knowing this, +that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might +be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin." It +does not become us, as baptized Christians, to desire to remain in +our old sinful estate. That is already crucified with Christ; the +sentence of condemnation upon it has been pronounced and carried out. +For that is what being crucified means. Just so, Christ, in suffering +crucifixion for our sins, bore the penalty of death and the wrath of +God. Christ, innocent and sinless, being crucified for our sins, sin +must be crucified in our body; it must be utterly condemned and +destroyed, rendered lifeless and powerless. We dare not, then, in any +wise serve sin nor consent to it. We must regard it as actually +condemned, and with all our power we must resist it; we must subdue +and put it to death. + +16. Paul here makes a distinction. He says, "Our old man was +crucified with him [Christ]," and "that the body of sin might be done +away." He intimates that the "old man" and "the body of sin" are two +different things. By the term "old man" he means not only the +body--the grossly sinful deeds which the body commits with its five +senses--but the whole tree with all its fruits, the whole man as he +is descended from Adam. In it are included body and soul, will, +reason and understanding. Both inwardly and outwardly, it is still +under the sway of unbelief, impiety and disobedience. Man is called +old, not because of his years; for it is possible for a man to be +young and strong and vigorous and yet to be without faith or a +religious spirit, to despise God, to be greedy and vainglorious, or +to live in pride or the conceit of wisdom and power. But he is called +the old man because he is unconverted, unchanged from his original +condition as a sinful descendant of Adam. The child of a day is +included as well as the man of eighty years; we all are thus from our +mother's womb. The more sins a man commits, the older and more unfit +he is before God. This old man, Paul says, must be crucified--utterly +condemned, executed, put out of the way, even here in this life. For +where he still remains in his strength, it is impossible that faith +or the spirit should be; and thus man remains in his sins, drowned +under the wrath of God, troubled with an evil conscience which +condemns him and keeps him out of God's kingdom. + +17. The "new man" is one who has turned to God in repentance, one who +has a new heart and understanding, who has changed his belief and +through the power of the Holy Spirit lives in accordance with the +Word and will of God. This new man must be found in all Christians; +it begins in baptism or in repentance and conversion. It resists and +subdues the old man and its sinful lusts through the power of the +Holy Spirit. Paul declares, "They that are of Christ Jesus have +crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts," Gal 5, 24. + +18. Now, although in those who are new men, the old man is crucified, +there yet, Paul says, remains in them in this life "the body of sin." +By this we understand the remaining lusts of the old man, which are +still felt to be active in the flesh and blood, and which would fain +resist the spirit. But inasmuch as the head and life of sin are +destroyed, these lusts cannot harm the Christian. Still the Christian +must take care not to become obedient to them, lest the old man come +to power again. The new man must keep the upper hand; the remaining +sinful lusts must be weakened and subdued. And this body of ours must +finally decay and turn to dust, thereby utterly annihilating sin in +it. + +19. Now, he says, if ye be dead to sin under the reign of the spirit +and the new man, and adjudged to death under the reign of the body, +ye must no longer permit sin to bring you under its dominion, lest it +inculpate and condemn you. But ye must live as those who are wholly +released from it, over whom it no longer has any right or power. For +we read, "He that hath died is justified from sin." This is said of +all who are dead. He that has died has paid for his sin; he need not +die for it again, for he no longer commits sin and evil deeds. If sin +be destroyed in man by the Spirit, and the flesh also is dead and +gone, man is completely released and freed from sin. + +20. Paul comprehends the whole existence of the Christian on earth in +the death of Christ, and represents it as dead and buried, in the +coffin; that is, the Christian has ceased from the life of sin, and +has nothing more to do with it. He speaks of sin as being dead unto +the Christian and of the latter as being dead unto sin for the reason +that Christians no longer take part in the sinful life of the world. +And, too, they are doubly dead. First, spiritually they are dead unto +sin. And this, though painful and bitter to flesh and blood, is a +blessed, a comfortable and happy dying, sweet and delightful, for it +produces a heavenly life, pure and perfect. Secondly, they are +physically dead--the body dies. But this is not really death; rather +a gentle, soothing sleep. Therefore ye are, Paul would say, beyond +measure happy. In Christ ye have already escaped death by dying unto +sin; that death ye need die no more. It--the first death, which ye +have inherited from Adam through sin--is already taken away from you. +That being the real, the bitter and eternal death, ye are +consequently freed from the necessity of dying. At the same time +there is a death, or rather only the semblance of one, which ye must +suffer because ye are yet on earth and are the descendants of Adam. + + +SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL RESURRECTION. + +21. The first death, inherited from Adam, is done away with, changed +into a spiritual dying unto sin, by reason of which the soul no +longer consents to sin and the body no longer commits it. Thus, in +place of the death which sin has brought upon us, eternal life is +already begun in you. Ye are now freed from the dreadful damning +death; then accept the sweet, holy and blessed death unto sin, that +ye may beware of sin and no longer serve it. Such is to be the result +of the death of Christ into which ye are baptized; Christ has died +and has commanded you to be baptized in order that sin might be +drowned in you. + +22. The other, the "little death," is that outward, physical death. +In the Scriptures it is called a sleep. It is imposed upon the flesh, +because, so long as we live on earth, the flesh never ceases to +resist the spirit and its life. Paul says: "The flesh lusteth against +the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary +the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would." +Gal 5, 17. The spirit, or soul, says: I am dead unto sin and will not +sin any more. But the flesh says: I am not dead and must make use of +my life while I have it. The spirit declares: I believe that God has +forgiven my sins and taken them away from me through Christ. But the +flesh asks: What do I know of God or his will? The spirit resolves: I +must be meek, pure, chaste, humble, patient, and seek the future +life. But the flesh in reply makes a loud outcry: Away with your +heaven! if only I had enough of bread and money and property here! +Thus the flesh does continually, as long as it lives here; it draws +and drags sin after itself; it is rebellious and refuses to die. +Therefore God must finally put it to death before it becomes dead +unto sin. + +23. And after all, it is but a gentle and easy death. It is truly +only a sleep. Since soul and spirit are no longer dead, the body +shall not remain dead; it shall come forth again, cleansed and +purified, on the last day, to be united with the soul. Then shall it +be a gentle, pure and obedient body, without sin or evil lust. + +24. These words of Paul are an admirable Christian picture of death, +representing it not as an awful thing, but as something comforting +and pleasant to contemplate. For how could Paul present a more +attractive description than when he describes it as stripped of its +power and repulsiveness and makes it the medium through which we +attain life and joy? What is more desirable than to be freed from sin +and the punishment and misery it involves, and to possess a joyful, +cheerful heart and conscience? For where there is sin and real +death--the sense of sin and God's wrath--there are such terror and +dismay that man feels like rushing through iron walls. Christ says, +in Luke 23, 30, quoting from the prophet Hosea (ch. 10, v. 8), that +such a one shall pray that the mountains and the hills may fall on +him and cover him. + +25. That dreadful death which is called in the Scriptures the second +death is taken away from the Christian through Christ, and is +swallowed up in his life. In place of it there is left a miniature +death, a death in which the bitterness is covered up. In it the +Christian dies according to the flesh; that is, he passes from +unbelief to faith, from the remaining sin to eternal righteousness, +from woes and sadness and tribulation to perfect eternal joy. Such a +death is sweeter and better than any life on earth. For not all the +life and wealth and delight and joy of the world can make man as +happy as he will be when he dies with a conscience at peace with God +and with the sure faith and comfort of everlasting life. Therefore +truly may this death of the body be said to be only a falling into a +sweet and gentle slumber. The body ceases from sin. It no longer +hinders or harasses the spirit. It is cleansed and freed from sin and +comes forth again in the resurrection clothed with the obedience, joy +and life which the spirit imparts. + +26. The only trouble is that the stupid flesh cannot understand this. +It is terrified by the mask of death, and imagines that it is still +suffering the old death; for it does not understand the spiritual +dying unto sin. It judges only by outward appearance. It sees that +man perishes, decays under the ground and is consumed. Having only +this abominable and hideous mask before its eyes, it is afraid of +death. But its fear is only because of its lack of understanding. If +it knew, it would by no means be afraid or shudder at death. Our +reason is like a little child who has become frightened by a bugbear +or a mask, and cannot be lulled to sleep; or like a poor man, bereft +of his senses, who imagines when brought to his couch that he is +being put into the water and drowned. What we do not understand we +cannot intelligently deal with. If, for instance, a man has a penny +and imagines it to be a five-dollar gold piece, he is just as proud +of it as if it were a real gold piece; if he loses it he is as +grieved as if he had lost that more valuable coin. But it does not +follow that he has suffered such loss; he has simply deluded himself +with a false idea. + +27. Thus it is not the reality of death and burial that terrifies; +the terror lies in the flesh and blood, which cannot understand that +death and the grave mean nothing more than that God lays us--like a +little child is laid in a cradle or an easy bed--where we shall +sweetly sleep till the judgment day. Flesh and blood shudders in fear +at that which gives no reason for it, and finds comfort and joy in +that which really gives no comfort or joy. Thus Christians must be +harassed by their ignorant and insane flesh, because it will not +understand its own good or harm. They must verily fight against it as +long as they live, at the cost of much pain and weariness. + +28. There is none so perfect that he does not flee from and shudder +at death and the grave. Paul complains and confesses of himself, and +in his own person of all Christians: "For that which I do I know not: +for not what I would, that do I practice." Rom 7, 15. In other words: +By the spirit, I am well aware that when this body comes to die God +simply lays me to rest in sweetest slumber, and I would gladly have +my flesh to understand this; but I cannot bring it to it. The spirit +indeed is willing and desires bodily death as a gentle sleep. It does +not consider it to be death; it knows no such thing as death. It +knows that it is freed from sin and that where there is no sin there +is no death--life only. But the flesh halts and hesitates, and is in +constant dread lest I die and perish in the abyss. It will not allow +itself to be tamed and brought into that obedience and into that +consoling view of death which the spirit exercises. Even Saint Paul +cries out in anxiety of spirit: "Wretched man that I am! who shall +deliver me out of the body of this death?" Rom 7, 24. Now we see what +is meant by the statement, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." +The flesh must be dragged along and compelled by the spirit to +obediently follow, in spite of its resistance and trembling. It must +be forced into submission until it is finally overcome. Just so the +mother so deals with the child that is fretful and restless that she +constrains it to sleep. + +29. Paul says, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified"--that +is, we know that, in soul and spirit, we are already dead unto +sin--"that the body of sin might be done away." The meaning is: +Because the body does not willingly and cheerfully follow the spirit, +but resists and would fain linger in the old life of sin, it is +already sentenced, compelled to follow and to be put to death that +sin may be destroyed in it. + +30. He does not say that the body is destroyed as soon as a man has +been baptized and is become a Christian, but that the body of sin is +destroyed. The body which before was obstinate and disobedient to the +spirit is now changed; it is no longer a body of sin but of +righteousness and newness of life. So he adds, "that we should no +longer be in bondage to sin." + +"But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with +him; knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; +death no more hath dominion over him. For the death that he died, he +died unto sin once; but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God." + +31. Here he leads us out of the death and grave of sin to the +resurrection of spirit and body. When we die--spiritually unto sin, +and physically to the world and self--what doth it profit us? Is +there nothing else in store for the Christian but to die and be +buried? By all means yes, he says; we are sure by faith that we also +shall live, even as Christ rose from death and the grave and lives. +For we have died with him, or, as stated above, "we have become +united with him in the likeness of his death." By his death he has +destroyed our sin and death; therefore we share in his resurrection +and life. There shall be no more sin and death in our spirit or body, +just as there is no more death in him. Christ, having once died and +been raised again, dieth no more. There is nothing to die for. He has +accomplished everything. He has destroyed the sin for which he died, +and has swallowed up death in victory. And that he now lives means +that he lives in everlasting righteousness, life and majesty. So, +when ye have once passed through both deaths, the spiritual death +unto sin and the gentle death of the body, death can no more touch +you, no more reign over you. + +32. This, then, is our comfort for the timidity of the poor, weak +flesh which still shudders at death. If thou art a Christian, then +know that thy Lord Jesus Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no +more; death hath no more dominion over him. Therefore, death hath no +more dominion over thee, who art baptized into him. Satan is defied +and dared to try all his powers and terrors on Christ; for we are +assured, "Death no more hath dominion over him." Death may awaken +anger, malice, melancholy, fear and terror in our poor, weak flesh, +but it hath no more dominion over Christ. On the contrary, death must +submit to the dominion of Christ, in his own person and in us. We +have died unto sin; that is, we have been redeemed from the sting and +power, the control, of death. Christ has fully accomplished the work +by which he obtained power over death, and has bestowed that power +upon us, that in him we should reign over death. So Paul says in +conclusion: + +"Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive +unto God in Christ Jesus." + +33. "Reckon ye also yourselves," he says. Ye, as Christians, should +be conscious of these things, and should conduct yourselves in all +your walk and conversation as those who are dead to sin and who give +evidence of it to the world. Ye shall not serve sin, shall not follow +after it, as if it had dominion over you. Ye shall live in newness of +life, which means that ye shall lead a godly life, inwardly by faith +and outwardly in your conduct; ye shall have power over sin until the +flesh--the body--shall at last fall asleep, and thus both deaths be +accomplished in you. Then there will remain nothing but life--no +terror or fear of death and no more of its dominion. + + + + +_Seventh Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Romans 6, 19-23. + +19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your +flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness +and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as +servants to righteousness unto sanctification. 20 For when ye were +servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. 21 What +fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now +ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made +free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +sanctification, and the end eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is +death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our +Lord. + + +EXHORTATION TO RESIST SIN. + +1. The text properly should include several verses preceding. Paul +has not yet concluded the subject of the epistle for last Sunday. +There he urges that since we are baptized into Christ and believe, we +should henceforth walk in a new life; that we are now dead to sin +because we are in Christ, who by his death and resurrection has +conquered and destroyed sin. He illustrates the power of Christ's +death and resurrection by saying: "For sin shall not have dominion +over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace." That is, being +in Christ and possessed of the power of his resurrection--in other +words, having God's grace and the forgiveness of sins--you can now +readily resist sin. Although you may not perfectly fulfill the letter +of the Law in its demands, yet it cannot condemn you as a sinner nor +subject you to God's wrath. + + +GOOD WORKS NOT FORBIDDEN. + +2. Then Paul presents again the question raised by the obstinate +world when it encounters this doctrine. "What then?" he asks, "shall +we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?" It is the +perversity of the world that, when we preach about forgiveness of +sins by pure grace and without merit of man, it should either say we +forbid good works, or else try to draw the conclusion that man may +continue to live in sin and follow his own pleasure; when the fact +is, we should particularly strive to live a life the very reverse of +sinful, that our doctrine may draw people to good works, unto the +praise and honor and glory of God. Our doctrine, rightly apprehended, +does not influence to pride and vice, but to humility and obedience. + +3. In affairs of temporal government, whether domestic or civil, +judge or ruler, it is understood that he who asks for pardon +confesses himself guilty, acknowledges his error and promises to +reform--to transgress no more. For instance, when the judge extends +mercy and pardon to the thief deserving of the gallows, the law is +canceled by grace. Suppose now the thief continues in wrong-doing and +boasts, "Now that I am under grace I may do as I please, I have no +law to fear"; who would tolerate him? For though the law is indeed +canceled for him and he receives not merited punishment, though grace +delivers him from the rope and the sword, life is not granted him +that he may continue to steal, to murder; rather he is supposed to +become honest and virtuous. If he does not, the law will again +overtake him and punish him as he deserves. In short, where grace +fulfills the law, no one is for that reason given license to continue +in wrong-doing; on the contrary, he is under increased obligation to +avoid occasions of falling under condemnation of the law. + +4. Everyone can readily comprehend this principle in temporal things; +no one is stupid enough to tolerate the idea of grace being granted +to extend opportunity to do wrong. It is only the Gospel doctrine +concerning God's grace and the forgiveness of sin that must suffer +the slanderous misrepresentation that makes it abolish good works or +give occasion for sin. We are told how God, in his unfathomable +grace, has canceled the sentence of eternal death and hell fire +which, according to the Law and divine judgment, we deserved, and has +given us instead the freedom of life eternal; thus our life is purely +of grace. Yet certainly we are not pardoned that we may live as +before when, under condemnation and wrath, we incurred death. Rather, +forgiveness is bestowed that we in appreciation of the sublimity and +sanctity of God's unspeakably great blessing which delivers us from +death unto life, should henceforth take heed that we lose it not; +that we fall not from grace to pass again under judgment and the +sentence of eternal death. We are to conduct ourselves as men made +alive and saved. + +5. So Paul says in verse 16, "Know ye not, that to whom ye present +yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye +obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" +Meaning, Since you now have, under grace, obtained forgiveness of sin +and are become righteous, you owe it to God to live in obedience to +his will. Necessarily your life must be obedient to some master. +Either you obey sin, to continue in the service of which brings death +and God's wrath, or you obey God, in grace, unto a new manner of +life. So, then, you are no more to obey sin, having been freed from +its dominion and power. Paul continues the topic in this Sunday's +epistle text, saying: + + +GOOD AND EVIL "AFTER THE MANNER OF MEN." + +"I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your +flesh: for as ye presented your members as members to uncleanness," +etc. + +6. Heretofore he had been speaking, under the inspiration of the Holy +Spirit, in language unusual and unintelligible to the world. To the +gentiles it was a strange and incomprehensible thing he said about +dying with Christ unto sin, being buried and planted into his death, +and so on. But now, since his former words are obscure to the natural +understanding, he will, he says, speak according to human +reason--"after the manner of men." + +7. Even reason and the laws of all the gentiles, he goes on to say, +teach we are not to do evil; rather to avoid it and do good. All +sovereigns establish laws to restrain evil and preserve order. + +How could we introduce through the Gospel a doctrine countenancing +evil? Though the wisdom of the Gospel is a higher gift than human +reason, it does not alter or nullify the God-implanted intelligence +of the latter. Hence it is a perversion of our doctrine to say it +does not teach us to love good works and practice them. "Now, if you +cannot understand this truth from my explanation," Paul would +say--"that through faith you have, by baptism, died to the sinful +life, even been buried--then learn it through your accustomed +exercise of reason. You know for yourselves that pardon for former +transgression and release from lawful punishment gives no one license +to do evil--to commit theft or murder." + +8. It is a commonly recognized fact among men that pardon does not +mean license. God's Word confirms the same. Yet the disadvantage is +that although reason teaches, through the Law, good works and forbids +evil, it is unable to comprehend why its teachings are not fulfilled. +It perceives from the results which follow dishonoring of the Law, +that to honor is best, that it is right and praiseworthy not to steal +and commit crime. But it fails to understand why, given the teachings +at first, they are not naturally fulfilled. Nor, again, does it know +how existing conditions may be removed or bettered. It resorts to +this expedient and that to restrain evil, but it cannot attain the +art of uprooting and destroying it. With the sword, rack and gallows +the judge may restrain public crime, but he cannot punish more than +what is known and witnessed to before the court. Whatever is done +secretly and never comes before him, he cannot punish or restrain. +The Word of God, however, takes hold of the difficulty in a different +manner. It teaches how to crush the head of the serpent and to slay +the evil. Then the judge and the executioner are no longer necessary. +But where we may not control the cause of the wrong, we should, +nevertheless, restrain so far as possible its manifest workings. + +Now, the utmost reason can teach is that we are not to do evil even +in thought or desire, and the extent of its punishment relates only +to outward works; it cannot punish the thought and inclination to do +evil. + +9. "But we preach another doctrine," Paul means to say, "a doctrine +having power to control the heart and restrain the will. We say you +believers in Christ, who are baptized into his death and buried with +him, are not only to be reckoned dead, but are truly dead unto sin." +A Christian has certain knowledge that through the grace of Christ +his sins are forgiven--blotted out and deprived of condemning power. +Because he has obtained and believes in such grace, he receives a +heart abhorrent of sin. Although feeling within himself, perhaps, the +presence of evil thoughts and lusts, yet his faith and the Holy +Spirit are with him to remind him of his baptism. "Notwithstanding +time and opportunity permit me to do evil," he says to himself, "and +though I run no risk of being detected and punished, yet I will not +do it. I will obey God and honor Christ my Lord, for I am baptized +into Christ and as a Christian am dead unto sin, nor will I come +again under its power." + +So acted godly Joseph, who, when tempted by his master's wife, "left +his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" (Gen 39, 12); +whereas another might have been glad of the invitation. He was but +flesh and blood and naturally not insensible to her inducement, to +the time and opportunity, the friendship of the woman and the offered +enjoyment; but he restrained himself, not yielding even in thought to +the temptation. Such obedience to God destroys indeed the source of +evil--sin. Reason and human wisdom know nothing of it. It is not to +be effected by laws, by punishment, by prison and sword. It can be +attained only by faith and a knowledge of Christ's grace, through +which we die to sin and the world, and restrain the will from evil +even when detection and punishment are impossible. + +10. Now, such doctrine is not to be learned from human reason; it is +spiritual and taught of the Scriptures. It reveals the source of evil +and how to restrain it. Since, then, we teach restraint of evil and +show withal a way higher and more effectual than reason can find, the +accusation that we prohibit good works and license sin is +sufficiently answered and disproved. But Paul would say to the +Romans, "If you cannot comprehend our superior doctrine as to the +questions raised, then answer them according to the teachings of your +own reason, for even that will tell you--and no man will dispute +it--we are to do no wrong. The Word of God confirms this doctrine." + +11. The apostle says he will speak of the point they raise, after the +manner of men. That does not mean according to corrupt flesh and +blood, which are not capable of speaking anything good, but according +to natural reason as God created it, where some good still remains, +for there are to be found many upright individuals who make just +laws. I speak thus "because of the infirmity of your flesh," Paul +declares. As if he would say, I have not yet said as much as reason, +the teachers of the Law and the jurists would demand, but I will go +no further because you are yet too weak spiritually, and too +unaccustomed to my manner of speech, for all of you to understand it. +I must come down to your apprehension and speak according to your +capacity. Now, I want to say, ask your own statutes, your own laws, +whether they authorize the prohibition of good works; if they license +evil, though they may not be able to prevent it. Thus I convince you +that such a pretense regarding our doctrine is not to be tolerated. + + +THE TEACHINGS OF REASON. + +"Even reason teaches that your lives must conform to your business; +each is in duty bound to obey him whom he serves. As Christians you +are obliged to render another service than that you gave when under +the dominion of sin, and obedient to it; when you were unable to +escape its power and to do any work good before God. You have now +come out of bondage and are relieved from obedience to sin, through +grace, having devoted yourselves to the service of God, to obeying +him. Therefore, assuredly you must change your manner of life." + +12. Truly, Paul here argues reasonably and within the scope of man's +natural understanding. We preach the same truths, but, presenting +them in the form of Christian doctrine, we necessarily employ +different language and a loftier tone, lest it be offensive to the +world. We may say that theft, murder, envy, hate and other crimes and +vices are transgressions, yet we cannot remedy the evils by the mere +prohibitions of the law. The remedy must be effected through God's +grace, and is accomplished in the believer, not by our power, but by +the Holy Spirit. But when we so explain, the stupid world immediately +blurts out, "Oh, if it be true that our works do not remedy evils, +let us enjoy ourselves and not bother about good works!" + +13. That their implication is false and a wanton perversion of the +true doctrine is manifest from the fact that we exalt and endorse the +command of God, and also the doctrine of reason, that teach us to do +good and avoid evil. Indeed, we assist reason, which is powerless to +remedy evil. If reason were itself sufficient, men would not permit +themselves to be deceived by their own visionary ideas and false +doctrines about worthless and vain works, as are followers of the +papacy and of all false worship. No doubt such error has its rise in +the principle that we are to do good and avoid evil. The principle +fundamentally is true, and accepted by all men; but when it comes to +the theories we build upon it, the speculations as to how it is to be +put into practice, there is disagreement. Only the Word of God can +show how to accomplish it. + +Reason is easily blinded on this point and deceived by false +appearances, being led by anything merely called good. Even when it +has performed all it believes to be right, it is still uncertain of +acceptance. Indeed, it perceives no fruits, no benefit, to result +from its teaching; for at best its achievements extend no farther +than outward works--the object being to make the doer appear +righteous and respectable before men--while inward sinfulness is +unrestrained and the soul remains captive to its former life, +obedient to the lusts of sin. And the motive of such a one is not +sincere; he would conduct himself quite otherwise were he not +restrained by fear of shame and punishment. + + +GOSPEL HIGHER THAN REASON. + +14. We present a higher doctrine--the Gospel. The Gospel teaches +first how sin in ourselves is, through Christ, slain and buried. Thus +we obtain a good conscience, a conscience hating and opposing sin, +and become obedient to another power. Being delivered from sin we +would serve God and exert ourselves to do his pleasure, even though +no fear, punishment, judge or executioner existed. + +With this point accepted--with the settlement of this minor subject +of controversy as to how we are delivered from sin and attain to +truly good works, we unite once more on the fundamental principle +that good is to be done and evil avoided. Therefore, we immediately +conclude: Since we are free from sin and converted to God, we must in +obedience to him do good and live no more in sin. + +15. Thus does Paul make use of the Law, and of human reason so far as +it is able to interpret the Law, to resist them who speak falsely and +pervert the right doctrine. Evidently, then, the doctrine of the +Gospel does not oppose the doctrine of good works, but transcends it. +For it reveals the source and inspiration of good works--not human +reason, not human ability, but the grace and power of the Holy +Spirit. Now Paul deduces the point: + +"For as ye presented [yielded] your members as servants to +uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present +[yield] your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification +[holiness]." + + +BODY NOT TO SERVE SIN. + +16. Even reason teaches that, being no more subject to sin and +unrighteousness, you are no longer to serve them with your body and +members--your whole physical life. And further, having yielded +yourselves to obey God and righteousness, you are in duty bound to +serve them with body and life. To put it concisely and clearly, Let +him who formerly was evil and lived contrary to his own conscience +and to God's will, now become godly and serve the Lord with a good +conscience. Or, as Paul says, "Let him that stole steal no more," Eph +4, 28. + +17. Formerly, he tells them, their members--eyes, ears, mouth, hands, +feet--even the whole body, served uncleanness. For "vice" he uses +this term "uncleanness," readily intelligible to reason and inclusive +of all forms of sin. "You permitted your members to serve +unrighteousness," he would say, "and devoted them to every sort of +unholy life, every wicked work, committing one iniquity after another +and exercising all manner of villainy that can be named. Now reverse +the order. Reasoning according to your own logic: while before you +willingly witnessed, heard and uttered things shameful and unchaste, +and sought lewdness, lending your bodies to it, let impurity now be +distressing to your sight and hearing; let the body flee from it; be +pure in words and works. All the members of the body, all its +functions, are to be devoted to righteousness." + +Thus your members, your whole bodies, are to become holy--to be God's +own--and given over solely to his service. The longer and the more +ardently they serve, the more cheerfully will they honor and obey +God, being devoted to all that is divine, praiseworthy, honorable and +virtuous. The instructions God has written upon your own heart would +teach you this principle, even were there no Word of God. It is +useless for you to protest: "Yes, but you have taught that good works +do not save," for that doctrine is not inconsistent, but beyond your +understanding. Indeed, it is the true light whereby you may fulfill +the teachings of reason. + +"For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of [free +from] righteousness." + +18. All these expressions Paul uses "after the manner of men," +adapting them from the laws and customs of the times concerning +slavery, service and freedom. Then servants were bondmen, purchased +by their masters, with whom they must abide until set at liberty by +those owners, or otherwise freed. His allusion to a former service of +unrighteousness and a present service of righteousness implies two +conditions of servitude and consequently two conditions of freedom. +He who serves sin, the apostle teaches, is free from righteousness; +that is, he is captive under sin, unable to attain to righteousness +and to do righteous works. Even reason can comprehend the principle +that he is free who does not serve--who is not servant. Again, +servants of righteousness means service and obedience to +righteousness, and freedom from sin. + + +FRUITS OF TWO KINDS OF SERVICE. + +Paul now puts the matter a little differently, contrasting the +experience of the Romans in the two forms of service. He leaves it +with them to determine which has been productive of benefit and which +of injury, and to choose accordingly as to future service and +obedience. + +"What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now +ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made +free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +sanctification [holiness], and the end eternal life." + +19. Rather recall your manner of life when you were free from +righteousness and obeyed only the urgings and enticements of sin. +What pleasure or gain had you in it? None, except that for which you +are now ashamed. Further, had you remained in it you would at last +have found death. Only these two grand results--shame and death. +Nothing better have you earned in its service. Munificent reward +indeed for him who, choosing freedom from righteousness, lives to his +own pleasure. He is deceived into thinking he has chosen a highly +desirable life, for it gratifies the fleshly desires, and he thinks +to go unpunished. + +But gratification is succeeded by two severe punishments: First, +shame--confession of disgrace before God and the world. Thus Adam and +Eve in Paradise, when they chose to violate God's command and, +enticed by the devil, followed their desire for a forbidden thing, +were made to feel the disgrace of their sin; they were in their +hearts ashamed to appear in the presence of God. The other and added +punishment is eternal death and the fires of hell, into which also +fell our first parents. + +20. Is it not better, then, to be free from the service of sin and to +serve righteousness? So doing, you would never suffer shame nor +injury but would receive a double blessing: First, a clear conscience +before God and all creatures, proof in itself that you live a holy +life and belong to God; second and chief, the rich and incorruptible +reward of eternal life. + +21. In all these observations Paul is still speaking after the manner +of men; in a way comprehended and accepted by reason, even without +knowledge of Christ. It is universally true in the world that +evil-doers--thieves, murderers and the like--are punished in addition +to the public disgrace they feel. Similarly, they who do good +receive, in addition to the honor of men, all manner of happy reward. + +"For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal +life in Christ Jesus our Lord." + +22. It seems a strange saying, that evil-doers are to receive wages, +seemingly implying right and deserving action on their part. +Ordinarily the term "wages" signifies a good reward, given to those +who acquit themselves righteously and bravely. Paul uses the word to +discomfit them who pervert his teaching. For they say, "Ah, Paul +preaches of grace alone, yet he promises wages to sin." "Yes," Paul +would respond, "boast as you will, you will receive a reward--death +and hell-fire. You must confidently expect it if you interpret the +Gospel to teach that God shall reward you who serve sin." With the +convincing words of the text, Paul would undeceive those who +advocate, or suffer themselves to believe, that man can serve God in +sin and can receive a happy reward. He chooses words familiar to +them. "Yes, if, as you maintain, wages must be the reward of every +service, you will of course receive yours--death and hell. These any +may have who desire them and regard them precious." + +23. Paul says further, "The free gift of God is eternal life." +Observe his choice of words. He does not here use the term "wages," +because he has previously taught that eternal life is not the reward +of our works, but is given of pure grace, through faith and for +Christ's sake. So he speaks of it as a "free gift of God, through +Christ Jesus our Lord." The soul possessing eternal life is furnished +with power to crush the serpent's head, and none can deprive him of +his priceless blessing. He has also power to avoid sin and to +constantly crucify his flesh. These are things not to be effected by +any law, any human ability; faith is requisite. Through faith we are +incorporated into Christ and planted with him in the death of sin, +unto eternal life and truly good works. + + + + +_Eighth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Romans 8, 12-17. + +12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after +the flesh: 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by +the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 +For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. +15 For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye +received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The +Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children +of God: 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs +with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also +glorified with him. + + +LIVING IN THE SPIRIT AS GOD'S CHILDREN. + +1. This text, like the preceding one, is an exhortation to Christian +life and works. The language employed, however, is of different +construction. The hateful machinations of the devil, by which he +produces so much disaster in the world, make it necessary to urge +this exhortation in many different forms upon those who have become +Christians. For when God out of grace, without any merit on our part, +bestows upon us the forgiveness of sins which we ourselves are unable +to buy or acquire, the devil instigates men at once to conclude and +exclaim: Oh, in that case we need no longer do good! Whenever, +therefore, the apostle speaks of the doctrine of faith, he is obliged +continually to maintain that grace implies nothing of that kind. For +our sins are not forgiven with the design that we should continue to +commit sin, but that we should cease from it. Otherwise it would more +justly be called, not forgiveness of sin but permission to sin. + +2. It is a shameful perversion of the salutary doctrine of the Gospel +and great and damnable ingratitude for the unfathomable grace and +salvation received, to be unwilling to do good. For we ought in fact +to be impelled by this very grace to do, with all diligence and to +the utmost of our knowledge and ability, everything that is good and +well-pleasing to God, to the praise and glory of his name. + +3. Of this Paul reminds and admonishes us here, in plain and simple +but earnest and important words, in which he points out to us how +much we owe to God for that which we have received from him, and what +injury we shall suffer if we do not value it as we should, and act +accordingly. He says: + +"We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh." + +4. Because we have been redeemed from the condemnation we deserved by +our sins, and now have eternal life through the Spirit of Christ +dwelling in us (he speaks of this in the preceding verses), therefore +we are debtors to live after the Spirit and obey God. This Paul +declares also in the text for last Sunday: "Now being made free from +sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +sanctification." Rom 6, 22. Therefore, he says, ye are debtors; your +new calling, station, and nature require of you that, since ye have +become Christians and have the Holy Spirit, ye should live as the +Holy Spirit directs and teaches. It is not left to your own caprice +to do or to leave undone. If ye desire to glory in the possession of +grace and the Holy Spirit, ye must confess yourselves debtors to +live, not after the flesh, the only desire of which is to continue in +sin, but after the Spirit; the Spirit shows you that, having been +baptized and redeemed from sin, ye must turn from sin to the new life +of righteousness and not from that new life to sin. + +"For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die." + +5. Here judgment is plainly and tersely pronounced on the pretensions +of those foolish people who seek to make the freedom of grace a +pretext for giving license to the flesh. The apostle speaks these +words that he may deter them from presumption, lest in place of the +life and grace in which they pride themselves, they bring upon +themselves again eternal wrath and death. It would be utterly +inconsistent in you who are now saved and freed from eternal death to +desire henceforth to live after the flesh. For if ye do that, ye need +not imagine that ye shall retain eternal life; ye will be subject to +death and condemned to hell. For ye know that it was solely because +of your sins that ye lay under the wrath of God and had incurred +death, and that it was because ye lived after the flesh that ye +deserved condemnation. Most assuredly Christ has not died for those +who are determined to remain in their sins; he has died that he might +rescue from their sins those who would gladly be released but cannot +liberate themselves. + +6. Therefore, let him that is a Christian take care not to be guilty +of such nonsense as to say: I am free from the Law, therefore I may +do as I please. Rather let him say and do the contrary. Let him, +because he is a Christian, fear and shun sin, lest he fall from his +freedom into his former state of bondage to sin under the Law and +God's wrath; or lest the life, begun in God, lapse again into death. +For here stands the express declaration, "If ye live after the flesh, +ye must die;" as if the apostle meant: It will not avail you that ye +have heard the Gospel, that ye boast of Christ, that ye receive the +sacraments, so long as ye do not, through the faith and Holy Spirit +received, subdue your sinful lusts, your ungodliness and impiety, +your avarice, malice, pride, hatred, envy and the like. + +7. For the meaning of "living after the flesh" has been repeatedly +stated and is readily understood. It includes not only the gross, +sensual lust of fornication or other uncleanness, but everything man +has inherited by his natural birth; not only the physical body, but +also the soul and all the faculties of our nature, both mental and +corporal--our reason, will and senses--which are by nature without +the Spirit and are not regulated by God's Word. It includes +particularly those things which the reason is not inclined to regard +as sin; for instance, living in unbelief, idolatry, contempt of God's +Word, presumption and dependence on our own wisdom and strength, our +own honor, and the like. Everything of this nature must be shunned by +Christians (who have the Holy Spirit and are hence able to judge what +is carnal) as a fatal poison which produces death and damnation. + + +PUTTING TO DEATH SIN. + +"But if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall +live." + +8. Here the apostle confesses that even in the Christian there is a +remnant of the flesh, that must be put to death--all manner of +temptation and lusts in opposition to God's commandments. These are +active in the flesh and prompt to sin. They are here called the +"deeds of the body." Of this nature are thoughts of unbelief and +distrust, carnal security and presumption instead of the fear of God, +coldness and indolence with respect to God's Word and prayer, +impatience and murmurings under suffering, anger and vindictiveness +or envy and hatred against our neighbor, avarice, unchastity and the +like. Such inclinations as these dwell in flesh and blood and cease +not to move and tempt man. Yea, because of human infirmity they at +times overtake him when he is not careful enough about transgression. +They will certainly overpower him unless he resolutely opposes them +and, as here stated, "puts to death the deeds of the body." To do +this means a severe struggle, a battle, which never abates nor ceases +so long as we live. The Christian dare never become slothful or +negligent in this matter. He must arouse himself through the Spirit +so as not to give place to the flesh. He must constantly put to death +the flesh lest he himself be put to death by it. The apostle +declares, "If ye live after the flesh, ye must die," and again +comforts us, "If by the Spirit ye put to death [mortify] the deeds of +the body, ye shall live." For the Christian receives the gift of the +Holy Spirit that he may become willing and able to mortify these +sinful lusts. + +9. This mortifying of sin through the Spirit is accomplished on this +wise: Man recognizes his sin and infirmity, at once repents, +remembers God's Word, and, through faith in the forgiveness of sins, +strengthens himself against sin, and so resists it that he does not +consent to it nor permit it to come to deeds. + +10. This constitutes the difference between those who are Christians +and sanctified and those who are without faith and the Holy Spirit or +who grieve and lose the Spirit. For although believers, as well as +unbelievers, are not wholly free from the sinful lusts of the flesh, +they yet remain in repentance and the fear of God; they hold fast to +the belief that their sins are forgiven, for Christ's sake, because +they do not yield to them but resist them. Therefore they continue +under forgiveness, and their remaining infirmity is not fatal nor +damning to them as it is to those who, without repentance and faith, +go on in carnal security and purposely follow their evil lusts +against their own conscience; who thus cast away from themselves both +faith and the Holy Spirit. + +11. So Paul admonishes the Christians to remember what they have +received, and whereunto they are called. Having received the +forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit, they are to be careful not +to lose these again; they must use them in contending against the +sinful lusts of the flesh. They are to comfort themselves with the +fact that they have the Holy Spirit, that is, have help and strength +by means of which they can resist and mortify sin. These things are +impossible to those who have not faith. Therefore Paul declares +further: + +"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of +God." + +12. Like ourselves, Paul had to deal with two classes of people, the +true and the false Christians. There is not so much danger from the +adversaries of the doctrine; for instance, from popery: their +opposition is so open that we can readily beware of them. But since +the devil sows even among us his seed--they are called Christians and +boast of the Gospel--it behooves us to take heed, not to the mouth, +but to the works, of those who claim to be Christians. Not what they +say, but what they do, is the question. It is easy enough to boast of +God and of Christ and of the Spirit. But whether such boasting has +any foundation or not, depends on whether or not the Spirit so works +and rules in one as to subdue and mortify sin. For where the Spirit +is, there assuredly the Spirit is not idle nor powerless. He proves +his presence by ruling and directing man and prevailing on man to +obey and follow his promptings. Such a man has the comfort that he is +a child of God, and that God so reigns and works in him that he is +not subject to death; he has life. + + +MEANING OF "LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD." + +13. To be "led by the Spirit of God" means, then, to be given a heart +which gladly hears God's Word and believes that in Christ it has +grace and the forgiveness of sins; a heart which confesses and proves +its faith before the world; a heart which seeks, above all things, +the glory of God, and endeavors to live without giving offense, to +serve others and to be obedient, patient, pure and chaste, mild and +gentle; a heart which, though at times overtaken in a fault and it +stumble, soon rises again by repentance, and ceases to sin. All these +things the Holy Spirit teaches one if he hears and receives the Word, +and does not wilfully resist the Spirit. + +14. On the other hand, the devil, who also is a spirit, persuades the +hearts of the worldlings. But it soon becomes evident that his work +is not that of a good spirit or a divine spirit. For he only leads +men to do the reverse of that which the Spirit of God leads them to +do; then they find no pleasure in hearing and obeying God's Word, but +despise God, and become proud and haughty, avaricious, unmerciful. + +15. Let every one therefore take heed that he do not deceive himself. +For there are many who claim to be Christians and yet are not. We +perceive this from the fact that not all are led by the Spirit of +God. Some spirit there must be by which men are led. If it is not the +Spirit of God leading them to oppose the flesh, then it must be the +other and evil spirit leading them to give way to the flesh and its +lusts and to oppose the Spirit of God. They must, therefore, either +be God's own, his dear children, his sons and his daughters, called +to eternal life and glory; or they must be rejected and abandoned, +children of the devil, and with him heirs of eternal fire. + +16. Paul takes occasion to speak more at length on the words "sons of +God," and proceeds in beautiful and comforting words to describe the +nature and glory of this sonship. He only begins the subject, +however, in today's text. He says: + +"For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye +received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." + +17. This is a noble and comforting text, worthy of being written in +letters of gold. Because ye now through faith, he means to say, have +the Holy Spirit and are led by him, ye are no longer in bondage as ye +were when under the Law; ye need no longer be afraid of its terrors +and its demands, as if God would condemn and reject you on account of +your unworthiness and the remaining infirmity of your flesh. On the +contrary, ye have the consolation that, through faith, ye have the +assurance of God's grace, and may consider God your Father and call +upon him as his children. + + +TWO KINDS OF PREACHING AND OF WORKS. + +18. Thus he contrasts the two kinds of works which spring from the +two kinds of preaching and doctrine--of the Law and of the +Gospel--and which constitute the difference between the Christians +and those still without faith and the knowledge of Christ. They who +have nothing and know nothing but the Law, can never attain to true, +heartfelt trust and confidence in God, though they do ever so much +and exercise themselves ever so earnestly in the Law. For when the +Law shines upon them in real clearness and they see what it demands +of them and how far they come short of its fulfilment, when it thus +discloses to them God's wrath, it produces in them only a terror, a +fear and dread, of God under which they must at last perish if they +be not rescued by the Gospel. This is what Paul here terms "the +spirit of bondage," one that produces only fear and dread of God. +But, on the other hand, if the heart grasps the preaching of the +Gospel, which declares that, without any merit or worthiness on our +part, God forgives us our sins, for Christ's sake, if we believe in +him--then it finds in God's grace comfort against the terrors of the +Law; then the Holy Spirit enables it to abide in that confidence, to +hold fast to that comfort, and to call upon God sincerely in that +faith, even though it feels and confesses to be still weak and +sinful. This is what is meant by receiving "the spirit of adoption." + +19. Paul speaks of the "spirit of bondage" and the "spirit of +adoption" according to the customs of his times. In those days +men-servants and maid-servants were the property of the master of the +house in the same sense that a cow was his property. He bought them +with his money; he did with them as he pleased, just as with his +cattle. They were afraid of their master and had to expect stripes, +imprisonment and punishment even unto death. They could not say, So +much of my master's property belongs to me, and he must give it to +me. But they had always to reflect: Here I serve for my bread only; I +have nothing to expect but stripes, and must be content to have my +master cast me out or sell me to someone else whenever he chooses. +They could never have a well-grounded hope of release from such fear +and bondage and coercion. + +20. Such a slavish spirit, such a captive, fearful and uncertain +spirit, ye do not have, says the apostle. Ye are not compelled to +live continually in fear of wrath and condemnation as are the +followers of Moses and all who are under the Law. On the contrary, ye +have a delightful, free spirit, one confident and contented, such as +a child entertains toward its father, and ye need not fear that God +is angry with you or will cast you off and condemn you. For ye have +the Spirit of his Son (as he says above and in Galatians 4, 6) in +your heart and know that ye shall remain in his house and receive the +inheritance, and that ye may comfort yourselves with it and boast of +it as being your own. + + +CHILDREN OF GOD. + +21. On this "spirit of adoption," that is on what the apostle means +when he says "whereby we cry, Abba, Father," I have spoken at some +length in my sermon on the text Galatians 4, 6, where the same words +are used. In short, Paul describes here the power of the kingdom of +Christ, the real work and the true exalted worship the Holy Spirit +effects in believers: the comfort by which the heart is freed from +the terror and fear of sin and given peace, and the heartfelt +supplication which in faith expects of God an answer and his help. +These blessings cannot be secured through the Law or our own +holiness. By such means man could never obtain the comfort of God's +grace and love to him; he would always remain in fear and dread of +wrath and condemnation, and, because of such doubt, would flee from +God, not daring to call upon him. But where there is faith in Christ, +there the Holy Spirit brings the comfort spoken of, and a childlike +trust which does not doubt that God is gracious and will answer +prayer, because he has promised all these--grace and help, comfort, +and answer to prayer--not for the sake of our worthiness, but for the +sake of the name and merit of Christ, his Son. + +22. Of these two works of the Holy Spirit, comfort and supplication, +the prophet Zechariah (ch. 12, 10) said that God would establish a +new dispensation in the kingdom of Christ when he should pour out +"the spirit of grace and of supplication." The spirit he speaks of is +the same who assures us that we are God's children, and desires us to +cry to him with heartfelt supplications. + +23. The Hebrew word "Abba"--which, as the apostle himself interprets +it, means "Father"--is the word which the tiny heir lisps in +childlike confidence to its father, calling him "Ab, Ab"; for it is +the easiest word the child can learn to speak: or, as the old German +language has it, almost easier still, "Etha, Etha." Such simple, +childlike words faith uses toward God through the Holy Spirit, but +they proceed out of the depth of the heart and, as afterwards stated, +"with groanings which cannot be uttered." Rom 8, 26. Especially is +this the case when the doubtings of the flesh and the terrors and +torments of the devil bring conflict and distress. Man must defend +himself against these and cries out: O dear Father! Thou art, indeed, +my Father, for thou hast given thine only and beloved Son for me. +Thou wilt not be angry with me or disown me. Or: Thou seest my +distress and my weakness; do thou help and save me. + +"The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are +children of God." + +24. That we are children of God and may confidently regard ourselves +as such, we do not learn from ourselves nor from the Law. We learn it +from the witness of the Spirit, who, in spite of the Law and of our +unworthiness, testifies to it in our weakness and assures us of it. +This witness is the experience within ourselves of the power of the +Holy Spirit working through the Word, and the knowledge that our +experience accords with the Word and the preaching of the Gospel. For +thou art surely aware whether or no, when thou art in fear and +distress, thou dost obtain comfort from the Gospel, and art able to +overcome thy doubts and terror; to so overcome that thy heart is +assured of God's graciousness, and thou no longer fleest from him, +but canst cheerfully call upon him in faith, expecting help. Where +such a faith exists, consciousness of help must follow. So Saint Paul +says, Rom 5, 4-5: "Stedfastness worketh approvedness; and +approvedness, hope: and hope putteth not to shame." + +25. This is the true inward witness by which thou mayest perceive +that the Holy Spirit is at work in thee. In addition to this, thou +hast also external witnesses and signs: for instance, it is a witness +of the Holy Spirit in thee that he gives thee special gifts, acute +spiritual understanding, grace and success in thy calling; that thou +hast pleasure and delight in God's Word, confessing it before the +world at the peril of life and limb; that thou hatest and resistest +ungodliness and sin. Those who have not the Holy Spirit are neither +willing nor able to do these things. It is true, that even in the +Christian, these things are accomplished in great weakness; but the +Holy Spirit governs them in their weakness, and strengthens in them +this witness, as Paul says again: "The Spirit also helpeth our +infirmity." Rom 8, 26. + + +HEIRS OF GOD. + +"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with +Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also +glorified with him." + +26. Here, then, thou hast the high boast, the honor and the glory of +the Christian. Leave to the world its splendor, its pride and its +honors, which mean nothing else--when it comes to the point--than +that they are the children of the devil. But do thou consider the +marvel of this, that a poor, miserable sinner should obtain such +honor with God as to be called, not a slave nor a servant of God, but +a son and an heir of God! Any man, yea the whole world, might well +consider it privilege enough to be called one of God's lowest +creatures, only so that they might have the honor of being God's +property. For who would not wish to belong to such a Lord and +Creator? But the apostle declares here that we who believe in Christ +shall be not his servants, but his own sons and daughters, his heirs. +Who can sufficiently magnify or utter God's grace? It is beyond the +power of our expression or comprehension. + +27. Yet here our great human weakness discovers itself. If we fully +and confidently believed this, then of what should we be afraid or +who could do us harm? He who from the heart can say to God, Thou art +my Father and I am thy child--he who can say this can surely bid +defiance to all the devils in hell, and joyfully despise the +threatenings and ragings of the whole world. For he possesses, in his +Father, a Lord before whom all creatures must tremble and without +whose will they can do nothing; and he possesses a heritage which no +creature can harm, a dominion which none can reduce. + +28. But the apostle adds here the words, "if so be that we suffer +with him," to teach us that while we are on earth we must so live as +to approve ourselves good, obedient children, who do not obey the +flesh, but who, for the sake of this dominion, endure whatever +befalls them or causes pain to the flesh. If we do this, then we may +well comfort ourselves and with reason rejoice and glory in the fact +the apostle declares, that "as many as are led by the Spirit of God," +and do not obey the promptings of the flesh, "these are the sons of +God." + +29. O how noble it is in a man not to obey his lusts, but to resist +them with a strong faith, even though he suffer for it! To be the +child of a mighty and renowned king or emperor means to possess +nobility, honor and glory on earth. How much more glorious it would +be, could a man truthfully boast that he is the son of one of the +highest of the angels! Yet what would be all that compared with one +who is named and chosen by God himself, and called his son, the heir +of exalted divine majesty? Such sonship and heritage must assuredly +imply great and unspeakable glory and riches, and power and honor, +above all else that is in heaven or in earth. This very honor, even +though we had nothing but the name and fame of it, ought to move us +to become the enemies of this sinful life on earth and to strive +against it with all our powers, notwithstanding we should have to +surrender all for its sake and suffer all things possible for a human +being to suffer. But the human heart cannot grasp the greatness of +the honor and glory to which we shall be exalted with Christ. It is +altogether above our comprehension or imagination. This Paul declares +in what follows, in verse 18, where he says: "I reckon that the +sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with +the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward," as we have heard in +the text for the fifth Sunday after Trinity. + + + + +_Ninth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13. + +6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not +lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye +idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat +down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit +fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and +twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of +them made trial, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, +as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer. 11 Now these +things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written +for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12 +Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. +13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but +God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye +are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, +that ye may be able to endure it. + + +CARNAL SECURITY AND ITS VICES. + +1. Here is a very earnest admonition, a message as severe as Paul +ever indited, although he is writing to baptized Christians, who +always compose the true Church of Christ. He confronts them with +several awful examples selected from the very Church, from Israel the +chosen people of God. + +2. Paul's occasion and meaning in writing this epistle was the +security of the Corinthians. Conscious of their privileged enjoyment +of Christ, of baptism and the Sacrament, they thought they lacked +nothing and fell to creating sects and schisms among themselves. +Forgetting charity, they despised one another. So far from reforming +in life, and retrieving their works of iniquity, they became more and +more secure, and followed their own inclinations, even allowing a man +to have his father's wife. At the same time they desired to be +regarded Christians, and boastfully prided themselves on having +received the Gospel from the great apostles. So Paul was impelled to +write them a stern letter, dealing them severity such as he nowhere +else employs. In fact, it seems almost as if it were going too far to +so address Christians; the rebuke might easily have struck weak and +tender consciences with intolerable harshness. But, as in the second +epistle, seeing how his sternness has startled the Corinthians, he +modifies it to some extent, and deals tenderly with the repentant. + +3. However, in the striking Scripture examples of the text here, he +sufficiently shows the need for such admonition to them who would, +after having received grace, become carnally secure and abandon the +repentant life. + +4. The text should properly include the beginning of this tenth +chapter, which is read in the passage for Third Sunday before Lent. +He begins with: "I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our +fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and +were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all +eat the same spiritual food; and did all drink the same spiritual +drink.... Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for +they were overthrown in the wilderness." Then follows our text +here--"Now these things were our examples." + +5. As we said, the admonition is to those already Christians. Paul +would have them know that although they are baptized unto Christ, and +have received and still enjoy his blessing through grace alone, +without their own merit, yet they are under obligation ever to obey +him; they are not to be proud and boastful, nor to misuse his grace. +Christ desires obedience on our part, though obedience does not +justify us in his sight nor merit his grace. For instance, a bride's +fidelity to her husband cannot be the merit that purchased his favor +when he chose her. She is the bridegroom's own because it pleased him +to make her so, even had she been a harlot. But now that he has +honored her, he would have her maintain that honor henceforth by her +purity; if she fails therein, the bridegroom has the right and power +to put her away. + +Again, a poor, wretched orphan, a bastard, a foundling, may be +adopted as a son by some godly man and made his heir, though not +meriting the honor. Now, if in return for such kindness the child +becomes disobedient and refractory, he justly may be cut off from the +inheritance. Not by the merit of their devotion, as Moses often +hinted, did the Jews become the people of God; they were ever +stiff-necked and continually rebelled against him. God, having chosen +them and led them out of Egypt, urgently commanded them to serve him +and obey his Word. But when they failed to fulfil the commandments, +they had to feel the terrific force of his punishment. + + +ISRAEL'S CARNAL SECURITY A WARNING TO US. + +6. Their example Paul here, with great earnestness, holds up to the +world as a warning against carnally and confidently presuming upon +the grace and goodness of God because we have already received of +them. In unmistakable colors the apostle portrays the teaching of +this striking and important, this weighty and specific, example. +Rightly viewed, there certainly is no greater, more wonderful, story +from the creation of the world down to the present time, nothing more +marvelous to be found in any book--except that supremely wonderful +work, the death and resurrection of the Son of God--than this history +of a people led by God's power out of Egypt, through the wilderness +and into the promised land. It is filled with the remarkably +wonderful works of God, with striking examples of his anger and of +his great kindness. + +7. Referring to these examples, Paul goes on to imply: "As Christians +and baptized, you should be familiar with them. If you are not, I +would not fail to bring them before you for reflection on what befell +other people of God, according to the Scripture record. They were our +fathers, a noble, intelligent and great company and congregation of +men, numbering over six hundred thousands, not counting wives and +children." + +They, Paul tells us, were termed, and rightly, the holy people of +God. God designed their welfare; and through Moses, their bishop and +pope, they had the Word of God, the promise and the Sacrament. Under +Moses they were all baptized, when he led them through the sea, and +by the cloud, under the shadow of which, sheltered from the heat, +they daily pursued their journey. At night a beautiful pillar of +fire, an intense lightning-like brilliance, protected them. In +addition, their bread came daily from heaven and they drank water +from the rock. These providences were their Sacrament, and their sign +that God was with them to protect. They believed on the promised +Christ, the Son of God, their guide in the wilderness. Thus they were +a noble, highly-favored and holy people. + +8. But with the great mass of the people, how long did faith last? No +longer than until they came into the wilderness. There they began to +despise God's Word, to murmur against Moses and against God and to +fall into idolatry. Whereupon God vindicated himself among them; of +all that great nation which came out from Egypt, of all the +illustrious ones who assisted Moses in leading and governing, only +two individuals passed from the wilderness into Canaan. Plainly, +then, God had no pleasure in the great mass of that host. It did not +avail them to be called the people of God, a holy people, a company +to whom God had shown marvelous kindness and great wonders; because +they refused to believe and obey the Word of God. + +The prospect was good when they were so wonderfully and gloriously +delivered from their enemies, and had at Mount Sinai received from +God the Law and a noble order of worship--their prospect was good for +them to enter into the land; they were already at the gate. But even +in that auspicious moment they provoked God until he turned them back +to wander forty years in the wilderness, where they perished. + +9. Their punishment was wholly the result of their odious arrogance +in boasting in the face of God's Word, of their privileges as the +people of God, upon whom he daily bestowed great kindness. "Do you +not recognize," they bragged, "the holiness of this entire +congregation, among whom God dwells, daily performing his marvelous +wonders?" In their pride and defiance they became stiff-necked and +obstinate enough to continually complain against Moses and to oppose +him whatever course he took with them. Thus they day by day awakened +God's wrath against themselves, forcing him to visit them with many +terrible plagues. These failing to humble, he was compelled to remove +the entire nation. Many times God would have destroyed them all at +once had not Moses prostrated himself before him in their behalf and +with earnest entreaty and strong supplication turned aside his wrath. +Because of their perversity, Moses was a most wretched and harassed +man. "The man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon +the face of the earth." Num 12, 3. For he was daily vexed with the +defiance, disobedience and opposition of this great company of +people; and further, he had to witness and endure for the entire +forty years the numerous and awful plagues sent upon his people, his +heart being filled with anguish for them. Then, too, it was his +continually to withstand God's wrath. + +10. Terrible indeed is the thing we learn of this famously great +people--God's own nation, unto whom he reveals himself, to whom God +and Christ himself are revealed; a nation God governs and leads by +his angels; a people he honors by wonders marvelous beyond anything +ever heard on earth of any nation. As Moses says in Deuteronomy 4, 7: +"What great nation is there, that hath a god so nigh unto them, as +Jehovah our God is whensoever we call upon him?" Yet all who came out +of Egypt and had witnessed the mighty wonders God wrought among +themselves and among their enemies, fell and glaringly sinned; not +according to the measure of the mere weakness and imperfection of +human nature, but they sinned disobediently and in willful contempt +of God. Hardened in unbelief unto insensibility, they brought upon +themselves overwhelming punishment. + +11. Paul mentions several instances of the sin whereby they merited +the wrath of God, to illustrate how they fell from faith and +disregarded God's Word. First, he makes the general assertion that +with many of them God was not well pleased. He means to include the +great mass of the people; particularly the officials and leaders, the +eminent of their number, individuals looked up to as the worthiest +and holiest of the congregation, and who actually had wrought great +things. Many of these fell into hypocrisy through boasting of the +divine name, the divine office and spirit; Korah, for instance, with +his faction, including two hundred and fifty princes of the +congregation. Num 16, 1-2. He and his leaders claimed right to the +priesthood and government equal with Moses and Aaron, and so +ostentatiously and boastfully that only God could say whether they +were right. Necessarily God had to make it manifest that he had no +pleasure in them; for they boasted until the earth swallowed them up +alive, and many who adhered to and upheld them were consumed by fire. + + +ISRAEL'S VICES IN THE WILDERNESS PUNISHED. + +12. Proceeding, Paul recounts the vices which occasioned God's +punishment and overthrow of the people in the wilderness. First, he +says, they lusted after evil things. In the second year from the +departure, when they actually had come into Canaan, they forgot God's +kindness and wonderful works in their behalf and, becoming +dissatisfied, longed to be back in Egypt to sit by the flesh-pots. +They murmured against God and Moses until God was forced summarily to +stop them with fire from heaven. Many of the people were consumed and +a multitude more were smitten with a great plague while yet they ate +of the flesh they craved; therefore the place of the camp was named +the "Graves of Lust." Num 11. Such was the reward of their +concupiscence, which Paul here aptly explains as "lusting after evil +things." + +13. Truly it is but lusting after the wrath and punishment of God +when, in forgetfulness of and ingratitude for his grace and goodness +we seek something new. The world is coming to be filled with the +spirit of concupiscence, for the multitude is weary of the Gospel. +Particularly are they dissatisfied with it because it profits not the +flesh; contributes not to power, wealth and luxury. Men desire again +the old and formal things of popery, notwithstanding they suffered +therein extreme oppression and were burdened not less than were the +people of Israel in Egypt. But they will eventually have to pay a +grievous penalty for their concupiscence. + +14. In the third place, the apostle mentions the great sin--idolatry. +"Neither be ye idolaters," he counsels, "as were some of them." Not +simply the lower class of people were guilty in this respect, but the +leaders and examples. As they led, the multitude followed. Even +Aaron, the brother of Moses, himself high-priest, swayed by the +influential ones, yielded and set up the golden calf (Ex 32, 4) while +Moses tarried in the mount. We are astounded that those eminently +worthy individuals, having heard God's Word and seen his wonders +liberally displayed, should so soon fall unrestrainedly into the +false worship of idolatry, as if they were heathen and possessed not +the Word. Much less need we wonder that the blind world always is +entangled with idol-worship. + +15. Where the Word of God is lacking or disregarded, human wisdom +makes for itself a worship. It will find its pleasure in the thing of +its own construction and regard it something to be prized, though it +may be imperatively forbidden in God's Word, perhaps even an +abomination before him. Human reason thinks it may handle divine +matters according to its own judgment; that God must be pleased with +what suits its pleasure. Accordingly, to sanction idolatry, it +appropriates the name of the Word of God. The Word must be forced +into harmony with the false worship to give the latter an admirable +appearance, notwithstanding the worship is essentially the reverse of +what it is made to appear. Similarly popery set off its abominations +of the mass, of monkery and the worship of saints; and the world in +turn seeks to set off that idolatry to make it stand before God's +Word. + +Such is the conduct of the eminent Aaron when he makes for the people +the golden calf (Ex 32, 5-6), an image or sign of their offerings and +worship. He builds an altar to it and causes to be proclaimed a feast +to the Lord who has led them out of the land of Egypt. They must +imitate the worship of the true God, a worship of sincere devotion +and honest intention, with their offering, the calf, in the attempt +to introduce a refined and ennobling worship. + +16. Thereupon follows what is recorded in Exodus 32, 6, to which Paul +here refers: "And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt +offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to +eat and to drink, and rose up to play." That is, they rejoiced and +were well pleased with themselves, content to have performed such +worship, and deemed they had done well. Next they proceed to their +own pleasure, as if having provided against God's anger. Thenceforth +they would live according to their inclinations, wholly unrestrained +and unreproved by the Word of God; for, as they said, Aaron made the +people free. + +17. Such is the usual course of idolatry. Refusing to be considered a +sin, it presumes to merit grace and boasts of the liberty of the +people of God. It continues unrepentant and self-assured, even in the +practice of open vice, imagining every offense to be forgiven before +God for the sake of its holy worship. Thus have the priestly rabble +of popery been doing hitherto; and they still adorn--yes, strengthen +and defend--their shameful adultery, unchastity and all vices, with +the name of the Church, the holy worship, the mass, and so on. + + +ISRAEL'S TRIAL OF GOD. + +18. In the fourth admonition, the apostle says, "Neither let us make +trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the +serpents." This, too, is a heinous sin, as is proven by the terrible +punishment. In Numbers 21 we read that after the people had journeyed +for forty years in the wilderness and God had brought them through +all their difficulties and given them victory over their enemies, as +they drew near to the promised land, they became dissatisfied and +impatient. They were setting out to go around the land of the +Edomites, who refused them a passage through their country, when they +began to murmur against God and Moses for leading them out of Egypt. +Thereupon God sent among them fiery serpents and they were bitten, a +multitude of the people perishing. + +Complaining against God is here called tempting him. Men set +themselves against the Word of God and blaspheme as if God and his +Word were utterly insignificant, because his disposing is not as they +desire. Properly speaking, it is tempting God when we not only +disbelieve him but oppose him, refusing to accept what he says as +true and desiring that our own wisdom rule. That is boasting +ourselves against him. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10, 22: "Do we +provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?" + +19. Such was the conduct of the Jews. Notwithstanding God's promise +to be their God, to remain with them and to preserve them in trouble, +if only they would believe in him and trust him; and notwithstanding +he proved his care by daily providences expressed as special +blessings and strange wonders, yet all these things availed not to +save them from murmuring. When the ordering of events accorded not +exactly with their wisdom or desire, or when, perhaps, disaster or +failure threatened, immediately they began to make outcry against +Moses; in other words, against his God-given office and message. "Why +have you led us out of Egypt?" they would complain, meaning: "If you +bore, as you say you do, the word and command of God and if he truly +designed to work such marvels with us, he would not permit us to +suffer want like this." In fact, they could not believe God's +dealings with them were in accord with his promise and design. They +insisted that he should, through Moses, perform what they dictated; +otherwise he should not be their God. + +At the outset, when they entered the wilderness, after having come +out of Egypt and having experienced God's wonderful preservation of +them in the Red Sea and his deliverance from their enemy, and having +received from him bread and flesh, they immediately began to murmur +against Moses and Aaron and to chide them for leading into the +wilderness where no water was. "Is Jehovah among us, or not?" they +burst forth. Ex 17, 7. This was, indeed, as our text says, tempting +God; for abundantly as his word and his wonders had been revealed to +them, they refused to believe unless he should fulfil their desires. + +20. And they persisted in so opposing and tempting God as long as +they were in the wilderness, unto the fortieth year; to which God +testifies when he says to Moses: "Because all those men that have +seen my glory, and my signs, which I wrought in Egypt and in the +wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not +hearkened to my voice," etc., Num 14, 22. It was in the second year +after the departure from Egypt that the Jews murmured about the +water, and now in the fortieth year, when they should have been +humbled after so long experience, and when they whose lives covered +that period ought to have been conscious of the wonderful +deliverances they had experienced in not being destroyed with others +of their number, but being brought safely to the promised land--now +they begin anew to complain with great impatience and bitterness: +"Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?" +Or, in other words: "You often remind us you represent God's command, +and you have promised us great things. This is a fine way you take to +lead us into the land when here we have yet farther to journey and +are all going to die in the wilderness!" + +21. Notice, Paul in speaking of how they tempted God says, "They +tempted Christ," pointing to the fact that the eternal Son of God was +from the beginning with his Church and with the people who received +from the ancient fathers the promise of his coming in the form of +man. They believed as we do that Christ--to use Paul's words in the +beginning--was the rock that followed them. + +Therefore the apostle gives us to understand, the point of the +Israelites' insult was directed against faith in Christ, against the +promise concerning him. Moses was compelled to hear them protest +after this manner: "Yes, you boast about a Messiah who is one with +God, and who is with us to lead us; one revealed to the fathers and +promised to be born unto us of our flesh and blood, to redeem us and +bring relief to all men; a Messiah who for that reason adopts us for +his own people, to bring us into the land; but where is he? This is a +fine way he relieves us! Is our God one to permit us to wander for +forty years in the wilderness until we all perish?" + +22. That such sin and blasphemy was the real meaning of their +murmurings is indicated by the fact that Moses afterward, in the +terrible punishment of the fiery serpents by which the people were +bitten and died, erected at God's command a brazen serpent and +whoever looked upon it lived. It was to them a sign of Christ who was +to be offered for the salvation of sinners. It taught the people they +had blasphemed against God, incurred his wrath and deserved +punishment, and therefore in order to be saved from wrath and +condemnation, they had no possible alternative but to believe again +in Christ. + + +MURMURING AGAINST GOD OPEN REVOLT. + +23. This last point is akin to the one preceding. Paul defines +murmuring against God as an open revolt actuated by unbelief in the +Word, a manifestation of anger and impatience, an unwillingness to +obey when events are not ordered according to the pleasure of flesh +and blood, and a readiness instantly to see God as hating and +unwilling to help. Just so the Jews persistently behaved, despite +Moses' efforts to reconcile. Being also continually punished for +their perversity, they ought prudently to have abandoned their +murmurings; but they only murmured the more. + +24. The apostle's intent in the narration is to warn all who profess +to be Christians, or people of God, as we shall hear later. He holds +that the example of the Israelites ought deeply to impress us, +teaching us to continue in the fear of God and to be conscious of it, +and to guard against self-confidence. For God by the punishments +mentioned shows forcibly enough to the world that he will not trifle +with, nor excuse, our sin--as the world and our own flesh fondly +imagine--if we, under cover of his high and sacred name, dare despise +and pervert his Word; if we, actuated by presumptuous confidence in +our own wisdom, our own holiness and the gifts of God, follow our +private opinions, our own judgment and inclinations, and vainly +satisfy ourselves with the delusion: "God is not angry with me, one +so meritorious, so superior, in his sight." + +25. You learn here that God spared none of the great throng from +Egypt, among whom were many worthy and eminent individuals, even the +progenitors of Christ in the tribe of Judah. He visited terrible +punishment upon the distinguished princes and the leaders among the +priesthood and other classes, and that in the sight of the entire +people among whom he had performed so many marvelous wonders. Having +by Moses delivered them from temporal bondage in Egypt, and through +his office spiritually baptized and sanctified them; having given +Christ, to speak with, lead, defend and help them; having dealt +kindly with them as would a father with his children: yet he visits +terrible destruction upon these Jews because they have abused his +grace and brought forth no fruits of faith, and have become proud, +boasting themselves the people of God, children of Abraham and +circumcised, sole possessors of the promise of a Messiah, and +consequently sure of participating in the kingdom of God and enjoying +his grace. + +26. Now, as Paul teaches, if terrible judgment and awful punishment +came upon these illustrious and good people, let us not be proud and +presumptuous. We are far inferior to them and cannot hope, in these +last ages of the world, to know gifts and wonders as great and +glorious as they knew. Let us see ourselves mirrored in them and +profit by their example, being mindful that while we are privileged +to glory in Christ, in the forgiveness of sins and the grace of God, +we must be faithfully careful not to lose what we have received and +fall into the same condemnation and punishment before God which was +the fate of this people. For we have not yet completed our +pilgrimage; we have not arrived at the place toward which we journey. +We are still on the way and must constantly go forward in the +undertaking, in spite of dangers and hindrances that may assail. The +work of salvation is indeed begun in us, but as yet is incomplete. We +have come out of Egypt and have passed through the Red Sea; that is, +have been led out of the devil's dominion into the kingdom of God, +through Christian baptism. But we are not yet through the wilderness +and in the promised land. There is a possibility of our still +wandering from the way, into defeat, and missing salvation. + +27. Nothing is lacking on God's part; he has given us his Word and +the Sacraments, has bestowed the Spirit, given grace and the +necessary gifts, and is willing to help us even further. It rests +with ourselves not to fall from grace, not to thrust it from us +through unbelief, ingratitude, disobedience and contempt of God's +Word. For salvation is not to him who only begins well, but, as +Christ says (Mt 24, 13), "He that endureth to the end, the same shall +be saved." But the apostle continues: + +"Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were +written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come." + + +ISRAEL'S CAREER AN ADMONITION TO INDIVIDUALS. + +28. When you read or hear this historical example, the terrible +punishment the Jewish people suffered in the wilderness, think not it +is an obsolete record and without present significance. The narrative +is certainly not written for the dead, but for us who live. It is +intended to restrain us, to be a permanent example to the whole +Church. For God's dealings with his own flock are always the same, +from the beginning of time to the end. Likewise must the people of +God, or the Church, be always the same. This history is a portrait of +the Church in every age, representing largely its actual life--the +vital part; for it shows on what the success of the Church on earth +always depends and how it acts. The record teaches that the Church is +at all times wonderfully governed and preserved by God, without human +agency, in the midst of manifold temptations, trials, suffering and +defeat; that it does not exist as an established government regulated +according to human wisdom, with harmony of parts and logical action, +but is continually agitated, impaired and weakened in itself by much +confusion and numerous penalties; that the great and best part, who +bear the name of the Church, fall and bring about a state of things +so deplorable God can no longer spare, but is compelled to send +punishments in the nature of mutinies and similar disorders, the +terrible character of which leaves but a small proportion of the +people upright. + +29. Now, if such disaster befell the nation selected of God, chosen +from the first as his people, among whom he performed works marvelous +and manifest beyond anything ever known since, what better thing may +we expect for ourselves? Indeed, how much greater the danger +threatening us; how much reason we have to take heed that the same +fate, or worse, overtake not ourselves! + +With reference to the things chronicled in our text, Paul tells us: +"They were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages +are come." That is, we are now in the last and most evil of days, a +time bringing many awful dangers and severe punishments. It is +foretold in the Scriptures, predicted by Christ and the apostles, +that awful and distressing times will come, when there shall be wide +wanderings from the true faith and sad desolations of the Church. +And, alas, we see the prophecies only too painfully fulfilled in past +heresy, and later in Mohammedanism and the papacy. + +30. The era constituting the "last time" began with the apostles. The +Christians living since Christ's ascension constitute the people of +the latter times, the little company left for heaven; and we +gentiles, amidst the innumerable multitude of the ungodly generation +in the wide world, must experience worse calamities than befell the +Jews, who lived under the law of Moses and the Word of God, under an +admirable external discipline and a well-regulated government. Yet +even in this final age so near the end of time, when we should be +occupied with proclaiming the Gospel everywhere, the great multitude +are chiefly employed with boasting their Christian name. We see how +extravagantly the Pope extols his church, teaching that outside its +pale no Christians are to be found on earth, and that the entire +world must regard him as the head of the Church. + +31. True, his subjects were baptized unto Christ, called to the +kingdom of God and granted the Sacrament and the name of Christ. But +how do they conduct themselves? Under that superior name and honor, +they suppress Christ's Word and his kingdom. For more than a thousand +years now they have desolated the Church, and to this hour most +deplorably persecute it. On the other hand, great countries, vast +kingdoms, claiming to be Christian but disregarding the true doctrine +of faith, are punished by the Turk's desolating hand, and instead of +the incense of Christianity, with them is the revolting odor of +Mohammed's faith. + +32. Great and terrible was the punishment of the Jewish people. +Seemingly no disaster could befall man more awful than overtook them +in the wilderness. Yet it was physical punishment, and although many, +through unbelief and contempt of God, fell and incurred everlasting +condemnation, still the Word of God remained with a remnant--Moses +and the true Church. But the punishment of this last age is +infinitely more awful, for God permits the pure doctrine to be lost, +and sends strong delusions, that they who receive not the truth nor +love it shall believe falsehood and be eternally lost. 2 Thes 2, 10. +Such has been our reward; we have only too terribly suffered +punishment. And if we are not more thankful for the grace God extends +in his Word--a last gleam of light, on the point of extinction--we +shall meet with retribution even more appalling. + +"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." + +33. Here is summed up the teaching of the above examples. The sermon +is directed against the self-confident. Some there were among the +Christian Corinthians who boasted they were disciples of the great +apostles, and who had even received the Holy Spirit, but who stirred +up sects and desired to be commended in all their acts. To these Paul +would say: "No, dear brother, be not too secure, not too sure where +you stand. When you think you stand most firmly you are perhaps +nearest to falling, and you may fall too far to rise again. They of +the wilderness were worthy people and began well, doing great deeds, +yet they fell deplorably and were destroyed. Therefore, be cautious +and suffer not the devil to deceive you. You will need to be +vigilant, for you are in the flesh, which always strives against the +spirit; and you have the devil for enemy, and dangers and +difficulties beset you on all sides. Be careful lest you lose what +you have received. You have only made a beginning; the end is yet to +be attained." So we must be wary and steadfast, that we may, as Paul +has it, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Phil 2, +12. + +"There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear [such as +is common to man]: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be +tempted above that ye are able." + +34. Paul's meaning is: I must not terrify you too much. I would in a +measure comfort you. So far you have had no temptations greater than +flesh and blood offer. They have risen among yourselves--one holding +another in contempt, one doing another injustice; allowing adulteries +and other evils to creep in, which things are indeed not right nor +decent. You must resolve to reform in these things lest worse error +befall you. For should Satan get hold of you in earnest with his +false doctrine and spiritual delusions, his strong temptations of the +soul--contempt of God, for instance--such as assailed Peter and many +others of the saints, you could not stand. You are yet weak; you are +new and untried Christians. Then thank God who gives you strength to +bear your present temptations; who, to retain you, presents what is +best for you, admonishing you, through his Word, to be on your guard +against falling yet deeper into temptation. + + + + +_Tenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Corinthians 12, 1-11. + +1 Now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you +ignorant. 2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto +those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. 3 Wherefore I make known +unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is +anathema [accursed], and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the +Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same +Spirit. 5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same +Lord. 6 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who +worketh all things in all. 7 But to each one is given the +manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. 8 For to one is given +through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of +knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith, in the +same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; 10 +and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to +another discernings of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; +and to another the interpretation of tongues; 11 but all these +worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally +even as he will. + + +SPIRITUAL COUNSEL FOR CHURCH OFFICERS. + +1. This epistle selection treats of spiritual things, things which +chiefly pertain to the office of the ministry and concern the Church +authorities. Paul instructs how those in office should employ their +gifts for the benefit of one another and thus further the unity and +advancement of the Churches. Inharmony is a deplorable offense in the +case of Christians, putting them in the worst possible light, and +making it impossible for them to steer clear of factions. Divisions +are an offense to the world's wisest and best, who cry out, "If the +Christians' doctrine were true, they would preserve unity among +themselves, but as it is they envy and slander and devour one +another." For, though the world carries its own great beam in its +eye, it cannot refrain from judging us for our mote, and thus +exalting itself as if it were pure and beautiful. + + +PERFECT HARMONY NOT TO BE EXPECTED. + +2. Well, we cannot altogether prevent inharmony in the Church. Paul +says (1 Cor 11, 19), "For there must be also factions among you, that +they that are approved may be made manifest among you." Wherever the +Word of God has a foothold, there the devil will be. By the agency of +his factions he will always build his taverns and kitchens beside +God's house. So he did at first, in Paradise. In the family of Adam +he entrenched himself, establishing there his church. And such has +been his practice ever since, and doubtless will ever be. He who +takes offense at differences in the Church, who when he sees any +inharmony at once concludes there is no Church there, will in the end +miss both the Church and Christ. You will never find any congregation +of such purity that all its members are unanimous on every point of +belief and teaching and all live in perfect harmony. + +3. Paul had experience in this matter in the case of the beautiful +and famed Church at Corinth in Achaia, which he himself planted and +where he taught two years. Soon after his departure they began to +disagree about their preachers and to attach themselves to certain +ones--some to Paul, some to Peter, some to Apollos. Though these had +all taught correctly, though they had been unanimous in their +doctrine, yet men would cleave to a certain one because he was more +or differently gifted than the others, could speak better, or was +more attractive in personal appearance. And among the ministers of +the Church, if one had a special gift or office, he thought he ought +to be a little better and a little greater than the others. +Necessarily, from such division and inharmony, grew hatred, strife +and jealousy, resulting in great injury and disorder to the Church. + +4. We must, then, so far as possible, guard against this fatal evil, +though we cannot altogether keep it out of the Church. Were we to +offer no resistance at all, the devil would seize all authority and +bring every element into discord. But when we resist Satan, God will +continue to extend his grace and favor, and some fruit and +improvement will follow. Even were it not possible for us to +accomplish anything, yet as faithful ministers we must not keep +silent if we would not be regarded indolent hirelings who flee when +the wolf comes. See Jn 10, 12. + +5. Such is the tenor of this text from Paul. He begins by preaching +on spiritual gifts and admonishing the Corinthians how to conduct +themselves in respect to them. In proportion to the greatness and +excellence of the gifts are flesh and blood inclined to discord and +to coveting personal honor. Let one have a good understanding of the +Scriptures and be able to explain them, or let him have the power to +work miracles, and he will soon begin to have an extravagantly good +opinion of himself, deeming himself worthy the honor of all men, +desiring the multitude to follow only him, and positively refusing to +regard anyone his equal. He will seek to create something new in +doctrine, to change the old order, as if he could introduce something +better than others, who must be infinitely below him or at least his +inferiors. + +6. The same thing has taken place in our day--and will continue to +take place--with respect to the Gospel. But through the grace of God +that Gospel is brought to light again, and rightly instructs and +harmonizes the people. The devil, unable to rest, had to rouse his +factious rabble, his selfish souls, who desired the name of being +superior and inspired people, a people who could preach, write and +explain the Scriptures better than others; for they had learned a +little from us. They conceded that the Gospel had indeed made a +beginning, had somewhat purified ecclesiastical doctrine, but claimed +it had not gone far enough; it was necessary that greater improvement +be made--Church doctrine must be brought to far greater perfection. +But as Paul says (1 Cor 3, 11), they could, with their doctrine, lay +no other foundation, could preach no other Christ, than the Christ of +the Gospel. Nevertheless, they pretended to teach something better +and higher. They hindered and perverted the true doctrine. Their work +could not be called building up the faith, but was rather breaking up +and destroying its foundation and leading the people back into error +and blindness. So Paul begins his admonition in these words: + +"Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb +idols, howsoever ye might be led." + +7. Paul reminds the Corinthians of their manner of life before they +became Christians, for he would have them pause to think that their +gifts, past and present, are not of their own procuring, nor are any +gifts bestowed upon them because of merit on their part. It is his +intent to restrain them from pride in their gifts and from +disputations concerning them; to keep them from divisions and from +pretending to teach and introduce into the Church something new and +better. But at the same time he deals a blow to those who take +offense at inharmony among Christians. + +8. "Recall, all of you," Paul would say, "your manner of life before +you came to Christ. What were you? Mere darkened heathen, having no +knowledge of God but suffering yourselves blindly to be led by anyone +who should say aught to you of God. All your devotion was but a +discordant worship. Each one--even the child in the cradle, the +infant at the mother's breast--must find his own idol wherever he +might turn." St. Augustine tells us that the city of Rome alone had +more than four hundred gods, and that it erected a church for all the +gods in the world, which building still stands--the Pantheon. + +"These superstitions," Paul's words imply, "you followed as you were +led; you flocked after them, praying and sacrificing, hanging your +hearts upon dumb idols which could not teach and advise you, could +not comfort, relieve or help you. In return for your devotion you +obtained only the privilege of being a blind, wretched, divided, +miserable people, unable to fortify yourselves against any error, and +allowing yourselves to be distracted by the advocate of any doctrine. +You were like a flock of helpless sheep scattered by wolves. + +9. "But now you have been turned from that manifold idolatry to the +one true worship and have been enlightened by God's Word. More than +that, in Christ have been bestowed upon you great and glorious +gifts--discerning of the Scriptures, diversities of tongues, power to +work miracles--things impossible to the world. It is unmistakably +evident that you embrace the true God, who does not, like dumb idols, +leave you to wander in the error of your own speculations, +uncounseled by the Word; a living God, who speaks to you that you may +know what to expect from him, and works among you publicly and +visibly. + +"Therefore, it is not for you to make divisions among yourselves +after the manner of the heathen as you see in the great Babel +confusion and divisions of the world, where no one agrees with +another, where one runs to this his idol and another to that, each +claiming superiority for his own. Knowing that you all embrace the +one true God and his Word, you are to hold together in one faith and +one mind, not disagreeing among yourselves as if you had a variety of +gods, of faiths, of baptisms, spirits and salvations." + + +CAVILERS THEMSELVES LED ASTRAY. + +10. Paul speaks with particular plainness to the fault-finding and +insolent cavilers against Christians and to other factious leaders +when he says, "Ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye +might be led." This class peremptorily judge and criticise the life +and doctrine of the Church because they see therein a measure of +defects, and even some divisions and disagreements; notwithstanding +the fact is plainly evident to them that the Church possesses the +Word of God in purity, a knowledge of Christ, an illumined +understanding of God's will and his grace, and true comfort for all +distress of conscience, and that, in addition to all these, the Holy +Spirit manifestly operates with them. At the same time, these same +uncalled-for and self-constituted critics would never have been able +to say anything about the Christian religion had they not witnessed +that religion in the little company of Christians who have the Word +of God and the Spirit's gifts. + +11. These fault-finders were individuals who, undoubtedly to a +greater extent than others, suffered themselves to be blindly led in +whatever way was pointed out, and who gave credence to what was +taught and preached to them concerning the way to serve God, yet who +all the time were but worshipers of dumb idols, possessing not the +Word of God and having no witness to the truth of their faith and +their works. Each believed and followed the devices of his own +imagination or the popular choice. No man was able to teach anything +certain and steadfast, anything to give the heart satisfaction and +perfect security. They continually changed from one thing to another, +accepting every new thing presented as real worship and true +doctrine. + +12. And the world, ever from the beginning, has had naught but dumb +idols in the countless forms of worship offered to the numerous +gods--gods which never existed, but of which images were made and to +which divine honors were shown. Worship has been rendered to the mere +names of misfortune, disaster and disease, of all sorts; yes, to +insects, and to garlic and onions even. Yet, in the practice of all +this idolatry, supposed to be evidence of great holiness, each one +sacrificing to the idol of his choice--in it all no one could have +the assurance of being heard and answered by his god. Men had no word +or sign of the divine will or work; they possessed naught but a vain +dream and delusion of the human imagination; man devised and made his +own idols. + +13. And what did we under the papacy but walk blindly? We suffered +ourselves to be led just as we were directed by the names of God and +the saints. I was myself a pious monk and priest, holding mass daily, +wherein I worshiped St. Barbara, St. Anna, St. Christopher and +others--more saints than the calendar mentions, some of whom no one +knew anything about. I had no knowledge of Christ, I knew not why I +should find comfort in him nor what I should expect of him. I was as +much afraid of him as of the devil himself, regarding him more a +stern Judge than a Saviour. How many shameful pilgrimages were made +to dead idols of wood and stone, images of Mary and of the saints! +How many were the pilgrimages to the graves of the dead, and to bones +called "holy relics"! These relics were mere open deception, devised +by shameless impostors; yet such worship was established by popes and +bishops, and indulgences granted therefor. + +14. How many new saints, new brotherhoods, new psalms to Mary, and +new rosaries and crowns did the monks daily invent? In fact, +everything each individual monk might dream of had to be a special +form of worship, and no one inquired whether or not it was at all +authorized by God's Word. When we had done all, we were uncertain +that we had pleased God. What was this sort of worship but a worship +of dumb idols in the place of the living God--idols which could not +talk with us and could not give any definite information or comfort, +but left the people fettered and ruined with eternal doubts? + + +FAITH IN THE ONE CHRIST PRODUCTIVE OF UNITY. + +15. But Christians, as Paul says, have not a dead and dumb god, for +which the Lord be praised! Nor will we countenance such idols. We +have a living, speaking God, who gives us his infallible Word. We +know how he is disposed toward us and what we may expect from him; +namely: through faith in Christ we have forgiveness of sins and are +his beloved children; and as evidence of acceptance with God, we have +baptism and the Holy Supper, the office and gifts of the Holy Spirit, +by which he works in our hearts. We know that in the faith of Christ +our works and lives are pleasing to God, and that he will hear and +help when in our distress and weakness we cry unto him. + +16. Where this confidence obtains, where hearts enjoy such faith, +there will be unity in the Church; for verily no one then will allow +himself to be led into the manifold doctrines of insensible idols. +But dissensions, sects and divisions are sure signs that the true +doctrine is either ignored or misunderstood, men thus being left in a +condition to be "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind +of doctrine," as Paul says (Eph 4, 14); which is indisputably the +case with these same schismatics who condemn the Church and her +doctrines because of some discordant ones. + +The schismatics show by their very instability that they do not +embrace the true, uniform and established doctrine, nor can exhibit +any substitute for it. They refuse to see that in cases where the +Christian doctrine does not obtain, there is only blindness, +distraction and confusion, and warring factions and sects, none +agreeing with another, each claiming to be better than the other. +Numerous have been the sects of monks, and of saints of the Pope and +his god the devil, no two of which agreed. Each class regarded its +own whims and speculations, and claimed to be holier than the others. +The Pope, however, gave validity to them all, granting great +indulgence to these factious fraternities. And I am not saying +anything of other discords in the papacy--among the monasteries and +in the parishes, and between these and the cloisters everywhere, +perpetual quarreling, rioting and bitter contention. Such is +inevitably the case when righteousness and divine worship are made to +consist in external self-devised works and forms, for then each +individual, pleased with his own ideas, thinks his way right; under +such circumstances, there can never be unanimity of opinion as to +what is right and the best. + +17. "From these numerous sources of disunion and idolatry," Paul +would say to the Corinthians, "you are now delivered. You know you +embrace the real Word of God, the true faith. You worship one God, +one Lord, and enjoy the same grace, the same Spirit, the same +salvation. You need not seek other forms and ceremonies as essential +to salvation--wearing a white or a gray cowl, refraining from this or +that food, forbearing to touch certain things. No diversity of +external service, of persons, offices and conditions, destroys the +unity in Christ. + +"But take heed to continue in unity, to hold fast to it. +Unquestionably, you should be made wiser by the experience you have +had with error; in the future you ought to be prudent, and watchful +against being allured from the unity of this settled mind and true +faith into your former blindness again. But so it will certainly +befall you if you forget such grace and seek your own honor and +praise more than the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and his gifts, and +come to despise one another and to conduct yourselves as if you had +many and not the same God, the same Christ, the same Spirit. God's +gifts cannot be different from, but must be one with his nature, and +hence he cannot give to one a better Gospel or a different baptism +from that given another." + +In short, Paul teaches there must be unity in Christ, otherwise we +have no Christ, no God and Holy Spirit, no grace nor salvation; as +the next verse emphasizes. + +"Wherefore I make known unto you that no man speaking in the Spirit +of God saith, Jesus is anathema [calleth Jesus accursed]; and no man +can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." + +18. "Why make divisions and differences," Paul inquires, "in the +doctrine and faith of the Church, which rests wholly upon the one +Christ? In him you are to be one if you are Christians at all; you +must harmoniously praise him, according to your individual gifts. No +one can possibly possess the Holy Spirit if he does not regard Christ +as the Lord, much less if he call him accursed. Destroy the +foundation and you destroy all; there will be no God, no Spirit, and +all your claims, teaching and works are naught. You must recognize +and be governed by the fact that either Christ must be received and +believed in as the one true Lord, and praised and glorified as such, +or else he will be cursed; between these alternatives is no medium." + + +THE SPIRIT, THE TEST OF THE TRUE TEACHER. + +It is easy, then, to judge the doctrine of every official teacher of +the Christian Church. No one need resort to faction, no one need gaze +hither and thither in uncertainty and hesitate as to which gift or +which person is most to be regarded. We are to make the doctrine of +this verse the standard and authority as to what and how we preach +concerning Christ. He who speaks by inspiration of the Holy Spirit +certainly will not curse Christ; he will glorify and praise him. So +doing, he surely will not teach error, or give occasion for +divisions. If his teaching is not to the glory of God, you may safely +conclude that he is not true, not inspired by the Holy Spirit. + +19. Thus Paul rejects the glorying and boasting of the sects over +their offices and gifts--they who pretend to be filled with the +Spirit and to teach the people correctly, and who make out that Paul +and other teachers are of no consequence. Themselves the chief of +apostles, the people must hear them and accept their baptism. More +than that, they demand a higher attainment in the Spirit for Gospel +ministers, deeming faith, the Sacrament and the outward office not +sufficient. + +But Paul says: "Boast as you will about the great measure of the +Spirit you possess, it is certain that the Spirit-inspired teacher +will not curse Christ." In other words, such boasting of the Spirit +will not answer the purpose. What you believe and teach concerning +Christ must receive attention. You are either reproaching and cursing +Jesus, or praising him and owning him your Lord. If your preaching +and teaching fail to point to Christ, something else being offered, +and you nevertheless boast of the Spirit, you are already judged: the +spirit you boast is not the Holy Spirit, not the true Spirit, but a +false one. To it we are not to listen. Rather we are to condemn it to +the abyss of hell, as Paul declares (Gal 1, 8), saying: "But though +we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any Gospel other +than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema." + +20. When Paul here speaks of calling Jesus accursed, he does not only +have reference to openly blaspheming or cursing Christ's name or +person after the manner of heathen and of ungodly Jews; with them +Paul has nothing to do here, nor are the Corinthians supposed to be +of that character. Paul refers rather to the Christian who, though +boasting of the Holy Spirit, does not preach Christ as the ground of +our salvation as he should, but, neglecting this truth, points the +soul away to something else, pretending that this substitute is of +the Holy Spirit and is something better and more essential than the +common doctrine of the Gospel. + +All such teachers are in reality simply guilty of condemning, +reproaching and cursing Christ, though themselves bearing and +boasting that name. To slight Christ's Word and ministry, and exalt +in their stead other things as mediums for obtaining the Holy Spirit +and eternal life, or at least as being equally efficacious and +essential--what is this but scorning Christ and making him of no +consequence? Indeed, according to Hebrews 6, 6 and 10, 29, it is +crucifying the Son of God afresh, and treading under foot his blood. + +21. Christ himself explains the office and ministry of the Holy +Spirit--what he is to teach in the Church--saying (Jn 15, 26), "He +shall bear witness of me." Again (Jn 16, 14): "He shall glorify me: +for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you." The tongue +of a minister of Christ--the language he employs--must be of that +simplicity which preaches naught but Christ. If he is to testify of +the Saviour and glorify him, he cannot present other things whereby +Christ would be ignored and robbed of his glory. He who does so, +certainly is not inspired by the Holy Spirit, even though he possess +great gifts and be called a teacher, a bishop, a pope, a council, an +apostle even--yes, an angel from heaven. There were among the +Corinthians some who thus neglected to preach only Christ, and +presented instead the apostles, making choice of them--one Cephas, +another Apollos and a third Paul. + +And just so our monks have done. They have in a way highly extolled +Jesus, have in words honored and worshiped his name and used it to +clothe all their lying nonsense and idolatry. For instance, they +exalt Mary as the mother of Jesus and Anna as his grandmother. But +they have thus torn men's hearts away from Christ, turning over to +Mary and the saints the honor due him alone, and teaching the people +to invoke these as mediators and intercessors having power to protect +us in the hour of death. This is substituting dumb idols for Christ. +No saint has ever taught such things; still less does the Word of God +enjoin them. Thus the monks really curse and insult Christ. + +22. The Pope, throughout his whole administration, has been guilty of +such insult to Christ, notwithstanding his boast that his kingdom +represents the Christian Church, that he truly possesses the Holy +Spirit and that his decrees and ordinances must be respected. Nothing +can dissuade the Papists from their practice. They ever boast of +being led by the Spirit, yet their vaunting is mere malediction, not +only of Christ in person, but of his Word and his sacraments. For +they openly condemn, and denounce as heresy, the doctrine of the +Gospel, which Gospel assures us that to Christ alone we owe the +unmerited forgiveness of our sins; they condemn also the use of the +sacraments according to Christ's command and institution. And they +destroy the people who thus offend them. + +The fact is, the Pope has in our doctrine nothing to curse but Jesus +Christ, its foundation and principle, expressed by his Word and +sacraments. The same is true of other factions--the Anabaptists and +similar sects. What else do they but slander baptism and the Lord's +Supper when they pretend that the external Word and outward +sacraments do not benefit the soul, that the Spirit alone can do +that? But in these matters you have Paul's sure word of judgment to +strengthen your faith. You may be assured that the factions of the +Pope and other sects are not, as they boast, the Church of Christ, +but accursed schisms of the devil. The true Church, the righteous +bride of Christ, certainly will not curse him nor persecute his Word. +Let no one be moved by hearing men loudly boast about Christ after +the manner of the false apostles who called themselves disciples of +the true apostles of Jesus, and claimed that certain of their number +had even seen Christ in person. The Saviour himself warns us against +this class when he says (Mt 24, 5-24), "Many shall come in my name +... and shall show wonders"; and (Mt 7, 21), "Not every one that +saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." + + +HOLY SPIRIT ALONE GIVES ASSURANCE. + +23. Paul has the same thought here when he says, "No man can say, +Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." To call Jesus "Lord" is to +confess one's self his servant and to seek his honor alone; to act as +his messenger or the bearer of his Word and command. Paul's reference +here is chiefly to the office representative of Christ and bearing +his Word. Where the office answers these conditions and points to +Christ as the Lord, it is truly the message of the Holy Spirit, even +though the occupant of the office does not in his own person possess +the Spirit; the office itself is essentially the Holy Spirit. +Hypocrisy and invention have no place here. One must proceed in +sincerity if he would be certain he is Christ's minister, or apostle, +and really handles his Word. Only the inspiration of the Holy Spirit +can give one this assurance. + +24. All Christians--each in his own work or sphere--equally may call +Christ "Lord." One may be assured he serves Christ if he can call him +"Lord," for only by the Holy Spirit is he enabled to do that. Let him +try for a single day--from morning until evening--whether or no he +can truly say at all times that he is the servant of God and of +Christ in what he does. When delivering a sermon or listening to one, +when baptizing a child or bringing a child to baptism, when pursuing +your daily home duties, ask yourself if the act is attended by such +faith that you can, without misgiving and not hypocritically nor +mechanically, boast--and if necessary die by your word--that you +serve and please Christ therein. This is calling Christ "Lord." +Unquestionably you will often feel your heart doubting and trembling +over the matter. + +25. In the papacy we were altogether hindered from feeling thus +confident--yes, frightened from it by accursed scepticism. No one +could--no one dared--say, "I know I am a servant, a bondsman, of +Christ, and that my conduct pleases him." Flesh and blood are too +weak to obtain this glorious confidence; the Holy Spirit is +essential. Reason and our own hearts cry out in protest: "Alas, I am +far too evil and unworthy! How could I be proud and presumptuous +enough to boast myself the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ? I might +if I were as holy as St. Peter, St. Paul and others." + +26. I used often to wonder that St. Ambrose was so bold as, in his +letters, to call himself a servant of Jesus Christ. I supposed we all +ought to be terrified at thoughts of this kind, and that none but the +apostles might boast of such honor. But the fact is, we must all say +to Christ: "Thou art my Lord and I am thy servant; for I believe on +thee and aspire to be with thee and all the faithful and to possess +thy Word and Sacrament." Otherwise Christ will not acknowledge us. + + +CHRISTIANS TO GIVE ALL GLORY TO GOD. + +It is written (Mt 4, 10)--indeed, it is the first commandment--"Thou +shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." There +Christ requires of us, under the penalty of forfeiting eternal life, +to honor him as our Lord and so to regulate our lives that we shall +know we serve him. Peter also teaches (1 Pet 4, 11) that all the +Christian's words and deeds should be regarded not as his own, but as +God's. The word and the act are to be of the ability which God gives, +that in it all God may be glorified. Of necessity this condition can +obtain only through the Holy Spirit. + +27. In this point--the glorification of Christ--do the true +Christians distinguish themselves from false Christians, hypocrites +and factious spirits, who likewise triumphantly boast of the Spirit +and of their divine office. But the vanity of their boasting is +evident from the fact that they do not hold to the doctrine that +glorifies Christ, but preach that which leads to other evils and +deceives; yes, which condemns and persecutes the right doctrine and +the true faith of Christ. Further evidence of the emptiness of their +boasting is apparent in the fact that they have no conscious +testimony that they serve Christ, nor can their followers give +assurance on the same point. You have here the clear sentence of Paul +declaring this class devoid of the Holy Spirit and thus separated +from the true Church and from Christians. He exhorts us to be on our +guard against them, and would bring Christians together in one faith +and under one Lord and Spirit. Now he teaches how to employ rightly +the manifold gifts of a united Church for the general benefit of its +members. + +"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." + +28. "In former time, when you were heathen, you followed many kinds +of idolatrous worship, many doctrines and spirits; but it was only a +divided religion, and representative of blindness and error. Now, +however, you possess various beautiful divine gifts and offices. +These are mutually related and all emanate, not from man's reason or +faculties, but from the one true God. They are his work--the +expression of his power. Notwithstanding the dissimilarity of gifts, +offices and works, of a certain order in one and otherwise in +another, many and few, great and small, weak and strong--notwithstanding +all, we are not to divide the Spirit, God and faith; we are not to +create factions, exalting this individual or that one solely because of +his gifts, and despising others. All gifts are direct from one God, one +Lord, one Spirit, and to serve the same purpose--to bring men to the +knowledge of the one God and to build up the Church in the unity of +faith. Therefore, you are united in the one doctrine, your object being +to serve God and the Church in a harmonious way." This verse is briefly +the substance of all that follows in the text. + + +THE TRINITY. + +29. Paul presents three different points: "Diversities of gifts, but +the same Spirit;" "diversities of administrations, and the same +Lord;" "diversities of workings, but the same God." Unquestionably, +Paul touches the article of faith concerning the Trinity, or three +persons in the Divine Essence, and shows that both Christ and the +Holy Spirit are true God and yet different in person from the Father +and from each other. He teaches the same elsewhere (1 Cor 8, 5-6), +saying: "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven +or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; yet to us there +is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and +one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through +him." + +30. In the text before us, the apostle likewise distinguishes the +three--one God, one Lord, one Spirit. He assigns to each the +particular operation whereby he manifests himself. One is God the +Father, and from him as the origin and first person emanates all +power. Another is the Lord, Christ the Son of God, who as the head of +the Church appoints all offices. The third is the Spirit, who +produces and dispenses all gifts in the Church. Yet all three are of +one divine, almighty and eternal essence. They are of the same name, +and are truly one since God must be an indivisible essence. + +To each individual is attributed only the characteristics of the +Divine Majesty. As he who is the source of all operative power in the +Church and in the entire creation is true God; so also must the Lord +who appoints all offices, and the Spirit who confers all gifts, be +true God. No creature is able to impart spiritual offices and gifts; +that is impossible to any but God. These three--God, Lord and +Spirit--are not Gods of unlike nature, but one in divine essence. The +Lord is no other God than God the Father; and the Spirit is none +other than God and the Lord. But more on this topic elsewhere. + + +SPIRITUAL GIFTS SPECIFIED. + +31. The names and nature of the spiritual gifts, the apostle here +specifies. He names wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, power to discern +spirits, capacity to speak with tongues and to interpret, +extraordinary gifts of faith, and power to work miracles. "The word +of wisdom" is the doctrine which teaches a knowledge of God, +revealing his will, counsel and design. It embraces every article of +belief and justification. The world knows nothing of this loftiest, +most exalted gift of the Spirit. + + +THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE. + +The "word of knowledge" also teaches of the outward life and +interests of the Christian: how we are to conduct ourselves toward +all others, making a profitable use of the Gospel doctrine according +as necessity of time and person demands; it teaches us the wisest +course toward the weak and the strong, the timid and the obstinate. + + +THE GIFT OF PROPHECY. + +The gift of prophecy is the ability to rightly interpret and explain +the Scriptures, and powerfully to reveal therefrom the doctrine of +faith and the overthrow of false doctrine. The gift of prophecy +includes, further, the ability to employ the Scriptures for +admonition and reproof, for imparting strength and comfort, by +pointing out, on the one hand, the certainty of future indignation, +vengeance and punishment for the unbelieving and disobedient, and on +the other hand presenting divine aid and reward to godly believers. +Thus did the prophets with the Word of God, both the Law and the +promises. + + +THE GIFT OF FAITH. + +32. Paul is making mention of gifts not common to all. Only to +certain ones are they given, and the gifts in themselves are unlike. +"To another faith," he says, "to another workings of miracles, and to +another prophecy." In "faith" here the reference is not to ordinary +faith in Christ which brings justification before God and forgiveness +of sin; such faith is essentially the property of every Christian, +even if they do not possess the particular gifts here enumerated. +Paul is speaking of a particular virtue or power of the Spirit +operating in the Church, whereby certain ones can effect great and +glorious things by reason of their remarkable and confident courage; +as instanced in Paul's words later on (1 Cor 13, 2), "If I have all +faith, so as to remove mountains." + +To work such wonders, a very strong and sure faith is certainly +necessary. An unwavering, vigorous, courageous faith may accomplish a +special work in the name and power of Christ although the worker may +not himself be truly repentant nor possess the right kind of faith to +secure forgiveness of sins and grace in Christ. He may be a +hypocrite, a false saint. Christ says (Mt 7, 22), "Many will say to +me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by +thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?" It +is true that such gifts are exercised, such works performed, in the +name of Christ, and that the gifts are granted to none but +individuals in the Church of Christ, and yet the possessor may not be +altogether righteous, may even be a false Christian. For the effects +wrought do not emanate from the individual but from the office he +represents, being the operation of the Spirit given in behalf of the +Church. Thus, as occupants of the office and by virtue of the Church, +these persons perform many and great works, benefiting not themselves +but others. + +33. Paul says of all these, "There are diversities of gifts, but the +same Spirit," by way of admonishing us against creating sects. The +Spirit is equally effective through him whose gifts are few and less +significant and through him of remarkable gifts. And as with gifts, +so it is with workings and ministrations. + + +MEANING OF "WORKINGS." + +34. The term "workings," or operations, has reference to remarkable +works of God wrought through certain individuals in an exceptional +way. For instance, he grants to Paul a ministerial office of unusual +influence: Paul is permitted to convert more souls than other +apostles, to perform more wonders and accomplish more. He says +himself (1 Cor 15, 10) that by the grace of God he labored more +abundantly than all. + + +MEANING OF "ADMINISTRATIONS." + +35. The meaning of "administrations" is easily apparent. Office is an +ordained and essential feature of every government. It represents +various duties imposed and commanded by sovereign authority. It may +have reference to the duties enjoined upon a society collectively, in +the service of others. There are various offices in the Church; for +instance, one individual is an apostle, another an evangelist, +another a teacher, as Paul mentions in Ephesians 4, 11. And as he +says in First Corinthians 14, 26 and also hints in this text, the +office of one is to read the Scriptures in different languages, of +another to interpret and explain. So it was ordained in the Church at +that time, and similarly today are ordained certain offices--of +pastors, preachers, deacons or priests, their duties being to hear +confessions, to administer the Sacrament, and so on. + +36. Not every Christian is obliged, nor is able, to execute such +duties; only upon certain ones are they enjoined. "Administrations" +differ from what Paul terms "workings" and gifts. There have ever +been many Christians who, though possessing the Holy Spirit, were not +"administrators;" for instance, virgins and wives--Agnes Anastasia +and others--and martyrs, many of whom wrought miracles and had other +gifts. True, both gifts and workings are imparted chiefly for the +execution of Christian duties. It is essential here, especially in +the superior office of preaching, that the occupant be peculiarly +qualified for the place. The preacher must be able to understand and +explain the Scriptures and be familiar with the languages. It is +necessary to the effectiveness of his labors that he be accompanied +by God's operative power. Thus the three--gifts, workings, +administrations--are harmonious features of one divine government in +the Church; Christ is the Lord, who regulates and maintains the +offices, while God works and the Holy Spirit bestows his gifts. + + +DIVERSITY OF GIFTS NO REASON FOR SECTS. + +37. As we said, offices are many and varied, even as one gift is +greater than another: an apostle, for instance, is superior to a +teacher or expounder, while the office of a baptizer is inferior to +that of a preacher. Yet notwithstanding, we are to remember, Paul +says, that all are ordained of the same Lord, and the occupant of a +superior office is not to consider himself any better by reason of +his position and to despise others. He must bear in mind that all +serve the same Lord, the least as well as the greatest, and +consequently the holder of the inferior office is not necessarily +inferior with his Lord, nor the executor of the higher office greater +with him. Christ is ever Lord of all; one belongs as much to his +realm as another. Therefore he will have no divisions and sects over +this point; rather he wills that such diversity of gifts and offices +be promotive of unity. + +38. When I preach and you listen, we are not exercising the same gift +and office, yet you as truly serve Christ by listening as I by +preaching. If you preach, explain the Scriptures, baptize, comfort or +aught else, through you works the same Christ who works through +another. All is wrought in obedience to the order of him who commands +me to hear his Word as well as to preach to you, and to exercise the +same faith and Spirit with you. Thus all alike praise the one Lord. +You say, "The Word I hear is the true Word of God," and I as a +preacher prove and declare the very same thing. When I baptize, +administer the Sacrament or absolve, and you accept my +administrations, we are both engaged in the service of the same Lord +and harmoniously execute his command. You and I, however, so far as +office and gifts are considered, may be of different capacities. + +39. A peculiarity of the Christian profession, and the chief point of +distinction between Christians and the heathen, is their recognition +of the fact that workings, offices and gifts are of God, Christ the +Lord and the Holy Spirit. The world does not perceive this truth, +though it, too, enjoys the gifts of God. For God remembers all his +creatures, though, like swine that enter the trough on all fours with +no thought but of eating and rooting therein, not even lifting their +eyes, they cannot raise their thoughts to the source of all their +good and have not a thought as to whom they should thank for it. He +who is not a Christian comes before God in an insensible and beastly +attitude. The world is but a pen of animals indifferent to the +kingdom of God and with no idea of gratitude for his rich +beneficence, his gifts for body and soul. The worldly seek only their +husks and their troughs. To these they cleave like fattening swine +intended for slaughter. Jeremiah (ch. 12, 3) says concerning the +ungodly, who with great satisfaction persecute the righteous: "Pull +them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day +of slaughter." + +40. God gives the ungodly mighty kingdoms, riches, lands and houses, +making them to enjoy greatness and abundance. But when the swine are +fed and fat, the question of bacon and sausage introduces a struggle. +A slaughterer--a sausage-maker--appears, perchance, to slaughter the +swine in their sty; one comes desolating the country, overthrowing +the kingdom, destroying people and all; for, desiring to be but +swine, the people must be destroyed like swine. Even though the world +have personal knowledge of such punishment, it continues its course +so long as possible--until the slaughterer comes. Swine remain swine; +they are capable of standing ever unmoved by their trough, one +perfectly indifferent if another be struck dead before its eyes. + + +CHRISTIANS RECOGNIZE THE DIVINE SOURCE OF THEIR GIFTS. + +41. Christians, however, though obliged to live among swine and to be +at times trampled under foot and rooted about, have nevertheless +surpassing glory; for they can look up and intelligently behold their +Lord and his gifts. They are not of the pen of swine intended only +for slaughter; they know themselves children of God, adorned by him +with gifts and graces not merely temporal. They are conscious that, +having given them body and life--for these they realize are not of +their own obtaining--he will also supply their further needs, +providing for them forever. + +42. Christians are able to recognize even God's least blessing as +most precious, as truly excellent; not only because it comes from +him, but because of its inherent value. No one who recognizes even +temporal blessings would give an eye, or a less important member of +the body, to redeem the riches of the entire world. How much loftier +and more precious to the Christian are the spiritual gifts concerning +which Paul here speaks--gifts bestowed as means unto salvation! The +baptizing of a child or the absolution of a penitent makes no great +show, but were the office viewed in the true light, the bestowed +treasure rightly appreciated, all the officers, authority and riches +of kings and emperors would be nothing at all in comparison. + +43. Regarding the baptizer--who may be a woman even--and the +baptized, we certainly can see nothing wonderful. The humanity in the +case does not effect any great work; the work is wrought by him who +is God, Lord and Spirit. It is he who gives to the office power and +greatness above that of all emperors, kings and lords, however +inferior the instrumentality--the occupants of the sacred offices. By +these ministrations souls are won from the devil, snatched out of +hell and transformed into saints blessed forever. Person and office +may be apparently inferior, but the office is of God and God is no +inferior being. His greatness cannot be equaled by a hundred thousand +worlds. He accomplishes things incomprehensible to the world and +impossible to angels. + +The combined efforts of all creation could not produce baptism. Were +the world to unite in baptizing an infant, the infant would receive +no good therefrom unless God the Lord commanded the deed. Let the +Sultan be many thousands of times more powerful than at present and +he could not, with all his riches, his dominion and peoples, free +himself or any other from the power of the least sin. He could not +effectively pronounce the absolution, "God has forgiven you your +sins." For the Sultan has neither gift, office nor work; indeed, he +knows nothing about them. They belong to God alone, though human +mouths and hands are instrumental therein. + +44. Note why Paul boasts of the fact that God bestows such great +blessings. It is that Christians may discern them and thank him; and +that such discernment may lead them to serve one another in humility, +with mutual faith and love, each one learning to praise God fervently +wherever he beholds God's gifts and offices operative in the Church, +and to esteem them as he would esteem God himself. For, +unquestionably, none would possess office and gifts had not God +ordained and bestowed them. + +45. How we have exalted our own nonsense--pilgrimages, cloisters, +cords, cowls, running to the dead in the wilderness and so on! But to +what purpose? What benefit have we derived therefrom, notwithstanding +we walked until our feet were bleeding, and watched and fasted and +tormented ourselves to death? Such a life, it is true, may be called +holy, divine, yet it is not at all the gift, the work, the office, of +God. No God, no Lord, no Spirit, is in that practice. God has nowhere +commanded such a life. We have devised it and may reward and help +ourselves for so doing. We cannot boast his authority for it nor find +divine comfort therein. + +But the discerning Christian can with satisfaction boast on this +wise: "My baptism or my absolution is not of my own devising or +ordaining, nor of another man's. It is of Christ my Lord. For here is +his command ordaining the office: 'Go ye therefore, and make +disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the +Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' Mt 28, 19. Upon +authority of the office, work and gift here presented, I can boast +and be strong in faith against the devil and all the gates of hell; +otherwise I cannot withstand Satan for one moment. He would not be +afraid of me and my works though I should be able to boast of having +lived seventy years as a member of a holy order, serving God every +day and hour, praying, fasting, and so on." + +46. The devil hurls both person and work, as he finds them, into the +abyss of hell. If he ask you where God has commanded such works as +yours, you have no answer. But let him hear you boast in the +confident faith God's command inspires: "I have received from Christ +my Lord baptism and absolution; of this I am certain, and what I do +is done at his command and by his power"--let him hear that and he is +forced immediately to leave you. He must flee, not from your person +or works, but from Christ's office and gifts found with you. + +47. Paul presents these thoughts to teach us what we Christians have +from God in the three forms, blessings superior to those enjoyed by +all others in the world. The apostle would have us be grateful for +these things and make use of them in a spirit of Christian love. He +desires that the possessor of gifts devote them to the service of +others. He teaches we are to honor God in the gifts another +possesses; that we are highly to esteem them, remembering they are +not of man's production, not wrought of man's ability or skill, but +are the offices, gifts and works of God. They are not the inferior +and trivial things they seem to the world because making no show and +noise. God does not give unredeemable coin or empty shells and mere +husks. His gifts and works in his Church must effect inexpressible +results, taking souls from the jaws of the devil and translating them +into eternal life and glory. + + + + +_Eleventh Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Corinthians 15, 1-10. + +1 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached +unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which +also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto +you, except ye believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of +all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins +according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he +hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and +that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; 6 then he appeared to +above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain +until now, but some are fallen asleep; 7 then he appeared to James; +then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the child untimely +born, he appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, +that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the +church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his +grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored +more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which +was with me. + + +PAUL'S WITNESS TO CHRIST'S RESURRECTION. + +This text is fully explained in the sermons on the entire chapter, +which have been published separately. He who desires may read them +there. It speaks almost exclusively of the resurrection of the dead, +and therefore ought properly to be read and preached at the Easter +season. The reason of its selection for this Sunday seems to be that +the latter part of it corresponds with the Gospel for this Sunday. + +For Saint Paul, though he was an exalted apostle, and had labored in +that office more than all the others together, boasts not of his own +deeds, as did the proud Pharisee. Like the poor publican he confessed +his sin and unworthiness, and ascribed all that he is to the grace of +God alone, which made a Christian and an apostle of him who had been +a persecutor. + + + + +_Twelfth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 2 Corinthians 3, 4-11. + +4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 not that +we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from +ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6 who also made us +sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of +the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But +if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came +with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly +upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was +passing away: 8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit +be with glory? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, +much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. +10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made +glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11 +For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which +remaineth is in glory. + + +GOSPEL TRANSCENDS LAW. + +1. This epistle lesson sounds altogether strange and wonderful to +individuals unaccustomed to Scripture language, particularly to that +of Paul. To the inexperienced ear and heart it is not intelligible. +In popedom thus far it has remained quite unapprehended, although +reading of the words has been practiced. + +2. That we may understand it, we must first get an idea of Paul's +theme. Briefly, he would oppose the vain boasting of false apostles +and preachers concerning their possession of the spirit and their +peculiar skill and gifts, by praising and glorifying the office of a +preacher of the Gospel with which he is intrusted. For he found that, +especially in the Church at Corinth, which he had converted by the +words of his own lips and brought to faith in Christ, soon after his +departure the devil introduced his heresies whereby the people were +turned from the truth and betrayed into other ways. Since it became +his duty to make an attack upon such heresies, he devoted both his +epistles to the purpose of keeping the Corinthians in the right way, +so that they might retain the pure doctrine received from him, and +beware of false spirits. The main thing which moved him to write this +second epistle was his desire to emphasize to them his apostolic +office of a preacher of the Gospel, in order to put to shame the +glory of those other teachers--the glory they boasted with many words +and great pretense. + +3. He starts in on this theme just before he reaches our text. And +this is how it is he comes to speak in high terms of praise of the +ministration of the Gospel and to contrast and compare the twofold +ministration or message which may be proclaimed in the Church, +provided, of course, that God's Word is to be preached and not the +nonsense of human falsehood and the doctrine of the devil. One is +that of the Old Testament, the other of the New; in other words, the +office of Moses, or the Law, and the office of the Gospel of Christ. +He contrasts the glory and power of the latter with those of the +former, which, it is true, is also the Word of God. In this manner he +endeavors to defeat the teachings and pretensions of those seductive +spirits who, as he but lately foretold, pervert God's Word, in that +they greatly extol the Law of God, yet at best do not teach its right +use, but, instead of making it tributary to faith in Christ, misuse +it to teach work-righteousness. + +4. Since the words before us are in reality a continuation of those +with which the chapter opens, the latter must be considered in this +connection. We read: + +"Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, +epistles of commendation to you or from you? Ye are our epistle, +written in our hearts, known and read of all men; being made manifest +that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with +ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, +but in tables that are hearts of flesh." + +"We, my fellow-apostles and co-laborers and I," he says, "do not ask +for letters and seals from others commending us to you, or from you +commending us to others, in order to seduce people after gaining +their good will in your church and in others as well. Such is the +practice of the false apostles, and many even now present letters and +certificates from honest preachers and Churches, and make them the +means whereby their unrighteous plotting may be received in good +faith. Such letters, thank God, we stand not in need of, and you need +not fear we shall use such means of deception. For you are yourselves +the letter we have written and wherein we may pride ourselves and +which we present everywhere. For it is a matter of common knowledge +that you have been taught by us, and brought to Christ through our +ministry." + + +PAUL'S CONVERTS LIVING EPISTLES. + +5. Inasmuch as his activity among them is his testimonial, and they +themselves are aware that through his ministerial office he has +constituted them a church, he calls them an epistle written by +himself; not with ink and in paragraphs, not on paper or wood, nor +engraved upon hard rock as the Ten Commandments written upon tables +of stone, which Moses placed before the people, but written by the +Holy Spirit upon fleshly tables--hearts of tender flesh. The Spirit +is the ink or the inscription, yes, even the writer himself; but the +pencil or pen and the hand of the writer is the ministry of Paul. + +6. This figure of a written epistle is, however, in accord with +Scripture usage. Moses commands (Deut 6, 6-9; 11, 18) that the +Israelites write the Ten Commandments in all places where they walked +or stood--upon the posts of their houses, and upon their gates, and +ever have them before their eyes and in their hearts. Again (Prov 7, +2-3), Solomon says: "Keep my commandments and ... my law as the apple +of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the tablet +of thy heart." He speaks as a father to his child when giving the +child an earnest charge to remember a certain thing--"Dear child, +remember this; forget it not; keep it in thy heart." Likewise, God +says in the book of Jeremiah the prophet (ch. 31, 33), "I will put my +law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it." Here +man's heart is represented as a sheet, or slate, or page, whereon is +written the preached Word; for the heart is to receive and securely +keep the Word. In this sense Paul says: "We have, by our ministry, +written a booklet or letter upon your heart, which witnesses that you +believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and have the assurance +that through Christ you are redeemed and saved. This testimony is +what is written on your heart. The letters are not characters traced +with ink or crayon, but the living thoughts, the fire and force of +the heart." + +7. Note further, that it is his ministry to which Paul ascribes the +preparation of their heart thereon and the inscription which +constitutes them "living epistles of Christ." He contrasts his +ministry with the blind fancies of those fanatics who seek to +receive, and dream of having, the Holy Spirit without the oral word; +who, perchance, creep into a corner and grasp the Spirit through +dreams, directing the people away from the preached Word and visible +ministry. But Paul says that the Spirit, through his preaching, has +wrought in the hearts of his Corinthians, to the end that Christ +lives and is mighty in them. After such statement he bursts into +praise of the ministerial office, comparing the message, or +preaching, of Moses with that of himself and the apostles. He says: + +"Such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: not that we are +sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but +our sufficiency is from God." + + +TRUE PREACHERS COMMISSIONED BY GOD. + +8. These words are blows and thrusts for the false apostles and +preachers. Paul is mortal enemy to the blockheads who make great +boast, pretending to what they do not possess and to what they cannot +do; who boast of having the Spirit in great measure; who are ready to +counsel and aid the whole world; who pride themselves on the ability +to invent something new. It is to be a surpassingly precious and +heavenly thing they are to spin out of their heads, as the dreams of +pope and monks have been in time past. + +"We do not so," says Paul. "We rely not upon ourselves or our wisdom +and ability. We preach not what we have ourselves invented. But this +is our boast and trust in Christ before God, that we have made of you +a divine epistle; have written upon your hearts, not our thoughts, +but the Word of God. We are not, however, glorifying our own power, +but the works and the power of him who has called and equipped us for +such an office; from whom proceeds all you have heard and believed." + +9. It is a glory which every preacher may claim, to be able to say +with full confidence of heart: "This trust have I toward God in +Christ, that what I teach and preach is truly the Word of God." +Likewise, when he performs other official duties in the +Church--baptizes a child, absolves and comforts a sinner--it must be +done in the same firm conviction that such is the command of Christ. + +10. He who would teach and exercise authority in the Church without +this glory, "it is profitable for him," as Christ says (Mt 18, 6), +"that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he +should be sunk in the depths of the sea." For the devil's lies he +preaches, and death is what he effects. Our Papists, in time past, +after much and long-continued teaching, after many inventions and +works whereby they hoped to be saved, nevertheless always doubted in +heart and mind whether or no they had pleased God. The teaching and +works of all heretics and seditious spirits certainly do not bespeak +for them trust in Christ; their own glory is the object of their +teaching, and the homage and praise of the people is the goal of +their desire. + +"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from +ourselves." + +11. As said before, this is spoken in denunciation of the false +spirits who believe that by reason of eminent equipment of special +creation and election, they are called to come to the rescue of the +people, expecting wonders from whatever they say and do. + + +HUMAN DOCTRINE NO PLACE IN THE CHURCH. + +12. Now, we know ourselves to be of the same clay whereof they are +made; indeed, we perhaps have the greater call from God: yet we +cannot boast of being capable of ourselves to advise or aid men. We +cannot even originate an idea calculated to give help. And when it +comes to the knowledge of how one may stand before God and attain to +eternal life, that is truly not to be achieved by our work or power, +nor to originate in our brain. In other things, those pertaining to +this temporal life, you may glory in what you know, you may advance +the teachings of reason, you may invent ideas of your own; for +example: how to make shoes or clothes, how to govern a household, how +to manage a herd. In such things exercise your mind to the best of +your ability. Cloth or leather of this sort will permit itself to be +stretched and cut according to the good pleasure of the tailor or +shoemaker. But in spiritual matters, human reasoning certainly is not +in order; other intelligence, other skill and power, are requisite +here--something to be granted by God himself and revealed through his +Word. + +13. What mortal has ever discovered or fathomed the truth that the +three persons in the eternal divine essence are one God; that the +second person, the Son of God, was obliged to become man, born of a +virgin; and that no way of life could be opened for us, save through +his crucifixion? Such truth never would have been heard nor preached, +would never in all eternity have been published, learned and +believed, had not God himself revealed it. + +14. For this season they are blind fools of first magnitude and +dangerous characters who would boast of their grand performances, and +think that the people are served when they preach their own fancies +and inventions. It has been the practice in the Church for anyone to +introduce any teaching he saw fit; for example, the monks and priests +have daily produced new saints, pilgrimages, special prayers, works +and sacrifices in the effort to blot out sin, redeem souls from +purgatory, and so on. They who make up things of this kind are not +such as put their trust in God through Christ, but rather such as +defy God and Christ. Into the hearts of men, where Christ alone +should be, they shove the filth and write the lies of the devil. Yet +they think themselves, and themselves only, qualified for all +essential teaching and work, self-grown doctors that they are, saints +all-powerful without the help of God and Christ. + +"But our sufficiency is from God." + +15. Of ourselves--in our own wisdom and strength--we cannot effect, +discover nor teach any counsel or help for man, whether for ourselves +or others. Any good work we perform among you, any doctrine we write +upon your heart--that is God's own work. He puts into our heart and +mouth what we should say, and impresses it upon your heart through +the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we cannot ascribe to ourselves any honor +therein, cannot seek our own glory as the self-instructed and proud +spirits do; we must give to God alone the honor, and must glory in +the fact that by his grace and power he works in you unto salvation, +through the office committed unto us. + +16. Now, Paul's thought here is that nothing should be taught and +practiced in the Church but what is unquestionably God's Word. It +will not do to introduce or perform anything whatever upon the +strength of man's judgment. Man's achievements, man's reasoning and +power, are of no avail save in so far as they come from God. As Peter +says in his first epistle (ch. 4, 11): "If any man speaketh, speaking +as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, ministering as of +the strength which God supplieth." In short, let him who would be +wise, who would boast of great skill, talents and power, confine +himself to things other than spiritual; with respect to spiritual +matters, let him keep his place and refrain from boasting and +pretense. For it is of no moment that men observe your greatness and +ability; the important thing is that poor souls may rest assured of +being presented with God's Word and works, whereby they may be saved. + +"Who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of +the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit +giveth life." + + +THE NEW COVENANT. + +17. Paul here proceeds to exalt the office and power of the Gospel +over the glorying of the false apostles, and to elevate the power of +the Word above that of all other doctrine, even of the Law of God. +Truly we are not sufficient of ourselves and have nothing to boast of +so far as human activity is considered. For that is without merit or +power, however strenuous the effort may be to fulfil God's Law. We +have, however, something infinitely better to boast of, something not +grounded in our own activity: by God we have been made sufficient for +a noble ministry, termed the ministry "of a New Covenant." This +ministry is not only exalted far above any teaching to be evolved by +human wisdom, skill and power, but is more glorious than the ministry +termed the "Old Covenant," which in time past was delivered to the +Jews through Moses. While this ministry clings, in common with other +doctrine, to the Word given by revelation, it is the agency whereby +the Holy Spirit works in the heart. Therefore, Paul says it is not a +ministration of the letter, but "of the spirit." + + +"SPIRIT" AND "LETTER." + +18. This passage relative to spirit and letter has in the past been +wholly strange language to us. Indeed, to such extent has man's +nonsensical interpretation perverted and weakened it that I, though a +learned doctor of the holy Scriptures, failed to understand it +altogether, and I could find no one to teach me. And to this day it +is unintelligible to all popedom. In fact, even the old +teachers--Origen, Jerome and others--have not caught Paul's thought. +And no wonder, truly! For it is essentially a doctrine far beyond the +power of man's intelligence to comprehend. When human reason meddles +with it, it becomes perplexed. The doctrine is wholly unintelligible +to it, for human thought goes no farther than the Law and the Ten +Commandments. Laying hold upon these it confines itself to them. It +does not attempt to do more, being governed by the principle that +unto him who fulfils the demands of the Law, or commandments, God is +gracious. Reason knows nothing about the wretchedness of depraved +nature. It does not recognize the fact that no man is able to keep +God's commandments; that all are under sin and condemnation; and that +the only way whereby help could be received was for God to give his +Son for the world, ordaining another ministration, one through which +grace and reconciliation might be proclaimed to us. Now, he who does +not understand the sublime subject of which Paul speaks cannot but +miss the true meaning of his words. How much more did we invite this +fate when we threw the Scriptures and Saint Paul's epistles under the +bench, and, like swine in husks, wallowed in man's nonsense! +Therefore, we must submit to correction and learn to understand the +apostle's utterance aright. + +19. "Letter" and "spirit" have been understood to mean, according to +Origen and Jerome, the obvious sense of the written word. St. +Augustine, it must be admitted, has gotten an inkling of the truth. +Now, the position of the former teachers would perhaps not be quite +incorrect did they correctly explain the words. By "literary sense" +they signify the meaning of a Scripture narrative according to the +ordinary interpretation of the words. By "spiritual sense" they +signify the secondary, hidden, sense found in the words. + +For instance: The Scripture narrative in Genesis third records how +the serpent persuaded the woman to eat of the forbidden fruit and to +give to her husband, who also ate. This narrative in its simplest +meaning represents what they understand by "letter." "Spirit," +however, they understand to mean the spiritual interpretation, which +is thus: The serpent signifies the evil temptation which lures to +sin. The woman represents the sensual state, or the sphere in which +such enticements and temptations make themselves felt. Adam, the man, +stands for reason, which is called man's highest endowment. Now, when +reason does not yield to the allurements of external sense, all is +well; but when it permits itself to waver and consent, the fall has +taken place. + +20. Origen was the first to trifle thus with the holy Scriptures, and +many others followed, until now it is thought to be the sign of great +cleverness for the Church to be filled with such quibblings. The aim +is to imitate Paul, who (Gal 4, 22-24) figuratively interprets the +story of Abraham's two sons, the one by the free woman, or the +mistress of the house, and the other by the hand-maid. The two women, +Paul says, represent the two covenants: one covenant makes only +bond-servants, which is just what he in our text terms the +ministration of the letter; the other leads to liberty, or, as he +says here, the ministration of the spirit, which gives life. And the +two sons are the two peoples, one of which does not go farther than +the Law, while the other accepts in faith the Gospel. + +True, this is an interpretation not directly suggested by the +narrative and the text. Paul himself calls it an allegory; that is, a +mystic narrative, or a story with a hidden meaning. But he does not +say that the literal text is necessarily the letter that killeth, and +the allegory, or hidden meaning, the spirit. But the false teachers +assert of all Scripture that the text, or record itself, is but a +dead "letter," its interpretation being "the spirit." Yet they have +not pushed interpretation farther than the teaching of the Law; and +it is precisely the Law which Paul means when he speaks of "the +letter."[1] + +[Footnote 1: What Luther means is that the popish theologians with +their vaunted "spiritual" interpretation had never penetrated to the +Gospel, which confers the life in the Spirit, but had satisfied +themselves with so literal and superficial an interpretation of the +Law as to seek salvation through work-righteousness.] + +21. Paul employs the word "letter" in such contemptuous sense in +reference to the Law--though the Law is, nevertheless, the Word of +God--when he compares it with the ministry of the Gospel. The letter +is to him the doctrine of the Ten Commandments, which teach how we +should obey God, honor parents, love our neighbor, and so on--the +very best doctrine to be found in all books, sermons and schools. + +The word "letter" is to the apostle Paul everything which may take +the form of doctrine, of literary arrangement, of record, so long as +it remains something spoken or written. Also thoughts which may be +pictured or expressed by word or writing, but it is not that which is +written in the heart, to become its life. "Letter" is the whole Law +of Moses, or the Ten Commandments, though the supreme authority of +such teaching is not denied. It matters not whether you hear them, +read them, or reproduce them mentally. For instance, when I sit down +to meditate upon the first commandment: "Thou shalt have no other +gods before me," or the second, or the third, and so forth, I have +something which I can read, write, discuss, and aim to fulfil with +all my might. The process is quite similar when the emperor or prince +gives a command and says: "This you shall do, that you shall eschew." +This is what the apostle calls "the letter," or, as we have called it +on another occasion, the written sense. + +22. Now, as opposed to "the letter," there is another doctrine or +message, which he terms the "ministration of a New Covenant" and "of +the Spirit." This doctrine does not teach what works are required of +man, for that man has already heard; but it makes known to him what +God would do for him and bestow upon him, indeed what he has already +done: he has given his Son Christ for us; because, for our +disobedience to the Law, which no man fulfils, we were under God's +wrath and condemnation. Christ made satisfaction for our sins, +effected a reconciliation with God and gave to us his own +righteousness. Nothing is said in this ministration of man's deeds; +it tells rather of the works of Christ, who is unique in that he was +born of a virgin, died for sin and rose from the dead, something no +other man has been able to do. This doctrine is revealed through none +but the Holy Spirit, and none other confers the Holy Spirit. The Holy +Spirit works in the hearts of them who hear and accept the doctrine. +Therefore, this ministration is termed a ministration "of the +Spirit." + +23. The apostle employs the words "letter" and "spirit," to contrast +the two doctrines; to emphasize his office and show its advantage +over all others, however eminent the teachers whom they boast, and +however great the spiritual unction which they vaunt. It is of design +that he does not term the two dispensations "Law" and "Gospel," but +names them according to the respective effects produced. He honors +the Gospel with a superior term--"ministration of the spirit." Of the +Law, on the contrary, he speaks almost contemptuously, as if he would +not honor it with the title of God's commandment, which in reality it +is, according to his own admission later on that its deliverance to +Moses and its injunction upon the children of Israel was an occasion +of surpassing glory. + +24. Why does Paul choose this method? Is it right for one to despise +or dishonor God's Law? Is not a chaste and honorable life a matter of +beauty and godliness? Such facts, it may be contended, are implanted +by God in reason itself, and all books teach them; they are the +governing force in the world. I reply: Paul's chief concern is to +defeat the vainglory and pretensions of false preachers, and to teach +them the right conception and appreciation of the Gospel which he +proclaimed. What Paul means is this: When the Jews vaunt their Law of +Moses, which was received as Law from God and recorded upon two +tables of stone; when they vaunt their learned and saintly preachers +of the Law and its exponents, and hold their deeds and manner of life +up to admiration, what is all that compared to the Gospel message? +The claim may be well made: a fine sermon, a splendid exposition; +but, after all, nothing more comes of it than precepts, expositions, +written comments. The precept, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with +all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself," remains a mere array of +words. When much time and effort have been spent in conforming one's +life to it, nothing has been accomplished. You have pods without +peas, husks without kernels. + +25. For it is impossible to keep the Law without Christ, though man +may, for the sake of honor or property, or from fear of punishment, +feign outward holiness. The heart which does not discern God's grace +in Christ cannot turn to God nor trust in him; it cannot love his +commandments and delight in them, but rather resists them. For nature +rebels at compulsion. No man likes to be a captive in chains. One +does not voluntarily bow to the rod of punishment or submit to the +executioner's sword; rather, because of these things, his anger +against the Law is but increased, and he ever thinks: "Would that I +might unhindered steal, rob, hoard, gratify my lust, and so on!" And +when restrained by force, he would there were no Law and no God. And +this is the case where conduct shows some effects of discipline, in +that the outer man has been subjected to the teaching of the Law. + +26. But in a far more appalling degree does inward rebellion ensue +when the heart feels the full force of the Law; when, standing before +God's judgment, it feels the sentence of condemnation; as we shall +presently hear, for the apostle says "the letter killeth." Then the +truly hard knots appear. Human nature fumes and rages against the +Law; offenses appear in the heart, the fruit of hate and enmity +against the Law; and presently human nature flees before God and is +incensed at God's judgment. It begins to question the equity of his +dealings, to ask if he is a just God. Influenced by such thoughts, it +falls ever deeper into doubt, it murmurs and chafes, until finally, +unless the Gospel comes to the rescue, it utterly despairs, as did +Judas, and Saul, and perhaps pass out of this life with God and +creation. This is what Paul means when he says (Rom 7, 8-9) that the +Law works sin in the heart of man, and sin works death, or kills. + +27. You see, then, why the Law is called "the letter": though noble +doctrine, it remains on the surface; it does not enter the heart as a +vital force which begets obedience. Such is the baseness of human +nature, it will not and cannot conform to the Law; and so corrupt is +mankind, there is no individual who does not violate all God's +commandments in spite of daily hearing the preached Word and having +held up to view God's wrath and eternal condemnation. Indeed, the +harder pressed man is, the more furiously he storms against the Law. + +28. The substance of the matter is this: When all the commandments +have been put together, when their message receives every particle of +praise to which it is entitled, it is still a mere letter. That is, +teaching not put into practice. By "letter" is signified all manner +of law, doctrine and message, which goes no farther than the oral or +written word, which consists only of the powerless letter. To +illustrate: A law promulgated by a prince or the authorities of a +city, if not enforced, remains merely an open letter, which makes a +demand indeed, but ineffectually. Similarly, God's Law, although a +teaching of supreme authority and the eternal will of God, must +suffer itself to become a mere empty letter or husk. Without a +quickening heart, and devoid of fruit, the Law is powerless to effect +life and salvation. It may well be called a veritable table of +omissions (Lass-tafel); that is, it is a written enumeration, not of +duties performed but of duties cast aside. In the languages of the +world, it is a royal edict which remains unobserved and unperformed. +In this light St. Augustine understood the Law. He says, commenting +on Psalm 17, "What is Law without grace but a letter without spirit?" +Human nature, without the aid of Christ and his grace, cannot keep +it. + +29. Again, Paul in terming the Gospel a "ministration of the spirit" +would call attention to its power to produce in the hearts of men an +effect wholly different from that of the Law: it is accompanied by +the Holy Spirit and it creates a new heart. Man, driven into fear and +anxiety by the preaching of the Law, hears this Gospel message, +which, instead of reminding him of God's demands, tells him what God +has done for him. It points not to man's works, but to the works of +Christ, and bids him confidently believe that for the sake of his Son +God will forgive his sins and accept him as his child. And this +message, when received in faith, immediately cheers and comforts the +heart. The heart will no longer flee from God; rather it turns to +him. Finding grace with God and experiencing his mercy, the heart +feels drawn to him. It commences to call upon him and to treat and +revere him as its beloved God. In proportion as such faith and solace +grow, also love for the commandments will grow and obedience to them +will be man's delight. Therefore, God would have his Gospel message +urged unceasingly as the means of awakening man's heart to discern +his state and recall the great grace and lovingkindness of God, with +the result that the power of the Holy Spirit is increased constantly. +Note, no influence of the Law, no work of man is present here. The +force is a new and heavenly one--the power of the Holy Spirit. He +impresses upon the heart Christ and his works, making of it a true +book which does not consist in the tracery of mere letters and words, +but in true life and action. + +30. God promised of old, in Joel 2, 28 and other passages, to give +the Spirit through the new message, the Gospel. And he has verified +his promise by public manifestations in connection with the preaching +of that Gospel, as on the day of Pentecost and again later. When the +apostles, Peter and others, began to preach, the Holy Spirit +descended visibly from heaven upon their hearts. Acts 8, 17; 10, 44. +Up to that time, throughout the period the Law was preached, no one +had heard or seen such manifestation. The fact could not but be +grasped that this was a vastly different message from that of the Law +when such mighty results followed in its train. And yet its substance +was no more than what Paul declared (Acts 13, 38-39): "Through this +man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: and by him every one +that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not +be justified by the law of Moses." + +31. In this teaching you see no more the empty letters, the valueless +husks or shells, of the Law, which unceasingly enjoins, "This thou +shalt do and observe," and ever in vain. You see instead the true +kernel and power which confers Christ and the fullness of His Spirit. +In consequence, men heartily believe the message of the Gospel and +enjoy its riches. They are accounted as having fulfilled the Ten +Commandments. John says (Jn 1, 16-17): "Of his fullness we all +received, and grace for grace. For the Law was given through Moses; +grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John's thought is: The +Law has indeed been given by Moses, but what avails that fact? To be +sure, it is a noble doctrine and portrays a beautiful and instructive +picture of man's duty to God and all mankind; it is really excellent +as to the letter. Yet it remains empty; it does not enter into the +heart. Therefore it is called "law," nor can it become aught else, so +long as nothing more is given. + + +CHRIST SUPERSEDES MOSES. + +Before there can be fulfilment, another than Moses must come, +bringing another doctrine. Instead of a law enjoined, there must be +grace and truth revealed. For to enjoin a command and to embody the +truth[2] are two different things; just as teaching and doing differ. +Moses, it is true, teaches the doctrine of the Law, so far as +exposition is concerned, but he can neither fulfil it himself nor +give others the ability to do so. That it might be fulfilled, God's +Son had to come with his fullness; he has fulfilled the Law for +himself and it is he who communicates to our empty heart the power to +attain to the same fullness. + +[Footnote 2: Es ist zweirlei, Gesetz geben, und, Wahrheit werden.] + +This becomes possible when we receive grace for grace, that is, when +we come to the enjoyment of Christ, and for the sake of him who +enjoys with God fullness of grace, although our own obedience to the +Law is still imperfect. Being possessed of solace and grace, we +receive by his power the Holy Spirit also, so that, instead of +harboring mere empty letters within us, we come to the truth and +begin to fulfil God's Law, in such a way, however, that we draw from +his fullness and drink from that as a fountain. + + +CHRIST THE SOURCE OF LIFE GREATER THAN ADAM THE SOURCE OF DEATH. + +32. Paul gives us the same thought in Romans 5, 17-18, where he +compares Adam and Christ. Adam, he says, by his disobedience in +Paradise, became the source of sin and death in the world; by the sin +of this one man, condemnation passed upon all men. But on the other +hand, Christ, by his obedience and righteousness, has become for us +the abundant source wherefrom all may obtain righteousness and the +power of obedience. And with respect to the latter source, it is far +richer and more abundant than the former. While by the single sin of +one man, sin and death passed upon all men, to wax still more +powerful with the advent of the Law, of such surpassing strength and +greatness, on the other hand, is the grace and bounty which we have +in Christ that it not only washes away the particular sin of the one +man Adam, which, until Christ came, overwhelmed all men in death, but +overwhelms and blots out all sin whatever. Thus they who receive his +fullness of grace and bounty unto righteousness are, according to +Paul, lords of life through Jesus Christ alone. + + +THE LAW INEFFECTUAL. + +33. You see now how the two messages differ, and why Paul exalts the +one, the preaching of the Gospel, and calls it a "ministration of the +spirit," but terms the other, the Law, a mere empty "letter." His +object is to humble the pride of the false apostles and preachers +which they felt in their Judaism and the law of Moses, telling the +people with bold pretensions: "Beloved, let Paul preach what he will, +he cannot overthrow Moses, who on Mount Sinai received the Law, God's +irrevocable command, obedience to which is ever the only way to +salvation." + +34. Similarly today, Papists, Anabaptists and other sects make +outcry: "What mean you by preaching so much about faith and Christ? +Are the people thereby made better? Surely works are essential." +Arguments of this character have indeed a semblance of merit, but, +when examined by the light of truth, are mere empty, worthless +twaddle. For if deeds, or works, are to be considered, there are the +Ten Commandments; we teach and practice these as well as they. The +Commandments would answer the purpose indeed--if one could preach +them so effectively as to compel their fulfilment. + +But the question is, whether what is preached is also practiced. Is +there something more than mere words--or letters, as Paul says? do +the words result in life and spirit? This message we have in common; +unquestionably, one must teach the Ten Commandments, and, what is +more, live them. But we charge that they are not observed. Therefore +something else is requisite in order to render obedience to them +possible. When Moses and the Law are made to say: "You should do +thus; God demands this of you," what does it profit? Ay, beloved +Moses, I hear that plainly, and it is certainly a righteous command; +but pray tell me whence shall I obtain ability to do what, alas, I +never have done nor can do? It is not easy to spend money from an +empty pocket, or to drink from an empty can. If I am to pay my debt, +or to quench my thirst, tell me how first to fill pocket or can. But +upon this point such prattlers are silent; they but continue to drive +and plague with the Law, let the people stick to their sins, and make +merry of them to their own hurt. + +35. In this light Paul here portrays the false apostles and like +pernicious schismatics, who make great boasts of having a clearer +understanding and of knowing much better what to teach than is the +case with true preachers of the Gospel. And when they do their very +best, when they pretend great things, and do wonders with their +preaching, there is naught but the mere empty "letter." Indeed, their +message falls far short of Moses. Moses was a noble preacher, truly, +and wrought greater things than any of them may do. Nevertheless, the +doctrine of the Law could do no more than remain a letter, an Old +Testament, and God had to ordain a different doctrine, a New +Testament, which should impart the "spirit." + +"It is the letter," says Paul, "which we preach. If any glorying is +to be done, we can glory in better things and make the defiant plea +that they are not the only teachers of what ought to be done, +incapable as they are of carrying out their own precepts. We give +direction and power as to performing and living those precepts. For +this reason our message is not called the Old Testament, or the +message of the dead letter, but that of the New Testament and of the +living Spirit." + +36. No seditious spirit, it is certain, ever carries out its own +precepts, nor will he ever be capable of doing so, though he may +loudly boast the Spirit alone as his guide. Of this fact you may rest +assured. For such individuals know nothing more than the doctrine of +works--nor can they rise higher and point you to anything else. They +may indeed speak of Christ, but it is only to hold him up as an +example of patience in suffering. In short, there can be no New +Testament preached if the doctrine of faith in Christ be left out; +the spirit cannot enter into the heart, but all teaching, endeavor, +reflection, works and power remain mere "letters," devoid of grace, +truth, and life. Without Christ the heart remains unchanged and +unrenewed. It has no more power to fulfil the Law than the book in +which the Ten Commandments are written, or the stones upon which +engraved. + +"For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." + +37. Here is yet stronger condemnation of the glory of the doctrine of +the Law; yet higher exaltation of the Gospel ministry. Is the apostle +overbold in that he dares thus to assail the Law and say: "The Law is +not only a lifeless letter, but qualified merely to kill"? Surely +that is not calling the Law a good and profitable message, but one +altogether harmful. Who, unless he would be a cursed heretic in the +eyes of the world and invite execution as a blasphemer, would dare to +speak thus, except Paul himself? Even Paul must praise the Law, which +is God's command, declaring it good and not to be despised nor in any +way modified, but to be confirmed and fulfilled so completely, as +Christ says (Mt 5, 18), that not a tittle of it shall pass away. How, +then, does Paul come to speak so disparagingly, even abusively, of +the Law, actually presenting it as veritable death and poison? Well, +his is a sublime doctrine, one that reason does not understand. The +world, particularly they who would be called holy and godly, cannot +tolerate it at all; for it amounts to nothing short of pronouncing +all our works, however precious, mere death and poison. + +38. Paul's purpose is to bring about the complete overthrow of the +boast of the false teachers and hypocrites, and to reveal the +weakness of their doctrine, showing how little it effects even at its +best, since it offers only the Law, Christ remaining unproclaimed and +unknown. They say in terms of vainglorious eloquence that if a man +diligently keep the commandments and do many good works, he shall be +saved. But theirs are only vain words, a pernicious doctrine. This +fact is eventually learned by him who, having heard no other +doctrine, trusts in their false one. He finds out that it holds +neither comfort nor power of life, but only doubt and anxiety, +followed by death and destruction. + + +TERRORS OF THE LAW. + +39. When man, conscious of his failure to keep God's command, is +constantly urged by the Law to make payment of his debt and +confronted with nothing but the terrible wrath of God and eternal +condemnation, he cannot but sink into despair over his sins. Such is +the inevitable consequence where the Law alone is taught with a view +to attaining heaven thereby. The vanity of such trust in works is +illustrated in the case of the noted hermit mentioned in Vitæ Patrum +(Lives of the Fathers). For over seventy years this hermit had led a +life of utmost austerity, and had many followers. When the hour of +death came he began to tremble, and for three days was in a state of +agony. His disciples came to comfort him, exhorting him to die in +peace since he had led so holy a life. But he replied: "Alas, I truly +have all my life served Christ and lived austerely; but God's +judgment greatly differs from that of men." + +40. Note, this worthy man, despite the holiness of his life, has no +acquaintance with any article but that of the divine judgment +according to the Law. He knows not the comfort of Christ's Gospel. +After a long life spent in the attempt to keep God's commandments and +secure salvation, the Law now slays him through his own works. He is +compelled to exclaim: "Alas, who knows how God will look upon my +efforts? Who may stand before him?" That means, to forfeit heaven +through the verdict of his own conscience. The work he has wrought +and his holiness of life avail nothing. They merely push him deeper +into death, since he is without the solace of the Gospel, while +others, such as the thief on the cross and the publican, grasp the +comfort of the Gospel, the forgiveness of sins in Christ. Thus sin is +conquered; they escape the sentence of the Law, and pass through +death into life eternal. + + +EFFICACY OF THE GOSPEL. + +41. Now the meaning of the contrasting clause, "the spirit giveth +life," becomes clear. The reference is to naught else but the holy +Gospel, a message of healing and salvation; a precious, comforting +word. It comforts and refreshes the sad heart. It wrests it out of +the jaws of death and hell, as it were, and transports it to the +certain hope of eternal life, through faith in Christ. When the last +hour comes to the believer, and death and God's judgment appear +before his eyes, he does not base his comfort upon his works. Even +though he may have lived the holiest life possible, he says with Paul +(1 Cor 4, 4): "I know nothing against myself, yet am I not hereby +justified." + +42. These words imply being ill pleased with self, with the whole +life; indeed, even the putting to death of self. Though the heart +says, "By my works I am neither made righteous nor saved," which is +practically admitting oneself to be worthy of death and condemnation, +the Spirit extricates from despair, through the Gospel faith, which +confesses, as did St. Bernard in the hour of death: "Dear Lord Jesus, +I am aware that my life at its best has been but worthy of +condemnation, but I trust in the fact that thou hast died for me and +hast sprinkled me with blood from thy holy wounds. For I have been +baptized in thy name and have given heed to thy Word whereby thou +hast called me, awarded me grace and life, and bidden me believe. In +this assurance will I pass out of life; not in uncertainty and +anxiety, thinking, Who knows what sentence God in heaven will pass +upon me?" + +The Christian must not utter such a question. The sentence against +his life and works has long since been passed by the Law. Therefore, +he must confess himself guilty and condemned. But he lives by the +gracious judgment of God declared from heaven, whereby the sentence +of the Law is overruled and reversed. It is this: "He that believeth +on the Son hath eternal life." Jn 3, 36. + +43. When the consolation of the Gospel has once been received and it +has wrested the heart from death and the terrors of hell, the +Spirit's influence is felt. By its power God's Law begins to live in +man's heart; he loves it, delights in it and enters upon its +fulfilment. Thus eternal life begins here, being continued forever +and perfected in the life to come. + +44. Now you see how much more glorious, how much better, is the +doctrine of the apostles--the New Testament--than the doctrine of +those who preach merely great works and holiness without Christ. We +should see in this fact an incentive to hear the Gospel with +gladness. We ought joyfully to thank God for it when we learn how it +has power to bring to men life and eternal salvation, and when it +gives us assurance that the Holy Spirit accompanies it and is +imparted to believers. + +"But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, +came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look +stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which +glory was passing away: how shall not rather the ministration of the +Spirit be with glory? For if the ministration of condemnation hath +glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in +glory." + + +GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. + +45. Paul is in an ecstasy of delight, and his heart overflows in +words of praise for the Gospel. Again he handles the Law severely, +calling it a ministration, or doctrine, of death and condemnation. +What term significant of greater abomination could he apply to God's +Law than to call it a doctrine of death and hell? And again (Gal 2, +17), he calls it a "minister (or preacher) of sin;" and (Gal 3, 10) +the message which proclaims a curse, saying, "As many as are of the +works of the law are under a curse." Absolute, then, is the +conclusion that Law and works are powerless to justify before God; +for how can a doctrine proclaiming only sin, death and condemnation +justify and save? + +46. Paul is compelled to speak thus, as we said above because of the +infamous presumption of both teachers and pupils, in that they permit +flesh and blood to coquet with the Law, and make their own works +which they bring before God their boast. Yet, nothing is effected but +self-deception and destruction. For, when the Law is viewed in its +true light, when its "glory," as Paul has it, is revealed, it is +found to do nothing more than to kill man and sink him into +condemnation. + +47. Therefore, the Christian will do well to learn this text of Paul +and have an armor against the boasting of false teachers, and the +torments and trials of the devil when he urges the Law and induces +men to seek righteousness in their own works, tormenting their heart +with the thought that salvation is dependent upon the achievements of +the individual. The Christian will do well to learn this text, I say, +so that in such conflicts he may take the devil's own sword, saying: +"Why dost thou annoy me with talk of the Law and my works? What is +the Law after all, however much you may preach it to me, but that +which makes me feel the weight of sin, death and condemnation? Why +should I seek therein righteousness before God?" + +48. When Paul speaks of the "glory of the Law," of which the Jewish +teachers of work-righteousness boast, he has reference to the things +narrated in the twentieth and thirty-fourth chapters of Exodus--how, +when the Law was given, God descended in majesty and glory from +heaven, and there were thunderings and lightnings, and the mountain +was encircled with fire; and how when Moses returned from the +mountain, bringing the Law, his face shone with a glory so dazzling +that the people could not look upon his face and he was obliged to +veil it. + +49. Turning their glory against them, Paul says: "Truly, we do not +deny the glory; splendor and majesty were there; but what does such +glory do but compel souls to flee before God, and drive into death +and hell?" We believers, however, boast another glory,--that of our +ministration. The Gospel record tells us (Mt 17, 2-4) that Christ +clearly revealed such glory to his disciples when his face shone as +the sun, and Moses and Elijah were present. Before the manifestation +of such glory, the disciples did not flee; they beheld with amazed +joy and said: "Lord, it is good for us to be here. We will make here +tabernacles for thee and for Moses," etc. + +50. Compare the two scenes and you will understand plainly the import +of Paul's words here. As before said, this is the substance of his +meaning: "The Law produces naught but terror and death when it +dazzles the heart with its glory and stands revealed in its true +nature. On the other hand, the Gospel yields comfort and joy." But to +explain in detail the signification of the veiled face of Moses, and +of his shining uncovered face, would take too long to enter upon +here. + +51. There is also especial comfort to be derived from Paul's +assertion that the "ministration," or doctrine, of the Law "passeth +away"; for otherwise there would be naught but eternal condemnation. +The doctrine of the Law "passes away" when the preaching of the +Gospel of Christ finds place. To Christ, Moses shall yield, that he +alone may hold sway. Moses shall not terrify the conscience of the +believer. When, perceiving the glory of Moses, the conscience +trembles and despairs before God's wrath, then it is time for +Christ's glory to shine with its gracious, comforting light into the +heart. Then can the heart endure Moses and Elijah. For the glory of +the Law, or the unveiled face of Moses, shall shine only until man is +humbled and driven to desire the blessed countenance of Christ. If +you come to Christ, you shall no longer hear Moses to your fright and +terror; you shall hear him as one who remains servant to the Lord +Christ, leaving the solace and the joy of his countenance unobscured. +In conclusion: + +"For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made +glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth." + +52. The meaning here is: When the glory and holiness of Christ, +revealed through the preaching of the Gospel, is rightly perceived, +then the glory of the Law--which is but a feeble and transitory +glory--is seen to be not really glorious. It is mere dark clouds in +contrast to the light of Christ shining to lead us out of sin, death +and hell unto God and eternal life. + + + + +_Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Galatians 3, 15-22. + +15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a +man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it +void, or addeth thereto. 16 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, +and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of +one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 Now this I say: A covenant +confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and +thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of +none effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more +of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise. 19 What +then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the +seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was +ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator +is not a mediator of one; but God is one. 21 Is the law then against +the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given +which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the +law. 22 But the scripture shut up all things under sin, that the +promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. + + +GOD'S TESTAMENT AND PROMISE IN CHRIST. + +1. This is a keen, severe epistle, one that is unintelligible to the +ordinary man. Because the doctrine it contains has not hitherto been +employed and enforced, it has not been understood. It is also too +long and rich to be treated briefly. But it is fully explained in the +complete commentary on this epistle to the Galatians, where those who +will may read it. The substance of it is, that here, as in the whole +epistle, Paul would earnestly constrain the Christian to distinguish +between the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of works or +of the Law. In order that we may note to some extent the main points +Paul makes in this text, we remark that he emphasizes two things. He +treats first of the doctrine that we are justified by faith alone, +and he maintains this, after giving many reasons and proofs, by +saying in effect: + +2. In this connection you should note that no one, whether Jew or +gentile, is justified by works or by the Law. For the Law was given +four hundred and thirty years after the promise of a Savior had been +made to Abraham (who was to be the father of all the people of God) +and the assurance that all nations should be blessed in him. It was +given after it had been testified of Abraham that his faith was +imputed to him for righteousness. And as he was justified and +received the blessing by reason of his faith, so also his children +and descendants were justified and received the blessing through the +same faith in that seed for whose sake the blessing had been promised +to all the world. For in his dealings with the Jews and with the +whole world, God always promised his grace and the forgiveness of +sins (and that means to be blessed of God) even when there was as yet +no Law by which they might pretend to become righteous, and before +Moses was born. + +3. Therefore the Law, being given to this people only after the lapse +of so long a period, could not have been given to them for +justification; otherwise it would have been given earlier. Or if it +had been necessary for righteousness, then Abraham and his children +up to that date could not have been justified at all. Indeed God +designed that the Law should be given so long after Abraham. +Undoubtedly he would have been able to give it to the fathers much +earlier if he had seen fit to do so. Apparently he desired thereby to +teach that the Law was not given to the end that God's grace and +blessing should be acquired through it, but that these come from the +pure mercy of God which was promised and bestowed so long before upon +Abraham and those who believed. + +4. Therefore Paul concludes: How could the Law produce righteousness +for those who lived before Moses, since Moses was the first through +whom the Law was given; and since even before his time there were +holy people and people who were saved? Whence did they derive their +righteousness? Certainly not from the fact that they had offered +sacrifice at Jerusalem, but from the fact that they believed the Word +in which God promised to bless them through the coming seed, Christ. +Hence, those also who lived afterwards could not have been justified +by the Law; for they did not receive the grace of God in a different +way from that in which those who went before had received it. God did +not annul or revoke by the Law the promise of blessing which he had +made and freely bestowed without the Law. + +5. Here some might desire to show their wisdom and say to Paul: +Although the fathers did not have the Law of Moses, they had the same +Word of God which teaches the ten commandments and which was +implanted in the human heart from the beginning of the world, whence +also it is called the law of nature or the natural law; and the same +law was afterwards given publicly to the Jewish people and +comprehended in the ten commandments. It might also be said that +Moses borrowed the ten commandments from the fathers, to which Christ +testifies in John 7, 22. For it is certain that the fathers from the +beginning taught them and urged them upon their children and +descendants. With what consistency, then, does Paul conclude that the +fathers were not justified by the Law because it was not given until +four hundred years after Abraham's time; as if the fathers before +that time had no Law? + +6. To answer this question we must observe the meaning and purpose of +Paul's words; for he so speaks because of the boasting of the Jews, +who placed their dependence on the Law and claimed that it was given +to them that they might be God's people. They considered their +attempts at keeping his Law, sufficient to procure justification. Why +else did God give the Law, they said, and distinguish us from all +heathen peoples, if we were not thereby to be preëminent before God +and more pleasing to him than they who have it not? They made so much +of this boasting that they paid no respect at all to the promise of +blessing in the coming seed, given to the fathers, nor thought that +faith therein was necessary to their justification. Thus they +practically considered it as annulled and made void, excepting for a +temporal interpretation which they put upon it--that the Messiah +would come and, because of their Law and piety, give to them the +dominion of the world and other great rewards. + + +THE JEWS GOD'S PEOPLE BY PROMISE. + +7. To rout such vain delusions and boasts, and to show that the Jews +were not justified through the Law and did not become God's children +thereby, Paul cites the fact that the holy patriarchs, their fathers, +were justified neither by the Law of which they boast, because it was +not yet given, nor by their own deeds, whether of the natural law or +the ten commandments. God had based no promise of blessing or +salvation on their works. He had promised out of pure grace to give +them the blessing freely (that is, to give them grace or +righteousness and all eternal blessing), through the coming seed, +which had been promised also to our first parents without their +merit, when by their transgression they had fallen under God's wrath +and condemnation. Therefore, although the fathers had a knowledge of +the Law, or God's commandments, these did not help them to become +righteous before God. They had to hear and apprehend by faith the +promise of God, which was based not on works but only on the coming +seed. For if they had been able by means of the Law or of good works +to become righteous, it would have been wholly unnecessary to give +the promise of blessing in Christ. + +8. Now, if Abraham and the fathers could not be justified by works, +and in fact were not justified by them, no more were their children +and descendants justified by the Law or by works. They were justified +in no other way than by faith in the promise given to Abraham and to +his seed, a promise by which not only the Jews but all the heathen +(through the same faith) were blessed. + +9. This truth Paul now further enforces and establishes on the basis +of these two particulars--God's promise, and his free grace or +gift--in opposition to the boasting of the Law and our own merit. +First, he makes a declaration concerning the value and weight which +every testament or promise of the last will possesses. Likewise in +the fourth commandment is implied an ordinance that the last will of +parents should be honored by their children and heirs. + +10. In regard to this subject he asserts that the rule is, if a man's +testament be confirmed (and it is confirmed by his death) no man dare +alter it nor add to it nor take away from it. So the jurists declare +it to be a divine law that no one should break a man's last will. How +much more then should God's testament be honored intact? Now, God has +made a testament, which is to be his final last will; namely, that he +will bless all nations through the seed which at first he promised to +the fathers. This he determined upon, and assured to Abraham, and in +him to all the world--to us all. And he has confirmed it by the death +of this seed, his only Son, who had to become man and die (as was +typified by the sacrifice of Isaac on the part of Abraham) in order +that the inheritance of the blessing and eternal life might be +bestowed upon us. This is God's last will. He does not desire to make +any other. Therefore, no man can or dare change it or add anything to +it. Now, it is adding to it, it is breaking or revoking it--since +this testament has been opened and the blessing proclaimed to all the +world--if anyone claims that we must first earn that blessing through +the Law, proceeding as if, without the Law, this testament, by mere +virtue of its promise and will, had no force at all. + +11. In short, this testament, Paul concludes, is a simple promise of +blessing and sonship with God. Accordingly, there is no law which we +must keep in order to merit it. Here nothing avails but the will +which promises saying, I will not regard your deeds, but promise the +blessing--that is, grace and eternal life--to you who are found in +sin and death. This I will confirm by the death of my Son, who shall +merit and obtain this inheritance for you. + +Now, God made this testament in the first place without the Law, and +has thus confirmed it; therefore, the Law, published and confirmed +long afterwards, cannot take aught from it, much less annul or revoke +it. And he who declares or teaches that we are to be justified by the +Law--are to obtain God's blessing by it--does nothing else but +interfere with God's testament and destroy and annul his last will. +This is one argument of Paul, based on the word "promise," or +"testament," and is readily understood; for no one is so stupid that +he cannot distinguish between these two--law or commandment, and +promise. + +12. The second argument of Paul is based on the words, "God gave it +to Abraham by promise." Here also it is easy for one who is possessed +of common sense to perceive there is a marked difference between +receiving something as a gift and earning it. What is earned is given +because of obligation and debt, as wages, and he who receives it may +boast of it, rather than he who gives it, and may insist upon his +right. But when something is given for nothing and, as Paul here +says, is bestowed freely--out of grace--then there can be no boasting +of right or of merit on the part of the recipient. On the contrary, +he must praise the goodness and kindness of his benefactor. So Paul +concludes: God freely gave the blessing and the inheritance to +Abraham by promise. Therefore, Abraham did not earn it by his works; +nor was it given to him as a reward, much less to his children. + +13. It is evident enough to even a child that what is earned by works +as a reward is not identical with what is promised or bestowed +gratis, out of grace and pure free will. There is a distinction +between them. God has stopped the mouth of all the world and deprived +it of all occasion for boasting that it has received God's grace by +reason of the Law. For he promised and bestowed that as a gift, +before the Law or merit through the Law had any existence. In his +dealings with his own people, with Abraham and his descendants, God +promised to bless the patriarch and all his race and said nothing of +any law, works or reward; he based all solely on the coming seed. + +14. In the faith of this promise they lived and died--Abraham himself +and his children's children--till over four hundred and thirty years +had elapsed. Then only did God give the Law, institute an outward +form of worship, a priesthood, etc., and direct them how to live and +govern themselves. They had now become a separate people, released +from foreign domination, and brought into their own land, and they +needed an external form of government. It was not intended that only +now and by means of these gifts they should obtain forgiveness of +sins and God's blessing. + +15. This is the substance of the first part of this epistle. In +teaching how we are to be justified before God, Paul would have us +distinguish well these two points, promise and law; or again, gift +and reward. If we teach that God, out of pure grace, and not because +of any law or merit, bestows forgiveness of sins and eternal life, +the question at once presents itself: Why is the Law given, or of +what use is it? Shall we not perform any good works? Why do we teach +the ten commandments at all? Paul takes up this matter and asks the +question, "What then is the Law?" Then he proceeds to discuss at +length what is the office and use of the Law, and shows the +difference between it and the Gospel. Of this enough has been said +elsewhere, in other postils. + + + + +_Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Galatians 5, 16-24. + +16 But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of +the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the +Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the +other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye are +led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the +flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, +lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, +wraths, factions, divisions, parties, 21 envyings, drunkenness, +revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did +forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit +the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, +peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, +self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And they that are of +Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts +thereof. + + +WORKS OF THE FLESH AND FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. + +This Epistle has been treated at length in the complete commentary +(Luther's Commentary on Galatians). It exhorts to good works or +fruits of faith in those who have the Holy Spirit through faith. And +it does so in a way to show that it is not the design of this +doctrine to forbid good works or to tolerate and refrain from +censuring bad ones, or to prevent the preaching of the Law. On the +contrary it shows clearly that God earnestly wills that Christians +should flee and avoid the lusts of the flesh, if they would remain in +the Spirit. To have and retain the Spirit and faith, and yet to +fulfil the lusts of the flesh, are two things that cannot harmonize; +for "these," Paul says, "are contrary the one to the other," and +there is between them a vehement conflict. They cannot tolerate each +other; one must be supreme and cast the other out. For this reason he +clearly mentions some works of the flesh which plainly and evidently +are not of the Spirit, and immediately concludes that those who +commit and practice these are not in a condition to inherit God's +kingdom. They have lost the Holy Spirit and faith. But he also shows +whence the Christians obtain strength to enable them to resist the +lusts of the flesh; namely, from the fact that they have received the +Holy Spirit through faith, and from the knowledge that they have a +gracious God. Thus their hearts become filled with love and a desire +to obey God and to shun sin. Consequently they resist and refuse to +obey the lusts of the flesh, lest they make God angry again. And +although in this conflict they still feel their weakness, the Law +nevertheless cannot condemn them, because through faith they are and +remain in Christ. + + + + +_Fifteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Galatians 5, 25-26 and 6, 1-10. + +25 If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk. 26 Let +us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one +another. + +1 Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are +spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to +thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, +and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man thinketh himself to +be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let each +man prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard +of himself alone, and not of his neighbor. 5 For each man shall bear +his own burden. 6 But let him that is taught in the word communicate +unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 Be not deceived; God is +not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 +For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap +corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit +reap eternal life. 9 And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in +due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 So then, as we have +opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and +especially toward them that are of the household of the faith. + + +CHURCH OFFICERS WARNED OF VAIN-GLORY. + +The chief aim of this epistle text is to instruct those in official +authority in the Church. Since Christians are under obligation to +honor their pastors and teachers, they are admonished by the apostle +to guard against the sin of vain-glory, that those in authority may +not become proud nor misuse their office against unity in doctrine +and in love, and that they may not despise or pass by the wounded and +helpless, as the priest and Levite did. Lk 10, 31-32. Finally, Paul +exhorts all diligently to do the good and thus serve everyone, as +Christ also teaches in the Gospel (Mt. 6, 34) that everyone should do +the work of each day and not be anxious about the future. [See the +explanation of these verses in Luther's Commentary on the Galatians.] + + + + +_Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 3, 13-21. + +13. Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, +which are your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the +Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 +and that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, +that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the +inward man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to +the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong +to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and +height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth +knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. 20 Now +unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we +ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 unto him +be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations +for ever and ever. Amen. + + +PAUL'S CARE AND PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH.[1] + +[Footnote 1: This sermon appeared in three editions the first year it +was printed in 1525, at Wittenberg.] + +1. Up to this time Paul has been extolling the office of the +ministry, which proclaims the Gospel of the New Testament. In lofty +and impressive terms he introduces its purpose, power and wisdom--in +a word, the great benefits the office effects, since God thereby +bestows upon us abundantly all manner of wisdom, strength and +blessings, all which things, in heaven or earth, are of his +dispensing. The Gospel proclaims to us life from death, righteousness +from sin, redemption from hell and all evil, and brings us out of the +kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. So sublime is the whole +subject, Paul does not venture to compass it with words but in the +loftiest of language suggests much. + +2. In the first part of the text he shows the depth of his concern +that the Ephesians should retain the Gospel preaching received from +him, not allowing themselves to be torn away from it. To this end he +employs two expedients: first, he consoles and admonishes; second, he +prays and desires. + +"Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, +which are your glory." + + +PAUL CONSOLES HIS CONVERTS. + +3. Having been imprisoned at Rome by order of the emperor, Paul thus +consoles his beloved converts at Ephesus, admonishing them to cleave +to the doctrine learned from him; not to be frightened from it by +beholding his fate, nor permit themselves to be alienated by such +comment as this: "This man Paul in his preaching to you made great +pretentions to being commissioned of Christ himself, and to outdoing +all the other apostles. And you made your boast in him and relied +upon him as if he were the only and all-deserving one. Where is he +now? What assistance can he render you? There he lies in Rome, by the +Jews condemned to death; more than that, he is in the hands of that +cruel tyrant, Emperor Nero. Did we not long ago tell you he would +meet such fate? Presumably this puts an end to his boastings over +every other man." + +4. To prevent the offense that threatened, Paul writes from his +prison, and his message is, in effect, this: "Dear friends, you see I +am imprisoned; the devil and the world have me in their hands. This +may perhaps alarm you, and rouse in you the evil suspicion, 'If his +doctrine were all right and if he were the great apostle of Christ he +claims to be, God would not permit him to suffer such fate.'" For +some of the false apostles thus taunted Paul's disciples. "But I +entreat and exhort you," Paul would say, "not to be offended, or +alarmed, not to grow faint, though I am in prison. Whether we be +tempted and suffer tribulation, whether we be honored or dishonored, +no matter what comes, only cleave to the doctrine I have preached to +you--the Gospel, God's sure Word, as you know." He reminds them, as +before he has done, of that whereunto God has called them, and of +what they have received through his preaching. + +5. Such admonition is still, and will ever be, necessary in the +Christian community. The weak must endure severe conflicts in the +tribulations the Gospel inevitably entails. The trial is especially +hard when they must lose their leaders and teachers, and in addition +hear the shameful, bitter taunts of the calumniators. We in this day +have to expect that some will be offended when teachers are assailed. +We should therefore be prepared, and when any of our number fall away +from our faith to flatter tyrants and the Pope, and to become liars +and knaves, we must individually lay hold of the Gospel in a way to +enable us to stand and say: "Not because a certain one has so taught, +do I believe. It matters not what becomes of him or what he may be, +the doctrine itself is right. This I know, whatever God may permit to +befall myself or others because of it." + + +THE CHRISTIAN'S CONFIDENCE MUST BE IN GOD. + +6. So have I personally had to do, and must still do. Otherwise I +would have been terrified and enervated when I saw the Pope, and +bishops, emperors, kings and all the world, opposed to the doctrine +they ought to sustain. I would have been overwhelmed, thinking, +"They, too, are men and cannot all be followers of the devil." How +could I comfort myself and stand firm unless I were able to say: +"Though ten other worlds and everything great, lofty, wise and +prudent, and all my dear friends and brethren as well, should turn +from me, the doctrine still remains true. It stands: it will not, +like men, totter and fall. I will adhere to the Word of God, stand or +fall what may." + +7. The Christian must be discerning enough to strip the individual of +his mask--of his great pomp and majesty--and distinguish it from the +Word. He who cannot so do, cannot stand under temptation; let one +fall, and he will soon follow suit. + +8. Such is the nature of the Church in its earthly government that +human wisdom must stumble thereat; various sects of the offended must +rise in opposition to the faith. But God delights to rule, not with +the sword or with visible power, but through weakness and in +opposition to the devil and the world. Seemingly, he would permit his +Church to be utterly overthrown. Guard against and resist offenses as +well as we may--and the practice is not without its efficacy--still +we must ultimately be driven to say defiantly: "He who established +the Church and has to this time preserved it, will continue to +protect it. Man would not rule it wisely, but the living Christ is +seated upon the throne whereon God placed him, and we shall see who +can pull him down and destroy his Church." + + +PAUL'S SUFFERINGS FOR THE CHURCH'S GOOD. + +9. When the trying hour arrives, we are able to accomplish about as +little against the enemy as Paul when he lay in chains powerless to +succor a soul. He was obliged to commit his cause to the Lord. At the +same time, as a faithful apostle, he ceased not, though removed from +his followers, to admonish and warn to the full extent of his power. +Well he knew that many false apostles were ready, so sure as he said +a word, to pervert it and to fill the ears of the people with their +own empty words and poisonous teaching. He elsewhere complains (2 Tim +1, 15) that by the influence of this class all Asia was turned away +from him. He had reference to the nearest neighbors of the Ephesians +in Asia. + +10. For the sake of affording his converts comfort and strength, Paul +proceeds to make his sufferings and tribulations pleasing to them by +speaking of these afflictions in unusual and beautiful terms. He +presents a view quite opposed to the opinion of the world and the +judgment of calumniators. "My sufferings and tribulations," says +Paul, "which to you and the world, viewed in a fleshy way, are most +disastrous, really work you no injury nor disadvantage, +notwithstanding what the pernicious babblers claim about such trials. +Rather, they are beneficial to you and me. Though your enemies seek +thus to injure you to the fullest extent, benefits they never foresee +will accrue to us. + +"My sufferings are not for my own sake, but yours. They work your +benefit; it is better for you as it is, than for me to be present and +preach to you. And how so? Because I suffer only for the sake of the +ministry, for that Gospel I delivered you. I risk my life and all I +have that you may hold it fast; such is my earnest desire. I contend +for and cleave to, at the risk of my life, that which Christ gave me +and enjoined upon me. Thus by my chains and bands I honor and +establish the Gospel, that you may be strengthened and may cleave +more firmly to it. + +11. "So we shall joyfully transform the tribulation imposed by the +world in an attempt to inflict great evils: God will have to +pronounce the sentence: 'Hear, O world, devil, emperor, tyrant! Thou +hast imprisoned my apostle Paul for the sake of my godly Christians. +What injury have they done thee? what fault committed? With no wrong +on their part, thou persecutest them. It is simply because I gave +them my Word; therefore thou art opposing and defying me. What shall +I say but that thou hast imprisoned and bound, not Paul, but me? Is +it not insupportable that a perishable worm, be he emperor or prince, +should presume to apprehend God in heaven? But thinkest thou I will +remain silent and unprotesting? Thinkest thou I will not break +chains, stocks and bands, and give command: Hold thou, devil and +tyrant, and submit! Let me rule, substituting for one Paul, ten; and +for one Church at Ephesus establishing thirty, yes, a hundred.'" + +12. And as in Paul's time, so today: when our enemies get hold of an +evangelical preacher, either he must secretly be drowned or murdered, +or he must publicly be hanged or burned. Why is it? Because of the +Christians to whom he has taught his doctrine. For a while God looks +on serenely. He says: "Beloved lords, be not enraged. Know you whom +you have apprehended and murdered? It is I, the Divine Majesty. It +was not their own word and command but mine which these preachers +taught and my Christians believed. You cannot deny the fact. I must, +then, consider how to secure myself against your wrath. How shall I +do it? Indeed, by way of returning your favors and kindnesses, I must +so arrange that where one town had a minister and the Gospel, ten, +yes twenty, towns must have their pastor and preachers. I will, O +Pope and bishops, invade your own dioceses and you must tolerate and +accept the Gospel, whether to your joy or your grief. If you begin to +rave, I will give you cause for alarm, for you shall be overthrown, +bishops, hats and all." + +13. Note, when Paul says he suffers for the Ephesians, he means that +his suffering is for their profit, to teach them they have nothing to +fear in suffering. They, not he, are the subjects of concern in this +matter. His pains are not merely those of Paul--upon whom not so much +depends--but of an apostle or preacher of the Church of Christ. When +the latter name is associated with the suffering, when it is not John +or Peter who is cast into prison--that God might tolerate--but a +minister of the Church, then the deed is a too gross jesting with the +majesty of God; it is tempting him too far, yes apprehending him. + +14. It was necessary that Paul give his converts this admonition: +"Dear children, fear not. Do not be alarmed at my arrest and intended +execution. Let our enemies put forth their utmost effort. You shall +see how I will rend the cords and burst the prison, humiliating them +until they lie in ashes; the place of one resister of the Gospel will +be filled by ten who preach it." + + +CHRIST PERSECUTED IN CHRISTIANS. + +Since Paul's enemies refuse instruction and will not cease their +raging, since they refuse to learn against whom they rage, he must +make known to them who is the object of their persecution. It is +neither Paul nor an apostle, but he to whom it was said (Ps 110, 1), +"Sit thou at my right hand." It is a perilous thing to take liberties +with him. He is now seated where he will brook no suffering. The +enemies of the Christians must behold such things as did the Jews who +delivered Paul into the Emperor's hands, and as the Romans witnessed. +Soon after Paul's execution, Jerusalem lay in ashes, and not a great +while after, the city of Rome was destroyed. For when Christ was +oppressed, when in the person of his apostles and martyrs he was +seized and put to death, he had no alternative but to destroy a whole +city. And Germany may expect a similar fate. + + +NO MAN CAN MERIT ETERNAL LIFE FOR ANOTHER. + +15. It is unnecessary here to reply to those wicked and illiterate +dolts, the Papists and Anabaptist factions, who explain Paul's words, +"my tribulations for you," and similar passages, as teaching that one +Christian can by his sufferings merit or aid in the salvation of +others. Paul does not say, "My tribulations for you are designed to +secure for you forgiveness of sins and salvation." He clearly +declares, as the Scriptures everywhere do, that only Christ's +sufferings are thus effective and for all men. Paul's thought may +well be expressed--and every minister may say the same--in these +words: "My preaching and my suffering are for your sake." Just as a +parent may say to a child, "I must do or endure this for you." + +True, works wrought and sufferings endured for another's sake are +productive of the good and comfort of that one or of many, but the +worker or sufferer does not thereby merit, either for himself or +another, God's grace and eternal life. No, these things demand the +offices of a being of another order--Christ. He through his +sufferings exterminates your sins, and through his death gives you +life. Then again, Paul is addressing those already Christians and +having forgiveness of sins and all the requirements of a Christian; +yet he suffers for them; that is, for their good--that in proportion +as his enemies seek to oppose the Gospel, its influence may be +widened and the faith of his followers strengthened. + +16. In the effort to comfort and strengthen the Ephesians, Paul yet +further glorifies and extols his tribulations in the words "which are +your glory." What unheardof talk is this? Is it not much rather, as +reason dictates and as all the world affirms, a disgrace to his +followers that he lies there in prison? What greater dishonor can +Christians suffer than to have their ministers and pastors--their +instructors and consolers--shamefully arrested? So it seems to the +world, it is true; but I tell you, in God's sight and in reality, +this trial is a great honor to you, one of which you may proudly +boast. This very disgrace and provocation you may turn squarely to +your good, saying: "From the very fact of our disgrace, I know the +doctrine is true and divine. For it is the lot of the Word of God and +of salutary doctrine, together with the supporters of the same, to be +defamed and persecuted by the world and the devil." Such persecution +is but glory and honor to Christians. Paul says in Romans 5, 3, "We +rejoice in our tribulations." In other words, we regard them as +glorious, beneficial, precious, blessed. + + +CHRISTIANS TO REJOICE IN PERSECUTIONS. + +17. Christians should not, and cannot, have their glory in the things +the world esteems and honors; for the world will not, nor can it, +honor even God and his Word. Christ's followers, then, should not be +terrified at such treatment as Paul received nor feel disgraced. Let +them rather rejoice, deriving comfort and glory therefrom, as did the +apostles. We read (Acts 4, 13) of their boldness, and (Acts 5, 41) +that they rejoiced in being "counted worthy to suffer dishonor for +the Name." So it fared with Christ himself, and Christians ought to +be grieved if it be otherwise with them and if the world regard them +in a kindly way. In proportion as the world persecutes them and heaps +upon them its malice, should they rejoice. Let them accept +persecution as a good indication, regarding themselves blessed, as +Christ teaches in Matthew 5, 11. So much for the first part of our +text; now follows the second: + +"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father [of our Lord Jesus +Christ], from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." + + +PREACHING MUST BE FOLLOWED BY PRACTICE. + +18. Having comforted his followers concerning his tribulations, Paul +tells them it is his earnest petition, his longing, that God would +grant them power to cleave in firm faith to the Gospel, not forsaking +it or growing weary when they have to endure affronts and +tribulations, but firmly resisting these. It is not enough merely to +accept the Gospel, or even to preach it. Acceptance must be followed +by that spiritual power which renders faith firm and manifests +steadfastness in conflicts and temptations; for "the kingdom of God +is not in word, but in power," as Paul says, 1 Cor 4, 20. There must +be a motive force consisting of the inner belief of the heart and the +outward proofs of faith: not mere speaking, but doing: not mere +talking, but living. Conditions must be such that the Word does not +simply remain on the tongue and in the ears, but becomes operative +and accomplishes something. In the Old Testament dispensation, Moses +preached much indeed, and the people practiced little; but here Paul +desires that much be done and little said. He would not have the +Gospel preached in vain, but desires that it accomplish the object of +its revelation. + +19. Note how Paul devotes himself to the welfare of the Christian +community. He sets an example, to us ministers in particular, of how +to effect the good of the people. But we do not rightly heed his +example. We imagine it sufficient to hear the Gospel and be able to +discourse about it; we stop at the mere knowledge of it; we never +avail ourselves of the Gospel's power in the struggles of life. +Unquestionably, the trouble is, we do not earnestly pray. We ought +constantly to come to God with great longing, entreating him day and +night to give the Word power to move men's hearts. David says (Ps 68, +33), "Lo, he uttereth his voice, a mighty voice." + +20. Not only preachers, but all Christians, should constantly entreat +the God who grants knowledge to grant also efficacy; should beseech +him that the Word may not pass with the utterance, but may manifest +itself in power. The prevailing complaint at present is that much +preaching obtains, but no practice; that the people are shamefully +rude, cold and indolent, and less active than ever, while at the same +time they enjoy the strong, clear light of revelation concerning all +right and wrong in the world. Well may we pray, then, as Paul does +here. He says, in effect: "You are well supplied: the Word is richly +proclaimed to you--abundantly poured out upon you. But I bend my +knees to God, praying that he may add his blessing to the Word and +grant you to behold his honor and praise and to be firmly +established, that the Word may grow in you and yield fruit." + +21. Feelingly does Paul speak of praying for his followers. He seems +to say: "I must lie here imprisoned, not privileged to be with you or +to aid you in any way but by bending my knees--that is, entreating +and imploring God earnestly and in deep humility--to the end that God +may grant you, may effect in you, what neither myself nor any other +human being can accomplish--what I could not do even were I free and +ever present with you." + + +TRUE PRAYER CONSISTS NOT IN OUTWARD THINGS. + +22. Observe, the apostle alludes to his prayer by naming its outward +expression--bending the knees. But the external posture, if +accompanied by nothing else, is sheer hypocrisy. When prayer is +genuine, possessing the fire by which it is kindled, prompted by a +sincere heart which recognizes its need and likewise the blessings +that are ours as proclaimed in the Word, and when faith in God's +Word--in his promise--revives, then the individual will be possessed +with a fervor prompting him to fall upon his knees and pray for +strength and for the power of the Spirit. When the Spirit of prayer +is enkindled and burns within the heart, the body will responsively +assume the proper attitude; involuntarily, eyes and hands will be +upraised and knees bended. Witness the examples of Moses, David and +even Christ himself. + +When we pray with glowing hearts, external gestures will take care of +themselves. They are prompted by the Spirit, and therefore are not to +be denounced. If assumed, unbidden of the Spirit, they are +hypocritical; as, for instance, when one presumes outwardly to serve +God and perform good works while his heart is far away. The prophet +says (Is 29, 13), "This people draw nigh unto me, and with their +mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart +far from me." + +23. By the declaration, "I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord +Jesus Christ," Paul establishes the doctrine that no one should +presume to speak to God, to entreat him for any favor, unless +approaching, as Paul does here, in the name of "the Father of our +Lord Jesus Christ." For Christ is our sole Mediator, and no one need +expect to be heard unless he approach the Father in the name of that +Mediator and confess him Lord given of God as intercessor for us and +ruler of our bodies and souls. Prayer according to these conditions +is approved. Strong faith, however, is necessary to lay hold of the +comforting Word, picturing God in our hearts as the Father of our +Lord Jesus Christ. + +24. The statement that Christ is our Lord is very comforting, though +we have made it terrifying by regarding Christ as a stern and angry +judge. But the fact is, he is Lord for the sole purpose of securing +us against harsh lords, tyrants, the devil, the world, death, sin and +every sort of misfortune. We are his inheritance, and therefore he +will espouse our cause, deliver us from violence and oppression of +all kinds and better our condition. + +The name "Lord," then, is altogether lovable and comforting to us who +believe, and gives us confidence of heart. But still more comforting +is it to know that our God, our Lord, is the Father of our Lord Jesus +Christ. The name "Lord" stands for the complete Godhead, who gives +himself to us. Therefore, all we ask in this name must be abundantly +bestowed. Naught is here for me but real help and pure grace. For God +designs to have me his child in Christ, placed above all things +temporal and eternal. + + +GOD OUR FATHER. + +25. Paul further declares that God is not merely a father, but the +true Father, "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is +named." Earthly fathers are so called because in a flesh and blood +way they have begotten us, or on account of their age and their claim +to honor. It is the universal custom to apply the term "father" to an +old master. In Second Kings 5, 13, for instance, the servants of +Naaman called their lord "father." Paul's thought is: "All fatherhood +on earth is but a semblance, a shadow, a painted image, in comparison +with the divine Fatherhood of God." + +26. But reason can never see it so. And only by the Spirit's work can +the heart recognize the fact. Reason may go so far as to regard God +an angry and terrible judge, one who makes the world, even hell +itself, too narrow for it and leaves it without a foothold. But it is +impossible for natural reason to call God a father in sincerity; much +less to regard him the divine Father, preëminent over all who bear +the name of "father" in heaven or on earth, of whom all other fathers +are as mirror reflections. + +27. Think of the attitude of an earthly father toward his child, and +of the child toward his father. Even where actual parenthood is +lacking, the name engenders a confidence affectionate and pleasing +enough to kindle the brightest anticipations of great good to be +received. Now, if the sincere, loyal designs of earthly fathers for +their children are mere pretense compared to the blessed purposes of +our heavenly Father, what must we look for from this heavenly Father, +this Father above all others? Paul would teach us to look at the +proportions, and from the confidence we repose in our natural fathers +estimate the character of God as a Father and what we may expect from +him. + +28. He who can put his trust in God, who can confidently rely upon +him and sincerely cry, "Thou art my beloved Father!" need not fear to +ask anything of God, or that God will at all deny him. His own heart +will tell him that his petitions will be granted. Because of the +strength of his confidence, he cannot fail to secure his heart's +desires. Thus God himself teaches us to break open heaven and lay him +bare before our eyes that we may see who this Father is. + +[Thus Paul is confident what he asks is pleasing to God and will be +granted. If we did the same we would, doubtless, have a like +experience. There are still people who pray. It would be a blessing +if there were many more. Then the Gospel would make greater progress +and impart to us greater power. It is evident, God be praised, that +all who rage against the Gospel must be put to shame. The more they +rage, the more the Gospel spreads, and all without our help or +counsel, only because God awakens hearts to pray that it may prosper, +even without our help. The more fervently we pray, the greater is +God's pleasure to hear.] + +29. What is the nature of the prayer Paul here presents? It is the +same as the Lord's Prayer, being particularly identical with the +first, second and third petitions. In words of different sound but +implying the very same thing, Paul briefly embraces these +petitions--the hallowing of God's name and Word in our midst, and the +destruction of the devil's kingdom and all evil--whatever is opposed +to the Word and will of God. He says: + +"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that +ye may be strengthened with power." + + +GOD LAVISH IN HIS BLESSINGS. + +30. Sublime words are these, wrung from a fervent heart. Evidently, +in the effort to express himself fully, clearly and in language +worthy of his subject, the apostle finds words too weak and rare. The +fervor of his heart can be but poorly portrayed. By the phrase, +"according to the riches of his glory," Paul means to say: "Such is +the greatness of God's glory, it deserves the title of riches. For it +is conducive to God's honor and praise that he gives abundantly." +These words reveal the nature of God, proclaiming him the source +whence we may expect all good, and all aid in time of need. He is God +of all the world. The reason the world has made many gods, has +invoked many saints, is because it looks to them for aid and benefit. +The Scriptures term "gods" certain individuals who do good and lend +assistance to their fellows. God says to Moses (Ex 7, 1), "I have +made thee as God [a god] to Pharaoh." + +31. But God, because of the abundance and lavishness of his gifts, is +entitled to greater honor and glory. He is the true God, to whom +alone belongs all glory; yea, the riches of glory. He pours out his +blessings abundantly and above measure; he is the source of all +blessings in heaven and on earth. Even his most inferior +creatures--water, air, the earth and its products--are so generously +bestowed that we can appropriate only an infinitesimal part of them. +Yet in our blindness and stupidity we do not see, yea, we utterly +ignore the fact that God is the giver of these. Now, how much more +generous is God in spiritual blessings! He has freely given +himself--poured out himself--for us, and also gifts and blessings of +the highest order. He has illumined us with a light bright enough to +reveal to us the real character of the world, the devil and the +angels. Yes, to show to us God's purposes, present, past and future. +Thus we have all wisdom and all power over sin, the devil and death, +being lords of all creatures. In a word, our riches are inexpressibly +great. + +32. Paul employs forcible words to record his prayer here. He has +firm confidence in God that the petition must be efficacious, must +penetrate the clouds and open heaven. He does not say that God looks +upon our merit and worthiness and for the sake of these grants our +requests; but for the sake of the riches of his glory. We are not +worthy his favors, but his glory is worthy of our recognition, and we +are to honor him because he gratuitously lavishes his blessings upon +us, that his name alone may be hallowed. Only with a recognition of +these facts may prayer be offered if it is to avail before God. If +God were to consider our merit, very small would be the portion due +us. But if we are to be richly blessed, it must come about through +our recognition of pure grace as the source of our gifts, and our +praise of God's exceeding glory. + +33. But what are the blessings for which Paul's prayer entreats? +Something more than continuance of the Word with his followers, +though it is a great and good gift even to have the Word thoroughly +taught: he prays that the heart may taste the Word and that it may be +effectual in the life. Thus the apostle contrasts a knowledge of the +Word with the power of the Word. Many have the knowledge, but few the +impelling and productive power that the results may be as we teach. +Hence they are criticised and not without reason. But our enemies +cannot censure and reproach us to greater extent than to say that we +preach and accept much good doctrine to no purpose; that no one +practices it and profits thereby; that in fact we are morally worse +than before we heard the doctrines, and consequently it would have +been better had things remained as they were. + + +WE SHOULD PRAY FOR THE POWER OF THE WORD. + +34. What answer shall we make? This: In the first place, considering +our unsatisfactory condition and the lack of power with the Word, we +have great reason to pray with the earnestness Paul's example +teaches. And secondly, though our enemies see little improvement and +few fruits of the Gospel, it is not theirs to judge. They think we +ought to do nothing but work miracles--raising the dead and bordering +the Christian's walk with roses, until naught but holiness obtains +everywhere. This being the case, where would be the need to pray? We +cannot, nor dare we, pray for what we already have, but must thank +God for it. But, since Paul and other Scripture authorities command +us to pray, a defect somewhere in our strength is indicated. +Otherwise why say they so much about it? + +Thus Paul himself acknowledges the Ephesians were weak. He complains +of the same weakness in other Epistles and especially in those to the +Corinthians. Everywhere he urges them to do and live as they had been +taught. The only reason Paul advocates this is that he saw, as we now +see, that everywhere they fail, and things are not as they should be. + +In spite of the fact that not everyone's conduct is satisfactory, +some do mend their ways; and the happy condition obtains that many +consciences are assured and many former evils are now avoided. If the +two sides of the question were carefully compared, we would see much +advantage with us not now noticed. Again, even though we are somewhat +weak, is that any reason for saying all is lost? Further, there is +naught else but filth and corruption in the ranks of our enemies, +which they would gladly adorn with our weakness even. But they must +look upon their way as excellent and ours as odious. + +35. Let them go on with their judging. We admit we are not all +strong, but it is also true that were there no weakness in our ranks, +we would have no need of prayer, perseverance, exhortation and daily +preaching. In condemning the Gospel because of our admitted weakness, +something we ourselves confess, our enemies are themselves judged +before God by their judging us. It is possible for me to be truly in +the kingdom of grace and at the same time outwardly weak enough to be +regarded of men as a knave. My faith is not apparent to men, but God +sees it and I am myself sensible of it. You meantime erroneously +judge me by my outward conduct, thus bringing judgment upon yourself. +We are aware of, and also lament, our weakness and imperfection. +Hence we cry and groan, and pray to God to grant us strength and +power. + + +WORLD SEES NOT INNER MARKS OF CHRISTIANS. + +36. A third answer to our enemies is: We are certain that wherever +the Word of God is proclaimed, the fruits of the same must exist. We +have the Word of God, and therefore the Spirit of God must be with +us. And where the Spirit is, faith must obtain, however weak it may +be. Though visible evidence may be lacking, yet inevitably there must +be some among us who daily pray, while we may not be aware of it. It +is reasonably to be expected that our enemies should judge +erroneously, because they look for outward evidences of Christianity, +which are not forthcoming. + +The Word is too sublime to pass under our judgment; it is the +province of the Word to judge us. The world, however, while unwilling +to be judged and convicted by us, essays to judge and convict the +Word of God. Here God steps in. It would be a pity for the worldly to +see a godly Christian, so God blinds them and they miss his kingdom. +As Isaiah says (ch. 26, 10): "In the land of uprightness will he deal +wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah." For this +reason, few real Christians come under the observation of cavilers; +the latter, in general, observe fools and fanatics, at whom they +maliciously stumble and take offense. They are unworthy to behold +God's honor in a godly Christian upon whom the Lord has poured out +himself in fullness of blessing. + +37. Let the real Christian come into the presence of the caviler, +stand before his very eyes, and the caviler will not see him. Let the +fault-finder hear that one leads an irreproachable life and he will +say: "Heretics have behaved similarly, but under a good appearance +concealed poison." Let one be refractory and reckless, and he must be +a knave. Whatever we do, they are not satisfied. If we pipe, they +will not dance; if we mourn, they will not lament. Neither sweet nor +sour appeals to them. Wisdom must permit herself to be schooled and +governed by these cavilers, as Christ says in Matthew 11, 19. Thus +God confounds and shames the world; while all the time tolerating its +judgment of himself, he is ever careful to have the Gospel +inculcated, even though the worldly burst with rage. I say these +things to teach us to be careful not to join the caviler in judging +presumptuously the work and Word of God. Notwithstanding our +weakness, we are yet certain the kingdom of God is in our midst so +long as we have his Word and daily pray for its efficacy and for an +increase of our faith, as the following words recommend: + +"That ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the +inward man." + + +THE SPIRIT IMPARTS REAL STRENGTH. + +38. The apostle here speaks with varied expression. He leaves little +honor and glory, as it were, for free-will, but desires for his +followers the heavenly power imparted through the Holy Spirit. There +is also a power of the world, and a spirit--the devil, the prince of +the world, who blinds and hardens men's hearts. He boasts of himself +and imparts to men a spirit of daring in his purpose to suppress and +exterminate Christian doctrine. But while worldings are courageous +and daring, so are Christians, and the latter are greater and far +more powerful through the Holy Spirit, and are undaunted by the +world, the devil, death and all kinds of misfortune. This is real +spiritual strength. The Hebrew word "spirit" might well be rendered +"bold, undaunted courage." Spiritual strength is not the strength of +muscle and bone; it is true courage--boldness of heart. Weakness, on +the contrary, is faint-heartedness, timidity, lack of courage. + +39. Paul's meaning, then, is: "I desire for you, and pray God to +grant you, that bold, dauntless courage and that strong, cheerful +spirit which will not be terrified by poverty, shame, sin, the devil +or death, but is confident that nothing can harm us and we will never +be in need." The courage of the world--the spirit of the world--holds +out only until exhaustion of the stores whereon it relies. As the +saying is, "Wealth gives temporal boldness, but the soul must rely on +God alone." The boldness resulting from riches and worldly power is +haughty and makes its boast in earthly things. But the soul has no +hoarded treasure. In God alone it braves every evil; it has a courage +and heart very different from that of the world. + +This is the strength for which Paul prays on behalf of his converts, +a strength not inherent in flesh and blood. The possessor thereof +does not rely and build on his own powers and riches, nor upon any +human help and support. This strength dwells in the inner man. It is +the trust of the dauntless, cheerful heart in God's grace and +assistance, and in these alone. The heart which so trusts has no +fear. It possesses by faith abundance of riches and pleasures--God +himself with all his blessings. At the same time, to human sight only +want, weakness and terror may be apparent. + +"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." + +40. The Holy Spirit brings Christ into the heart and teaches it to +know him. He imparts warmth and courage through faith in Christ. Paul +everywhere intimates that no man should presume to approach God +otherwise than through Christ, the one Mediator. Now, if Christ +dwells in my heart and regulates my entire life, it matters not +though my faith be weak. Christ is not mere bone but also flesh. Yes, +he has blisters and boils and sins of which he is not ashamed, +notwithstanding the eminent saints may hold their noses thereat. And +where he dwells all fullness is, let the individual be weak or strong +as God permits. + + +CHRIST EMBRACED ONLY BY THE HEART. + +41. For Christ to dwell in the heart is simply for the heart to know +him; in other words, to understand who he is and what we are to +expect from him--that he is our Saviour, through whom we may call God +our Father and may receive the Spirit who imparts courage to brave +all trials. It is thus that Christ dwells with us, in our hearts. +Only so can he be embraced; for he is not an inanimate thing, but the +living God. How does man lay hold of the Saviour in the heart? Not by +embracing him intellectually. It is accomplished only by living +faith. Christ will not permit himself to be received by works, nor to +be apprehended with mental vision; he will consent only to be +embraced by the heart. If your faith be true and on a firm +foundation, you have and feel Christ in your heart and are aware of +all he thinks and does in heaven and on earth--how he rules through +his Word and his Spirit, and the attitude of those who have Christ +and those who have him not. + +42. Paul desires Christ to be efficacious in the hearts of his +followers unto the full realization of the promises of the +Word--liberation from sin and death, and assurance of grace and +eternal life. It is impossible for the heart having such experience +to be other than firm and courageous to oppose the terrors of the +devil and the world. But the heart which has not yet arrived at this +point is here advised what course to take, namely, to pray God for +such faith and strength, and to avail himself of the prayers of +others to the same end. So much in regard to faith; now follows the +mention of love. + +"That ye, being rooted and grounded in love." + + +LOVE, THE EXPRESSION OF FAITH. + +43. This is an unusual way of speaking. Is it not in faith that we +are to be rooted, engrafted and grounded? Why, then, does Paul here +substitute "love?" I reply: Faith, it is true, is the essential +thing, but love shows whether or no faith is real and the heart +confident and courageous in God. Where one has an unquestioning +confidence that God is his Father, necessarily, be his faith never so +weak, that faith must find expression in word and deed. He will serve +his neighbor in teaching and in extending to him a helping hand. This +is what Paul calls being rooted and grounded in love--having the +conscious experience of possessing true faith. Love is the test that +determines the reality of faith. Peter says (2 Pet 1, 10), "Give the +more diligence to make your calling and election sure." That is, +proceed to good works that others may see and you experience that you +have true faith. Until you do, you will always be uncertain, +vacillating, superficial in heart, not rooted and grounded. So by +these two clauses Paul teaches, first, that we should have in our +hearts genuine faith toward God; and second, that faith should find +expression in loving service to one's neighbor. + +"May be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth +and length and height and depth." + + +TRUE CHRISTIANS FIND CHRIST EVERYWHERE. + +44. These words represent another feature of the apostle's desire for +his Christians to be established and comforted in God through faith, +and rooted and grounded in love toward their neighbors. "When you are +thus strengthened," he would say, "and are perseveringly pressing +forward, you will be able to grasp with all saints the four parts, to +increase therein and to appreciate them more and more." Faith alone +effects this apprehension. Love is not the moving force here, but it +contributes by making faith manifest. + +45. Some teachers would make these words reflect and measure the holy +cross. But Paul does not say a word about the cross. He simply says, +in effect: "That you may apprehend all things; may see the length and +breadth, the height and depth, of Christ's kingdom." This condition +obtains when my heart has reached the point where Christ cannot make +the spiritual life too long or too wide for me to follow, nor high +enough or deep enough to cause my fall from him or his Word; the +point where I may be satisfied that wherever I go he is, and that he +rules in all places, however long or broad, deep or high, the +situation from either a temporal or eternal point of view. No matter +how long or wide I measure, I find him everywhere. David says (Ps +139, 7-8): "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I +flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: +if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there." Christ rules +eternally. His length and breadth, his depth and height, are +unlimited. If I descend into hell, my heart and my faith tell me he +is there. + +46. The sum of the matter is this: Depressed or exalted, +circumscribed in whatsoever way, dragged hither or thither, I still +find Christ. For he holds in his hands everything in heaven or on +earth, and all are subject to him--angels, the devil, the world, sin, +death and hell. Therefore, so long as he dwells in my heart, I have +courage, wherever I go, I cannot be lost. I dwell where Christ my +Lord dwells. This, however, is a situation impossible to reason. +Should reason ascend a yard above the earth or descend a yard below, +or be deprived of the tangible things of the present, it would have +to despair. We Christians are, through Christ, better fortified. We +are assured that he dwells everywhere, be it in honor or dishonor, +hunger, sorrow, illness, imprisonment, death or life, blessing or +affliction. It is Paul's desire for the Ephesians that God give them +grace and strength to have such heart-apprehension of his kingdom. He +concludes the details of his prayer in these words: + +"And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may +be filled unto all the fulness of God." + +47. He means: "I desire you, in addition to having faith and +apprehending the four proportions of Christ's kingdom, to know the +love of Christ we should have--the love Christ bears toward us, and +the love we owe our neighbor. This knowledge transcends all other, +even familiarity with the Gospel; for, know as much as you may, your +knowledge will avail little or nothing without love." + +48. Paul's desire, briefly summed up, is that the faith of Christians +may be strengthened unto efficacy, and that love may be warm and +fervent, and the heart filled with the fullness of God. "Filled unto +all the fullness of God" means, if we follow the Hebrew, filled with +everything God's bounty supplies, full of God, adorned with his grace +and the gifts of his Spirit--the Spirit who gives us steadfastness, +illuminates us with his light, lives within us his life, saves us +with his salvation, and with his love enkindles love in us; in short, +it means having God himself and all his blessings dwelling in us in +fullness and being effective to make us wholly divine--not so that we +possess merely something of God, but all his fullness. + + +CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. + +49. Much has been written about the way we are to become godlike. +Some have constructed ladders whereby we are to ascend to heaven, and +others similar things. But this is all patchwork. In this passage is +designated the truest way to attain godlikeness. It is to become +filled to the utmost with God, lacking in no particular; to be +completely permeated with him until every word, thought and deed, the +whole life in fact, be utterly godly. + +50. But let none imagine such fullness can be attained in this life. +We may indeed desire it and pray for it, like Paul here, but we will +not find a man thus perfect. We stand, however, upon the fact that we +desire such perfection and groan after it. So long as we live in the +flesh, we are filled with the fullness of Adam. Hence it is necessary +for us continually to pray God to replace our weakness with courage, +and to put into our hearts his Spirit to fill us with grace and +strength and rule and work in us absolutely. We ought all to desire +this state for one another. To this end may God grant us grace. Amen. + + + + +_Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 4, 1-6. + +1 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk +worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, 2 with all +lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in +love; 3 giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond +of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were +called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one +baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through +all, and in all. + + +THE CHRISTIAN CALLING AND UNITY. + +1. This, too, is a beautiful sermon, delivered by Paul to the +Ephesians, concerning the good works of Christians, who believe and +are obedient to the doctrine of the Gospel. In the knowledge of good +works Paul desires Christians to grow and increase, as we learned in +the epistle for last Sunday. The ground of all doctrine, of all right +living, the supreme and eternal treasure of him who is a Christian in +the sight of God, is faith in Christ. It alone secures forgiveness of +sins and makes us children of God. Now, where this faith is, fruits +should follow as evidence that Christians in their lives honor and +obey God. They are necessary for God's glory and for the Christian's +own honor and eternal reward before him. + +2. Paul, remembering the imprisonment and tribulations he suffered +because of the Gospel and for the advantage, as he before said, of +the Ephesians, gives the admonition here. He would have them, in +return for his sufferings, honor the Gospel in their lives. First he +names a general rule of life for Christians. + +"To walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called." + + +THE CHRISTIAN CALLING. + +3. The chief thing that should influence a Christian's outward walk +is the remembrance of his calling and appointment by God. He should +be mindful of why he is called a Christian, and live consistently. He +must shine before the world; that is, through his life and God's +work, the Word and the name of Christ the Lord must be exalted. +Christ exhorts his disciples: "Even so let your light shine before +men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who +is in heaven." Mt 5, 16. + +4. Similarly, Paul would say: "You have received God's grace and his +Word and are a blessed people. In Christ all your needs are blessedly +supplied. Be mindful of this and remember you are called to a far +different and vastly higher life than others know. Show by your +manner of living that you seek a higher good than the world +seeks--indeed, that you have received far greater blessings. Let your +lives honor and glorify the Lord who has given you such blessings. +Give no occasion for dishonoring your treasured faith, or for +scorning his Word. Rather, influence men by your godly walk and good +works to believe in Christ and to glorify him." + +5. Let the Christian know his earthly life is not unto himself, nor +for his own sake; his life and work here belong to Christ, his Lord. +Hence must his walk be such as shall contribute to the honor and +glory of his Master, whom he should so serve that he may be able to +say with Paul, not only with respect to the spiritual life--the life +of faith and of righteousness by grace--but also with respect to its +fruits--the outward conduct: "It is no longer I that live, but Christ +liveth in me." Gal 2, 20. The Christian's manner of life may be +styled "walking in Christ"; yes, as Paul elsewhere has it (Rom 13, +14), "putting on" the Lord Jesus Christ, like a garment or an +ornament. The world is to recognize Christ by his shining in us. + +6. But the so-called Christian life that does not honor Christ makes +its sin the more heinous for the name it bears. Every sin the people +of God commit is a provocation of Jehovah; not only in the act of +disobedience itself, but also in the transgression of the second +commandment. The enormity of the sin is magnified by the conditions +that make it a blasphemy of God's name and an occasion of offense to +others. Paul says in Romans 2, 24: "For the name of God is blasphemed +among the Gentiles because of you." So a Christian should, in his +life, by all means guard the honor of God--of Christ. He must take +heed that he be not guilty of blaspheming that name and of doing +wickedness. The devil, aided by the world, construes every act, when +possible, to reflect upon God's honor and glory. His purpose is to +manifest his bitter hatred against Christ and the Word; also to +injure the Church by charging offenses, thus deterring unbelievers +from embracing the Gospel and causing the weak to fall away. + +7. To guard against such disaster, Christians should be particularly +careful to give, in their conduct, no occasion for offense, and to +value the name and honor of their God too highly to permit blasphemy +of them. They should prefer to lose their own honor, their wealth, +their physical well-being, even their lives, rather than that these, +their most precious possessions and greatest blessings, should suffer +disgrace. Let them remember that upon keeping sacred the name and +honor of God depends their own standing before God and men. God +promises (1 Sam 2, 30), "Them that honor me I will honor." But +pursuing the opposite course, Christians bring upon themselves God's +sternest wrath and effect their own rejection and shame. For he says +further: "They that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." And in the +second commandment God threatens certain and terrible punishment to +abusers of his name; that is, to them who do not employ it to his +honor and praise. + +8. Well may every Christian examine his own life to see if he is +careful to guard against offense to the Gospel and to regulate his +words and conduct by God's first commandment, making them contribute +to the honor and praise of the divine name and the holy Gospel. +Weighty indeed and well calculated to cause complaint are the sins to +which every Christian is liable in this respect; well may he avoid +them lest he heap to himself the wrath of God. Especially need we be +careful in these last and evil times when the Gospel is everywhere +suppressed by great offenses. Man was created to be the image of God, +that through this his image God might himself be expressed. God's +image, then, should be reflected in the lives of men as a likeness in +a glass, and a Christian can have no higher concern than to live +without dishonor to the name of God. + + +ADMONITION TO SPECIAL CHRISTIAN VIRTUES. + +9. Such is the first part of Paul's admonition concerning the general +life of Christians. He goes on to make special mention of several +good works which Christians should diligently observe: humility, +meekness, long-suffering, preservation of the unity of the Spirit, +and so on. These have been specially treated before, in other epistle +lessons, particularly those from Peter. Humility, for +instance--mentioned in today's lesson--is taken up the third Sunday +after Trinity; patience and meekness, the second Sunday after Easter, +and the fifth Sunday after Trinity. + +10. The text here presents good works sufficient to occupy all +Christians in every station of life; we need not seek other nor +better ones. Paul would not impose upon Christians peculiar works, +something unrelated to the ordinary walks of life, as certain false +saints taught and practiced. These teachers commanded separation from +society, isolation in the wilderness, the establishment of monkeries +and the performance of self-appointed works. Such works they exalted +as superior to ordinary Christian virtues. Indeed, their practice +amounted to rejection of the latter, and they actually regarded them +as dangerous. The Papacy has in the past shamelessly styled the +observance of Christian good works as worldly living, and men were +compelled to believe they would find it hard to reach heaven unless +they became ecclesiasts--for they regarded only the monks and priests +worthy--or at least made themselves partakers of the works of +ecclesiasts by purchasing their merits. + +But Paul--in fact, the entire Scriptures--teaches no other good works +than God enjoins upon all men in the Ten Commandments, and which +pertain to the common conditions of life. True, these make not such +brilliant show in the eyes of the world as do the self-appointed +ceremonials constituting the divine service of hypocrites; +nevertheless, they are true, worthy, good and profitable works in the +sight of God and man. What can be more acceptable to God and +advantageous to man than a life lived, in its own calling, in the way +that contributes to the honor of God, and that by its example +influences others to love God's Word and to praise his name? +Moreover, what virtues, of all man possesses, serve him better than +humility, meekness, patience and harmony of mind? + +11. Now, where is a better opportunity for the exercise of these +virtues than amidst the conditions in which God destined us to +live--in society, where we mingle with one another? Upon these +conditions, self-appointed, unusual lives and monastic holiness have +no bearing. For what other person is profited by your entering a +cloister, making yourself peculiar, refusing to live as your fellows +do? Who is benefited by your cowl, your austere countenance, your +hard bed? Who comes to know God or to have a peaceful conscience by +such practices on your part, or who is thereby influenced to love his +neighbor? Indeed, how can you serve your neighbor by such a life? How +manifest your love, humility, patience and meekness if you are +unwilling to live among men? if you so strenuously adhere to your +self-appointed orders as to allow your neighbor to suffer want before +you would dishonor your rules? + +12. Astonishing fact, that the world is merged in darkness so great +it utterly disregards the Word of God and the conditions he designed +for our daily living. If we preach to the world faith in God's Word, +the world receives it as heresy. If we speak of works instituted of +God himself and conditions of his own appointing, the world regards +it as idle talk; it knows better. To live a simple Christian life in +one's own family, to faithfully perform the duties of a man-servant +or maid-servant--"Oh, that," it says, "is merely the following of +worldly pursuits. To do good works you must set about it in a +different way. You must creep into a corner, don a cap, make +pilgrimages to some saint; then you may be able to help yourself and +others to gain heaven." If the question be asked, "Why do so? where +has God commanded it?" there is, according to their theory, really no +answer to make but this: Our Lord God knows nothing about the matter; +he does not understand what good works are. How can he teach us? He +must himself be tutored by these remarkably enlightened saints. + + +FRUITS OF ORIGINAL SIN. + +13. But all this error results from that miserable inherent plague, +that evil termed "original sin." It is a blind wickedness, refusing +to recognize the Word of God and his will and work, but introducing +instead things of its own heathenish imagination. It draws such a +thick covering over eyes, ears and hearts that it renders men unable +to perceive how the simple life of a Christian, of husband or wife, +of the lower or the higher walks of life, can be beautified by +honoring the Word of God. Original sin will not be persuaded to the +faithful performance of the works that God testifies are well +pleasing to him when wrought by believers in Christ. In a word, +universal experience proves that to perform really good works is a +special and remarkable grace to which few attain; while the great +mass of souls aspiring after holiness vainly busy themselves with +worthless works, being deceived into thinking them great, and thus +make themselves, as Paul says, "unto every good work reprobate." Tit +1, 16. This fruitless effort is one evil result of the error of human +ideas of holiness and the practice of self-chosen works. + +14. Another error is the hindrance--yes, the suppression and +destruction--of the beautiful virtues of humility, meekness, patience +and spiritual harmony here commended of Paul. At the same time the +devil is given occasion to encourage fiendish blasphemy. In every +instance where the Word of God is set aside for humanly-appointed +works, differing views and theories must obtain. One introduces this +and another that, each striving for first recognition; then a third +endeavors to improve upon their doctrine. Consequently divisions and +factions ensue as numerous as the teachers and their creeds; as +exemplified in the countless sects to this time prevalent in Popedom, +and in the factious spirits of all time. Under such circumstances, +none of the virtues like humility, meekness, patience, love, can have +place. Opposite conditions must prevail, since harmony of hearts and +minds is lacking. One teacher haughtily rejects another, and if his +own opinions fail to receive recognition and approval, he displays +anger, envy and hatred. He will neither affiliate with nor tolerate +him whose practices accord not with his own. + +15. On the other hand, the Christian life, the life of faith with its +fruits, controlled as it is by the Word of God, is in every way +conducive to the preservation of love and harmony, and to the +promotion of all virtues. It interferes not with the God-ordained +relations of life and their attendant obligations upon men--the +requirements of social order, the duties of father and mother, of son +and daughter, master and mistress, servant and maid. All life's +relations are confirmed by it as valid and its duties as vital. The +Christian faith bids each person in his life, and all in common, to +be diligent in the works of love, humility, patience. It teaches that +one be not intolerant of another, but rather render him his due, +remembering that he whose condition in life is the most insignificant +can be equally upright and blessed before God with the occupant of +the most significant position. Again, it teaches that man must have +patience with the weakness of his fellow, being mindful of how others +must bear with his own imperfections. In short, it says one must +manifest to another the love and kindness he would have that other +extend to him. + +16. To this Christian attainment, contributes very largely the single +fact that a Christian is conscious he has, through Christ, the grace +of God, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And these not for +his own merits or peculiar life and works, but because he is, no +matter how insignificant in condition before the world, a child of +God and blessed; a partaker, if he but believes, in all the blessings +of Christ, sharing equally with the most eminent saint. So, then, he +need not look about for works not enjoined upon him. He need not +covet those wrought in prominence and by the aid of great gifts of +God--of unusual attainments. Let him confine himself to his own +sphere; let him serve God in his vocation, remembering that God makes +him, too, his instrument in his own place. + +Again, the occupant of a higher sphere, the possessor of higher gifts +and accomplishments, who likewise serves in his vocation received +from God, should learn and exhibit harmony of mind. So shall he +continue humble and be tolerant of others. He should remember that he +is not worthier in the eyes of God because of his greater gifts, but +rather is under deeper obligation to serve his fellows, and that God +can use the possessor of lesser gifts for even greater +accomplishments than himself can boast. Having so learned, he will be +able to manifest patience, meekness and love toward his weak and +imperfect neighbors, considering them members of Christ with him, and +partakers of the same grace and salvation. + + +THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT. + +17. Now you have the reason why the apostles Paul and Peter +everywhere so faithfully enforce this virtue, the unity of the +Spirit. It is the most necessary and beautiful grace that Christians +possess. It holds together the Christian community, preventing +factions and schisms, as before explained. So Paul here admonishes +men to be careful for harmony, making every endeavor to preserve it. +The term "unity of the Spirit" is used to make plain the apostle's +meaning. He would thus emphasize oneness of doctrine--the one true +faith. Since the Holy Spirit is present only where there is knowledge +of and faith in the Gospel of Christ, "unity of the Spirit" implies a +unity of faith. Above all things, then, the effort must be to +preserve, in the Church, the doctrine of the Scriptures, pure and in +its unity. + +18. One of the wickedest offenses possible to commit against the +Church is the stirring up of doctrinal discord and division, a thing +the devil encourages to the utmost. This sin usually has its rise +with certain haughty, conceited, self-seeking leaders who desire +peculiar distinction for themselves and strive for personal honor and +glory. They harmonize with none and would think themselves disgraced +were they not honored as superior and more learned individuals than +their fellows, a distinction they do not merit. They will give honor +to no one, even when they have to recognize the superiority of his +gifts over their own. In their envy, anger, hatred and vengefulness, +they seek occasion to create factions and to draw people to +themselves. Therefore Paul exhorts first to the necessary virtue of +love, having which men will be enabled to exercise humility, patience +and forbearance toward one another. + +19. The character of the evils resulting to the Church from divisions +and discords in doctrine is evident from the facts. Many are +deceived; the masses immediately respond to new doctrine brilliantly +presented in specious words by presumptuous individuals thirsting for +fame. More than that, many weak but well-meaning ones fall to +doubting, uncertain where to stand or with whom to hold. Consequently +men reject and blaspheme the Christian doctrine and seek occasion to +dispute it. Many become reckless pleasure-lovers, disregarding all +religion and ignoring the Word of God. Further, even they who are +called Christians come to have hard feelings against one another, +and, figuratively, bite and devour in their hate and envy. +Consequently their love grows cold and faith is extinguished. + +20. Of so much disturbance in the Church, and of the resulting +injuries to souls, are guilty those conceited, factious leaders who +do not adhere to the true doctrine, preserving the unity of the +Spirit, but seek to institute something new for the sake of advancing +their own ideas and their own honor, or gratifying their revenge. +They thus bring upon themselves damnation infinitely more intolerable +than others suffer. Christians, then, should be careful to give no +occasion for division or discord, but to be diligent, as Paul here +admonishes, to preserve unity. And this is not an easy thing to do, +for among Christians occasions frequently arise provoking self-will, +anger and hatred. The devil is always at hand to stir and blow the +flame of discord. Let Christians take heed they do not give place to +the promptings of the devil and of the flesh. They must strive +against them, submitting to all suffering, and performing all +demands, whether honor, property, physical welfare or life itself be +involved, in the effort to prevent, so far as in them lies, any +disturbance of the unity of doctrine, of faith and of Spirit. + +"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in +one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God +and Father of all." + +21. Christians should feel bound to maintain the unity of the Spirit, +since they are all members of one body and partakers of the same +spiritual blessings. They have the same priceless treasures--one God +and Father in heaven, one Lord and Savior, one Word, baptism and +faith; in short, one and the same salvation, a blessing common to all +whereof one has as much as another, and cannot obtain more. What +occasion, then, for divisions or for further seeking? + +22. Here Paul teaches what the true Christian Church is and how it +may be identified. There is not more than one Church, or people of +God, one earth. This one Church has one faith, one baptism, one +confession of God the Father and of Jesus Christ. Its members +faithfully hold, and abide by, these common truths. Every one +desiring to be saved and to come to God must be incorporated into +this Church, outside of which no one will be saved. + +23. Unity of the Church does not consist in similarity of outward +form of government, likeness of Law, tradition and ecclesiastical +customs, as the Pope and his followers claim. They would exclude from +the Church all not obedient to them in these outward things, though +members of the one faith, one baptism, and so on. The Church is +termed "one holy, catholic or Christian Church," because it +represents one plain, pure Gospel doctrine, and an outward confession +thereof, always and everywhere, regardless of dissimilarity of +physical life, or of outward ordinances, customs and ceremonies. + +24. But they are not members of the true Church of Christ who, +instead of preserving unity of doctrine and oneness of Christian +faith, cause divisions and offenses--as Paul says (Rom 16, 17)--by +the human doctrines and self-appointed works for which they contend, +imposing them upon all Christians as necessary. They are perverters +and destroyers of the Church, as we have elsewhere frequently shown. +The consolation of the true doctrine is ours, and we hold it in +opposition to Popedom, which accuses us of having withdrawn from +them, and so condemns us as apostates from the Church. They are, +however, themselves the real apostates, persecuting the truth and +destroying the unity of the Spirit under the name and title of the +Church and of Christ. Therefore, according to the command of God, all +men are under obligation to shun them and withdraw from them. + + + + +_Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Corinthians 1, 4-9. + +4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which +was given you in Christ Jesus; 5 that in everything ye were enriched +in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; 6 even as the testimony +of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 so that ye come behind in no gift; +waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; 8 who shall also +confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreprovable in the day of our +Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom ye were called +into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. + + +TREASURE CHRISTIANS HAVE IN THE GOSPEL. + +1. We have before us the opening words of the Epistle to the +Corinthians, which Paul was moved to write because of unpleasant +conditions in the Church at Corinth after his departure. Divisions +had arisen and sad confusion prevailed in doctrine and life. Hence +the apostle was constrained to rebuke their wickedness and correct +their infirmities. Because of these wholesome admonitions, the +reading and heeding of this epistle is not only profitable but +essential to this day; for the devil takes no respite, but whenever +the Gospel is preached in its purity he mixes with the children of +God and sows his seed. + +2. Paul intends to be rather severe--even caustic--but he begins very +leniently, showing them what they have received through the Gospel. +His purpose is to arouse their gratitude to God, and to induce them, +for his honor and glory, to be harmonious in doctrine and life, +avoiding divisions and other offenses. + +"I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was +given you in Christ Jesus," etc. + +3. In other words, Paul would say: Dear brethren, consider, I pray +you, what abundant grace and gifts have been given you of God. They +are bestowed not because of the Law, or because of your +righteousness, your merits and works; you are given no reason to +exalt yourselves above others, or to originate sects or schisms. Nay, +all these blessings have been freely given you in Christ and for his +sake, through the preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel is a grace +which brings to you all manner of gifts, by him enriching you in +everything. You lack nothing from God, but you await this one thing, +that blessed day when Christ will reveal himself to you with all +those heavenly gifts which you now possess in faith. + +4. In this wise he extols to them the preaching of the Gospel (as +indeed he does on different occasions); his purpose is to induce them +to regard it most appreciatively. He gives them an example of his own +gratitude, thanking God on their behalf, for the purpose of calling +forth their especial gratitude when they should consider what they +formerly were and what they now had received through the Gospel. And +again, he would have them beware lest, forgetful of their former +misery and present grace, they relapse into their old blindness. A +sad beginning in such backsliding had been made by factions in their +midst, who, satiated with the Gospel and indifferent to the abundant +grace they enjoyed, began to cast about for something else. + +5. Now observe: If the exalted apostle and venerable teacher of the +Gentiles in his day had to witness in his own parish such factions +and sects as those which, in sinful security and ingratitude toward +the Gospel, arose during his life, what wonder is it that today, when +we do not have the excellent preachers and pious Christians of those +times, there are similar sects? We are aware of the great benefits +bestowed upon us, but at the same time we see and realize that the +devil instigates divisions and scandals. And the cause of these evils +may be traced to our ingratitude; we have quickly forgotten the ills +we endured under the blindness of popery, and how miserably we were +deluded and tormented. Necessarily, where God's mercies are lightly +dismissed from the mind and disregarded, gratitude and regard for +God's Word cannot be the result; satiated, listless Christians go +their way fancying that spiritual conditions always were and always +will be as now. + +6. The people, therefore, must be awakened to consider their former +destitution, the very wretchedness they were in. The apostle later on +vividly pictures such condition to his Corinthians, while here, in +the opening chapter, he intimates to them, in kind and courteous +words, to consider, in the light of the Gospel benefits they now +enjoy, what they lacked before and might be deprived of again. + +7. Therefore he says, You now have received the grace whereby in +everything ye are enriched. Formerly you had not this grace and would +not have it today had not the Gospel been preached to you. You are +enriched in everything pertaining to yonder life, for it is not the +purpose of the Gospel to give earthly riches. But in spiritual +blessings ye come behind in no gift and have need of naught except +this one thing, that the Lord himself should come. This blessing you +are yet to have, and biding its advent you here live by the gifts and +grace with which you were enriched, until you are finally redeemed +from the sinful, wicked life of the world and from all its +oppressions. You must know, and must thank God for it, that you need +not seek after any higher calling or better gifts, thinking you have +not all that is essential, as the factious spirits would have you +believe. + +8. For in your own judgment, what better thing could you have than is +the Christian's in his Gospel and his faith? He has assurance of sins +forgiven and washed away in holy baptism, of justification and +holiness before God, and of the fact that he is God's child and heir +to eternal life. Furthermore, although the Christian is conscious of +remaining weakness and sin, yea, although he be overcome by a fault, +he may avail himself of absolution, comfort and strength through his +fellow Christians and by the aid of the sacraments; and he has daily +guidance for his conduct and faith in all the walks of life. Again, +he can call upon God in prayer in the day of trouble, and the firm +assurance is his that God will hear and help him. What further can +one desire, or what more does he need, than the knowledge that he is +God's child through baptism and has God's Word at hand for comfort +and strength in weakness and sin? Do you consider it slight +enrichment to have assurance of the fact that God himself is speaking +to you and, by means of the office of the ministry, is effective in +you, teaching, admonishing, comforting, sustaining you, yea, granting +you victory over the devil, death and all evil influences on earth? + +9. Formerly what would we not gladly have given and done for but a +single Gospel truth in our distress and trials of conscience! True, +when one was discouraged or perplexed he was advised to seek and +follow the counsel of some intelligent and judicious mind; but such +judicious one who might assist with his counsel was nowhere to be +found. For a wise man's counsel does not answer in such case. The +Word of God alone suffices, and you are to rely on it as if God +himself revealed his counsel to you from heaven. + +10. As Paul says, it is great riches, a precious treasure, to possess +in very fact the Word of God and not to doubt that it is the Word of +God. It is this that will answer; this can comfort your heart and +support it. Of spiritual benefits you know we had none under the +tyranny and darkness of the Pope. At that time we suffered ourselves +to be led and driven by his commandments, vain human baubles, by +bulls, lies, invocation of saints, indulgences, masses, monkery. And +we did whatever was enjoined in the name of the Church, solely to +gain comfort and help, that we might not despair of God's grace. But +instead of comforting us, these things led us to the devil and thrust +us into greater anguish and terror; for there was nothing in the +doctrine of the papists that could give us certainty. Indeed, they +themselves had to confess that by its teachings no man could or +should be certain of his state of grace. + +11. Yea, they forced poor, timid, tempted hearts to dread and fear +Christ more than the devil even, as I myself experienced full well. I +resorted to the dead--St. Barbara, St. Ann and other departed +saints--regarding them as mediators between me and Christ's wrath. +But this availed me nothing, nor did it free me from a fearful and +fugitive conscience. There was not one among us all--and we were +called very learned doctors of Holy Writ--who could have given true +comfort from God's Word, saying: This is God's Word; this one thing +God asks of you, that you honor him by accepting comfort; believe and +know that he forgives your transgressions and has no wrath against +you. If someone could have told me this, I would have given all I +possessed for the knowledge; yea, for such word of comfort I would +not have taken in exchange the glory and the crowns of all kings, for +it would have restored my soul, it would have refreshed and sustained +my body and life. + +12. All this we should bear in mind, by no means should we forget it; +that we may return thanks to God, recounting the superior and +wonderful gifts which have enriched us in all things. We have besides +the Word, free prayer and the Lord's Prayer, knowing what to pray for +and how to pray--knowledge common to the very children today, thank +God. In former times, all men, especially we monks, tormented +themselves with lengthy repetitions in reading and singing; yet our +prayers were but chattering, as the noise of geese over their food, +or of monks repeating a psalm. + +13. I, too, wanted to be a pious and godly monk and I prepared with +earnest devotion for mass and for prayers. But when most devout I +went to the altar a doubter and left the altar a doubter. When I had +rendered my confession I still doubted, and I doubted when I did not +render it. For we were wholly wrapped up in the erroneous idea that +we could not pray and would not be heard unless we were absolutely +clean and without sin, like the saints in heaven. It would have been +much better not to pray at all and to have done something else, than +thus to take God's name in vain. Still, we monks--in fact all the +ecclesiastics--deluded the people, promising them our prayers for +their money and possessions, actually selling our prayers, though we +did not even know that we prayed in a manner acceptable to God. But +today, thank God, we do know and understand, not only what to pray +for and how to approach God "nothing doubting," but we can also add a +hearty Amen, believing that according to his promise he will +certainly hear us. + + +THE CHRISTIAN'S TREASURE. + +14. The Christian has indeed inestimable treasure. In the first place +he has the testimony of the Word of God, which is the word of eternal +grace and comfort, that he has a right and true conception of +baptism, the Lord's Supper, the Ten Commandments and the Creed. In +addition he has the sure refuge of God's promise to deliver us from +every trouble in which we shall call upon him, and to give us, as he +promised by the prophet Zechariah (12, 10), the Spirit of grace and +of prayer. And the Christian, by virtue of his enlightened +understanding, can wisely discern what are good works and what +callings are pleasing to God; on the other hand, his judgment is +equally true as to unprofitable and vain works and false services. +Before, we had not this wholesome knowledge. We knew not what we +believed, or how we prayed and lived. We sought comfort and salvation +in self-devised trivialities, in penances, confessions and +satisfactions, in self-righteous works of monkery and in obedience to +the commands of the Pope. We believed such works to be fully +satisfactory and, indeed, the only things that were holy; the +pursuits of common Christians we considered worldly and dangerous. + +15. In illustration of this idea, a picture was exhibited--with the +sanction of the Pope--representing a great ship in the wild, wide +sea, containing only the holy monks and the super-holy popes, +cardinals, bishops, etc., who were throwing their merits to those in +peril struggling in the water, or extending a hand, or by means of +ropes and their stoles drawing the drowning to safety in the boat. + +16. In contrast to this darkness, consider the priceless and +to-be-cherished blessing of knowing with certainty wherein the heart +is to take comfort, how to seek help in distress and how to conduct +one's self in one's own station. If, though provided with spiritual +riches on all sides, you are not sufficient of yourself at all times +to grasp them, you can, nevertheless, always reach and appropriate +them by means of the ordinary ministry and office of the Church, yes, +by the aid of your fellow-Christians. Again, it is productive of the +greatest happiness to know that when living aright in the ordinary +walks of life established by God, you are more acceptable and +pleasing to him than you would be to purchase the works and merits of +all the monks and hermits. + +17. What Paul terms being "enriched," first, "in all utterance," or +knowledge--which, in the exalted spiritual meaning of the words, +bears on life everlasting--is having the comfort of faith in Christ +and of invocation and prayer. And enriched in "all knowledge," means +having true conception and right judgment in all things of our +physical life and in all our earthly relations. All things that a +Christian should know and should possess are comprehended in these +two terms. These blessings are gifts and treasures indescribably +great. He who will contrast them with the destitution of our former +condition cannot but be joyful and thankful. I remember the time when +I, engaged in earnest study of Holy Writ, would have given a great +deal for the right exposition of a psalm; and when had I but begun to +understand a verse aright, I would have been as rejoiced as if born +to life anew. + +18. Truly, then, we should now render to God heartfelt thanks for the +great favor and blessing of restored light and understanding in +Scripture, and the right conception of doctrinal matters. But, alas! +it is likely to be with us as with the Corinthians, who had received +most abundantly from Paul but by way of return had made ill use of it +and proved shamefully unthankful. And they met with retribution, the +worst of it being false doctrine and seductions, until at last that +grand congregation was wholly ruined and destroyed. A similar +retribution threatens us, yes, is before the door with appalling +knock, in the instance of the Turks and in other distress and +calamity. For this reason we should, with a thankful heart and +serious mind, pray, as Paul here does for his Corinthians, that God +would keep us steadfast in the possession of his gifts and blameless +in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. + +19. Paul admonishes us to continue in this knowledge and appreciation +of the grace and gifts of God. Since by these blessings we have +received riches and happiness to the satisfying of all our need, the +apostle further admonishes us to look only for the Lord to reveal to +us publicly by his coming that which he has promised and through +faith already granted us. + +20. In the past, much has been written and ingeniously devised on the +topic of preparing for death and the final judgment. But it has only +served to further confuse timid consciences. For these comforters +were not able to show anything of the comfort to be found in the +riches of grace and bliss in Christ. They directed the people to +oppose with their own works and good life, death and God's judgment. +In place of this delusion is now evident the precious truth; he who +knows the Gospel doctrines, goes on and performs his own work and +duty in his respective calling. He takes comfort in the fact that +through baptism he is engrafted into Christ; he receives absolution +and partakes of the holy supper for the strengthening of his faith, +commending his soul and body to Christ. Why should such a one fear +death? Though it come at any time, in form of pestilence or accident, +it will always find the Christian ready and well prepared, be he +awake or asleep; for he is in Christ Jesus. + +21. For all these things the Christian may well thank and bless God, +realizing that he has no further need, nor can he gain anything +better than he already has in the remission of sins, the gift of the +Holy Spirit and the faithful prosecution of his calling; however, he +should remain in, and daily grow in, faith and supplication. But he +cannot hope to attain to another and better doctrine, faith, Spirit, +prayer, sacrament, reward, etc., than had all the saints, John the +Baptist, Peter, Paul, or in fact than has now every Christian that is +baptized. Therefore I need not idly spend time in trying to prepare +people for death and inspire them with courage by such commonplaces +as recalling and relating the innumerable daily accidents, ills and +dangers of this life. This method will not answer; death will not +thereby be frightened away, nor will the fear of death be removed. +The Gospel teaching is: Believe in Christ, pray and live in +accordance with God's Word, and then, when death overtakes and +attacks you, you will know that you are Christ the Lord's. Paul says +(Rom 14, 8): "Whether we live ... or die, we are the Lord's." Indeed, +we Christians live upon this earth to the very end that we may have +assured comfort, salvation and victory over death and hell. + +22. Of this Paul here reminds us, and dwells on it more fully later +in this Epistle; he would have us duly thankful for this great grace +and living among ourselves in a Christian and brotherly manner, in +doctrine and practice, ignoring and avoiding that wild, disorderly +conduct of the contentious and disorderly. He who recognizes such +grace and blessing cannot but love and thank God and conduct himself +aright toward his neighbor; and when he finds himself falling short +in this he will, by admonition and the Word of God, make amends. + +23. Here you might put the question: Why does Paul speak in such a +commendatory way of the Corinthians, saying that they were enriched +in everything and came behind in no gift, when he himself confesses +later on that they had contentions and schisms--in regard to baptism, +to the sacrament, to the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and +in regard to abuse of liberty, and some lived as they pleased. Would +you not call these things faults and shortcomings? How, then, is he +in a position to say that they were abundantly supplied with all +things spiritual, lacking not one thing? + +24. Well, you should recall what I have repeatedly stated: +Christendom is never so spotless that there are not some spurious and +wicked admixed, just as you will always find weeds, darnel, tares, or +wild mustard together with pure grain. And he who will examine the +Church with only a view of finding faults and frailties among those +called Christians, will miss the Church, yes, the Gospel and Christ, +and never discover a Church at all. + +25. But we have the consolation of knowing that if we have the Gospel +pure, we have the treasure God gives his Church and we cannot go +astray nor want. But as yet we have not reached that degree of +perfection where all hearers of the Gospel will grasp it fully and +wholly or are faultless in faith and life; at all times there will be +some who do not believe and some who are weak and imperfect. However, +that great treasure and rich blessing of doctrine and knowledge is +present. There is no defect in this, and it is effective and +fruitful. The fact that some do not believe, does not weaken baptism +or the Gospel or the Church; they only harm themselves. To sum up, +where the Word remains, there most assuredly is also the Church. For +wherever the doctrine is pure, there you can also keep purity in +baptism, the sacrament, absolution, the Ten Commandments, the Lord's +Prayer, good works and all callings; and wherever you find a defect +or an irregularity, you can admonish, amend and rectify by means of +the Word. + +26. Some there must be who have the Word and sacraments pure and +unadulterated, who have faith, pray aright, keep God's commandments +and do other things, as, thank God, we have with us. Then we may +firmly conclude: If the true Church were not here, these +characteristics would be lacking; therefore we must have among +ourselves true members of the Church and true saints. Now even though +children of the world intermingle (as will be the case always and in +all places), who show neither faith nor a godly life, it would +corrupt neither faith, nor baptism, nor doctrine, nor would the +Church perish on that account--the treasure remains in its integrity +and efficacy, and God may graciously cause some to turn from their +unbelief and wicked life and be added to the faithful and to mend +their ways. + +27. Again, they with whom this treasure--the Word or doctrine and its +knowledge--is not found, cannot be the Christian Church nor members +of it, and for that reason they cannot pray or believe aright or do +good works pleasing to God. It follows that their whole lives are in +God's sight lost and condemned, though they may assiduously extol God +and the Church and before the world may have the appearance and +reputation of leading particularly holy lives and excelling even the +upright Christians in virtues and honor. It is a settled fact that +outside the Church of Christ there is no God, no grace, no bliss; as +Paul says (Eph 4, 5): "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and +Father of all," etc. And Acts 4, 12 says: "And in none other is there +salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is +given among men, wherein we must be saved." + +28. And so Paul, when here extolling the Corinthians, has not an eye +to the contentious, the Epicureans, or to those who give public +offense, as the man that "had his father's wife;" but the apostle +looks to the fact that a few remain who have the pure Word of God, +faith, baptism and the sacrament, though some hypocrites be among +them. Because of these few--and few indeed there may be--we recognize +the presence of that inestimable treasure of which the apostle +speaks. It is found as well where two or three are gathered together +as with thousands. Neither the Gospel nor the ministers nor the +Church is to be blamed that the multitude miss this treasure; the +multitude have but themselves to blame, for they close their ears and +eyes. + +29. Now behold how loftily Paul has extolled and how beautifully +portrayed the Christian Church--where she is to be found on earth and +what inestimable blessings and gifts she has received of Christ, for +which she is in duty bound to thank and praise him in her confession +and in her life. This subject the apostle concludes with the words: + +"God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of +his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." + +30. The good work which Christ has begun in you and already assured +to you, he will without fail establish in you until the end and for +ever, if you but do not fall away through unbelief, or cast grace +from you. For his Word or promise given to you, and his work begun in +you, are not changeable as is man's word and work, but are firm, +certain, divine, immovable truth. Since you are in possession of this +your divine calling, draw comfort therefrom and rely on it without +wavering. Amen. + + + + +_Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 4, 22-28. + +22 That ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the +old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that +ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, +that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of +truth. 25 Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one +with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, +and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 neither give +place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather +let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he +may have whereof to give to him that hath need. + + +DUTY TO NEW AND OLD MAN. + +1. Here again is an admonition for Christians to follow up their +faith by good works and a new life, for though they have forgiveness +of sins through baptism, the old Adam still adheres to their flesh +and makes himself felt in tendencies and desires to vices physical +and mental. The result is that unless Christians offer resistance, +they will lose their faith and the remission of sins and will in the +end be worse than they were at first; for they will begin to despise +and persecute the Word of God when corrected by it. Yea, even those +who gladly hear the Word of God, who highly prize it and aim to +follow it, have daily need of admonition and encouragement, so strong +and tough is that old hide of our sinful flesh. And so powerful and +wily is our old evil foe that wherever he can gain enough of an +opening to insert one of his claws, he thrusts in his whole self and +will not desist until he has again sunk man into his former +condemnable unbelief and his old way of despising and disobeying God. + +2. Therefore, the Gospel ministry is necessary in the Church, not +only for instruction of the ignorant--such as the simple, unlettered +people and the children--but also for the purpose of awakening those +who know very well what they are to believe and how they are to live, +and admonishing them to be on their guard daily and not to become +indolent, disheartened or tired in the war they must wage on this +earth with the devil, with their own flesh and with all manner of +evil. + +3. For this reason Paul is so persistent in his admonitions that he +actually seems to be overdoing it. He proceeds as if the Christians +were either too dull to comprehend or so inattentive and forgetful +that they must be reminded and driven. The apostle well knows that +though they have made a beginning in faith and are in that state +which should show the fruits of faith, such result is not so easily +forthcoming. It will not do to think and say: Well, it is sufficient +to have the doctrine, and if we have the Spirit and faith, then +fruits and good works will follow of their own accord. For although +the Spirit truly is present and, as Christ says, willing and +effective in those that believe, on the other hand the flesh is weak +and sluggish. Besides, the devil is not idle, but seeks to seduce our +weak nature by temptations and allurements. + +4. So we must not permit the people to go on in their way, neglecting +to urge and admonish them, through God's Word, to lead a godly life. +Indeed, you dare not be negligent and backward in this duty; for, as +it is, our flesh is all too sluggish to heed the Spirit and all too +able to resist it. Paul says (Gal 5, 17): "For the flesh lusteth +against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh ... that ye may +not do the things that ye would." Therefore, God is constrained to do +as a good and diligent householder or ruler, who, having a slothful +man-servant or maid-servant, or careless officers, who otherwise are +neither wicked nor faithless, will not consider it sufficient once or +twice to direct, but will constantly be supervising and directing. + +5. Nor have we as yet arrived at the point where our flesh and blood +will joyfully and gladly abound in good works and obedience to God as +the spirit is inclined and faith directs. Even with the utmost +efforts the Spirit scarce can compel our old man. What would be the +result if we were no more urged and admonished but could go our way +thinking, as many self-satisfied persons do: I am well acquainted +with my duties, having learned them many years ago and having heard +frequent explanations of them; yea, I have taught others? It might be +that one year's intermission of preaching and admonition would place +us below the level of the heathen. + +6. Now, this exhortation in itself is simple and easy of +comprehension. The apostle is but repeating his exhortations of other +places--on the fruits of faith, or a godly walk--merely in different +terms. Here he speaks of putting away the old man and putting on the +new man, of being "renewed in the spirit of your mind." + + +"THE OLD MAN." + +7. What he calls "the old man" is well known to us; namely, the whole +nature of man as descended from Adam after his fall in paradise, +being blinded by the devil, depraved in soul, not keeping God before +his eyes nor trusting him, yes, utterly regardless of God and the +judgment day. Though with his mouth he may honor God's Word and the +Gospel, yet in reality he is unchanged; if he does have a little +additional knowledge, he has just as little fear, love and trust in +God as heretofore. + +8. Such a life and such conduct should not be found among you, says +the apostle; you are not to continue with "the old man." He must be +put off and laid aside. Your former manner of life, inherited of +Adam, consisted in disobeying God, in neither fearing, trusting nor +calling upon him. Again, in your body you obeyed not God's +commandments, being given to lust, pride, insatiable greed, envy, +hatred, etc. A life and walk of this nature is not becoming a +Christian who is regarded as, and truly is, a different order of +being from his former self, as we shall hear. Necessarily he should +walk differently. + +9. In this respect a Christian must take heed that he does not +deceive himself; the true Christian differs from the hypocrite. True +Christians so live that it is apparent from their lives that they +keep God before their eyes and truly believe the Gospel, while +hypocrites likewise show by their walk that their pretensions of +faith and forgiveness of sin are hollow. No proof is seen in their +lives and works showing that they have in any wise mended their +former ways; they merely deck themselves with a pretense, with the +name of Gospel, of faith, of Christ. + +10. Now, the apostle has two things to say of the old man: that he +corrupts himself in error as to the soul and in lusts as to the body. +Paul portrays the old man--meaning every man without true faith +though he bear the name of a Christian--as in the first place given +to error: coming short of the truth, knowing naught of the true +knowledge of Christ and faith in him, indifferent alike to God's +wrath and God's grace, deceiving himself with his own conceit that +darkness is light. The old man believes that God will not be moved to +vengeance though he do as he pleases, even to decorating vices with +the names of virtues. Haughtiness, greed, oppressing and tormenting +the poor, wrath, envy--all this he would call preserving his dignity, +exercising strict discipline, honestly and economically conducting +his domestic affairs, caring for his wife and children, displaying +Christian zeal and love of justice, etc. In short, he proceeds in the +perfectly empty delusion and self-conceit that he is a Christian. + +11. Out of this error proceeds the other corruption, the lusts of the +body, which are fruits of unbelief. Unbelief causes men to walk in +sinful security and yield to all the appetites of their flesh. Such +have no inclination toward what is good, nor do they aim to promote +orderliness, honor or virtue. They take desperate chances on their +lives, wanting to live according to the lusts of their flesh and yet +not be reprimanded. + +12. This, says the apostle, is the old man's course and nature. He +will do naught but ruin himself. The longer continued, the greater +his debasement. He draws down upon himself his own condemnation and +penalty for body and soul; for in proportion as he becomes +unbelieving and hard-hearted, does he become haughty, hateful and +faithless, and eventually a perfect scoundrel and villain. This was +your former manner of life, when as yet you were heathen and +non-Christians. Therefore you must by all means put off the old man +and cast him far from you; otherwise you cannot remain a Christian. +For glorying in the grace of God and the forgiveness of sin is +inconsistent with following sin--remaining in the former old +un-Christian life and walking in error and deceitful lusts. + + +THE GROWTH OF "THE NEW MAN." + +"And that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the +new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and +holiness of truth." + +13. Having put away the old man, the apostle exhorts us further to +put on the new man, that day by day we may grow as new creatures. +This is effected by first being delivered from error--from the +erroneous thoughts and ideas incident to our corrupt nature with its +false conceptions of God, wherein we do not fear nor believe him--and +then from God's Word receiving the right understanding of him. When +we rightly understand, we shall fear his wrath against sin and rely +on his grace in true faith, believing that he will forgive our sins +for Christ's sake and will hear our prayer for strength and +assistance to withstand and conquer, and to continually grow in +faith. + +14. This change Paul calls being "renewed in the spirit of your +mind"; that is, constantly growing and becoming established in that +true conception and clear knowledge of Christ begun in us, in +opposition to error and idle vaporings. He who is thus received, says +the apostle, is a man "that after God hath been created in +righteousness and holiness of truth." In the old man there is naught +but error, by means of which the devil leads to destruction. But the +new man has the Spirit and the truth, by which the heart is illumined +unto righteousness and holiness, wherein man follows the guidance of +God's Word and feels a desire for a godly walk and good life; just +as, on the other hand, the desire and love for sin and wickedness is +the product of error. This new man is created after God, as an image +of God, and must of necessity differ from such as live in error and +in lusts, without the knowledge of God and disobedient to him. For if +God's image is in man, man must consequently have the right knowledge +of God and right conceptions and ideas, and lead a godly life +consistent with holiness and righteousness as found in God himself. + +15. Such an image of God Adam was when first created. He was, as to +the soul, truthful, free from error, and possessed of true faith and +knowledge of God; and as to the body, holy and pure, that is, without +the impure, unclean desires of avarice, lasciviousness, envy, hatred, +etc. And all his children--all men--would have so remained from their +birth if he had not suffered himself to be led astray by the devil +and to be thus ruined. But since Christians, by the grace and Spirit +of God, now have been renewed to this image of God, they are so to +live that soul and spirit are righteous and pleasing to God through +faith in Christ; and that also the body--meaning the whole external +life--be pure and holy, which is genuine holiness. + +16. Some there are who pretend to great holiness and purity, but it +is mere pretense, deceiving the people in general. Such are the +factious spirits and monastic saints, who base their holiness and +uprightness solely on an external, peculiar life and on self-elected +works. Theirs may be apparently a commendable, holy and pure way of +praying and fasting, of denying self, etc., and the people may call +it so; but inwardly they are and remain haughty, venomous, hateful, +filled with the filth of human lust and evil thoughts, as Christ says +of such. Mt 15, 19; Lk 16, 15. Likewise their righteousness on which +they pride themselves before God has a certain gloss, on the strength +of which they presume to merit the grace of God for themselves and +others; but inwardly they have no true conception of God, being in +rank unbelief, that is, false and vain suppositions, or doubts. Such +righteousness, or holiness, is not true nor honest. It is made up +wholly of hypocrisy and deceit. It is built, not of God nor after +God, but after that lying spirit, the devil. + +17. The true Christian, Paul asserts, has been molded through faith +in Christ into a new man, like unto God, truly justified and holy in +his sight; even as Adam originally was in perfect harmony of heart +with God, showing true, straightforward confidence, love and +willingness. And his body was holy and pure, knowing naught of evil, +impure or improper desire. Thus the whole life of the man was a +beautiful portrait of God, a mirror wherein God himself was +reflected; even as the lives and natures of the holy spirits the +angels are wrapped up in God and represent true knowledge of him, +assurance, and joy in him and utterly pure and holy thoughts and +works according to the will of God. + +18. But since man is now so grievously fallen from this cheerful +confidence, this certainty and joy, into doubts or into presumption +toward God, and from unspotted, noble obedience into the lusts of +iniquity and ungodliness, it follows that not from mankind can come +help or relief. Nor can any one hope for remedy except the +Christians, who through faith in Christ begin again to have a joyful +and confident heart toward God. They thus enter again into their +former relation and into the true paradise of perfect harmony with +God and of justification; they are comforted by his grace. +Accordingly they are disposed to lead a godly life in harmony with +God's commandments and to resist ungodly lusts and ways. These begin +to taste God's goodness and loving kindness, as Paul says, and +realize what they lost in paradise. He, therefore, that would be a +Christian should strive to be found in this new man created after +God; not in blind error and vain conceit, but in the very essence of +righteousness and holiness before God. + + +TWO CLASSES OF SINS. + +"Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his +neighbor: for we are members one of another." + +19. Lest there might be one who failed to understand the meaning of +the old and the new man, or of true and false righteousness and +holiness, the apostle now proceeds to give an example or two, making +it easier for us to grasp the idea. All sin comes under one of two +classes: First, that of the devil's own making, such as murder and +deceit; for by lies he establishes all idolatry, error, false faith +and holiness, and among men he creates faithlessness, deceit, malice, +etc. Secondly, those sins which he instigates man to commit against +man; deeds of wrath, hatred, vengeance and murder. Paul combines +these two classes. + +20. Now, when a man does not deal fairly with his neighbor, but +practices dishonesty and deceit, be it in matters spiritual or +temporal (and the world is ever deceitful in all transactions), then +certainly the old man holds sway and not righteousness nor holiness, +however much the man may effect a good appearance and evade the +courts. For such conduct does not reflect God's image, but the +devil's. For the heart does not rely on God and his truth, otherwise +it would war with fraud and deception; but its object is to clothe +itself with a misleading garb, even assuming the name of God, and +thus to deceive, belie, betray and forsake its neighbor at the +bidding of every fiendish whim, and all for the satisfaction of its +avarice, selfishness and pride. + +21. In contrast thereto you can recognize the new man. He speaks the +truth and hates lies, not only those momentous lies against the first +table of the Ten Commandments, but also those against the second +table; for he deals faithfully and in a brotherly way with others, +doing as he would be done by himself. Thus should Christians live +with each other, as members of one body, according to the apostle, +and as having in Christ all things common and alike. + +"Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." + +22. Half the sins which the world has learned of its lord and master, +the devil, consist in lying and deceiving, and that in the name and +appearance of truth. No one wants to be called a liar, and even the +devil covers his lies with the name of truth. The other half, which +is easier to recognize, consists in wrath and its fruits. And this +class is usually the result of the other. The world, for its own +advantage, lies and deceives; and when it sees mankind acting in +opposition to its wishes, or beholds its lies exposed and its schemes +thwarted, it begins to rage in wrath against God, endeavoring to +avenge itself and inflict harm, but fraudulently disguising its +wicked motive under the plea of having good and abundant reasons for +its action. + +23. Therefore Paul admonishes the Christians as new creatures, to +guard against this vice of wrath, adducing the fourth verse of the +fourth Psalm: "Stand in awe and sin not." The repetition of this +passage sounds, in Paul's rendering, as if permission to be angry +were given; he says: "Be ye angry, and sin not." But Paul is taking +into consideration the way of the world. Men are tempted and moved to +anger. There are no clean records. Under sudden provocation the heart +swells with ire, while the devil busily fans the flame; for he is +ever alert to stamp upon us his seal and image and make us like unto +him, either through error and false doctrine, or through wrath and +murder in conflict with love and patience. These two forms of evil +you will encounter, especially if you make an effort to be a godly +Christian, to defend the truth and to live uprightly in the sight of +all. You will meet with all manner of malice aforethought and deceit, +and with faithlessness and malignity on the part of those you have +benefited; again, with unmasked violence and injustice on the part of +those who should protect you and see to your interests. This will +hurt and move you to wrath. Yea, in your own house and among your +dear Christian brethren you will often meet with that which vexes +you; again, a word of yours may hurt their feelings. And it will not +be otherwise. This life of ours is so constituted that such +conditions must be. Flesh and blood cannot but be stirred at times by +wrath and impatience, especially when it receives evil for good; and +the devil is ever at hand kindling your anger and endeavoring to fan +into a blaze the wrath and ill humor between yourself and your +neighbor. + +24. But right here, says the apostle, you should beware and not sin; +not give rein, nor yield to the impulse and promptings of wrath. That +you may indeed be moved, the apostle would say, I well know, and you +may fancy to have the best of reasons for exhibiting anger and +vengeance; but beware of doing what your wrath would have you do: and +if overcome by wrath and led to rashness, do not continue in it, do +not harbor it, but subdue and restrain it, the sooner the better; do +not suffer it to take root or to remain with you over night. + +25. If followed, wrath will not suffer you to do a single right +thing, as James affirms (ch. 1, 20). It causes man to fall and sin +against God and his neighbor. Even the heathen have seen that wrath +gets the better of reason and is never the source of good counsel. In +line with this, we read that St. Ambrose reproved the emperor +Theodosius for having, while in a rage, caused the execution of many +persons in Thessalonica; and that he succeeded in having the emperor +issue a rescript to the effect that no one should be executed, even +on his imperial order and command, until a full month had passed by, +thus affording an opportunity to rescind the order if given in haste +and wrath. + +26. Therefore the Psalm says: When wrath attacks and moves you, do +not at once give it leave to do its will. Therein you would certainly +commit sin. But go into your chamber, commune and take counsel with +yourself, pray the Lord's Prayer, repeat some good passages from +God's Word, curb yourself and confide in God; he will uphold your +rights. + +27. It is this the apostle has in mind when saying: "Let not the sun +go down upon your wrath." A Christian must not entertain wrath; he +should instantly quench and stifle it. It is the part of the new man +to control anger, that the devil may not move him from his new-found +faith and make him lose what he has received. If he yields to these +instigations of his flesh, he thereby returns to the error and +condemnation in the old man and loses control of himself, following +his own desires. Then he adorns a lie with the appearance of truth, +claiming the right to be angry and take revenge; just as the world +does when it asserts: This fellow has done me infinite violence and +injustice; am I to suffer it? I have a just cause and shall not +recline my head in ease until he is repaid! By such talk it loses its +case before both God and men; as the saying goes: He that strikes +back has the most unjust cause. + +28. Both divine and human justice forbids that a man be judge in his +own case. For this very reason God has established governmental and +judicial authority, in his stead to punish transgressions, +which--when properly administered--is not man's but God's judgment. +He therefore that invades such judgment, invades the authority of God +himself; he commits a double wrong and merits double condemnation. If +you desire to seek and obtain redress in the courts, you are at +liberty to do so, provided you proceed in the proper way, at the +proper place and with those to whom God has entrusted authority. To +these authorities you may appeal for redress. If you obtain it +according to law, well and good; if not, you must suffer wrong and +commit your case to God, as we have explained more fully elsewhere. + +29. In short, we find in this unique passage a statement to the +effect that he who curbs not his wrath but retains it longer than a +day, or over night, cannot be a Christian. Where then do they stand +who entertain wrath and hatred indefinitely, for one, two, three, +seven, ten years? Such is no longer human wrath but fiendish wrath +from hell; it will not be satisfied nor extinguished, but when it +once takes possession of a man he would, if able, destroy everything +in a moment with his hellish fire. Even so the arch-fiend is not +satisfied with having cast the whole human race into sin and death, +but will not rest content unless he can drag all human beings into +eternal damnation. + +30. A Christian therefore has ample cause to carefully guard against +this vice. God may have patience with you when wrath wells up in your +heart--although that, too, is sinful--but take heed that wrath does +not overcome you and cause you to fall. Rather take serious counsel +with yourself and extinguish and expel your anger by applying +passages of Holy Writ and calling upon your faith. When alone or +about to retire, repeat the Lord's Prayer, ask for forgiveness and +confess that God daily forgives you much oftener than your neighbor +sins against you. + +"Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: +but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is +good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need." + +31. This thought is brought out also in the next Epistle, namely, +that a Christian should guard against giving offense to anybody by +his life, lest God's name be blasphemed. It is a grand thing to be a +Christian, who, as has been stated, is a new man created after God +and a true image of God, wherein God himself desires to be reflected. +Therefore, whatever of good a Christian does, or whatever of evil he +does, under the name of a Christian, either honors or disgraces God's +name. Now, says Paul, whenever you follow your lusts, in obedience to +your old Adam, you do naught but give occasion to the slanderers--the +devil and his troop--to blaspheme the name of God. For the devil, +even without your assistance, at all times seeks opportunity--nor can +he desist--to befoul our dear Gospel and the name of God with his +slanderous tales, composed, if need be, entirely of lies. But where +he finds the semblance of occasion he knows how to profit by it. He +will then open his mouth wide and cry: Behold, these are your Gospel +people! Here you have the fruits of this new doctrine! Is their +Christ such a one as they honor by their lives? + +32. So then a Christian should be exceedingly careful and cautious +for this reason, if for no other: to protect the name and honor of +his dear God and Saviour and not to do the devil the favor of letting +him whet his slanderous tongue on Christ's name. How shall we stand +and answer in his sight when we cannot deny the fact that our life +gives just cause for complaint and offense? By such a life we +intentionally bring disgrace and shame upon God's name and Word, +which things should be our highest treasures and most valuable +possessions. + +33. When the apostle says, "Let him that stole steal no more: but +rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, +that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need," he indicates +the true fruit of repentance, which consists in abandoning and +utterly abstaining from evil and in doing good. He at the same time +attacks and reproves the sin of theft so common in all walks of life. +And them who idle away their time and neglect their duty of serving +and helping their fellow-beings, he calls--and rightfully--thieves in +God's sight. + +34. For the right interpretation of the commandment, Thou shalt not +steal, is this: Thou shalt live of thine own work, that thou mayest +have to give to the needy. This is your bounden duty, and if you do +not so God will pronounce you not a Christian but a thief and robber. +In the first place, because you are an idler and do not support +yourself, but live by the sweat and toil of others; in the second +place, because you withhold from your neighbor what you plainly owe +him. Where now shall we find those who keep this commandment? Indeed, +where should we dare look for them except where no people live? But +such a class of people should Christians be. Therefore, let each of +us beware lest he deceive himself; for God will not be mocked nor +deceived. Gal 6, 7. + + + + +_Twentieth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 5, 15-21. + +15 Look therefore carefully how ye walk [See then that ye walk +circumspectly], not as unwise, but as wise; 16 redeeming the time, +because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not foolish, but +understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunken with +wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; 19 speaking one +to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and +making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always +for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the +Father; 21 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of +Christ. + + +THE CAREFUL WALK OF THE CHRISTIAN. + +1. Paul's admonition here is designed for those who, having heard the +Gospel and made a fine start in believing, immediately imagine +themselves secure and think they have accomplished all. Forgetful +that they are still flesh and blood, and in the world and in contact +with the devil's kingdom, they live in unconcern, as if delivered +from all danger, and the devil far fled. By the very reason of their +security they are overcome of the devil and their own flesh, and fall +unawares from the Gospel. They have just enough connection with it to +be able to prate of it, boasting themselves Christians but giving no +indication of the fact in their conduct. + +2. Paul would tell them how, in view of these things, vigilance is +essential to the Christian life. To regulate the life by keeping +God's will ever before the eyes, always conforming the conduct to +it--this he calls walking circumspectly and being wise. If you for a +moment lose sight of God's will, the devil immediately possesses you +and works pernicious results, transforming a Christian into an +indolent, self-secure hypocrite; a hypocrite into a heretic and +factionist; and a heretic into an open enemy. So the apostle here +teaches that in all seriousness if we would secure ourselves against +the craft and power of the devil we must be vigilant; we must be +careful how we walk. In Satan we have an enemy bent on hindering us; +on undermining our very foundation. + +3. Consequently they who fail to keep earnest watch over their +Christian life--that is, to have a care for soundness of belief and +to gladly hear and obey the Word of God--are unwise, even foolish, +and have no knowledge of God's will. They have removed the light from +before their eyes to behold instead a thing of their own imagination. +They see as through a painted glass, presuming they do well in +following such phantoms of their reason, until they are misled and +defeated of the devil. + + +THE WORD, THE GUIDE OF THE CHRISTIAN. + +4. Therefore, not without reason does Paul warn Christians to be +always wise and circumspect--to keep the Word of God before them. +Upon so doing depends their wisdom and understanding. Let each one +make it a matter of personal concern, and especially should it be the +general interest of the congregation. Where care is not observed to +retain the Word in the Church, but there are admitted to the pulpit +brawlers who set forth their own fraudulent doctrines, the Church is +injured; the congregation will soon be as the preacher. Again, if the +individual fails to regulate his daily life--the affairs of his +calling--by the Word of God; if he forgets the Word and absorbs +himself in accumulating wealth; if he is tangled with secular +interests, he soon becomes a cold and indolent Christian, then an +erring soul, and finally utterly disregards God's will and his Word. + +It is for these reasons God so frequently commands us in the +Scriptures continually to explain and apply his Word, to hear it +willingly and practice it faithfully, and to meditate upon it day and +night. He would have our lives emanate from the Word in honor to God +and gratitude to him--from the Word wherein we daily look as in a +mirror. But care and diligence are necessary to bring it to pass, and +we should faithfully assist each other by instruction, advice, and in +other ways. + +5. In my admonitions I have often enough urged those who have +influence, to use all diligence in drawing the young to school, where +they may receive proper instruction to become pastors and preachers; +and I have earnestly advised that in cases of necessity ample +financial provision be made for students. But, alas, few communities, +few States, are interested in the matter. In all Germany, look at the +bishops, princes, noblemen, the inhabitants of town and country--how +confidently they go on sleeping and snoring in their indifference to +the question. They presume to think there is no need for action; the +matter will adjust itself; there will always be pastors and +preachers. But assuredly they deceive themselves if they think they +are consulting their best interests in this affair; for they will, as +the text says, become foolish and fail to recognize the will of God. +Therefore they will some day have to experience what they do not now +believe: in a few years after our day they will seek preachers and +find none; they will have to hear rude, illiterate dolts who, lacking +understanding of the Word of God, will, like all stupid Papists, +preach the vile, offensive things of the Pope, about consecrated +water and salt, about gray gowns, new monasteries and the like. + +6. Cry, preach and admonish as we will, no one will hear; foreseeing +which, Paul prophesies that they who observe not God's will, become +unwise, foolish, and consequently waste the day of grace and neglect +their salvation. Now, it is God's will we should sanctify his name, +love and advance his Word, and so aid in building up his kingdom. +When we fulfill his will in these things, he will regard our desires, +providing us with daily bread and granting peace and happiness. + +7. Now, it should be our chief concern to preserve to ourselves the +Word and will of God. That would truly be wisdom, and redeeming the +time. But failing therein, it must be with us as with the unwise and +fools; we will have to hear the declaration: "Since you refuse to +sanctify my name, to advance my kingdom and to do my will, neither +will I provide you daily bread, nor forgive your sins, nor keep from +temptation and deliver from evil." God will then permit us to deplore +the great calamities of the world--its turmoil and wickedness, the +cause whereof the world attributes to the Gospel. But the punishment +just mentioned must be visited upon them who will not recognize the +will of God and submit to it. These, however, desire to justify +themselves and are unwilling to receive censure for having conducted +themselves unwisely, even foolishly. + +8. So much for a general observation upon the expression "walking +wisely and circumspectly"; so much upon unwise conduct in regard to +matters of vital importance to the Church, which have to do with the +office of the ministry and with God's Word. Where the ministry and +the Word of God are preserved, there will always be some among the +masses to attend upon the preaching of the Word and to conform their +lives to it. But when the Bible leaves the pulpit, little good will +be accomplished, even though one here and there be able to read the +Scriptures for themselves and imagine they have no need of the +preached Word. Where will the untaught masses stand? Note how it has +been with the poor people in our time who were misled by Münzer and +Munster, and their prophets and factionists. + + +PUBLIC PREACHING OF THE WORD ENJOINED. + +Then let everyone lend earnest effort to promote public preaching of +the Word everywhere, and public attendance upon that preaching; and +thus rightly to found and build up the Church. Let him also put on +the wedding garment himself (mentioned in the Gospel for today); let +him take care to be found an earnest advocate of the Word of God, +uninfluenced by thoughts common to the secure spirit: "Oh, there are +pastors and preachers enough for me. I can hear or read the Word when +I please; have access to it any day. I must give first attention to +bread-winning and like things. Let others look out for themselves." +Take care, my dear sir; you can easily fail by carelessness here and +be found without the wedding garment, perhaps may die without it, +unaware how you are being deceived. Whose fault will it be but your +own since you would not hear Paul's admonition to walk wisely and +circumspectly? + +9. We should make provision while the opportunity is at our doors, +for, judging from the present course of the world, it will not long +retain what it has. Everywhere men are diligently helping to hunt +down ministers, or at least to so bring to bear upon them hunger and +poverty, to so oppose them with secret fraud, as to drive them from +the land. And little trouble and labor will be required to accomplish +it. We shall only too soon be rid of our ministers and have their +places amply supplied by deceivers. I would much rather suffer in +hell with Judas the Betrayer than to bear the guilt of accomplishing +one minister's death or of being instrumental in offering place to +one deceiver. For it would not be so intolerable to suffer the +anguish of the betrayer of Christ as to endure that of one who, by +his sin in this respect, is responsible for the loss of countless +souls. + + +NECESSITY OF IMPROVING THE TIME. + +10. Paul goes on to elaborate his admonition by explaining what it is +to walk circumspectly and wisely--to "redeem the time, because the +days are evil." In other words: Think not happy days are in store for +you and you may defer duty till better times; better times will never +be. The devil is always in the world to hinder your every effort to +do good, and his opposition increases with time. The longer you +tarry, the less your power to accomplish good; wasted time only makes +matters worse. Then redeem the time; grasp your opportunities as best +you can. Let no interest be so dear to you as the promotion of God's +kingdom and the serving of the public in every good and useful way +possible, whatever befall yourself. + +11. Christ in like manner says to the Jews: "While ye have the light, +believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light." Jn 12, 36. +And Paul, after quoting from Isaiah 49, 8, adds: "Behold, now is the +acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor 6, 2. So +his counsel in our text means: Take heed you receive not the grace of +God in vain. Or, neglect not the matter of your salvation; enjoy +while you may the opportunity of furthering the kingdom of God, for +the sake of your own and others' salvation. Defer not the thing to +another time, lest the opportunity escape you. + +Elsewhere (Gal 6, 10) the apostle says, "As we have opportunity, let +us work that which is good." In other words: Act now, while you may. +Your time passes with astonishing rapidity. Be not deceived, then, by +the thought, "Oh, I can attend to the matter a year from now--two +years--three." That is simply foolish. It is an unwise conclusion of +the thoughtless. Before they are aware, they have lost the salvation +extended them. They defer to consider God's will, putting it off for +a season, until they shall have accomplished their own aims; then +they have deferred too long. + +12. The Lord comes to your door. You do not have to seek him. If you +are grateful he tarries to speak with you. But if you let him pass by +you will have to complain as did the bride in Song of Solomon 5, 6: +"I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and +was gone ... I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, +but he gave me no answer." Think not you will find the Lord when he +has once gone, though you traverse the world. But while he is near +you may seek and find; as Isaiah says (ch. 55, 6), "Seek ye Jehovah +while he may be found." If through your neglect he pass by, all +seeking then will be vain. + +For more than twenty years in my cloister I experienced the meaning +of such disappointment. I sought God with great toil and with severe +mortification of the body, fasting, watching, singing and praying. In +this way I shamefully wasted my time and found not the Lord. The more +I sought and the nearer I thought I was to him, the farther away I +got. No, God does not permit us to find him so. He must first come +and seek us where we are. We may not pursue and overtake him. That is +not his will. + +13. Then be careful to avail yourself of the present opportunity. +Embrace it while he is near, and faithfully consider what he requires +of you. To ascertain this, go to the Creed and the Ten Commandments. +They will tell you. Regulate your life by them. Be helped by the +Lord's Prayer. Begin with yourself; then pray for the Church. Let it +be your desire that God's name be everywhere sanctified and that your +life conform to his will. If you are faithful in these things, +assuredly you will walk wisely; you will avoid sin and do good. For +the study and practice of these precepts will leave you no +opportunity to do evil. God's Word will soon teach you to sanctify +his name, to extend his kingdom, to do your neighbor no injury in +mind, body or estate. + +14. Observe this is "redeeming the time." This is employing it well, +while the golden days last in which we have remission from pain and +sin. Not such remission as the Pope grants in his jubilees, wherein +he deceives the world. Right here let us be careful not to cheat +ourselves with the false idea that salvation cannot escape us. Let it +not be with us as befell the children of Israel, of whom it is said +in Psalms 95, 11 and Hebrews 4, 3 that because of their unbelief they +entered not into the rest of God. They would not accept their +opportunity in the forty years wherein he gave them his Word and +showed them his wonders, daily admonishing them and calling to +repentance and faith. They but tempted and provoked him the more. +Hence another admonition was given the people of God and a certain +day appointed: "Today if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your +hearts." Heb 4, 7. Every day with us is "today" and we are permitted +to hear God's voice still imploring us not to waste the time. + +15. Surely we ought supremely to thank God, as the latter part of our +text enjoins, for the great blessing of his nearness to us. We have +his presence in our homes. He is with us at our board, by our +couch--anywhere we desire him. He offers us all assistance and grants +all we may ask. So gracious a guest should indeed receive our high +esteem. We ought to honor him while he is with us. + +16. Well may we pray, as I have said. There is too much slumbering +everywhere in Germany. We cannot perceive how it is possible to +preserve the Gospel and fill the pulpits for ten years longer. To +such extent does wickedness rage in the world that blindness and +error must sweep it as before. And no one will be to blame but the +stupid bishops and princes, and those of us who esteem not the Word +of God. + + +INGRATITUDE WILL BE PUNISHED. + +Alas, that I am compelled against my will to be a prophet of ill to +Germany. Yet it is not I, but the prayer of my Lord and your Lord; +for according to its teachings he will say: "You neglected my Word. +Unwilling to tolerate it, you persecuted and starved out its +messengers. Therefore I will withhold your daily bread and give +instead famine and war and murder, unto utter desolation; for you +wish to have it so. Then when you cry for forgiveness of sins and +deliverance from the evils come upon you, I will hear you as you +heard my Word, my entreaties. I will leave you in your misfortunes as +you left me and my Word." + +17. In fact, no one for a moment thinks of how God has signally, +richly and graciously blessed us; how we are in possession of actual +paradise--yes, the entire kingdom of heaven--if we only recognized +the fact: and yet we shamefully, ungratefully and unreasonably reject +the kingdom; as if it were not enough for us to overstep the Ten +Commandments in our disobedience, but must even trample under foot +the mercy God offers in the Gospel. Then why should we be surprised +if he send down wrath upon us? What else is he to do but fulfill our +Gospel passage for today, which threatens every individual rejecter +and persecutor of God's Son and his servants, by whom we are invited +to the marriage--what else is God to do but send out a divine army of +servants to arrest the career of such murderers and to terminate +their existence? We are given a special illustration--an example to +the world--in the instance of the fate of Jerusalem, and in fact of +the entire Jewish nation. They sinned unceasingly against all God's +commandments, and when he proclaimed grace and offered forgiveness of +sins, they trampled upon his mercy. Should Christ not revenge himself +when they shamed and mocked his precious blood? + +18. Unto all the abominable sins mentioned, we must heap blasphemies; +for when wrath and punishment come upon us we make outcry, +complaining that the Gospel--or the new doctrine, as it is now +called--is responsible. The Jews blame us Christians alone for the +fact that they are scattered throughout the world. Their prayers day +and night are directed against us, in blasphemies and reproaches +inexpressible. Nevertheless, it was not the Christians who harassed +and scattered them, but the heathenish Roman emperor. + +But whom other than themselves have the Jews to blame for their +condition? for they would not tolerate Christ, when he brought them +only help and boundless grace. Refusing to accept him whom God gave +and in whom he promised all blessings, they necessarily lost their +daily bread from God, except as they rebelliously extort it by usury +and wickedness. They had also to suffer the loss of their national +life, their priesthood and public worship, forgiveness of sins and +redemption, and so remain eternally captive under the wrath and +condemnation of God. Such is the just and inevitable punishment of +the unwise--the foolish--who refused to recognize their opportunity +when Christ was with them. + +19. With this terrible example before our eyes, we are still +unrepentant, pursuing the same course the Jews followed, not only in +disobedience to the will of God, but in rejecting his grace. For that +grace we should earnestly long and pray, striving to secure to our +children after us baptism, the ministry and the sacrament, in their +purity. In return for our perversity, it will eventually be with us +as with the Jews and other ungrateful persecutors and rejecters. + +20. Then let him who will receive advice and help, faithfully heed +Paul's counsel and redeem the time, not sleeping away the blessed +golden hour of grace; as Christ earnestly admonishes in the parable +of the five foolish virgins. Mt 25, 13. The foolish virgins might +have made their purchases in season, before the bridegroom's arrival; +but failing to attend to the matter until time to meet the +bridegroom, they missed both the market and the wedding. + +21. The ancient poets and sages make use of a similar illustration at +the expense of the cricket or grasshopper. As the fable runs, when +winter came the grasshoppers, having nothing to eat, went to the ants +and asked them to divide their gathered store. "What did you in the +summer time that you gathered nothing?" asked the ants. "We sang," +the grasshoppers replied. "If you sang in the summer, you must dance +for it in the winter," was the response. Similarly should fools +unwilling to learn the will of God be answered. Terrible and alarming +is the wrath of God when with scorn and mockery he turns away a soul. +In Proverbs 1, 24 and 26 he threatens: "Because I have called, and ye +have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath +regarded.... I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will +mock when your fear cometh." + +22. Some may ask what Paul means by adding to the phrase, "Redeeming +the time," the modifier, "because the days are evil"; if we are to +regard the present opportunity golden, why are the days evil? + + +EVIL DOCTRINES EVER OPPOSE THE CHRISTIAN. + +23. I answer: The time is unquestionably good so long as the Gospel +is sounded--is faithfully preached and received. At the same time, +even today the world is filled with evils, factions, false theories +and bad examples of every sort; much of this wickedness is inherent +in ourselves. With these things the Christian must always contend; +the devil pursues, and our own flesh discourages us and allures from +recognition and observance of the divine will. If we strive not +against it, we shall soon lose sight of God's will, to our own +injury, even while listening to the Gospel. For the devil's strongest +fury is exerted to befoul the world with fanaticism, and to draw from +the pure doctrine of faith into that evil even them who possess the +Gospel. Moreover, being still flesh and blood we are always +self-secure, unwilling to be led by the Spirit, and indolent and +unresponsive in relation to the Word of God and to prayer. Again, in +the outward walks of life, in temporal conditions, only obstacles and +evils meet us everywhere, impeding our spiritual progress and +impelling us to suppress the Gospel and to rend the Church. + +24. Let no one, then, expect to enjoy an era of peace and pleasure +here on earth. Although the present time is in itself good, and God +bestows upon us the golden year of his Word and his grace, yet the +devil is here with his factions and followers, and our own flesh +supports him. He corrupts the blessed days of grace at every possible +opportunity, and so oppresses Christians that they must contend +against him with their utmost strength and vigilance if they would +not, through the influence of evils and obstacles, be wrested from +the Gospel they have received, and if they would persevere therein +unto the end. + +Wherefore, we have the best reasons to adapt ourselves to the present +time in the best possible way; to walk wisely and circumspectly, +showing all faithfulness to the will of God; obeying it while we have +opportunity--while still in possession of God's Word, his grace and +his Spirit. Being opposed and obstructed by the devil and our own +flesh, we must, as Paul implies, be wise and careful; we must guard +against following them. If we fail in this respect, it will not avail +us to pretend we did not know our duty, or had not time to perform it +and consequently could not cope with them. So, then, we are to +understand by "evil days" the allurements that lead us away from +God's Word and his will. + +"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess." + +25. The apostle touches upon several evils strongly tending to waste +of time and neglect of the golden opportunity. Especially is +drunkenness one, for drink makes men particularly self-secure, +reckless and disorderly. The evil was formerly common in Greece, and +in Germany today are men who delight in being riotously drunk night +and day. Such individuals are utterly lacking in the faithfulness and +interest essential to following the will of God. They are unable, +even in temporal affairs, to persistently apply themselves, much less +to be opportune. Indeed, so beastly and swinish do they become, they +lose all sense of either shame or honor; they have no modesty nor any +human feeling. Alas, examples are before our eyes plainer and more +numerous than we can depict. + +26. Paul's words of admonition, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and +hymns and spiritual songs," are treated in the epistle passage for +the fifth Sunday after Epiphany, where the text is similar. + + + + +_Twenty First Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 6, 10-17. + +10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. +11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand +against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against +flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, +against the worldrulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts +of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Wherefore take up the whole +armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, +having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your +loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, +15 and having shod your foot with the preparation of the gospel of +peace; 16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be +able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 And take the +helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word +of God. + + +THE CHRISTIAN ARMOR AND WEAPONS. + +This epistle text is fully expounded in "The Explanations and Sermons +on Paul's Epistles"--in the sermon on Ephesians 6, 10-17, entitled +"The Christian Armor and Weapons," preached in the year 1533. + + + + +_Twenty Second Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Philippians 1, 3-11. + +3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every +supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with +joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the +first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he +who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus +Christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of +you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my +bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are +partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how I long after +you in all the tender mercies of Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, +that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all +discernment; 10 so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; +that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ; 11 +being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through +Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. + + +PAUL'S THANKS AND PRAYERS FOR CHURCHES. + +1. First, the apostle Paul thanks God, as his custom is in the +beginning of his epistles, for the grace whereby the Philippians came +into the fellowship of the Gospel and were made partakers of it. +Secondly, his desire and prayer to God is for their increase in the +knowledge of the Gospel, and their more abundant fruits. His intent +in extolling the Gospel is to admonish them to remain steadfast in +their faith, continuing as they have begun and as they now stand. +Apparently this is a simple passage, especially to learned and apt +students of the Scriptures. They may not think it holds any great +truth to be discovered. Yet we must explain this and like discourses +for the benefit of some who do not fully understand it, and who +desire to learn. + +2. These words give us an exact delineation of the Christian heart +that sincerely believes in the holy Gospel. Such hearts are rare in +the world. It is especially difficult to find one so beautiful as we +observe here unless it be among the beloved apostles or those who +approached them in Christ-likeness. For in the matter of faith we +today are entirely too indolent and indifferent. + +3. But the Christian heart is such as inspired Paul's words; here its +characteristics are shown. He rejoices in the Gospel with his inmost +soul. He thanks God that others have come into its fellowship. His +confidence is firm regarding certain beginners in the faith, and he +is so interested in their salvation he rejoices in it as much as in +his own, seeming unable to thank God sufficiently for it. He +unceasingly prays that he may live to see many come with him into +such fellowship and be preserved therein until the day of the Lord +Jesus Christ, who shall perfect and complete all the defects of this +earthly life. He prays these beginners may go forth faultlessly in +faith and hope until that joyful day. + +4. Thus the godly apostle expresses himself, pouring out the depths +of his heart--a heart filled with the real fruits of the Spirit and +of faith. It burns with love and joy whenever he sees the Gospel +recognized, accepted and honored, and the Church flourishing. Paul +can conceive for the converts no loftier desire--can offer no greater +petition for them than to implore God they may increase and persevere +in the Gospel faith. Such is the inestimable value he places upon +possessing and holding fast God's Word. And Christ in Luke 11, 28 +pronounces blessed those who keep the Word of God. + + +I. THE DUTY OF GRATITUDE. + +5. Now, the first thing in which Paul is here an example to us is his +gratitude. It behooves the Christian who recognizes the grace and +goodness of God expressed in the Gospel, first of all to manifest his +thankfulness therefor; toward God--his highest duty--and toward men. +As Christians who have abandoned the false services and sacrifices +that in our past heathenish blindness we zealously practiced, let us +remember our obligation henceforth to be the more fervent in offering +true service and right sacrifices to God. We can render him no +better--in fact, none other--service, or outward work, than the +thank-offering, as the Scriptures term it. That is, receiving and +honoring the grace of God and the preaching and hearing of his Word, +and furthering their operation, not only in word, but sincerely in +our hearts and with all our physical and spiritual powers. This is +the truest gratitude. + +6. God calls that a "pure offering" which is rendered to him "among +the gentiles" (Mal 1, 11), where his name is not preached and praised +from avariciousness, not from pride and presumption in the priesthood +and in the holiness of human works. These motives actuated the +boasting Jews, who, as God charges in this reference, presumptuously +thought to receive honor from him for every trivial service like +closing a door or opening a window. But the offering of the gentiles +is joyfully rendered from a sincere, willing heart. This kind of +thanksgiving and sacrifices are acceptable to God, for he says in +Psalms 110, 3, "Thy people shall be willing"; and in Second +Corinthians 9, 7, "God loveth a cheerful giver." The knowledge of the +Gospel should inspire us with gratitude of this order. Let us not be +found unthankful, and forgetful of God's infinite goodness. + + +INGRATITUDE DENOUNCED BY THE HEATHEN. + +7. The heathen everywhere, despite their ignorance of God and his +grace, condemned to the utmost the evil of ingratitude. They regarded +it the mother of evils, than which was none more malevolent and +shameful. Among many examples in this respect is one left us by a +people in Arabia called Nabathians, who had an excellent form of +government. So strict were they in regard to this evil that anyone +found guilty of ingratitude to his fellows was looked upon as a +murderer and punished with death. + +8. No sin is more abominable to human nature, and of none is human +nature less tolerant. It is easier to forgive and to forget the act +of an enemy who commits a bodily injury, or even murders one's +parents, than it is to forget the sin of him who repays simple +kindness and fidelity with ingratitude and faithlessness; who for +love and friendship returns hatred. In the sentiment of the Latin +proverb, to be so rewarded is like rearing a serpent in one's bosom. +God likewise regards this sin with extreme enmity and punishes it. +The Scriptures say: "Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not +depart from his house." Prov 17, 13. + +9. Thus we have the teaching of nature and of reason regarding the +sin of men's ingratitude toward one another. How much greater the +evil, how much more shameful and accursed, when manifested toward God +who, in his infinite and ineffable goodness, conferred upon us while +yet enemies to him and deserving of the fires of hell--conferred upon +us, I say, not ten dollars, not a hundred thousand dollars even, but +redemption from divine wrath and eternal death, and abundantly +comforted us, granting us safety, a good conscience, peace and +salvation! These are inexpressible blessings, incomprehensible in +this life. And they will continue to occupy our minds in yonder +eternal life. How much more awful the sin of ingratitude for these +blessings, as exemplified in the servant mentioned in the Gospel +passage for today, to whom was forgiven the debt of ten thousand +talents and who yet would not forgive the debt of his fellow-servant +who owed him a hundred pence! + +10. Is it not incredible that there are to be found on earth +individuals wicked enough to manifest for the highest and eternal +blessings such unspeakable ingratitude? But alas, we have the +evidence of our own eyes. We know them in their very dwelling-places. +We see how the world abounds with them. Not only are the ingrates to +be found among deliberate rejecters of the acknowledged truth of the +Gospel, concerning God's grace, an assured conscience and the promise +of eternal life, terrible as such malice of the devil is, but they +are present also in our midst, accepting the Gospel and boasting of +it. Such shameful ingratitude prevails among the masses it would not +be strange were God to send upon them the thunders and lightnings of +his wrath, yes, all the Turks and the devils of hell. + +There is a generally prevalent ingratitude like that of the wicked +servant who readily forgot the straits he experienced when, being +called to account for what he could not pay, the wrathful sentence +was pronounced against him that he and all he possessed must be sold, +and he be indefinitely imprisoned. Nor have we less readily forgotten +how we were tortured under the Papacy; how we were overwhelmed, +drowned as in a flood, with numberless strange doctrines, when our +anxious consciences longed for salvation. Now that we are, through +the grace of God, liberated from these distresses, our gratitude is +of a character to increasingly heap to ourselves the wrath of God. So +have others before us done, and consequently have endured terrible +chastisement. + +11. Only calculate the enormity of our wickedness when, God having +infinitely blessed us in forgiving all our sins and making us lords +over heaven and earth, we so little respect him as to be unmindful of +his blessings; to be unwilling for the sake of them sincerely to +forgive our neighbor a single slighting word, not to mention +rendering him service. We conduct ourselves as if God might be +expected to connive at our ingratitude and permit us to continue in +it, at the same time conferring upon us as godly and obedient +children, success and happiness. More than this, we think we have the +privilege and power to live and do as we please. Indeed, the more +learning and power we have and the more exalted our rank, the greater +knaves we are; perpetrating every wicked deed, stirring up strife, +discord, war and murder for the sake of executing our own arbitrary +designs, where the question is the surrender of a penny in +recognition of the hundreds of thousands of dollars daily received +from God notwithstanding our ingratitude. + +12. Two mighty lords clash with each other like powerful battering +rams, and for what? Perhaps for undisputed possession of a city or +two, a matter they must be ashamed of did they but call to mind what +they have received from God. They would be constrained to exclaim: +"What are we doing that we injure one another--we who are all +baptized in one name, the name of Christ, and pledged to one Lord?" +But no, it will not do for them to consider this matter; not even to +think of it. They must turn their eyes away from it, and put it far +from their hearts. Wholly forgetting God's benefits, they must wage +war against each other, involving nations, and subjecting people to +the Turk. And all for sake of the insignificant farthing each refused +to yield to the other. + +13. The world permits the very devil to saddle and ride it as he +pleases. It seems to be characteristic of every phase of life that +one will not yield to another--will not submit to any demand. +Everyone is disposed to force his arrogant authority. The presumption +is that supreme honor and final success depend upon an unyielding, +unforgiving disposition, and that to seek to retain our possessions +by peaceable means will prove our ruin. Even the two remaining cows +in the stall must be brought into requisition, and war waged to the +last stick, until when the mutineer comes and we have neither cow nor +stall, nor house nor stick, we are obliged to cease. + + +RETRIBUTION FOLLOWS INGRATITUDE. + +Oh, had we but grace enough to reflect on how it would be with us did +God require us, as he has a perfect right to do, to pay our whole +indebtedness, none being forgiven! grace enough to think whether we +would not this very moment be in the abyss of hell! But so must it +finally be with those who disregard the question and continually heap +to themselves the wrath of God, being at the same time unwilling for +him to deal otherwise with them than he did with the servant he +forgave. But against that servant was finally passed the irrevocable +sentence which, without mercy, delivered him to the tormentor till he +should pay the debt, something he could never do. + +14. Nor is there any wrong or injustice in this ruling. For, as St. +Bernhard says, ingratitude is an evil damnable and pernicious enough +to quench all the springs of grace and blessing known to God and men; +it is like a poison-laden, burning, destructive wind. Human nature +will not tolerate it. Nor can God permit you, upon whom he has +bestowed all grace and goodness, all spiritual and temporal blessing, +to go on continually in wickedness, defiantly abusing his benevolence +and dishonoring him; you thus recklessly bring upon yourself his +wrath. For God cannot bless you if you are ungrateful, if you reject +his goodness and give it no place in your heart. + +In such case the fountain of grace and mercy that continually springs +for all who sincerely desire it, must be quenched for you. You cannot +enjoy it. It would afford you an abundant and unceasing supply of +water did you not yourself dry it up by the deadly wind of your +ingratitude; by shamefully forgetting the ineffable goodness God +bestows upon you; and by failing to honor the blood of Christ the +Lord, wherewith he purchased us and reconciled us to God--failing to +honor it enough to forgive your neighbor, for Christ's sake, a single +wrong word. + +15. What heavy burden is there for the individual who, in submission +and gratitude to his God, and in honor to Christ, would conduct +himself something like a Christian? It will cost him no great effort +nor trouble. It will not break any bones nor injure him in property +or honor. Even were it to affect him to some trifling extent, to +incur for him some slight injustice, he should remember what God has +given him, and will still give, of his grace and goodness. + +Yes, why complain even were you, in some measure, to endanger body +and life? What did not the Son of God incur for you? It was not +pleasure for him to take upon himself the wrath of God, to bear the +curse for you. It cost him bloody sweat and unspeakable anguish of +heart, as well as the sacrifice of his body, the shedding of his +blood, when he bore for you the wrath and curse of God, which would +have rested upon you forever. Yet he did it cheerfully and with +fervent love. Should you not, then, be ashamed in your own heart, and +humiliated before all creatures, to be so slow and dull, so +stock-and-stone-hardened, about enduring and forgiving an occasional +unkind word--something to be suffered in token of honor and gratitude +to him? What more noble than, for the sake of Christ, to incur +danger, to suffer injury, to aid the poor and needy? in particular to +further the Word of God and to support the ministry, the pulpit and +the schools? + +16. It would be no marvel had Germany long ago sunk to ruin, or had +it been razed to its very foundations by Turks and Tartars, because +of its diabolical forgetfulness, its damnable rejection, of God's +unspeakable grace. Indeed, it is a wonder the earth continues to +support us and the sun still gives us light. Because of our +ingratitude, well might the heavens become dark and the earth be +perverted--as the Scriptures teach (Ps 106)--and suffer the fate of +Sodom and Gomorrah, no longer yielding a leaf nor a blade of grass, +but completely turned from its course--well might it be so did not +God, for the sake of the few godly Christians known and acknowledged +of him, forbear and still delay. + + +EXAMPLES OF INGRATITUDE FOR THE GOSPEL. + +17. Wherever we turn our eyes we see, in all conditions of life, a +deluge of terrible examples of ingratitude for the precious Gospel. +We see how kings, princes and lords scratch and bite; how they envy +and hate one another, oppressing their own people and destroying +their own countries; how they tax themselves with not so much as a +single Christian thought about ameliorating the wretchedness of +Germany and securing for the oppressed Church somewhere a shelter of +defense against the murderous attacks of devil, Pope and Turks. The +noblemen rake and rend, robbing whomever they can, prince or +otherwise, and especially the poor Church; like actual devils, they +trample under foot pastors and preachers. Townsmen and farmers, too, +are extremely avaricious, extortionate and treacherous; they +fearlessly perpetrate every sort of insolence and wickedness, and +without shame and unpunished. The earth cries to heaven, unable +longer to tolerate its oppression. + +18. But why multiply words? It is in vain so far as the world is +concerned; no admonition will avail. The world remains the devil's +own. We must remember we shall not by any means find with the world +that Christian heart pictured by the apostle; on the contrary we +shall find what might be represented by a picture of the very +opposite type--the most shameless ingratitude. But let the still +existing God-fearing Christians be careful to imitate in their +gratitude the spirit of the apostle's beautiful picture. Let them +give evidence of their willingness to hear the Word of God, of +pleasure and delight in it and grief where it is rejected. Let them +show by their lives a consciousness of the great blessing conferred +by those from whom they received the Gospel. As recipients of such +goodness, let their hearts and lips ever be ready with the happy +declaration: "God be praised!" For thereunto are we called. As before +said, praise should be the constant service and daily sacrifice of +Christians; and according to Paul's teaching here, the Christian's +works, his fruits of righteousness, should shine before men. Such +manifestation of gratitude assuredly must result when we comprehend +what God has given us. + +19. Notwithstanding the world's refusal to be influenced by the +recognition of God's goodness, and in spite of the fact that we are +obliged daily to see, hear and suffer the world's increasing +ungratefulness the longer it stands, we must not allow ourselves to +be led into error; for we will be unable to change it. We must preach +against the evil of ingratitude wherever possible, severely censuring +it, and faithfully admonish all men to guard against it. At the same +time we have to remember the world will not submit. Although +compelled to live among the ungrateful, we are not for that reason to +fall into error nor to cease from doing good. Let our springs be +dispersed abroad, as Solomon says in Proverbs 5, 16. Let us +continually do good, not faltering when others receive our good as +evil. Just as God causes his sun to rise on the thankful and the +unthankful. Mt 5, 45. + +20. But if your good works are wrought with the object of securing +the thanks and applause of the world, you will meet with a reception +quite the reverse. Your reward will justly be that of him who crushes +with his teeth the hollow nut only to defile his mouth. Now, if when +ingratitude is met with, you angrily wish to pull down mountains, and +resolve to give up doing good, you are no longer a Christian. You +injure yourself and accomplish nothing. Can you not be mindful of +your environment--that you are still in the world where vice and +ingratitude hold sway? that you are, as the phrase goes, with "those +who return evil for good"? He who would escape this fact must flee +the boundaries of the world. It requires no great wisdom to live only +among the godly and do good, but the keenest judgment is necessary to +live with the wicked and not do evil. + +21. Christianity should be begun in youth, to give practice in the +endurance that will enable one to do good to all men while expecting +evil in return. Not that the Christian is to commend and approve evil +conduct; he is to censure and restrain wickedness to the limit of the +authority his position in life affords. It is the best testimony to +the real merit of a work when its beneficiaries are not only +ungrateful but return evil. For its results tend to restrain the doer +from a too high opinion of himself, and the character of the work is +too precious in God's sight for the world to be worthy of rewarding +it. + + +II. THE DUTY OF PRAYER. + +22. The other Christian duty named by Paul in this passage is that of +prayer. The two obligations--gratitude for benefits received, and +prayer for the preservation and growth of God's work begun in us--are +properly related. Prayer is of supreme importance, for the devil and +the world assail us and delight in turning us aside; we have +continually to resist wickedness. So the conflict is a sore one for +our feeble flesh and blood, and we cannot stand unvanquished unless +there be constant, earnest invocation of divine aid. Gratitude and +prayer are essential and must accompany each other, according to the +requirements of the daily sacrifice of the Old Testament: the +offering of praise, or thank-offering, thanks to God for blessings +received; and the sacrifice of prayer, or the Lord's Prayer--the +petition against the wickedness and evil from which we would be +released. + +23. Our life has not yet reached the heights it is destined to +attain. We know here only its incipient first-fruits. Desire is not +satisfied; we have but a foretaste. As yet we only realize by faith +what is bestowed upon us; full and tangible occupancy is to come. +Therefore, we need to pray because of the limitations that bind our +earthly life, until we go yonder where prayer is unnecessary, and all +is happiness, purity of life and one eternal song of thanks and +praise to God. + +But heavenly praise and joy is to have its inception and a measure of +growth here on earth through the encouragement of prayer--prayer for +ourselves and the Church as a whole; that is, for them who have +accepted and believe the Gospel and are thus mutually helpful. For +the Gospel will receive greater exaltation and will inspire more joy +with the individual because of its acceptance by the many. So Paul +says he thanks God for the fellowship of the Philippians in the +Gospel, and offers prayer in their behalf. + + +PRAYER FOR OTHERS. + +24. Yes, it should be the joy of a Christian heart to see multitudes +accept the offer of mercy, and praise and thank God with him. This +desire for the participation of others in the Gospel promotes the +spirit of prayer. The Christian cannot be a misanthrope, wholly +unconcerned whether his fellows believe or not. He should be +interested in all men and unceasingly long and pray for their +salvation; for the sanctification of God's name, the coming of his +kingdom, the fulfilment of his will; and for the exposure everywhere +of the devil's deceptions, the suppression of his murderous power +over poor souls and the restraint of his authority. + +25. This prayer should be the sincere, earnest outflow of the true +Christian's heart. Note, Paul's words here indicate that his praise +and prayer were inspired by a fervent spirit. It is impossible that +the words "I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, always in +every supplication" be the expression of any but a heart full of such +sentiments. + +Truly, Paul speaks in a way worthy of an apostle--saying he renders +praise and prayer with keenest pleasure. He rejoices in his heart +that he has somewhere a little band of Christians who love the Gospel +and with whom he may rejoice; that he may thank God for them and pray +in their behalf. Was there not much more reason that all they who had +heard the Gospel should rejoice, and thank Paul in heart and in +expression for it, praying God in his behalf? should rejoice that +they became worthy of the apostle's favor, were delivered from their +blindness and had now received from him the light transferring from +sin and death into the grace of God and eternal life? + +26. But Paul does not wait for them to take the initiative, as they +ought to have done to declare their joy and their gratitude to him. +In his first utterance he pours out the joy of his heart, fervently +thanking God for them, etc. Well might they have blushed, and +reproached themselves, when they received the epistle beginning with +these words. Well might they have said, "We should not have permitted +him to speak in this way; it was our place first to show him +gratitude and joy." + + +FEW BELIEVERS NO REASON FOR DISCOURAGEMENT. + +27. We shall not soon be able to boast the attainment of that +beautiful, perfect Christian spirit the apostle's words portray. +Seeing how the apostle rejoices over finding a few believers in the +Gospel, why should we complain because of the smaller number who +accord us a hearing and seriously accept the Word of God? We have no +great reason to complain nor to be discouraged since Christ and the +prophets and apostles, meeting with the same backwardness on the part +of the people, still were gratified over the occasional few who +accepted the faith. We note how Christ rejoiced when now and then he +found one who had true faith, and on the other hand was depressed +when his own people refused to hear him, and reluctantly censured +them. And Paul did not meet with more encouragement. In all the Roman +Empire--and through the greater part of it he had traveled with the +Gospel--he only occasionally found a place where was even a small +band of earnest Christians; but over them he peculiarly rejoices, +finding in them greater consolation than in all the treasures on +earth. + +28. But it is a prophecy of good to the world, a portent of ultimate +success, that Christ and his apostles and ministers must rejoice over +an occasional reception of the beloved Word. Such acceptance will +tell in time. One would think all men might eagerly have hastened to +the ends of the earth to be afforded an opportunity of hearing an +apostle. But Paul had to go through the world himself upon his +ministry, enduring great fatigue and encountering privations and +grave dangers, being rejected and trampled upon by all men. However, +disregarding it all, he rejoiced to be able now and then to see some +soul accept the Gospel. In time past it was not necessary for the +Pope and his officials to run after anyone. They sat in lordly +authority in their kingdom, and all men had to obey their summons, +wherever wanted, and that without thanks. + +29. What running on the part of our fathers, even of many of us, as +if we were foolish--running from all countries, hundreds of miles, to +Jerusalem, to the holy sepulcher, to Compostella, St. James, Rome, to +the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul; some barefooted and others in +complete armor--all this, to say nothing of innumerable other +pilgrimages! We thus expended large sums of money, and thanked God, +and rejoiced to be able thereby to purchase the wicked indulgences of +the Pope and to be worthy to look upon or to kiss the bones of the +dead exhibited as holy relics, but preferably to kiss the feet of His +Most Holy Holiness, the Pope. This condition of things the world +desires again, and it shall have nothing better. + + + + +_Twenty Third Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Philippians 3, 17-21. + +17 Brethren, be ye imitators [followers] together of me, and mark +them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample. 18 For many +walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that +they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is +perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, +who mind earthly things. 20 For our citizenship [conversation] is in +heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 +who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation [change our vile +body], that it may be conformed [fashioned] to the body of his glory, +according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all +things unto himself. + + +ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST AND THE CHRISTIAN'S CITIZENSHIP IN +HEAVEN. + +1. Paul immeasurably extols the Philippians for having made a good +beginning in the holy Gospel and for having acquitted themselves +commendably, like men in earnest, as manifest by their fruits of +faith. The reason he shows this sincere and strong concern for them +is his desire that they remain steadfast, not being led astray by +false teachers among the roaming Jews. For at that time many Jews +went about with the intent of perverting Paul's converts, pretending +they taught something far better; while they drew the people away +from Christ and back to the Law, for the purpose of establishing and +extending their Jewish doctrines. + +Paul, contemplating with special interest and pleasure his Church of +the Philippians, is moved by parental care to admonish them--lest +they sometime be misled by such teachers--to hold steadily to what +they have received, not seeking anything else and not imagining, like +self-secure, besotted souls who allow themselves to be deceived by +the devil--not imagining themselves perfect and with complete +understanding in all things. In the verses just preceding our text he +speaks of himself as having not yet attained to full knowledge. + + +PURITY OF DOCTRINE ENJOINED. + +2. He particularly admonishes them to follow him and to mark those +ministers who walk as he does; also to shape their belief and conduct +by the pattern they have received from him. Not only of himself does +he make an example, but introduces them who similarly walk, several +of whom he mentions in this letter to the Philippians. The +individuals whom he bids them observe and follow must have been +persons of special eminence. But it is particularly the doctrine the +apostle would have the Philippians pattern after. Therefore we should +be chiefly concerned about preserving the purity of the office of the +ministry and the genuineness of faith. When these are kept unsullied, +doctrine will be right, and good works spontaneous. Later on, in +chapter 4, verse 8, Paul admonishes, with reference to the same +subject: "If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think +on these things." + +3. Apparently Paul is a rash man to dare boast himself a pattern for +all. Other ministers might well accuse him of desiring to exalt his +individual self above others. "Think you," our wise ones would say to +him, "that you alone have the Holy Spirit, or that no one else is as +eager for honor as yourself?" Just so did Miriam and Aaron murmur +against Moses, their own brother, saying: "Hath Jehovah indeed spoken +only with Moses? hath he not spoken also with us?" Num 12, 2. And it +would seem as if Paul had too high an appreciation of his own +character did he hold up his individual self as a pattern, intimating +that no one was to be noted as worthy unless he walked as he did; +though there might be some who apparently gave greater evidence of +the Spirit, of holiness, humility and other graces, than himself, and +yet walked not in his way. + +4. But he does not say "I, Paul, alone." He says, "as ye have us for +an example", that does not exclude other true apostles and teachers. +He is admonishing his Church, as he everywhere does, to hold fast to +the one true doctrine received from him in the beginning. They are +not to be too confident of their own wisdom in the matter, or to +presume they have independent authority; but rather to guard against +pretenders to a superior doctrine, for so had some been misled. + + +RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW IS VAIN. + +5. In what respect he was a pattern or example to them, he has made +plain; for instance, in the beginning of this chapter, in the third +verse and following, he says: "For we are the circumcision, who +worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no +confidence in the flesh: though I myself might have confidence even +in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the +flesh, I yet more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of +Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews." That is, he +commands the highest honor a Jew can boast. "As touching the law," he +goes on, "a Pharisee; as touching zeal, persecuting the Church; as +touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. +Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for +Christ. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the +excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I +suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I +may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of +mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through +faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." + +6. "Behold, this is the picture or pattern," he would say, "which we +hold up for you to follow, that remembering how you obtained +righteousness you may hold to it--a righteousness not of the Law." So +far as the righteousness of the Law is concerned, Paul dares to say +he regards it as filth and refuse (that proceeds from the human +body); notwithstanding in its beautiful and blameless form it may be +unsurpassed by anything in the world--such righteousness as was +manifest in sincere Jews, and in Paul himself before his conversion; +for these in their great holiness, regarded Christians as knaves and +meriting damnation, and consequently took delight in being party to +the persecution and murder of Christians. + +7. "Yet," Paul would say, "I who am a Jew by birth have counted all +this merit as simply loss that I might be found in 'the righteousness +which is from God by faith'." Only the righteousness of faith teaches +us how to apprehend God--how to confidently console ourselves with +his grace and await a future life, expecting to approach Christ in +the resurrection. By "approaching" him we mean to meet him in death +and at the judgment day without terror, not fleeing but gladly +drawing near and hailing him with joy as one waited for with intense +longing. + +Now, the righteousness of the Law cannot effect such confidence of +mind. Hence, for me it avails nothing before God; rather it is a +detriment. What does avail is God's imputation of righteousness for +Christ's sake, through faith. God declares to us in his Word that the +believer in his Son shall, for Christ's own sake, have God's grace +and eternal life. He who knows this is able to wait in hope for the +last day, having no fear, no disposition to flee. + +8. But is it not treating the righteousness of the Law with +irreverence and contempt to regard it--and so teach--as something not +only useless and even obstructive, but injurious, loathsome and +abominable? Who would have been able to make such a bold statement, +and to censure a life so faultless and conforming so closely to the +Law as Paul's, without being pronounced by all men a minion of the +devil, had not the apostle made that estimation of it himself? And +who is to have any more respect for the righteousness of the Law if +we are to preach in that strain? + +9. Had Paul confined his denunciations to the righteousness of the +world or of the heathen--the righteousness dependent upon reason and +controlled by secular government, by laws and regulations--his +teaching would not have seemed so irreverent. But he distinctly +specifies the righteousness of God's Law, or the Ten Commandments, to +which we owe an obligation far above what is due temporal powers, for +they teach how to live before God--something no heathenish court of +justice, no temporal authority, knows anything about. Should we not +condemn as a heretic this preacher who goes beyond his prerogative +and dares find fault with the Law of God? who also warns us to shun +such as observe it, such as trust in its righteousness, and exalts to +sainthood "enemies of the cross of Christ ... whose God is the +belly"--who serve the appetites instead of God? + +10. Paul would say of himself: I, too, was such a one. In my most +perfect righteousness of the Law I was an enemy to and persecutor of +the congregation, or Church, of Christ. It was the legitimate fruit +of my righteousness that I thought I must be party to the most +horrible persecution of Christ and his Christians. Thus my holiness +made me an actual enemy of Christ and a murderer of his followers. +The disposition to injure is a natural result of the righteousness of +the Law, as all Scripture history from Cain down testifies, and as we +see even in the best of the world who have not come to the knowledge +of Christ. Princes, civil authorities in proportion to their wisdom, +their godliness and honor are the bitter and intolerant enemies of +the Gospel. + +11. Of the sensual papistical dolts at Rome, cardinals, bishops, +priests and the like, it is not necessary to speak here. Their works +are manifest. All honorable secular authorities must confess they are +simply abandoned knaves, living shameless lives of open scandal, +avarice, arrogance, unchastity, vanity, robbery and wickedness of +every kind. Not only are they guilty of such living, but shamelessly +endeavor to defend their conduct. They must, then, be regarded +enemies of Christ and of all honesty and virtue. Hence every +respectable man is justly antagonistic toward them. But, as before +said, Paul is not here referring to this class, but to eminent, godly +individuals, whose lives are beyond reproach. These very ones, when +Christians are encountered, are hostile and heinous enough to be able +to forget all their own faults in the sight of God, and to magnify to +huge beams the motes we Christians have. In fact, they must style the +Gospel heresy and satanic doctrine for the purpose of exalting their +own holiness and zeal for God. + + +RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW OPPOSES THE CROSS. + +12. The thing seems incredible, and I would not have believed it +myself, nor have understood Paul's words here, had I not witnessed it +with my own eyes and experienced it. Were the apostle to repeat the +charge today, who could conceive that our first, noblest, most +respectable, godly and holy people, those whom we might expect, above +all others, to accept the Word of God--that they, I say, should be +enemies to the Christian doctrine? But the examples before us testify +very plainly that the "enemies" the apostle refers to must be the +individuals styled godly and worthy princes and noblemen, honorable +citizens, learned, wise, intelligent individuals. Yet if these could +devour at one bite the "Evangelicals," as they are now called, they +would do it. + +13. If you ask, Whence such a disposition? I answer, it naturally +springs from human righteousness. For every individual who professes +human righteousness, and knows nothing of Christ, holds that +efficacious before God. He relies upon it and gratifies himself with +it, presuming thereby to present a flattering appearance in God's +sight and to render himself peculiarly acceptable to him. From being +proud and arrogant toward God, he comes to reject them who are not +righteous according to the Law; as illustrated in the instance of the +Pharisee. Lk 18, 11-12. But greater is his enmity and more bitter his +hatred toward the preaching that dares to censure such righteousness +and assert its futility to merit God's grace and eternal life. + +14. I myself, and others with me, were dominated by such feelings +when, under popery, we claimed to be holy and pious; we must confess +the fact. If thirty years ago, when I was a devout, holy monk, +holding mass every day and having no thought but that I was in the +road leading directly to heaven--if then anyone had accused me--had +preached to me the things of this text and pronounced our +righteousness--which accorded not strictly with the Law of God, but +conformed to human doctrine and was manifestly idolatrous--pronounced +it without efficacy and said I was an enemy to the cross of Christ, +serving my own sensual appetites, I would immediately have at least +helped to find stones for putting to death such a Stephen, or to +gather wood for the burning of this worst of heretics. + +15. So human nature ever does. The world cannot conduct itself in any +other way, when the declaration comes from heaven saying: "True you +are a holy man, a great and learned jurist, a conscientious regent, a +worthy prince, an honorable citizen, and so on, but with all your +authority and your upright character you are going to hell; your +every act is offensive and condemned in God's sight. If you would be +saved you must become an altogether different man; your mind and +heart must be changed." Let this be announced and the fire rises, the +Rhine is all ablaze; for the self-righteous regard it an intolerable +idea that lives so beautiful, lives devoted to praiseworthy callings, +should be publicly censured and condemned by the objectionable +preaching of a few insignificant individuals regarded as even +pernicious, and according to Paul, as filthy refuse, actual obstacles +to eternal life. + +16. But you may say: "What? Do you forbid good works? Is it not right +to lead an honorable, virtuous life? Do you not acknowledge the +necessity of political laws, of civil governments? that upon +obedience to them depends the maintenance of discipline, peace and +honor? Indeed, do you not admit that God himself commands such +institutions and wills their observance, punishing where they are +disregarded? Much more would he have his own Law and the Ten +Commandments honored, not rejected. How dare you then assert that +such righteousness is misleading, and obstructive to eternal life? +What consistence is there in teaching people to observe the things of +the Law, to be righteous in that respect, and at the same time +censuring those things as condemned before God? How can the works of +the Law be good and precious, and yet repulsive and productive of +evil?" + +17. I answer, Paul well knows the world takes its stand on this point +of righteousness by the Law, and hence would contradict him. But let +him who will, consult the apostle as to why he makes such bold +assertions here. For indeed the words of the text are not our words, +but his. True, law and government are essential in temporal life, as +Paul himself confesses, and God would have everyone honor and obey +them. Indeed, he has ordained their observance among Turks and +heathen. Yet it is a fact that these people, even the best and most +upright of them, they who lead honorable lives, are naturally in +their hearts enemies to Christ, and devote their intellectual powers +to exterminating God's people. + +It must be universally admitted that the Turks, with all the +restrictions and austerity of life imposed upon them by the Koran, a +life more rigorous even than that of Christians--it must be admitted +they belong to the devil. In other words, we adjudge them condemned +with all their righteousness, but at the same time say they do right +in punishing thieves, robbers, murderers, drunkards and other +offenders; more, that Christians living within their jurisdiction are +under obligation to pay tribute, and to serve them with person and +property. Precisely the same thing is true respecting our princes who +persecute the Gospel and are open enemies to Christ: we must be +obedient to them, paying the tribute and rendering the service +imposed; yet they, and all obedient followers willingly consenting to +the persecution of the Gospel, must be looked upon as condemned +before God. + +18. Similarly does Paul speak concerning the righteousness of all the +Jews and pious saints who are not Christians. His utterance is bold +and of certain sound. He censures them and, weeping, deprecatingly +refers to certain who direct the people to the righteousness of the +law with the sole result of making "enemies to the cross of Christ." + +19. Again, all the praise he has for them is to say that their "end +is perdition"; they are condemned in spite of strenuous efforts all +their lives to teach and enforce the righteousness of works. Here on +earth it is truly a priceless distinction, an admirable and noble +treasure, a praiseworthy honor, to have the name of being a godly and +upright prince, ruler or citizen; a pious, virtuous wife or virgin. +Who would not praise and exalt such virtue? It is indeed a rare and +valuable thing in the world. But however beautiful, priceless and +admirable an honor it is, Paul tells us, it is ultimately condemned +and pertains not to heaven. + + +HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS IDOLATROUS. + +20. The apostle makes his accusation yet more galling with the words +"whose god is their belly." Thus you hear how human righteousness, +even at its best, extends no higher than to service of the sensual +appetites. Take all the wisdom, justice, jurisprudence, artifice, +even the highest virtues the world affords, and what are they? They +minister only to that god, carnal appetite. They can go no farther +than the needs of this life, their whole purpose being to satisfy +physical cravings. When the physical appetites of the worldly pass, +they pass likewise, and the gifts and virtues we have mentioned can +no longer serve them. All perish and go to destruction +together--righteousness, virtues, laws and physical appetites which +they have served as their god. For they are wholly ignorant of the +true and eternal God; they know not how to serve him and receive +eternal life. So then in its essential features such a life is merely +idolatrous, having no greater object than the preservation of this +perishable body and its enjoyment of peace and honor. + +21. The fourth accusation is, "whose glory is in their shame." That +is all their glory amounts to. Let wise philosophers, scrupulous +heathen, keen jurists, receive the acme of praise and honor--it is +yet but shame. True, their motto is "Love of Virtue"; they boast +strong love of virtue and righteousness and may even think themselves +sincere. But judged by final results, their boast is without +foundation and ends in shame. For the utmost their righteousness can +effect is the applause of the world--here on earth. Before God it +avails nothing. It cannot touch the life to come. Ultimately it +leaves its possessor a captive in shame. Death devours and hell +clutches him. + +22. You may again object, "If what you say is true, why observe +temporal restrictions? Let us live in indulgent carelessness +following our inclinations. Let pass the godly, honorable man; the +virtuous, upright wife or virgin." I answer, By no means; that is not +the design. You have heard it is God's command and will that there be +temporal righteousness even among Turks and heathen. And later on +(ch. 4, 8) Paul admonishes Christians to "think on these things," +that is, on what is true. He says: "Whatsoever things are honorable, +whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever +things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be +any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." And +continuing, in verse 9, he refers them to his own example, saying, +"which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me." + + +FRUITS OF FAITH. + +23. With the believers in Christ, them who have their righteousness +in him, there should follow in this life on earth the fruits of +upright living, in obedience to God. These fruits constitute the good +works acceptable to God, which, being works of faith and wrought in +Christ, will be rewarded in the life to come. But Paul has in mind +the individuals who, rejecting faith in Christ, regard their +self-directed lives, their humanly-wrought works, which conform to +the Law, as righteousness availing in the sight of God. His reference +is to them who so trust, though wholly ignorant of Christ, for whose +sake, without any merit on our part, righteousness is imputed to us +by God. The only condition is we must believe in Christ; for he +became man, died for our sins and rose from the dead, for the very +purpose of liberating us from our sins and granting us his +resurrection and life. Toward the heavenly life we should tend, in +our life here walking in harmony with it; as Paul says in conclusion: +"Our citizenship is in heaven [not earthly and not confined to this +temporal life only]; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord +Jesus Christ." + +If we have no knowledge, no consciousness, of this fact, it matters +not how beautiful and praiseworthy our human, earthly righteousness +may be, it is merely a hindrance and an injury. For flesh and blood +cannot help relying on its own righteousness and arrogantly boasting +in this strain: "We are better, more honorable, more godly, than +others. We Jews are the people of God and keep his Law." Even +Christians are not wholly free from the pernicious influence of human +holiness. They ever seek to bring their own works and merits before +God. I know for myself what pains are inflicted by this godless +wisdom, this figment of righteousness, and what effort must be made +before the serpent's head is bruised. + +24. Now, this is the situation and there is no alternative: Either +suffer hell or regard your human righteousness as loss and filth and +endeavor not to be found relying on it at your last hour, in the +presence of God and judgment, but rather stand in the righteousness +of Christ. In the garment of Christ's righteousness and reared in him +you may, in the resurrection from sin and death, meet Christ and +exclaim: "Hail, beloved Lord and Saviour, thou who hast redeemed me +from the wretched body of sin and death, and fashioned me like unto +thy holy, pure and glorious body!" + + +GOD'S PATIENCE WITH HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS. + +25. Meantime, while we walk in the faith of his righteousness, he has +patience with the poor, frail righteousness of this earthly life, +which otherwise is but filth in his sight. He honors our human +holiness by supporting and protecting it during the time we live on +earth; just as we honor our corrupt, filthy bodies, adorning them +with beautiful, costly garments and golden ornaments, and reposing +them on cushions and beds of luxury. Though but stench and filth +encased in flesh, they are honored above everything else on earth. +For their sake are all things performed--the ordering and ruling, +building and laboring; and God himself permits sun and moon to shine +that they may receive light and heat, and everything to grow on earth +for their benefit. What is the human body but a beautiful pyx +containing that filthy, repulsive object of reverence, the digestive +organs, which the body must always patiently carry about; yes, which +we must even nourish and minister to, glad if only they perform their +functions properly? + +26. Similarly God deals with us. Because he would confer eternal life +upon man, he patiently endures the filthy righteousness of this life +wherein we must dwell until the last day, for the sake of his chosen +people and until the number is complete. For so long as the final day +is deferred, not all to have eternal life are yet born. When the time +shall be fulfilled, the number completed, God will suddenly bring to +an end the world with its governments, its jurists and authorities, +its conditions of life; in short, he will utterly abolish earthly +righteousness, destroying physical appetites and all else together. +For every form of human holiness is condemned to destruction; yet for +the sake of Christians, to whom eternal life is appointed, and for +their sake only, all these must be perpetuated until the last saint +is born and has attained life everlasting. Were there but one saint +yet to be born, for the sake of that one the world must remain. For +God regards not the world nor has he need for it, except for the sake +of his Christians. + +27. Therefore, when God enjoins upon us obedience to the emperor, and +godly, honest lives on earth, it is no warrant that our subjection to +temporal authority is to continue forever. Instead, God necessarily +will minister to, adorn and honor this wretched body--vile body, as +Paul here has it--with power and dominion. Yet the apostle terms +human righteousness "filth," and says it is not necessary to God's +kingdom; indeed, that it is condemned in the sight of God with all +its honor and glory, and all the world must be ashamed of it in his +presence, confessing themselves guilty. Paul in Romans 3, 27 and 4, 2 +testifies to this fact when he tells how even the exalted, holy +fathers--Abraham, and others--though having glory before the world +because of their righteous works, could not make them serve to obtain +honor before God. Much less will worldly honor avail with God in the +case of individuals who, being called honorable, pious, honest, +virtuous--lords and princes, wives and husbands--boast of such +righteousness. + +28. Outwardly, then, though your righteousness may appear dazzlingly +beautiful before the world, inwardly you are but filth. Illustrative +of this point is the story told of a certain nun regarded holy above +all others. She would not fellowship with anyone else, but sat alone +in her cell in rapt devotion, praying unceasingly. She boasted +special revelations and visions and had no consciousness of anything +but that beloved angels hovered about and adorned her with a golden +crown. But some outside, ardently desiring to behold such sights, +peeped through holes and crevices, and seeing her head but defiled +with filth, laughed at her. + +29. Notice, the reason Paul calls the righteousness of the Law filth +and pollution, is his desire to denounce the honor and glory claimed +for it in God's sight; notwithstanding he honors before the world the +observance of the Law by styling it "righteousness." But if you +ostentatiously boast of such righteousness to him, he pronounces his +sentence of judgment making you an abomination, an enemy of the cross +of Christ, and shaming your boasted honor and finally casting you +into hell. Concerning the righteousness of faith, however, which in +Christ avails before God, he says: + +"Our citizenship [conversation] is in heaven, from whence also we +look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our +vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." + +30. We who are baptized and believe in Christ, Paul's thought is, do +not base our works and our hope on the righteousness of this temporal +life. Through faith in Christ, we have a righteousness that holds in +heaven. It abides in Christ alone; otherwise it would avail naught +before God. And our whole concern is to be eternally in Christ; to +have our earthly existence culminate in yonder life when Christ shall +come and change this life into another, altogether new, pure, holy +and like unto his own, with a life and a body having the nature of +his. + + +THE CHRISTIAN A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN. + +31. Therefore we are no longer citizens of earth. The baptized +Christian is born a citizen of heaven through baptism. We should be +mindful of this fact and walk here as if native there. We are to +console ourselves with the fact that God thus accepts us and will +transplant us there. Meantime we must await the coming again of the +Saviour, who is to bring from heaven to us eternal righteousness, +life, honor and glory. + +32. We are baptized and made Christians, not to the end that we may +have great honor, or renown of righteousness, or earthly dominion, +power and possessions. Notwithstanding we do have these because they +are requisite to our physical life, yet we are to regard them as mere +filth, wherewith we minister to our bodily welfare as best we can for +the benefit of posterity. We Christians, however, are expectantly to +await the coming of the Saviour. His coming will not be to our injury +or shame as it may be in the case of others. He comes for the +salvation of our unprofitable, impotent bodies. Wretchedly worthless +as they are in this life, they are much more unprofitable when +lifeless and perishing in the earth. + +33. But, however miserable, powerless and contemptible in life and +death, Christ will at his coming render our bodies beautiful, pure, +shining and worthy of honor, until they correspond to his own +immortal, glorious body. Not like it as it hung on the cross or lay +in the grave, blood-stained, livid and disgraced; but as it is now, +glorified at the Father's right hand. We need not, then, be alarmed +at the necessity of laying aside our earthly bodies; at being +despoiled of the honor, righteousness and life adhering in them, to +deliver it to the devouring power of death and the grave--something +well calculated to terrify the enemies of Christ: but we may joyfully +hope for and await his speedy coming to deliver us from this +miserable, filthy pollution. + +"According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all +things unto himself." + + +THE GLORIFIED BODY OF THE CHRISTIAN. + +34. Think of the honor and the glory Christ's righteousness brings +even to our bodies! How can this poor, sinful, miserable, filthy, +polluted body become like unto that of the Son of God, the Lord of +Glory? What are you--your powers and abilities, or those of all men, +to effect this glorious thing? But Paul says human righteousness, +merit, glory and power have nothing to do with it. They are mere +filth and pollution, and condemned as well. Another force intervenes, +the power of Christ the Lord, who is able to bring all things into +subjection to himself. Now, if he has power to subject all things +unto himself at will, he is also able to glorify the pollution and +filth of this wretched body, even when it has become worms and dust. +In his hands it is as clay in the hands of the potter, and from the +polluted lump of clay he can make a vessel that shall be a beautiful, +new, pure, glorious body, surpassing the sun in its brilliance and +beauty. + +35. Through baptism Christ has taken us into his hands, actually that +he may exchange our sinful, condemned, perishable, physical lives for +the new, imperishable righteousness and life he prepares for body and +soul. Such is the power and the agency exalting us to marvelous +glory--something no earthly righteousness of the Law could +accomplish. The righteousness of the Law leaves our bodies to shame +and destruction; it reaches not beyond physical existence. But the +righteousness of Christ inspires with power, making evident that we +worship not the body but the true and living God, who does not leave +us to shame and destruction, but delivers from sin, death and +condemnation, and exalts this perishable body to eternal honor and +glory. + + + + +_Twenty Fourth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Colossians 1, 3-14. + +3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying +always for you, 4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of +the love which ye have toward all the saints, 5 because of the hope +which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in +the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which is come unto you; even +as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it +doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in +truth; 7 even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, +who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 who also +declared unto us your love in the Spirit. + +9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to +pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the +knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 +to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in +every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 +strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, +unto all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks unto +the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of +the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of +darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; +14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. + + +PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE. + +1. In this short epistle to the Colossians Paul treats of many +things, but particularly of faith, love, patience and gratitude. Upon +these topics he is remarkably eloquent, for as God himself declares +in Acts 9, 15, Paul is a chosen vessel, or instrument, of God--his +best preacher on earth. He is particularly strong in his discussion +of the main principle of the Gospel, faith in Christ. And he exalts +Christ supremely, in person and kingdom, making him all in all in his +Church--God, Lord, Master, Head and Example, and everything +mentionable in goodness and divinity. + +2. The apostle's first words are praise for the Colossians. He +remarks upon the good report he has heard of them, how they have +faith in Christ and love for all saints, and hold fast the hope of +eternal life reserved for them in heaven: in other words, that they +are true Christians, who have not allowed themselves to be led away +from the pure Word of God but who earnestly cling to it, proving +their faith by their fruits; for they love the poor Christians, and +for Christ's sake have endured much in the hope of the promised +salvation. So he exalts them as model Christians, a mirror of the +entire Christian life. + +3. "Hearing these things of you," Paul would say, "I heartily rejoice +in your good beginning." Apparently he was not the one who first +preached to them. In the first verse of the second chapter he speaks +of his care for them and others who have not seen his face, and he +also intimates here that the Colossians learned of Christ and the +Gospel from Epaphras, Paul's fellow-servant. + +4. "And therefore I always pray for you," he writes, "that you may +continue in this way; may increase and be steadfast." He is aware of +the necessity for such prayer and exhortation in behalf of Christians +if they are to abide firm and unchangeable in their new-found faith, +against the ceaseless assaults of the devil, the wickedness of the +world, and the weakness of the flesh in tribulation and affliction. + +"That ye may be filled," Paul continues, "with the knowledge of his +will." + +5. This is his chief prayer and desire for them and if it is +fulfilled there can be no lack. The words are, "be filled"; that is, +not only hear and understand God's will, but become rich in the +knowledge of it, with ever-increasing fullness. "You have begun well; +you are promising shoots." But something more than a good beginning +is required, and the knowledge of God's will is not to be +exhaustively learned immediately on hearing the Word. On the contrary +it must be constantly pursued and practiced as long as we live if it +is ever to be rounded and perfected in us. + + +KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL IMPOSES OBLIGATION. + +6. "Knowing the will of God" means more than simply knowing about +God, that he created heaven and earth and gave the Law, and so on, a +knowledge even the Jews and Turks possess. For doubtless to them has +been revealed that knowledge of God and of his will concerning our +conduct which nature--the works of creation--can teach. Rom 1, 20. +But if we fail to do God's revealed will, the knowledge of it does +not benefit us. Such mere mental consciousness is a vain, empty +thing; it does not fulfil God's will in us. Indeed, it eventually +becomes a condemnatory knowledge of our own eternal destruction. When +this point has been reached, further enlightenment is necessary if +man is to be saved. He must know the meaning of Christ's words in +John 6, 40: "This is the will of my Father, that every one that +beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life"; +and in Matthew 18, 14: "It is not the will of your Father, that one +of these should perish, which believe on me." + +7. Since we have not done God's will according to the first +revelation and must be rejected and condemned by his eternal, +unendurable wrath, in his divine wisdom and mercy he has determined, +or willed, to permit his only Son to take upon himself our sin and +wrath; to give Christ as a sacrifice for our ransom, whereby the +unendurable wrath and condemnation might be turned from us; to grant +us forgiveness of sins and to send the Holy Spirit into our hearts, +thus enabling us to love God's commandments and delight in them. This +determination or will he reveals through the Son, and commands him to +declare it to the world. And in Matthew 3, 17 he directs us to Christ +as the source of all these blessings, saying: "This is my beloved +Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." + + +SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE ENJOINED. + +8. Paul would gladly have a spiritual knowledge of these things +increase in us until we are enriched and filled--wholly assured of +their truth. Sublime and glorious knowledge this, the experience of a +human heart which, born in sins, boldly and confidently believes that +God, in his unfathomable majesty, in his divine heart, has +irrevocably purposed--and wills for all men to accept and believe +it--that he will not impute sin, but will forgive it and be gracious, +and grant eternal life, for the sake of his beloved Son. + +9. This spiritual knowledge or confidence, is not so easily learned +as are other things. It is not so readily apprehended as the +knowledge of the law written in nature, which when duly recognized by +the heart overpowers with the conviction of God's wrath. Indeed, that +more than anything else hinders Christians and saints from obtaining +the knowledge of God's will in Christ, for it compels heart and +conscience to plead guilty in every respect and to confess having +merited the wrath of God; therefore the soul naturally fears and +flees from God. Then, too, the devil fans the flame of fear and sends +his wicked, fiery arrows of dismay into the heart, presenting only +frightful pictures and examples of God's anger, filling the heart +with this kind of knowledge to the exclusion of every other thought +or perception. Thus recognition of God's wrath is learned only too +well, for it becomes bitterly hard for man to unlearn it, to forget +it in the knowledge of Christ. Again, the wicked world eagerly +contributes its share of hindrance, its bitter hatred and venomous +outcry against Christians as people of the worst type, outcast, +condemned enemies of God. Moreover, by its example it causes the weak +to stumble. Our flesh and blood also is a drawback, being waywardly +inclined, making much of its own wisdom and holiness and seeking +thereby to gain honor and glory or to live in security a life of +wealth, pleasure and covetousness. Hence on every side a Christian +must be in severe conflict, and fight against the world and the +devil, and against himself also, if he is to succeed in preserving +the knowledge of God's will. + + +WE MUST PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL LIGHT. + +10. Now, since this knowledge of the Gospel is so difficult to attain +and so foreign to nature, it is necessary that we pray for it with +all earnestness and labor to be increasingly filled with it, and to +learn well the will of God. Our own experience testifies that if it +be but superficially and improperly learned, when one is overtaken by +a trifling misfortune or alarmed by a slight danger or affliction, +his heart is easily overwhelmed with the thunderbolts of God's wrath +as he reflects: "Wo to me! God is against me and hates me." Why +should this miserable "Wo!" enter the heart of a Christian upon the +occasion of a little trouble? If he were filled with the knowledge of +God as he should be, and as many secure, self-complacent spirits +imagine themselves to be, he would not thus fear and make outcry. His +agitation and his complaint, "O Lord God! why dost thou permit me to +suffer this?" are evidence that he as yet knows not God's will, or at +least has but a faint conception of it; the wo exceeds the joy. But +full knowledge of God's will brings with it a joy that far +overbalances all fear and terror, ay, removes and abolishes them +altogether. + +11. Therefore let us learn this truth and with Paul pray for what we +and all Christians supremely need--full knowledge of God's will, not +a mere beginning; for we are not to imagine a beginning will suffice +and to stop there as if we had comprehended it all. Everything is not +accomplished in the mere planting; watering and cultivation must +follow. In this case the watering and cultivating are the Word of +God, and prayer against the devil, who day and night labors to +suppress spiritual knowledge, to beat down the tender plants wherever +he sees them springing up; and also against the world, which promotes +only opposition and directs its wisdom and reason to conflicting +ends. Did not God protect us and strengthen the knowledge of his +will, we would soon see the devil's power and the extent of our +spiritual understanding. + +12. We have a verification of this assertion in that poetical work, +the book of Job. Satan appears before God, who asks (ch. 1, 8): "Hast +thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the +earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God." And Satan +answers on this wise: "Yea, thou hast surrounded him with thy +protection and kept me at bay; but only withdraw thy hand and I +venture I will soon bring him around to curse thee to thy face"; as +he afterward did when he afflicted Job with ugly boils and in +addition filled him with his fiery arrows--terrifying thoughts of +God. Further, Christ said to Peter and the other apostles: "Satan +asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: but I made +supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not." Lk 22, 31-32. In +short, if God hinders him not, Satan dares to overthrow even the +greatest and strongest saints. + +13. Therefore, although we have become Christians and have made a +beginning in the knowledge of God's will, we ought nevertheless to +walk in fear and humility, and not to be presumptuous like the +soon-wearied, secure spirits, who imagine they exhausted that +knowledge in an instant, and know not the measure and limit of their +skill. Such people are particularly pleasing to the devil, for he has +them completely in his power and makes use of their teaching and +example to harm others and make them likewise secure, and unmindful +of his presence and of the fact that God may suffer them to be +overwhelmed. Verily, there is need of earnest and diligent use of the +Word of God and prayer, that Christians may not only learn to know +the will of God, but also to be filled with it. Only so can the +individual walk always according to God's will and make constant +progress, straining toward the goal of an ever-increasing comfort and +strength that shall enable him to face fears and terrors and not +allow the devil, the world, and flesh and blood to hinder him. + + +SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE BRINGS INCREASING JOY. + +14. Such is the nature of this fullness of knowledge that the +possessor never becomes satiated with it or tired of it, but it +yields him ever-increasing pleasure and joy, and he is ever more +eager, more thirsty, for it. As the Scriptures declare, "They that +drink me shall yet be thirsty." Ecclus 24, 21. For even the dear +angels in heaven never become sated with fullness of knowledge, but +as Peter says, they find an everlasting joy and pleasure in the +ability to behold what is revealed and preached to us. 1 Peter 1, 12. +Therefore, if we have not a constant hunger and thirst after the full +and abundant comprehension of God's will--and certainly we ought to +have it in greater degree than the angels--until we, too, shall be +able to behold it eternally in the life everlasting, then we have but +a taste of that knowledge, a mere empty froth, which can neither +refresh nor satisfy us, cannot comfort us nor make us better. + + +WHY AFFLICTIONS ARE SENT. + +15. To create and stimulate this hunger and thirst in us, and to +bring us to the attainment of full knowledge, God kindly sends upon +his Christians temptation, sorrow and affliction. These preserve them +from carnal satiety and teach them to seek comfort and help. So God +did also in former ages, in the time of the martyrs, when he daily +suffered them to be violently seized in person and put to death by +sword, fire, blood and wild beasts. In this way he truly led his +people to school, where they were obliged to learn to know his will +and to be able defiantly to say: "No, O tyrant, O world, devil and +flesh, though you may injure me bodily, may beat or torment me, +banish me or even take my life, you shall not deprive me of my Lord +Jesus Christ--of God's grace and mercy." So faith taught them and +confirmed to them that such suffering was God's purpose and immutable +will concerning themselves, which, whatever attitude towards them he +might assume, he could not alter, even as he could not in the case of +Christ himself. This discipline and experience of faith strengthened +the martyrs and soon accustomed them to suffering, enabling them to +go to their death with pleasure and joy. Whence came, even to young +girls thirteen and fourteen years old, like Agnes and Agatha, the +courage and confidence to stand boldly before the Roman judge, and, +when led to death, to go as joyfully as to a festivity, whence unless +their hearts were filled with a sublime and steadfast faith, a +positive assurance that God was not angry with them, but that all was +his gracious and merciful will and for their highest salvation and +bliss? + +16. Behold, what noble and enlightened, what strong and courageous, +people God produced by the discipline of cross and affliction! We, in +contrast, because unwilling to experience such suffering, are weak +and enervated. If but a little smoke gets into our eyes, our joy and +courage are gone, likewise our perception of God's will, and we can +only raise a loud lamentation and cry of woe. As I said, this is the +inevitable condition of a heart to which the experience of affliction +is unknown. Just so Christ's disciples in the ship, when they saw the +tempest approach and the waves beat over the vessel, quite forgot, in +their trembling and terror, the divine will, although Christ was +present with them. They only made anxious lamentation, yet withal +cried for help: "Save, Lord; we perish!" Mt 8, 25. So also in the +time of the martyrs, many Christians became timid and at first denied +Christ from fear of torture or of long confinement in prison. + +17. It is God's will that we, too, should learn to accustom ourselves +to these things through temptation and affliction, though these be +hard to bear and the heart is prone to become agitated and utter its +cry of woe. We can quiet our disturbed hearts, saying: "I know what +is God's thought, his counsel and will, in Christ, which he will not +alter: he has promised to me through his Son, and confirmed it +through my baptism, that he who hears and sees the Son shall be +delivered from sin and death, and live eternally." + +18. Now, what Paul calls being filled with the knowledge of the +divine will in Christ through the faith of the Gospel, means faith in +and the comfort of the forgiveness of sins, since we have not in +ourselves the ability to fulfil his will in the ten commandments. +This knowledge is not a passive consciousness, but a living, active +conviction, which will stand before the judgment of God, contend with +the devil and prevail over sin, death and life. + +19. Now, the heart possessing such knowledge or faith is kindled by +the Holy Spirit and acquires a love for and delight in God's +commandments. It becomes obedient to them, patient, chaste, modest, +gentle, given to brotherly kindness, and honors God in confession and +life. Thus it is increasingly filled with the knowledge of God's +will; it is armed and fortified on all sides to withstand and defeat +the flesh and the world, the devil and hell. + + +"SPIRITUAL WISDOM" DEFINED. + +20. By way of explanation Paul adds the words, "all spiritual wisdom +and understanding." This is not the wisdom of the world. There is no +necessity to strive and to endure persecution for that which concerns +itself with other than spiritual matters. Nor is it the wisdom of +reason, which indeed presumes to judge of divine things, but yet can +never understand them; on the contrary, although it accepts them, it +quickly falls away into doubt and despair. + +21. "Wisdom" signifies with Paul, when he places it in apposition +with "spiritual understanding," the sublime and secret doctrine of +the Gospel of Christ, which teaches us to know the will of God. And a +"wise man" is a Christian, who knows himself and can intelligently +interpret God's will toward us and how we perceive his will by +faith--growing and obediently living in harmony with it. This wisdom +is not devised of reason; it has not entered into the heart of man +nor is it known to any of the princes of this world, as Paul says in +1 Corinthians 2, 8-10. But it is revealed from Heaven by the Holy +Spirit to those who believe the Gospel. + +22. But there is necessary to the full completion of wisdom something +which the apostle calls "understanding"; that is, a careful retention +of what has been received. It is possible for one having the +spiritual wisdom to be overtaken by the devil through a momentary +intellectual inspiration, or through anger and impatience, or even +through greed and similar deceitful allurements. Therefore it is +necessary here to be cautious, alert and watchful in an effort to +guard against the devil's cunning attacks and always to oppose him +with his own spiritual wisdom, that he may not be undeceived. The +Pauline and scriptural use of the word "understanding" signifies the +ability to make good use of one's wisdom; to make it effective as a +test whereby to prove all things, to judge with keen discernment +whatever presents itself in the name and appearance of wisdom. Thus +armed, the soul defends itself and does not in any case violate its +own discretion. To furnish himself with understanding, the Christian +must ever have regard to the Word of God, must put it into practice, +lest the devil dazzle his mind with some palaver and error and +deceive him before he is aware of it. This Satan is well able to do; +indeed, he uses every art to accomplish it if a man be not on his +guard and seek not counsel in God's Word. Such is the teaching of +David's example, who says in Psalm 119, 11: "Thy word have I laid up +in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." And again in verse +24: "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." + +23. A man may be familiar with God's Word, yet if he walks in +self-security, concerned about other matters, or if perhaps being +tempted he loses sight of God's Word, it may easily come to pass that +he is seduced and deceived by the secret craft and cunning of the +devil; or of himself he may become bewildered, losing his wisdom and +being unable to find counsel or help even in the most trivial +temptations. For the devil and reason, or human wisdom, can dispute +and syllogize with extraordinary subtlety in these things until one +imagines to be true wisdom that which is not. A wise man soon becomes +a fool; men readily err and make false steps; a Christian likewise is +prone to stumble; ay, even a good teacher and prophet can easily be +deceived by reason's brilliant logic. Essentially, then, Christians +must take warning and study, with careful meditation, the Word of +God. + +24. We read of St. Martin how he would not undertake to dispute with +heretics for the simple reason that he was unwilling to fall into +wrangling, to rationalize with them or to attempt to defeat them by +the weapon of reason, the sole means whereby they pointed and adorned +all their arguments, as the world always does when opposing the Word +of God. The shrewd Papists today pretend, as they think, very acutely +to confirm and support all their antichristian abominations by the +name of the Church, making the idiotic claim that one must not effect +nor suffer any change in the religious teaching commonly accepted by +Christendom. They say we must believe the Christian Church is always +guided by the Holy Spirit and therefore demands our obedience. Notice +here the name of the Church, concerning which your spiritual wisdom +teaches according to the article: "I believe in a holy Christian +Church." But that name is distorted to confirm the lies and idolatry +of the Papacy, just as is true of the name of God. So there is need +of understanding, of careful, keen discernment, that wisdom be not +perverted and falsified, and man be deceived with its counterfeit. + +25. By close examination and comparison with God's Word, the standard +and test, you may clearly prove the Papacy to be not the Church of +Christ, but a sect of Satan; it is filled with open idolatry, lies +and murder, which its adherents fain would defend. These things the +Church of Christ does not endorse, and to tax it with resolving, +appointing, ordering and demanding obedience to that which is at +variance with the Word of God, is to do the Church wrong and +violence. + + +CHURCH NOT TO COMPROMISE WITH PAPISTS. + +26. The world at the present time is sagaciously discussing how to +quell the controversy and strife over doctrine and faith, and how to +effect a compromise between the Church and the Papacy. Let the +learned, the wise, it is said, bishops, emperor and princes, +arbitrate. Each side can easily yield something, and it is better to +concede some things which can be construed according to individual +interpretation, than that so much persecution, bloodshed, war, and +terrible, endless dissension and destruction be permitted. Here is +lack of understanding, for understanding proves by the Word that such +patchwork is not according to God's will, but that doctrine, faith +and worship must be preserved pure and unadulterated; there must be +no mingling with human nonsense, human opinions or wisdom. The +Scriptures give us this rule: "We must obey God rather than men." +Acts 5, 29. + +27. We must not, then, regard nor follow the counsels of human +wisdom, but must keep ever before us God's will as revealed by his +Word; we are to abide by that for death or life, for evil or good. If +war or other calamity results complain to him who wills and commands +us to teach and believe our doctrine. The calamity is not of our +effecting; we have not originated it. And we are not required to +prove by argument whether or no God's will is right and to be obeyed. +If he wills to permit persecution and other evils to arise in +consequence of our teaching, for the trial and experience of true +Christians and for the punishment of the ungrateful, let them come; +and if not, his hand is doubtless strong enough to defend and +preserve his cause from destruction, that man may know the events to +be of his ordering. And so, praise his name, he has done in our case. +He has supported us against the strong desires of our adversaries. +Had we yielded and obeyed them, we would have been drawn into their +falsehood and destruction. And God will still support us if we deal +uprightly and faithfully in these requirements, if we further and +honor the Word of God, and be not unthankful nor seek things that +counterfeit God's Word. + +28. So much by way of explaining what Paul means by wisdom and +understanding to know the will of God, and by way of teaching the +necessity of having both wisdom and understanding. For not only must +the doctrine whereby wisdom is imparted be inculcated in Christendom, +but there is also need for admonition and exhortation concerning that +understanding necessary to preserve wisdom, and for defense in strife +and conflict. Were not these principles exercised and inculcated in +us, we would be deceived by false wisdom and vain imaginations, and +would accept their gloss and glitter for pure gold, as many in the +Church have ever done. + +29. The Galatians had received from Paul the wisdom of justification +before God by faith in Christ alone. Nevertheless, in spite of that +knowledge, they were deceived and would have lost their wisdom +altogether through the claim of the false prophets that the God-given +Law must be observed, had not Paul aroused their understanding at +this point and brought them back from error. The Corinthians were +taught by their spiritual wisdom the article of Christian liberty; +they knew that sacrifices to idols are nothing. But they failed in +this respect: they proceeded without understanding, and made carnal +use of their liberty, contrary to wisdom and offending others. +Therefore Paul had to remind them of their departure from his +doctrine and wisdom. + +30. The Scriptures record many instances of failure in this matter of +understanding. A notable one is found in the thirteenth chapter of +First Kings. A man of God from the kingdom of Judah, who had in the +presence of King Jeroboam openly denounced the idolatry instituted by +the king, and had confirmed his preaching and prophecy by a miracle, +was commanded by God not under any circumstances to abide in the +place whither he had gone to prophesy, nor to eat and drink there. He +was to go straight home by another way than the route he had come. +Yet on the way homeward he allowed himself to be persuaded by another +prophet, one who falsely claimed to have a revelation from God, by an +angel, commanding him to take the man of God to his home and give him +to eat and drink. While they sat together at the table the Word of +the Lord came to the inviting prophet and under its inspiration he +told the other that he should not reach home alive. The latter, +departing on his journey, was killed on the way by a lion, which +remained standing by the body and the ass the man of God had ridden, +not touching them further, until the old prophet came and found them. +He brought the body home on the ass and buried it, commanding that +after his own death he should be laid in the same grave. Such was +God's punishment of the prophet who allowed himself to be deceived +and obeyed not God's express command. However, his soul suffered not +harm, as God testified by the fact the lion did not devour his body +but defended it. Now, in what was the prophet lacking? Not in wisdom, +for he had the Word of God. He lacked in understanding, allowing +himself to be deceived when the other man declared himself a prophet +whom the angel of the Lord had instructed. The man of God should have +abided by the word given to him, and have said to the other: "You may +be a prophet, indeed, but God has commanded me to do this thing. Of +that I am certain and I will be governed by it. I will regard no +conflicting order, be it in the name of an angel or of God." + + +NEITHER REASON NOR FEELINGS A RIGHT JUDGE. + +31. So it is often with man today, not only in doctrinal controversy +but in private affairs and in official capacity. He is prone to +stumble and to fail in understanding when not watchful of his +purposes and motives, to see how they accord with the wisdom of God's +Word. Particularly is his understanding unreliable when the devil +moves him to wrath, impatience, dejection, melancholy, or when he is +otherwise tempted. Often they who have been well exercised with +trials become bewildered in small temptations and uncertain what +course to take. Here must one be watchful and not go by his reason or +his feelings, but remember God's Word--or ascertain if he does not +know what it is--and be guided thereby. When tempted man cannot judge +aright by the dictates of reason. Therefore he ought not to follow +his own natural intelligence nor to act from hasty conclusions. Let +him be suspicious of all his reasoning and beware the cunning of the +devil, who seeks either to allure or to intimidate us by his specious +arguments. First of all let man call upon the understanding born of +his wisdom in the Gospel, what his faith, love, hope and patience +counsel, in fact, what God's will eloquently teaches everywhere and +in all circumstances if only one strive, labor and pray to be filled +with such knowledge. + +32. Paul uses the expression, "spiritual wisdom and understanding," +because it represents that which makes us wise and prudent to oppose +the devil and his assaults and temptations, or wiles as Paul calls +them in Ephesians 6, 11; which governs and guides, shepherds and +leads, teaches and keeps us, and enables us to fare well +spiritually--in faith and a good conscience toward God--and also in +the temporal affairs of life when reason fails as a counselor or +teacher. Paul further says: + +"To walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in +every good work; and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened +with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all +patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks unto the Father, +who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in +light." + +33. What is meant by "walking worthily of the Lord" we have heard in +other epistles, namely to believe, and to confess the faith by +doctrine and life, as people worthy of the Lord and of whom the Lord +can triumphantly say: "These are my people--Christians who live and +abide in what they have been taught by the Word, who know my will and +obediently do and suffer for it." + +34. Our wisdom and understanding of the knowledge of God should serve +to make us characters that are an honor and praise to God, in whom he +may be glorified, and who live to God unto all pleasing, that is, +please him in every way, according to his Word. And because of such +wisdom and knowledge, we should, in our lives, in our stations and +appointed work, not be unfruitful nor harmful hypocrites and +unbelievers, as false Christians are, but doers of much good, useful +characters to the honor of God's kingdom. All the time we are to make +constant growth and progress in the knowledge of God, that we may not +be seduced or driven from it by the cunning of the devil, who at all +times and in all places assails Christians and strenuously seeks to +effect their fall from the Word and from God's will, even as in the +beginning he did with Adam and Eve in paradise. + + +ONLY GOD'S POWER CAN OVERCOME THE DEVIL. + +35. The apostle continues: "strengthened with all power, according to +the might of his glory." Here is preparation to sustain the conflict +against the devil, the world and the flesh, and to overcome. Not our +own power, nor the combined power of all mankind, can effect it. Only +God's own divine, glorious power and might can overcome the devil and +win honor and praise in the contest with the gates of hell. Christ in +himself proved such efficacy of the divine strength when he overcame +all the devil's superlative assaults. + +36. By this power and might of God must we be strengthened in faith. +We must strive after such divine agency and by the help of the Word +persevere and pray, that there may be not only a beginning, but a +continuation and a victorious end. So shall we become ever stronger +and stronger in God's might. Whatever we do, it must not be +undertaken in and by our own strength. We must not boast as if we had +ourselves accomplished it, but must rely upon God, upon his strength +and support. Certainly it is not due to our ability but to his own +omnipotent agency if one remains a Christian, steadfast in the +knowledge of God and not deceived nor conquered by the devil. + + +PATIENCE ESSENTIAL TO ENDURANCE. + +37. But, the writer tells us, the attainment of strength and victory +calls for "all patience." We must have patience to endure the +persistent persecution of the devil, the world and the flesh. Not +only patience is required here, but "longsuffering." The apostle +makes a distinction between the two words, regarding the latter as +something more heroic. It is the devil's way, when he fails to defeat +by affliction and trouble, to try the heart with endurance. He makes +the ordeal unbearably hard and long to patience, even apparently +without end. His scheme is to accomplish by unceasing persistence +what he cannot attain by the severity and multitude of his +temptations; he aims to wear out one's patience and to discourage his +hope of conquering. To meet these conditions there is necessary, in +addition to patience, longsuffering, which holds out firmly and +steadfastly in suffering, with the determination: "Indeed, you cannot +try me too severely or too long, even though the trial continue to +the end of the world." True, knightly, Christian strength is that +which in conflict and suffering is able to endure not only severe and +manifold assaults of the devil, but to hold out indefinitely. More +than anything else do we need to be strengthened, through prayer, +with the power of God, that we may not succumb in such grievous +warfare, but achieve the end. + + +CHRISTIANS SHOULD REJOICE AND BE THANKFUL. + +38. And your patience and longsuffering, Paul says, must be exercised +"with joy." In these severe, multiplied and long temptations you must +not allow yourselves to be filled with sad and depressing thoughts. +You are to be hopeful and joyous, despising the devil and the +troubles and tumults of the world and himself. Rejoice because you +have on your side the knowledge of the divine will in Christ, and his +power and glorious might, and doubt not that his omnipotence will +help you through. + +39. Finally the apostle enjoins us to give thanks, or to be thankful. +Forget not, he would say, the unspeakable benefits and gifts God has +bestowed upon you above all men on earth. He has richly blessed you, +and liberated you from the power and might of sin, death, hell and +the devil, wherein you would, for all you could help yourselves, have +had to remain eternally captive; he has appointed you for eternal +glory, making you co-heirs with the saints elected for his eternal +kingdom; and he has made you partakers of all eternal, divine, +heavenly blessings. In your sufferings and conflicts, remember these +glories ordained for and given to you, and remembering rejoice the +more and willingly fight and suffer to obtain possession, to enjoy +the fruition, of what is certainly appropriated to you in the Word +and in faith. + +40. The writer of the epistle calls it "the inheritance of the saints +in light," or of the "light" saints, that is, the true saints. Thus +he distinguishes from false saints, intimating that there are two +classes of saints. To one class belong the many in the world who have +only their own claim to sainthood: the Jews, for instance, with their +holiness of the Law; and the world generally, the philosophers, +jurists and their kind, with their self-righteousness. These are not +saints of light; they are saints of darkness, unclean, even defiled. +In Philippians 3, 8 Paul counts such righteousness loss and refuse. +To this class belong also many false, hypocritical saints in the +company of Christians who have the Gospel; they, too, hear the Gospel +and attend upon the Holy Supper, but they remain in darkness, without +the least experience of the wisdom and understanding that knows the +divine will. But they who exercise themselves in these spiritual +graces by faith, love and patience in temptation, and perceive the +wonderful grace and blessing God imparts through the Gospel--these +honorably may be called the saints, destined, even appointed, to +eternal light and joy in God's kingdom. + +"Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us +into the kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have our +redemption, the forgiveness of our sins." + +41. Paul now expatiates on the things that call for our gratitude to +God the Father. He sums up the whole teaching of the Gospel, showing +us what is ours in Christ and giving a glorious and comforting +description of his person and the blessing he brings. But first, he +says, we ought, above all, to thank God unceasingly for the knowledge +of his revealed Gospel. In it we have no small treasure. Rather, it +is a possession with which all the gold, silver and other riches of +this world, all the earthly joy and comfort of this life, are not to +be compared. For it means redemption from eternal, irreparable loss +and ruin under God's eternal, unbearable wrath and condemnation. And +this wretchedness was the result of our sin. We were committed to sin +and without help, without deliverance, ay, we were captive in such +blindness and darkness that we did not recognize our misery; much +less could we devise and effect our escape. Now, in place of this +misery, we have, without any merit on our part, any preparation, any +deed or design, ay, without even a thought, assuredly received, +through God's unfathomable grace and mercy, redemption, or the +forgiveness of sins. + + +GOD'S GRACE INCOMPREHENSIBLE. + +42. The measure of such graciousness and blessing no tongue can +express; indeed, in this life no man can understand it. In hell the +wicked shall become sensible of it by the realization of their +condemnation and the never-ending wrath of the eternal, divine +Majesty and of all creatures. No created thing shall they be able to +behold with joy, because in these ever shall be reflected the +condemned one's own unceasing, lamentable sorrow, terror and despair. +Nor, on the other hand, can the creature behold the condemned with +pleasure, but must abhor them; it must be an object of further terror +and condemnation to the damned. However, in this life God in his +unspeakable goodness has subjected the creature to vanity, as Paul +says in Romans 8, 20, and to the service of the wicked. Yet it serves +against its will, travailing as a woman in pain, with the supreme +desire to be liberated from this service of the wicked, condemned +world. It must, however, have patience in its hope of redemption, for +the sake of those children of God yet to come to Christ and finally +to be brought to glory; otherwise it is as hostile to sin as God +himself. + +43. But because an eternal, unchangeable sentence of condemnation has +passed upon sin--for God cannot and will not regard sin with favor, +but his wrath abides upon it eternally and irrevocably--redemption +was not possible without a ransom of such precious worth as to atone +for sin, to assume the guilt, pay the price of wrath and thus abolish +sin. + +44. This no creature was able to do. There was no remedy except for +God's only Son to step into our distress and himself become man, to +take upon himself the load of awful and eternal wrath and make his +own body and blood a sacrifice for the sin. And so he did, out of his +immeasurably great mercy and love towards us, giving himself up and +bearing the sentence of unending wrath and death. + +45. So infinitely precious to God is this sacrifice and atonement of +his only beloved Son who is one with him in divinity and majesty, +that God is reconciled thereby and receives into grace and +forgiveness of sins all who believe in this Son. Only by believing +may we enjoy the precious atonement of Christ, the forgiveness +obtained for us and given us out of profound, inexpressible love. We +have nothing to boast of for ourselves, but must ever joyfully thank +and praise him who at such priceless cost redeemed us condemned and +lost sinners. + +46. The essential feature of redemption--forgiveness of sins--being +once obtained, everything belonging to its completion immediately +follows. Eternal death, the wages of sin, is abolished, and eternal +righteousness and life are given; as Paul says in Romans 6, 23, the +grace, or gift, of God is eternal life. And now that we are +reconciled to God and washed in the blood of Christ, everything in +heaven and earth, as Paul again declares (Eph 1, 10), is in turn +reconciled to us. The creatures are no longer opposed, but at peace +with us and friendly; they smile upon us and we have only joy and +life in God and his creation. + +47. Such is the doctrine of the Gospel, and so is it to be declared. +It shows us sin and forgiveness, wrath and grace, death and life; how +we were in darkness and how we are redeemed from it. It does not, +like the Law, make us sinners, nor is its mission to teach us how to +merit and earn grace. But it declares how we, condemned and under the +power of sin, death and the devil, as we are, receive by faith the +freely-given redemption and in return show our gratitude. + +48. Paul also explains who it is that has shed his blood for us. He +would have us understand the priceless cost of our redemption, +namely, the blood of the Son of God, who is the image of the +invisible God. The apostle declares that he existed before creation, +and by him were all things created, and that therefore he is true, +eternal God with the Father. Hence, Paul says, the shed blood truly +is God's own blood. And so the writer of this epistle clearly and +mightily establishes the article of the divinity of Christ. But this +requires a special and separate sermon. + + + + +_Twenty Fifth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-18. + +13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that +fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. +14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them +also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For +this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, +that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede +them that are fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend +from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with +the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; 17 then we +that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up +in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be +with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. + + +LIVING AND DEAD WHEN CHRIST RETURNS. + +Paul writes these words to comfort Christians who were troubled about +what would take place at the resurrection of the dead. Shall all rise +together? Shall those living on the earth at the last day meet Christ +before others? These and like thoughts worried them. Here Paul +answers them by saying that Christ would take all his believers to +himself at the same time, etc. + +This epistle text you will find richly expounded in "The Explanation +of Certain Epistles," which appeared on special occasions. [The +Miscellaneous Sermons of the Year 1532.] + + + + +_Twenty Sixth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 2 Thessalonians 1, 3-10. + +3 We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even +as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love +of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; 4 so that we +ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and +faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye +endure; 5 which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; +to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for +which ye also suffer: 6 if so be that it is a righteous thing with +God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, 7 and to you +that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus +from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, 8 rendering +vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the +gospel of our Lord Jesus: 9 who shall suffer punishment, even eternal +destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his +might, 10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be +marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto +you was believed) in that day. + + +GOD'S JUDGMENT WHEN CHRIST RETURNS. + +1. First, Paul has words of praise for his Church at Thessalonica. In +view of its faith and its love it was one of the first rank. +Patiently it stood firm, and even increased, under crosses of +affliction. The apostle's intent in commending these people is to +incite to perseverance. He would hold them up to others as an +example--an illustration--of the fruits resulting when the Gospel is +preached and received. He also points out in what the edification and +success of the true Church of Christ consist. Then he consoles them +for their patient sufferings with the mention of the glorious coming +of Christ the Lord, which shall mean their final redemption, the +recompense of peace and joy for their tribulations, and the bringing +of eternal wrath upon their persecutors. + +2. This consolation Paul draws from their sufferings and God's +righteous judgment, by which he makes plain why God lets them suffer +here on earth--what is his purpose in it. Looking at the Christian +community with the eye of human reason and reflection, no more +wretched, tormented, persecuted, unhappy people are in evidence on +earth than those who confess and glory in Christ the crucified. In +the world they are continually persecuted, tormented and assailed by +the devil with all manner of wretchedness, misfortune, distress and +death. Even to their own perceptions, it seems as if they surely are +forgotten and forsaken by God in the sight of mankind. For he allows +them to remain prostrate under the weight of the cross, while others +in the world, particularly their persecutors, live in the enjoyment +of honor and fortune, of happiness, power and riches, with everything +moving to the fulfilment of their desires. The Scriptures frequently +deplore this condition of things, especially the Psalms, and Paul in +First Corinthians 15, 19 confesses: "If we have only hoped in Christ +in this life, we are of all men most pitiable." + + +CHRISTIAN'S SUFFERINGS LEAD TO HAPPINESS. + +3. Now, assuredly this state of affairs cannot continue without end; +it cannot be God's intention to permit Christians thus to suffer +continually while they live, to die because of it and remain dead. It +would be incompatible with his eternal, divine truth and honor +manifest in his Word. For there he declares he will be the God of the +pious, of them who fear and trust him, and gives them unspeakable +promises. Necessarily, then, he has planned a future state for +Christians and for non-Christians, in either instance unlike what +they know on earth. Possibly one of the chief reasons why God permits +Christians to suffer on earth is to make plain the distinction +between their reward and that of the ungodly. In the sufferings of +believing Christians, and in the wickedness, tyranny, rage, and +persecution directed by the unrighteous against the godly, is certain +indication of a future life unlike this and a final judgment of God +in which all men, godly and wicked, shall be forever recompensed. + +4. Notice, Paul means to say here when he speaks of the tribulations +and sufferings of Christians: "These afflictions are the indication +of God's righteous judgment, and a sign you are worthy of the kingdom +of God for which you suffer." In other words: "O beloved Christians, +regard your sufferings as dear and precious. Think not God is angry +with you, or has forgotten you, because he allows you to endure these +things. They are your great help and comfort, for they show God will +be a righteous judge, will richly bless you and avenge you upon your +persecutors. Yes, therein you have unfailing assurance. You may +rejoice, and console yourselves, believing without the shadow of a +doubt that you belong to the kingdom of God, and have been made +worthy of it, because you suffer for its sake." + +5. Whatever the Christian suffers here on earth at the hands of the +devil and the world, befalls him simply for the sake of the name of +God and for his Word. True, as a baptized child of God the Christian +should justly enjoy unalloyed goodness, comfort and peace on earth; +but since he must still dwell in the kingdom of the devil, who +infuses sin and death into human flesh, he must endure the devil. Yet +all Satan's inflictions and the world's plagues, persecutions, +terrors, tortures, even the taking of the Christian's life, and all +its abuse, is wrought in violence and injustice. But to offset this, +the Christian has the comforting assurance of God's Word that because +he suffers for the sake of the kingdom of Christ and of God he shall +surely be eternally partaker of that kingdom. Certain it is, no one +will be worthy of it unless he suffers for it. + +6. "If so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense +affliction to them that afflict you," continues the apostle. It is +impossible it should continue to be, as now, well with the world and +evil with you. God's righteousness will not admit of it. Just because +he is a righteous judge, things must be eventually different: the +godly must have eternal good, and the wicked, on the other hand, must +be punished forever. Otherwise God's judgment would not be righteous; +in other words, he would not be God. Now, since this is an impossible +proposition, since God's righteousness and truth are immutable, in +his capacity of judge he must perforce, in due time, come from +heaven, when he shall have assembled his Christians, and avenge them +of their enemies, recompense the latter according to their merits, +and confer eternal rest and peace upon his followers for the temporal +sufferings they have endured here. + + +GOD DOES NOT FORGET HIS CHILDREN. + +7. Christians should certainly expect this and comfort themselves in +the confidence that God will not permit the wrongs of his people to +continue unpunished and unavenged. We might think he had forgotten +were we to judge from the facts that godly Abel was shamefully +murdered by his brother, that God's prophets and martyrs--John the +Baptist, Jeremiah, Paul and others--suffered death at the hands of +bloodhounds like the Herods, Neros and other shameless, sanguinary +tyrants of the sort, and this when God had, even in this life, given +glorious testimony to their being his beloved children. A judgment +must be forthcoming that tyrants may suffer pains and punishments, +and that the godly, delivered from sufferings, may have eternal rest +and joy. Let all the world know God does not forget, even after +death. + +8. This is the consolation the future judgment at the resurrection of +the dead holds, that, as God's righteousness requires, the saints +shall receive for their sufferings a supremely rich and glorious +recompense. Paul seems to present as the principal reason why God +must punish the world with everlasting pain, the fact that the world +has inflicted tribulations on Christians. Apparently his words imply +that the perpetrations of the devil and the world--their supreme +contempt and hatred of God's name and Word, their blasphemies of +these, their wickedness and disobedience in other respects, whereby +they bring upon themselves everlasting pain and damnation--that for +these sins against himself God is not so ready to punish as for their +persecution and torment of his poor, believing Christians. This truth +is indicated where we read that Christ on the last day shall say: +"Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared +for the devil and his angels ... inasmuch as ye did it not unto one +of these least, ye did it not unto me." Mt 25, 41 and 45. + +9. Paul's further observations, concerning the manner of the judgment +to come and the painful punishment of the ungodly, is sufficiently +clear as rendered, and is also explained in the sermon on the Gospel +text. Further explanation here is unnecessary. + + + + +_Twenty Seventh Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 2 Peter 3, 3-7. + + +TO THE READER. + +When the year has twenty-seven Sundays after Trinity, which seldom +occurs, substitute the text of 2 Peter 3, 3-7 for the twenty-sixth +Sunday and use the text of the twenty-sixth Sunday for the +twenty-seventh Sunday. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Epistle Sermons, Vol. III, by Martin Luther + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EPISTLE SERMONS, VOL. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/30619-8.zip b/30619-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..82b05ae --- /dev/null +++ b/30619-8.zip diff --git a/30619-h.zip b/30619-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d9ac59 --- /dev/null +++ b/30619-h.zip diff --git a/30619-h/30619-h.htm b/30619-h/30619-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..323820d --- /dev/null +++ b/30619-h/30619-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,13997 @@ + +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> + +<html> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> + <title>The Project Gutenberg e-Book of Epistle Sermons Volume 3, by Martin Luther</title> + <style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {margin:10%; text-align:justify} + h1 {text-align:center} + h2 {text-align:center} + h3 {text-align:center} + h4 {text-align:center} --> + </style> +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Epistle Sermons, Vol. III, by Martin Luther + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Epistle Sermons, Vol. III + Trinity Sunday to Advent + +Author: Martin Luther + +Translator: John Nicholas Lenker + +Release Date: December 7, 2009 [EBook #30619] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EPISTLE SERMONS, VOL. III *** + + + + +Produced by Ron Swanson (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<h2>LUTHER'S</h2> +<h1>EPISTLE SERMONS</h1> +<h4>TRINITY SUNDAY TO ADVENT.</h4> +<br> +<br> +<center>TRANSLATED WITH THE HELP OF OTHERS<br><br> +<small>BY</small></center> +<h3>PROF. JOHN NICHOLAS LENKER, D.D.</h3> + +<center><small>AUTHOR OF "LUTHERANS IN ALL LANDS," TRANSLATOR OF<br> +LUTHER'S WORKS INTO ENGLISH, AND PRESIDENT OF<br> +THE NATIONAL LUTHERAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION</small></center> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>VOL. III.</h3> +<h4>(<i>Volume IX of Luther's Complete Works</i>.)</h4> +<br> +<center>Third Thousand</center> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<center><big><i>The Luther Press</i></big><br> +<small>MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., U.S.A.</small><br> +1909.</center> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Dedication</i></h2> + +<blockquote>To all Laymen of Evangelical Christendom interested in developing a +deeper Christian Life, on the basis of the spiritual classics of our +Protestant Church Fathers, this volume of sermons that apply the pure +doctrine of God's Word to everyday life, is prayerfully dedicated.</blockquote> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<center><small>Copyright, 1909, by J. N. LENKER.</small></center> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Foreword</i></h2> +<br> + +<p>Here comes the English Luther in his twelfth visit to your home. In +peasant boots, decorated by no star of worldliness nor even by the +cross of churchliness, but by the Book from heaven pressed to his +heart in a firm attitude of earnest prayer, he comes as the man of +prayer and of the one Book, a familiar friend, to help you to live +the simple Christian life.</p> + +<p>This volume of twenty-four practical sermons from Trinity Sunday to +Advent marks an epoch in that it completes in an unabridged form one +branch of Luther's writings, the eight volumes of his Gospel and +Epistle Postil. They are bound in uniform size, numbered as in the +Erlangen edition from the seventh to the fourteenth volume inclusive, +paragraphed for convenient reference according to the Walch edition +with summaries of the Gospel sermons by Bugenhagen. The few subheads +inserted in the text are a new feature for American readers.</p> + +<p>These eight volumes of 175 sermons and 3,110 pages are the classic +devotional literature of Protestantism. They were preached by its +founder to the mother congregation of Evangelical Christendom in the +birth-period of the greatest factor in modern civilization. No +collection of Evangelical sermons has passed through more editions +and been printed in more languages, none more loved and praised, none +more read and prayed. They will be a valuable addition to the meager +sermon literature on the Epistle texts in the English language. +English Protestants will hereafter have no excuse for unacquaintance +with Luther's spiritual writings.</p> + +<p>What Luther's two Catechisms were in the school room to teach the +Christian faith to the youth, that these sermons were in the homes to +develop the same faith in adults. They have maintained their good +name wherever translated until the present and their contents are +above the reach of critics. These Epistle sermons especially apply +the Christian truth to everyday life. The order in developing the +Christian life with the best help from the prince of the Teutonic +church fathers, should be from the Small to the Large Catechism and +then to his Epistle sermons. Blessed the pastor and congregation who +can lead the youth to "Church Postil Reading"—to read in harmony +with their church-going. Blessed is the immigrant or diaspora +missionary who finds his people reading them in the new settlements +he visits.</p> + +<p>Next to the Bible and Catechisms no books did more to awaken and +sustain the great Evangelical religious movements under Spener in +Germany, Rosenius in Sweden, and Hauge in Norway, than these sermon +books devoutly and regularly read in the homes of church members.</p> + +<p>The transition of a people and church from a weak language into a +stronger, is easy and accompanied by gain; while the opposite course +from a strong into a weaker tongue is difficult; and accompanied by +loss. While in our land the Germans and Scandinavians lose much in +the transition ordeal, all is not lost; they have something to give.</p> + +<p>It is a good sign that two-tongued congregations are growing in +favor. Familiar thought in a strange language is not so strange as +when both language and thought are foreign. A church whose +constituency is many-tongued should avoid becoming one-tongued. +Church divisions are often more ethnological than theological. If +exclusively English pastors learned one-tenth as much German and +Scandinavian as these people do English, unity would be greatly +promoted. As Protestantism is far more divided in the English +language than in German or Scandinavian, the enthusiasm over the +unifying influence of English is misleading. The hope is rather in +the oneness of teaching and of spirit. This treasure, given first in +Hebrew, Greek and German, can be translated into all languages. Who +equals Luther as a translator? May his followers be inspired by his +example and translate the Evangelical classics of this prophet of the +Gentiles into all their dialects! That these volumes may contribute +to this end is our prayer.</p> + +<p>The history of the writing of these sermons is found in volumes 10, +11, 12 and 13 of the Gospel sermons of the "Standard Edition of +Luther's Works in English."</p> + +<p>The German text will be readily found in the 12th volume of the Walch +and of the St. Louis Walch editions, and in the 9th volume of the +Erlangen edition of Luther's works.</p> + +<p>Grateful acknowledgment is hereby made for translations to the +following: To Pastor H. L. Burry, the first sermon for Trinity +Sunday; Pastor W. E. Tressel, Third Sunday after Trinity; Prof. A. G. +Voigt, D. D., the Fifth and Twenty-fourth Sundays; Dr. Joseph Stump, +Sixth, Eighth and Thirteenth Sundays; Prof. A. W. Meyer, Eighteenth +and Nineteenth Sundays; and to Pastor C. B. Gohdes for revising the +Second Sermon for Trinity Sunday and the sermons for the Second, +Tenth, Twelfth and Sixteenth Sundays after Trinity.</p> + +<p>Next volumes to appear will be Genesis Vol. II, Psalms Vol. II and +Galatians.</p> + +<p>Heartily do we thank all parts of the church for their complimentary, +suggestive and helpful coöperation and earnestly hope our work may be +worthy of its continuance.</p> + +<div align="right">J. N. LENKER. </div> + + Home for Young Women,<br> + Minneapolis, Minn., Pentecost, 1909. +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Contents</i></h2> +<br> + +<p><a href="#serm1">Trinity Sunday</a>.—The Article of Faith on the Trinity. The +Revelation of the Divine Nature and Will. Romans 11, 33-36</p> + +<p><a href="#serm2">Second Sermon</a>.—The Trinity. Romans 11, 33-36</p> + +<p><a href="#serm3">First Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Love. God is Love. 1 John 4, 16-21</p> + +<p><a href="#serm4">Second Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Exhortation to Brotherly Love. +1 John 3, 13-18</p> + +<p><a href="#serm5">Third Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Humility, Trust, Watchfulness, +Suffering. 1 Peter 5, 5-11</p> + +<p><a href="#serm6">Fourth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Consolation in Suffering and +Patience. Waiting for the Revealing of the Sons of God. Romans 8, 18-22</p> + +<p><a href="#serm7">Second Sermon</a>.—Suffering, Waiting and Sighing of Creation. +Romans 8, 18-22</p> + +<p><a href="#serm8">Fifth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Exhortation to the Fruits of Faith. +Duty of Unity and Love. 1 Peter 3, 8-15</p> + +<p><a href="#serm9">Sixth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Exhortation to Christian Living. +Life in Christ. Romans 6, 3-11</p> + +<p><a href="#serm10">Seventh Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Exhortation to Resist Sin. The +Wages of Sin and the Gift of God. Romans 6, 19-23</p> + +<p><a href="#serm11">Eighth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Exhortation to Live in the Spirit +Since We Have Become the Children of God, Sons and Heirs. Romans 8, 12-17</p> + +<p><a href="#serm12">Ninth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Warning to Christians Against +Carnal Security and Its Evils. 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13</p> + +<p><a href="#serm13">Tenth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Spiritual Counsel for Church +Officers. The Use of the Spiritual Gifts. 1 Corinthians 12, 1-11</p> + +<p><a href="#serm14">Eleventh Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Paul's Witness to Christ's +Resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15, 1-10</p> + +<p><a href="#serm15">Twelfth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—The Twofold Use of the Law and +the Gospel. "Letter" and "Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3, 4-11</p> + +<p><a href="#serm16">Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—God's Testament and Promise in +Christ, and Use of the Law. Galatians 3, 15-22</p> + +<p><a href="#serm17">Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Works of the Flesh and Fruits +of the Spirit. Galatians 5, 16-24</p> + +<p><a href="#serm18">Fifteenth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Conduct of Christians to One +Another in Church Government. Sowing and Reaping. Galatians 5, 25-26 and 6, 1-10</p> + +<p><a href="#serm19">Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Paul's Care and Prayer for the +Church That It May Continue to Abide in Christ. Ephesians 3, 13-21</p> + +<p><a href="#serm20">Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Exhortation to Live According +to the Christian Calling, and in the Unity of the Spirit. Ephesians 4, 1-6</p> + +<p><a href="#serm21">Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—The Treasure Christians Have +in the Preaching of the Gospel. The Call to Fellowship. 1 Corinthians 1, 4-9</p> + +<p><a href="#serm22">Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Putting on the New Man and +Laying Off the Old Man. Ephesians 4, 22-28</p> + +<p><a href="#serm23">Twentieth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—The Careful Walk of the +Christian and Redeeming the Time. Ephesians 5, 15-21</p> + +<p><a href="#serm24">Twenty-First Sunday After Trinity</a>.—The Christian Armor and +Weapons. Ephesians 6, 10-17</p> + +<p><a href="#serm25">Twenty-Second Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Paul's Thanks and Prayers +for His Churches. Philippians 1, 3-11</p> + +<p><a href="#serm26">Twenty-Third Sunday After Trinity</a>.—The Enemies of the Cross of +Christ and the Christian's Citizenship in Heaven. Philippians 3, 17-21</p> + +<p><a href="#serm27">Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Knowledge of God's Will and +Its Fruits. Prayer and Spiritual Knowledge. Colossians 1, 3-14</p> + +<p><a href="#serm28">Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—Christ Will Take Both Alike +to Himself, the Dead and Living, When He Comes. 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-18</p> + +<p><a href="#serm29">Twenty-Sixth Sunday After Trinity</a>.—God's Righteous Judgment in +the Future. When Christ Comes. 2 Thessalonians 1, 3-10</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm1"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Trinity Sunday</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Romans 11, 33-36.</center> + +<blockquote>33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of +God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing +out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his +counsellor? 35 or who hath first given to him, and it shall be +recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him and through him, and unto +him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>THE ARTICLE OF FAITH ON THE TRINITY.</h4> + +<p>1. This epistle is read today because the festival of Holy Trinity, +or of the three persons of the Godhead—which is the prime, great, +incomprehensible and chief article of faith—is observed on this day. +The object of its observance is that, by the Word of God, this truth +of the Godhead may be preserved among Christians, enabling them to +know God as he would be known. For although Paul does not treat of +that article in this epistle, but touches on it only in a few words +in the conclusion, nevertheless he would teach that in our attempts +to comprehend God we must not speculate and judge according to human +wisdom, but in the light of the Word of God alone. For these divine +truths are too far above the reach of reason ever to be comprehended +and explored by the understanding of man.</p> + +<p>2. And although I have, on other occasions, taught and written on +this article fully and frequently enough, still I must say a few +words in general concerning it here. True, it is not choice German, +nor has it a pleasing sound, when we designate God by the word +"Dreifaltigkeit" (nor is the Latin, Trinitas, more elegant); but +since we have no better term, we must employ these. For, as I have +said, this article is so far above the power of the human mind to +grasp, or the tongue to express, that God, as the Father of his +children, will pardon us when we stammer and lisp as best we can, if +only our faith be pure and right. By this term, however, we would say +that we believe the divine majesty to be three distinct persons of +one true essence.</p> + +<p>3. This is the revelation and knowledge Christians have of God: they +not only know him to be one true God, who is independent of and over +all creatures, and that there can be no more than this one true God, +but they know also what this one true God in his essential, +inscrutable essence is.</p> + +<p>4. The reason and wisdom of man may go so far as to reach the +conclusion, although feebly, that there must be one eternal divine +being, who has created and who preserves and governs all things. Man +sees such a beautiful and wonderful creation in the heavens and on +the earth, one so wonderfully, regularly and securely preserved and +ordered, that he must say: It is impossible that this came into +existence by mere chance, or that it originated and controls itself; +there must have been a Creator and Lord from whom all these things +proceed and by whom they are governed. Thus God may be known by his +creatures, as St. Paul says: "For the invisible things of him since +the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through +the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity." +Rom 1, 20. This is (a posteriori) the knowledge that we have when we +contemplate God from without, in his works and government; as one, +looking upon a castle or house from without, would draw conclusions +as to its lord or keeper.</p> + +<p>5. But from within (a priori) no human wisdom has been able to +conceive what God is in himself, or in his internal essence. Neither +can anyone know or give information of it except it be revealed to +him by the Holy Spirit. For no one knoweth, as Paul says (1 Cor 2, +11), the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him; even +so the things of God none knoweth save the Spirit of God. From +without, I may see what you do, but what your intentions are and what +you think, I cannot see. Again, neither can you know what I think +except I enable you to understand it by word or sign. Much less can +we know what God, in his own inner and secret essence is, until the +Holy Spirit, who searcheth and knoweth all things, yea, the deep +things of God—as Paul says above—reveals it to us: as he does in +the declaration of this article, in which he teaches us the existence +in the divine majesty of the one undivided essence, but in such +manner that there is, first, the person which is called the Father; +and of him exists the second person called the Son, born from +eternity; and proceeding from both these is the third, namely, the +Holy Spirit. These three persons are not distinct from each other, as +individual brothers or sisters are, but they have being in one and +the same eternal, undivided and indivisible essence.</p> + +<p>6. This, I say, is not discovered or attained to by human reason. It +is revealed from heaven above. Therefore, only Christians can +intelligently speak of what the Godhead essentially is, and of his +outward manifestation to his creatures, and his will toward men +concerning their salvation. For all this is imparted to them by the +Holy Spirit, who reveals and proclaims it through the Word.</p> + +<p>7. Those who have no such revelation, and who judge according to +their own wisdom, such as the Jews, Turks and heathen, must consider +the Christian's declaration the greatest error and rankest heresy; +they must say that we Christians are mad and foolish in imagining +that there are three Gods, when, according to all reason—yea, even +according to the Word of God—there can be but one God. It would not +be reasonable, they will say, that there should be more than one +householder over the same house, more than one lord or sovereign over +the same government; much less reasonably should more than one God +reign over heaven and earth. They imagine that thus with their wisdom +they have completely overthrown our faith and exposed it to the +derision and scorn of all the world. As if we were all blockheads and +egregious fools and could not see their logic as well as they! But, +thank God, we have understanding equal to theirs, and can argue as +convincingly, or more so, than they with their Alkoran and Talmud, +that there is but the one God.</p> + +<p>8. Further, we know, from the testimony of Holy Writ, that we cannot +expound the mystery of these divine things by the speculations of +reason and a pretense of great wisdom. To explain this, as well as +all the articles of our faith, we must have a knowledge higher than +any to which the understanding of man can attain. That knowledge of +God which the heathen can perceive by reason or deduce from rational +premises is but a small part of the knowledge that we should possess. +The heathen Aristotle in his best book concludes from a passage in +the wisest pagan poet, Homer: There can be no good government in +which there is more than one lord; it results as where more than one +master or mistress attempts to direct the household servants. So must +there be but one lord and regent in every government. This is all +rightly true. God has implanted such light and understanding in human +nature for the purpose of giving a conception and an illustration of +his divine office, the only Lord and Maker of all creatures. But, +even knowing this, we have not yet searched out or fathomed the +exalted, eternal, divine Godhead essence. For even though I have +learned that there is an only divine majesty, who governs all things, +I do not thereby know the inner workings of this divine essence +himself; this no one can tell me, except, as we have said, in so far +as God himself reveals it in his Word.</p> + +<p>9. Now we Christians have the Scriptures, which we know to be the +Word of God. The Jews also have them, from whose fathers they have +descended to us. From these, and from no other source, we have +obtained all that is known of God and divine works, from the +beginning of the world. Even among the Turks and the heathen, all +their knowledge of God—excepting what is manifestly fable and +fiction—came from the Scriptures. And our knowledge is confirmed and +proven by great miracles, even to the present day. These Scriptures +declare, concerning this article, that there is no God or divine +being save this one alone. They not only manifest him to us from +without, but they lead us into his inner essence, and show us that in +him there are three persons; not three Gods or three different kinds +of divinity, but the same undivided, divine essence.</p> + +<p>10. Such a revelation is radiantly shed forth from the greatest of +God's works, the declaration of his divine counsel and will. In that +counsel and will it was decreed from all eternity, and, accordingly, +was proclaimed in his promises, that his Son should become man and +die to reconcile man to God. For in our dreadful fall into sin and +death eternal, there was no way to save us excepting through an +eternal person who had power over sin and death to destroy them, and +to give us righteousness and everlasting life instead. This no angel +or other creature could do; it must needs be done of God himself. +Now, it could not be done by the person of the Father, who was to be +reconciled, but it must be done by a second person, with whom this +counsel was determined and through whom and for whose sake the +reconciliation was to be brought about.</p> + +<p>11. Here there are, therefore, two distinct persons, one of whom +becomes reconciled, and the other is sent to reconcile and becomes +man. The former is called the Father, being first in that he did not +have his origin in any other; the latter is called the Son, being +born of the Father from eternity. To this the Scriptures attest, for +they make mention of God's Son; as, for instance, in Psalm 2, 7: +"Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee;" and again, +Galatians 4, 4: "But when the fulness of the time came, God sent +forth his Son," etc. From this it necessarily follows that the Son, +who is spoken of as a person, must be distinct from the person of the +Father.</p> + +<p>12. Again, in the same manner, the Spirit of God is specifically and +distinctively mentioned as a person sent or proceeding from God the +Father and the Son: for instance, God says in Joel 2, 28: "I will +pour out my Spirit upon all flesh," etc. Here a spirit is poured out +who is God's, or a divine spirit, and who must be of the same +essence, otherwise he could not say, "my Spirit;" and yet he must be +a person other than he who sent him or who pours out. Again, because +when he was sent he manifested himself, and appeared in his descent +in a visible form, like that of a dove or tongues of fire, he must be +distinct in person from both the Father and the Son.</p> + +<p>13. But in this article of faith, in which we say that the Son of God +became man and that he was of the same nature as we ourselves are, in +order that he might redeem us from sin and death and give us eternal +life without any merit or worthiness of our own, we give Jews and +Turks no less occasion for laughter and mockery than when we speak of +the three persons. For this is a more absurd assertion by far, in the +estimation of human reason, which speculates in its Jewish and +Turkish—yea, heathenish—teachings, on this wise: God is an only, +almighty Lord of all, who has created all men and given them the law +according to which they are to live; accordingly it follows that he +will be merciful to the good and obedient, but will condemn and +punish the disobedient. Therefore, he who does good works and guards +himself against sin, God will reward. These are nothing but +heathenish conclusions drawn from earthly, worldly experience and +observation, as if God's government must be conducted on the same +principles as that of a father among his children and domestics; for +those are considered good rulers and masters who make a distinction +with regard to their own interests.</p> + +<p>14. Such heathen ideas of wisdom, holiness and service of God are +taught and practiced by the Pope. And so we believed, myself and +others, while we were under him, not knowing any better; otherwise we +would have done and taught differently. And, in fact, he who has not +this revelation and Word of God, can neither believe nor teach other +than pagan doctrine. With such a faith, how much better were we than +the heathen and Turks? Yea, how could we guard ourselves against any +deception and lying nonsense that might be offered as good works and +as service of God? Then we had to follow every impostor who came with +his cowl and cord, as if Christ were represented in him; and we +thought that in the observance of these things we would be saved. So +the whole world was filled with naught but false service of +God—which the Scriptures properly call idolatry—the product of +human wisdom, which is so easily deceived by that which pretends to +be a good work and to be obedience to God. For human wisdom knows no +better; and how could it know better without the revelation? Even +when the revelation was proclaimed, human wisdom would not heed it, +but despised it and followed its own fancies. Hence it continued to +be hidden and incomprehensible to such wisdom, as Saint Paul says: +"For who hath known the mind of the Lord?"</p> + +<p>15. But to us this counsel and mind of God in giving his Son to take +upon himself our flesh, is revealed and declared. For from the Word +of God we have the knowledge that no man of himself can be righteous +before God; that our whole life and all our deeds are under wrath and +condemnation, because we are wholly born in sin and by nature are +disobedient to God; but if we would be delivered from sin and be +saved, we must believe on this mediator, the Son of God, who has +taken our sin and death upon himself, by his own blood and death +rendering satisfaction, and has by his resurrection, delivered us. In +this truth we will abide, regardless of the ridicule heaped upon us +because of such faith, by heathen wisdom, which teaches that God +rewards the pious. We understand that quite as well, if not better, +than heathenism does. But in these mysteries we need a higher wisdom +than our own minds have devised or can devise, a wisdom given to us +by grace alone, through divine revelation.</p> + +<p>16. For it is not our intention thus to pry into the counsel, +thoughts and ways of God with our understanding and opinions, and to +be his counselors, as they do who meddle in the affairs that are the +prerogative of the Godhead, and who even dare, in the face of this +passage of Saint Paul, to refuse to receive or learn of God, but +would impart to him that for which he must recompense again. And thus +they make gods after their own fancy, as many gods as they have +thoughts; so that every shabby monastic cowl or self-appointed work, +in their estimation, accomplishes as much and passes for as much as +God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in their eternal divine counsel, +determine and accomplish. And they continue to be nothing but wearers +of cowls and instructors in works, which works even they can do who +know nothing of God and are manifestly scoundrels. And even though +they have long been occupied with these things, they still do not +know how matters stand between themselves and God. And it will ever +be true as Saint Paul says: "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, +or who hath been his counselor?"</p> + +<p>17. For your own theories—which are no more than what anyone can +arrive at, conjecture or conceive in his own mind, without divine +revelation—are not a knowledge of the mind of God. And what does it +avail if you are not able to say more than that God is merciful to +the good and will punish the wicked? Who will assure you that you are +good and that you are pleasing to God with your papistic, Turkish +monkery and holiness? Is it all that is necessary to assert: God will +reward with heaven such as are faithful to the order? No, dear +brother, mere presumption, or an expression of your opinion, will not +suffice here. I could do that as well as you. Indeed, each may devise +his own peculiar idea; one a black, and another a gray monk's cowl. +But we should hear and know what God's counsel is, what is his will +and mind. This none can tell you by his own understanding, and no +book on earth can teach it except the Scriptures. These God himself +has given, and they make known to us that he has sent his Son into +the world to redeem us from sin and the wrath of God, and that +whosoever believes in him should have everlasting life.</p> +<br> + +<h4>DIVINE MYSTERIES INEXPLICABLE TO REASON.</h4> + +<p>18. Behold, Paul's purpose in this epistle is to show Christians that +these sublime and divine mysteries—that is, God's actual divine +essence and his will, administration and works—are absolutely beyond +all human thought, human understanding or wisdom; in short, that they +are and ever will be incomprehensible, inscrutable and altogether +hidden to human reason. When reason presumptuously undertakes to +solve, to teach and explain these matters, the result is worthless, +yea, utter darkness and deception. If anything is to be ascertained, +it must be through revelation alone; that is, the Word of God, which +was sent from heaven.</p> + +<p>19. We do not apply these words of Paul to the question of divine +predestination for every human being—who will be saved and who not. +For into these things God would not have us curiously inquire. He has +not given us any special revelation in regard to them, but refers all +men here to the words of the Gospel. By them they are to be guided. +He would have them hear and learn the Gospel, and believing in it +they shall be saved. Therein have all the saints found comfort and +assurance in regard to their election to eternal life; not in any +special revelation in regard to their predestination, but in faith in +Christ. Therefore, where Saint Paul treats of election, in the three +chapters preceding this text, he would not have any to inquire or +search out whether he has been predestinated or not; but he holds +forth the Gospel and faith to all men. So he taught before, that we +are saved through faith in Christ. He says (Rom 10, 8): "The word is +nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart," and he explains himself +by saying that this word should be proclaimed to all men, that they +may believe what he says in verses 12 and 13: "For the same Lord is +Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: for, Whosoever +shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."</p> + +<p>20. But he speaks of the marvelous ruling of God in the Church, +according to which they who have the name and honor of being the +people of God, and the Church—the people of Israel—are rejected on +account of their unbelief. Others, on the other hand, who formerly +were not God's people, but were unbelieving, are now, since they have +received the Gospel and believe in Christ, become the true Church in +the sight of God, and are saved. Consequently it was on account of +their own unbelief that the former were rejected. Then the grace and +mercy of God in Christ was offered unto everlasting life, and without +any merit of their own, to all such as were formerly in unbelief and +sin, if only they would accept and believe it. He declares: "For God +hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon +all." Rom 11, 32.</p> + +<p>21. Hereupon follows the text, which Saint Paul begins with emotions +of profound astonishment at the judgment and dealings of God in his +Church, saying:</p> + +<blockquote>"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of +God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing +out!"</blockquote> + +<p>22. Sublime are the thoughts and counsel of God, transcending by far +the mind and comprehension of man, yea of all creatures, when he so +richly pours forth his goodness and out of pure grace and mercy +elects, as beneficiaries of that goodness, the poor and wretched and +unworthy, who are concluded under sin—that is, those who acknowledge +themselves before God to be guilty and deserving of everlasting wrath +and perdition; when he does all this that they might know him in his +real divine essence, and the sentiment of his heart—that through his +Son he will give all who believe everlasting life. And, again, that +they might know how he will reject and condemn the others—those who, +in pride and security, boast of their own gifts and the fact that +they are called the people of God in preference to all other nations; +who boast that they have special promises, that they have the +prophets, the fathers, etc.; who think that God will acknowledge no +nation on earth but themselves as his people and his Church. He will +reject them on account of their unbelief, in which they are fettered +by the pride and imaginations of their own wisdom and holiness.</p> + +<p>23. This is that rich, inexpressible, divine wisdom and knowledge +which they possess who believe in Christ, and by which they are +enabled to look into the depths and see what the purposes and +thoughts of the divine heart are. True, in their weakness they cannot +fully reach it; they only can apprehend it in the revealed Word, by +faith, as in a glass or image, as Saint Paul says. 1 Cor 13, 12. But +to blind, unbelieving reason, divine wisdom will be foreign and +hidden; nothing of it will enter reason's consciousness and thoughts, +nor will reason desire more though a revelation be given.</p> + +<p>24. That attitude Saint Paul encountered, especially when the +arrogant Jews opposed themselves so sternly and stubbornly to the +preaching of the Gospel. Filled with astonishment, he exclaimed: What +shall I say more? I see indeed that it is but the deep unsearchable +wisdom of God, his incomprehensible judgment, his inscrutable ways. +So he says elsewhere: "But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, even +the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the +world unto our glory: which none of the rulers of this world hath +known." 1 Cor 2, 7-8.</p> + +<p>25. This depth and richness of wisdom and knowledge, we Christians +apprehend through faith; for, as Saint Paul says, it cannot be +apprehended nor comprehended otherwise. Though the world will not do +it, we will firmly believe that God is a true God and Lord, wise, +just and gracious, whose riches and depth are ineffable. We will +glorify him with our whole heart, therefore, as he ought justly to be +praised and glorified by every creature, for his wonderful government +of his Church, through his Word and revelation. Whosoever will hear +and receive the same shall have light that will turn them to him and +give them a knowledge of their salvation—an experience which others +can never realize. And he is to be glorified because he manifests +such unutterable goodness to all who are in sin and under God's wrath +that he translates them, though they are unworthy and condemned, from +the power of death and hell into the kingdom of eternal grace and +life, if they will only seek grace and believe on Christ his Son. +And, on the other hand, he is to be glorified because, as a just +judge, he rightfully rejects and condemns those who will not believe +the revelation and testimony of his will in his Son; who insist on, +and boast of, their blind fancies, of their own wisdom and +righteousness. Being accordingly deprived of such light, such grace +and consolation, they must forever be separated and cast forth from +the kingdom of God, regardless of what great name and fame may have +been theirs when they were supposed to be the people and Church of +God.</p> + +<p>26. And such are God's unsearchable judgments and his ways past +tracing out. Such are his government and works. For by "judgments" is +meant that which in his view is right or wrong; what pleases or does +not please him; what merits his praise or his censure; in short, what +we should follow or avoid. Again, by "his ways" is meant that which +he will manifest unto men and how he will deal with them. These +things men cannot and would not discover by their own reason, nor +search out by their own intellect, and never should they oppose their +judgments or speculations to God. It is not for them to say what is +right or wrong, whether an act or ruling is divine. They should +humble themselves before him and acknowledge that they cannot +understand, they cannot teach God in such matters; they should give +him, as their God and Creator, the honor of better understanding +himself and his purposes than do we poor, miserable worms.</p> + +<blockquote>"For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his +counselor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be +recompensed unto him again?"</blockquote> + +<p>27. Paul states three propositions which take away from the world all +its boasting concerning divine things: To know the mind of the +Lord—what are his thoughts and purposes, or what he has determined +within himself from eternity; to be his counselor—advising or +showing him what to do and how to do it; to give to him—assisting +him, by one's own ability, to accomplish his divine purpose. All this +is impossible to human nature; it cannot know his mind, and how much +less will it be able, with all of its wisdom and activity, to counsel +him or give him anything.</p> + +<p>28. Therefore, it is a shameful presumption on the part of the world +to presume by its own powers to ascertain and discover God's essence, +his will and works, and to counsel him as to his duties and +pleasures; and shameful is it that it presumes with its works to have +merited something from him, and to have earned a recompense; shameful +presumption to expect to be honored as having achieved much for God's +kingdom and for the Church—strengthening and preserving them and +filling heaven with holiness!</p> + +<p>29. God must defeat minds so perverted. In his administration he must +disregard their opinions and attempts. Thus, being made fools by +their own wisdom, they may stumble and be offended at it. So would +God, by showing us the realities, convince us of the futility of our +own endeavors and lead us to acknowledge that we have not fathomed +his mind, his counsel and will, and that we cannot counsel him. No +man or angel has ever yet first thought out for God his counsel, or +offered suggestion to him. Much less is he compelled to call us into +counsel, or recompense us for anything we have given to him.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THREE CLASSES OF PEOPLE.</h4> + +<p>30. There are three different kinds of people on earth, among whom +Christians must live. The first of these are that rude class which is +unconcerned about the nature of God and how he rules. They have no +regard for God's Word. Their faith is only in their mammon and their +own appetites. They think only of how they may live unto themselves, +like swine in the sty. To such we need not preach anything of this +text: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge +of God." They would understand nothing of it though we were to preach +it to them everlastingly. They would rather hear of the husks and +swill with which they fill themselves. Therefore we will let them +remain the swine that they are, and separated from others as they +are. But it is exasperating to have to encounter them among +Christians.</p> + +<p>31. The second class are they who are still reasonable, concerning +themselves, about God's purposes and their fulfilment, and how we may +be saved. The heathen, and even we ourselves when under the papacy, +contended, according to reason, over these things. Here is the +beginning of all idolatry on earth; everyone teaches of God according +to his own opinion. Mohammed says: He that believes his Koran and its +doctrines is pleasing to God. A monk: He that is faithful to the +order and its regulations will be saved. The Pope: He who observes +his prescriptions and ritual, who makes a pilgrimage to the apostles +at Rome, buys himself an indulgence; he has acquired the forgiveness +of sins: but he who neglects it is under the wrath of God. These +observances they call judgments and ways, controlling consciences and +directing them to eternal life; and they imagine that they are God's +judgments and ways.</p> + +<p>32. On the contrary, the Word declares that God wants none of these +things; that they are error and darkness and a vain +service—idolatry, which he hates and which provokes him to the +utmost. All must acknowledge who have practiced their own +self-appointed observances for any length of time, that they have no +real assurance that God will be gracious unto them and take pleasure +in them because of their lives and observances. Yet, in their blind +delusion and presumption, they go on in their vagaries till God +touches their hearts by a revelation of his law; then, alarmed, they +must admit that they have lived without a knowledge of God and of his +will, and that they have no counsel or help unless they lay hold on +the words of the Gospel of Christ.</p> + +<p>33. We were all like that heretofore. Even I, a learned doctor of +divinity, did not know better. I imagined that with my monk's cowl I +was pleasing to God and on the way to heaven. I thought that I knew +the mind of God well. I wanted to be his counselor, and to earn a +recompense of him. But now I realize that my belief was false; it was +blindness. I know that I must learn from his Word; that nothing else +avails before him but faith in the crucified Christ, his Son; and +that in such faith we must live, and do as our respective callings or +positions require. Thus we may know right and wrong in God's sight; +for our knowledge is not of our own invention, but we have it from +revelation. By revelation God shows us his mind; as Saint Paul says +(1 Cor 2, 16): "We have the mind of Christ." And again (verse 10): +"But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit."</p> + +<p>34. The third class are those who transgress, having knowledge. They +have the Word of revelation. I am not now speaking of those who +knowingly persecute the truth—those of the first class, who are +unconcerned about God—but I am speaking of those who recognize the +revelation but are led by the devil to override it and go around it. +They would conceive ways and judgments of God that he has not +revealed. If they were Christians, they would be satisfied and thank +God for having given us his Word, in which he shows us what is +pleasing to him and how we may be saved. But instead, they allow +themselves to be led by the devil to seek for other revelations and +to speculate on what God in his invisible majesty is, and how he +secretly governs the world, and what he has determined in regard to +the future of each particular individual. And so presumptuous is our +human nature that it would even interfere, with its wisdom, in God's +judgment, and intrude into his most secret counsel, attempting to +teach him and direct him. It was because of his arrogance that the +devil was cast out into the abyss of hell; because he aspired to +interference in the affairs of divine majesty, and would drag down +man in the fall with himself. So did he cause man to fall in +paradise, and so did he tempt the saints; and so he tempted Christ +himself when he set him on the pinnacle of the temple.</p> + +<p>35. Against this third class Saint Paul directs his words, in answer +to the impudent questions of wise reason as to why God punished and +rejected the Jews, as he did, and allowed the condemned heathen to +come into the Gospel grace; why he so administers justice as to exalt +the godless and allow the godly to suffer and be oppressed; why he +elected Judas as an apostle and afterwards rejected him and accepted +a murderer and malefactor. With these words Saint Paul would command +the wise to cease their impertinent strivings after the things of the +secret majesty, and to confine themselves to the revelation he has +given us; for all such searching and prying will be in vain and +harmful. Though you were to search forever you would nowhere attain +the secrets of God's purposes, but would only risk your soul.</p> + +<p>36. If you, therefore, would proceed wisely, you cannot do better +than to be interested in the Word and in God's works. In them he has +revealed himself, and in them he may be comprehended. For instance, +he manifests his Son, Christ, to you, on the cross. This is the work +of your redemption. In it you may truly apprehend God, and learn that +he will not condemn you on account of your sins, if you believe, but +will give you everlasting life. So Christ tells you: "God so loved +the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever +believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." Jn 3, 16. +In this Christ, says Saint Paul (Col 2, 3), are all the treasures of +wisdom and knowledge hidden. Herein you will have more than enough to +learn, to study and ponder. You will marvel at the wonderful +revelation of God, and you will learn to delight in and love him. It +is a mine which can never be exhausted in this life by study, and in +the contemplation of which, as Peter says (1 Pet 1, 12), even the +angels never tire, but find unceasing joy and pleasure.</p> + +<p>37. I say this so that we may be prepared to instruct and direct +those we may meet who, assailed and tormented by such thoughts of the +devil, are led to tempt God. They are beguiled by the devil to search +and grope, in his false ways, after what may be the intention of God +concerning them, and thereby they are led into such apprehension and +despair that they are unable to endure it. Such individuals must be +reminded of these words, and be reproved by them. So did Paul reprove +the Jews and cavilers of his day when they presumed to comprehend God +with their wisdom, to instruct him as his counselors and masters, to +deal with him directly themselves, without any mediator, and to +render him such service that he would owe them a recompense. Nothing +will come of such searching. Against its endeavors he has erected +barriers that, with all your striving, you will never be able to +overcome. And so infinite are his wisdom, his counsel and riches, +that you will never be able to fathom nor exhaust them. You ought to +rejoice that he gives you some knowledge of his omnipotence in his +revelation, as follows:</p> + +<blockquote>"For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be +the glory for ever."</blockquote> + +<p>38. Why should we boast, he would say here, when everything that has +being—and our own wisdom and capabilities, of course—did not +originate itself but had its origin in him and must be preserved by +him, must exist through him? He says (Acts 17, 28): "For in him we +live, and move, and have our being." And again (Ps 100, 3): "It is he +that hath made us, and not we ourselves." That is, what we are and +are able to do, and the fact that we live and have peace and +protection—in short, all the good or evil that happens to us—comes +to pass not by accident or chance. It all proceeds from his divine +counsel and good pleasure. He cares for us as his people and flock. +He governs us and gives us good things. He aids and preserves us in +every time of need. Therefore, all honor and glory are due to him +alone, from his creatures.</p> +<br> + +<h4>EVERYTHING IS OF GOD.</h4> + +<p>39. But when he says, Of him, through him, in him, are all things—he +says in the simplest way that the beginning, middle and end is of +God; that all creatures have their origin in him, also their growth +and their limitations. To illustrate: Every little grain of corn has +its beginning. A root springs from the dead seed in the ground; then +a shoot comes forth and becomes a stalk, a leaflet, an ear of corn, +and here it pauses, having the three parts it is intended to have. +All creatures also have their beginning, their continuation and end, +filling up the period of their existence. When this order ceases, +every creature will cease to exist. That which has a beginning and +grows but does not attain its end, does not reach perfection, is +nothing. To sum it all up, everything must be of God. Nothing can +exist without origin in him. Nothing that has come into being can +continue to exist without him. He has not created the world as a +carpenter builds a house and, departing, leaves it to stand as it +may. God remains with and preserves all things which he has made; +otherwise they would not continue to exist.</p> + +<p>40. Saint Paul does not simply say—as he does elsewhere—Of him are +all things. He adds two other assertions, making a triple expression, +and then unites the three thoughts into one whole when he says, "To +him be the glory for ever." No doubt it was his intention therewith +to convey the thought of this article of faith and to distinguish the +three persons of the Godhead, even though he does not mention them by +name, which is not necessary here. The ancient teachers also looked +upon this passage as a testimony to the Holy Trinity. Their analysis +was: All things are created by God the Father through the Son—even +as he does all things through the Son—and are preserved, in God's +good pleasure, through the Holy Spirit. So Paul is wont to say +elsewhere; for example (1 Cor 8, 6): "There is one God, the Father, +of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, +through whom are all things." And concerning the Holy Spirit, Genesis +1, 31 says: "And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it +was very good."</p> + +<p>41. The Scriptures teach us that all creation is the work of one God, +or the whole Godhead; and yet, inasmuch as they make a distinction +between the three persons of the one Godhead, we may properly say +that everything had its origin, everything exists and continues, in +the Father as the first person; through the Son, who is of the +Father; and in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from both the Father and +the Son; which three, nevertheless, are comprehended in the one +undivided essence.</p> + +<p>42. But how such a distinction of persons exists in the divine +essence from eternity is a mystery which we shall and must leave +unsolved. For we cannot, with our crude understanding, even fathom +God's creatures; no creature is wise enough to understand these three +parts of itself—the beginning, the middle and the end. Though they +are distinct from each other, nevertheless they are so closely +connected that we cannot with our physical senses separate one from +the other. Who has ever been able to discover or explain the process +by which a leaflet grows from a tree, or a tiny grain of corn becomes +a root, or a cherry grows from the blossom to wood and kernel? Again, +who can explain how the bodily members of a human being manifestly +grow; what the sight of the eye is; how the tongue can make such a +variety of sounds and words, which enter, with marvelous diversity, +into so many ears and hearts? Much less are we able to analyze the +inner workings of the mind—its thoughts, its meditations, its +memory. Why, then, should we presume, with our reason, to compass and +comprehend the eternal, invisible essence of God?</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm2"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Trinity Sunday</i></h2> + +<center>Second Sermon. Text: Romans 11, 33-36.</center> +<br><br> +<h4>THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.<small>*</small></h4> + +<blockquote><small>* This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.</small></blockquote> + +<p>1. This festival requires us to instruct the people in the dogma of +the Holy Trinity, and to strengthen both memory and faith concerning +it. This is the reason why we take up the subject once more. Without +proper instruction and a sound foundation in this regard, other +dogmas cannot be rightly and successfully treated. The other +festivals of the year present the Lord God clothed in his works and +miracles. For instance: on Christmas we celebrate his incarnation; on +Easter his resurrection from the dead; on Whitsunday the gift of the +Holy Spirit and the establishment of the Christian Church. Thus all +the other festivals present the Lord in the guise of a worker of one +thing or another. But this Trinity Festival discloses him to us as he +is in himself. Here we see him apart from whatever guise assumed, +from whatever work done, solely in his divine essence. We must go +beyond and above all reason, leaving behind the evidence of created +things, and hear only God's own testimony concerning himself and his +inner essence; otherwise we shall remain unenlightened.</p> + +<p>2. Upon this subject the foolishness of God and the wisdom of the +world conflict. God's declaration that he is one God in three +distinct persons, the world looks upon as wholly unreasonable and +foolish; and the followers of mere reason, when they hear it, regard +every one that teaches or believes it as no more than a fool. +Therefore this article has been assailed continually, from the times +of the apostles and the fathers down to the present day, as history +testifies. Especially the Gospel of St. John has been subjected to +attack, which was written for the special purpose of fortifying this +dogma against the attacks of Cerinthus the heretic, who in the +apostolic age already attempted to prove from Moses the existence of +but one God, which he assigned as reason that our Lord Jesus cannot +be true God on account of the impossibility of God and man being +united in one being. Thus he gave us the prattle of his reason, which +he made the sole standard for heaven to conform to.</p> + +<p>3. O shameless reason! How can we poor, miserable mortals grasp this +mystery of the Trinity? we who do not understand the operation of our +own physical powers—speech, laughter, sleep, things whereof we have +daily experience? Yet we would, untaught by the Word of God, guided +merely by our fallible head, pronounce upon the very nature of God. +Is it not supreme blindness for man, when he is unable to explain the +most insignificant physical operation daily witnessed in his own +body, to presume to understand something above and beyond the power +of reason to comprehend, something whereof only God can speak, and to +rashly affirm that Christ is not God?</p> + +<p>4. Indeed, if reason were the standard of judgment in such matters, I +also might make a successful venture; but when the conclusions of +even long and mature reflections upon the subject are compared with +Scripture, they will not stand. Therefore we must repeat, even though +a mere stammering should be the result, what the Scriptures say to +us, namely: that Jesus Christ is true God and that the Holy Spirit is +likewise true God, yet there are not three Gods; not three divine +natures, as we may speak of three brothers, three angels, three suns, +three windows. There is one indivisible divine essence, while we +recognize a distinction as to the persons.</p> +<br> + +<h4>SCRIPTURE PROOF THAT CHRIST IS GOD.</h4> + +<p>Paul, speaking of Christ in Hebrews 1, 3, refers to him as the +express image of God's substance. Again, in Colossians 1, 15 he says +of Christ: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of +all creation." We must take these words for what they say—that all +creatures, even angels and men, are ranked below Christ. This +classification leaves room for God only: taking away the creature, +only God remains. It is one and the same thing, then, to say that +Christ is the firstborn of all creatures and that Christ is true and +essential God.</p> + +<p>5. To make the matter as clear as possible Paul uses the expression +"image of the invisible God." If Christ be the image of God he must +be a person distinct from him whose image he is, but at the same time +in one divine essence with the Father. He and the Father are not one +person, but two, and yet Christ could not be the express image of the +Father's person, or essence, if he were not equally divine. No +creature can be an image of the divine essence, for it does not +possess that essence. To repeat, Christ could not be called the +express image of God if he and the Father were not distinct persons; +there must be one imaged and one who is the image. Expressed more +clearly and according to Scripture, one person is the Father, who in +eternity begets the other; the other is the Son, begotten in +eternity, yet both are equally eternal, mighty, wise and just.</p> + +<p>6. Though the Jews and Turks ridicule our doctrine, as if we taught +the existence of three brothers in heaven, it does not signify. Might +I also cavil were it to serve any purpose here. But they do us wrong +and falsify our teaching; for we do not conceive of the Trinity as in +the nature of three men or of three angels. We regard it as one +divine essence, an intimacy surpassing any earthly unity. The human +body and soul are not so completely one as the Triune God. Further, +we claim the Holy Scriptures teach that in the one divine essence, +God the Father begot a son. Before any creature was made, before the +world was created, as Paul says, "before the foundation of the +world," in eternity, the Father begot a Son who is equal with him and +in all respects God like himself. Not otherwise could Paul call +Christ the express image of the invisible God. Thus it is proven that +the Father and the Son are distinct persons, and that nevertheless +but one God exists, a conclusion we cannot escape unless we would +contradict Paul, and would become Jews and Turks.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PAUL AND MOSES AGREE IN TESTIMONY.</h4> + +<p>7. Again, Paul makes mention of Christ in different phrase, saying: +"Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were +destroyed of serpents." 1 Cor 10, 9. Now, keeping this verse in mind, +note how Paul and Moses kiss each other, how clearly the one responds +to the other. For Moses says (Num 14, 22): "All those men ... have +tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice," and +in this connection the speaker is represented by the term "Lord," +everywhere in the Bible printed by us in capitals to indicate a name +belonging only to the Eternal, applicable to none but the one true +God. Other terms used to designate God are sometimes applied also to +men, but this word "Lord" refers only to God.</p> + +<p>Now, Moses says: "And the Lord [Adonai, the true God] said ... All +these men ... have tempted me these ten times." Then comes Paul +explaining who this God is—saying they tempted "Christ." Crawl +through this statement if you may; the fact remains that Paul +declares it was Christ who was tempted, and Moses makes him the one +eternal and true God. Moreover, Christ was not at that time born; no, +nor were Mary and David. Nevertheless, the apostle plainly says, They +tempted Christ, let us not also tempt him.</p> + +<p>8. Certainly enough, then, Christ is the man to whom Moses refers as +God. Thus the testimony of Moses long before is identical with that +of Paul. Though employing different terms, they both confess Christ +as the Son of God, born in eternity of the Father, in the same divine +essence and yet distinct from him. You may call this difference what +you will; we indicate it by the term "person." True, we do not make a +wholly clear explanation of the mystery; we but stammer when speaking +of a "Trinity." But what are we to do? we cannot better the attempt. +So, then, the Father is not the Son, but the Son is born of the +Father in eternity; and the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father +and God the Son. Thus there are three persons, and yet but one God. +For what Moses declares concerning God Paul says is spoken of Christ.</p> + +<p>9. The same argument substantially Paul employs in Acts 20, 28, when, +blessing the Church of Miletus and exhorting the assembled ministers +concerning their office, he says: "Take heed unto yourselves, and to +all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to +feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood." +This, too, is a significant text, proving beyond all controversy that +Christ our Lord, who purchased the Church with his blood, is truly +God, and to him the Church belongs. For the apostle plainly asserts +it was God who bought the Church with his blood and that the Church +is his own.</p> + +<p>Now, in view of the fact already established that the persons are +distinct, and of the further statement that God has purchased the +Church through his own blood, we inevitably conclude that Christ our +Saviour is true God, born of the Father in eternity, and that he also +became man and was born of the Virgin Mary in time.</p> + +<p>10. If such blood—the material, tangible, crimson blood, shed by a +real man—is truly to be called the blood of God, then he who shed it +must be actually God, an eternal, almighty person in the one divine +essence. In that case we truly can say the blood flowing from the +side of the crucified One and spilled upon the ground is not merely +the blood of an ordinary man, but God's own. Paul does not indulge in +frivolous talk. He speaks of a most momentous matter; and he is in +dead earnest when he in his exhortation reminds us that it is an +exalted office to rule the Church and to feed it with the Word of +God. Lest we toy in the performance of such an office we are reminded +that the flock is as dear to him as the blood of his dear Son, so +precious that all creatures combined can furnish no equivalent. And +if we are indolent or unfaithful, we sin against the blood of God and +become guilty of it, inasmuch as through our fault it has been shed +in vain for the souls which we should oversee.</p> + +<p>11. There are many passages of similar import, particularly in the +Gospel of John. So we cannot evade the truth but must say God the +Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three individual +persons, yet of one divine essence. We do not, as the Jews and Turks +derisively allege, worship three Gods; we worship only one God, +represented to us in the Scriptures as three persons.</p> + +<p>Christ said to Philip (Jn 14, 9), "He that hath seen me hath seen the +Father." There Christ claims unity and equality with the Father in +the one divine essence. So does Paul in Colossians 1, 15, where he +calls Christ "the image of the invisible God," at the same time +indicating two distinct persons: the Father is not the Son and the +Son is not the Father, yet they are one God. Such passages, I say, +are frequent. By means of them the sainted fathers valiantly +maintained this dogma of the Trinity against the devil and the world, +thus making it our heritage.</p> + +<p>12. Now, what care we that reason should regard it as foolishness? It +requires no skill to cavil over these things; I could do that as well +as others. But, praise God, I have the grace to desire no controversy +on this point. When I know it is the Word of God that declares the +Trinity, that God has said so, I do not inquire how it can be true; I +am content with the simple Word of God, let it harmonize with reason +as it may. And every Christian should adopt the same course with +respect to all the articles of our faith. Let there be no caviling +and contention on the score of possibility; be satisfied with the +inquiry: Is it the Word of God? If a thing be his Word, if he has +spoken it, you may confidently rely upon it he will not lie nor +deceive you, though you may not understand the how and the when.</p> + +<p>Since, then, this article of the Holy Trinity is certified by the +Word of God, and the sainted fathers have from the inception of the +Church chivalrously defended and maintained the article against every +sect, we are not to dispute as to how God the Father, the Son and the +Holy Spirit are one God. This is an incomprehensible mystery. It is +enough that God in his Word gives such testimony of himself. Both his +nature and its revelation to us are far beyond our understanding.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PHYSICAL LIFE INEXPLICABLE TO REASON.</h4> + +<p>13. And why should you presume to comprehend, to exactly understand, +the sublime, inconceivable divine essence when you are wholly +ignorant of your own body and life? You cannot explain the action of +your laughter, nor how your eyes give you knowledge of a castle or +mountain ten miles away. You cannot tell how in sleep one, dead to +the external world, is yet alive. If we are unable to understand the +least detail of our physical selves, anything so insignificant as the +growth of a mere hair, for instance, can we, unaided by the +revelation of God's Word, climb by reason—that reason so blind to +things within its natural realm—into the realm of heavenly mysteries +and comprehend and define God in his majesty?</p> + +<p>If you employ reason from mere love of disputation, why not devote it +to questions concerning the daily workings of your physical nature? +for instance, where are the five senses during sleep? just how is the +sound of your own laughter produced? We might without sin occupy +ourselves with such questions. But as to the absolute truth in a +matter such as this, let us abide patiently by the authority of the +Word. The Word says that Christ is the express image of the invisible +God, the firstborn of all creatures; in other words, he is God +equally with the Father.</p> + +<p>14. Again, John 5, 23 testifies that all should honor the Son as they +honor the Father. And in John 12, 44 we read: "He that believeth on +me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me." Also, John 14, 1: +"Believe in God, believe also in me." And again, John 16, 15: "All +things whatsoever the Father hath are mine." These and similar +passages are armor that cannot be pierced: for they are uttered by +God, who does not lie and who alone is qualified to speak the truth +concerning himself. Thus the dogma of the Trinity is thoroughly +founded upon the holy Scriptures.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY.</h4> + +<p>15. Now, having established the existence of Christ in the Trinity, +we must next consider the third person, the Holy Spirit, in Scripture +sometimes termed the "Spirit" of God and sometimes his "Soul." This +person is not spoken of as "born"; he is not born like the Son, but +proceeds from the Father and the Son. To express it differently, he +is a person possessing in eternity the divine essence, which he +derives from the Father and Son in unity in the same way the Son +derives it from the Father alone. There are, then, three distinct +persons in one divine essence, one divine majesty. According to the +Scripture explanation of the mystery, Christ the Lord is the Son of +God from eternity, the express image of the Father, and equally +great, mighty, wise and just. All deity, wisdom, power and might +inherent in the Father is also in Christ, and likewise in the Holy +Spirit, who proceeds from Father and Son. Now, when you are asked to +explain the Trinity, reply that it is an incomprehensible mystery, +beyond the understanding of angels and creatures, the knowledge of +which is confined to the revelations of Scripture.</p> + +<p>16. Rightly did the fathers compose the Creed, or Symbol, in the +simple form repeated by Christian children: "I believe in God the +Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his +only Son ... I believe in the Holy Ghost." This confession we did not +devise, nor did the fathers of former times. As the bee collects +honey from many fair and gay flowers, so is this Creed collected, in +appropriate brevity, from the books of the beloved prophets and +apostles—from the entire holy Scriptures—for children and for +unlearned Christians. It is fittingly called the "Apostle's Symbol," +or "Apostle's Creed." For brevity and clearness it could not have +been better arranged, and it has remained in the Church from ancient +time. It must either have been composed by the apostles themselves or +it was collected from their writings and sermons by their ablest +disciples.</p> + +<p>17. It begins "I believe." In whom? "In God the Father." This is the +first person in the Godhead. For the sake of clear distinction, the +peculiar attribute and office in which each person manifests himself +is briefly expressed. With the first it is the work of creation. +True, creation is not the work of one individual person, but of the +one divine, eternal essence as such. We must say, God the Father, God +the Son and God the Holy Spirit created heaven and earth. Yet that +work is more especially predicated of the person of the Father, the +first person, for the reason that creation is the only work of the +Father in which he has stepped forth out of concealment into +observation; it is the first work wrought by the divine Majesty upon +the creature. By the word "Father" he is particularly and rightly +distinguished from the other persons of the Trinity. It indicates him +as the first person, derived from no other, the Son and the Holy +Spirit having existence from him.</p> + +<p>18. Continuing, the Creed says, I believe in another who is also God. +For to believe is something we owe to no being but God alone. Who is +this second person? Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son. Christians +have so confessed for more than fifteen hundred years; indeed, such +has been the confession of believers from the beginning of the world. +Though not employing precisely these words, yet this has been their +faith and profession.</p> + +<p>19. The first designation of God the Son makes him the only Son of +God. Although angels are called sons of the Lord our God, and even +Christians are termed his children, yet no one of these is said to be +the "only" or "only-begotten" Son. Such is the effect of Christ's +birth from the Father that he is unequaled by any creature, not +excepting even the angels. For he is in truth and by nature the Son +of God the Father; that is, he is of the same divine, eternal, +uncreated essence.</p> + +<p>20. Next comes the enumeration of the acts peculiar to him: "Who was +conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under +Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into +hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into +heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from +thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." The distinct +personality of the Son is thus demonstrated by acts peculiar to +himself. Not the Father and not the Holy Spirit, but the Son alone, +assumed human nature of flesh and blood, like unto ours, to suffer, +die, rise again and ascend into heaven.</p> + +<p>21. In the third place we confess, "I believe in the Holy Ghost." +Here again a distinct person is named, yet one in divine essence with +the Father and the Son; for we must believe in no one but the true +God, in obedience to the first commandment: "I am Jehovah thy God ... +Thou shalt have no other gods before me."</p> + +<p>Thus briefly this confession comprehends the unity of the divine +essence—we accept and worship only one God—and the revealed truth +that in the Trinity are three distinct persons. The same distinction +is indicated in holy baptism; we are baptized into the faith of one +God, yet Christ commands us to baptize "into the name of the Father +and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."</p> + +<p>22. The peculiarity of this third person is the fact that he proceeds +from both the Father and the Son. He is therefore called also the +Spirit of the Father and the Son; he is poured into the human heart +and reveals himself in the gathering of the Church of Christ in all +tongues. Through the Word of the Gospel he enlightens and kindles the +hearts of men unto one faith, sanctifying, quickening and saving +them.</p> + +<p>23. So the Creed confesses three persons as comprehended in one +divine essence, each one, however, retaining his distinct +personality; and in order that the simple Christian may recognize +that there is but one divine essence and one God, who is +tri-personal, a special work, peculiar to himself, is ascribed to +each person. And such acts, peculiar to each person, are mentioned +for the reason that thus a confusion of persons is avoided. To the +Father we ascribe the work of creation; to the Son the work of +Redemption; to the Holy Spirit the power to forgive sins, to gladden, +to strengthen, to transport from death to life eternal.</p> + +<p>The thought is not that the Father alone is the Creator, the Son +alone Redeemer and the Holy Spirit alone Sanctifier. The creation and +preservation of the universe, atonement for sin and its forgiveness, +resurrection from the dead and the gift of eternal life—all these +are operations of the one Divine Majesty as such. Yet the Father is +especially emphasized in the work of creation, which proceeds +originally from him as the first person; the Son is emphasized in the +redemption he has accomplished in his own person; and the Holy Spirit +in the peculiar work of sanctification, which is both his mission and +revelation. Such distinction is made for the purpose of affording +Christians the unqualified assurance that there is but one God and +yet three persons in the one divine essence—truths the sainted +fathers have faithfully gathered from the writings of Moses, the +prophets and the apostles, and which they have maintained against all +heretics.</p> + +<p>24. This faith has descended to us by inheritance, and by his power +God has maintained it in his Church, against sects and adversaries, +unto the present time. So we must abide by it in its simplicity and +not be wise. Christians are under the necessity of believing things +apparently foolish to reason. As Paul says (1 Cor 1, 21): "It was +God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save +them that believe." How can reason adapt itself to comprehend that +three are one, and one is three; that God became man; that he who is +washed with water in obedience to Christ's command, is washed with +the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and cleansed from all sins? Such +articles of faith appear utterly foolish to reason. Paul aptly calls +the Gospel foolish preaching wherewith God saves such as do not +depend on their own wisdom but simply believe the Word. They who will +follow reason in the things dealt with in these articles, and will +reject the Word, shall be defeated and destroyed in their wisdom.</p> + +<p>25. Now, we have in the holy Scriptures and in the Creed sufficient +information concerning the Holy Trinity, and all that is necessary +for the instruction of ordinary Christians. Besides, the divinity of +our Lord Jesus Christ and that of the Holy Spirit is also attested by +miracles not to be lightly esteemed nor disregarded. The Lord our God +brings to pass miraculous things for the Christian's sake—for the +strengthening of his faith—and not merely as a rebuke to false +teachers. Were he to consider the false teachers alone, he might +easily defer their retribution to the future life, since he permits +many other transgressors to go unpunished for ten, twenty or thirty +years. But the fact is, God openly in this life lays hold upon +leaders of sects who blaspheme and slander him with their false +doctrines. He inflicts upon them unusual punishments for the sake of +warning others. Besides being openly convicted of blasphemy and +having the condemnation of their own conscience, the misguided ones +receive testimony to the fact that these false leaders are +instigators of blasphemy against God's name and his Word. All men are +compelled to admit God can have no pleasure in their doctrine, since +he visits them with special marks of his displeasure, destroying them +with severer punishments than ordinarily befall offenders.</p> + +<p>26. History records that John the evangelist had as contemporary a +heretic, by the name of Cerinthus, who was the first to arise in +opposition to the apostolic doctrine and in blasphemy against the +Lord Jesus with the claim that Jesus is not God. This blasphemy +spread to such an extent that John saw himself compelled to +supplement the work of the other evangelists with his Gospel, whose +distinct purpose it is to defend and maintain the deity of Christ +against Cerinthus and his rabble.</p> + +<p>A feature of John's Gospel patent to all is the sublime beginning of +his Gospel which renders it distinct from the others. He does not lay +stress upon the miraculous doings of Christ, but upon his preaching, +wherein he reveals himself powerfully as true God, born of the Father +from eternity, and his equal in power, honor, wisdom, righteousness +and every other divine work.</p> + +<p>With respect to John and Cerinthus it is reported that the former, +having gone to a public bath with some of his disciples, became aware +that Cerinthus and his rabble were there, also. Without hesitation he +told his disciples to be up and away, and not to abide among +blasphemers. The disciples followed his advice and departed. +Immediately after their departure the room collapsed, and Cerinthus +with his followers perished, not one escaping.</p> + +<p>27. We also read concerning the heretic Arius, the chief foe of his +time toward the dogma of the deity of Christ. The injury done by this +man to the cause of Christ was such as to occupy the Church for four +centuries after his death; and still today his heresy has not been +altogether rooted out. But the Lord took the matter in hand by the +performance of a miracle which could not but be understood.</p> + +<p>History records that Arius had ingratiated himself into the favor of +Constantine, the emperor, and his counselors. With an oath he had +succeeded in impressing them with the righteousness of his doctrine, +so that the emperor gave command that Alexander, bishop of +Constantinople, should recognize him as a member of the Christian +Church and restore him to the priestly office. When the godly bishop +refused to accede to this demand, knowing full well the purpose +pursued by Arius and his followers, Eusebius and the other bishops +who supported Arius threatened him with the imperial edict and +expressed the determination to drive him out by force and to have +Arius restored by the congregation as such. However, they gave him a +day to think the matter over.</p> + +<p>28. The godly bishop was fearful. The following of Arius was large +and powerful, being supported by the imperial edict and the whole +court. The bishop, therefore, resolved to seek help from God, where +alone it is found in all things relating to God's honor. He fell down +upon his face in the church and prayed all night long that God should +preserve his name and honor by methods calculated to stem the tide of +evil purpose, and to preserve Christendom against the heretics. When +it was morning, and the hour had come when Alexander the bishop +should either restore Arius to office or be cast out of his own, +Arius convened punctually with his followers. As the procession was +wending its way to the church, Arius suddenly felt ill and was +compelled to seek privacy. The pompous procession halted, waiting his +return, when the message came that his lungs and liver had passed +from him, causing his death. The narrative comments: Mortem dignam +blasphema et foetida mente—a death worthy such a blasphemous and +turpid mind.</p> + +<p>29. We see, then, that this dogma has been preserved by God first +through the writings and the conflicts of the apostles, and then by +miracles, against the devil and his blasphemers. And it shall be +preserved in the future likewise, so that, without a trace of doubt, +we may believe in God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. +This is the faith which we confess with our children daily. To guard +against a mixing of persons or the abandonment of the +tri-personality, three distinct acts are predicated. This should +enable the common Christian to avoid confusing the persons, while +maintaining the divine unity as to essence.</p> + +<p>We proclaim these things on this Sunday in order to call attention to +the fact that we have not come upon this doctrine in a dream, but by +the grace of God through his Word and the holy apostles and Fathers. +God help us to be found constant and without blemish in this doctrine +and faith to our end. Amen.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm3"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>First Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 1 John 4, 16-21.</center> + +<blockquote>16 God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God +abideth in him. 17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may +have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are +we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love: but perfect love +casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth +is not made perfect in love. 19 We love, because he first loved us. +20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: +for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God +whom he hath not seen. 21 And this commandment have we from him, that +he who loveth God love his brother also.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>GOD IS LOVE.</h4> + +<p>This epistle text is amply expounded in the "Explanation of Certain +Epistles of the Apostles" printed in other volumes. Those who wish +may read there one or more sermons for themselves or their people. +They are too long to insert here.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm4"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Second Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 1 John 3, 13-18.</center> + +<blockquote>13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 14 We know that we +have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He +that loveth not abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is +a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in +him. 16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: +and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso +hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and +shutteth up his compassion from him, how does the love of God abide +in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither with +the tongue; but in deed and truth.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>EXHORTATION TO BROTHERLY LOVE.</h4> + +<p>1. The Epistles and Gospels selected for the Pentecost cycle of +Sundays have love as their general theme. They deal not only with the +love we owe to Christ and God, which is only to be thankful for the +unspeakable blessing of forgiveness of sins and salvation through +Christ's blood and death, but also of the love we owe our neighbor; +not a love in return for favors, but one that unceasingly gives, +forgives and works all good even when unrequited.</p> + +<p>2. John here admonishes the Christian to exercise the virtue of love. +Considering the evident rarity of love among men, this admonition is +necessary. He particularly warns Christians not to wonder at the +world's hatred and desire for their death. Such was the hate of Cain +for his brother, of which the apostle has just spoken. The world's +hate, it must be admitted, repels love and powerfully obstructs its +exercise.</p> + +<p>3. Is it not surpassing strange that one can hate those who love him +and from whom he has received only kindness? Such wickedness is +almost inconceivable, we say. What incentive is there for any to +render the world service when in ingratitude it rewards love with +hatred? But let us examine ourselves, who are baptized and have +received the Gospel, and confess how we requite the supreme love of +God in giving us his Son. What a beautiful example of glad gratitude +we display! For the shame of it we ought to despise ourselves before +God and his angels.</p> + +<p>And what shall we say of those who will not endure the preaching of +the glorious message of God's grace and blessing, but condemn it as +heresy? to whom they who seek to serve, to benefit and save the world +by declaring the good news, must be, as Paul says, "as the filth of +the world, the offscouring of all things," 1 Cor 4, 13. Indeed, no +criminal receives more wretched and ignominious treatment and +execution, of which the Pope and his followers are a case in point.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE WORLD'S HATRED.</h4> + +<p>4. While experience has proven this otherwise incredible fact, John +vouchsafes the admonition notwithstanding: "Marvel not, brethren, if +the world hateth you." If we are not to wonder at this, is there +anything in the world to incite wonder? I should truly think the +hearing of a single sermon on the grace of Christ would suffice to +bring the world to receive the Gospel with intense joy and never to +forget the divine mercy and blessing. It would be no wonder should +the earth suddenly open and engulf mankind because of its ingratitude +to God who has given his Son to become man for the purpose of +redeeming us condemned mortals from sin and death and restoring us to +life and salvation. Is it not a horrible thing that any man should +shun and oppose such a Savior and his doctrine even more than he does +the devil himself?</p> + +<p>5. But what is God's attitude toward such conduct? Well does he say +to the Jews through the prophet: "O my people, what have I done unto +thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. For I +brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of +the house of bondage; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and +Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab, devised; +and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him; remember from Shittim +unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteous acts of Jehovah." Mic 6, +3-5. And well does Christ say to his ungrateful people: "O Jerusalem, +Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent +unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even +as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" +Mt 23, 37. As if he would say, "I surely did not come to effect your +death and condemnation by my message. I am about to suffer death and +God's wrath for your sins. I bring you God's endless grace and +blessing for time and eternity. Then why this bitter hatred against +me and my message?"</p> + +<p>6. "Since the world hates even God for his kindness," argues John, +"marvel not, my beloved, that you suffer the same fate. What does it +signify that I show my love by hazarding life and limb to sustain +this doctrine of the Gospel and help my neighbor? Mine is but a poor, +mean, uncouth, offensive love in comparison with the love that led +Christ to die for me and to redeem me from eternal death. If God's +supreme, unfathomable love fails to awaken the gratitude of the +world, what wonder if the world hates you for all your kindness? Why +will you bring down your fist and stamp your foot in anger at such +ingratitude? You are yourselves of that race for whom the Son of God +had to die. And even were you to die for the Gospel, your sacrifice +would be as nothing in comparison to the fact that God, for the sake +of the world, spared not his own Son but permitted the world to put +him to death."</p> + +<p>7. But whence arises the world's hatred? John tells us in verse +twelve when he mentions the incident of Cain, who, he says, "was of +the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? +Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous." An +excellent reason, indeed, for hating—the hater and murderer is evil +and the benefactor good! In civil and domestic affairs it is the +evil-doers and disobedient who incur displeasure and receive +punishment; and such reward is just. But whenever God has dealings +with the world, it shows what a rotten fruit it is by hating, +persecuting, and putting to death as evil-doers and impostors its +very benefactors. This trait it inherits, John tells us, from its +ancestor Cain, the great fratricide saint. He is a true picture of +the world of all times, and ever its spirit and fashion is patterned +after him.</p> + +<p>8. When mother Eve, the dear, godly woman, bore her first son, she +declared in her joy and her hope of God's promise of the future seed +that should bruise the serpent's head: "I have gotten a man with the +help of Jehovah" (Gen 4, 1); and she named him Cain, which means +"obtained," as if she would say, "I have obtained the true treasure." +For she had not before seen a human being born; this was the first, +precious fruit of man. Over Cain she rejoiced, pronouncing herself +blessed. This son was trained in the hope that he should be a savior +of the future race, a comfort to his brothers and sisters with all +their offspring. Nor was he unaware of these proud hopes. Proudly he +lorded it over his brother, who in contrast had to bear the +ignominious name of Abel, meaning "nothing," or "vanity," as if +voicing the thought of the parents' hearts: "Alas! this one has no +future. Cain is the rightful heir to the blessing God has promised +man; he is lord and master of his brethren."</p> + +<p>9. It is likely that the godly father and mother for many years drew +their solace from the hope placed in their first-born son, as they +looked forward with intensest longing to the redemption from their +deplorable fall. Doubtless they trained both sons very carefully and +instructed them concerning their own sin and fall and the promise God +had given them, until they were fully grown and had entered into the +priestly office. Cain the first-born was particularly zealous in that +respect, desiring to be first inasmuch as he offered his first fruits +of the earth, given by God and obtained by his own labor, as he no +doubt had seen his father offer. Abel, however, the inferior, the +poor shepherd, offered the firstlings of his sheep, given him of God +and obtained without effort and toil of his own. Now, God in a +wonderful way manifested his preference concerning the gifts upon the +altar. Fire descended from heaven and consumed Abel's offering, but +Cain's remained. The fire was the sign of God's favor. The text says: +"And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain +and to his offering he had not respect." Gen 4, 4-5.</p> + +<p>10. Thereupon Adam and Eve saw that the hope and solace centering in +their first-born son, were a delusion. They began to learn the +wonderful judgments of God, who gave precedence to Abel, the male +counterpart of Cinderella—which is all he was in his own sight when +he compared himself with his brother. Now Cain, with full confidence +in his position, spoiled by the delusion of his parents that as the +first-born he was God's preference, felt himself outraged. His +hypocrisy, hitherto masked, comes to the surface. He burns with +secret hate against God, with hate and anger against his brother, +which he takes no trouble whatever to disguise. The parents rebuke +him, but effect nothing. The flame of his resentment rises higher, +and meeting him alone upon the field, he fells him to the ground. Far +from contemplating amendment of life or seeking grace from God, he +has no mercy upon the only brother he has on earth, who has done him +no harm whatever. He cannot forgive him and leave him in unenvied +possession of the grace of God.</p> + +<p>11. Such was the solace and joy poor Adam and Eve lived to experience +in their first children! From this time on their earthly life was +fraught with gloom and sorrow, particularly since they could not but +see the source of these in their own fall and they would have pined +to death had not God comforted them with another son. For when it +became evident that the hope they had placed in Cain was a delusion, +and that they were deprived of the son who, beyond a doubt, possessed +the grace of God, they, without another son, would not have known +where to look for the solace of the promised seed.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CAIN THE WORLD, ABEL THE CHURCH.</h4> + +<p>12. Note, in this man Cain is pictured the world in its true, +characteristic colors; in him its true spirit stands reflected. +Certainly his equal has never been. In him are unquestionably +prefigured the very flower, the very quintessence, of holiness on +earth—the most pious servants of God. On the other hand, that poor, +wretched, abject male counterpart of Cinderella, Abel, well +represents the obscure little brotherhood, the Church of Christ. She +must yield to Cain the lord the distinction of being everything +before God, of being the recipient of every gift of God, of being +entitled to all honor and every privilege. He feels important in his +imagined dignity, permits this spirit to pervade his sacrifices and +his worships, and thinks that God cannot but favor and accept his +offering rather than that of his brother.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the pious Abel goes his way, meekly suffering his +brother's contempt. He willingly yields Cain the honor, esteems +himself vastly inferior and beholds no consolation for himself aside +from the pure mercy and goodness of God. He believes in God and hopes +for the promised future seed. In such faith he performs his sacrifice +as a confession, a sign, of his gratitude.</p> + +<p>13. This illustration is intended by God as solace for his little +throng; for the incident is not written for Abel's sake but for the +sake of the humble children of God, whose condition is like that of +Abel. God has not forgotten them, though they are haughtily ignored +by proud Cain, who regards them as nothing in his presence. God +graciously looks upon them and rejects proud Cain with his birthright +and offering.</p> + +<p>14. Innocent Abel becomes the object of anger and hatred when the +Word of God lays hold of Cain revealing God's displeasure where he +had fancied himself worthy, and God's unwillingness to regard his +offering and devotion as superior to this of his brother and more +meritorious. Cain begins bitterly to hate and persecute his brother. +He finds no rest until Abel is laid low and cut off from the earth. +Now you have the cause of the world's hatred and anger against +Christians; simply this, as John says of Cain: "Because his works +were evil, and his brother's righteous."</p> + +<p>15. What offense had godly Abel committed against his brother to be +so hated? He had even regarded that brother as the first-born, as +vastly superior to himself, and had done him all honor and loved him +as became a brother. He was easily satisfied, desiring simply the +grace of God. He prayed for the future seed, that is, for the +salvation and happiness of his parents, his brother and the entire +human race. How could Cain be unmerciful and inhuman enough in his +frenzy to murder his own flesh and blood?</p> + +<p>The answer is found in the fact that the devil had filled Cain's +heart with pride and vanity over his birthright. He considered +himself a man of distinction, with every claim upon God's favor and +sinless, whilst his brother was nothing whatever. Cain's heart is +devoid of true brotherly love; he has only contempt for Abel. He +cannot endure God's manifest favor toward his brother, and will not +be moved by the injunction to humble himself and seek God's grace. +Anger and envy possess him to the extent that he cannot tolerate his +brother alive. In violation of God's commandment and his own +conscience, he becomes a murderer, and then goes his way as if he had +done right.</p> + +<p>16. This is what John means when he says that Cain had no other cause +for his crime than that his own works were evil and his brother's +righteous. Similarly, that obedient daughter of Saint Cain, the +world, hates the Christians; and for no other reason than the +latter's love and goodness of heart. Witness the examples of the holy +patriarchs, the prophets and, most of all, of Christ himself.</p> + +<p>17. What sin against the world did the beloved apostles commit? They +desired the injury of none, but went about in extreme poverty and +toil, teaching mankind how, through faith in Christ, to be saved from +the devil's kingdom and from eternal death. This the world will not +hear and suffer; hence the hue and cry: "Kill, kill these people! +Away with them from off the earth! Show them no mercy!" Why this +hostility? Because the apostles sought to relieve the world of its +idolatry and damnable doings. Such good works the world could not +tolerate. What it desires is nothing but praise and commendation for +its own evil doings, expecting from God the impossible endorsement, +"Your deeds are good and well-pleasing to me. Pious children of mine +are you. Just keep on cheerfully killing all who believe and preach +my Word."</p> + +<p>18. In the same way does the world conduct itself today with +reference to our Gospel. For no other reason are we hated and +persecuted than because we have, through God's grace, proclaimed his +Word that recovered us from the blindness and idolatry in which we +were sunken as deeply as the world, and because we desire to rescue +others. That is the unpardonable sin by which we have incurred the +world's irreconcilable anger and its inextinguishable hatred. It +cannot permit us to live.</p> + +<p>We preach no other doctrine than faith in Christ, which our children +pray and they themselves confess in words. We differ only in our +claim that Christ having been crucified for us and having shed his +blood to redeem us from sin and death, our salvation is not effected +by our own works, or holiness or devotion. The fact that we do not +regard their faithless worship equal to Christ himself, but teach men +to trust in the grace of God and not their own worthiness, and to +render him gratitude for his grace—this fact is intolerable to the +world. It would be well for our adversaries if they would receive +such teaching, since it would render them more than ever what they +profess to be: our superiors in wisdom, knowledge and reputation—a +claim we are willing to concede. But Cain's works are evil and Abel's +righteous. The world simply cannot tolerate the Gospel, and no unity +or harmony is ever to be hoped for. The world will not forsake its +idolatry nor receive the faith. It would force us to renounce the +Word of God and praise its Cain-like worship, or take death at their +hands.</p> + +<p>19. Therefore, John says, "Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth +you," for it is compelled to act according to the nature inherited +from its father Cain. It would have all merits and concede to Abel +none. The world comprises the exalted, the wise, the learned, the +mighty. The Scriptures represent these as under necessity to hate and +persecute the poor throng of the Church of Christ by reason of the +good works done by them. They can under no consideration tolerate the +idea of being taught by this despised and humble throng the doctrine +of salvation through the grace and mercy of God alone, not through +man's own merits. They cannot endure the teaching that their +offering—the mass, regarded by the Papists as a work of superlative +merit and holiness—avails nothing before God.</p> + +<p>20. In the text the nature of the world is portrayed for our +recognition. So to understand the world as to know what may be +expected from it is essential and valuable knowledge for the +Christian. Thus armed he will not be dismayed and become impatient of +suffering, nor permit its malice and ingratitude to mislead him to +hate and desire for revenge. He will keep his faith and love, +suffering the world to go its way if it refuse to hear his message. +The Christian should expect nothing better from the world than its +bitter persecution in return for his good works and love. The Church +of Christ on earth, let him remember, is never to have an easier lot. +He is not to judge according to show and appearance, thinking: "They +are the great throng, the wisest and cleverest people on earth; how +is it possible that they should all be in error and under +condemnation?"</p> + +<p>21. It is necessarily true that discipline and peace are impossible +without the most excellent, exalted, erudite, clever people—royal, +princely, noble in achievement and honor. Cain is never plain and +lowly. He is always eminently clever, wise, holy and in every way +vastly Abel's superior. In fact, he must in himself represent all +desirable things, as his name indicates. And the same characteristic +is manifest in his children, who are ingenious in the invention of +every variety of art. Deplorable the fact that a man of Cain's +qualifications, born of godly parents and signally honored of God, +should display such hatred and inhumanity toward poor Abel merely +because of God's Word and Abel's faith.</p> + +<p>22. Such knowledge is comforting to the godly little company of +Christians, who are confident they have God's favor and know it to be +the occasion of their persecution; they have no protection and succor +but are exposed to the same fate as Abel. If they fare better, they +may thank God for it. But they are ever to abide in love toward God, +whose love they have received and felt, and likewise toward men, +their enemies not excepted. This was Abel's way; could he have lived +again, he would have kept his brotherly love for his murderer, +forgiving him and even imploring God's forgiveness for him.</p> + +<blockquote>"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love +the brethren."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>LOVE MOVES CHRISTIANS.</h4> + +<p>23. To abide in love should be the motive for us Christians. John +contrasts it with the motive of the world in hating us—its +wickedness. The world's hatred of you, as John's words imply, is not +strange. The contrast between you and the world is exceedingly great. +Through its own evil works, unbelief, pride, contempt for the Word +and grace of God, and the persecution of the godly, the world has +become by this time the victim of Satan and eternal death. It spurns +all counsel and aid directed toward its rescue. Stiff-necked and +hardened, under evident condemnation by its own conscience, it has +chosen to persist in its doom. But we believers in Christ, God be +praised! are different people. We have come forth from death; we have +passed through death and entered into life through the knowledge and +faith of the Son of God, who has loved us and given himself for us.</p> + +<p>24. Such grace and goodness of God, says the apostle, should prompt +you not to be offended and vanquished by the world's ingratitude, +hate and malice, and thus to cease from holy endeavor and become +likewise, evil, which course will result in the loss of your +treasure. It is yours, not by your own effort, but by grace alone; +for at one time you as well as they languished in the kingdom and +power of death, in evil works, far from faith and love.</p> + +<p>Remember to comfort yourselves, therefore, with the thought of this +great blessing, an advantage you enjoy above the others. What if the +world, abiding in death, does hate and persecute you who abide in +life? Whom can its hatred injure? It cannot take from you the life +which it lacks while you possess it, nor deliver you to death, from +which you have passed, through Christ. When it does its worst it may +perhaps falsely slander you, or deprive you of your property, or +destroy your corrupt body—the final home of maggots and in any event +doomed to corruption—and thus through the death of the body help you +gain true life. Thus vengeance will be yours rather than its own. +Yours will be the joy of being transplanted from death into life, +whereas the world must abide in death. While they of the world think +to deny you both the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth, they +themselves lose body and soul. What more terrible retribution could +their hatred and envy receive? For the sake of denying gratification +to the devil and the world, and much more for your own welfare, you +must not allow your persecutions to rob you of your peace and +salvation, nor to lead you to lose your faith through impatience and +desire for revenge. Rather, pity their wretchedness and doom. You +lose nothing by their oppression; yours is the gain, theirs the loss. +For the slight grief inflicted upon you with reference to body and +time, it shall dearly pay both here and hereafter.</p> + +<p>25. How do we know we have passed from death unto life? John says, +because we love the brethren. Just what does he mean? Is it not our +doctrine that Christ first loved us, as John elsewhere says? that +before we ever loved him he died and rose again for us? When we fully +believe in our Savior's love, then our own hearts respond with +perfect love to God and our neighbor. Why, then, does John say, "We +have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren"?</p> + +<p>26. The explanation is found in the words "We know." John says +plainly, "From the fact that we love the brethren, we know we have +passed out of death into life." Love of the brethren is the test +whereby we may ascertain who are the true believers. The apostle +directed this epistle especially against false Christians; many there +are who extol Christ, as did unbelieving Cain, and yet fail to bear +the fruit of faith. John's reference is not to the means whereby we +pass from sin and death to life, but to the proof whereby we may know +the fact—not to the cause, but to the effect.</p> + +<p>27. It is not sufficient to boast of having passed from death into +life; there must be evidence of the fact. Faith is not an inactive +and lifeless thing. When there is faith in the heart, its power will +be manifest. Where power is not in evidence, all boasting is false +and vain. When the human heart, in its confidence in divine mercy and +love, is thrilled with spiritual comfort, and also warmed into +kindness, friendliness, humility and patience towards the neighbor, +envying and despising none but cheerfully serving all and ministering +unto necessity even to hazarding body and life—when this is the +case, then the fruits of faith are manifest.</p> + +<p>Such fruits are proof that the believer has truly passed from death +into life. Had he not true faith, but doubted God's grace and love, +his heart would not prompt him, by reason of his love and gratitude +to God, to manifest love for his neighbor. Where man has faith, and +where he realizes God's infinite mercy and goodness in raising him +from death to life, love is enkindled in his heart, and he is +prompted to do all manner of good, even to his enemies, as God has +done to him.</p> + +<p>28. Such is the right interpretation and understanding of John's +expression: "We know that we have passed out of death into life, +because we love the brethren." It leaves in its integrity the +foundation, justification, or deliverance from death, through faith +alone. This is the first element of Christian doctrine. Granting that +faith does justify, the next question is whether the faith is real or +simulated, being merely a deceptive show and unsupported claim. The +clear information imparted by the apostles is, that love, indeed, +does not deliver from death, but that deliverance from death and the +presence of life becomes a matter of sight and knowledge in that love +has been wrought. With true faith we must have come to the point +where we no longer, like Cain, in our pride and conceit, despise our +neighbor; where we are not filled with envy, hatred and bitterness; +where we desire, and to the extent of our power, promote the +interests of our neighbor and work him all good.</p> + +<p>29. John draws to a close by showing the opposite side of the +picture, in that he addresses earnest words that reëcho like peals of +thunder to those who make the carnal boast of being Christians while +destitute of love. He cites several facts as evidence that where love +is lacking, necessarily faith and deliverance from death are absent, +likewise. Thus no opportunity is given for self-deception or a +frivolous excuse based upon wordy boasting of one's faith. The +reality of the inner life is known by the presence of love, which in +turn attests the presence of faith in the heart.</p> + +<blockquote>I. "He that loveth not abideth in death."</blockquote> + +<p>30. Here, in clear, decisive words, the conclusion is expressed that +no man may boast of life unless he has love. If it is true that faith +must be active, it is conversely true that the absence of fruitage +demonstrates one's continuance in the old Cain-like manner of +existence, torpid and dead, bereft of solace and the experience of +God's grace and life. Let no one presume to think he has passed into +life so long as he is devoid of love and the fruits of faith. Let him +become serious, and in alarm make ready to become a true believer, +lest he remain in eternal death and under greater condemnation than +those who have never heard the Gospel.</p> + +<blockquote>II. "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no +murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."</blockquote> + +<p>31. Still clearer and stronger becomes the argument that lack of love +means continuance in death. The stern and frightful judgment is here +expressed that the unloving person is no better than Cain the +fratricide. His heart is under the influence of deadly hate and +murderous malice against the brother who refuses to be subservient to +his desires. Kindling rage will prove its existence by appropriate +works unless restrained by the fear of disgrace and punishment. He +wishes his brother nothing good, but rejoices in his misfortune.</p> + +<p>All this, however, is impossible for one who believes that he has +been delivered from death. One who knows the wretchedness and misery +of death from experience, but has entered upon life with its solace +and joy, blessings he seeks to maintain—such a person will desire +for others the same blessing; he cannot rejoice in another's death. +Therefore it is true conversely: "We know that no murderer hath +eternal life abiding in him."</p> +<br> + +<h4>HATRED NATURAL TO HUMAN REASON.</h4> + +<p>32. Thus we see the nature of the human heart without faith and the +knowledge of Christ; at bottom it is but the heart of a Cain, +murderous toward its neighbor. Nor can anything better be expected +from him who is not a Christian. The Scriptures repeatedly denounce +such faithless hypocrites as bloodthirsty and deceitful. "Jehovah +abhorreth the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." Ps 5, 6. "For their +feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood." Prov 1, 16. See +also verse 11. All mankind are by nature the children of the murderer +Cain. They are, of course, no better than their father. While Cain +was a man most magnificent, intelligent and wise, being the first +fruit born of those holy parents Adam and Eve, and in his superior +endowment with natural virtues infinitely superior to all who come +after him, he was nevertheless an unbeliever before God. Hence he +became the murderer of his brother.</p> + +<blockquote>III. "Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and +we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath the +world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his +compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?"</blockquote> + +<p>33. These words delineate true Christian love and hold up the sublime +example, or pattern, of God's love manifest in Christ. Christ's blood +and death is God's own blood and death. Paul in Acts 20, 28, speaks +of God having purchased the Church "with his own blood." The heart of +man by faith receives and apprehends this sacrifice. Under its +transforming influence he is disposed to work good to his neighbor as +he has himself received good. He even jeopardizes his life to that +end, being conscious of his redemption from eternal death, and +knowing physical death powerless to affect his eternal life. But the +heart that fails to appropriate Christ's sacrifice is without faith +and insensible to God's love and eternal life.</p> + +<p>34. John uses an illustration plain enough for anyone to understand, +and from which we may judge that the soul found wanting in small +duties will be deficient in great ones. According to the apostle, if +one possesses this world's goods and sees his neighbor want, he being +able to render assistance without injury to himself, and yet closes +his heart against that neighbor, not assisting him with even the +slightest work of love, how can the love of God dwell in him since he +appreciates it so little that he will not spare his needy brother a +penny? How can he be expected, then, to render a greater service—to +even lay down his life for his brother? What right has such a soul to +boast—how can he know—that Christ has laid down his life for him +and delivered him from death?</p> + +<p>35. How frequently are such people to be found! Having this world's +goods and being able to help the needy, they close their hearts +against the unfortunate, as did the rich glutton toward poor Lazarus. +Where shall we find in imperial courts, among kings, princes and +lords, any who extend a helping hand to the needy Church, or give her +so much as a crust of bread toward the maintenance of the poor, of +the ministry and of schools, or for other of her necessities? How +would they measure up in the greater duty of laying down their lives +for the brethren, and especially for the Christian Church? Note the +terrible judgment that they who are devoid of brotherly love are in +God's sight murderers and cannot have eternal life.</p> + +<p>36. But the merely selfish may well escape our censure in comparison +with those who not only close their purses to the poor but +shamelessly and forcibly deprive and rob their needy neighbor of his +own by overreaching, by fraud, oppression and extortion; who take +from the Church the property rightfully hers and especially reserved +for her, snatching the bread from her mouth, so to speak. Not only is +the papistical rabble today guilty of such sin, but many who would be +known as evangelical practice the same fraud with reference to the +parochial estates and general property of the Church, and, in +addition, tyrannically harass and torment the poor ministers. But oh, +how heavy and terrible the impending judgment for those who have +denied to Christ the Lord in his thirst even the cup of cold water!</p> + +<blockquote>IV. "My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the +tongue; but in deed and truth."</blockquote> + +<p>37. The world and the false Christians in word pretend great love; +but in practice, when love should manifest itself in deeds, it is +found to be insincere. So John admonishes that where our love is not +ardent enough to lead us to lay down our lives for our brethren, +however much we may profess Christ, that love is assuredly only a +vain show, a false pretense, wherewith we deceive ourselves and +remain in infidelity and death, and in a more deplorable condition +than those who are wholly ignorant of the Gospel. Therefore, let him +who would proceed safely and prove himself a Christian remember to +prove himself such by his deeds and works. Then men will know that he +does not, a murderer and liar, like others, follow the devil. They +will know, on the contrary, that he truly and with the heart clings +to the Word of God, having passed from death to life.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm5"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Third Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 1 Peter 5, 5-11.</center> + +<blockquote>5 Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you +gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God +resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble +yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt +you in due time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he +careth for you. 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as +a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom +withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings +are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. 10 And the +God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, +after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, +establish, strengthen you. 11 To him be the dominion for ever and +ever. Amen.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>HUMILITY, TRUST, WATCHFULNESS, SUFFERING</h4> + +<p>1. This is the conclusion of Saint Peter's epistle. It is an +exhortation to good works, such as a Christian, or believer, should +practice. It is evident that the doctrine of the Gospel is not such +as is charged by some, forbidding good works, or not earnestly +commanding and urging them. Most diligently and repeatedly it urges +the doctrine of works—such works as are, indeed, good works. There +are in this epistle four natural heads which furnish us four good +sermons.</p> +<br> + +<h4>I. HUMILITY.</h4> + +<p>2. The apostle has, in the verses immediately preceding our text, +exhorted the elders, that is, preachers, to be in their lives +"ensamples to the flock," not "lording it over the charge allotted" +to them, but using their office for the service of others. And here +in our text he exhorts the others, especially the young, to "be +subject unto the elder." And, in general, he admonishes all to "gird" +themselves "with humility, to serve one another." So Paul likewise +admonishes that we should honor one another. Humility is the noblest +and sweetest virtue love brings forth, and it is the most essential +to peace and discipline. But especially does it become and adorn the +young, making them pleasing and precious to God and men, bringing +forth an abundance of good fruits.</p> + +<p>3. If mankind could be led so to believe this that the virtue of +humility would be generally practiced, it would be well everywhere. +This would be a beautiful world, filled with discipline and good +works. I would much prefer to see a city in which the young are +reared in this virtue than a hundred monasteries of barefooted and +Carthusian friars, though they lived ever so strictly. Alas! the +greatest and most frequent complaint heard anywhere is concerning the +disobedience, wantonness and pride of the younger generation found +among all ranks. Therefore it is necessary to use all diligence that +this exhortation be instilled into the hearts of the young and urged +upon them, in the hope that it may benefit them.</p> + +<p>4. First of all, Peter presents the divine command. We are not left +to our own good pleasure in the matter—to show humility or not, as +we please. God earnestly asks it of us, and asks that we do it +lovingly and willingly. Otherwise his anger will be poured out upon +us and we will have no happiness nor favor, not even among men. For +everyone is a foe to pride and arrogance. These offenses are +condemned by the whole world, even by strangers whom they do not +concern.</p> + +<p>One may be guilty of pride and not see his own shame, yet he cannot +suffer it in another; he will hate and condemn that one. This vice +hurts no one save himself. He makes himself hateful and contemptible +before God and men. Everyone calls him a great, proud bag of filth +and cries shame upon him. God metes out judgment and scorn to him, +witnessing that he will not let this vice go unpunished, but will put +the offender to shame. As Peter here says: "God resisteth the proud."</p> + +<p>5. Men should be moved by the examples which daily come to light in +fulfilment of this passage. If we should have no regard for our own +honor and standing before the world, neither for the contempt and the +curses of all men; if the illustrious example of the noble character +and eternal majesty of God's Son, our Lord, should not stir us (which +ought to move us if we have one spark of Christianity in us), as we +behold his unspeakable and incomprehensible humility which, rightly +viewed, should melt the Christian's heart—if all this does not move +us, we should be humbled by the many awful examples of God's fearful +wrath which, from the beginning, he has hurled against pride.</p> + +<p>6. What is more terrible than the eternal, irreparable fall and +banishment of once lofty angelic nature that resulted when the devil +robbed himself of the honor and glory enjoyed by the noble blessed +spirits, and of the contemplation of eternal God, and brought upon +himself everlasting and intolerable damnation by seeking to make +himself equal with God, and through similar pride, led the human race +to its awful fall? But what a blind, condemned creature are you, who, +with your filthy, shameful pride and haughtiness, become like the +spirit of evil, thereby turning all the world into your enemy and +opposing yourself to the divine majesty, before which even the angels +must tremble! If you have no fear of losing the favor and prayers of +mankind, at least be afraid lest God send down upon your head his +lightning and thunder, with which he crushes iron, rocks, and +mountains, and hurl you forever into the abyss, as he hurled down the +proud spirit and his angels.</p> + +<p>7. Saint Peter exhorts both those who are in the office of the +ministry, and other Christians, to whom God has given something, that +they abide in their calling and office and conduct the same humbly, +gladly obeying and serving others. Right here this vice of pride is +the most hurtful to Christianity. For its whole government, life and +essence are so ordered by God that no one should exalt himself and +lord it over others, as the Pope, the true Antichrist has done. Only +humility and deeds of Christian love and service should prevail in +all classes and in all offices and works.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PRIDE OPPOSED TO THE FIRST TABLE.</h4> + +<p>8. Pride in this order of the Church is really and directly opposed +to the first table of the law. It is a genuinely devilish pride in +God's name and Word on the part of such people as would be wise in +matters of faith and would lord it over God's Word. They puff +themselves up if, forsooth, they have a gift more than others, and +they hold God and all men as nothing. This vice is common among the +great, learned and wise bishops and preachers. It prevails among +those who learn of them and cling to them, especially beginners who, +inexperienced and undisciplined, are brought into prominence. Such +puff themselves up and boast: "I also am a learned doctor. I love the +Spirit and other gifts just as well as, and even in greater measure +than, these preachers." So they think they deserve to be heard and +honored above others. They consider themselves so wise that all the +world, in comparison, are geese and fools.</p> + +<p>And the greater one's gifts, the greater and more harmful such pride. +It is common in other professions, also. He who has a little ability, +or bears the title of doctor, makes much ado about it, and despises +others. He acts as if what he has were not given him by God, but as +if it were his by nature and birth, and therefore he deserves the +praise and worship of all men. Such persons do not realize they are +acting in opposition to God, and that they will themselves plunge +into the abyss of hell before they can hurl God down from his +heavenly throne.</p> + +<p>9. See, from the examples of our own time, how God has overthrown +such people. Thomas Münzer, with his tumultuous prophets, and later +the Anabaptist faction, were proud of heart, would not listen to +admonition, and lo! suddenly they went down to ruin, not only in +utter disgrace, but to their own miserable and eternal loss and that +of many people who had been misled by them. So, too, there are at the +present day many proud spirits. Some dare not yet publicly show +themselves. Such as have perceived that they are learned, or are held +in regard by men, thereupon grow boastful and, despite all their +skill and learning, abide without the Spirit and without fruit, even +if they do not work more harm in addition to bringing themselves into +condemnation.</p> + +<p>10. Thus it is in all kinds of gifts and offices where men are not +God-fearing and humble. For example, those who are intrusted with the +civil government—princes, counselors, lawyers (where they are not +"theologians," that is, Christians)—are so insolent and proud that +they imagine themselves alone to be the people, whom others are to +reverence as gods. In their pride, they despise God and men, and by +their arrogance they lead the land and the people to destruction. +These have already the judgment upon themselves that they, as God's +enemies, must be hurled down. For they have cut themselves loose from +God's kingdom and grace; and the blessings of baptism and of Christ, +with his suffering and blood, are lost upon them.</p> + +<p>11. We have now shown how pride conflicts with the demands of the +first table of the law. Men do not employ the spiritual treasures and +gifts to God's honor nor to the good of their neighbors. Thus they +mar these gifts and, in their wicked course, go to the devil, into +whose likeness they have grown.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PRIDE OPPOSED TO THE SECOND TABLE.</h4> + +<p>12. Further, this vice is just as general in the sphere of the second +table of the law—among the common people and in the temporal life of +the world, each one boasting of himself and despising others. Prince +and nobleman think that all the world is nothing in comparison with +themselves. Commoner and peasant, puffed up because they have much +wealth, imagine they must defy everybody, and do good to nobody. +These deserve to be spit upon by all men. Such pride does not become +them better than ornaments of gold or silver would become an image of +stone or a wooden block. Finally, the women, with their foolish pride +of dress, must not be forgotten. One prides herself on being better +or more beautifully adorned than her neighbor. She is, in truth, a +finely decorated goose. She imagines that no other woman equals her. +Yea, there is scarcely a house-servant or maid but brags over others.</p> + +<p>13. In short, we have come to the point where all men, with their +insolence and boastfulness, seek to lord it over others. None will +humble himself to another. Each thinks he has full right to act as he +does, and is under no obligation to yield to others. And the civil +government has grown so weak that there is no hope of restraining the +haughtiness of all classes, from the highest to the lowest. At last, +God must strike with thunder and lightning to prove to us that he +resists such people and will not tolerate pride. Therefore the young, +who can still be led, should be exhorted and trained, as far as +possible, to guard themselves against this vice.</p> + +<p>14. Peter uses for his purpose a peculiar term when he says, "Gird +yourselves with humility." "Gird" has the meaning of being bound or +joined together most firmly; or, as a garment, most carefully woven +through and through so that it cannot tear. He illustrates by this +term how Christians, with all diligence, should strive after the +virtue, and manifest and practice it among themselves, as if upon +them as a band it was a special obligation. Thus, he says, must you +be twined together and bound to each other, and your hands clasped +together. So must you be joined by humility, which cannot be +dissolved, dismembered, or torn, even though occasion be given one, +here and there, incited by the devil, or the evil word of someone +else, to fly into a passion, and grow defiant and boastful, as if to +say: Must I suffer such things at the hands of this man? But rather +say to yourselves. We are Christians, and must bear with each other +and yield, in many things; for we are all one body, and we are placed +together here on earth for the sole reason that we may, through love, +serve one another.</p> + +<p>15. And each should recognize his own weakness. He should remember +that God has given others also something and can give them yet more, +and that therefore he should gladly serve and yield to others, +remembering that he needs their help. Each one is created for the +sake of others, and we are all to serve one another. God gives the +same grace and salvation to all, so that none may exalt himself above +his neighbor; or, if he lift himself up, that he lose the grace +conferred and fall into deeper condemnation. Therefore we must hold +fast to this humility, so that the unity may not be destroyed. For +Satan seeks to destroy this also, and uses every possible means to +lead people to despise each other and to be proud and insolent in +their treatment of each other. And these are things to which flesh +and blood, even without special incitement, are inclined. Thus +humility is easily and quickly lost if men are not alert to fight +against the devil and their own flesh.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE BEAUTY OF HUMILITY.</h4> + +<p>16. Humility is one of the beautiful garments and ornaments with +which Christians should adorn themselves before God and the world. +Paul, in Colossians 3, 12, says, "Put on humility." He regards this +virtue as more precious than all earthly crowns and splendor. This is +the true spiritual life. It is not to be sought elsewhere, by running +into the cloisters or the deserts, by putting on gray gown or cowl. +Peter here admonishes all classes to cultivate this virtue. This +sermon on good works concerns every station in every house, city or +village. It is for all churches and schools. Children, servants and +the youth should be humbly obedient to parents, superiors and the +aged. On the other hand, it is for those in the higher stations of +life who serve their inferiors, even the lowest. If all men so +observed this virtue the world would be full of good works. For it is +impossible that humility should do evil. It is profitable and +pleasant to all men.</p> + +<p>17. By this virtue, true saints and Christians can better be known +than by monastic seclusion and holiness. It requires no great effort +to wear a gray cowl. It is not even such a great trial to lie on the +ground at night and to arise at midnight; scoundrels, thieves, and +murderers must often do the same. But to wear and hold fast to this +angelic garment, humility—this the world is not so willing to accept +as monasticism and its works. And thus it comes to pass that flesh +and blood do not strive after this holy life. Each man seeks an easy +life, in which he can live to himself and need serve no one nor +suffer anything at the hands of others; just as the monks have sought +and chosen.</p> + +<p>18. Peter adds to this admonition the reason: "For God resisteth the +proud, but giveth grace to the humble." As I have said above, he +strives to show the earnestness of God's command. The command is +accompanied by a threat. He does not simply say, God punishes the +proud, or God is hostile to them; but he "resisteth" them, he sets +himself against them. Now, what is the pride of all men toward God? +Not so much as a poor, empty bubble. Their pride puffs itself up and +distends itself as though it would storm the sky and contend against +the lightning and thunder, that can shatter heaven and earth. What +can the combined might of all creatures accomplish if God oppose +himself thereto? And how does a miserable man, whose heart is +overwhelmed by a small pestilence, rise against the majesty of heaven +which can, any moment, cast him down into the abyss? What are earth +and ashes proud of? says Sirach, 10, 9.</p> + +<p>19. Is it not enough and more than enough that other sin and +disobedience are laid to our account, by which we anger God and merit +heavy punishment, without our trying further to provoke him with our +pride and haughtiness, so that he must arise in his majesty and +resist us? With other sins he can have patience, that he may exhort +and incite us to repentance. But if, in hardened impenitence, we defy +and oppose him, he cannot but rise up against us. Who is there that +will bear it, or be able to stand, when God sets his countenance and +his power against a poor man already subject, every moment, to death +and the power of the devil?</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE CONSEQUENCE OF PRIDE.</h4> + +<p>20. From the beginning, innumerable instances in history have proved +the truth of this saying, "God resisteth the proud." They show how he +has always overthrown and destroyed the proud world and has cast down +the haughty, scornful kings and lords. The great king of Babylon, +Nebuchadnezzar, was humbled when banished from his royal throne to +the companionship of the beasts of the field and compelled to eat +grass with them, Dan 4, 30ff. Again, remember how suddenly the great +king Alexander was hurled down, when after the victory and good +fortune God had given him, he began to grow proud, and wanted to be +reverenced as a god? Again, there was King Herod Agrippa, Acts 12, +23. The proud, learned emperor Julian, a virulent mocker and +persecutor of Christ, whom he had denied—how soon was he drowned in +his own blood! And since then, what has become of all the proud, +haughty tyrants, who proposed to oppress and crush Christianity?</p> + +<p>21. The Pope, also, has ever, in devilish pride, exalted himself, and +in the temple of God set himself forth as God. Further, in worldly +pomp and pride he has lifted himself above all others. He has even +learned, from heathen emperors, as Diocletian and other tyrants, to +have men kiss his feet. Yea, he has forced emperors and kings to +submit to this humiliating act. What open, inhuman insolence and +pride Pope Alexander the Third practiced when, by threatening against +him his empty ban, he compelled the pious and mighty German emperor, +Frederick Barbarossa, to prostrate himself at his feet while he +stepped upon him and said, Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; +and when the emperor protested against such shameful pride and said, +Non tibi, sed Petro (Not to thee, but to Peter), the Pope, with +increasing scorn, replied, "Et mihi, et Petro" (Both to me, and to +Peter). This is pride carried almost to its highest point.</p> + +<p>22. The Turk, too, is prouder now than ever, and, I hope, has reached +the heights of pride, beyond which he cannot and shall not proceed. +Meantime, may he not attack and humble us! But it will come to pass, +in the end, that God will overthrow both pope and Turk through his +divine power, and, as Daniel says, without the aid of men. This word +will not fail, "God resisteth the proud." Its truth must appear in +human events, so that men may see what is meant by the declaration, +"God resisteth"; otherwise no one would believe it. Though the Turk +and all the world should be a thousand times more proud and powerful, +this should not help them when he who is above sees and grows angry, +and lifts his hand. He asks as little about the power of all Turkish +emperors and of the Pope as about a dead fly.</p> + +<p>23. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," +Heb 10, 31. This, however, is nothing else than with scorn and +defiance to oppose his will, so that he, in turn, must set himself +against man and must lift his hand. Therefore, let everyone beware +lest he boast and grow defiant in the presence of the divine majesty. +Not only must he beware, that he may not awaken God's anger, but that +he may have grace and blessing in the things he ought to do. For, if +thou beginnest something in thine own power, and wisdom, and +haughtiness, think not he will grant thee success and blessing to +carry out thy purpose. On the other hand, if thou humblest thyself, +and beginnest aught in accordance with his will, in the fear of God +and trusting in his grace, there is given thee the promise, "He +giveth grace to the humble." So, then, thou shalt not only have favor +with men, but success shall crown thine efforts. Thou shalt prove a +useful man, both to God and to the world, and shalt complete and +maintain thy work despite the resistance of the devil. For where +God's grace is, there his blessing and protection must follow, and +his servant cannot be overthrown or defeated. Though he be oppressed +for a time, he shall finally come forth again and be exalted. So +Peter concludes by saying:</p> + +<blockquote>I. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he +may exalt you in due time."</blockquote> + +<p>24. Peter shows in these words what true humility is and whence it +comes. The heart, through knowledge of its sin, becomes terrified in +the presence of God's anger and anxiously seeks grace. Thus a +humility is born, not merely external and before men, but of the +heart and of God, from fear of God and knowledge of one's own +unworthiness and weakness. He who fears God and "trembles at his +word" (Is 66, 5), will surely defy or hector or boast against nobody. +Yea, he will even manifest a gentle spirit toward his enemies. +Therefore, he finds favor both with God and men.</p> + +<p>25. The cause of this, Peter says, shall be "the mighty hand of God." +As though he would say: Ye may not do nor leave undone this thing for +the sake of men, but ye ought to humble yourselves under the hand of +God. God's hand is powerful and mighty in a twofold respect: It +dashes down and overthrows the proud and self-secure, however hard +and iron their heads and hearts may be. They must languish in dust +and ashes; yea, must lie despondent and desperate in the anguish and +torments of hell, if he touch them but a little with the terrors of +his anger. These are experiences through which the saints also pass, +and concerning whose severity they make lamentation. "For thine +arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no +soundness in my flesh because of thine indignation," Ps 38, 2-3. "For +I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. +Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast taken me +up, and cast me away," Ps 102, 9-10. "I am consumed by the blow of +thy hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou +makest his beauty to consume away like a moth," Ps 39, 10-11.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE REWARD OF HUMILITY.</h4> + +<p>26. In the second place, God's hand is mighty to raise, to comfort +and strengthen the humbled and the fearful, and, as Peter says here, +to exalt them. Those who in terror have been cast down should not, +therefore, despair, or flee before God, but rise again, and be +comforted in God. God wants it preached and published that he never +lays his hand upon us in order that we may perish and be damned. But +he must pursue this course in order to lead us to repentance; +otherwise we would never inquire about his Word and will. And if we +seek grace, he is ready to help us up again, to grant us forgiveness +of sins, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. The Psalms and the +Prophets here and there speak of this. "Jehovah hath chastened me +sore; but he hath not given me over unto death," Ps 118, 18. "Jehovah +raiseth up them that are bowed down," Ps 146, 8.</p> + +<p>27. God will "exalt you in due time," says Peter. Though God's help +be delayed, and the humbled and suffering seem to lie oppressed all +too long under God's hand, and on that account to languish, +nevertheless, let them hold to the promise Paul has given: God "will +not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able," 1 Cor 10, 13, +but he will hear your cry, and will, at the right time, help; and +with this let them be comforted. But again, let the proud fear, even +though he permit them to go unpunished and to continue in their +boastful course for a time. He watches their lives, and, when the +proper time comes, he will descend all too heavily upon them, so that +they cannot bear it. He has already stretched forth his mighty hand, +both to cast down the godless and to exalt the humble.</p> + +<blockquote>II. "Casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you."</blockquote> + +<p>28. What will become of him who lives a God-fearing and humble life, +suffering the insolence, pride and wantonness of the world? Or, where +will he find protection and defense, to abide in his godly ways? We +see daily how the pious are harassed and persecuted, and are trod on +by the world. The Apostle says: "Ye Christians must endure temptation +and adversity, want and need, both physical and spiritual, in the +world, and your heart is oppressed with anxiety and cares, and ye +think within yourselves: O, what will become of me? How shall I be +supported? What if I should die?" (The world only concerns itself +about how it may be enriched and be filled, and anxious, unbelieving +consciences would, through themselves and their own good works, seek +to have a gracious God and to die in peace.) "In view of all this," +he says, "only hearken, I will counsel and instruct you aright as to +what disposition you should make of your troubles."</p> + +<p>There is a brief passage in the 55th Psalm, verse 22, which reads: +"Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will +never suffer the righteous to be moved." Follow ye this advice. Let +not your burden rest upon yourselves; for ye cannot bear it, and must +finally perish beneath its weight. But, confident and full of joy, +cast it from you and throw it on God, and say: Heavenly Father, thou +art my Lord and God, who didst create me when I was nothing; moreover +hast redeemed me through thy Son. Now, thou hast committed to me and +laid upon me, this office or work, and things do not go as well as I +would like. There is so much to oppress and worry, that I can find +neither counsel nor help. Therefore I commend everything to thee. Do +thou supply counsel and help, and be thou, thyself, everything in +these things.</p> + +<p>29. Such a prayer is pleasing to God, and he tells us to do only what +we are commanded, and throw upon him all anxiety as to the issue and +what we shall accomplish. As also other passages of Scripture +declare: "Commit thy way unto Jehovah, trust also in him, and he will +bring it to pass," Ps 37, 5. No heathen, philosopher, jurist, if he +have not God's Word, can throw his care and complaint upon God. He +thinks that all the world, especially the great, the wise, who rule, +must accomplish everything by their own planning and circumspection. +And where trouble arises—for it is quite common for even the +greatest and wisest people to make mistakes—he becomes a madman or a +fool, and begins to murmur and argue against God and his government, +as though God's rule merited criticism. But such men receive their +deserts when God permits their calculations and hopes to fail, and +lets the reverse obtain. For they will not admit they have need of +him. They think they have sufficient wisdom and power, and that God +must respect their plans. Thus, they spend their lives in many vain, +useless cares and projects, and must, in the course of their +experience, learn and confess, many a time, that the very opposite of +their judgment is the truth.</p> + +<p>30. Christians have the rare faculty, above all other people on +earth, of knowing where to place their care, whilst others vex and +torture themselves and at length must despair. Such must be the +consequence of unbelief, which has no God and would provide for +itself. But faith understands this word Peter quotes from the +Scriptures: "Because he careth for you." It joyfully meditates +thereon and does and suffers faithfully. For faith knows this to be +its duty. Its trouble, however, it commits to God, and proceeds with +vigor against all that opposes. It can call upon God as a father, and +it says: I will do what God has commanded me and leave the result +with him.</p> + +<p>31. The Christian must take this course if he would proceed safely +and happily in matters of the highest import. In time of danger and +in the hour of death, when, with all his worrying, he cannot discover +where he is or how he is journeying, he must, with eyes, senses and +thoughts closed to the world, surrender himself in faith and +confidence and cast himself upon God's hand and care and protection, +and say: God has permitted me to live until this hour, without my +solicitude. Moreover, he has given me his beloved Son as a treasure +and sure pledge of eternal life. Therefore, my dear soul, journey on +in joy. Thou hast a faithful Father and Savior, who has taken thee +into his own hand, and will preserve thee.</p> + +<p>32. The Christian Church collectively must so proceed in the +discharge of its high spiritual office, of which Peter speaks here, +that no man or creature, by his own wisdom and power, can sustain or +accomplish any work. No power, might, or protection that can comfort, +or upon which one may rely, is to be sought in the world. Wholly in +God, and in God alone, must help be sought. By his divine power God +must uphold the Church. He has, from the beginning, always and +wonderfully preserved it in the world, in the midst of great +weakness, in disunion occasioned by schismatics and heretics, in +persecution by tyrants. And the government is wholly his, though he +commits the office and service to men, whom he would summon and use +to administer his Word and sacrament. Therefore, each Christian, +especially if he fills such an office and partakes of this +fellowship, should be intent, in that whereunto God has called and +appointed him, upon serving God faithfully and doing that which is +commanded him. The anxiety respecting the Church's continued +existence and her preservation against the devil and the world, can +be left to the Lord. He has taken this upon himself and thus has +removed the burden from our shoulders, that we might be certain of +the permanence of the Church. If its preservation were committed to +human counsel, might and will, the devil, with his power, would soon +overthrow and destroy it.</p> + +<p>33. Likewise, in every office and station, each one should follow +this counsel of Saint Peter. A prince should seek to protect his land +and people, to promote God's Word, to maintain discipline and peace, +to do justice to every man, to punish the disobedient, etc. Councils, +officials, and those in authority should faithfully advise and direct +to this end. Pastors and preachers should rightly and fearlessly +declare God's Word and truth. Every citizen and subject should be +intent upon his work and duty, and whatever, in connection therewith, +is unusual he must simply commit to God.</p> + +<p>But the world does not pursue this course. Each one says: Why should +I incur so much danger, opposition and hostility? Again, why should I +labor and toil for naught? I will not accomplish my work at any rate. +In this spirit of fear and worry, his proper office and work are +delayed, or he is always careless.</p> + +<p>But let such people know that they are not Christians, nor do they +promote God's kingdom or profit the offices conferred on them. If +they do not propose to mend their ways, they should give up the +office bestowed on them by God. It is not enough to simply sit at +ease in one's office and accept the plaudits of men. We all like to +render esteem and honor to office and station. But know this, that +you are not in office to parade about in beautiful garments, to sit +in the front row, and be called "Gracious Master" and "Esquire." You +are to conduct faithfully the office with which God has clothed and +honored you, regardless of human honor and profit, shame or injury.</p> + +<p>34. But men are not generally inclined to believe and trust God. They +are not inclined to remember that he cares for us; that he has +assumed and must bear the greatest of burdens, which no man on earth +can bear; that he cared for us before we were born, and could still, +of himself, execute all things dispensing with all human help, but he +prefers to accomplish his purpose through human means, and to employ +us as instruments in these divine works—governing, punishing, +teaching, comforting.</p> + +<p>35. The world is particularly culpable in this matter of pride. When +divinely charged with some great work, it always seeks to determine, +in advance, by its own wisdom, all future danger and accidents, and +tries to anticipate them. The world looks for man's help, and seeks +friendship and assistance wherever it can. It makes alliances, and +resorts to other schemes. It puts its trust in these and then +considers itself strong enough to meet opposition, and is sure of its +cause by reason of its own efforts. This is not showing faith in God. +It is not committing our cause and all care for ourselves to him. It +is maintaining the cause through one's own anxiety and forethought. +It is ignoring and disbelieving the fact that nothing can be +accomplished by one's own vexed effort. No human wisdom has power to +foresee the future. If we looked back at the examples furnished by +history, we should learn how woefully human wisdom is deceived when +it relies upon itself. The results are not what was expected, but the +very opposite.</p> + +<p>36. The Scriptures give many pertinent examples of the kings of Judah +and Israel, whom the prophets often and severely rebuked because they +sought refuge and help among strange nations and kings. The prophets +warned them that they should not trust in human aid, but should do +according to God's Word and command. They told them he would protect +and uphold them. But the kings would not hear. They continued to form +friendships and alliances with the kings of Egypt, Syria, Babylon and +Assyria, and thus invited them as guests into the land, whereupon the +heathen kings came with force and led away captive the inhabitants +and laid everything desolate. That was their reward for not heeding +God's Word; for not believing that he cared for them, and desired to +protect and defend them if they would but trust and obey him.</p> + +<p>The wisest and most eminent, even among the heathen, have lamented, +in the light of their own experience, that they have been shamefully +deluded by their counsels, even though founded on the most careful +deliberations. Nor can it be said that the world has grown wiser in +consequence of its own or others' sufferings.</p> + +<p>37. This exhortation is preached to no one except the few who are +Christians. They have regard for God's Word, and, now humbled, have +learned that they should not rely on their own wisdom and reason, or +upon human help and comfort. They have come to the belief that God +cares for them. So they do what they know is right and are in duty +bound to do, and suffer themselves not to be hindered by such fears +as possess the world concerning dangers, injuries, and adversities. +They commend all such things to God, and at his word go right through +with courage.</p> + +<p>38. Let me illustrate from my own experience. What should I have done +when I began to denounce the lies of the indulgence system, and later +the errors of the papacy, if I had listened and given heed to the +terrible things all the world wrote and said would happen to me? How +often I heard it said that if I wrote against such and such eminent +people I would provoke their displeasure, which would prove too +severe for me and the whole German nation. But, since I had not begun +this work of myself, being driven and led thereto by reason of my +office (otherwise I should have preferred to keep silence), I must +continue. I commended the cause to God and let him bear the burden of +care, both as to the result of the work and also as to my own fate. +Thus I advanced the cause farther, despite tumultuous opposition, +than I had ever before dared to think or hope.</p> + +<p>39. Oh, how much good would God accomplish through us if people could +be persuaded, especially the eminent lords and kings, that what Peter +here says is true: "He careth for you!" How much he could do if they +believed that truth instead of seeking, through their own wisdom and +reason, to equip, strengthen, and compose themselves by aid of human +might and assistance, friendship and alliance, for the accomplishment +and maintenance of their cause! It is apparent that mortal plans fail +and have always failed, and that they accomplish nothing. God hinders +and resists man's work when he will not trust him. Hence God can +grant no success or favor to that which is founded on human wisdom or +on trust in human powers. This is a truth men must finally perceive +by experience, and they must lament because they would not believe +it.</p> + +<p>40. Let him who would be a Christian learn to believe this. Let him +practice and exhibit faith in all his affairs, bodily and spiritual, +in his doing and his suffering, his living and his dying. Let him +banish cares and anxious thoughts. Courageous and cheerful, let him +cast them aside; not into a corner, as some vainly think to do, for +when burdens are permitted to conceal themselves in the heart they +are not really put away. But let the Christian cast his heart and its +anxieties upon God. God is strong to bear and he can easily carry the +burden. Besides, he has commanded that all this be put upon himself. +The more thou layest upon him, the more pleasing it is to him. And he +gives thee the promise that he will carry thy cares for thee, and all +things else that concern thee.</p> + +<p>41. This is a grand promise, and a beautiful, golden saying, if men +would only believe it. If a powerful ruler here on earth were to give +such a promise, and were to demand that we let him have all the +concern about gold and silver and the needs of this life, how +cheerfully and contentedly would every one cling to such promise! But +now a greater lord says all this, one who is almighty and truthful, +who has power over the body and life, and who can and will give us +everything we need, both temporal and eternal. We should have in all +this, if we only believed it, half of heaven, yea, a perfect paradise +on earth. For what is better and nobler than a quiet, peaceful heart? +For this all men are striving and laboring. So have we been doing +hitherto, running to and fro after it. Yet it is found nowhere except +in God's word, which bids us cast our cares and burdens on God and +thus seek peace and rest. It counsels us to throw upon him everything +that threatens to oppress and worry us. God would not have anxiety +dwell in our hearts, for it does not belong there; it is put there by +the devil.</p> + +<p>42. Therefore, a Christian, even though obliged to suffer all manner +of adversity, temptation and misfortune, can cheerfully go forward +and say: Dear Lord God, thou hast commanded me to believe, to teach, +to govern and to act; this I will attempt in thy name, and I will +commend to thee whatever may happen to me in the course of duty. +There you have a man who is equal to any task, and can do much good. +For he is freed from the greatest misfortune and has laid the +heaviest weight upon God, whilst another man does nothing except fill +his heart with anxiety and gloom. This other can apply himself to no +good work. He becomes unfit both to do and to suffer. He is afraid of +every trifle and, because of his vexation or impatience, can do +nothing worth mentioning.</p> + +<p>What is the world doing now? Princes, lords, counselors, citizens, +and peasants—all want only power, honor, and wealth. None desires to +render service. Everyone fears that this or the other thing might +happen to him. Though the world never needed more careful rule than +at the present time, lords and princes, simply because they are such, +idly sit adorned with beautiful crowns, though they have received +their trust from God to discharge their princely office. For the +world must be governed, the youth must be educated, the wicked must +be punished. But if thou desirest the honor only, and art not willing +to step in the mire, to suffer people's displeasure, and through it +all learn to trust God and for his sake do everything, thou art not +worthy of the grace given for the accomplishment of a good and +praiseworthy work. In punishment, resting under God's wrath, thou +must remain unfit for every good work.</p> + +<blockquote>III. "Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring +lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom withstand +stedfast in your faith."</blockquote> + +<p>43. The apostle has set forth two things to be practiced throughout +the Christian life; namely, Christian humility—which is fear of +God—and faith and confidence in God. Now he admonishes his readers +to battle and warfare, that these blessings may be preserved. He +shows us our enemy and adversary who seeks to rob us of our treasure +and deprive us of our salvation and eternal blessedness. Hence he +would say: Be not concerned about living a life of earthly glory, and +let not anxious cares fill your soul. But be intent on humbling +yourselves before God. Trust in him. Let this be your care, that you +may abide in the grace of humility. Let it never be wrested from you. +For the devil seeks to instill these forbidden cares, and to produce +disobedience against God, that he may tear faith and God's Word out +of your heart.</p> +<br> + +<h4>WATCHFULNESS ENJOINED.</h4> + +<p>Therefore, you must not ignore these facts, and meanwhile strive +after something else. You are not to go along in false security or +sleep and snore as though there were no danger. You must rather know +that you have not been placed in a garden of roses here, but in the +midst of heavy conflicts, where you must be on your guard, always +watchful and prepared for resistance. For you have an adversary who +is not insignificant or to be despised, but is strong, mighty, and +moreover wicked and ferocious. He does not fight with stone and wood, +destroying rocks and trees, but he has his eye fixed on you +Christians. He never grows tired or weary, but without rest and +ceasing he pursues you; not only to spy upon you and to harass you, +in which he can be withstood, but he desires utterly to devour you.</p> + +<p>44. His sole purpose and plan is to murder and destroy men, +spiritually and bodily; even as, at the beginning, when man had been +created, he led and cast him into death. He practices his schemes +with awful and deadly effect in the world against those who do not +believe in Christ, and he will never stop until the judgment day. One +can perceive his incessant activity. He bustles about and openly +raves and roars against all Christendom. He uses for his purpose the +Turks, and other tyrants and godless people, not to speak of the +sorrow and murder he works by so possessing people that in their +frenzy they do themselves injury, or without cause murder others. He +otherwise, through wicked and shameful snares, leads men into +misfortune and sorrow.</p> + +<p>In short, the world is nothing else than the devil's murderous cave, +both spiritually and physically. God, in order to somewhat hinder and +restrain physical murder, has ordained temporal government, parental +and other authority. These in their office are to be sober, watchful, +and diligent. We ought to thank God for his preservation of such +authority, for otherwise there would be no peace—everywhere on earth +nothing but murder. Nevertheless, the awful murder the devil +perpetrates on those who are without God's Word and faith, is not +thereby checked.</p> + +<p>45. Some other defense and protection, then, another kind of +watchfulness, must be sought, in order that men may remain +undestroyed and unharmed in the presence of this bloodthirsty +murderer. Of this Peter speaks here to the little company of +Christians, and says: Ye, through Christ's blood and death rescued +from the devil's lies and murderous intent, have been made alive and +have been transplanted into the heavenly life, like your beloved +fathers, Adam, Abel, and others. They are no longer under bondage to +Satan, but live in Christ, though the body lie for a time in the +earth and truth and life must be supplied to their body and soul. But +because ye still dwell in the world, ye are exposed to all danger. +Physically, ye are yet in the murderer's house; therefore ye must +take good heed, that he may not kill you again, and murder your souls +dwelling in these mortal bodies. It shall harm you none that the soul +was ruined and the body is yet subject to death. "Because I live," +says Christ (Jn 14, 19), "ye shall live also." However, ye must +struggle if ye are to abide in the truth and life. To this ye are +appointed whilst ye live here on earth; otherwise ye would already be +in Paradise. But the devil has not yet been consigned wholly to the +punishment of his damnation, which will be at the last day, when he +will finally be cast down from his airy height, and from the earth, +into the abyss of hell. Then he will no more be able to attack us, +and there will no longer be cloud or veil between us and God and the +angels.</p> +<br> + +<h4>SOBERNESS ESSENTIAL.</h4> + +<p>46. In order, now, he continues, that ye may be saved from his +murderous designs, and may preserve the life you have begun, ye must +be sober and watchful; not only mindful of the body, but much rather +of the mind and soul. It is true that a Christian who is to resist +the devil must be physically sober, for a full hog and drunkard +cannot be watchful nor can he plan defense against the devil. Yet +must a Christian much more guard himself, lest the soul become sleepy +or drunken. As the soul is burdened by the body when the latter is +overwhelmed by drunkenness, so, when the soul is watchful and sober, +the body also is temperate and prepared to hear God's Word. But where +the body is oppressed by drunkenness, there the soul must first have +been a drunkard, not heeding God's Word nor giving attention to +prayer. Where the soul is drunken and drowned in such security, it +will not avail that the body suffer hurt by strict fasting and +self-mortification, after the fashion of the Carthusians and hermits.</p> + +<p>47. Saint Peter, then, forbids not only bodily drunkenness, but also +drunkenness of the soul. One's soul is drunk when he lives in carnal +security, without thought and anxiety as to whether he have and hold +God's Word or not; when he asks no questions, either about God's +wrath or his grace; and when he, moreover, lets himself be filled +with the sweet poison of false doctrine through the mob of evil +spirits Satan employs for this purpose, until he grows numb, loses +faith and clear judgment and finally becomes overfull of drunkenness +and spews it out upon others.</p> + +<p>48. The same thing results when men begin to be wise in divine things +by following human reason. Saint Peter aptly describes this false +doctrine with the expression, "cunningly devised fables," 2 Pet 1, +16. He says: "We did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we +made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." +Such are the beautiful words and sermons which make a great show of +wisdom and holiness, and naturally please men. For instance it is a +cunningly devised fable when one with the aid of philosophy, which +reason can understand, sets forth in grandiloquent words what a fine +thing it is for a man to live honorably, chastely, and to practice +good works and virtues. The aim is, with such pretense, to have us +believe that we, through these works (not alone through faith), are +justified before God; that is, are redeemed from sin and death.</p> + +<p>49. Again, other factious spirits travel about with worthy sayings +which they have heard from us—externals do not help souls; the +Spirit must do the work—and then they proceed to fling contempt on +baptism and the Lord's Supper. So Thomas Münzer, with his seditious +peasants, and the Anabaptist rabble, went about, with great +demonstration, preaching about the shameful, wicked life of the +world, especially of the authorities, declaring that these were +godless people and tyrants, and deserved God's wrath and punishment; +that therefore men should depose and execute them, and establish a +new government, of only pious and holy people.</p> + +<p>These and similar things Peter calls "cunningly devised fables." They +are exaggeratingly pretended to be the product of great wisdom and +art, and are rendered sweet and palatable to reason. So has all +idolatry, heresy, and false doctrine, from the beginning on, +prevailed, being fashioned and most beautifully adorned by people +learned and wise and held in the esteem of the world.</p> + +<p>50. How admirable did the position of Arius and his adherents appear +in comparison with the true faith concerning the divinity of Christ, +when they declared that though Christ should be exalted above all +angels and creatures, and that all honor, dominion and power in +heaven and on earth belong to him, yea, that he is quite equal to +God—all this, yet he is not "homo-ousios"; that is, he is not in one +undivided, divine, eternal essence, which is of such unity that it +could be imparted to no one else. It would be too much to say that a +man is God, etc. With such pretense was a great multitude of +Christians seduced. Even few bishops remained in the pure doctrine +and faith. And afterward this poison prevailed among the wise people +of Asia and Greece, until Mohammed, with his Saracens and Turks, had +miserably corrupted the greatest part of the world.</p> + +<p>51. Likewise the Pope has adorned and colored with a glorious form +his abominations and idolatry, claiming for his order of service that +it is a meritorious and beautiful thing. Again, he calls attention to +the serviceableness of the beautiful, orderly government and power of +the Church, with its well regulated gradations of office and +position—bishops superior to the ordinary priests, and over the +bishops Saint Peter's chair at Rome. In that chair is vested the +authority for the convocation of general councils so often as these +may be necessary. These councils are to judge and decide in all +matters of faith, and their decisions everyone must follow and obey. +Again, he boasts what great service and consolation to the whole +world is the work of the priests in the mass, when they daily renew +and offer to God the sacrifice made by Christ on the cross. This is +the sweet wine in the "golden cup" of the scarlet harlot of Babylon, +with which she has made drunken all kings and nations, Rev 17, 2-4.</p> + +<p>52. Where the devil finds those who give ear to such fables, he takes +them captive and so fills them with these falsehoods that they +neither see nor hear anything else. They think their belief is the +only one, and they will not suffer themselves to be instructed out of +God's Word. And so, in their madness, without rightful intelligence +of faith and all principles of pure doctrine, they continue in their +darkened mind, with their fantastic, lying prattle, without +repentance and amendment, having no grace to learn or do anything +good. This is amply proved by the example of all seditious spirits.</p> + +<p>53. Therefore, Peter admonishes us to be "sober and watchful," +especially in spirit, and to guard ourselves against this sweet +poison and these beautiful, adorned lies and fables of the devil. He +teaches us how to equip and defend ourselves against his wicked +devices.</p> + +<blockquote>IV. "Whom withstand stedfast in your faith."</blockquote> + +<p>54. The true defense and resistance, in which we are to be sober and +watchful, is to be well grounded in God's Word and cling firmly +thereto when the devil seeks, with his cunningly devised fables, born +of human understanding and reason, to overthrow our faith. Reason is +the devil's bride, and always vaunts itself wise and skilful in +divine things, and thinks what it holds to be right and good must be +accounted so before God. But faith holds to God's Word alone. It +knows that before God, human wisdom, skill and power, and whatever +gifts and virtues man may have, count for nothing. Only his grace and +the forgiveness of sins in Christ has value. Therefore, faith can +repel and defeat all these fine pretensions and cunning fables.</p> + +<p>55. Worldly dominion and authority boasts before God in this fashion: +My crown is a crown in God's sight, for my power and sovereignty have +been given me by God. Therefore, whatever I say he must respect and +regard as valid, and everyone must endorse my words and actions.</p> + +<p>The wise philosopher or jurist would thus give expression to his +boasts and pretensions: We are the learned, the wise rulers of the +world, and have admirable laws and statutes. We have superior and +beautiful doctrines concerning good works and virtues. Men must +listen to us and allow our judgment to have precedence. He who can +do, or does, such things as we have done is, in God's sight, superior +to others.</p> +<br> + +<h4>FAITH, NOT WORLDLY WISDOM, ESSENTIAL.</h4> + +<p>56. No, dear man, says faith to this, I grant that the things of +which thou boastest have been ordained and confirmed by God; but they +are not of value save for this temporal life. The world regards it a +crown to be known as wise. But in the presence of God thou shouldst +lay aside thy crown, let thy might and power, thy law and wisdom, go, +and say: God, be merciful to me a poor sinner! Reason has this +advantage, that it is equipped and adorned with God's promise to +confirm its rule here on earth and to be pleased therewith; but with +the provision that reason shall not interfere in God's government, or +boast over against him. Let it be known that what is called wisdom +and prudence on earth, is foolishness before God. What in the sight +of the world is commended and honored as beautiful, valuable, as of +honor and virtue, is before God sin, and subject to his wrath. What +on earth is called life, is before God nothing but death.</p> + +<p>57. If, now, the parental, governmental, and other authority which +he, himself, has arrayed and through his word established, and which +is even administered by Christians, does not endure before him in +that other life, how much less will he allow that to stand which man +has devised or subtly contrived out of his own head and heart! +Wouldst thou be wise and prudent, then cultivate these virtues in the +sphere appointed thee, in thy home, the State, and whatever office +thou hast. In these temporal things, rule as well as thou canst. Thou +wilt find little enough to help in all thy books, thy reason and +wisdom. But when thou beginnest to devise out of thine own reason the +things of God, though they may all seem trustworthy wisdom, yet, as +Peter says, they are nothing else than fables and lies.</p> + +<p>58. For example, a monk's words: Whoever dons a cowl can lead a holy +life, for he is cut off from the world, can banish all care and +sorrow, and can undisturbed, in peace and quietness, serve God—these +words appear wisely spoken, but at bottom they are nothing but +unreliable and useless chatter. This is proved from God's Word, which +teaches that God has forbidden us to invent our own worship; also, +that God would have us serve him in our ordinary life and station and +not by fleeing therefrom. Hence, such monkery can not be a holy, +godly life. In Psalm 119, 85, we read: "The proud have digged pits +for me, who are not according to thy law." That is, they preach to me +about praiseworthy things, and represent their cause as most worthy, +in order to overcome me. But when I look at their words aright, I do +not find them to be in accord with thy Word and commandments, which +(says he) "are faithful." A lie is always beautiful. It attracts and +pretends to be truth. It has, further, the advantage that it can +adorn itself from the wardrobe of God's Word, and, perverting the +Word, can use it in an uncertain sense. On the other hand, the truth +does not so glitter, because it does not make itself plain to reason. +For example, a common Christian, a type of the brethren, hears the +Gospel, believes, uses the sacraments, leads a Christian life at home +with wife and children—that does not shine as does the fascinating +lie of a saintly Carthusian or hermit, who, separated from his fellow +men, would be a holier servant of God than other people. Yet the +latter is useful to nobody. He lets others preach and rule, and labor +in the sweat of their brows.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOD'S WORD THE CHRISTIAN'S GUIDE.</h4> + +<p>59. The one important thing, then, is to see to it that we have God's +Word, and that we regulate all the teachings and claims of men in +accordance therewith. We will thus distinguish between the true and +the false. We must remember, also, that human reason holds a far +inferior position to faith and is not to be acknowledged as +trustworthy, save as it is authorized by God for temporal authority. +He who has faith can easily perceive when reason conflicts with God's +Word or seeks, in its wisdom, to rise superior thereto; just as, in +worldly things, each one in his station, office, or calling, knows +full well, when another attempts the same work, whether he does it +right or not. So every householder well understands that in his home +wantonness and wrong-doing on the part of the servants are not to be +tolerated. However, in divine things, reason can so attire and adorn +itself as not to be recognized except by one who, guided by faith, +has a right knowledge of God's Word.</p> + +<p>Reason will not refrain from intruding, with its wisdom and prudence, +into the affairs of God, where it has no orders. Thus the devil +creates endless misery, as he did at the beginning in the case of our +first parents. And yet reason will not permit, in its own domain, the +slightest interference of one unskilled in reason's code.</p> + +<p>60. If a cobbler were to arise in the Church and censure the people +because they did not wear his make of shoes, and should try to +convince people that such a procedure was necessary to salvation, +they would pursue him out of the Church with shoes and slippers, and +cry after him: Stay at home in your shop with your shoes and lasts! +What does that concern the spiritual estate?</p> + +<p>But when a factious spirit stands up and in his supposed wisdom +grunts forth: I am a holy, pious man. I have a special illumination +from the spirit. Therefore do not believe what the others say, which +is nothing but the dead letter, that one person can be God and man; +that a virgin can be a mother; that a man can be cleansed from sin by +water and the spoken Word, etc.,—when he does this, then there is no +one to offer resistance. Reason then gains the victory if it only +claims the glory of guidance by the Spirit, of a holy life, etc., +even though God's Word and faith are not present in their purity. +Behold, what mischief the Turk, with his Mohammed, has wrought and is +still working, solely by claiming the honor of worshipping the one +God, and asserting that he alone has the true God! He declares that +only he and his followers are God's people on earth, to honor which +God they war and fight against the Christians. He presses his cause +the more vigorously because he has such large fortune and victory; so +even many Christians who come among them adopt their faith and become +Turks. But none of the Turks turn Christian.</p> + +<p>61. Therefore, no other counsel can be offered for resisting the +devil and escaping destruction by him, than this, that we remain +firm in faith, says Saint Peter. One must have a heart which holds +fast to God's Word and fully understands the same and holds it to be +true. For faith cannot exist or endure without the Word, nor can it +hear or understand aught else. One must separate the Word far from +all reason and wisdom, placing it above these. He must hold reason as +nothing—yea, as dead—in matters pertaining to God's government and +to how man is to escape sin and eternal death. Reason must keep +silent and give to God's Word alone the honor which belongs to the +truth, "bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of +Christ," as Saint Paul says, 2 Cor 10, 5. If reason is to be my +teacher in these things, what need is there of faith? And why should +I not throw away all the Scriptures? We Christians, says Paul (1 Cor +1, 20-21), preach something else and higher than reason comprehends, +for the wisdom of the world is mere folly. If reason taught me that +the mother of Christ is a virgin, the angel Gabriel might have +remained in heaven and kept silent concerning the matter. Your faith, +says Paul again (1 Cor 2, 4), should not stand in the wisdom of men, +but in the power of God. Now you have seen the tricks and wiles of +the devil with which he seeks to devour you, which he bases on reason +as opposed to God's Word.</p> + +<p>62. Peter admonishes all Christians, especially the preachers, how to +defend themselves against the devil's intrigues and artifices, with +which he seeks to capture them. In order that Christians may be +properly equipped, Saint Peter calls attention to two things: First, +we must know the enemy and realize his purpose; second, we must be +armed to meet him and defend ourselves, that we may stand before him +and conquer. He is a terrible, mighty foe, says Peter, and is the god +of this world. He has more wisdom and more deceptive snares than all +men, and can so blind and unsettle reason that it will cheerfully +believe and follow him.</p> + +<p>He is, moreover, a wicked and bitter enemy to you who in Christ have +life. He cannot bear to see you Christ's. He thinks and plots about +nothing else than your overthrow. And think not that he is far from +you, or that he will pursue you from a distance. He has encamped +close to you and right around you; yea, in your own territory—that +is, in your flesh and blood. There he seeks how to reach you, and +overtake you when unguarded, attempting now this, now that. Misguided +faith, doubt, anger, impatience, covetousness, evil passions, etc., +are points of attack—any place where he finds an opening or +discovers that you are weak. Therefore, think not that he is simply +jesting. He is more furious and hungry than a famished and angry +lion. He does not purpose merely to wound or prick you, but wholly to +consume you, so that nothing of body or soul will remain.</p> + +<p>63. Whoever would withstand such a foe must be equipped with other +armor and weapons than those furnished by human wit and +understanding, by human powers or ability. Your defense is nothing +else, says Peter, than faith, which holds and grasps God's Word. And +because the believer holds fast to this, the devil can gain nothing. +It is God's truth and power, before which, with his lying and +murdering, he cannot stand; he must yield and flee. Therefore +Ephesians 6, 16 says: "Taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye +shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one." These +fiery darts are chiefly those he hurls into the heart through the +beautiful thoughts of human reason. He thus transforms himself into +an angel of light, to displace right thoughts and faith, and to +introduce human whims and false faith. His aim is, also, to lead into +doubt, distrust, hatred, and anger toward God.</p> + +<p>Thus it is, too, in the other temptations and trials of life, when +Satan drives men into sin and disobedience against God's commandment, +into such sins as avarice, usury, anger, revengefulness, unchastity, +and other vices. Here he uses the same insidious arts, first tearing +God's Word out of the heart, then blinding reason with sweet and +beautiful thoughts. He says: The thing proposed is not so wicked. God +will not be so angry with you. He can afford to be patient with you, +you still love the Gospel. With such suggestions as these he carries +you away and plunges you under God's fearful anger and condemnation.</p> + +<p>64. If you would withstand these wiles, there can be no other plan or +counsel than this: Fight with God's Word in firm faith against these +suggestions and allurements. Further, keep in mind both your former +misery and your present treasures of grace. Remember how you were +once under God's wrath when, without fear of God and without faith, +you were the devil's own, subject to all his will, and must have +perished had not God, in boundless goodness, forgiven you your sin +and bestowed on you his grace. And now give heed that you may not +lose this treasure, to which end the Holy Spirit has been promised +you. You need not succumb if you remain in faith. Again, if you +experience weakness and suffer want, you are bidden to call upon him, +certain that he will hear you. The promise is: "If ye shall ask +anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name," Jn 16, 23. +Also: "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever +ye will, and it shall be done unto you," Jn 15, 7.</p> + +<p>65. Peter would, with his admonitions, make Christians bold and +confident for resisting the temptations of the devil and defending +themselves. He would not have us feel terrified nor despair before +Satan, even though that wicked one press us hard through the +instrumentality of the world and of our own flesh, as well as by his +direct onslaughts. We are not to fear though he seem too strong for +us, and though surrender to his prowess seems inevitable. We are to +have a manly heart and fight valiantly through faith. We must be +assured that, if we remain firm in the faith, we shall have strength +and final victory. The devil shall not defeat us; we shall prove +superior to him.</p> + +<p>We have been called of God and made Christians to the end that we +renounce the devil and contend against him, and thus maintain God's +name, Word, and kingdom against him. Christ, our head, has already, +in himself, smitten and destroyed for us the devil and his power. In +addition, he gives us faith and the Holy Spirit, whereby we can +wholly defeat Satan's further wickedness and his attempts to +overthrow us.</p> + +<p>66. A Christian should bear all this in mind, I say, and learn to +experience the strength and power of faith. So will he not yield to +temptation and enticement. Nor will he, from love of the devil or the +world, to his own eternal hurt, and for the sake of small temporal +advantage, pleasure, or honor, cast from him God's grace and the Holy +Spirit, and put himself again under God's eternal anger and +condemnation.</p> + +<blockquote>V. "Knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your +brethren who are in the world."</blockquote> + +<p>67. This is a very precious and comforting passage, the truth of +which Peter learned not only by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but +from his own experience. One instance of his experience was when, in +the high-priest's house, he thrice denied his Lord, and soon +thereafter fell into such anxiety and despair that he would have +followed the traitor Judas had not Christ turned and looked on him. +It was for this reason that Christ, so soon after his resurrection, +first of all commanded that the glad tidings should be announced to +Peter. Christ also said to him, before all this happened: "Simon, ... +I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, +when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren," Lk 22, +31-32.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CONDUCT IN SUFFERING.</h4> + +<p>Peter makes faithful use of the present passage for his readers' +comfort: Ye must expect, in the world, says he, to suffer many and +severe things, both in temptations of soul and body, against the +first and the second table of the law, Satan lying in wait for you +with his deceitful and murderous arts.</p> + +<p>68. Weak Christians suffer beyond measure because they are plagued +and beset so constantly by the devil. Their afflictions so sorely +oppress them that they conclude that no one suffers so severely as do +they. Especially does this seem the case in the great spiritual +temptations which come to those endowed with peculiar gifts and who +are called to positions of prominence in the Church. So Paul often +laments his great temptations, which the common people do not +understand and cannot endure. God, moreover, is careful to lay on +each one just the cross he is able to carry. Still these sufferings +are such that even the great and strong must languish and wither +beneath them were it not for the comfort God bestows. These troubles +grip the heart, and consume the very marrow, as the Psalms often +lament.</p> + +<p>69. Some of those living in cloisters, and other pious, tender +consciences, have learned by experience how hard such burdens are to +bear, especially in the darkness of the papacy, where they receive +but little genuine comfort. There are, also, some inexperienced and +forward spirits who have seen but have not understood these things, +and who yet desire to be regarded as people of large experience. +When, however, the test comes, they are found wanting. It is related +of one of this class, who heard others bemoaning their temptations, +that he prayed God to let temptation visit him also; whereupon God +permitted him to be tempted with carnal lust. But when he found he +could not bear it, he again prayed God, asking that the burden of his +brother, whom he regarded inferior to himself, be given him. But when +this request was granted, he prayed yet more earnestly that God would +give him back his former burden.</p> + +<p>70. Amid such temptations Peter comforts suffering Christians by +telling them that they are not the first, nor the only ones, to be +thus assailed. They are not to feel as if it were a wonderful, rare, +unheard of cross which they bear, or that they bear it alone. They +are to know that their brethren, the Christians of all times, and +scattered through all the world, must, because they are in the world, +suffer the same things at the hand of Satan and his minions. It +assuages and comforts beyond measure for the sufferer to know that he +does not suffer alone, but with a great multitude.</p> + +<p>71. It is true that in external temptations this comfort is easily +grasped, because of the knowledge of others' experiences. But when +Satan assails thee alone with his poisonous darts—for example, when +he tempts thee to doubt God's grace, as if thou alone hadst been cast +off; or when he suggests horrible blasphemies, hatred of God, +condemnation of his government, and so tortures and fills with +anguish thy heart that thou art led to think that no man on earth is +more fearfully assailed than thyself—then there is need to make use +of this comfort which Peter offers thee and all Christians. In other +words, Peter would say: "My friend, let not the devil and thy +sufferings terrify thee or lead thee to despair. Thou shouldst know +this for a certainty, that thou sufferest not alone. No matter how +shamefully he attacks thee, he has done and is doing the same to +others."</p> + +<p>The devil seeks, not only our own destruction, but also that of all +Christendom. It is ever his purpose to tear out of men's hearts, in +the midst of their sufferings, God's Word and faith. He would rob +them of their comfort in Christ, and depict God in the most horrible +and hostile light, that the heart may have not one kind thought +regarding him. And he can do this; not only with lofty, refined, +subtle thoughts, but also by gross suggestions from without, before +which a man must fear and shudder. I, myself, saw and heard a girl +who complained of a temptation of this nature; namely, that while she +stood in the church and saw the sacrament elevated, the thought +occurred to her: Lo, what a big knave the priest is elevating. And +she was suddenly so frightened at the terrible thought that she sank +to the floor.</p> + +<p>72. Such terror and anxiety proceed from the fact that one imagines +that no one else has ever experienced such dreadful assaults. He +thinks he has a special, strange, and unusual affliction. Although it +is true that men's temptations differ and come from different sources +and one may imagine his own a peculiar kind, yet the sufferings and +temptations of all Christians are alike in this, that the devil tries +to drive them all from the fear and confidence of God into unbelief, +contempt, hatred, and blasphemy against God. Therefore, the apostles +are accustomed to call Christians' sufferings a fellowship in pain +and tribulations. They point all men who suffer to the agonies of +Christ our Lord, as the head and exemplar. Peter says in his first +epistle, ch. 1, 11: "The Spirit of Christ ... testified beforehand +the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them." +And Paul says, "I fill up on my part that which is lacking of the +afflictions of Christ in my flesh," Col 1, 24.</p> + +<p>73. If one would speak of specially severe sufferings, surely no +human heart can comprehend, much less tell, how great and heavy were +the anxiety and sorrow of our first parents on account of their +miserable fall. And what sorrow must Adam have witnessed during the +nine hundred years of his life in the experiences of his first son +Cain, and his children! No man has ever borne such a burden as lay on +both parents for nearly a hundred years after Abel's death, until +their third son was born. Truly, these nine hundred years were a +period of sorrow and misery.</p> + +<p>Perhaps, on the last day, we shall discuss with this our father the +solitary suffering of that time, of which we know nothing. And we +shall willingly confess that in sorrow's school he stands far above +us and we have been only insignificant pupils. It must have been most +severe and dangerous for him, since he had no example before him of +similar suffering with which to comfort himself.</p> + +<p>74. Likewise, if thou couldst rightly understand what the other holy +patriarchs, the prophets and apostles—especially Paul and Peter—and +later all the beloved martyrs and saints, have endured thou wouldst +be forced to say that all thy temptation and suffering are nothing in +comparison. But above all these must we reckon the experiences of the +Lord Christ, whose heart was so pierced by Satan's fiery darts and +bitter thrusts that the bloody drops of sweat were pressed out of his +body. He has gone before and surpassed us on the way of sorrow. We, +with all our suffering, can only follow his footsteps.</p> +<br> + +<h4>OF TEMPTATION.</h4> + +<p>75. Therefore, learn well this saying of Peter, and think not that +thou alone endurest this severe, fearful temptation and these +onslaughts of the devil. Remember that thy brethren, not only they +who are dead—who also have set thee a good example—but also those +who live with thee in the world, have suffered and do suffer such +terror and distress. For they have the very same enemy Christ and all +Christendom have. Thou canst be glad and shout: God be praised! I am +not the only one that suffers, but with me there is a great +multitude, all Christians on earth, my beloved brothers and sisters, +even down to the last who shall walk this earth. And in this passage +Peter comforts and strengthens me, as Christ commanded him, who also +has tasted of these sorrows, and, indeed, in far greater measure than +I and others have.</p> + +<p>76. I have at times thought, in my trials, that I should like to +argue with Peter and Paul as to whether they were tried more severely +than I. For, when he can do nothing else, the devil resorts to the +plan of leading a man to fix his attention solely on his own +affliction, and oppresses him with the thought: No man has been so +cast off by God, or has sunk so deep into anxiety and distress. The +devil has often so wearied me with such arguments that at length I +could offer no further opposition to him, but simply turned him over +to Christ, who can quickly silence him with arguments. If we have not +Christ with us, Satan proves far too strong for us. We cannot silence +him. He soon renders helpless all our skill, and slays us with our +own sword.</p> + +<p>77. Ah, these seditious leaders and other self-secure spirits are +poor, miserable people, who know nothing at all of this conflict! +They drown in their own imaginations, and think they are perfect. And +some of them are so shameless and without fear as to blaspheme, +saying that God himself could not take their virtue from them. The +devil simply strengthens them in these thoughts, and hardens them the +more. This very thing is a sign that they do not yet know the devil; +they are already blinded and taken captive by him, so that he can +ruin them when he pleases.</p> + +<p>78. Genuine Christians are not thus self-confident and boastful when +they are attacked. In severe conflicts and anxieties they labor that +the devil may not deprive them of the sword. I know that I am learned +and have seen something of what the devil can do; but I must bear him +witness, from my daily experience, that he can overcome me unless I +am well established in faith and have Christ in my heart. Thomas +Münzer was so firm and inflexible, as he thought, that he dared to +say that he would not behold Christ, if he did not himself wish to +speak with him. But at last, when the devil began to attack him, men +saw what his pride and boasts were. No, they are not the ones to +accomplish anything, who go about so boastful, as if they had +consumed the devil. They do not see that they, themselves, were long +since devoured seven times over by him and are held fast in his jaws.</p> + +<p>79. The heretic Arius was also secure and proud enough against the +pious bishops and Christians. Yea, when he was punished for his error +by his bishop, and admonished to desist, he became the more +obstinate. He complained about the bitter persecution to which he was +subjected. But his suffering was that they would not approve his +horrible blasphemy. Just so in every age the heretics and +blasphemers, yea, even open murderers and tyrants, pose as martyrs +when they are not permitted to run against God's Word and against +pious people. So confident do they try to be that they have no fear +of God. They count the devil a dead bee until, at length, he suddenly +seizes and destroys them in a moment.</p> + +<p>80. But the poor, tempted Christians have need of the comfort and the +strength furnished by God's Word. They must anxiously contend lest +they lose, in their hours of severe temptation, God, Christ, faith, +and Our Father. Therefore, the mission intrusted to Peter, to +strengthen his brethren, is most needful. So the same comfort was +necessary in his own temptations, and he was even given it beforehand +by Christ, who declared that he had prayed for him that his faith +might not be extinguished nor fail, which faith, however, from the +time of his denial on to the third day did almost die, and scarcely +the smallest spark remained.</p> + +<p>Hence he now, as a true apostle, comforts those who are in the like +fears and straits of a sinking and expiring faith. He says to all the +suffering and comfortless: My dear brother, think not that thou alone +sufferest distress and temptation. Many of thy brethren have suffered +quite as heavily, perhaps more heavily. I, myself, have been as weak +as thou canst ever be. If thou dost not believe this, look and see +what occurred in the house of Caiaphas, the high-priest, when I, who +protested my readiness to go with Christ into prison and death, at a +word spoken to me by a maid, fell, and denied and abjured most +shamefully my beloved Lord. For three whole days I lay in misery. I +had no one to comfort me and none who suffered equally with myself. I +had no consolation except that my dear Master gave me, with his eyes, +one friendly look.</p> + +<p>81. Therefore, no one should regard his distress and need as too +heavy and fearful, as if it were an entirely new thing, something +which had never been experienced by others. To thee it may be +something new and untried. But look about thee, at the great +multitude of the Church, from the beginning until this hour. The +Church has been set in the world to suffer the attacks of the devil, +and without ceasing it must be sifted as wheat, as Christ's words +suggest, Luke 22, 31.</p> + +<p>My friend, thou hast not yet seen nor experienced what our first +parents endured their whole life long, and after them all the holy +fathers until Christ. Peter, also, has been farther in this school +than I and thou, and I would say that the same temptation as his +could hardly be found. Paul says of him and the beloved apostles (1 +Cor 4, 9): "For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of +all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the +world, both to angels and men"—so that Satan may torment us +according to his will, and thus work out his pleasure upon us. And +what are the sufferings of all men combined when compared with +Christ's agony and conflict, in that he sweat blood for thee?</p> + +<p>82. When the devil plagues and assails thee with his manifold +temptations, refer him to Christ, with whom to dispute about the +severe temptations, the death struggle, the anguish of hell, etc. +Comfort thyself that thou art one of a great company of sufferers, +past present and future. O beautiful, glorious company! All under one +lord and head, who took from the devil his power and hell-fire. In +short, thy affliction cannot prove so great that thou wilt not find +it paralleled in the lives of the apostles, prophets, patriarchs and +all the saints, especially of Christ himself; with whom, if we +suffer, let us not doubt, says Paul, that we shall "be also +glorified," Rom 8, 17.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm6"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Fourth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Romans 8, 18-22.</center> + +<blockquote>18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not +worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to +us-ward. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for +the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected +to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, +in hope 21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the +bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children +of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and +travaileth in pain together until now.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>CONSOLATION IN SUFFERING, AND PATIENCE.<small>*</small></h4> + +<blockquote><small>* This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.</small></blockquote> + +<p>1. Paul's language here is peculiar. He speaks in a manner wholly +different from the other apostles. There is something particularly +strange about the first sentences of the passage. His words must be +faithfully studied and their meaning learned by personal experience. +The Christian life consists altogether in the practice and experience +of what the Word of God tells us. He who has no experimental +knowledge of the Word will have but little conception and +appreciation of Paul's words here. Indeed, they will be wholly +unintelligible to him.</p> + +<p>2. Up to the point where our text begins, Paul has been assuring us +in this epistle that through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we attain +the high privilege of calling God our Father; that the Holy Spirit +bears witness in our hearts of our sonship, and makes us bold enough +to come, by faith in Christ the Mediator, joyfully before God, +trusting him to fill and bless us. Then Paul draws the conclusion, +first, that we are children of God; next, he says: "If children, then +heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." The second +conclusion is the outcome of the first. For the reason that we have +the boldness and assurance to call God our Father in sincerity and +nothing doubting, we are become not only children but heirs, heirs of +God and brethren to Christ, joint-heirs with him. But all this, as +Paul says, is true "if so be that we suffer with him" (verse 17).</p> + +<p>3. The high prerogative of heirship, Paul faithfully enjoins, is +dependent on a sacred duty. Let him who would be Christ's brother, +and joint-heir with him, remember he must also be a joint-martyr and +joint-sufferer with Christ. The apostle's meaning is: Many are the +Christians, indeed, who would be joint-heirs with Christ and gladly +enjoy the privilege of sharing his inheritance, but who object to +suffering with him; they separate themselves from him because +unwilling to participate in his pain. But Paul says this will not do. +The inheritance follows only as a consequence of the suffering. Since +Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, had to suffer before he could be +glorified, we must be martyrs with him, with him be mocked by the +world, despised, spit upon, crowned with thorns and put to death, +before the inheritance will be ours. It cannot be otherwise.</p> + +<p>A consistent sympathy is essential to Christian faith and doctrine. +He who would be Christ's brother and fellow-heir must also suffer +with him. He who would live with Christ must first die with him. The +members of a family not only enjoy good together but also share in +their ills. As the saying is, "He who would be a companion in eating +must also be a companion in labor."</p> + +<p>4. Paul would earnestly admonish us not to become false Christians +who look to find in Christ mere pleasure and enjoyment, but to +remember that if we are to participate in the "eternal weight of +glory" we must first bear the "light affliction, which is for the +moment." 2 Cor 4, 17.</p> + +<p>By the words "if so be that we suffer with him" the writer means that +we are to do more than exercise the sympathy that grieves over +another's misfortune, though such sympathy is binding upon Christians +and is a superior Christian virtue, a work of mercy: we ourselves +must suffer, non solum affectu, sed etiam effectu, that is, we are +overwhelmed by like sufferings. As Christ our Lord was persecuted, we +also must endure persecution. As the devil harassed him, we also must +be harassed unceasingly. And so Satan does torment true Christians. +Indeed, were it not for the restraining hand of the Lord our God, the +devil would suffer us to have no peace. Paul has reference to a +heartfelt sympathy intense enough to enter into actual suffering. He +says to the Hebrews (ch. 10, 32-33): "Ye endured a great conflict of +sufferings; partly, being made a gazing stock both by reproaches and +afflictions."</p> + +<p>5. And in the verse preceding our text he tells us that as our +blissful inheritance through brotherhood and joint-heirship with +Christ is not a mere fancy and false hope of the heart, but a real +inheritance, so our sympathy must amount to real suffering, which we +take upon ourselves as befitting joint-heirs. Now Paul comforts the +Christian in his sufferings with the authority of one who speaks from +experience, from thorough acquaintance with his subject. He seems to +view this life as through obscurities, while beholding the life to +come with clear and unobstructed vision. He says:</p> + +<blockquote>"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy +to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward [in +us]."</blockquote> + +<p>6. Notice how he turns his back to the world and his face to the +future revelation, as if seeing no suffering anywhere, but all joy. +"Even if it does go ill with us," he would argue, "what indeed is our +suffering in comparison with the unspeakable joy and glory to be +revealed in us? It is too insignificant to be compared and unworthy +to be called suffering." We fail to realize the truth of these words +because we do not see with our bodily eyes the supreme glory awaiting +us; because we fail to grasp fully the fact that we shall never die +but shall have a body that cannot suffer nor be ill. If one could +conceive the nature of this reward he would be compelled to say: +"Were it possible for me to suffer ten deaths by fire or flood, that +would be nothing in comparison to the future life of glory. What is +temporal suffering, however protracted, contrasted with eternal life? +It is not worthy to be called suffering or to be esteemed +meritorious."</p> + +<p>7. In this light does Paul regard suffering, as he says, and he +admonishes Christians to look upon it similarly. Then shall they find +the infinite beyond all comparison with the finite. What is a single +penny measured by a world of dollars? though this is not an +appropriate comparison since the things compared are both perishable. +The suffering of the world is always to be counted as nothing +measured by the glorious and eternal possessions yet to be ours. "I +entreat you, therefore, beloved brethren," Paul would say, "to fear +no sufferings, not even should it be your lot to be slain. For if you +are actually joint-heirs, it must be your fortune, a part of your +inheritance, to suffer with others. But what is your pain measured by +the eternal glory prepared for you and obtained by the sacrifice of +your Savior Jesus Christ? It is too insignificant to be contrasted." +So Paul makes all earthly suffering infinitely small—a drop, a tiny +spark, so to speak; but of yonder hoped-for glory he makes a +boundless ocean, an illimitable flame.</p> + +<p>8. Why cannot we take his view of the insignificance of our +afflictions and the magnitude of the future glory? The extravagance +of our conduct is apparent in the fact that but a harsh word uttered +by one to his fellow will make the injured one ready to overturn +mountains and uproot trees in his resentment. To them who are so +unwilling to suffer, Paul's word of encouragement here is wholly +unintelligible. Christians are not to conduct themselves in this +impatient manner. It ill becomes them to make extravagant complaint +and outcry about injustice. "But," you say, "I have truly suffered +injustice." Very well, so be it. But why do you make so much of your +sufferings and never give a thought to what awaits you in heaven? Why +not exalt the future glory also? If you desire to be a Christian, +truly it will not do to conduct yourself in this impatient manner. If +you must air your grievances, surely you may do it quietly and +decorously.</p> + +<p>9. In this life it must be otherwise than in the life of glory. If +you essay to be a joint-heir with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not +suffer with him, to be his brother and are not like unto him, Christ +certainly will not at the last day acknowledge you as a brother and +fellow-heir. Rather he will ask where are your crown of thorns, your +cross, the nails and scourge; whether you have been, as he and his +followers ever have from the beginning of time, an abomination to the +world. If you cannot qualify in this respect, he cannot regard you as +his brother. In short, we must all suffer with the Son of God and be +made like unto him, as we shall see later, or we shall not be exalted +with him in glory.</p> + +<p>10. Upon this same topic Paul addresses also the Galatians (ch. 6, +17): Henceforth let no one confuse me, say nothing to me about the +doctrine that friendship is rewarded on earth; for I bear branded on +my body the marks of my Lord Jesus Christ. His reference is to the +signs in ancient paintings of Christ, where the Savior was +represented as bearing his cross upon his shoulders, with the nails, +the scourge, the crown of thorns and other emblems in evidence. These +marks or signs, Paul instructs, all Christians as well as himself +must exhibit, not painted on a wall but branded in their flesh and +blood. They are made when inwardly the devil affrights and assails us +with all manner of terrors and overwhelming afflictions, and at the +same time outwardly the world slanders us as heretics, laying her +hand to our throats whenever possible and putting us to death.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE REWARD.</h4> + +<p>Such marks, or scars, for Christ the Lord, Paul admonishes all +Christians to exhibit. Thus he encourages them not to be terrified +though they suffer every conceivable wrong, such as our brethren here +and there have suffered now for several years. But brighter days are +in store for us when once the hour of our enemies and the power of +darkness shall come. Our adversaries annoy us now with malignant +words and slanderous writings, and indeed they may take our lives. So +be it. We must in any event suffer if we are ever to attain true +glory. But what they will secure by putting us to death they +certainly shall experience.</p> + +<p>11. In Paul's reference to the glory that shall be revealed in us +there is a hint as to the cause of man's unwillingness to suffer: +faith is yet weak and fails to descry the hidden glory; that glory is +yet to be revealed in us. Could we but behold it with mortal vision, +what noble, patient martyrs we should be! Suppose one stood on yonder +side of the Elbe with a chest full of gold, offering it to him who +should venture to swim across for it. What an effort would be made +for the sake of that tangible wealth!</p> + +<p>12. Take the case of the adventurous officer. For a few dollars per +month he defies spears and guns, exposing himself to almost certain +death. The merchant hurries to and fro in the world in a frenzied +effort to amass riches, hazarding life and limb, apparently careless +of physical cost so long as God's mercy preserves to him but the +shattered hulk of a body. And what must not one endure at court +before he realizes, if he ever does, the fulfilment of his ambition?</p> + +<p>In temporal things man can do and suffer everything for the sake of +honor, wealth and power, because these are manifest to earthly +vision. But in the spiritual conflict, because the reward is not +discernible to the senses it is very difficult for the old man in us +to believe that God will finally grant us glorious bodies, pure souls +and hearts of gladness, and make us superior to any earthly king. +Indeed, the very reverse of this condition obtains now. Here is one +condemned as a heretic; there one is burned or in some other way put +to death. Glory, wealth and honor are not in evidence now. So it +seems hard for us to resign ourselves to suffering and wait for the +redemption and glory yet unrevealed.</p> + +<p>Again, no hardship is too great for the world to undergo for the sake +of sordid gain; it willingly suffers whatever comes for that which +moth and rust consume and thieves steal.</p> + +<p>13. Paul means to say: "I am certain there is reserved for us +exceeding glory, in comparison wherewith all earthly suffering is +actually of no consideration; only it is not yet manifest." If we +have to face the slightest gale of adversity, or if a trifling +misfortune befalls us, we begin to make outcry, filling the heavens +with our false complaint of a terrible calamity. Were our faith +triumphant, we would regard it but as a small inconvenience to +suffer, even for thirty or forty years or longer; indeed, we should +think our sufferings too trifling to be taken into account. May the +Lord our God only forbear to reckon with us for the sins we have +committed! Why will we have so much to say about great sufferings and +their merits? How utterly unworthy we are of the free grace and +ineffable glory which are ours in the fact that through Christ we +become children and heirs of God, brethren and joint-heirs with +Christ!</p> + +<p>Well may we resolve: "I will maintain a cheerful silence about my +sufferings, boasting not of them nor complaining about them. I will +patiently endure all my merciful God sends upon me, meanwhile +rendering him my heartfelt gratitude for calling me to such +surpassing grace and blessing." But, as I said, the vision of glory +will not enter our hearts because of our weak and miserable flesh, +which allows itself to be more influenced by the present than by the +future. So the Holy Spirit must be our schoolmaster to bring the +matter home to our hearts.</p> + +<p>14. Note particularly how Paul expressly states that the glory is to +be revealed in us. He would remind us that not only such as Peter or +Paul are to participate in the blessing, as we are prone to believe, +but that we and all Christians are included in the word "us." Indeed, +even the merest babe obtains at death, wherein it is a joint-sufferer +with mankind, this unspeakable glory, which the Lord Jesus into whose +death it was baptized has purchased and bestowed upon it. Though in +the life beyond one saint may have more glory than another, yet all +will have the same eternal life. Here on earth men differ in point of +strength, comeliness, intellect, yet all enjoy the same animal life. +So in the other life there will be degrees of radiance or glory, as +Paul teaches (1 Cor 15, 41), yet all will share the same eternal +happiness and joy; there will be one glory for all, for we shall all +be the children of God.</p> + +<p>15. Now the first point of consolation is that we turn our backs upon +all suffering, saying: "What is all my pain, though it were tenfold +greater, compared to the eternal life unto which I am baptized, to +which I am called? My sufferings are not worthy to be so termed in +connection with the exceeding glory to be revealed in me." Paul +magnifies the future glory to make the temporal sufferings the more +insignificant. Then follows:</p> + +<blockquote>"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the +revealing [manifestation] of the sons of God. For the creation was +subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who +subjected it, in hope: [For the creature was made subject to vanity, +not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in +hope;]"</blockquote> + +<p>16. Here is the second point of consolation. Paul holds up as an +example to us the condition of the whole creation. He exhorts us to +endure patiently, as the creature does, all the violence and +injustice we suffer from the devil and the world, and to comfort +ourselves with the hope of future redemption. Remarkable doctrine +this, unlike anything elsewhere found in the Scriptures, that heaven +and earth, sun, moon and stars, leaf and blade, every living thing, +waits with sighing and groaning for the revelation of our glory.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE TRAVAIL OF CREATION.</h4> + +<p>17. Such sighing and agony of the creature is not audible to me, nor +is it to you. But Paul tells us he sees and hears it, not expressed +by one creature alone, but by all God has made. What does he mean? +What is the sighing and longing of creation? It is not that annually +the leaves wither and the fruits fall and decay: God purposes that +every year new fruits shall grow; he decrees the shattering of the +fallen tree. But Paul refers to the creature's unwilling subjection +to the ungodly; "subject to vanity," he phrases it.</p> + +<p>For instance, the blessed sun, most glorious of created things, +serves the small minority of the godly, but where it shines on one +godly man it must shine on thousands and thousands of knaves, such as +enemies of God, blasphemers, persecutors, with whom the world is +filled; also murderers, robbers, thieves, adulterers. To these it +must minister in all their ungodliness and wickedness, permitting its +pure and glorious influence to benefit the most unworthy, most +shameful and abandoned profligates. According to the apostle, this +subjection is truly painful, and were the sun a rational creature +obeying its own volition rather than the decree of the Lord God who +has subjected it to vanity against its will, it might deny every one +of these wicked wretches even the least ray of light; that it is +compelled to minister to them is its cross and pain, by reason of +which it sighs and groans.</p> + +<p>Just as we Christians endure many kinds of injustice and consequently +sigh for and implore help and deliverance in the Lord's prayer, so do +the creatures sigh. Although they have not human utterance, yet they +have speech intelligible to God and the Holy Spirit, who mark the +creatures' sighs over their unjust abuse by the ungodly.</p> + +<p>18. Nowhere else in the Holy Scriptures do we find anything like +Paul's declaration here concerning the earnest expectation and +waiting of the creatures for the revelation of the children of God; +which waiting the apostle characterizes as a sighing in eager desire +for man's redemption. A little later he compares the state of the +creature to a woman in travail, saying it cries out in its anguish. +The sun, moon and stars, the heavens and earth, the bread we eat, the +water or wine we drink, the cattle and sheep, in short, all things +that minister to our comfort, cry out in accusation against the world +because they are subjected to vanity and must suffer with Christ and +his brethren. This accusing cry is beyond human power to express, for +God's created things are innumerable. Rightly was it said from the +pulpit in former times that on the last day all creatures will utter +an accusing cry against the ungodly who have shown them abuse here on +earth, and will call them tyrants to whom they were unjustly +subjected.</p> + +<p>19. Paul presents this example of the creatures for the comfort of +Christians. His meaning is: Be not sorrowful because of your +sufferings; they are small indeed when the ensuing transcendent glory +is considered. You are not alone in your tribulation and your +complaint at injustice; the whole creation suffers with you and cries +out against its subjection to the wicked world. Every bleat of the +flock, every low of the herd, is an outcry against the ungodly as +enemies of God and not worthy to enjoy the creatures' ministrations; +not even to receive a morsel of bread or a drink of water. Along this +line St. Augustine is eloquent. "A miserly wretch," he says, "is +unworthy the bread he eats, for he is an enemy of God."</p> + +<p>Paul tells us the whole creation groans and travails with us, as if +desiring relief from anguish; that it suffers like a woman in +travail. For instance: the heavenly planets would gladly be freed +from serving, yes, in the extent of their anguish would willingly +suffer eclipse; the earth would readily become unfruitful; all waters +would voluntarily sink from sight and deny the wicked world a +draught; the sheep would prefer to produce thorns for the ungodly +instead of wool; the cow would willingly yield them poison rather +than milk. But they must perform their appointed work, Paul says, +because of him who has subjected them in hope. God will finally +answer the cry of creation; he has already determined that after the +six thousand years of its existence now passed, the world shall have +its evening and end.</p> + +<p>20. Had not our parents sinned in paradise, the world would never be +dissolved. But since man has fallen in sin, we all—the whole +creation—must suffer the consequence; because of our sins, creation +must be subjected to vanity and dissolution. During the six thousand +years, which are as nothing compared to eternal life, all created +things must be under the power of a condemned world, and compelled to +serve with all their energies until God shall overthrow the entire +world and for the elect's sake purify again and renew the creature, +as Peter teaches. 2 Pet 3, 13.</p> + +<p>21. The sun is by no means as gloriously brilliant as when created. +Because of man's ungodliness its brightness is to an extent dimmed. +But on the day of visitation God will cleanse and purify it by fire +(2 Pet 3, 10), giving it a greater glory than it had in the +beginning. Because it must suffer in our sins, and is obliged to +shine as well for the worst knave as the godly man, even for more +knaves than godly men, it longs intensely for the day when it shall +be cleansed and shall serve the righteous alone with its light.</p> + +<p>Neither would the earth produce thistles nor thorns were it not +cursed for our sins. So it, with all creatures, longs for the day +when it shall be changed and renewed.</p> + +<p>22. This is the explanation of Paul's remarkable declaration +concerning the "earnest expectation of the creation." The creature +continually regards the end of service, and freedom from slavery to +the ungodly. This event will not take place before the revealing of +the sons of God; therefore the earnestly expectant creation desires +that revelation to come without delay, at any moment. Until such +manifestation the world will not consider godly souls as children of +the Father, but as children of the devil. So it boldly abuses and +slanders, persecutes and puts to death, God's beloved children, +thinking it thereby does God service. In consequence the whole +creation cries: "Oh, for a speedy end of this calamity, and the +dawning of glory for the children of God!"</p> + +<p>23. We have plain authority for the interpretation of the groaning of +creation in Paul's further words, "the creation was subjected to +vanity, not of its own will." He thus makes all creation—sun and +moon, fire, air, water, heaven and earth with all they +contain—merely poor, captive servants. And whom do they serve? Not +our Lord God; not for the most part his children, for they are a +minority among those ministered unto. To whom, then, is their service +given? To the wicked—to vanity. The created things are not, as they +would be, in righteous service. The sun, for instance, would choose +to shine for Paul, Peter and other godly ones. It begrudges to wicked +characters like Judas, Pilate, Herod, Annas and Caiaphas the least +ray of light; for it is useless service, yielding no good. To serve +Peter and Paul would be productive of pleasure and profit; well may +its benefit be bestowed upon these godly ones. But the sun must shine +as well for the wicked as for the ungodly. Indeed, where it fittingly +serves one godly individual, thousands abuse its service.</p> + +<p>The case is similar with gold and other minerals, and with all the +articles of food, drink and clothing. To whom do these minister? +Wicked desperadoes, who in return blaspheme and dishonor God, condemn +his holy Gospel and murder his Christians. This is wasted service.</p> + +<p>24. So Paul says, "The creature was made subject to vanity;" it must +render service against its consent, having no pleasure therein. The +sun does not shine for the purpose of lighting a highway robber to +murder. It would light him in godly deeds and errands of mercy; but +since he follows not these things the service of the blessed sun is +abused and that creature ministers with sincere unwillingness. But +how is it to avoid service?</p> + +<p>A wicked tyrant, a shameful harlot, may wear gold ornaments. Is the +gold responsible for its use? It is the good creature of the Lord our +God and fitted to serve righteous people. But the precious product +must submit to accommodating the wicked world against its will. Yet it +endures in hope of an end of such service—such slavery. Therein it +obeys God. God has imposed the obligation, that man may know him as a +merciful God and Father, who, as Christ teaches (Mt 5, 45), makes his +sun to rise on the evil and the good. For the Father's sake the +blessed sun serves wickedness, performing its service and bestowing +its favors in vain. But God in his own good time will reckon with +those who abuse the glorious sunlight and other creatures, and will +richly recompense the created things for their service.</p> + +<p>25. Beloved, Paul thus traces the holy cross among all creatures; +heaven and earth and all they contain suffer with us. So we must not +complain and excessively grieve when we fare ill. We must patiently +wait for the redemption of our bodies and for the glory which is to +be revealed in us; especially when we know that all creatures groan +in anguish, like a woman in travail, longing for the revealing of the +sons of God. For then shall begin their redemption, when they shall +not be slaves to wickedness but shall willingly and with delight +serve God's children only. In the meantime they bear the cross for +the sake of God, who has subjected them in hope. Thus we are assured +that captivity will not endure forever, but a time must come when the +creatures will be delivered.</p> + +<p>"Do ye likewise, beloved Christians," Paul would advise, "and reflect +that as the creature will rejoice with you on the last day, so does +it now mourn with you; that not you alone must suffer, but the whole +creation suffers with you and awaits your redemption, a redemption so +great and glorious as to make your sufferings unworthy to be +considered."</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm7"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Fourth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Second Sermon. Text: Romans 8, 18-22.</center> +<br> +<br> +<h4>REDEMPTION OF THE CREATURES.</h4> + +<p>1. We have heard how Paul comforts the Christians in their +sufferings, pointing them to the future inconceivable and eternal +glory to be revealed in us in the world to come; and how he has, for +our greater consolation, reminded us that the whole creation as one +being suffers in company with the Christian Church. We have noted how +he sees, with the clear, keen eye of an apostle, the holy cross in +every creature. He brings out this thought prominently, telling us it +is not strange we Christians should suffer, for in our preaching, our +reproving and rebuking, we easily merit the world's persecution; but +creation must suffer being innocent, must even endure forced +subjection to the wicked and the devil himself.</p> + +<p>2. Could the sun voice its experience from Adam's time down, what +misery it has witnessed and endured, undoubtedly it would tell of its +heavy cross in being compelled to serve innumerable adulterers, +thieves, murderers, in fact, the devil's whole kingdom. Yet it is a +noble and admirable work of creation, fit to serve only God, angels +and pious Christians, who thank God for it. But it must serve those +who blaspheme and dishonor God and who are guilty of all wickedness +and lawlessness. Notwithstanding its dislike of such service, it is +with every other created thing obedient to God.</p> + +<p>3. This is a fine and comforting thought of the apostle's, that all +creatures are martyrs, having to endure unwillingly every sort of +injustice. The creatures do not approve the conduct of the devil and +of the wicked in their shameful abuse of creation, but they submit to +it for the sake of him who has subjected them to vanity, at the same +time hoping for a better dispensation in the fulfilment of time, when +they shall again be rightly received and abuse be past. Hence Paul +points to another life for all creation, declaring it to be as weary +of this order as we are and to await a new dispensation. By his +reference to the earnest expectation of the creature he means that it +does not expect to remain in its present condition, but with us looks +toward heaven and hopes for a resurrection from this degraded life +into a better one where it will be delivered from the bondage of +corruption, as he says later.</p> + +<p>4. By these sayings Paul gives us to understand that all creation is +to attain a perfection far beyond its present state where with us it +must be subject to tyrants. These tyrants wantonly abuse our +characters, our bodies, our property rights, just as the devil abuses +our souls. But we must suffer our lot, remembering that mankind is +captive on earth in the kingdom of the devil, and all creation with +it. The earth must submit to be trodden and to be cultivated by many +a wicked one, to whom it must yield subsistence. Likewise is this +submission true of the elements—air, fire, water—all creation +having its cross, yet hoping for the end of the dispensation.</p> + +<p>5. There is a refined and comforting perception in the apostle's +exposition where he represents the entire creation as one being, with +us looking forward to entrance upon another life. We are satisfied +that our present life is not all, that we await another and true +life. Likewise the sun awaits the restoration coming to it, to the +earth and all creatures, when they shall be purified from the +contaminating abuse of the devil and the world.</p> + +<p>6. And this condition is to come about when the children of God are +revealed. True, they are God's children on earth, but they have not +yet entered into their glory. Similarly, the sun is not now in +possession of its real glory, for it is subject to evil; it awaits +the appointed time when its servitude shall cease. With all creation +and with the true saints it waits and longs, being meanwhile subject +to vanity—that is, the devil and the wicked world—for the sake of +God alone, who subjects, yet leaves hope that the trial shall not +continue forever.</p> + +<p>7. We are children of God now on earth. We are blessed if we believe +and are baptized, as it is written: "He that believeth and is +baptized shall be saved." Mk 16, 16. And again: "As many as received +him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to +them that believe on his name." Jn 1, 12. Baptism is a visible rite +and we behold with mortal vision those who receive it; the Word of +the Gospel we hear, and we have in ourselves the witness of the Holy +Spirit that our faith, however weak, is acceptable to God. But who +among men recognizes us as children of God? Who will apply the term +to a class imprisoned and tortured and tormented in every conceivable +way, as if they were children of the devil, condemned and accursed +souls?</p> + +<p>8. Not without significance is Paul's assertion that the glory of +God's children is now unmanifest but shall be revealed in them. In +Colossians 3, 3-4 he declares: "Ye died, and your life is hid with +Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, +then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." So long as God's +children are here upon earth they are not arrayed in the garb of his +own, but wear the livery of the devil. It would be fitting for the +children of the devil to be bound, fettered and imprisoned and to +suffer all manner of misfortune; but it does not so come to pass. +They have the world's pleasures. They are wealthy and powerful, have +honor and money in plenty and withal bear God's name and wear the +garb of his children, as if having his approval. Meanwhile they +regard us as heretics and enemies of God. Thus the rightful order of +things is reversed: they who are God's appear to be the devil's, and +the devil's to be God's. This condition is painful to the pious. +Indeed, heaven and earth and all creatures cry out in complaining +protest, unwilling to be subject to evil and to suffer the abuse of +the ungodly; to endure that dishonor of God that opposes the +hallowing of his name, the extension of his kingdom and the execution +of his will on earth as in heaven.</p> + +<p>9. Because God's children are thus unrevealed and denied their true +insignia, all creation, as Paul says, cries out with them for the +Lord God to rend the heavens and come down to distinguish his +children from those of the devil. Considering the unrevealed state of +God's own on earth, the ungodly in their great blindness are not able +to discern them. The doctrine of the righteous which magnifies God's +grace manifest in Christ is by the wicked termed error, falsehood, +heresy and diabolical teaching. So Paul says the whole creation waits +for the manifestation of the children of God.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE CHRISTIAN'S GLORY TO BE REVEALED.</h4> + +<p>John, also, says: "Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not +yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be +manifested, we shall be like him." 1 Jn 3, 2. That is, when our Lord +Jesus Christ comes with his loved angels and we are drawn up into the +clouds to meet him in the air, he will bring to God's children a +glory consistent with their name. They will be far more splendidly +arrayed than were the children of the world in their lifetime, who +went about in purple and velvet and ornaments of gold, and as the +rich man, in silk. Then shall they wear their own livery and shine as +the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Such is the wonderful glory +of the revelation that the radiant beauty of poor Lazarus who lay in +wretchedness at the rich man's gate surpasses all expectation. Upon +this topic, see Wisdom of Solomon, chapter 5, 2ff.</p> + +<p>10. The hope of this wonderful glory, Paul says, is ours and that of +all creation with us, for creation is to be purified and renewed for +our sakes. Then will we be impressed with the grandeur of the sun, +the majesty of the trees and the beauty of the flowers. Having so +much in prospect, we should, in the buoyancy of our hope, attach +little importance to the slight suffering that may be our earthly +lot. What is it compared to the glory to be revealed in us? Doubtless +in yonder life we shall reproach ourselves with the thought: "How +foolish I was! I am unworthy to be called the child of God, for I +esteemed myself all too highly on earth and placed too little value +upon this surpassing glory and happiness. Were I still in the world +and with the knowledge I now have of the heavenly glory, I would, +were it possible, suffer a thousand years of imprisonment, or endure +illness, persecution or other misfortunes. Now I have proven true +that all the sufferings of the world are nothing measured by the +glory to be manifested in the children of God."</p> + +<p>11. We find many, even among nominal Christians, with so little +patience they scarce can endure a word of criticism, even when well +deserved. Rather than suffer from the world some slight reproach, +some trifling loss, for the sake of the Gospel, they will renounce +that Gospel and Christ. But how will it be in the day of revelation? +Beloved, let us be wise now and not magnify our temporal sufferings; +let us patiently submit to them as does creation, according to Paul's +teaching. We may imagine the earth saying: "I permit myself to be +plowed and cultivated for man's benefit, notwithstanding the +Christians whom I bless are in the minority, the great mass of those +profiting by me being wicked men. What am I to do? I will endure the +conditions and permit myself to be tilled because my Creator so +orders; meanwhile I hope for a different order eventually, when I +shall no longer be subject to wickedness and obliged to serve God's +enemies."</p> + +<p>12. Peter also alludes to the new order of creation, saying: "The +heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be +dissolved with fervent heat ... But according to his promise, we look +for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 +Pet 3, 10 and 13. In other words: Here on earth men as a rule are +dishonorable and wicked and obey not the will of the Lord God as it +is done in heaven; but the day will come when only righteousness and +holiness shall dwell on the earth—none but godly, righteous souls. +As in heaven all is righteousness, the devil being banished, so on +the last day, Satan and all the ungodly shall be thrust from the +earth. Then will there be none but holy ones in both heaven and +earth, who will in fullness of joy possess all things. These will be +the elect. This is Peter's meaning in the words, "According to his +promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth +righteousness." Paul adds that all creation waits with us for the +revelation, groaning and crying out in anguish.</p> + +<p>13. But Paul protects the creature from condemnation and reproach for +sinful submission to abuse. He says, in effect: "True, it is subject +to vanity, yet not willingly." Likewise I do not desire to suffer +reproach as a heretic and a deceiver, but I endure it for God's sake, +who permits it. This attitude on my part does not make me partaker of +the sin committed against me by enemies of the truth who reproach me. +The case is the same as that of the creature suffering abuse for the +sake of him who has subjected it. And you Christians are to imitate +the example of creation. The sun seems to say: "Great God, I am thy +creature; therefore I will perform, I will suffer, whatsoever is the +divine will." So when the Lord God sends upon you some affliction and +says, "Endure a little suffering for my sake; I will largely repay +it," you are to say: "Yes, gladly, blessed Lord. Because it is thy +will, I will suffer it with a willing heart."</p> +<br> + +<h4>OF HOPE.</h4> + +<p>It also belongs to the consolation against suffering to be conscious +that the suffering will not last forever, but will sometime have an +end—on the day of judgment, when the godless shall be separated from +the godly. For this life on earth is nothing else than a masquerade +where people walk in masks, and one sees another different than he +is. He who appears to be an angel is a devil, and those considered +the children of the devil are angels and the children of our dear +Lord. Hence it is that they are attacked, plagued, martyred and put +to death as heretics and children of the devil. This masquerade must +be tolerated until the day of judgment; when the wicked will be +unmasked and will no longer be able to pass as holy people.<small>*</small> The +text now continues:</p> + +<blockquote>"That the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of +corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God."</blockquote> + +<blockquote>"[Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the +bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of +God.]"</blockquote> + +<blockquote><small>* This paragraph is from the pamphlet edition of 1535.</small></blockquote> + +<p>14. We Christians are not the only beings to receive deliverance, +Paul declares; the creature in bondage has the same hope of release +as the poor, enslaved human being. Sun, moon and every other created +thing is captive to the devil and to wicked people, and must serve +them in every form of sin and vice. Hence these sigh and complain, +waiting for the manifestation of the children of God, when the devil +and the ungodly shall be thrust into hell, and for all eternity be +denied sight of sun and moon, the enjoyment of a drop of water or a +breath of air, and forever deprived of every blessing.</p> + +<p>15. So the apostle tells us, "Creation itself also shall be delivered +from the bondage of corruption." In other words, creation must now +subserve most shameful ends. Sun, moon and all creatures must be +slaves to the devil and the ungodly because God so desires. He wills +for his beautiful creation to lie at the feet of Satan and his +adherents and to serve them for the present. Likewise many a +sensitive heart is compelled to obey a tyrant or a Turk because the +Lord has imposed that servitude upon it. Some may even have to clean +the Turk's boots, or perform still more menial duties, and in +addition suffer all sorts of indignities from that individual.</p> + +<p>16. These words, "Creation itself also shall be delivered from the +bondage of corruption," signify that all created things must until +the final reckoning be servants and menials, not to the godly, but to +the devil and wicked men. Paul himself regards with pity the sun and +other creatures because of their forced service to Satan and to +tyrannical beings. The created works no more desire such servility +than we desire subjection to the Turk. Nevertheless, they submit and +wait—for what? The glorious liberty of the children of God. Then +shall they be released from slavery and be no longer bound to serve +the wicked and worthless. More than that, in their freedom they will +have a grandeur far in excess of their present state and shall +minister only unto God's children. They will be done with bondage to +the devil.</p> + +<blockquote>"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain +together until now."</blockquote> + +<p>17. Paul uses forcible language here. Creation is aware, he says, not +only of its future deliverance from the bondage of corruption, but of +its future grandeur. It hopes for the speedy coming of its glory, and +waits with the eagerness of a maiden for the dance. Seeing the +splendor reserved for itself, it groans and travails unceasingly. +Similarly, we Christians groan and intensely desire to have done at +once with the Turks, the Pope, and the tyrannical world. Who would +not weary of witnessing the present knavery, ungodliness and +blasphemy against Christ and his Gospel, even as Lot wearied of the +ungodliness he beheld in Sodom? Thus Paul says that creation groaneth +and travaileth while waiting for the revelation and the glorious +liberty of the children of God.</p> + +<p>18. "And not only so," he adds, "but ourselves also, who have the +firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, +waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." We +pray, we cry with great longing, in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom +come," meaning: "Help, dear Lord, and speed the blessed day of thy +second advent, that we may be delivered from the wicked world, the +devil's kingdom, and may be released from the awful distress we +suffer—inwardly from our own consciences and outwardly from the +wicked. Afflict to the limit these old bodies of ours so long as we +may obtain others not sinful, as these; not given to iniquity and +disobedience; bodies that can never know illness, persecution or +death; bodies delivered from all physical and spiritual distress and +made like unto thine own glorified body, dear Lord Jesus Christ. Thus +may we finally realize our glorious redemption. Amen."</p> + +<p>19. Paul uses a peculiar word here in the text, which we cannot +render by any other in our language than "travail." It carries the +idea of pains and pangs such as a woman knows in childbirth. The +mother's ardent desire is to be delivered. She longs for it with an +intensity that all the wealth, honor, pleasure and power of the world +could not awaken. This is precisely the meaning of the word Paul +applies to creation. He declares it to be in travail, suffering pain +and anguish in the extremity of its desire for release. But who can +discern the anguish of creation? Reason cannot believe, nor human +wisdom imagine, the thing. "It is impossible," declares reason. "The +sun cannot be more glorious, more pleasing and beneficent. And what +is lacking with the moon and stars and the earth? Who says the +creature is in travail or unwillingly suffers its present state?"</p> + +<p>The writer of the text, however, declares creation to be weary of +present conditions of servitude, and as eager for liberation as a +mother for deliverance in the hour of her anguish. Truly it is with +spiritual sight, with apostolic vision, that Paul discerns this fact +in regard to creation. He turns away from this world, oblivious to +the joys and the sufferings of earthly life, and boasts alone of the +future, eternal life, unseen and unexperienced. Thus he administers +real and effectual comfort to Christians, pointing them to a future +life for themselves and all created things after this sinful life +shall have an end.</p> + +<p>20. Therefore, believers in Christ are to be confident of eternal +glory, and with sighs and groans to implore the Lord God to hasten +the blessed day of the realization of their hopes. For so Christ has +taught us to pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come." May he +who has commanded give us grace and strength to perform, and a firm +faith in our future glory. Our faith is not to be exercised for the +attainment of earthly riches, but as a means to bring us into another +life. We are not baptized unto the present life, nor do we receive +the Gospel as ministering to our temporal good; these things are to +point us to yonder eternal life. God grant the speedy coming of the +glad day of our redemption, when we shall realize all these +blessings, which now we hear of and believe in through the Word. +Amen.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm8"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Fifth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 1 Peter 3, 8-15.</center> + +<blockquote>8 Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, +tender-hearted, humble-minded: 9 not rendering evil for evil, or +reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were +ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For,</blockquote> +<blockquote> +<table align="center" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" summary="poem1"> + <tr><td align="right" valign="top"><br><br><br><br>11 <br><br>12 </td> + <td>He that would love life,<br> + And see good days,<br> + Let him refrain his tongue from evil,<br> + And his lips that they speak no guile:<br> + And let him turn away from evil, and do good;<br> + Let him seek peace, and pursue it.<br> + For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,<br> + And his ears unto their supplication:<br> + But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.</td></tr> +</table> +</blockquote> +<blockquote>13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which +is good? 14 But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, +blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; 15 but +sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>EXHORTATION TO THE FRUITS OF FAITH.</h4> + +<p>1. Here you have enumerated again a long list of eminently good works +enjoined upon Christians who believe and have confessed their faith +in the Gospel. By such fruits is faith to be manifest. Peter +classifies these works according to the obligations of Christians to +each other, and their obligations to enemies and persecutors.</p> + +<p>2. Immediately preceding the text, Peter has been instructing +concerning the domestic relations of husband and wife; how they +should live together as Christians in love and companionship, giving +due honor and patiently and reasonably bearing with each other. Now +he extends the exhortation to Christians in general, enjoining them +to live together in Christian love, like brothers and sisters of a +household. In the rehearsal of many preëminently noble virtues and +works, he portrays the ideal church, beautiful in its outward +adornment, in the grace wherewith it shines before men. With such +virtues the Church pleases and honors God, while angels behold with +joy and delight. And what earthly thing is more desirable to man's +sight? What happier and more pleasing society may he seek than the +company of those who manifest a unity of heart, mind and will; +brotherly love, meekness, kindliness and patience, even toward +enemies? Surely, no man is too depraved to command such goodness and +to desire companionship among people of this class.</p> + +<p>3. The first virtue is one frequently mentioned by the apostles. +Paul, for instance, in Romans 12, 16, says: "Be of the same mind one +toward another." Also in Ephesians 4, 3: "Giving diligence to keep +the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Harmony is the +imperative virtue for the Christian Church. Before the other +virtues—love, meekness—can be manifest, there must first be concord +and unity of heart among all. It is impossible that outward +circumstances of human life be always the same; much dissimilarity in +person, station, and occupation is inevitable.</p> + +<p>To this very unlikeness and to the natural depravity of flesh and +blood is due the discord and disagreement of men in this world. Let +one become conscious of personal superiority in point of uprightness, +learning, skill or natural ability, or let him become aware of his +loftier station in life, and he immediately grows self-complacent, +thinks himself better than his fellows, demands honor and recognition +from all men, is unwilling to yield to or serve an inferior and +thinks himself entitled to such right and privilege because of his +superiority and virtue.</p> + +<p>4. Pride is the common vice of the world, and the devil fosters it +among his numerous followers thereby causing every sort of misery and +unhappiness, corrupting all ranks and stations, and rendering men +vicious, depraved and incapable of executing good. In opposition to +this vice the apostles diligently admonish Christians to be of one +mind, regardless of station or occupation, since every individual +must remain in the position to which he has been ordained and called +of God. All ranks and stations cannot be one. Particularly is this +true in the Church; for in addition to the outward difference of +person, station, and so on, there are manifold divine gifts unequally +distributed and varyingly imparted. Yet these many dissimilarities, +both spiritual and secular, are to be amenable to the unity of the +spirit, as Paul calls it, or a spiritual unity. Just as the members +of the physical body have different offices and perform different +functions, no one member being able to do the work of the other, and +yet all are in the unity of one bodily life; so also Christians, +whatever the dissimilarity of language, office and gift among them, +must live, increase and be preserved in unity and harmony of mind, as +in one body.</p> + +<p>5. This matter of harmony is the first and most necessary commandment +enjoined by the doctrine of faith; ay, this virtue is the first fruit +which faith is to effect among Christians, who are called in one +faith and baptism. It is to be the beginning of their Christian love. +For true faith necessarily creates in all believers the spirit that +reasons: "We are all called by one Word, one baptism and Holy Spirit, +to the same salvation; we are alike heirs of the grace and the +blessings of God. Although one has more and greater gifts than +another, he is not on that account better before God. By grace alone, +without any merit of ours, we are pleasing to God. Before him none +can boast of himself."</p> + +<p>6. How can I think myself better than another by reason of my person +or my gifts, rank or office? Or what more than I has another to boast +of before God concerning himself? No one has a different baptism or +sacrament, a different Christ, from mine, or grace and salvation +other than I have. And no individual can have another faith than have +Christians in general, nor does he hear any other Gospel or receive a +different absolution, be he lord or servant, noble or ignoble, poor +or rich, young or old, Italian or German. When one imagines himself +different from or better than his fellows, desiring to exalt and +glorify himself above others, he is truly no longer a Christian; +because he is no longer in that unity of mind and faith essential to +Christians. Christ with his grace is always the same, and cannot be +divided or apportioned within himself.</p> + +<p>7. Not without reason did the beloved apostles urge this point. They +clearly saw how much depends upon it, and what evil and harm result +from disregard of the commandment. Where this commandment is +dishonored, schisms and factions will necessarily arise to corrupt +pure doctrine and faith, and the devil will sow his seed, which +afterwards can be eradicated only with difficulty. When once +self-conceit rules, and one, pretending more learning, wisdom, +goodness and holiness than his fellows, begins to despise others and +to draw men to himself, away from the unity of mind which makes us +one in Christ, and when he desires the first praise and commendation +for his own doctrine and works, his own preaching, then the harm is +already done; faith is overthrown and the Church is rent. When unity +becomes division, certainly two sects cannot both be the true Church. +If one is godly, the other must be the devil's own. On the other +hand, so long as unity of faith and oneness of mind survives, the +true Church of God abides, notwithstanding there may be some weakness +in other points. Of this fact the devil is well aware; hence his +hostility to Christian unity. His chief effort is to destroy harmony. +"Having that to contend with," he tells himself, "my task will be a +hard and wearisome one."</p> + +<p>8. Therefore, Christians should be all the more careful to cherish +the virtue of harmony, both in the Church and in secular government. +In each instance there is of necessity much inequality. God would +have such dissimilarity balanced by love and unity of mind. Let +everyone be content, then, with what God has given or ordained for +him, and let him take pleasure in another's gifts, knowing that in +eternal blessings he is equally rich, having the same God and Christ, +the same grace and salvation; and that although his standing before +God may differ from that of his fellows, he is nevertheless in no way +inferior to them, nor is anyone for the same reason at all better +than or superior to himself.</p> + +<p>9. In temporal affairs, every inequality in the world can be +harmonized by a unity of mind and heart. In relations other than +spiritual there is mutual love and friendship. How great the outward +dissimilarity between man and wife—in person, nature and employment! +likewise between masters and their subjects. Yet, in mutual +conscientiousness they mutually agree and are well satisfied with +each other. So it would be possible to enjoy life upon earth in peace +and happiness were it not that the devil cannot suffer it. He must +divide hearts and alienate love, allowing no one to take pleasure in +another. He who is illustrious, of noble birth, or has power or +riches, feels bound to despise others as silly geese or witless +ducks.</p> +<br> + +<h4>SYMPATHY A CHRISTIAN VIRTUE.</h4> + +<p>10. The other virtues enjoined by Peter are easily +recognized—"Compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, and +humbleminded" [Luther translates "friendly"—courteous]. These +particularly teach that Christians should esteem one another. God has +subjected them all to love and has united them, with the design that +they shall be of one heart and soul, and each care for the other as +for himself. Peter's exhortation was especially called for at that +time, when Christians were terribly persecuted. Here a pastor, there +a citizen, was thrown into prison, driven from wife, child, house and +home, and finally executed. Such things happen even now, and may +become yet more frequent considering that unfortunate people are +harassed by tyrants, or led away by the Turks, and Christians are +thus dispersed in exile here and there. Wherever by his Word and +faith God has gathered a church, and that spiritual unity, the bond +of Christianity, exists in any measure, there the devil has no peace. +If he cannot effect the destruction of that church by factiousness, +he furiously persecutes it. Then it is that body, life and everything +we have must be jeopardized—put to the stake—for the sake of the +Church.</p> + +<p>11. Christians, according to Peter, should, in the bond of a common +heart and mind, sympathetically share the troubles and sufferings of +their brethren in the faith, whoever and wherever the brethren may +be. They are to enter into such distresses as if themselves +suffering, and are to reason: "Behold, these suffer for the sake of +my precious faith, and standing at the front, are exposed to the +devil, while I have peace. It does not become me to rejoice in my +security and to manifest my pleasure. For what befalls my dear +brethren affects me, and my blessings are the cause of their +misfortune. I must participate in their suffering as my own." +According to the admonition of Hebrews 13, 3: "Remember them that are +in bonds, as bound with them; that is, as if in the same bonds and +distress. Remember them that are illtreated, as being yourselves also +in the body;" as members of the same body.</p> + +<p>12. We are all bound to one another, just as in the body one member +is bound to another. As you know by your own physical experience, +"Whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one +member is honored, all the members rejoice with it," as Paul says in +1 Corinthians 12, 26. Note how, when a foot is trodden upon or a +finger pinched, the whole body is affected: eyes twitch, nose is +contorted, mouth cries out—all the members are ready to rescue and +help. No one member can forsake the others. In reality not the foot +or the finger is injured, but the whole body suffers the accident. On +the other hand, benefit received by one member is pleasing to all, +and the whole body rejoices with it. Now the same principle should +hold in the Church, because it likewise is one body of many members +with one mind and heart. Such unity naturally entails the +participation by each individual in the good and evil of every other +one.</p> + +<p>13. This virtue of sympathy, resulting as it does from a unity of +mind and faith, is impossible to the world. In the world every man +looks only upon what benefits himself and regards not how others, +especially the godly, fare. Indeed, the world is capable of scornful +smiles and extreme pleasure at sight of Christians in poverty and +distress, and in their sufferings it can give them vinegar and gall +to drink. But you who claim to be a Christian, should know it is +yours to share the sufferings of your brethren and to prove your +heartfelt sympathy with them. If you cannot do more, at least show it +with comforting words or prayer. Their suffering concerns you as well +as themselves, and you must expect the same afflictions from the +devil and the wicked world.</p> +<br> + +<h4>OF LOVE.</h4> + +<p>14. "Loving as brethren." This virtue must prevail among Christians +everywhere. They are to manifest toward one another the love and +faithfulness of brothers according to the flesh. It is a law of +nature that brothers have a peculiar confidence in one another, being +of the same blood and flesh and having a common inheritance. +Particularly is this true when in distress. Although they may not be +united in other respects, yet when stranger blood assails and +necessity comes, they of the same flesh and blood will take one +another's part, uniting person, property and honor.</p> + +<p>15. Likewise Christians should exercise a peculiar brotherly love and +faithfulness toward one another, as having one Father in heaven and +one inheritance, and in the bond of Christianity being of one faith, +united in heart and mind. None may despise another. Them among us who +are still weak, frail and eccentric in faith and morals, we are to +treat with gentleness, kindness and patience. They must be exhorted, +comforted, strengthened. We should do by them as do the brothers and +sisters of a household toward the member who is weak or frail or in +need. Indeed we cannot otherwise dwell in peace. If we are to live +together we must bear with one another much weakness, trouble and +inconvenience; for we cannot all be equally strong in faith and +courage and have equal gifts and possessions. There is none without +his own numerous weaknesses and faults, which he would have others +tolerate.</p> +<br> + +<h4>OF MERCY.</h4> + +<p>16. "Tenderhearted, humbleminded" [friendly]. Here Peter has in mind +mankind in general—friends and enemies, Christians and persecutors. +Owing to original sin, man is naturally disposed to seek revenge, +especially upon those who injure him without cause. If he can do no +more, he at least maliciously invokes evil upon his enemy and +rejoices in his misfortune. Now, Christians more than any others in +this world are innocently persecuted, injured, oppressed and +aggrieved, even by those having the name and honor of Christians, a +thing of frequent occurrence today. God's people are aggrieved by +such treatment, and if the natural instinct of flesh and blood could +have its way, they would gladly revenge themselves; just as they of +the world mutually exercise their revenge, not content until passion +is cooled.</p> + +<p>17. But a Christian should not, and indeed consistently he cannot, be +unmerciful and vindictive, for he has become a child of God, whose +mercy he has accepted and therein continues to live. He cannot seek +pleasure in injury to his neighbor or enjoy his misfortune. He cannot +maintain a bitter or hard and stubborn heart toward him. Rather he is +disposed to show mercy even to his hostile neighbor, and to pity his +blindness and misery; for he recognizes that neighbor as under God's +wrath and hastening to everlasting ruin and condemnation. Thus the +Christian is already more than revenged on his enemy. Therefore he +should be friendly towards the hostile neighbor and do him every +kindness he will permit, in an effort to lead him to repentance.</p> + +<p>18. Yet, in showing mercy, as frequently enjoined heretofore we are +not to interfere with just and ordained punishments. God's Word does +not teach us to demand mercy or commend kindness where sin and evil +practices call for punishment, as the world would have us believe +when their sins merit rebuke, particularly the vices of those in high +places. These transgressors claim that when reproved their honor is +assailed and occasion is given for contempt of their office and +authority, and for rebellion, a thing not to be tolerated. This is +not true. The lesson teaches the duty of each individual toward all +other individuals, not toward the God-ordained office. Office and +person must be clearly distinguished. The officer or ruler in his +official capacity is a different man from what he is as John or +Frederick. The apostle or preacher differs from the individual Peter +or Paul. The preacher has not his office by virtue of his own +personality; he represents it in God's stead. Now, if any person be +unjustly persecuted, slandered and cursed, I ought to and will say: +"Thank God;" for in God I am richly rewarded for it. But if one +dishonors my baptism or sacrament, or the Word God has commanded me +to speak, and so opposes not me but himself, then it is my duty not +to be silent nor merciful and friendly, but to use my God-ordained +office to admonish, threaten and rebuke, with all earnestness, both +in season and out of season—as Paul says in 2 Timothy 4, 2—those +who err in doctrine or faith or who do not amend their lives; and +this regardless of who they are or how it pleases them.</p> + +<p>19. But the censured may say: "Nevertheless you publicly impugn my +honor; you give me a bad reputation." I answer: Why do you not +complain to him who committed the office to me? My honor is likewise +dear to me, but the honor of my office must be more sacred still. If +I am silent where I ought to rebuke, I sully my own honor, which I +should maintain before God in the proper execution of my office; +hence I with you deserve to be hanged in mid-day, to the utter +extinguishment of my honor and yours. No, the Gospel does not give +you authority to say the preacher shall not, by the Word of God, tell +you of your sin and shame. What does God care for the honor you seek +from the world when you defy his Word with it? To the world you may +seem to defend your honor with God and a good conscience, but in +reality you have nothing to boast of before God but your shame. This +very fact you must confess if you would retain your honor before him; +you must place his honor above that of all creatures. The highest +distinction you can achieve for yourself is that of honoring God's +Word and suffering rebuke.</p> + +<p>20. "Yes, but still you attack the office to which I am appointed." +No, dear brother, our office is not assailed when I and you are +reminded of our failure to do right, to conduct the office as we +should. But the Word of God rebukes us for dishonoring that divinely +ordained appointment and abusing it in violation of his commandment. +Therefore you cannot call me to account for reproving you. However, +were I not a pastor or preacher, and had I no authority to rebuke +you, then it would be my duty and my pleasure to leave your honor and +that of every other man unscathed. But if I am to fill a divine +office and to represent not my own but God's dignity, then for your +own sake I must not and will not be silent. If you do wrong, and +disgrace and dishonor come upon you, blame yourself. "Thy blood shall +be upon thine own head," says Scripture, 1 Kings 2, 37. Certainly +when a judge sentences a thief to the gallows, that man's honor is +impugned. Who robs you of your honor but yourself, by your own theft, +your contempt of God, disobedience, murder, and so on? God must give +you what you deserve. If you consider it a disgrace to be punished, +then consider it also no honor to rob, steal, practice usury and do +public wrong; you disgrace yourself by dishonoring God's commandment.</p> + +<p>21. This much by way of reminder of the difference between official +rebuke and personal anger and revenge. It must constantly be kept +before us because of the artfulness of flesh and blood, which ever +seeks to disregard that difference. True, God would have all men to +be merciful and friendly, to forgive and not to avenge wrong; but the +office, which is ordained for the punishment of the wicked, will not +always admit of that course. Few are willing to forgive, and +therefore God must enforce his government over the merciless. They +must be punished without mercy. This divine principle must not be +restricted. Neither must it be applied beyond measure. Every official +must be careful not to exceed the demands of his office, exercising +his own revenge, his own envy and hatred, in the name and under +pretense of that position.</p> + +<p>22. Peter continues to expatiate upon this topic—the good works he +has been discussing: gentleness, mercy, friendliness—citing +beautiful passages of Scripture and using other exhortations—to +incite Christians to practice these virtues. He says:</p> + +<blockquote>"Not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but +contrariwise blessing: for hereunto were ye called, that ye should +inherit a blessing."</blockquote> + +<p>23. We have now seen whose prerogative it is to avenge, rebuke and +punish evil. This passage does not refer to official duty. When the +judge declares sentence of execution upon a thief we have truly an +instance of vengeance and reproach, and a public and extreme +reflection upon honor. But it is God's judgment and his doing, with +which we are not here concerned. The Christian of true faith and +innocent life, who confesses his doctrine and belief, and as he is +commanded rebukes opposing forces, will provoke the devil and the +world, and will be persecuted, oppressed and harassed in the name of +office and right, even by individuals whose official duty it is to +protect the godly and restrain unjust power. If these cannot do more, +they will at least annoy, hinder and oppose that Christian as far as +possible. If the Christian be quick-tempered and fail to curb his +anger and impatience, he will effect no good. He will only bring upon +himself that disquiet of heart which consumes and worries itself with +thoughts of revenge and retaliation upon the offender; which when the +devil perceives, he rejoices. He so urges and instigates as to cause +more mischief on both sides. Thus he doubly injures the +Christian—through his enemy and through the anger wherewith the +Christian torments himself and spoils his own peace.</p> +<br> + +<h4>OF PATIENCE.</h4> + +<p>24. What then shall we do, you say, when we must suffer such abuse +and without redress? The only resource, Peter says, is to possess +your heart in patience and commit the matter to God. This is all that +remains when they whose duty it is will not help you, nor restrain +and punish the wrong, but even do you violence themselves. If the +evil receive not judicial punishment, let it go unpunished until God +looks into it. Only see that you keep a quiet conscience and a loving +heart, not allowing yourself, on account of the devil and wicked men, +to be disturbed and deprived of your good conscience, your peaceful +heart and your God-given blessing. But if in your official capacity +you are commanded to punish the evil, or if you can obtain protection +and justice from rightful authorities, avail yourself of these +privileges without anger, hatred or bitterness, ay, with a heart that +prompts to give good for evil and blessing for reviling.</p> + +<p>25. Such conduct is becoming you as Christians, the apostle says, for +you are a people called to inherit a blessing. Oh, wonderful and +glorious fact, that God has decreed and appropriated to you this +blessing whereby all the riches of his grace and everything good are +yours! and that he will abundantly give you his Spirit to remain with +you, blessing body and soul, if only you hold fast his grace and do +not allow yourselves to be deprived of it. What price would you not +gladly pay for this blessing, were it purchasable, instead of being +freely given, without your merits, and were you privileged thus to +buy the assurance of having a God so gracious, one willing to bless +you in time and eternity? Who would not willingly give even body and +life, or joyfully undergo all suffering to have the perfect assurance +of heart which says: "I know I am a child of God, who has received me +into his grace and I live in the sure hope that I will be eternally +blessed and saved." Think, Peter says, what a vast difference God +makes between you and others because you are Christians. He has +appointed you to be heirs of everlasting grace and blessing and of +eternal life. But they who are not Christians—what have they but a +terrible sentence like a weight about their necks? the sentence +pronouncing them children of the curse and of eternal condemnation.</p> + +<p>26. If men would take this to heart, it would be easy by teaching and +persuasion to win them to friendship and kindness toward their +fellow-men; to induce them not to return evil or reviling from motive +of revenge, but when their own privileges and protection and the +punishment of evil cannot be obtained, quietly and peaceably to +suffer injury rather than lose their eternal comfort and joy. +Christians have excellent reason, a powerful motive, for being +patient and not revengeful or bitter in the fact that they are so +richly blessed of God and given that great glory whereof, as Peter +afterwards remarks, they cannot be deprived, nor can they suffer its +loss, if only they abide in it. The apostle emphasizes this fact and +further persuades Christians by citing the beautiful passage in Psalm +34, 12-16:</p> + +<blockquote>"He that would love life, and see good days, let him refrain his +tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: and let him +turn away from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it. +For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto +their supplication: but the face of the Lord is upon them that do +evil."</blockquote> + +<p>27. These words the Holy Spirit uttered long ago through the prophet +David, for the instruction and admonition of all saints and children +of God. David presents to us the matter as he daily saw it in his own +life and learned from his own experience, and as he gathered from +examples of the dear fathers from the beginning of the world. "Come +hither, dear children," he would say, "if you will be taught and +advised, I will give you sound instruction as to how we are to fear +God and become his children. Who desires peace and comfort?" "Oh, who +would not desire peace and comfort?" cries the world. For these +everyone seeks and strives, and all the efforts of the world are +directed toward this end.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE CHRISTIAN'S PEACE.</h4> + +<p>28. There are two ways to the goal of peace. One is that chosen by +the world. The world seeks to obtain peace by preserving its own with +violence. It desires the death of all who oppose it and will suffer +injury or evil in word or deed from no one. This method, it is true, +is appointed to governmental authority. It is the duty of civil +rulers to faithfully employ it to arrest and hinder evil as far as +possible. But they can never wholly restrain evil nor punish every +offense. Much wickedness will remain, particularly secret evil, which +must punish itself, either by repentance here or in hell hereafter. +By this procedure Christians will not accomplish for themselves any +personal advantage; the world is too wicked and it will not give them +support.</p> + +<p>29. Therefore, if you desire peace for yourself personally, +particularly as a Christian, you must choose another way. The Psalm +shows it to you when it says: "Refrain thy tongue from evil, and thy +lips that they speak no guile." This injunction really applies to +doctrine, meaning that we are to abide by the true Word of God and +not to allow ourselves to be seduced by false teaching. But Peter +here extends the application to the outward life and conduct of +Christians in the work, the circumstances being such as to call for +this admonition in the matter of refraining the tongue. On account of +the faith and confession for which men are called Christians, they +must suffer much; they are endangered, hated, persecuted, oppressed +and harassed by the whole world. Christ foretold (Mt 10, 22): "Ye +shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." Easily, then, +Christians, might believe they have cause to return evil, and being +still flesh and blood mortals, they are inevitably moved to be angry +and to curse, or to forsake their confession and doctrine and with +unbelievers to join the false church with its idolatrous teaching. +Here the Psalm admonishes: Dear Christian, let not all this move you +to rave, curse, blaspheme and revile again, but abide in the blessing +prepared for you to inherit; for you will not by violence remedy +matters or obtain any help. The world will remain as it is, and will +continue to hate and persecute the godly and believing. Of what use +is it for you to hate, chafe and curse against its attitude? You only +disturb your own heart with bitterness, and deprive yourself thereby +of the priceless blessing bestowed upon you.</p> + +<p>30. We have the same teaching in the fourth verse of Psalm 4, which +comforts saints and strengthens them against the temptation and +provocation to anger and impatience which they must experience in the +world. "Be ye angry," David says, "and sin not: commune with your own +heart upon your bed, and be still." That is, although according to +the nature of flesh and blood you fret because you are compelled to +witness the prosperity of the world in its ungodly life and +wickedness, and how it spites, despises and persecutes you with pride +and insolence, nevertheless let not yourselves be easily provoked; +let wrong, displeasure, vexation and worry remain outside the inner +life; let them affect only the outward life, body and possessions. By +no means let them become rooted in your heart. Still your hearts and +content yourselves, and regard all this vexation as not worth losing +sleep over. If you desire to serve God truly and to render acceptable +sacrifice to him, then with faith in his Word place your hope in him +as your dear Father who cares for you, hears you and will wondrously +support you.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GUARDING THE LIPS.</h4> + +<p>31. But the psalmist's additional words, "Refrain your lips that they +speak no guile," refer, as I have said, primarily to confession of +the doctrine; but there is another thought: When one is prompted to +anger and to complaint about injury and wrong, in his impatience and +irritation he cannot speak fairly concerning the matter of offense, +but invariably exaggerates. So it is with anger and retaliation. One +receiving but a pin-point wound will fly into a passion and be ready +to break the offender's head. The individual that suffers a single +adverse word immediately proceeds to abuse and slander in the extreme +his opponent. In short, an angry heart knows no moderation and cannot +equally repay, but must make of a splinter, even a mote, a great +beam, or must fan a tiny spark into a volcano of flame, by +retaliating with reviling and cursing. Yet it will not admit that it +does wrong. It would, if possible, actually murder the offender, thus +committing a greater wrong than it has suffered.</p> + +<p>32. So wicked and unjust is human nature that when offended it stops +not with equal measure in retribution; it goes beyond and in its +anger and revenge spares neither the neighbor's honor nor his body +and life. James 1, 20 says: "The wrath of man worketh not the +righteousness of God"; that is, it suffers not a man to abide in his +faith and good conscience. But official indignation, which is God's +wrath, does not so. It seeks not the destruction of man, but only the +punishment of the actual fault. Man's anger and revenge, so wicked +and insatiable are they, return ten blows for one, or even double +that number, and repay a single abusive word with a hundred.</p> + +<p>33. So Peter admonishes you to restrain your tongues, to curb them, +lest they suddenly escape your control and sin with wicked words, +doing injury double that you have received. Guard your lips that your +mouth utter not guile or falsehood through your anger, and that it +may not calumniate, abuse and slander your neighbor contrary to truth +and justice and in violation of the eighth commandment. Such conduct +is, before God and man, unbecoming a Christian and leads to that most +disgraceful vice of slander, which God supremely hates. It is the +devil's own, whence he has his name of liar or slanderer—diabolus, +or devil.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOOD WORKS.</h4> + +<p>34. The Psalm says further: "Turn away from evil and do good"; that +is, beware lest on account of the wickedness of another you also +become wicked, for anger and revenge meditate only harm and +wickedness. Therefore be all the more diligent to do good, if you +can, that your heart may retain its honor and joy and that you may +abide in righteousness, and not fall from God's grace and from +obedience to him into the service of the devil. By anger and revenge +the devil tempts you, endeavoring to get you again into his toils and +to embitter your heart and conscience until you shall exceed others +in sin.</p> + +<p>35. "Seek peace and pursue it," continues the apostle. This is a +sublime exhortation, and faithful, divine counsel. You must not +think, Peter would say, that peace will run after you, or that the +world—much less the devil—will bring it into your house. Rather you +will find the very opposite true. From without strife will be carried +to you in bales, and within your own heart will be kindled anger and +bitterness to fill you with everlasting disquiet. Therefore if you +desire peace, wait not until other people help you to obtain it, nor +until you create it for yourself by force and revenge. Begin with +yourself. Turn from the evil to the good. Even undergo suffering to +provide your heart with the peace which endures in spite of all that +would rob you of it. Strive ever to keep your heart firm in the +resolve: I will not be angry nor seek revenge, but will commit my +affairs to God and to those whose duty it is to punish evil and +wrong-doing. As for my enemy, may God convert and enlighten him. And +however much more of violence and wrong I may suffer, I will not +allow my heart to be robbed of its peace.</p> + +<p>36. Notice, the way to preserve peace and to see good days even in +evil times is to keep a silent tongue and a quiet heart through the +comfort of divine grace and blessing. No outward occasion may be +given for strife, but always peace is to be sought with good words, +works and prayers. We must even pursue peace, follow after it, with +genuine and strong suffering. Thus we preserve it by force. In no +other way can a Christian see good days and hold fast his blessing. +Remember you must make strenuous effort if you would not reject your +blessing nor be influenced by another to carelessly lie and otherwise +sin with your tongue. Flesh and blood are weak and sluggish in the +matter of preserving peace, therefore Peter strengthens his +exhortation and further encourages us by the promise of God's help +and protection for the faithful and his punishment of their enemies. +He says:</p> + +<blockquote>"For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto +their supplication."</blockquote> + +<p>37. Inscribe this verse upon your heart in firm faith and see if it +does not bring you peace and blessings. Try to believe that God sits +above, sleepless and with his vigilant eye ever upon you. With +watchful vision he beholds the righteous as they suffer violence and +wrong. Why will you complain and become discouraged by reason of the +harm and grief you experience, when the gracious eyes of the true +Judge and God are upon you and his intent is to help you? All the +wealth of the world would I give, if I might, to purchase that +watchful care, or rather to obtain the requisite faith; for surely +the lack is not in his regarding, but in our faith.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOD OVER ALL.</h4> + +<p>38. More than this, God's ears, the apostle tells us, are also open +to the prayers of the righteous. As he looks upon you with gracious, +winning eyes, so also are his ears alert to even the faintest sound. +He hears your complaint, your sighing and prayer, and hears, too, +willingly and with pleasure; as soon as you open your mouth, your +prayer is heard and answered.</p> + +<p>39. Again, Peter says: "The face of the Lord is upon them that do +evil." True, God's eyes are upon the righteous, but nevertheless he +sees also the others. In this case he beholds not with a friendly +look or gracious countenance, but with a displeased and wrathful +face. When a man is angry the forehead frowns, the nostrils dilate +and the eyes flash. Such a manifestation of anger are we to +understand by the Scripture when it refers here to "the face of the +Lord." On the other hand it illustrates the pleased and gracious +aspect of God by "the eyes of the Lord."</p> + +<p>40. Now, why is "the face of the Lord" upon evil-doers and what is +its effect? Certainly God's purpose is not to heed or to help them, +to bestow blessing or success upon their evil-doing. His purpose is, +according to the succeeding words in the psalm, "to cut off the +remembrance of them from the earth." This is a terrible, an appalling +sentence, before which a heart may well be prostrated as from a +thunderbolt. And ungodly hearts would be thus appalled were they not +so hardened as to despise God's Word.</p> + +<p>41. Notwithstanding the indifference of the wicked, the sentence is +passed. Verily it is no jest with God. It illustrates how sincerely +he cares for the righteous and how he will avenge them on the wicked, +toward whom his countenance bespeaks punishment in due time and the +cutting off of their memory from the earth. In contrast, the +righteous, because they have feared God and abode in their piety +though suffering for it, shall, even here upon earth, live to see +blessing and prosperity upon their children's children. Although for +a time the company of the wicked conduct themselves with pride upon +the earth, and imagine themselves secure beyond the possibility of +being unseated, nevertheless when their hour comes they are suddenly +hurled down from earth into the abyss of hell and must suffer the +righteous to remain in possession of the earth. So testifies Christ +in Matthew 5, 5, and Psalm 37 more fully explains the matter.</p> + +<p>42. It is proven by all the examples of Scripture and also by the +experience of the whole world from the beginning, that God casts down +those who seek only to injure. They who have despised God's threats +and angry countenance with security and defiance have at last +experienced the fulfillment of these warnings and perished thereby. +King Saul thought to destroy godly David, to exterminate his root and +branch and blot out his name as if he had been a rebellious, accursed +man. But God effected the very opposite. Because David in his +sufferings and persecution walked in the fear of God and trusted him +with simplicity, desiring no harm to his enemy, God's gracious eye +was ever upon him and preserved him from that enemy. On the other +hand, the angry face of God was bent upon King Saul, and before David +was aware of it the king had fallen, and his whole family met ruin +with him; they were obliged to surrender crown and kingdom to the +persecuted David.</p> + +<p>43. Christians should strengthen their faith with the comforting +thought that God's gracious countenance is over them and he turns eye +and ear toward them; and that on the other hand he looks with angry +face upon their enemies and those seeking to injure, and will take a +hand in their game, obliging them either to refrain from their +evil-doing, or to perish by it. Such retribution is certain. No one +can live long without proving by his own experience and that of other +men the truth of the proverb, "Right will assert itself." However, we +lack in faith and cannot wait God's hour. We think he delays too long +and that we suffer too much. But in reality his time will come +speedily, and we can well wait and endure if we believe in God, who +but grants our enemies a brief opportunity to be converted. But their +appointed hour is already at hand and they will not escape if it +overtakes them without repentance.</p> + +<blockquote>"And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is +good? But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed +are ye."</blockquote> + +<p>44. According to Peter's words here, you have a very great advantage +over all your enemies, whoever they be, in being richly endowed by +God with eternal blessing. You know he will protect, support and +avenge you, hence you abide in your faith and godliness. Although +your adversaries think to trouble and harm you, they can do you no +real injury whatever they effect. For wherein can persecution harm if +you strive for godliness and abide in it? Not by malice, might and +violence can your enemies take from you, or diminish, your piety and +God's grace, his help and blessing. And even from all the bodily and +temporal harm they can inflict, you suffer no loss. For the more they +seek to injure you, the more they hasten their own punishment and +destruction, and the greater is your recompense from God. By the very +fact that they slander, disgrace, persecute and trouble you, they +multiply your blessing with God and further your cause, for God must +the sooner consider your case, supporting you and overthrowing them. +They but prepare your reward and benefit by their wicked, venomous +hatred, their envy, anger and fury. At the same time they effect for +themselves conditions the very reverse. Being condemned by their own +evil consciences, they cannot in their hearts enjoy one good day, one +peaceful hour; and they heap up for themselves God's wrath and +punishment.</p> + +<p>45. Indeed, you are all the more blessed, temporally and eternally, +Peter declares, for the very reason that you suffer for +righteousness' sake. You are so to regard the situation and to praise +and thank God for your suffering. The apostle looks upon tribulation +in this light and exalts it as supreme blessedness and a glorious +thing. Christ says in Matthew 5, 11-12: "Blessed are ye when men +shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil +against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for +great is your reward in heaven." Oh, your adversaries should purchase +a little of this comfort regardless of cost and boast of suffering a +little for the sake of righteousness! Could they understand the +promise and be worthy of it, how intensely might they desire to have +suffered all and much more than they thought to inflict upon you, if +only they might be blessed and prove the comfort of this precious, +divine promise!</p> + +<blockquote>"Fear not their fear, neither be troubled; but sanctify in your +hearts Christ as Lord."</blockquote> + +<p>46. Here again Peter resorts to Scripture and cites a verse from the +prophet Isaiah (ch. 8, 12-13) where he admonishes God's people not to +be terror-stricken by the wrath and threats of men, but firmly and +confidently to trust in God. The prophet speaks similarly in chapter +51, verse 7: "Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye dismayed +at their revilings." As if he would say: Why will you permit +yourselves to be disturbed by the persecutions of men, however great, +mighty and terrible enemies they may be, when you are blessed and +happy in God to the extent that all creatures must pronounce you +blessed? Moreover, you know the eyes of your God behold you and his +ears are open to your cry, and whatever you desire and pray for is +heard and granted. More than this, your adversaries are threatened by +his angry face. What are all men—tyrants, pope, Turk, Tartars, ay, +the devil himself—compared to this Lord, and what can they do +against him, when and wheresoever he chooses to show his power? They +are but as a straw to a mighty thunderbolt which makes the earth +tremble. Therefore, if you are indeed Christians and believe in God +you ought in no wise to fear all these adversaries, but rather, +joyfully and with scornful courage to despise their defiance, their +threatening and rage, as something utterly harmless to you; they are +but effecting their own destruction in hurling themselves at the +Majesty before which all creatures must tremble.</p> +<br> + +<h4>TRUST IN GOD ENJOINED.</h4> + +<p>47. But this you are to do: Sanctify God; that is, regard and honor +him as holy. This is nothing else than to believe his Word; be +confident that in God you have truly one who, if you suffer for +righteousness' sake, neither forgets nor forsakes, but graciously +looks upon you and purposes to give his support and to revenge you on +your enemies. Such faith and confession honors him as the true God, +upon whom man can confidently and joyfully call for help, reposing +his whole trust in him upon the authority of his sure Word and +promise, which cannot deceive or fail.</p> + +<p>48. In contrast, unbelievers cannot sanctify God; they cannot render +him due honor, although they may talk much of him and display much +divine worship. They do not accept God's Word as the truth, but +always remain in doubt. In the hour of suffering they deem themselves +utterly forgotten and forsaken by the Lord. Therefore they murmur and +fret, being very impatient and disobedient toward God. They rashly +seek to protect and revenge themselves by their own power. That very +conduct betrays them as beings without a God, as blind, miserable, +condemned heathen. Such are the great multitude of Turks, Jews, +Papists and unbelieving saints today throughout the world.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm9"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Sixth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Romans 6, 3-11.</center> + +<blockquote>3 Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus +were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him +through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the +dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in +newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with him in the +likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his +resurrection; 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with +him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no +longer be in bondage to sin; 7 for he that hath died is justified +from sin. 8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also +live with him; 9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth +no more; death no more hath dominion over him. 10 For the death that +he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he +liveth unto God. 11 Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto +sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>EXHORTATION TO CHRISTIAN LIVING.</h4> + +<p>1. In this epistle lesson Paul gives Christians instruction +concerning the Christian life on earth, and connects with it the hope +of the future and eternal life, in view of which they have been +baptized and become Christians. He makes of our earthly life a +death—a grave—with the understanding, however, that henceforth the +risen man and the newness of life should be found in us. And he +treats of this doctrine because of an error that always prevails: +When we preach that upon us is bestowed grace and the forgiveness of +sins, without any merit on our part, people are disposed to regard +themselves as free from obligation and will do no works except those +to which their own desires prompt them. This was Saint Paul's +experience when he so strongly commended the grace of Christ and its +consolation (ch. 5, 20), declaring that "where sin abounded, grace +did abound more exceedingly," and that where there are many and great +sins, there also reigns great, abundant and rich grace. The rude +crowd cried: Oh, is it true that great grace follows upon great sin? +In that case we will cheerfully load ourselves with sin so that we +may receive the greater grace.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GRACE DOES NOT GIVE LICENSE TO SIN.</h4> + +<p>2. Such argument Paul now confutes. He says: It is not the intention +of the Gospel to teach sin or to allow it; it teaches the very +opposite—how we may escape from sin and from the awful wrath of God +which it incurs. Escape is not effected by any doings of our own, but +by the fact that God, out of pure grace, forgives us our sins for his +Son's sake; for God finds in us nothing but sin and condemnation. How +then can this doctrine give occasion or permission to sin when it is +so diametrically opposed to it and teaches how it is to be blotted +out and put away?</p> + +<p>3. Paul does not teach that grace is acquired through sin, nor that +sin brings grace; he says quite the opposite—that "the wrath of God +is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness +of men," Rom 1, 18. But because the sins of men which are taken away +are so grievous and numerous, the grace which drowns and destroys +them must be mighty and abundant also. Where there is great thirst, a +great draft is needed to quench it. Where there is a mighty +conflagration, powerful streams of water are necessary to extinguish +it. In cases of severe illness, strong medicine is essential to a +cure. But these facts do not give us authority to say: Let us +cheerfully drink to satiety that we may become more thirsty for good +wine; or, Let us injure ourselves and make ourselves ill that +medicine may do us more good. Still less does it follow that we may +heap up and multiply sins for the purpose of receiving more abundant +grace. Grace is opposed to sin and destroys it; how then should it +strengthen or increase it?</p> + +<p>4. Therefore he begins his sermon by inquiring, in this sixth chapter +(verses 1-3): "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that +grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any +longer live therein?" In other words: How is it possible that because +grace should destroy sin ye should live unto sin? And then, further +to illustrate this, he says:</p> + +<blockquote>"Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus +were baptized into his death?"</blockquote> + +<p>5. He speaks here in figurative language to clearly and forcibly +impress this matter upon us; ordinarily it would have been sufficient +for him to ask: "We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live +therein?" that is to say, Inasmuch as ye have been saved from sin +through grace, it is not possible that grace should command you to +continue in sin, for it is the business of grace to destroy sin. Now, +in the figurative words above quoted, he wishes to vividly remind us +what Christ has bestowed upon us. He would say to us: Do but call to +mind why you are Christians—you have been baptized into Christ. Do +you know why and whereunto you have been baptized, and what it +signifies that you have been baptized with water? The meaning is that +not only have you there been washed and cleansed in soul through the +forgiveness of sins, but your flesh and blood have been condemned, +given over unto death, to be drowned, and your life on earth to be a +daily dying unto sin. For your baptism is simply an overwhelming by +grace—a gracious overwhelming—whereby sin in you is drowned; so may +you remain subjects of grace and not be destroyed by the wrath of God +because of your sin. Therefore, if you let yourself be baptized, you +give yourself over to gracious drowning and merciful slaying at the +hands of your God, and say to him: Drown and overwhelm me, dear Lord, +for gladly would I henceforth, with thy Son, be dead to sin, that I +may, with him, also live through grace.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE POWER OF BAPTISM.</h4> + +<p>6. When he says, "All we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were +baptized into his death," and again, "We were buried therefore with +him through baptism into death," he speaks in his own Pauline style +concerning the power of baptism, which derives its efficacy from the +death of Christ. By his death he has paid for and taken away our +sins; his death has been an actual strangling and putting to death of +sin, and it no longer has dominion over him. So we, also, through his +death have obtained forgiveness of sins; that sin may not condemn us, +we die unto sin through that power which Christ—because we are +baptized into him—imparts to and works in us.</p> + +<p>7. Yea, he further declares that we are not only baptized into his +death, but, by the same baptism, we are buried with him into death; +for in his death he took our sins with him into the grave, burying +them completely and leaving them there. And it follows that, for +those who through baptism are in Christ, sin is and shall remain +completely destroyed and buried; but we, through his +resurrection—which, by faith, gives us the victory over sin and +death and bestows upon us everlasting righteousness and life—should +henceforth walk in newness of life.</p> + +<p>8. Having these things through baptism, we dare no longer obey—live +unto—the sin which still dwells in our flesh and blood in this life; +we must daily strangle it so that it may have no power nor life in us +if we desire to be found in the estate and life of Christ. For he +died unto sin, destroying it by his death and burying it in his +grave; and he acquired life and the victory over sin and death by his +resurrection, and bestows them upon us by baptism. The fact that +Christ himself had to die for sin is evidence of the severe wrath of +God against sin. Sin had to be put to death and laid away in the +grave in the body of Christ. Thereby God shows us that he will not +countenance sin in us, but has given us Christ and baptism for the +purpose of putting to death and burying sin in our bodies.</p> + +<p>9. Thus Paul shows us in these words what has been effected by +Christ's death and burial, and what is the signification of our being +buried with him. In the first place, Christ was buried that he might, +through forgiveness, cover up and destroy our sin, both that which we +have actually committed and that which is inherent in us; he would +not have it inculpate and condemn us. In the second place, he was +buried that he might, through the Holy Spirit, mortify this flesh and +blood with its inherent sinful lusts; they must no longer have +dominion over us, but must be subject to the Spirit until we are +utterly freed from them.</p> + +<p>10. Thus, we still lie with Christ in the grave according to the +flesh. Although it be true that we have the forgiveness of sins, that +we are God's children and possess salvation, yet all this is not +perceptible to our own senses or to the world. It is hidden in Christ +by faith until the judgment day. For we do not yet experience in +ourselves such righteousness, such holiness, such life and such +salvation as God's Word describes and as faith expects to find. +Wherefore Paul says in Colossians 3, 3-4 (as we have heard in the +Easter sermons), "Your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, +who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be +manifested in glory."</p> + +<p>11. On the other hand, we are outwardly oppressed with the cross and +sufferings, and with the persecution and torments of the world and +the devil, as with the weight of a heavy stone upon us, subduing our +old sinful nature and checking us against antagonizing the Spirit and +committing other sins.</p> + +<blockquote>"For if we have become united [planted together] with him in the +likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his +resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, +that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer +be in bondage to sin; for he that hath died is justified from sin."</blockquote> + +<p>12. This is another distinctly apostolic discourse. Being baptized +into Christ's death and buried with him, to which Paul had just +referred, he here calls being united, or planted together, with +Christ in the likeness of his death. Christ's death and resurrection +and our baptism are intimately united with, and related to, one +another. Baptism is not to be regarded a mere empty sign, as +Anabaptists erroneously hold. In it is embodied the power of both +Christ's death and resurrection. Hence Paul says, "we are planted +together with him," engrafted into him as a member of his body, so +that he is a power in us and his death works in us. Through baptism +he dedicates us to himself and imparts to us the power of his death +and resurrection, to the end that both death and life may follow in +us. Hence our sins are crucified through his death, taken away, that +they may finally die in us and no longer live.</p> + +<p>13. Being placed under the water in baptism signifies that we die in +Christ. Coming forth from the water teaches, and imparts to, us a new +life in him, just as Christ remained not in death, but was raised +again to life. Such life should not and can not be a life of sin, +because sin was crucified before in us and we had to die to it. It +must be a new life of righteousness and holiness, Christ through his +resurrection finally destroyed sin, because of which he had to die, +and instead he brought to himself the true life of righteousness, and +imparts it to us. Hence we are said to be planted together with +Christ or united with him and become one, so that we both have in us +the power of his death and resurrection. The fruits and results of +this power will be found in us after we are baptized into him.</p> + +<p>14. The apostle speaks consolingly of the death of the Christian as a +being planted, to show that the Christian's death and sufferings on +earth are not really death and harm, but a planting unto life; being +redeemed, by the resurrection, from death and sin, we shall live +eternally. For that which is planted is not planted unto death and +destruction, but planted that it may sprout and grow. So Christ was +planted, through death, unto life; for not until he was released from +this mortal life and from the sin which rested on him and brought him +into death on our account, did he come into his divine glory and +power. Since this planting begins in baptism, as said, and we by +faith possess life in Christ, it is evident that this life must +strike root in us and bear fruit. For that which is planted is not +planted without purpose; it is to grow and bear fruit. So must we +prove, by our new conversation and by our fruits, that we are planted +in Christ unto life.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRISTIAN GROWTH.</h4> + +<p>15. Paul gives the reason for new growth. He says: "Knowing this, +that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might +be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin." It +does not become us, as baptized Christians, to desire to remain in +our old sinful estate. That is already crucified with Christ; the +sentence of condemnation upon it has been pronounced and carried out. +For that is what being crucified means. Just so, Christ, in suffering +crucifixion for our sins, bore the penalty of death and the wrath of +God. Christ, innocent and sinless, being crucified for our sins, sin +must be crucified in our body; it must be utterly condemned and +destroyed, rendered lifeless and powerless. We dare not, then, in any +wise serve sin nor consent to it. We must regard it as actually +condemned, and with all our power we must resist it; we must subdue +and put it to death.</p> + +<p>16. Paul here makes a distinction. He says, "Our old man was +crucified with him [Christ]," and "that the body of sin might be done +away." He intimates that the "old man" and "the body of sin" are two +different things. By the term "old man" he means not only the +body—the grossly sinful deeds which the body commits with its five +senses—but the whole tree with all its fruits, the whole man as he +is descended from Adam. In it are included body and soul, will, +reason and understanding. Both inwardly and outwardly, it is still +under the sway of unbelief, impiety and disobedience. Man is called +old, not because of his years; for it is possible for a man to be +young and strong and vigorous and yet to be without faith or a +religious spirit, to despise God, to be greedy and vainglorious, or +to live in pride or the conceit of wisdom and power. But he is called +the old man because he is unconverted, unchanged from his original +condition as a sinful descendant of Adam. The child of a day is +included as well as the man of eighty years; we all are thus from our +mother's womb. The more sins a man commits, the older and more unfit +he is before God. This old man, Paul says, must be crucified—utterly +condemned, executed, put out of the way, even here in this life. For +where he still remains in his strength, it is impossible that faith +or the spirit should be; and thus man remains in his sins, drowned +under the wrath of God, troubled with an evil conscience which +condemns him and keeps him out of God's kingdom.</p> + +<p>17. The "new man" is one who has turned to God in repentance, one who +has a new heart and understanding, who has changed his belief and +through the power of the Holy Spirit lives in accordance with the +Word and will of God. This new man must be found in all Christians; +it begins in baptism or in repentance and conversion. It resists and +subdues the old man and its sinful lusts through the power of the +Holy Spirit. Paul declares, "They that are of Christ Jesus have +crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts," Gal 5, 24.</p> + +<p>18. Now, although in those who are new men, the old man is crucified, +there yet, Paul says, remains in them in this life "the body of sin." +By this we understand the remaining lusts of the old man, which are +still felt to be active in the flesh and blood, and which would fain +resist the spirit. But inasmuch as the head and life of sin are +destroyed, these lusts cannot harm the Christian. Still the Christian +must take care not to become obedient to them, lest the old man come +to power again. The new man must keep the upper hand; the remaining +sinful lusts must be weakened and subdued. And this body of ours must +finally decay and turn to dust, thereby utterly annihilating sin in +it.</p> + +<p>19. Now, he says, if ye be dead to sin under the reign of the spirit +and the new man, and adjudged to death under the reign of the body, +ye must no longer permit sin to bring you under its dominion, lest it +inculpate and condemn you. But ye must live as those who are wholly +released from it, over whom it no longer has any right or power. For +we read, "He that hath died is justified from sin." This is said of +all who are dead. He that has died has paid for his sin; he need not +die for it again, for he no longer commits sin and evil deeds. If sin +be destroyed in man by the Spirit, and the flesh also is dead and +gone, man is completely released and freed from sin.</p> + +<p>20. Paul comprehends the whole existence of the Christian on earth in +the death of Christ, and represents it as dead and buried, in the +coffin; that is, the Christian has ceased from the life of sin, and +has nothing more to do with it. He speaks of sin as being dead unto +the Christian and of the latter as being dead unto sin for the reason +that Christians no longer take part in the sinful life of the world. +And, too, they are doubly dead. First, spiritually they are dead unto +sin. And this, though painful and bitter to flesh and blood, is a +blessed, a comfortable and happy dying, sweet and delightful, for it +produces a heavenly life, pure and perfect. Secondly, they are +physically dead—the body dies. But this is not really death; rather +a gentle, soothing sleep. Therefore ye are, Paul would say, beyond +measure happy. In Christ ye have already escaped death by dying unto +sin; that death ye need die no more. It—the first death, which ye +have inherited from Adam through sin—is already taken away from you. +That being the real, the bitter and eternal death, ye are +consequently freed from the necessity of dying. At the same time +there is a death, or rather only the semblance of one, which ye must +suffer because ye are yet on earth and are the descendants of Adam.</p> +<br> + +<h4>SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL RESURRECTION.</h4> + +<p>21. The first death, inherited from Adam, is done away with, changed +into a spiritual dying unto sin, by reason of which the soul no +longer consents to sin and the body no longer commits it. Thus, in +place of the death which sin has brought upon us, eternal life is +already begun in you. Ye are now freed from the dreadful damning +death; then accept the sweet, holy and blessed death unto sin, that +ye may beware of sin and no longer serve it. Such is to be the result +of the death of Christ into which ye are baptized; Christ has died +and has commanded you to be baptized in order that sin might be +drowned in you.</p> + +<p>22. The other, the "little death," is that outward, physical death. +In the Scriptures it is called a sleep. It is imposed upon the flesh, +because, so long as we live on earth, the flesh never ceases to +resist the spirit and its life. Paul says: "The flesh lusteth against +the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary +the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would." +Gal 5, 17. The spirit, or soul, says: I am dead unto sin and will not +sin any more. But the flesh says: I am not dead and must make use of +my life while I have it. The spirit declares: I believe that God has +forgiven my sins and taken them away from me through Christ. But the +flesh asks: What do I know of God or his will? The spirit resolves: I +must be meek, pure, chaste, humble, patient, and seek the future +life. But the flesh in reply makes a loud outcry: Away with your +heaven! if only I had enough of bread and money and property here! +Thus the flesh does continually, as long as it lives here; it draws +and drags sin after itself; it is rebellious and refuses to die. +Therefore God must finally put it to death before it becomes dead +unto sin.</p> + +<p>23. And after all, it is but a gentle and easy death. It is truly +only a sleep. Since soul and spirit are no longer dead, the body +shall not remain dead; it shall come forth again, cleansed and +purified, on the last day, to be united with the soul. Then shall it +be a gentle, pure and obedient body, without sin or evil lust.</p> + +<p>24. These words of Paul are an admirable Christian picture of death, +representing it not as an awful thing, but as something comforting +and pleasant to contemplate. For how could Paul present a more +attractive description than when he describes it as stripped of its +power and repulsiveness and makes it the medium through which we +attain life and joy? What is more desirable than to be freed from sin +and the punishment and misery it involves, and to possess a joyful, +cheerful heart and conscience? For where there is sin and real +death—the sense of sin and God's wrath—there are such terror and +dismay that man feels like rushing through iron walls. Christ says, +in Luke 23, 30, quoting from the prophet Hosea (ch. 10, v. 8), that +such a one shall pray that the mountains and the hills may fall on +him and cover him.</p> + +<p>25. That dreadful death which is called in the Scriptures the second +death is taken away from the Christian through Christ, and is +swallowed up in his life. In place of it there is left a miniature +death, a death in which the bitterness is covered up. In it the +Christian dies according to the flesh; that is, he passes from +unbelief to faith, from the remaining sin to eternal righteousness, +from woes and sadness and tribulation to perfect eternal joy. Such a +death is sweeter and better than any life on earth. For not all the +life and wealth and delight and joy of the world can make man as +happy as he will be when he dies with a conscience at peace with God +and with the sure faith and comfort of everlasting life. Therefore +truly may this death of the body be said to be only a falling into a +sweet and gentle slumber. The body ceases from sin. It no longer +hinders or harasses the spirit. It is cleansed and freed from sin and +comes forth again in the resurrection clothed with the obedience, joy +and life which the spirit imparts.</p> + +<p>26. The only trouble is that the stupid flesh cannot understand this. +It is terrified by the mask of death, and imagines that it is still +suffering the old death; for it does not understand the spiritual +dying unto sin. It judges only by outward appearance. It sees that +man perishes, decays under the ground and is consumed. Having only +this abominable and hideous mask before its eyes, it is afraid of +death. But its fear is only because of its lack of understanding. If +it knew, it would by no means be afraid or shudder at death. Our +reason is like a little child who has become frightened by a bugbear +or a mask, and cannot be lulled to sleep; or like a poor man, bereft +of his senses, who imagines when brought to his couch that he is +being put into the water and drowned. What we do not understand we +cannot intelligently deal with. If, for instance, a man has a penny +and imagines it to be a five-dollar gold piece, he is just as proud +of it as if it were a real gold piece; if he loses it he is as +grieved as if he had lost that more valuable coin. But it does not +follow that he has suffered such loss; he has simply deluded himself +with a false idea.</p> + +<p>27. Thus it is not the reality of death and burial that terrifies; +the terror lies in the flesh and blood, which cannot understand that +death and the grave mean nothing more than that God lays us—like a +little child is laid in a cradle or an easy bed—where we shall +sweetly sleep till the judgment day. Flesh and blood shudders in fear +at that which gives no reason for it, and finds comfort and joy in +that which really gives no comfort or joy. Thus Christians must be +harassed by their ignorant and insane flesh, because it will not +understand its own good or harm. They must verily fight against it as +long as they live, at the cost of much pain and weariness.</p> + +<p>28. There is none so perfect that he does not flee from and shudder +at death and the grave. Paul complains and confesses of himself, and +in his own person of all Christians: "For that which I do I know not: +for not what I would, that do I practice." Rom 7, 15. In other words: +By the spirit, I am well aware that when this body comes to die God +simply lays me to rest in sweetest slumber, and I would gladly have +my flesh to understand this; but I cannot bring it to it. The spirit +indeed is willing and desires bodily death as a gentle sleep. It does +not consider it to be death; it knows no such thing as death. It +knows that it is freed from sin and that where there is no sin there +is no death—life only. But the flesh halts and hesitates, and is in +constant dread lest I die and perish in the abyss. It will not allow +itself to be tamed and brought into that obedience and into that +consoling view of death which the spirit exercises. Even Saint Paul +cries out in anxiety of spirit: "Wretched man that I am! who shall +deliver me out of the body of this death?" Rom 7, 24. Now we see what +is meant by the statement, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." +The flesh must be dragged along and compelled by the spirit to +obediently follow, in spite of its resistance and trembling. It must +be forced into submission until it is finally overcome. Just so the +mother so deals with the child that is fretful and restless that she +constrains it to sleep.</p> + +<p>29. Paul says, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified"—that +is, we know that, in soul and spirit, we are already dead unto +sin—"that the body of sin might be done away." The meaning is: +Because the body does not willingly and cheerfully follow the spirit, +but resists and would fain linger in the old life of sin, it is +already sentenced, compelled to follow and to be put to death that +sin may be destroyed in it.</p> + +<p>30. He does not say that the body is destroyed as soon as a man has +been baptized and is become a Christian, but that the body of sin is +destroyed. The body which before was obstinate and disobedient to the +spirit is now changed; it is no longer a body of sin but of +righteousness and newness of life. So he adds, "that we should no +longer be in bondage to sin."</p> + +<blockquote>"But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with +him; knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; +death no more hath dominion over him. For the death that he died, he +died unto sin once; but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God."</blockquote> + +<p>31. Here he leads us out of the death and grave of sin to the +resurrection of spirit and body. When we die—spiritually unto sin, +and physically to the world and self—what doth it profit us? Is +there nothing else in store for the Christian but to die and be +buried? By all means yes, he says; we are sure by faith that we also +shall live, even as Christ rose from death and the grave and lives. +For we have died with him, or, as stated above, "we have become +united with him in the likeness of his death." By his death he has +destroyed our sin and death; therefore we share in his resurrection +and life. There shall be no more sin and death in our spirit or body, +just as there is no more death in him. Christ, having once died and +been raised again, dieth no more. There is nothing to die for. He has +accomplished everything. He has destroyed the sin for which he died, +and has swallowed up death in victory. And that he now lives means +that he lives in everlasting righteousness, life and majesty. So, +when ye have once passed through both deaths, the spiritual death +unto sin and the gentle death of the body, death can no more touch +you, no more reign over you.</p> + +<p>32. This, then, is our comfort for the timidity of the poor, weak +flesh which still shudders at death. If thou art a Christian, then +know that thy Lord Jesus Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no +more; death hath no more dominion over him. Therefore, death hath no +more dominion over thee, who art baptized into him. Satan is defied +and dared to try all his powers and terrors on Christ; for we are +assured, "Death no more hath dominion over him." Death may awaken +anger, malice, melancholy, fear and terror in our poor, weak flesh, +but it hath no more dominion over Christ. On the contrary, death must +submit to the dominion of Christ, in his own person and in us. We +have died unto sin; that is, we have been redeemed from the sting and +power, the control, of death. Christ has fully accomplished the work +by which he obtained power over death, and has bestowed that power +upon us, that in him we should reign over death. So Paul says in +conclusion:</p> + +<blockquote>"Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive +unto God in Christ Jesus."</blockquote> + +<p>33. "Reckon ye also yourselves," he says. Ye, as Christians, should +be conscious of these things, and should conduct yourselves in all +your walk and conversation as those who are dead to sin and who give +evidence of it to the world. Ye shall not serve sin, shall not follow +after it, as if it had dominion over you. Ye shall live in newness of +life, which means that ye shall lead a godly life, inwardly by faith +and outwardly in your conduct; ye shall have power over sin until the +flesh—the body—shall at last fall asleep, and thus both deaths be +accomplished in you. Then there will remain nothing but life—no +terror or fear of death and no more of its dominion.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm10"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Seventh Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Romans 6, 19-23.</center> + +<blockquote>19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your +flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness +and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as +servants to righteousness unto sanctification. 20 For when ye were +servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. 21 What +fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now +ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made +free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +sanctification, and the end eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is +death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our +Lord.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>EXHORTATION TO RESIST SIN.</h4> + +<p>1. The text properly should include several verses preceding. Paul +has not yet concluded the subject of the epistle for last Sunday. +There he urges that since we are baptized into Christ and believe, we +should henceforth walk in a new life; that we are now dead to sin +because we are in Christ, who by his death and resurrection has +conquered and destroyed sin. He illustrates the power of Christ's +death and resurrection by saying: "For sin shall not have dominion +over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace." That is, being +in Christ and possessed of the power of his resurrection—in other +words, having God's grace and the forgiveness of sins—you can now +readily resist sin. Although you may not perfectly fulfill the letter +of the Law in its demands, yet it cannot condemn you as a sinner nor +subject you to God's wrath.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOOD WORKS NOT FORBIDDEN.</h4> + +<p>2. Then Paul presents again the question raised by the obstinate +world when it encounters this doctrine. "What then?" he asks, "shall +we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?" It is the +perversity of the world that, when we preach about forgiveness of +sins by pure grace and without merit of man, it should either say we +forbid good works, or else try to draw the conclusion that man may +continue to live in sin and follow his own pleasure; when the fact +is, we should particularly strive to live a life the very reverse of +sinful, that our doctrine may draw people to good works, unto the +praise and honor and glory of God. Our doctrine, rightly apprehended, +does not influence to pride and vice, but to humility and obedience.</p> + +<p>3. In affairs of temporal government, whether domestic or civil, +judge or ruler, it is understood that he who asks for pardon +confesses himself guilty, acknowledges his error and promises to +reform—to transgress no more. For instance, when the judge extends +mercy and pardon to the thief deserving of the gallows, the law is +canceled by grace. Suppose now the thief continues in wrong-doing and +boasts, "Now that I am under grace I may do as I please, I have no +law to fear"; who would tolerate him? For though the law is indeed +canceled for him and he receives not merited punishment, though grace +delivers him from the rope and the sword, life is not granted him +that he may continue to steal, to murder; rather he is supposed to +become honest and virtuous. If he does not, the law will again +overtake him and punish him as he deserves. In short, where grace +fulfills the law, no one is for that reason given license to continue +in wrong-doing; on the contrary, he is under increased obligation to +avoid occasions of falling under condemnation of the law.</p> + +<p>4. Everyone can readily comprehend this principle in temporal things; +no one is stupid enough to tolerate the idea of grace being granted +to extend opportunity to do wrong. It is only the Gospel doctrine +concerning God's grace and the forgiveness of sin that must suffer +the slanderous misrepresentation that makes it abolish good works or +give occasion for sin. We are told how God, in his unfathomable +grace, has canceled the sentence of eternal death and hell fire +which, according to the Law and divine judgment, we deserved, and has +given us instead the freedom of life eternal; thus our life is purely +of grace. Yet certainly we are not pardoned that we may live as +before when, under condemnation and wrath, we incurred death. Rather, +forgiveness is bestowed that we in appreciation of the sublimity and +sanctity of God's unspeakably great blessing which delivers us from +death unto life, should henceforth take heed that we lose it not; +that we fall not from grace to pass again under judgment and the +sentence of eternal death. We are to conduct ourselves as men made +alive and saved.</p> + +<p>5. So Paul says in verse 16, "Know ye not, that to whom ye present +yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye +obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" +Meaning, Since you now have, under grace, obtained forgiveness of sin +and are become righteous, you owe it to God to live in obedience to +his will. Necessarily your life must be obedient to some master. +Either you obey sin, to continue in the service of which brings death +and God's wrath, or you obey God, in grace, unto a new manner of +life. So, then, you are no more to obey sin, having been freed from +its dominion and power. Paul continues the topic in this Sunday's +epistle text, saying:</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOOD AND EVIL "AFTER THE MANNER OF MEN."</h4> + +<blockquote>"I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your +flesh: for as ye presented your members as members to uncleanness," +etc.</blockquote> + +<p>6. Heretofore he had been speaking, under the inspiration of the Holy +Spirit, in language unusual and unintelligible to the world. To the +gentiles it was a strange and incomprehensible thing he said about +dying with Christ unto sin, being buried and planted into his death, +and so on. But now, since his former words are obscure to the natural +understanding, he will, he says, speak according to human +reason—"after the manner of men."</p> + +<p>7. Even reason and the laws of all the gentiles, he goes on to say, +teach we are not to do evil; rather to avoid it and do good. All +sovereigns establish laws to restrain evil and preserve order.</p> + +<p>How could we introduce through the Gospel a doctrine countenancing +evil? Though the wisdom of the Gospel is a higher gift than human +reason, it does not alter or nullify the God-implanted intelligence +of the latter. Hence it is a perversion of our doctrine to say it +does not teach us to love good works and practice them. "Now, if you +cannot understand this truth from my explanation," Paul would +say—"that through faith you have, by baptism, died to the sinful +life, even been buried—then learn it through your accustomed +exercise of reason. You know for yourselves that pardon for former +transgression and release from lawful punishment gives no one license +to do evil—to commit theft or murder."</p> + +<p>8. It is a commonly recognized fact among men that pardon does not +mean license. God's Word confirms the same. Yet the disadvantage is +that although reason teaches, through the Law, good works and forbids +evil, it is unable to comprehend why its teachings are not fulfilled. +It perceives from the results which follow dishonoring of the Law, +that to honor is best, that it is right and praiseworthy not to steal +and commit crime. But it fails to understand why, given the teachings +at first, they are not naturally fulfilled. Nor, again, does it know +how existing conditions may be removed or bettered. It resorts to +this expedient and that to restrain evil, but it cannot attain the +art of uprooting and destroying it. With the sword, rack and gallows +the judge may restrain public crime, but he cannot punish more than +what is known and witnessed to before the court. Whatever is done +secretly and never comes before him, he cannot punish or restrain. +The Word of God, however, takes hold of the difficulty in a different +manner. It teaches how to crush the head of the serpent and to slay +the evil. Then the judge and the executioner are no longer necessary. +But where we may not control the cause of the wrong, we should, +nevertheless, restrain so far as possible its manifest workings.</p> + +<p>Now, the utmost reason can teach is that we are not to do evil even +in thought or desire, and the extent of its punishment relates only +to outward works; it cannot punish the thought and inclination to do +evil.</p> + +<p>9. "But we preach another doctrine," Paul means to say, "a doctrine +having power to control the heart and restrain the will. We say you +believers in Christ, who are baptized into his death and buried with +him, are not only to be reckoned dead, but are truly dead unto sin." +A Christian has certain knowledge that through the grace of Christ +his sins are forgiven—blotted out and deprived of condemning power. +Because he has obtained and believes in such grace, he receives a +heart abhorrent of sin. Although feeling within himself, perhaps, the +presence of evil thoughts and lusts, yet his faith and the Holy +Spirit are with him to remind him of his baptism. "Notwithstanding +time and opportunity permit me to do evil," he says to himself, "and +though I run no risk of being detected and punished, yet I will not +do it. I will obey God and honor Christ my Lord, for I am baptized +into Christ and as a Christian am dead unto sin, nor will I come +again under its power."</p> + +<p>So acted godly Joseph, who, when tempted by his master's wife, "left +his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" (Gen 39, 12); +whereas another might have been glad of the invitation. He was but +flesh and blood and naturally not insensible to her inducement, to +the time and opportunity, the friendship of the woman and the offered +enjoyment; but he restrained himself, not yielding even in thought to +the temptation. Such obedience to God destroys indeed the source of +evil—sin. Reason and human wisdom know nothing of it. It is not to +be effected by laws, by punishment, by prison and sword. It can be +attained only by faith and a knowledge of Christ's grace, through +which we die to sin and the world, and restrain the will from evil +even when detection and punishment are impossible.</p> + +<p>10. Now, such doctrine is not to be learned from human reason; it is +spiritual and taught of the Scriptures. It reveals the source of evil +and how to restrain it. Since, then, we teach restraint of evil and +show withal a way higher and more effectual than reason can find, the +accusation that we prohibit good works and license sin is +sufficiently answered and disproved. But Paul would say to the +Romans, "If you cannot comprehend our superior doctrine as to the +questions raised, then answer them according to the teachings of your +own reason, for even that will tell you—and no man will dispute +it—we are to do no wrong. The Word of God confirms this doctrine."</p> + +<p>11. The apostle says he will speak of the point they raise, after the +manner of men. That does not mean according to corrupt flesh and +blood, which are not capable of speaking anything good, but according +to natural reason as God created it, where some good still remains, +for there are to be found many upright individuals who make just +laws. I speak thus "because of the infirmity of your flesh," Paul +declares. As if he would say, I have not yet said as much as reason, +the teachers of the Law and the jurists would demand, but I will go +no further because you are yet too weak spiritually, and too +unaccustomed to my manner of speech, for all of you to understand it. +I must come down to your apprehension and speak according to your +capacity. Now, I want to say, ask your own statutes, your own laws, +whether they authorize the prohibition of good works; if they license +evil, though they may not be able to prevent it. Thus I convince you +that such a pretense regarding our doctrine is not to be tolerated.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE TEACHINGS OF REASON.</h4> + +<p>"Even reason teaches that your lives must conform to your business; +each is in duty bound to obey him whom he serves. As Christians you +are obliged to render another service than that you gave when under +the dominion of sin, and obedient to it; when you were unable to +escape its power and to do any work good before God. You have now +come out of bondage and are relieved from obedience to sin, through +grace, having devoted yourselves to the service of God, to obeying +him. Therefore, assuredly you must change your manner of life."</p> + +<p>12. Truly, Paul here argues reasonably and within the scope of man's +natural understanding. We preach the same truths, but, presenting +them in the form of Christian doctrine, we necessarily employ +different language and a loftier tone, lest it be offensive to the +world. We may say that theft, murder, envy, hate and other crimes and +vices are transgressions, yet we cannot remedy the evils by the mere +prohibitions of the law. The remedy must be effected through God's +grace, and is accomplished in the believer, not by our power, but by +the Holy Spirit. But when we so explain, the stupid world immediately +blurts out, "Oh, if it be true that our works do not remedy evils, +let us enjoy ourselves and not bother about good works!"</p> + +<p>13. That their implication is false and a wanton perversion of the +true doctrine is manifest from the fact that we exalt and endorse the +command of God, and also the doctrine of reason, that teach us to do +good and avoid evil. Indeed, we assist reason, which is powerless to +remedy evil. If reason were itself sufficient, men would not permit +themselves to be deceived by their own visionary ideas and false +doctrines about worthless and vain works, as are followers of the +papacy and of all false worship. No doubt such error has its rise in +the principle that we are to do good and avoid evil. The principle +fundamentally is true, and accepted by all men; but when it comes to +the theories we build upon it, the speculations as to how it is to be +put into practice, there is disagreement. Only the Word of God can +show how to accomplish it.</p> + +<p>Reason is easily blinded on this point and deceived by false +appearances, being led by anything merely called good. Even when it +has performed all it believes to be right, it is still uncertain of +acceptance. Indeed, it perceives no fruits, no benefit, to result +from its teaching; for at best its achievements extend no farther +than outward works—the object being to make the doer appear +righteous and respectable before men—while inward sinfulness is +unrestrained and the soul remains captive to its former life, +obedient to the lusts of sin. And the motive of such a one is not +sincere; he would conduct himself quite otherwise were he not +restrained by fear of shame and punishment.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOSPEL HIGHER THAN REASON.</h4> + +<p>14. We present a higher doctrine—the Gospel. The Gospel teaches +first how sin in ourselves is, through Christ, slain and buried. Thus +we obtain a good conscience, a conscience hating and opposing sin, +and become obedient to another power. Being delivered from sin we +would serve God and exert ourselves to do his pleasure, even though +no fear, punishment, judge or executioner existed.</p> + +<p>With this point accepted—with the settlement of this minor subject +of controversy as to how we are delivered from sin and attain to +truly good works, we unite once more on the fundamental principle +that good is to be done and evil avoided. Therefore, we immediately +conclude: Since we are free from sin and converted to God, we must in +obedience to him do good and live no more in sin.</p> + +<p>15. Thus does Paul make use of the Law, and of human reason so far as +it is able to interpret the Law, to resist them who speak falsely and +pervert the right doctrine. Evidently, then, the doctrine of the +Gospel does not oppose the doctrine of good works, but transcends it. +For it reveals the source and inspiration of good works—not human +reason, not human ability, but the grace and power of the Holy +Spirit. Now Paul deduces the point:</p> + +<blockquote>"For as ye presented [yielded] your members as servants to +uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present +[yield] your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification +[holiness]."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>BODY NOT TO SERVE SIN.</h4> + +<p>16. Even reason teaches that, being no more subject to sin and +unrighteousness, you are no longer to serve them with your body and +members—your whole physical life. And further, having yielded +yourselves to obey God and righteousness, you are in duty bound to +serve them with body and life. To put it concisely and clearly, Let +him who formerly was evil and lived contrary to his own conscience +and to God's will, now become godly and serve the Lord with a good +conscience. Or, as Paul says, "Let him that stole steal no more," Eph +4, 28.</p> + +<p>17. Formerly, he tells them, their members—eyes, ears, mouth, hands, +feet—even the whole body, served uncleanness. For "vice" he uses +this term "uncleanness," readily intelligible to reason and inclusive +of all forms of sin. "You permitted your members to serve +unrighteousness," he would say, "and devoted them to every sort of +unholy life, every wicked work, committing one iniquity after another +and exercising all manner of villainy that can be named. Now reverse +the order. Reasoning according to your own logic: while before you +willingly witnessed, heard and uttered things shameful and unchaste, +and sought lewdness, lending your bodies to it, let impurity now be +distressing to your sight and hearing; let the body flee from it; be +pure in words and works. All the members of the body, all its +functions, are to be devoted to righteousness."</p> + +<p>Thus your members, your whole bodies, are to become holy—to be God's +own—and given over solely to his service. The longer and the more +ardently they serve, the more cheerfully will they honor and obey +God, being devoted to all that is divine, praiseworthy, honorable and +virtuous. The instructions God has written upon your own heart would +teach you this principle, even were there no Word of God. It is +useless for you to protest: "Yes, but you have taught that good works +do not save," for that doctrine is not inconsistent, but beyond your +understanding. Indeed, it is the true light whereby you may fulfill +the teachings of reason.</p> + +<blockquote>"For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of [free +from] righteousness."</blockquote> + +<p>18. All these expressions Paul uses "after the manner of men," +adapting them from the laws and customs of the times concerning +slavery, service and freedom. Then servants were bondmen, purchased +by their masters, with whom they must abide until set at liberty by +those owners, or otherwise freed. His allusion to a former service of +unrighteousness and a present service of righteousness implies two +conditions of servitude and consequently two conditions of freedom. +He who serves sin, the apostle teaches, is free from righteousness; +that is, he is captive under sin, unable to attain to righteousness +and to do righteous works. Even reason can comprehend the principle +that he is free who does not serve—who is not servant. Again, +servants of righteousness means service and obedience to +righteousness, and freedom from sin.</p> +<br> + +<h4>FRUITS OF TWO KINDS OF SERVICE.</h4> + +<p>Paul now puts the matter a little differently, contrasting the +experience of the Romans in the two forms of service. He leaves it +with them to determine which has been productive of benefit and which +of injury, and to choose accordingly as to future service and +obedience.</p> + +<blockquote>"What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now +ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made +free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +sanctification [holiness], and the end eternal life."</blockquote> + +<p>19. Rather recall your manner of life when you were free from +righteousness and obeyed only the urgings and enticements of sin. +What pleasure or gain had you in it? None, except that for which you +are now ashamed. Further, had you remained in it you would at last +have found death. Only these two grand results—shame and death. +Nothing better have you earned in its service. Munificent reward +indeed for him who, choosing freedom from righteousness, lives to his +own pleasure. He is deceived into thinking he has chosen a highly +desirable life, for it gratifies the fleshly desires, and he thinks +to go unpunished.</p> + +<p>But gratification is succeeded by two severe punishments: First, +shame—confession of disgrace before God and the world. Thus Adam and +Eve in Paradise, when they chose to violate God's command and, +enticed by the devil, followed their desire for a forbidden thing, +were made to feel the disgrace of their sin; they were in their +hearts ashamed to appear in the presence of God. The other and added +punishment is eternal death and the fires of hell, into which also +fell our first parents.</p> + +<p>20. Is it not better, then, to be free from the service of sin and to +serve righteousness? So doing, you would never suffer shame nor +injury but would receive a double blessing: First, a clear conscience +before God and all creatures, proof in itself that you live a holy +life and belong to God; second and chief, the rich and incorruptible +reward of eternal life.</p> + +<p>21. In all these observations Paul is still speaking after the manner +of men; in a way comprehended and accepted by reason, even without +knowledge of Christ. It is universally true in the world that +evil-doers—thieves, murderers and the like—are punished in addition +to the public disgrace they feel. Similarly, they who do good +receive, in addition to the honor of men, all manner of happy reward.</p> + +<blockquote>"For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal +life in Christ Jesus our Lord."</blockquote> + +<p>22. It seems a strange saying, that evil-doers are to receive wages, +seemingly implying right and deserving action on their part. +Ordinarily the term "wages" signifies a good reward, given to those +who acquit themselves righteously and bravely. Paul uses the word to +discomfit them who pervert his teaching. For they say, "Ah, Paul +preaches of grace alone, yet he promises wages to sin." "Yes," Paul +would respond, "boast as you will, you will receive a reward—death +and hell-fire. You must confidently expect it if you interpret the +Gospel to teach that God shall reward you who serve sin." With the +convincing words of the text, Paul would undeceive those who +advocate, or suffer themselves to believe, that man can serve God in +sin and can receive a happy reward. He chooses words familiar to +them. "Yes, if, as you maintain, wages must be the reward of every +service, you will of course receive yours—death and hell. These any +may have who desire them and regard them precious."</p> + +<p>23. Paul says further, "The free gift of God is eternal life." +Observe his choice of words. He does not here use the term "wages," +because he has previously taught that eternal life is not the reward +of our works, but is given of pure grace, through faith and for +Christ's sake. So he speaks of it as a "free gift of God, through +Christ Jesus our Lord." The soul possessing eternal life is furnished +with power to crush the serpent's head, and none can deprive him of +his priceless blessing. He has also power to avoid sin and to +constantly crucify his flesh. These are things not to be effected by +any law, any human ability; faith is requisite. Through faith we are +incorporated into Christ and planted with him in the death of sin, +unto eternal life and truly good works.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm11"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Eighth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Romans 8, 12-17.</center> + +<blockquote>12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after +the flesh: 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by +the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 +For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. +15 For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye +received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The +Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children +of God: 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs +with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also +glorified with him.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>LIVING IN THE SPIRIT AS GOD'S CHILDREN.</h4> + +<p>1. This text, like the preceding one, is an exhortation to Christian +life and works. The language employed, however, is of different +construction. The hateful machinations of the devil, by which he +produces so much disaster in the world, make it necessary to urge +this exhortation in many different forms upon those who have become +Christians. For when God out of grace, without any merit on our part, +bestows upon us the forgiveness of sins which we ourselves are unable +to buy or acquire, the devil instigates men at once to conclude and +exclaim: Oh, in that case we need no longer do good! Whenever, +therefore, the apostle speaks of the doctrine of faith, he is obliged +continually to maintain that grace implies nothing of that kind. For +our sins are not forgiven with the design that we should continue to +commit sin, but that we should cease from it. Otherwise it would more +justly be called, not forgiveness of sin but permission to sin.</p> + +<p>2. It is a shameful perversion of the salutary doctrine of the Gospel +and great and damnable ingratitude for the unfathomable grace and +salvation received, to be unwilling to do good. For we ought in fact +to be impelled by this very grace to do, with all diligence and to +the utmost of our knowledge and ability, everything that is good and +well-pleasing to God, to the praise and glory of his name.</p> + +<p>3. Of this Paul reminds and admonishes us here, in plain and simple +but earnest and important words, in which he points out to us how +much we owe to God for that which we have received from him, and what +injury we shall suffer if we do not value it as we should, and act +accordingly. He says:</p> + +<blockquote>"We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh."</blockquote> + +<p>4. Because we have been redeemed from the condemnation we deserved by +our sins, and now have eternal life through the Spirit of Christ +dwelling in us (he speaks of this in the preceding verses), therefore +we are debtors to live after the Spirit and obey God. This Paul +declares also in the text for last Sunday: "Now being made free from +sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +sanctification." Rom 6, 22. Therefore, he says, ye are debtors; your +new calling, station, and nature require of you that, since ye have +become Christians and have the Holy Spirit, ye should live as the +Holy Spirit directs and teaches. It is not left to your own caprice +to do or to leave undone. If ye desire to glory in the possession of +grace and the Holy Spirit, ye must confess yourselves debtors to +live, not after the flesh, the only desire of which is to continue in +sin, but after the Spirit; the Spirit shows you that, having been +baptized and redeemed from sin, ye must turn from sin to the new life +of righteousness and not from that new life to sin.</p> + +<blockquote>"For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die."</blockquote> + +<p>5. Here judgment is plainly and tersely pronounced on the pretensions +of those foolish people who seek to make the freedom of grace a +pretext for giving license to the flesh. The apostle speaks these +words that he may deter them from presumption, lest in place of the +life and grace in which they pride themselves, they bring upon +themselves again eternal wrath and death. It would be utterly +inconsistent in you who are now saved and freed from eternal death to +desire henceforth to live after the flesh. For if ye do that, ye need +not imagine that ye shall retain eternal life; ye will be subject to +death and condemned to hell. For ye know that it was solely because +of your sins that ye lay under the wrath of God and had incurred +death, and that it was because ye lived after the flesh that ye +deserved condemnation. Most assuredly Christ has not died for those +who are determined to remain in their sins; he has died that he might +rescue from their sins those who would gladly be released but cannot +liberate themselves.</p> + +<p>6. Therefore, let him that is a Christian take care not to be guilty +of such nonsense as to say: I am free from the Law, therefore I may +do as I please. Rather let him say and do the contrary. Let him, +because he is a Christian, fear and shun sin, lest he fall from his +freedom into his former state of bondage to sin under the Law and +God's wrath; or lest the life, begun in God, lapse again into death. +For here stands the express declaration, "If ye live after the flesh, +ye must die;" as if the apostle meant: It will not avail you that ye +have heard the Gospel, that ye boast of Christ, that ye receive the +sacraments, so long as ye do not, through the faith and Holy Spirit +received, subdue your sinful lusts, your ungodliness and impiety, +your avarice, malice, pride, hatred, envy and the like.</p> + +<p>7. For the meaning of "living after the flesh" has been repeatedly +stated and is readily understood. It includes not only the gross, +sensual lust of fornication or other uncleanness, but everything man +has inherited by his natural birth; not only the physical body, but +also the soul and all the faculties of our nature, both mental and +corporal—our reason, will and senses—which are by nature without +the Spirit and are not regulated by God's Word. It includes +particularly those things which the reason is not inclined to regard +as sin; for instance, living in unbelief, idolatry, contempt of God's +Word, presumption and dependence on our own wisdom and strength, our +own honor, and the like. Everything of this nature must be shunned by +Christians (who have the Holy Spirit and are hence able to judge what +is carnal) as a fatal poison which produces death and damnation.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PUTTING TO DEATH SIN.</h4> + +<blockquote>"But if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall +live."</blockquote> + +<p>8. Here the apostle confesses that even in the Christian there is a +remnant of the flesh, that must be put to death—all manner of +temptation and lusts in opposition to God's commandments. These are +active in the flesh and prompt to sin. They are here called the +"deeds of the body." Of this nature are thoughts of unbelief and +distrust, carnal security and presumption instead of the fear of God, +coldness and indolence with respect to God's Word and prayer, +impatience and murmurings under suffering, anger and vindictiveness +or envy and hatred against our neighbor, avarice, unchastity and the +like. Such inclinations as these dwell in flesh and blood and cease +not to move and tempt man. Yea, because of human infirmity they at +times overtake him when he is not careful enough about transgression. +They will certainly overpower him unless he resolutely opposes them +and, as here stated, "puts to death the deeds of the body." To do +this means a severe struggle, a battle, which never abates nor ceases +so long as we live. The Christian dare never become slothful or +negligent in this matter. He must arouse himself through the Spirit +so as not to give place to the flesh. He must constantly put to death +the flesh lest he himself be put to death by it. The apostle +declares, "If ye live after the flesh, ye must die," and again +comforts us, "If by the Spirit ye put to death [mortify] the deeds of +the body, ye shall live." For the Christian receives the gift of the +Holy Spirit that he may become willing and able to mortify these +sinful lusts.</p> + +<p>9. This mortifying of sin through the Spirit is accomplished on this +wise: Man recognizes his sin and infirmity, at once repents, +remembers God's Word, and, through faith in the forgiveness of sins, +strengthens himself against sin, and so resists it that he does not +consent to it nor permit it to come to deeds.</p> + +<p>10. This constitutes the difference between those who are Christians +and sanctified and those who are without faith and the Holy Spirit or +who grieve and lose the Spirit. For although believers, as well as +unbelievers, are not wholly free from the sinful lusts of the flesh, +they yet remain in repentance and the fear of God; they hold fast to +the belief that their sins are forgiven, for Christ's sake, because +they do not yield to them but resist them. Therefore they continue +under forgiveness, and their remaining infirmity is not fatal nor +damning to them as it is to those who, without repentance and faith, +go on in carnal security and purposely follow their evil lusts +against their own conscience; who thus cast away from themselves both +faith and the Holy Spirit.</p> + +<p>11. So Paul admonishes the Christians to remember what they have +received, and whereunto they are called. Having received the +forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit, they are to be careful not +to lose these again; they must use them in contending against the +sinful lusts of the flesh. They are to comfort themselves with the +fact that they have the Holy Spirit, that is, have help and strength +by means of which they can resist and mortify sin. These things are +impossible to those who have not faith. Therefore Paul declares +further:</p> + +<blockquote>"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of +God."</blockquote> + +<p>12. Like ourselves, Paul had to deal with two classes of people, the +true and the false Christians. There is not so much danger from the +adversaries of the doctrine; for instance, from popery: their +opposition is so open that we can readily beware of them. But since +the devil sows even among us his seed—they are called Christians and +boast of the Gospel—it behooves us to take heed, not to the mouth, +but to the works, of those who claim to be Christians. Not what they +say, but what they do, is the question. It is easy enough to boast of +God and of Christ and of the Spirit. But whether such boasting has +any foundation or not, depends on whether or not the Spirit so works +and rules in one as to subdue and mortify sin. For where the Spirit +is, there assuredly the Spirit is not idle nor powerless. He proves +his presence by ruling and directing man and prevailing on man to +obey and follow his promptings. Such a man has the comfort that he is +a child of God, and that God so reigns and works in him that he is +not subject to death; he has life.</p> +<br> + +<h4>MEANING OF "LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD."</h4> + +<p>13. To be "led by the Spirit of God" means, then, to be given a heart +which gladly hears God's Word and believes that in Christ it has +grace and the forgiveness of sins; a heart which confesses and proves +its faith before the world; a heart which seeks, above all things, +the glory of God, and endeavors to live without giving offense, to +serve others and to be obedient, patient, pure and chaste, mild and +gentle; a heart which, though at times overtaken in a fault and it +stumble, soon rises again by repentance, and ceases to sin. All these +things the Holy Spirit teaches one if he hears and receives the Word, +and does not wilfully resist the Spirit.</p> + +<p>14. On the other hand, the devil, who also is a spirit, persuades the +hearts of the worldlings. But it soon becomes evident that his work +is not that of a good spirit or a divine spirit. For he only leads +men to do the reverse of that which the Spirit of God leads them to +do; then they find no pleasure in hearing and obeying God's Word, but +despise God, and become proud and haughty, avaricious, unmerciful.</p> + +<p>15. Let every one therefore take heed that he do not deceive himself. +For there are many who claim to be Christians and yet are not. We +perceive this from the fact that not all are led by the Spirit of +God. Some spirit there must be by which men are led. If it is not the +Spirit of God leading them to oppose the flesh, then it must be the +other and evil spirit leading them to give way to the flesh and its +lusts and to oppose the Spirit of God. They must, therefore, either +be God's own, his dear children, his sons and his daughters, called +to eternal life and glory; or they must be rejected and abandoned, +children of the devil, and with him heirs of eternal fire.</p> + +<p>16. Paul takes occasion to speak more at length on the words "sons of +God," and proceeds in beautiful and comforting words to describe the +nature and glory of this sonship. He only begins the subject, +however, in today's text. He says:</p> + +<blockquote>"For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye +received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."</blockquote> + +<p>17. This is a noble and comforting text, worthy of being written in +letters of gold. Because ye now through faith, he means to say, have +the Holy Spirit and are led by him, ye are no longer in bondage as ye +were when under the Law; ye need no longer be afraid of its terrors +and its demands, as if God would condemn and reject you on account of +your unworthiness and the remaining infirmity of your flesh. On the +contrary, ye have the consolation that, through faith, ye have the +assurance of God's grace, and may consider God your Father and call +upon him as his children.</p> +<br> + +<h4>TWO KINDS OF PREACHING AND OF WORKS.</h4> + +<p>18. Thus he contrasts the two kinds of works which spring from the +two kinds of preaching and doctrine—of the Law and of the +Gospel—and which constitute the difference between the Christians +and those still without faith and the knowledge of Christ. They who +have nothing and know nothing but the Law, can never attain to true, +heartfelt trust and confidence in God, though they do ever so much +and exercise themselves ever so earnestly in the Law. For when the +Law shines upon them in real clearness and they see what it demands +of them and how far they come short of its fulfilment, when it thus +discloses to them God's wrath, it produces in them only a terror, a +fear and dread, of God under which they must at last perish if they +be not rescued by the Gospel. This is what Paul here terms "the +spirit of bondage," one that produces only fear and dread of God. +But, on the other hand, if the heart grasps the preaching of the +Gospel, which declares that, without any merit or worthiness on our +part, God forgives us our sins, for Christ's sake, if we believe in +him—then it finds in God's grace comfort against the terrors of the +Law; then the Holy Spirit enables it to abide in that confidence, to +hold fast to that comfort, and to call upon God sincerely in that +faith, even though it feels and confesses to be still weak and +sinful. This is what is meant by receiving "the spirit of adoption."</p> + +<p>19. Paul speaks of the "spirit of bondage" and the "spirit of +adoption" according to the customs of his times. In those days +men-servants and maid-servants were the property of the master of the +house in the same sense that a cow was his property. He bought them +with his money; he did with them as he pleased, just as with his +cattle. They were afraid of their master and had to expect stripes, +imprisonment and punishment even unto death. They could not say, So +much of my master's property belongs to me, and he must give it to +me. But they had always to reflect: Here I serve for my bread only; I +have nothing to expect but stripes, and must be content to have my +master cast me out or sell me to someone else whenever he chooses. +They could never have a well-grounded hope of release from such fear +and bondage and coercion.</p> + +<p>20. Such a slavish spirit, such a captive, fearful and uncertain +spirit, ye do not have, says the apostle. Ye are not compelled to +live continually in fear of wrath and condemnation as are the +followers of Moses and all who are under the Law. On the contrary, ye +have a delightful, free spirit, one confident and contented, such as +a child entertains toward its father, and ye need not fear that God +is angry with you or will cast you off and condemn you. For ye have +the Spirit of his Son (as he says above and in Galatians 4, 6) in +your heart and know that ye shall remain in his house and receive the +inheritance, and that ye may comfort yourselves with it and boast of +it as being your own.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHILDREN OF GOD.</h4> + +<p>21. On this "spirit of adoption," that is on what the apostle means +when he says "whereby we cry, Abba, Father," I have spoken at some +length in my sermon on the text Galatians 4, 6, where the same words +are used. In short, Paul describes here the power of the kingdom of +Christ, the real work and the true exalted worship the Holy Spirit +effects in believers: the comfort by which the heart is freed from +the terror and fear of sin and given peace, and the heartfelt +supplication which in faith expects of God an answer and his help. +These blessings cannot be secured through the Law or our own +holiness. By such means man could never obtain the comfort of God's +grace and love to him; he would always remain in fear and dread of +wrath and condemnation, and, because of such doubt, would flee from +God, not daring to call upon him. But where there is faith in Christ, +there the Holy Spirit brings the comfort spoken of, and a childlike +trust which does not doubt that God is gracious and will answer +prayer, because he has promised all these—grace and help, comfort, +and answer to prayer—not for the sake of our worthiness, but for the +sake of the name and merit of Christ, his Son.</p> + +<p>22. Of these two works of the Holy Spirit, comfort and supplication, +the prophet Zechariah (ch. 12, 10) said that God would establish a +new dispensation in the kingdom of Christ when he should pour out +"the spirit of grace and of supplication." The spirit he speaks of is +the same who assures us that we are God's children, and desires us to +cry to him with heartfelt supplications.</p> + +<p>23. The Hebrew word "Abba"—which, as the apostle himself interprets +it, means "Father"—is the word which the tiny heir lisps in +childlike confidence to its father, calling him "Ab, Ab"; for it is +the easiest word the child can learn to speak: or, as the old German +language has it, almost easier still, "Etha, Etha." Such simple, +childlike words faith uses toward God through the Holy Spirit, but +they proceed out of the depth of the heart and, as afterwards stated, +"with groanings which cannot be uttered." Rom 8, 26. Especially is +this the case when the doubtings of the flesh and the terrors and +torments of the devil bring conflict and distress. Man must defend +himself against these and cries out: O dear Father! Thou art, indeed, +my Father, for thou hast given thine only and beloved Son for me. +Thou wilt not be angry with me or disown me. Or: Thou seest my +distress and my weakness; do thou help and save me.</p> + +<blockquote>"The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are +children of God."</blockquote> + +<p>24. That we are children of God and may confidently regard ourselves +as such, we do not learn from ourselves nor from the Law. We learn it +from the witness of the Spirit, who, in spite of the Law and of our +unworthiness, testifies to it in our weakness and assures us of it. +This witness is the experience within ourselves of the power of the +Holy Spirit working through the Word, and the knowledge that our +experience accords with the Word and the preaching of the Gospel. For +thou art surely aware whether or no, when thou art in fear and +distress, thou dost obtain comfort from the Gospel, and art able to +overcome thy doubts and terror; to so overcome that thy heart is +assured of God's graciousness, and thou no longer fleest from him, +but canst cheerfully call upon him in faith, expecting help. Where +such a faith exists, consciousness of help must follow. So Saint Paul +says, Rom 5, 4-5: "Stedfastness worketh approvedness; and +approvedness, hope: and hope putteth not to shame."</p> + +<p>25. This is the true inward witness by which thou mayest perceive +that the Holy Spirit is at work in thee. In addition to this, thou +hast also external witnesses and signs: for instance, it is a witness +of the Holy Spirit in thee that he gives thee special gifts, acute +spiritual understanding, grace and success in thy calling; that thou +hast pleasure and delight in God's Word, confessing it before the +world at the peril of life and limb; that thou hatest and resistest +ungodliness and sin. Those who have not the Holy Spirit are neither +willing nor able to do these things. It is true, that even in the +Christian, these things are accomplished in great weakness; but the +Holy Spirit governs them in their weakness, and strengthens in them +this witness, as Paul says again: "The Spirit also helpeth our +infirmity." Rom 8, 26.</p> +<br> + +<h4>HEIRS OF GOD.</h4> + +<blockquote>"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with +Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also +glorified with him."</blockquote> + +<p>26. Here, then, thou hast the high boast, the honor and the glory of +the Christian. Leave to the world its splendor, its pride and its +honors, which mean nothing else—when it comes to the point—than +that they are the children of the devil. But do thou consider the +marvel of this, that a poor, miserable sinner should obtain such +honor with God as to be called, not a slave nor a servant of God, but +a son and an heir of God! Any man, yea the whole world, might well +consider it privilege enough to be called one of God's lowest +creatures, only so that they might have the honor of being God's +property. For who would not wish to belong to such a Lord and +Creator? But the apostle declares here that we who believe in Christ +shall be not his servants, but his own sons and daughters, his heirs. +Who can sufficiently magnify or utter God's grace? It is beyond the +power of our expression or comprehension.</p> + +<p>27. Yet here our great human weakness discovers itself. If we fully +and confidently believed this, then of what should we be afraid or +who could do us harm? He who from the heart can say to God, Thou art +my Father and I am thy child—he who can say this can surely bid +defiance to all the devils in hell, and joyfully despise the +threatenings and ragings of the whole world. For he possesses, in his +Father, a Lord before whom all creatures must tremble and without +whose will they can do nothing; and he possesses a heritage which no +creature can harm, a dominion which none can reduce.</p> + +<p>28. But the apostle adds here the words, "if so be that we suffer +with him," to teach us that while we are on earth we must so live as +to approve ourselves good, obedient children, who do not obey the +flesh, but who, for the sake of this dominion, endure whatever +befalls them or causes pain to the flesh. If we do this, then we may +well comfort ourselves and with reason rejoice and glory in the fact +the apostle declares, that "as many as are led by the Spirit of God," +and do not obey the promptings of the flesh, "these are the sons of +God."</p> + +<p>29. O how noble it is in a man not to obey his lusts, but to resist +them with a strong faith, even though he suffer for it! To be the +child of a mighty and renowned king or emperor means to possess +nobility, honor and glory on earth. How much more glorious it would +be, could a man truthfully boast that he is the son of one of the +highest of the angels! Yet what would be all that compared with one +who is named and chosen by God himself, and called his son, the heir +of exalted divine majesty? Such sonship and heritage must assuredly +imply great and unspeakable glory and riches, and power and honor, +above all else that is in heaven or in earth. This very honor, even +though we had nothing but the name and fame of it, ought to move us +to become the enemies of this sinful life on earth and to strive +against it with all our powers, notwithstanding we should have to +surrender all for its sake and suffer all things possible for a human +being to suffer. But the human heart cannot grasp the greatness of +the honor and glory to which we shall be exalted with Christ. It is +altogether above our comprehension or imagination. This Paul declares +in what follows, in verse 18, where he says: "I reckon that the +sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with +the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward," as we have heard in +the text for the fifth Sunday after Trinity.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm12"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Ninth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13.</center> + +<blockquote>6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not +lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye +idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat +down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit +fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and +twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of +them made trial, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, +as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer. 11 Now these +things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written +for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12 +Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. +13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but +God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye +are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, +that ye may be able to endure it.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>CARNAL SECURITY AND ITS VICES.</h4> + +<p>1. Here is a very earnest admonition, a message as severe as Paul +ever indited, although he is writing to baptized Christians, who +always compose the true Church of Christ. He confronts them with +several awful examples selected from the very Church, from Israel the +chosen people of God.</p> + +<p>2. Paul's occasion and meaning in writing this epistle was the +security of the Corinthians. Conscious of their privileged enjoyment +of Christ, of baptism and the Sacrament, they thought they lacked +nothing and fell to creating sects and schisms among themselves. +Forgetting charity, they despised one another. So far from reforming +in life, and retrieving their works of iniquity, they became more and +more secure, and followed their own inclinations, even allowing a man +to have his father's wife. At the same time they desired to be +regarded Christians, and boastfully prided themselves on having +received the Gospel from the great apostles. So Paul was impelled to +write them a stern letter, dealing them severity such as he nowhere +else employs. In fact, it seems almost as if it were going too far to +so address Christians; the rebuke might easily have struck weak and +tender consciences with intolerable harshness. But, as in the second +epistle, seeing how his sternness has startled the Corinthians, he +modifies it to some extent, and deals tenderly with the repentant.</p> + +<p>3. However, in the striking Scripture examples of the text here, he +sufficiently shows the need for such admonition to them who would, +after having received grace, become carnally secure and abandon the +repentant life.</p> + +<p>4. The text should properly include the beginning of this tenth +chapter, which is read in the passage for Third Sunday before Lent. +He begins with: "I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our +fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and +were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all +eat the same spiritual food; and did all drink the same spiritual +drink.... Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for +they were overthrown in the wilderness." Then follows our text +here—"Now these things were our examples."</p> + +<p>5. As we said, the admonition is to those already Christians. Paul +would have them know that although they are baptized unto Christ, and +have received and still enjoy his blessing through grace alone, +without their own merit, yet they are under obligation ever to obey +him; they are not to be proud and boastful, nor to misuse his grace. +Christ desires obedience on our part, though obedience does not +justify us in his sight nor merit his grace. For instance, a bride's +fidelity to her husband cannot be the merit that purchased his favor +when he chose her. She is the bridegroom's own because it pleased him +to make her so, even had she been a harlot. But now that he has +honored her, he would have her maintain that honor henceforth by her +purity; if she fails therein, the bridegroom has the right and power +to put her away.</p> + +<p>Again, a poor, wretched orphan, a bastard, a foundling, may be +adopted as a son by some godly man and made his heir, though not +meriting the honor. Now, if in return for such kindness the child +becomes disobedient and refractory, he justly may be cut off from the +inheritance. Not by the merit of their devotion, as Moses often +hinted, did the Jews become the people of God; they were ever +stiff-necked and continually rebelled against him. God, having chosen +them and led them out of Egypt, urgently commanded them to serve him +and obey his Word. But when they failed to fulfil the commandments, +they had to feel the terrific force of his punishment.</p> +<br> + +<h4>ISRAEL'S CARNAL SECURITY A WARNING TO US.</h4> + +<p>6. Their example Paul here, with great earnestness, holds up to the +world as a warning against carnally and confidently presuming upon +the grace and goodness of God because we have already received of +them. In unmistakable colors the apostle portrays the teaching of +this striking and important, this weighty and specific, example. +Rightly viewed, there certainly is no greater, more wonderful, story +from the creation of the world down to the present time, nothing more +marvelous to be found in any book—except that supremely wonderful +work, the death and resurrection of the Son of God—than this history +of a people led by God's power out of Egypt, through the wilderness +and into the promised land. It is filled with the remarkably +wonderful works of God, with striking examples of his anger and of +his great kindness.</p> + +<p>7. Referring to these examples, Paul goes on to imply: "As Christians +and baptized, you should be familiar with them. If you are not, I +would not fail to bring them before you for reflection on what befell +other people of God, according to the Scripture record. They were our +fathers, a noble, intelligent and great company and congregation of +men, numbering over six hundred thousands, not counting wives and +children."</p> + +<p>They, Paul tells us, were termed, and rightly, the holy people of +God. God designed their welfare; and through Moses, their bishop and +pope, they had the Word of God, the promise and the Sacrament. Under +Moses they were all baptized, when he led them through the sea, and +by the cloud, under the shadow of which, sheltered from the heat, +they daily pursued their journey. At night a beautiful pillar of +fire, an intense lightning-like brilliance, protected them. In +addition, their bread came daily from heaven and they drank water +from the rock. These providences were their Sacrament, and their sign +that God was with them to protect. They believed on the promised +Christ, the Son of God, their guide in the wilderness. Thus they were +a noble, highly-favored and holy people.</p> + +<p>8. But with the great mass of the people, how long did faith last? No +longer than until they came into the wilderness. There they began to +despise God's Word, to murmur against Moses and against God and to +fall into idolatry. Whereupon God vindicated himself among them; of +all that great nation which came out from Egypt, of all the +illustrious ones who assisted Moses in leading and governing, only +two individuals passed from the wilderness into Canaan. Plainly, +then, God had no pleasure in the great mass of that host. It did not +avail them to be called the people of God, a holy people, a company +to whom God had shown marvelous kindness and great wonders; because +they refused to believe and obey the Word of God.</p> + +<p>The prospect was good when they were so wonderfully and gloriously +delivered from their enemies, and had at Mount Sinai received from +God the Law and a noble order of worship—their prospect was good for +them to enter into the land; they were already at the gate. But even +in that auspicious moment they provoked God until he turned them back +to wander forty years in the wilderness, where they perished.</p> + +<p>9. Their punishment was wholly the result of their odious arrogance +in boasting in the face of God's Word, of their privileges as the +people of God, upon whom he daily bestowed great kindness. "Do you +not recognize," they bragged, "the holiness of this entire +congregation, among whom God dwells, daily performing his marvelous +wonders?" In their pride and defiance they became stiff-necked and +obstinate enough to continually complain against Moses and to oppose +him whatever course he took with them. Thus they day by day awakened +God's wrath against themselves, forcing him to visit them with many +terrible plagues. These failing to humble, he was compelled to remove +the entire nation. Many times God would have destroyed them all at +once had not Moses prostrated himself before him in their behalf and +with earnest entreaty and strong supplication turned aside his wrath. +Because of their perversity, Moses was a most wretched and harassed +man. "The man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon +the face of the earth." Num 12, 3. For he was daily vexed with the +defiance, disobedience and opposition of this great company of +people; and further, he had to witness and endure for the entire +forty years the numerous and awful plagues sent upon his people, his +heart being filled with anguish for them. Then, too, it was his +continually to withstand God's wrath.</p> + +<p>10. Terrible indeed is the thing we learn of this famously great +people—God's own nation, unto whom he reveals himself, to whom God +and Christ himself are revealed; a nation God governs and leads by +his angels; a people he honors by wonders marvelous beyond anything +ever heard on earth of any nation. As Moses says in Deuteronomy 4, 7: +"What great nation is there, that hath a god so nigh unto them, as +Jehovah our God is whensoever we call upon him?" Yet all who came out +of Egypt and had witnessed the mighty wonders God wrought among +themselves and among their enemies, fell and glaringly sinned; not +according to the measure of the mere weakness and imperfection of +human nature, but they sinned disobediently and in willful contempt +of God. Hardened in unbelief unto insensibility, they brought upon +themselves overwhelming punishment.</p> + +<p>11. Paul mentions several instances of the sin whereby they merited +the wrath of God, to illustrate how they fell from faith and +disregarded God's Word. First, he makes the general assertion that +with many of them God was not well pleased. He means to include the +great mass of the people; particularly the officials and leaders, the +eminent of their number, individuals looked up to as the worthiest +and holiest of the congregation, and who actually had wrought great +things. Many of these fell into hypocrisy through boasting of the +divine name, the divine office and spirit; Korah, for instance, with +his faction, including two hundred and fifty princes of the +congregation. Num 16, 1-2. He and his leaders claimed right to the +priesthood and government equal with Moses and Aaron, and so +ostentatiously and boastfully that only God could say whether they +were right. Necessarily God had to make it manifest that he had no +pleasure in them; for they boasted until the earth swallowed them up +alive, and many who adhered to and upheld them were consumed by fire.</p> +<br> + +<h4>ISRAEL'S VICES IN THE WILDERNESS PUNISHED.</h4> + +<p>12. Proceeding, Paul recounts the vices which occasioned God's +punishment and overthrow of the people in the wilderness. First, he +says, they lusted after evil things. In the second year from the +departure, when they actually had come into Canaan, they forgot God's +kindness and wonderful works in their behalf and, becoming +dissatisfied, longed to be back in Egypt to sit by the flesh-pots. +They murmured against God and Moses until God was forced summarily to +stop them with fire from heaven. Many of the people were consumed and +a multitude more were smitten with a great plague while yet they ate +of the flesh they craved; therefore the place of the camp was named +the "Graves of Lust." Num 11. Such was the reward of their +concupiscence, which Paul here aptly explains as "lusting after evil +things."</p> + +<p>13. Truly it is but lusting after the wrath and punishment of God +when, in forgetfulness of and ingratitude for his grace and goodness +we seek something new. The world is coming to be filled with the +spirit of concupiscence, for the multitude is weary of the Gospel. +Particularly are they dissatisfied with it because it profits not the +flesh; contributes not to power, wealth and luxury. Men desire again +the old and formal things of popery, notwithstanding they suffered +therein extreme oppression and were burdened not less than were the +people of Israel in Egypt. But they will eventually have to pay a +grievous penalty for their concupiscence.</p> + +<p>14. In the third place, the apostle mentions the great sin—idolatry. +"Neither be ye idolaters," he counsels, "as were some of them." Not +simply the lower class of people were guilty in this respect, but the +leaders and examples. As they led, the multitude followed. Even +Aaron, the brother of Moses, himself high-priest, swayed by the +influential ones, yielded and set up the golden calf (Ex 32, 4) while +Moses tarried in the mount. We are astounded that those eminently +worthy individuals, having heard God's Word and seen his wonders +liberally displayed, should so soon fall unrestrainedly into the +false worship of idolatry, as if they were heathen and possessed not +the Word. Much less need we wonder that the blind world always is +entangled with idol-worship.</p> + +<p>15. Where the Word of God is lacking or disregarded, human wisdom +makes for itself a worship. It will find its pleasure in the thing of +its own construction and regard it something to be prized, though it +may be imperatively forbidden in God's Word, perhaps even an +abomination before him. Human reason thinks it may handle divine +matters according to its own judgment; that God must be pleased with +what suits its pleasure. Accordingly, to sanction idolatry, it +appropriates the name of the Word of God. The Word must be forced +into harmony with the false worship to give the latter an admirable +appearance, notwithstanding the worship is essentially the reverse of +what it is made to appear. Similarly popery set off its abominations +of the mass, of monkery and the worship of saints; and the world in +turn seeks to set off that idolatry to make it stand before God's +Word.</p> + +<p>Such is the conduct of the eminent Aaron when he makes for the people +the golden calf (Ex 32, 5-6), an image or sign of their offerings and +worship. He builds an altar to it and causes to be proclaimed a feast +to the Lord who has led them out of the land of Egypt. They must +imitate the worship of the true God, a worship of sincere devotion +and honest intention, with their offering, the calf, in the attempt +to introduce a refined and ennobling worship.</p> + +<p>16. Thereupon follows what is recorded in Exodus 32, 6, to which Paul +here refers: "And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt +offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to +eat and to drink, and rose up to play." That is, they rejoiced and +were well pleased with themselves, content to have performed such +worship, and deemed they had done well. Next they proceed to their +own pleasure, as if having provided against God's anger. Thenceforth +they would live according to their inclinations, wholly unrestrained +and unreproved by the Word of God; for, as they said, Aaron made the +people free.</p> + +<p>17. Such is the usual course of idolatry. Refusing to be considered a +sin, it presumes to merit grace and boasts of the liberty of the +people of God. It continues unrepentant and self-assured, even in the +practice of open vice, imagining every offense to be forgiven before +God for the sake of its holy worship. Thus have the priestly rabble +of popery been doing hitherto; and they still adorn—yes, strengthen +and defend—their shameful adultery, unchastity and all vices, with +the name of the Church, the holy worship, the mass, and so on.</p> +<br> + +<h4>ISRAEL'S TRIAL OF GOD.</h4> + +<p>18. In the fourth admonition, the apostle says, "Neither let us make +trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the +serpents." This, too, is a heinous sin, as is proven by the terrible +punishment. In Numbers 21 we read that after the people had journeyed +for forty years in the wilderness and God had brought them through +all their difficulties and given them victory over their enemies, as +they drew near to the promised land, they became dissatisfied and +impatient. They were setting out to go around the land of the +Edomites, who refused them a passage through their country, when they +began to murmur against God and Moses for leading them out of Egypt. +Thereupon God sent among them fiery serpents and they were bitten, a +multitude of the people perishing.</p> + +<p>Complaining against God is here called tempting him. Men set +themselves against the Word of God and blaspheme as if God and his +Word were utterly insignificant, because his disposing is not as they +desire. Properly speaking, it is tempting God when we not only +disbelieve him but oppose him, refusing to accept what he says as +true and desiring that our own wisdom rule. That is boasting +ourselves against him. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10, 22: "Do we +provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?"</p> + +<p>19. Such was the conduct of the Jews. Notwithstanding God's promise +to be their God, to remain with them and to preserve them in trouble, +if only they would believe in him and trust him; and notwithstanding +he proved his care by daily providences expressed as special +blessings and strange wonders, yet all these things availed not to +save them from murmuring. When the ordering of events accorded not +exactly with their wisdom or desire, or when, perhaps, disaster or +failure threatened, immediately they began to make outcry against +Moses; in other words, against his God-given office and message. "Why +have you led us out of Egypt?" they would complain, meaning: "If you +bore, as you say you do, the word and command of God and if he truly +designed to work such marvels with us, he would not permit us to +suffer want like this." In fact, they could not believe God's +dealings with them were in accord with his promise and design. They +insisted that he should, through Moses, perform what they dictated; +otherwise he should not be their God.</p> + +<p>At the outset, when they entered the wilderness, after having come +out of Egypt and having experienced God's wonderful preservation of +them in the Red Sea and his deliverance from their enemy, and having +received from him bread and flesh, they immediately began to murmur +against Moses and Aaron and to chide them for leading into the +wilderness where no water was. "Is Jehovah among us, or not?" they +burst forth. Ex 17, 7. This was, indeed, as our text says, tempting +God; for abundantly as his word and his wonders had been revealed to +them, they refused to believe unless he should fulfil their desires.</p> + +<p>20. And they persisted in so opposing and tempting God as long as +they were in the wilderness, unto the fortieth year; to which God +testifies when he says to Moses: "Because all those men that have +seen my glory, and my signs, which I wrought in Egypt and in the +wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not +hearkened to my voice," etc., Num 14, 22. It was in the second year +after the departure from Egypt that the Jews murmured about the +water, and now in the fortieth year, when they should have been +humbled after so long experience, and when they whose lives covered +that period ought to have been conscious of the wonderful +deliverances they had experienced in not being destroyed with others +of their number, but being brought safely to the promised land—now +they begin anew to complain with great impatience and bitterness: +"Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?" +Or, in other words: "You often remind us you represent God's command, +and you have promised us great things. This is a fine way you take to +lead us into the land when here we have yet farther to journey and +are all going to die in the wilderness!"</p> + +<p>21. Notice, Paul in speaking of how they tempted God says, "They +tempted Christ," pointing to the fact that the eternal Son of God was +from the beginning with his Church and with the people who received +from the ancient fathers the promise of his coming in the form of +man. They believed as we do that Christ—to use Paul's words in the +beginning—was the rock that followed them.</p> + +<p>Therefore the apostle gives us to understand, the point of the +Israelites' insult was directed against faith in Christ, against the +promise concerning him. Moses was compelled to hear them protest +after this manner: "Yes, you boast about a Messiah who is one with +God, and who is with us to lead us; one revealed to the fathers and +promised to be born unto us of our flesh and blood, to redeem us and +bring relief to all men; a Messiah who for that reason adopts us for +his own people, to bring us into the land; but where is he? This is a +fine way he relieves us! Is our God one to permit us to wander for +forty years in the wilderness until we all perish?"</p> + +<p>22. That such sin and blasphemy was the real meaning of their +murmurings is indicated by the fact that Moses afterward, in the +terrible punishment of the fiery serpents by which the people were +bitten and died, erected at God's command a brazen serpent and +whoever looked upon it lived. It was to them a sign of Christ who was +to be offered for the salvation of sinners. It taught the people they +had blasphemed against God, incurred his wrath and deserved +punishment, and therefore in order to be saved from wrath and +condemnation, they had no possible alternative but to believe again +in Christ.</p> +<br> + +<h4>MURMURING AGAINST GOD OPEN REVOLT.</h4> + +<p>23. This last point is akin to the one preceding. Paul defines +murmuring against God as an open revolt actuated by unbelief in the +Word, a manifestation of anger and impatience, an unwillingness to +obey when events are not ordered according to the pleasure of flesh +and blood, and a readiness instantly to see God as hating and +unwilling to help. Just so the Jews persistently behaved, despite +Moses' efforts to reconcile. Being also continually punished for +their perversity, they ought prudently to have abandoned their +murmurings; but they only murmured the more.</p> + +<p>24. The apostle's intent in the narration is to warn all who profess +to be Christians, or people of God, as we shall hear later. He holds +that the example of the Israelites ought deeply to impress us, +teaching us to continue in the fear of God and to be conscious of it, +and to guard against self-confidence. For God by the punishments +mentioned shows forcibly enough to the world that he will not trifle +with, nor excuse, our sin—as the world and our own flesh fondly +imagine—if we, under cover of his high and sacred name, dare despise +and pervert his Word; if we, actuated by presumptuous confidence in +our own wisdom, our own holiness and the gifts of God, follow our +private opinions, our own judgment and inclinations, and vainly +satisfy ourselves with the delusion: "God is not angry with me, one +so meritorious, so superior, in his sight."</p> + +<p>25. You learn here that God spared none of the great throng from +Egypt, among whom were many worthy and eminent individuals, even the +progenitors of Christ in the tribe of Judah. He visited terrible +punishment upon the distinguished princes and the leaders among the +priesthood and other classes, and that in the sight of the entire +people among whom he had performed so many marvelous wonders. Having +by Moses delivered them from temporal bondage in Egypt, and through +his office spiritually baptized and sanctified them; having given +Christ, to speak with, lead, defend and help them; having dealt +kindly with them as would a father with his children: yet he visits +terrible destruction upon these Jews because they have abused his +grace and brought forth no fruits of faith, and have become proud, +boasting themselves the people of God, children of Abraham and +circumcised, sole possessors of the promise of a Messiah, and +consequently sure of participating in the kingdom of God and enjoying +his grace.</p> + +<p>26. Now, as Paul teaches, if terrible judgment and awful punishment +came upon these illustrious and good people, let us not be proud and +presumptuous. We are far inferior to them and cannot hope, in these +last ages of the world, to know gifts and wonders as great and +glorious as they knew. Let us see ourselves mirrored in them and +profit by their example, being mindful that while we are privileged +to glory in Christ, in the forgiveness of sins and the grace of God, +we must be faithfully careful not to lose what we have received and +fall into the same condemnation and punishment before God which was +the fate of this people. For we have not yet completed our +pilgrimage; we have not arrived at the place toward which we journey. +We are still on the way and must constantly go forward in the +undertaking, in spite of dangers and hindrances that may assail. The +work of salvation is indeed begun in us, but as yet is incomplete. We +have come out of Egypt and have passed through the Red Sea; that is, +have been led out of the devil's dominion into the kingdom of God, +through Christian baptism. But we are not yet through the wilderness +and in the promised land. There is a possibility of our still +wandering from the way, into defeat, and missing salvation.</p> + +<p>27. Nothing is lacking on God's part; he has given us his Word and +the Sacraments, has bestowed the Spirit, given grace and the +necessary gifts, and is willing to help us even further. It rests +with ourselves not to fall from grace, not to thrust it from us +through unbelief, ingratitude, disobedience and contempt of God's +Word. For salvation is not to him who only begins well, but, as +Christ says (Mt 24, 13), "He that endureth to the end, the same shall +be saved." But the apostle continues:</p> + +<blockquote>"Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were +written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>ISRAEL'S CAREER AN ADMONITION TO INDIVIDUALS.</h4> + +<p>28. When you read or hear this historical example, the terrible +punishment the Jewish people suffered in the wilderness, think not it +is an obsolete record and without present significance. The narrative +is certainly not written for the dead, but for us who live. It is +intended to restrain us, to be a permanent example to the whole +Church. For God's dealings with his own flock are always the same, +from the beginning of time to the end. Likewise must the people of +God, or the Church, be always the same. This history is a portrait of +the Church in every age, representing largely its actual life—the +vital part; for it shows on what the success of the Church on earth +always depends and how it acts. The record teaches that the Church is +at all times wonderfully governed and preserved by God, without human +agency, in the midst of manifold temptations, trials, suffering and +defeat; that it does not exist as an established government regulated +according to human wisdom, with harmony of parts and logical action, +but is continually agitated, impaired and weakened in itself by much +confusion and numerous penalties; that the great and best part, who +bear the name of the Church, fall and bring about a state of things +so deplorable God can no longer spare, but is compelled to send +punishments in the nature of mutinies and similar disorders, the +terrible character of which leaves but a small proportion of the +people upright.</p> + +<p>29. Now, if such disaster befell the nation selected of God, chosen +from the first as his people, among whom he performed works marvelous +and manifest beyond anything ever known since, what better thing may +we expect for ourselves? Indeed, how much greater the danger +threatening us; how much reason we have to take heed that the same +fate, or worse, overtake not ourselves!</p> + +<p>With reference to the things chronicled in our text, Paul tells us: +"They were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages +are come." That is, we are now in the last and most evil of days, a +time bringing many awful dangers and severe punishments. It is +foretold in the Scriptures, predicted by Christ and the apostles, +that awful and distressing times will come, when there shall be wide +wanderings from the true faith and sad desolations of the Church. +And, alas, we see the prophecies only too painfully fulfilled in past +heresy, and later in Mohammedanism and the papacy.</p> + +<p>30. The era constituting the "last time" began with the apostles. The +Christians living since Christ's ascension constitute the people of +the latter times, the little company left for heaven; and we +gentiles, amidst the innumerable multitude of the ungodly generation +in the wide world, must experience worse calamities than befell the +Jews, who lived under the law of Moses and the Word of God, under an +admirable external discipline and a well-regulated government. Yet +even in this final age so near the end of time, when we should be +occupied with proclaiming the Gospel everywhere, the great multitude +are chiefly employed with boasting their Christian name. We see how +extravagantly the Pope extols his church, teaching that outside its +pale no Christians are to be found on earth, and that the entire +world must regard him as the head of the Church.</p> + +<p>31. True, his subjects were baptized unto Christ, called to the +kingdom of God and granted the Sacrament and the name of Christ. But +how do they conduct themselves? Under that superior name and honor, +they suppress Christ's Word and his kingdom. For more than a thousand +years now they have desolated the Church, and to this hour most +deplorably persecute it. On the other hand, great countries, vast +kingdoms, claiming to be Christian but disregarding the true doctrine +of faith, are punished by the Turk's desolating hand, and instead of +the incense of Christianity, with them is the revolting odor of +Mohammed's faith.</p> + +<p>32. Great and terrible was the punishment of the Jewish people. +Seemingly no disaster could befall man more awful than overtook them +in the wilderness. Yet it was physical punishment, and although many, +through unbelief and contempt of God, fell and incurred everlasting +condemnation, still the Word of God remained with a remnant—Moses +and the true Church. But the punishment of this last age is +infinitely more awful, for God permits the pure doctrine to be lost, +and sends strong delusions, that they who receive not the truth nor +love it shall believe falsehood and be eternally lost. 2 Thes 2, 10. +Such has been our reward; we have only too terribly suffered +punishment. And if we are not more thankful for the grace God extends +in his Word—a last gleam of light, on the point of extinction—we +shall meet with retribution even more appalling.</p> + +<blockquote>"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."</blockquote> + +<p>33. Here is summed up the teaching of the above examples. The sermon +is directed against the self-confident. Some there were among the +Christian Corinthians who boasted they were disciples of the great +apostles, and who had even received the Holy Spirit, but who stirred +up sects and desired to be commended in all their acts. To these Paul +would say: "No, dear brother, be not too secure, not too sure where +you stand. When you think you stand most firmly you are perhaps +nearest to falling, and you may fall too far to rise again. They of +the wilderness were worthy people and began well, doing great deeds, +yet they fell deplorably and were destroyed. Therefore, be cautious +and suffer not the devil to deceive you. You will need to be +vigilant, for you are in the flesh, which always strives against the +spirit; and you have the devil for enemy, and dangers and +difficulties beset you on all sides. Be careful lest you lose what +you have received. You have only made a beginning; the end is yet to +be attained." So we must be wary and steadfast, that we may, as Paul +has it, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Phil 2, +12.</p> + +<blockquote>"There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear [such as +is common to man]: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be +tempted above that ye are able."</blockquote> + +<p>34. Paul's meaning is: I must not terrify you too much. I would in a +measure comfort you. So far you have had no temptations greater than +flesh and blood offer. They have risen among yourselves—one holding +another in contempt, one doing another injustice; allowing adulteries +and other evils to creep in, which things are indeed not right nor +decent. You must resolve to reform in these things lest worse error +befall you. For should Satan get hold of you in earnest with his +false doctrine and spiritual delusions, his strong temptations of the +soul—contempt of God, for instance—such as assailed Peter and many +others of the saints, you could not stand. You are yet weak; you are +new and untried Christians. Then thank God who gives you strength to +bear your present temptations; who, to retain you, presents what is +best for you, admonishing you, through his Word, to be on your guard +against falling yet deeper into temptation.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm13"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Tenth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 1 Corinthians 12, 1-11.</center> + +<blockquote>1 Now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you +ignorant. 2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto +those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. 3 Wherefore I make known +unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is +anathema [accursed], and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the +Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same +Spirit. 5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same +Lord. 6 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who +worketh all things in all. 7 But to each one is given the +manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. 8 For to one is given +through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of +knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith, in the +same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; 10 +and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to +another discernings of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; +and to another the interpretation of tongues; 11 but all these +worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally +even as he will.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>SPIRITUAL COUNSEL FOR CHURCH OFFICERS.</h4> + +<p>1. This epistle selection treats of spiritual things, things which +chiefly pertain to the office of the ministry and concern the Church +authorities. Paul instructs how those in office should employ their +gifts for the benefit of one another and thus further the unity and +advancement of the Churches. Inharmony is a deplorable offense in the +case of Christians, putting them in the worst possible light, and +making it impossible for them to steer clear of factions. Divisions +are an offense to the world's wisest and best, who cry out, "If the +Christians' doctrine were true, they would preserve unity among +themselves, but as it is they envy and slander and devour one +another." For, though the world carries its own great beam in its +eye, it cannot refrain from judging us for our mote, and thus +exalting itself as if it were pure and beautiful.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PERFECT HARMONY NOT TO BE EXPECTED.</h4> + +<p>2. Well, we cannot altogether prevent inharmony in the Church. Paul +says (1 Cor 11, 19), "For there must be also factions among you, that +they that are approved may be made manifest among you." Wherever the +Word of God has a foothold, there the devil will be. By the agency of +his factions he will always build his taverns and kitchens beside +God's house. So he did at first, in Paradise. In the family of Adam +he entrenched himself, establishing there his church. And such has +been his practice ever since, and doubtless will ever be. He who +takes offense at differences in the Church, who when he sees any +inharmony at once concludes there is no Church there, will in the end +miss both the Church and Christ. You will never find any congregation +of such purity that all its members are unanimous on every point of +belief and teaching and all live in perfect harmony.</p> + +<p>3. Paul had experience in this matter in the case of the beautiful +and famed Church at Corinth in Achaia, which he himself planted and +where he taught two years. Soon after his departure they began to +disagree about their preachers and to attach themselves to certain +ones—some to Paul, some to Peter, some to Apollos. Though these had +all taught correctly, though they had been unanimous in their +doctrine, yet men would cleave to a certain one because he was more +or differently gifted than the others, could speak better, or was +more attractive in personal appearance. And among the ministers of +the Church, if one had a special gift or office, he thought he ought +to be a little better and a little greater than the others. +Necessarily, from such division and inharmony, grew hatred, strife +and jealousy, resulting in great injury and disorder to the Church.</p> + +<p>4. We must, then, so far as possible, guard against this fatal evil, +though we cannot altogether keep it out of the Church. Were we to +offer no resistance at all, the devil would seize all authority and +bring every element into discord. But when we resist Satan, God will +continue to extend his grace and favor, and some fruit and +improvement will follow. Even were it not possible for us to +accomplish anything, yet as faithful ministers we must not keep +silent if we would not be regarded indolent hirelings who flee when +the wolf comes. See Jn 10, 12.</p> + +<p>5. Such is the tenor of this text from Paul. He begins by preaching +on spiritual gifts and admonishing the Corinthians how to conduct +themselves in respect to them. In proportion to the greatness and +excellence of the gifts are flesh and blood inclined to discord and +to coveting personal honor. Let one have a good understanding of the +Scriptures and be able to explain them, or let him have the power to +work miracles, and he will soon begin to have an extravagantly good +opinion of himself, deeming himself worthy the honor of all men, +desiring the multitude to follow only him, and positively refusing to +regard anyone his equal. He will seek to create something new in +doctrine, to change the old order, as if he could introduce something +better than others, who must be infinitely below him or at least his +inferiors.</p> + +<p>6. The same thing has taken place in our day—and will continue to +take place—with respect to the Gospel. But through the grace of God +that Gospel is brought to light again, and rightly instructs and +harmonizes the people. The devil, unable to rest, had to rouse his +factious rabble, his selfish souls, who desired the name of being +superior and inspired people, a people who could preach, write and +explain the Scriptures better than others; for they had learned a +little from us. They conceded that the Gospel had indeed made a +beginning, had somewhat purified ecclesiastical doctrine, but claimed +it had not gone far enough; it was necessary that greater improvement +be made—Church doctrine must be brought to far greater perfection. +But as Paul says (1 Cor 3, 11), they could, with their doctrine, lay +no other foundation, could preach no other Christ, than the Christ of +the Gospel. Nevertheless, they pretended to teach something better +and higher. They hindered and perverted the true doctrine. Their work +could not be called building up the faith, but was rather breaking up +and destroying its foundation and leading the people back into error +and blindness. So Paul begins his admonition in these words:</p> + +<blockquote>"Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb +idols, howsoever ye might be led."</blockquote> + +<p>7. Paul reminds the Corinthians of their manner of life before they +became Christians, for he would have them pause to think that their +gifts, past and present, are not of their own procuring, nor are any +gifts bestowed upon them because of merit on their part. It is his +intent to restrain them from pride in their gifts and from +disputations concerning them; to keep them from divisions and from +pretending to teach and introduce into the Church something new and +better. But at the same time he deals a blow to those who take +offense at inharmony among Christians.</p> + +<p>8. "Recall, all of you," Paul would say, "your manner of life before +you came to Christ. What were you? Mere darkened heathen, having no +knowledge of God but suffering yourselves blindly to be led by anyone +who should say aught to you of God. All your devotion was but a +discordant worship. Each one—even the child in the cradle, the +infant at the mother's breast—must find his own idol wherever he +might turn." St. Augustine tells us that the city of Rome alone had +more than four hundred gods, and that it erected a church for all the +gods in the world, which building still stands—the Pantheon.</p> + +<p>"These superstitions," Paul's words imply, "you followed as you were +led; you flocked after them, praying and sacrificing, hanging your +hearts upon dumb idols which could not teach and advise you, could +not comfort, relieve or help you. In return for your devotion you +obtained only the privilege of being a blind, wretched, divided, +miserable people, unable to fortify yourselves against any error, and +allowing yourselves to be distracted by the advocate of any doctrine. +You were like a flock of helpless sheep scattered by wolves.</p> + +<p>9. "But now you have been turned from that manifold idolatry to the +one true worship and have been enlightened by God's Word. More than +that, in Christ have been bestowed upon you great and glorious +gifts—discerning of the Scriptures, diversities of tongues, power to +work miracles—things impossible to the world. It is unmistakably +evident that you embrace the true God, who does not, like dumb idols, +leave you to wander in the error of your own speculations, +uncounseled by the Word; a living God, who speaks to you that you may +know what to expect from him, and works among you publicly and +visibly.</p> + +<p>"Therefore, it is not for you to make divisions among yourselves +after the manner of the heathen as you see in the great Babel +confusion and divisions of the world, where no one agrees with +another, where one runs to this his idol and another to that, each +claiming superiority for his own. Knowing that you all embrace the +one true God and his Word, you are to hold together in one faith and +one mind, not disagreeing among yourselves as if you had a variety of +gods, of faiths, of baptisms, spirits and salvations."</p> +<br> + +<h4>CAVILERS THEMSELVES LED ASTRAY.</h4> + +<p>10. Paul speaks with particular plainness to the fault-finding and +insolent cavilers against Christians and to other factious leaders +when he says, "Ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye +might be led." This class peremptorily judge and criticise the life +and doctrine of the Church because they see therein a measure of +defects, and even some divisions and disagreements; notwithstanding +the fact is plainly evident to them that the Church possesses the +Word of God in purity, a knowledge of Christ, an illumined +understanding of God's will and his grace, and true comfort for all +distress of conscience, and that, in addition to all these, the Holy +Spirit manifestly operates with them. At the same time, these same +uncalled-for and self-constituted critics would never have been able +to say anything about the Christian religion had they not witnessed +that religion in the little company of Christians who have the Word +of God and the Spirit's gifts.</p> + +<p>11. These fault-finders were individuals who, undoubtedly to a +greater extent than others, suffered themselves to be blindly led in +whatever way was pointed out, and who gave credence to what was +taught and preached to them concerning the way to serve God, yet who +all the time were but worshipers of dumb idols, possessing not the +Word of God and having no witness to the truth of their faith and +their works. Each believed and followed the devices of his own +imagination or the popular choice. No man was able to teach anything +certain and steadfast, anything to give the heart satisfaction and +perfect security. They continually changed from one thing to another, +accepting every new thing presented as real worship and true +doctrine.</p> + +<p>12. And the world, ever from the beginning, has had naught but dumb +idols in the countless forms of worship offered to the numerous +gods—gods which never existed, but of which images were made and to +which divine honors were shown. Worship has been rendered to the mere +names of misfortune, disaster and disease, of all sorts; yes, to +insects, and to garlic and onions even. Yet, in the practice of all +this idolatry, supposed to be evidence of great holiness, each one +sacrificing to the idol of his choice—in it all no one could have +the assurance of being heard and answered by his god. Men had no word +or sign of the divine will or work; they possessed naught but a vain +dream and delusion of the human imagination; man devised and made his +own idols.</p> + +<p>13. And what did we under the papacy but walk blindly? We suffered +ourselves to be led just as we were directed by the names of God and +the saints. I was myself a pious monk and priest, holding mass daily, +wherein I worshiped St. Barbara, St. Anna, St. Christopher and +others—more saints than the calendar mentions, some of whom no one +knew anything about. I had no knowledge of Christ, I knew not why I +should find comfort in him nor what I should expect of him. I was as +much afraid of him as of the devil himself, regarding him more a +stern Judge than a Saviour. How many shameful pilgrimages were made +to dead idols of wood and stone, images of Mary and of the saints! +How many were the pilgrimages to the graves of the dead, and to bones +called "holy relics"! These relics were mere open deception, devised +by shameless impostors; yet such worship was established by popes and +bishops, and indulgences granted therefor.</p> + +<p>14. How many new saints, new brotherhoods, new psalms to Mary, and +new rosaries and crowns did the monks daily invent? In fact, +everything each individual monk might dream of had to be a special +form of worship, and no one inquired whether or not it was at all +authorized by God's Word. When we had done all, we were uncertain +that we had pleased God. What was this sort of worship but a worship +of dumb idols in the place of the living God—idols which could not +talk with us and could not give any definite information or comfort, +but left the people fettered and ruined with eternal doubts?</p> +<br> + +<h4>FAITH IN THE ONE CHRIST PRODUCTIVE OF UNITY.</h4> + +<p>15. But Christians, as Paul says, have not a dead and dumb god, for +which the Lord be praised! Nor will we countenance such idols. We +have a living, speaking God, who gives us his infallible Word. We +know how he is disposed toward us and what we may expect from him; +namely: through faith in Christ we have forgiveness of sins and are +his beloved children; and as evidence of acceptance with God, we have +baptism and the Holy Supper, the office and gifts of the Holy Spirit, +by which he works in our hearts. We know that in the faith of Christ +our works and lives are pleasing to God, and that he will hear and +help when in our distress and weakness we cry unto him.</p> + +<p>16. Where this confidence obtains, where hearts enjoy such faith, +there will be unity in the Church; for verily no one then will allow +himself to be led into the manifold doctrines of insensible idols. +But dissensions, sects and divisions are sure signs that the true +doctrine is either ignored or misunderstood, men thus being left in a +condition to be "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind +of doctrine," as Paul says (Eph 4, 14); which is indisputably the +case with these same schismatics who condemn the Church and her +doctrines because of some discordant ones.</p> + +<p>The schismatics show by their very instability that they do not +embrace the true, uniform and established doctrine, nor can exhibit +any substitute for it. They refuse to see that in cases where the +Christian doctrine does not obtain, there is only blindness, +distraction and confusion, and warring factions and sects, none +agreeing with another, each claiming to be better than the other. +Numerous have been the sects of monks, and of saints of the Pope and +his god the devil, no two of which agreed. Each class regarded its +own whims and speculations, and claimed to be holier than the others. +The Pope, however, gave validity to them all, granting great +indulgence to these factious fraternities. And I am not saying +anything of other discords in the papacy—among the monasteries and +in the parishes, and between these and the cloisters everywhere, +perpetual quarreling, rioting and bitter contention. Such is +inevitably the case when righteousness and divine worship are made to +consist in external self-devised works and forms, for then each +individual, pleased with his own ideas, thinks his way right; under +such circumstances, there can never be unanimity of opinion as to +what is right and the best.</p> + +<p>17. "From these numerous sources of disunion and idolatry," Paul +would say to the Corinthians, "you are now delivered. You know you +embrace the real Word of God, the true faith. You worship one God, +one Lord, and enjoy the same grace, the same Spirit, the same +salvation. You need not seek other forms and ceremonies as essential +to salvation—wearing a white or a gray cowl, refraining from this or +that food, forbearing to touch certain things. No diversity of +external service, of persons, offices and conditions, destroys the +unity in Christ.</p> + +<p>"But take heed to continue in unity, to hold fast to it. +Unquestionably, you should be made wiser by the experience you have +had with error; in the future you ought to be prudent, and watchful +against being allured from the unity of this settled mind and true +faith into your former blindness again. But so it will certainly +befall you if you forget such grace and seek your own honor and +praise more than the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and his gifts, and +come to despise one another and to conduct yourselves as if you had +many and not the same God, the same Christ, the same Spirit. God's +gifts cannot be different from, but must be one with his nature, and +hence he cannot give to one a better Gospel or a different baptism +from that given another."</p> + +<p>In short, Paul teaches there must be unity in Christ, otherwise we +have no Christ, no God and Holy Spirit, no grace nor salvation; as +the next verse emphasizes.</p> + +<blockquote>"Wherefore I make known unto you that no man speaking in the Spirit +of God saith, Jesus is anathema [calleth Jesus accursed]; and no man +can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit."</blockquote> + +<p>18. "Why make divisions and differences," Paul inquires, "in the +doctrine and faith of the Church, which rests wholly upon the one +Christ? In him you are to be one if you are Christians at all; you +must harmoniously praise him, according to your individual gifts. No +one can possibly possess the Holy Spirit if he does not regard Christ +as the Lord, much less if he call him accursed. Destroy the +foundation and you destroy all; there will be no God, no Spirit, and +all your claims, teaching and works are naught. You must recognize +and be governed by the fact that either Christ must be received and +believed in as the one true Lord, and praised and glorified as such, +or else he will be cursed; between these alternatives is no medium."</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE SPIRIT, THE TEST OF THE TRUE TEACHER.</h4> + +<p>It is easy, then, to judge the doctrine of every official teacher of +the Christian Church. No one need resort to faction, no one need gaze +hither and thither in uncertainty and hesitate as to which gift or +which person is most to be regarded. We are to make the doctrine of +this verse the standard and authority as to what and how we preach +concerning Christ. He who speaks by inspiration of the Holy Spirit +certainly will not curse Christ; he will glorify and praise him. So +doing, he surely will not teach error, or give occasion for +divisions. If his teaching is not to the glory of God, you may safely +conclude that he is not true, not inspired by the Holy Spirit.</p> + +<p>19. Thus Paul rejects the glorying and boasting of the sects over +their offices and gifts—they who pretend to be filled with the +Spirit and to teach the people correctly, and who make out that Paul +and other teachers are of no consequence. Themselves the chief of +apostles, the people must hear them and accept their baptism. More +than that, they demand a higher attainment in the Spirit for Gospel +ministers, deeming faith, the Sacrament and the outward office not +sufficient.</p> + +<p>But Paul says: "Boast as you will about the great measure of the +Spirit you possess, it is certain that the Spirit-inspired teacher +will not curse Christ." In other words, such boasting of the Spirit +will not answer the purpose. What you believe and teach concerning +Christ must receive attention. You are either reproaching and cursing +Jesus, or praising him and owning him your Lord. If your preaching +and teaching fail to point to Christ, something else being offered, +and you nevertheless boast of the Spirit, you are already judged: the +spirit you boast is not the Holy Spirit, not the true Spirit, but a +false one. To it we are not to listen. Rather we are to condemn it to +the abyss of hell, as Paul declares (Gal 1, 8), saying: "But though +we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any Gospel other +than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema."</p> + +<p>20. When Paul here speaks of calling Jesus accursed, he does not only +have reference to openly blaspheming or cursing Christ's name or +person after the manner of heathen and of ungodly Jews; with them +Paul has nothing to do here, nor are the Corinthians supposed to be +of that character. Paul refers rather to the Christian who, though +boasting of the Holy Spirit, does not preach Christ as the ground of +our salvation as he should, but, neglecting this truth, points the +soul away to something else, pretending that this substitute is of +the Holy Spirit and is something better and more essential than the +common doctrine of the Gospel.</p> + +<p>All such teachers are in reality simply guilty of condemning, +reproaching and cursing Christ, though themselves bearing and +boasting that name. To slight Christ's Word and ministry, and exalt +in their stead other things as mediums for obtaining the Holy Spirit +and eternal life, or at least as being equally efficacious and +essential—what is this but scorning Christ and making him of no +consequence? Indeed, according to Hebrews 6, 6 and 10, 29, it is +crucifying the Son of God afresh, and treading under foot his blood.</p> + +<p>21. Christ himself explains the office and ministry of the Holy +Spirit—what he is to teach in the Church—saying (Jn 15, 26), "He +shall bear witness of me." Again (Jn 16, 14): "He shall glorify me: +for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you." The tongue +of a minister of Christ—the language he employs—must be of that +simplicity which preaches naught but Christ. If he is to testify of +the Saviour and glorify him, he cannot present other things whereby +Christ would be ignored and robbed of his glory. He who does so, +certainly is not inspired by the Holy Spirit, even though he possess +great gifts and be called a teacher, a bishop, a pope, a council, an +apostle even—yes, an angel from heaven. There were among the +Corinthians some who thus neglected to preach only Christ, and +presented instead the apostles, making choice of them—one Cephas, +another Apollos and a third Paul.</p> + +<p>And just so our monks have done. They have in a way highly extolled +Jesus, have in words honored and worshiped his name and used it to +clothe all their lying nonsense and idolatry. For instance, they +exalt Mary as the mother of Jesus and Anna as his grandmother. But +they have thus torn men's hearts away from Christ, turning over to +Mary and the saints the honor due him alone, and teaching the people +to invoke these as mediators and intercessors having power to protect +us in the hour of death. This is substituting dumb idols for Christ. +No saint has ever taught such things; still less does the Word of God +enjoin them. Thus the monks really curse and insult Christ.</p> + +<p>22. The Pope, throughout his whole administration, has been guilty of +such insult to Christ, notwithstanding his boast that his kingdom +represents the Christian Church, that he truly possesses the Holy +Spirit and that his decrees and ordinances must be respected. Nothing +can dissuade the Papists from their practice. They ever boast of +being led by the Spirit, yet their vaunting is mere malediction, not +only of Christ in person, but of his Word and his sacraments. For +they openly condemn, and denounce as heresy, the doctrine of the +Gospel, which Gospel assures us that to Christ alone we owe the +unmerited forgiveness of our sins; they condemn also the use of the +sacraments according to Christ's command and institution. And they +destroy the people who thus offend them.</p> + +<p>The fact is, the Pope has in our doctrine nothing to curse but Jesus +Christ, its foundation and principle, expressed by his Word and +sacraments. The same is true of other factions—the Anabaptists and +similar sects. What else do they but slander baptism and the Lord's +Supper when they pretend that the external Word and outward +sacraments do not benefit the soul, that the Spirit alone can do +that? But in these matters you have Paul's sure word of judgment to +strengthen your faith. You may be assured that the factions of the +Pope and other sects are not, as they boast, the Church of Christ, +but accursed schisms of the devil. The true Church, the righteous +bride of Christ, certainly will not curse him nor persecute his Word. +Let no one be moved by hearing men loudly boast about Christ after +the manner of the false apostles who called themselves disciples of +the true apostles of Jesus, and claimed that certain of their number +had even seen Christ in person. The Saviour himself warns us against +this class when he says (Mt 24, 5-24), "Many shall come in my name +... and shall show wonders"; and (Mt 7, 21), "Not every one that +saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven."</p> +<br> + +<h4>HOLY SPIRIT ALONE GIVES ASSURANCE.</h4> + +<p>23. Paul has the same thought here when he says, "No man can say, +Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." To call Jesus "Lord" is to +confess one's self his servant and to seek his honor alone; to act as +his messenger or the bearer of his Word and command. Paul's reference +here is chiefly to the office representative of Christ and bearing +his Word. Where the office answers these conditions and points to +Christ as the Lord, it is truly the message of the Holy Spirit, even +though the occupant of the office does not in his own person possess +the Spirit; the office itself is essentially the Holy Spirit. +Hypocrisy and invention have no place here. One must proceed in +sincerity if he would be certain he is Christ's minister, or apostle, +and really handles his Word. Only the inspiration of the Holy Spirit +can give one this assurance.</p> + +<p>24. All Christians—each in his own work or sphere—equally may call +Christ "Lord." One may be assured he serves Christ if he can call him +"Lord," for only by the Holy Spirit is he enabled to do that. Let him +try for a single day—from morning until evening—whether or no he +can truly say at all times that he is the servant of God and of +Christ in what he does. When delivering a sermon or listening to one, +when baptizing a child or bringing a child to baptism, when pursuing +your daily home duties, ask yourself if the act is attended by such +faith that you can, without misgiving and not hypocritically nor +mechanically, boast—and if necessary die by your word—that you +serve and please Christ therein. This is calling Christ "Lord." +Unquestionably you will often feel your heart doubting and trembling +over the matter.</p> + +<p>25. In the papacy we were altogether hindered from feeling thus +confident—yes, frightened from it by accursed scepticism. No one +could—no one dared—say, "I know I am a servant, a bondsman, of +Christ, and that my conduct pleases him." Flesh and blood are too +weak to obtain this glorious confidence; the Holy Spirit is +essential. Reason and our own hearts cry out in protest: "Alas, I am +far too evil and unworthy! How could I be proud and presumptuous +enough to boast myself the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ? I might +if I were as holy as St. Peter, St. Paul and others."</p> + +<p>26. I used often to wonder that St. Ambrose was so bold as, in his +letters, to call himself a servant of Jesus Christ. I supposed we all +ought to be terrified at thoughts of this kind, and that none but the +apostles might boast of such honor. But the fact is, we must all say +to Christ: "Thou art my Lord and I am thy servant; for I believe on +thee and aspire to be with thee and all the faithful and to possess +thy Word and Sacrament." Otherwise Christ will not acknowledge us.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRISTIANS TO GIVE ALL GLORY TO GOD.</h4> + +<p>It is written (Mt 4, 10)—indeed, it is the first commandment—"Thou +shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." There +Christ requires of us, under the penalty of forfeiting eternal life, +to honor him as our Lord and so to regulate our lives that we shall +know we serve him. Peter also teaches (1 Pet 4, 11) that all the +Christian's words and deeds should be regarded not as his own, but as +God's. The word and the act are to be of the ability which God gives, +that in it all God may be glorified. Of necessity this condition can +obtain only through the Holy Spirit.</p> + +<p>27. In this point—the glorification of Christ—do the true +Christians distinguish themselves from false Christians, hypocrites +and factious spirits, who likewise triumphantly boast of the Spirit +and of their divine office. But the vanity of their boasting is +evident from the fact that they do not hold to the doctrine that +glorifies Christ, but preach that which leads to other evils and +deceives; yes, which condemns and persecutes the right doctrine and +the true faith of Christ. Further evidence of the emptiness of their +boasting is apparent in the fact that they have no conscious +testimony that they serve Christ, nor can their followers give +assurance on the same point. You have here the clear sentence of Paul +declaring this class devoid of the Holy Spirit and thus separated +from the true Church and from Christians. He exhorts us to be on our +guard against them, and would bring Christians together in one faith +and under one Lord and Spirit. Now he teaches how to employ rightly +the manifold gifts of a united Church for the general benefit of its +members.</p> + +<blockquote>"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit."</blockquote> + +<p>28. "In former time, when you were heathen, you followed many kinds +of idolatrous worship, many doctrines and spirits; but it was only a +divided religion, and representative of blindness and error. Now, +however, you possess various beautiful divine gifts and offices. +These are mutually related and all emanate, not from man's reason or +faculties, but from the one true God. They are his work—the +expression of his power. Notwithstanding the dissimilarity of gifts, +offices and works, of a certain order in one and otherwise in +another, many and few, great and small, weak and +strong—notwithstanding all, we are not to divide the Spirit, God and +faith; we are not to create factions, exalting this individual or +that one solely because of his gifts, and despising others. All gifts +are direct from one God, one Lord, one Spirit, and to serve the same +purpose—to bring men to the knowledge of the one God and to build up +the Church in the unity of faith. Therefore, you are united in the +one doctrine, your object being to serve God and the Church in a +harmonious way." This verse is briefly the substance of all that +follows in the text.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE TRINITY.</h4> + +<p>29. Paul presents three different points: "Diversities of gifts, but +the same Spirit;" "diversities of administrations, and the same +Lord;" "diversities of workings, but the same God." Unquestionably, +Paul touches the article of faith concerning the Trinity, or three +persons in the Divine Essence, and shows that both Christ and the +Holy Spirit are true God and yet different in person from the Father +and from each other. He teaches the same elsewhere (1 Cor 8, 5-6), +saying: "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven +or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; yet to us there +is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and +one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through +him."</p> + +<p>30. In the text before us, the apostle likewise distinguishes the +three—one God, one Lord, one Spirit. He assigns to each the +particular operation whereby he manifests himself. One is God the +Father, and from him as the origin and first person emanates all +power. Another is the Lord, Christ the Son of God, who as the head of +the Church appoints all offices. The third is the Spirit, who +produces and dispenses all gifts in the Church. Yet all three are of +one divine, almighty and eternal essence. They are of the same name, +and are truly one since God must be an indivisible essence.</p> + +<p>To each individual is attributed only the characteristics of the +Divine Majesty. As he who is the source of all operative power in the +Church and in the entire creation is true God; so also must the Lord +who appoints all offices, and the Spirit who confers all gifts, be +true God. No creature is able to impart spiritual offices and gifts; +that is impossible to any but God. These three—God, Lord and +Spirit—are not Gods of unlike nature, but one in divine essence. The +Lord is no other God than God the Father; and the Spirit is none +other than God and the Lord. But more on this topic elsewhere.</p> +<br> + +<h4>SPIRITUAL GIFTS SPECIFIED.</h4> + +<p>31. The names and nature of the spiritual gifts, the apostle here +specifies. He names wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, power to discern +spirits, capacity to speak with tongues and to interpret, +extraordinary gifts of faith, and power to work miracles. "The word +of wisdom" is the doctrine which teaches a knowledge of God, +revealing his will, counsel and design. It embraces every article of +belief and justification. The world knows nothing of this loftiest, +most exalted gift of the Spirit.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE.</h4> + +<p>The "word of knowledge" also teaches of the outward life and +interests of the Christian: how we are to conduct ourselves toward +all others, making a profitable use of the Gospel doctrine according +as necessity of time and person demands; it teaches us the wisest +course toward the weak and the strong, the timid and the obstinate.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE GIFT OF PROPHECY.</h4> + +<p>The gift of prophecy is the ability to rightly interpret and explain +the Scriptures, and powerfully to reveal therefrom the doctrine of +faith and the overthrow of false doctrine. The gift of prophecy +includes, further, the ability to employ the Scriptures for +admonition and reproof, for imparting strength and comfort, by +pointing out, on the one hand, the certainty of future indignation, +vengeance and punishment for the unbelieving and disobedient, and on +the other hand presenting divine aid and reward to godly believers. +Thus did the prophets with the Word of God, both the Law and the +promises.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE GIFT OF FAITH.</h4> + +<p>32. Paul is making mention of gifts not common to all. Only to +certain ones are they given, and the gifts in themselves are unlike. +"To another faith," he says, "to another workings of miracles, and to +another prophecy." In "faith" here the reference is not to ordinary +faith in Christ which brings justification before God and forgiveness +of sin; such faith is essentially the property of every Christian, +even if they do not possess the particular gifts here enumerated. +Paul is speaking of a particular virtue or power of the Spirit +operating in the Church, whereby certain ones can effect great and +glorious things by reason of their remarkable and confident courage; +as instanced in Paul's words later on (1 Cor 13, 2), "If I have all +faith, so as to remove mountains."</p> + +<p>To work such wonders, a very strong and sure faith is certainly +necessary. An unwavering, vigorous, courageous faith may accomplish a +special work in the name and power of Christ although the worker may +not himself be truly repentant nor possess the right kind of faith to +secure forgiveness of sins and grace in Christ. He may be a +hypocrite, a false saint. Christ says (Mt 7, 22), "Many will say to +me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by +thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?" It +is true that such gifts are exercised, such works performed, in the +name of Christ, and that the gifts are granted to none but +individuals in the Church of Christ, and yet the possessor may not be +altogether righteous, may even be a false Christian. For the effects +wrought do not emanate from the individual but from the office he +represents, being the operation of the Spirit given in behalf of the +Church. Thus, as occupants of the office and by virtue of the Church, +these persons perform many and great works, benefiting not themselves +but others.</p> + +<p>33. Paul says of all these, "There are diversities of gifts, but the +same Spirit," by way of admonishing us against creating sects. The +Spirit is equally effective through him whose gifts are few and less +significant and through him of remarkable gifts. And as with gifts, +so it is with workings and ministrations.</p> +<br> + +<h4>MEANING OF "WORKINGS."</h4> + +<p>34. The term "workings," or operations, has reference to remarkable +works of God wrought through certain individuals in an exceptional +way. For instance, he grants to Paul a ministerial office of unusual +influence: Paul is permitted to convert more souls than other +apostles, to perform more wonders and accomplish more. He says +himself (1 Cor 15, 10) that by the grace of God he labored more +abundantly than all.</p> +<br> + +<h4>MEANING OF "ADMINISTRATIONS."</h4> + +<p>35. The meaning of "administrations" is easily apparent. Office is an +ordained and essential feature of every government. It represents +various duties imposed and commanded by sovereign authority. It may +have reference to the duties enjoined upon a society collectively, in +the service of others. There are various offices in the Church; for +instance, one individual is an apostle, another an evangelist, +another a teacher, as Paul mentions in Ephesians 4, 11. And as he +says in First Corinthians 14, 26 and also hints in this text, the +office of one is to read the Scriptures in different languages, of +another to interpret and explain. So it was ordained in the Church at +that time, and similarly today are ordained certain offices—of +pastors, preachers, deacons or priests, their duties being to hear +confessions, to administer the Sacrament, and so on.</p> + +<p>36. Not every Christian is obliged, nor is able, to execute such +duties; only upon certain ones are they enjoined. "Administrations" +differ from what Paul terms "workings" and gifts. There have ever +been many Christians who, though possessing the Holy Spirit, were not +"administrators;" for instance, virgins and wives—Agnes Anastasia +and others—and martyrs, many of whom wrought miracles and had other +gifts. True, both gifts and workings are imparted chiefly for the +execution of Christian duties. It is essential here, especially in +the superior office of preaching, that the occupant be peculiarly +qualified for the place. The preacher must be able to understand and +explain the Scriptures and be familiar with the languages. It is +necessary to the effectiveness of his labors that he be accompanied +by God's operative power. Thus the three—gifts, workings, +administrations—are harmonious features of one divine government in +the Church; Christ is the Lord, who regulates and maintains the +offices, while God works and the Holy Spirit bestows his gifts.</p> +<br> + +<h4>DIVERSITY OF GIFTS NO REASON FOR SECTS.</h4> + +<p>37. As we said, offices are many and varied, even as one gift is +greater than another: an apostle, for instance, is superior to a +teacher or expounder, while the office of a baptizer is inferior to +that of a preacher. Yet notwithstanding, we are to remember, Paul +says, that all are ordained of the same Lord, and the occupant of a +superior office is not to consider himself any better by reason of +his position and to despise others. He must bear in mind that all +serve the same Lord, the least as well as the greatest, and +consequently the holder of the inferior office is not necessarily +inferior with his Lord, nor the executor of the higher office greater +with him. Christ is ever Lord of all; one belongs as much to his +realm as another. Therefore he will have no divisions and sects over +this point; rather he wills that such diversity of gifts and offices +be promotive of unity.</p> + +<p>38. When I preach and you listen, we are not exercising the same gift +and office, yet you as truly serve Christ by listening as I by +preaching. If you preach, explain the Scriptures, baptize, comfort or +aught else, through you works the same Christ who works through +another. All is wrought in obedience to the order of him who commands +me to hear his Word as well as to preach to you, and to exercise the +same faith and Spirit with you. Thus all alike praise the one Lord. +You say, "The Word I hear is the true Word of God," and I as a +preacher prove and declare the very same thing. When I baptize, +administer the Sacrament or absolve, and you accept my +administrations, we are both engaged in the service of the same Lord +and harmoniously execute his command. You and I, however, so far as +office and gifts are considered, may be of different capacities.</p> + +<p>39. A peculiarity of the Christian profession, and the chief point of +distinction between Christians and the heathen, is their recognition +of the fact that workings, offices and gifts are of God, Christ the +Lord and the Holy Spirit. The world does not perceive this truth, +though it, too, enjoys the gifts of God. For God remembers all his +creatures, though, like swine that enter the trough on all fours with +no thought but of eating and rooting therein, not even lifting their +eyes, they cannot raise their thoughts to the source of all their +good and have not a thought as to whom they should thank for it. He +who is not a Christian comes before God in an insensible and beastly +attitude. The world is but a pen of animals indifferent to the +kingdom of God and with no idea of gratitude for his rich +beneficence, his gifts for body and soul. The worldly seek only their +husks and their troughs. To these they cleave like fattening swine +intended for slaughter. Jeremiah (ch. 12, 3) says concerning the +ungodly, who with great satisfaction persecute the righteous: "Pull +them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day +of slaughter."</p> + +<p>40. God gives the ungodly mighty kingdoms, riches, lands and houses, +making them to enjoy greatness and abundance. But when the swine are +fed and fat, the question of bacon and sausage introduces a struggle. +A slaughterer—a sausage-maker—appears, perchance, to slaughter the +swine in their sty; one comes desolating the country, overthrowing +the kingdom, destroying people and all; for, desiring to be but +swine, the people must be destroyed like swine. Even though the world +have personal knowledge of such punishment, it continues its course +so long as possible—until the slaughterer comes. Swine remain swine; +they are capable of standing ever unmoved by their trough, one +perfectly indifferent if another be struck dead before its eyes.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRISTIANS RECOGNIZE THE DIVINE SOURCE OF THEIR GIFTS.</h4> + +<p>41. Christians, however, though obliged to live among swine and to be +at times trampled under foot and rooted about, have nevertheless +surpassing glory; for they can look up and intelligently behold their +Lord and his gifts. They are not of the pen of swine intended only +for slaughter; they know themselves children of God, adorned by him +with gifts and graces not merely temporal. They are conscious that, +having given them body and life—for these they realize are not of +their own obtaining—he will also supply their further needs, +providing for them forever.</p> + +<p>42. Christians are able to recognize even God's least blessing as +most precious, as truly excellent; not only because it comes from +him, but because of its inherent value. No one who recognizes even +temporal blessings would give an eye, or a less important member of +the body, to redeem the riches of the entire world. How much loftier +and more precious to the Christian are the spiritual gifts concerning +which Paul here speaks—gifts bestowed as means unto salvation! The +baptizing of a child or the absolution of a penitent makes no great +show, but were the office viewed in the true light, the bestowed +treasure rightly appreciated, all the officers, authority and riches +of kings and emperors would be nothing at all in comparison.</p> + +<p>43. Regarding the baptizer—who may be a woman even—and the +baptized, we certainly can see nothing wonderful. The humanity in the +case does not effect any great work; the work is wrought by him who +is God, Lord and Spirit. It is he who gives to the office power and +greatness above that of all emperors, kings and lords, however +inferior the instrumentality—the occupants of the sacred offices. By +these ministrations souls are won from the devil, snatched out of +hell and transformed into saints blessed forever. Person and office +may be apparently inferior, but the office is of God and God is no +inferior being. His greatness cannot be equaled by a hundred thousand +worlds. He accomplishes things incomprehensible to the world and +impossible to angels.</p> + +<p>The combined efforts of all creation could not produce baptism. Were +the world to unite in baptizing an infant, the infant would receive +no good therefrom unless God the Lord commanded the deed. Let the +Sultan be many thousands of times more powerful than at present and +he could not, with all his riches, his dominion and peoples, free +himself or any other from the power of the least sin. He could not +effectively pronounce the absolution, "God has forgiven you your +sins." For the Sultan has neither gift, office nor work; indeed, he +knows nothing about them. They belong to God alone, though human +mouths and hands are instrumental therein.</p> + +<p>44. Note why Paul boasts of the fact that God bestows such great +blessings. It is that Christians may discern them and thank him; and +that such discernment may lead them to serve one another in humility, +with mutual faith and love, each one learning to praise God fervently +wherever he beholds God's gifts and offices operative in the Church, +and to esteem them as he would esteem God himself. For, +unquestionably, none would possess office and gifts had not God +ordained and bestowed them.</p> + +<p>45. How we have exalted our own nonsense—pilgrimages, cloisters, +cords, cowls, running to the dead in the wilderness and so on! But to +what purpose? What benefit have we derived therefrom, notwithstanding +we walked until our feet were bleeding, and watched and fasted and +tormented ourselves to death? Such a life, it is true, may be called +holy, divine, yet it is not at all the gift, the work, the office, of +God. No God, no Lord, no Spirit, is in that practice. God has nowhere +commanded such a life. We have devised it and may reward and help +ourselves for so doing. We cannot boast his authority for it nor find +divine comfort therein.</p> + +<p>But the discerning Christian can with satisfaction boast on this +wise: "My baptism or my absolution is not of my own devising or +ordaining, nor of another man's. It is of Christ my Lord. For here is +his command ordaining the office: 'Go ye therefore, and make +disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the +Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' Mt 28, 19. Upon +authority of the office, work and gift here presented, I can boast +and be strong in faith against the devil and all the gates of hell; +otherwise I cannot withstand Satan for one moment. He would not be +afraid of me and my works though I should be able to boast of having +lived seventy years as a member of a holy order, serving God every +day and hour, praying, fasting, and so on."</p> + +<p>46. The devil hurls both person and work, as he finds them, into the +abyss of hell. If he ask you where God has commanded such works as +yours, you have no answer. But let him hear you boast in the +confident faith God's command inspires: "I have received from Christ +my Lord baptism and absolution; of this I am certain, and what I do +is done at his command and by his power"—let him hear that and he is +forced immediately to leave you. He must flee, not from your person +or works, but from Christ's office and gifts found with you.</p> + +<p>47. Paul presents these thoughts to teach us what we Christians have +from God in the three forms, blessings superior to those enjoyed by +all others in the world. The apostle would have us be grateful for +these things and make use of them in a spirit of Christian love. He +desires that the possessor of gifts devote them to the service of +others. He teaches we are to honor God in the gifts another +possesses; that we are highly to esteem them, remembering they are +not of man's production, not wrought of man's ability or skill, but +are the offices, gifts and works of God. They are not the inferior +and trivial things they seem to the world because making no show and +noise. God does not give unredeemable coin or empty shells and mere +husks. His gifts and works in his Church must effect inexpressible +results, taking souls from the jaws of the devil and translating them +into eternal life and glory.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm14"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Eleventh Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 1 Corinthians 15, 1-10.</center> + +<blockquote>1 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached +unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which +also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto +you, except ye believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of +all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins +according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he +hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and +that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; 6 then he appeared to +above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain +until now, but some are fallen asleep; 7 then he appeared to James; +then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the child untimely +born, he appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, +that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the +church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his +grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored +more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which +was with me.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>PAUL'S WITNESS TO CHRIST'S RESURRECTION.</h4> + +<p>This text is fully explained in the sermons on the entire chapter, +which have been published separately. He who desires may read them +there. It speaks almost exclusively of the resurrection of the dead, +and therefore ought properly to be read and preached at the Easter +season. The reason of its selection for this Sunday seems to be that +the latter part of it corresponds with the Gospel for this Sunday.</p> + +<p>For Saint Paul, though he was an exalted apostle, and had labored in +that office more than all the others together, boasts not of his own +deeds, as did the proud Pharisee. Like the poor publican he confessed +his sin and unworthiness, and ascribed all that he is to the grace of +God alone, which made a Christian and an apostle of him who had been +a persecutor.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm15"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Twelfth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 2 Corinthians 3, 4-11.</center> + +<blockquote>4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 not that +we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from +ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6 who also made us +sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of +the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But +if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came +with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly +upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was +passing away: 8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit +be with glory? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, +much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. +10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made +glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11 +For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which +remaineth is in glory.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>GOSPEL TRANSCENDS LAW.</h4> + +<p>1. This epistle lesson sounds altogether strange and wonderful to +individuals unaccustomed to Scripture language, particularly to that +of Paul. To the inexperienced ear and heart it is not intelligible. +In popedom thus far it has remained quite unapprehended, although +reading of the words has been practiced.</p> + +<p>2. That we may understand it, we must first get an idea of Paul's +theme. Briefly, he would oppose the vain boasting of false apostles +and preachers concerning their possession of the spirit and their +peculiar skill and gifts, by praising and glorifying the office of a +preacher of the Gospel with which he is intrusted. For he found that, +especially in the Church at Corinth, which he had converted by the +words of his own lips and brought to faith in Christ, soon after his +departure the devil introduced his heresies whereby the people were +turned from the truth and betrayed into other ways. Since it became +his duty to make an attack upon such heresies, he devoted both his +epistles to the purpose of keeping the Corinthians in the right way, +so that they might retain the pure doctrine received from him, and +beware of false spirits. The main thing which moved him to write this +second epistle was his desire to emphasize to them his apostolic +office of a preacher of the Gospel, in order to put to shame the +glory of those other teachers—the glory they boasted with many words +and great pretense.</p> + +<p>3. He starts in on this theme just before he reaches our text. And +this is how it is he comes to speak in high terms of praise of the +ministration of the Gospel and to contrast and compare the twofold +ministration or message which may be proclaimed in the Church, +provided, of course, that God's Word is to be preached and not the +nonsense of human falsehood and the doctrine of the devil. One is +that of the Old Testament, the other of the New; in other words, the +office of Moses, or the Law, and the office of the Gospel of Christ. +He contrasts the glory and power of the latter with those of the +former, which, it is true, is also the Word of God. In this manner he +endeavors to defeat the teachings and pretensions of those seductive +spirits who, as he but lately foretold, pervert God's Word, in that +they greatly extol the Law of God, yet at best do not teach its right +use, but, instead of making it tributary to faith in Christ, misuse +it to teach work-righteousness.</p> + +<p>4. Since the words before us are in reality a continuation of those +with which the chapter opens, the latter must be considered in this +connection. We read:</p> + +<blockquote>"Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, +epistles of commendation to you or from you? Ye are our epistle, +written in our hearts, known and read of all men; being made manifest +that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with +ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, +but in tables that are hearts of flesh."</blockquote> + +<p>"We, my fellow-apostles and co-laborers and I," he says, "do not ask +for letters and seals from others commending us to you, or from you +commending us to others, in order to seduce people after gaining +their good will in your church and in others as well. Such is the +practice of the false apostles, and many even now present letters and +certificates from honest preachers and Churches, and make them the +means whereby their unrighteous plotting may be received in good +faith. Such letters, thank God, we stand not in need of, and you need +not fear we shall use such means of deception. For you are yourselves +the letter we have written and wherein we may pride ourselves and +which we present everywhere. For it is a matter of common knowledge +that you have been taught by us, and brought to Christ through our +ministry."</p> +<br> + +<h4>PAUL'S CONVERTS LIVING EPISTLES.</h4> + +<p>5. Inasmuch as his activity among them is his testimonial, and they +themselves are aware that through his ministerial office he has +constituted them a church, he calls them an epistle written by +himself; not with ink and in paragraphs, not on paper or wood, nor +engraved upon hard rock as the Ten Commandments written upon tables +of stone, which Moses placed before the people, but written by the +Holy Spirit upon fleshly tables—hearts of tender flesh. The Spirit +is the ink or the inscription, yes, even the writer himself; but the +pencil or pen and the hand of the writer is the ministry of Paul.</p> + +<p>6. This figure of a written epistle is, however, in accord with +Scripture usage. Moses commands (Deut 6, 6-9; 11, 18) that the +Israelites write the Ten Commandments in all places where they walked +or stood—upon the posts of their houses, and upon their gates, and +ever have them before their eyes and in their hearts. Again (Prov 7, +2-3), Solomon says: "Keep my commandments and ... my law as the apple +of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the tablet +of thy heart." He speaks as a father to his child when giving the +child an earnest charge to remember a certain thing—"Dear child, +remember this; forget it not; keep it in thy heart." Likewise, God +says in the book of Jeremiah the prophet (ch. 31, 33), "I will put my +law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it." Here +man's heart is represented as a sheet, or slate, or page, whereon is +written the preached Word; for the heart is to receive and securely +keep the Word. In this sense Paul says: "We have, by our ministry, +written a booklet or letter upon your heart, which witnesses that you +believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and have the assurance +that through Christ you are redeemed and saved. This testimony is +what is written on your heart. The letters are not characters traced +with ink or crayon, but the living thoughts, the fire and force of +the heart."</p> + +<p>7. Note further, that it is his ministry to which Paul ascribes the +preparation of their heart thereon and the inscription which +constitutes them "living epistles of Christ." He contrasts his +ministry with the blind fancies of those fanatics who seek to +receive, and dream of having, the Holy Spirit without the oral word; +who, perchance, creep into a corner and grasp the Spirit through +dreams, directing the people away from the preached Word and visible +ministry. But Paul says that the Spirit, through his preaching, has +wrought in the hearts of his Corinthians, to the end that Christ +lives and is mighty in them. After such statement he bursts into +praise of the ministerial office, comparing the message, or +preaching, of Moses with that of himself and the apostles. He says:</p> + +<blockquote>"Such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: not that we are +sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but +our sufficiency is from God."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>TRUE PREACHERS COMMISSIONED BY GOD.</h4> + +<p>8. These words are blows and thrusts for the false apostles and +preachers. Paul is mortal enemy to the blockheads who make great +boast, pretending to what they do not possess and to what they cannot +do; who boast of having the Spirit in great measure; who are ready to +counsel and aid the whole world; who pride themselves on the ability +to invent something new. It is to be a surpassingly precious and +heavenly thing they are to spin out of their heads, as the dreams of +pope and monks have been in time past.</p> + +<p>"We do not so," says Paul. "We rely not upon ourselves or our wisdom +and ability. We preach not what we have ourselves invented. But this +is our boast and trust in Christ before God, that we have made of you +a divine epistle; have written upon your hearts, not our thoughts, +but the Word of God. We are not, however, glorifying our own power, +but the works and the power of him who has called and equipped us for +such an office; from whom proceeds all you have heard and believed."</p> + +<p>9. It is a glory which every preacher may claim, to be able to say +with full confidence of heart: "This trust have I toward God in +Christ, that what I teach and preach is truly the Word of God." +Likewise, when he performs other official duties in the +Church—baptizes a child, absolves and comforts a sinner—it must be +done in the same firm conviction that such is the command of Christ.</p> + +<p>10. He who would teach and exercise authority in the Church without +this glory, "it is profitable for him," as Christ says (Mt 18, 6), +"that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he +should be sunk in the depths of the sea." For the devil's lies he +preaches, and death is what he effects. Our Papists, in time past, +after much and long-continued teaching, after many inventions and +works whereby they hoped to be saved, nevertheless always doubted in +heart and mind whether or no they had pleased God. The teaching and +works of all heretics and seditious spirits certainly do not bespeak +for them trust in Christ; their own glory is the object of their +teaching, and the homage and praise of the people is the goal of +their desire.</p> + +<blockquote>"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from +ourselves."</blockquote> + +<p>11. As said before, this is spoken in denunciation of the false +spirits who believe that by reason of eminent equipment of special +creation and election, they are called to come to the rescue of the +people, expecting wonders from whatever they say and do.</p> +<br> + +<h4>HUMAN DOCTRINE NO PLACE IN THE CHURCH.</h4> + +<p>12. Now, we know ourselves to be of the same clay whereof they are +made; indeed, we perhaps have the greater call from God: yet we +cannot boast of being capable of ourselves to advise or aid men. We +cannot even originate an idea calculated to give help. And when it +comes to the knowledge of how one may stand before God and attain to +eternal life, that is truly not to be achieved by our work or power, +nor to originate in our brain. In other things, those pertaining to +this temporal life, you may glory in what you know, you may advance +the teachings of reason, you may invent ideas of your own; for +example: how to make shoes or clothes, how to govern a household, how +to manage a herd. In such things exercise your mind to the best of +your ability. Cloth or leather of this sort will permit itself to be +stretched and cut according to the good pleasure of the tailor or +shoemaker. But in spiritual matters, human reasoning certainly is not +in order; other intelligence, other skill and power, are requisite +here—something to be granted by God himself and revealed through his +Word.</p> + +<p>13. What mortal has ever discovered or fathomed the truth that the +three persons in the eternal divine essence are one God; that the +second person, the Son of God, was obliged to become man, born of a +virgin; and that no way of life could be opened for us, save through +his crucifixion? Such truth never would have been heard nor preached, +would never in all eternity have been published, learned and +believed, had not God himself revealed it.</p> + +<p>14. For this season they are blind fools of first magnitude and +dangerous characters who would boast of their grand performances, and +think that the people are served when they preach their own fancies +and inventions. It has been the practice in the Church for anyone to +introduce any teaching he saw fit; for example, the monks and priests +have daily produced new saints, pilgrimages, special prayers, works +and sacrifices in the effort to blot out sin, redeem souls from +purgatory, and so on. They who make up things of this kind are not +such as put their trust in God through Christ, but rather such as +defy God and Christ. Into the hearts of men, where Christ alone +should be, they shove the filth and write the lies of the devil. Yet +they think themselves, and themselves only, qualified for all +essential teaching and work, self-grown doctors that they are, saints +all-powerful without the help of God and Christ.</p> + +<blockquote>"But our sufficiency is from God."</blockquote> + +<p>15. Of ourselves—in our own wisdom and strength—we cannot effect, +discover nor teach any counsel or help for man, whether for ourselves +or others. Any good work we perform among you, any doctrine we write +upon your heart—that is God's own work. He puts into our heart and +mouth what we should say, and impresses it upon your heart through +the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we cannot ascribe to ourselves any honor +therein, cannot seek our own glory as the self-instructed and proud +spirits do; we must give to God alone the honor, and must glory in +the fact that by his grace and power he works in you unto salvation, +through the office committed unto us.</p> + +<p>16. Now, Paul's thought here is that nothing should be taught and +practiced in the Church but what is unquestionably God's Word. It +will not do to introduce or perform anything whatever upon the +strength of man's judgment. Man's achievements, man's reasoning and +power, are of no avail save in so far as they come from God. As Peter +says in his first epistle (ch. 4, 11): "If any man speaketh, speaking +as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, ministering as of +the strength which God supplieth." In short, let him who would be +wise, who would boast of great skill, talents and power, confine +himself to things other than spiritual; with respect to spiritual +matters, let him keep his place and refrain from boasting and +pretense. For it is of no moment that men observe your greatness and +ability; the important thing is that poor souls may rest assured of +being presented with God's Word and works, whereby they may be saved.</p> + +<blockquote>"Who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of +the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit +giveth life."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>THE NEW COVENANT.</h4> + +<p>17. Paul here proceeds to exalt the office and power of the Gospel +over the glorying of the false apostles, and to elevate the power of +the Word above that of all other doctrine, even of the Law of God. +Truly we are not sufficient of ourselves and have nothing to boast of +so far as human activity is considered. For that is without merit or +power, however strenuous the effort may be to fulfil God's Law. We +have, however, something infinitely better to boast of, something not +grounded in our own activity: by God we have been made sufficient for +a noble ministry, termed the ministry "of a New Covenant." This +ministry is not only exalted far above any teaching to be evolved by +human wisdom, skill and power, but is more glorious than the ministry +termed the "Old Covenant," which in time past was delivered to the +Jews through Moses. While this ministry clings, in common with other +doctrine, to the Word given by revelation, it is the agency whereby +the Holy Spirit works in the heart. Therefore, Paul says it is not a +ministration of the letter, but "of the spirit."</p> +<br> + +<h4>"SPIRIT" AND "LETTER."</h4> + +<p>18. This passage relative to spirit and letter has in the past been +wholly strange language to us. Indeed, to such extent has man's +nonsensical interpretation perverted and weakened it that I, though a +learned doctor of the holy Scriptures, failed to understand it +altogether, and I could find no one to teach me. And to this day it +is unintelligible to all popedom. In fact, even the old +teachers—Origen, Jerome and others—have not caught Paul's thought. +And no wonder, truly! For it is essentially a doctrine far beyond the +power of man's intelligence to comprehend. When human reason meddles +with it, it becomes perplexed. The doctrine is wholly unintelligible +to it, for human thought goes no farther than the Law and the Ten +Commandments. Laying hold upon these it confines itself to them. It +does not attempt to do more, being governed by the principle that +unto him who fulfils the demands of the Law, or commandments, God is +gracious. Reason knows nothing about the wretchedness of depraved +nature. It does not recognize the fact that no man is able to keep +God's commandments; that all are under sin and condemnation; and that +the only way whereby help could be received was for God to give his +Son for the world, ordaining another ministration, one through which +grace and reconciliation might be proclaimed to us. Now, he who does +not understand the sublime subject of which Paul speaks cannot but +miss the true meaning of his words. How much more did we invite this +fate when we threw the Scriptures and Saint Paul's epistles under the +bench, and, like swine in husks, wallowed in man's nonsense! +Therefore, we must submit to correction and learn to understand the +apostle's utterance aright.</p> + +<p>19. "Letter" and "spirit" have been understood to mean, according to +Origen and Jerome, the obvious sense of the written word. St. +Augustine, it must be admitted, has gotten an inkling of the truth. +Now, the position of the former teachers would perhaps not be quite +incorrect did they correctly explain the words. By "literary sense" +they signify the meaning of a Scripture narrative according to the +ordinary interpretation of the words. By "spiritual sense" they +signify the secondary, hidden, sense found in the words.</p> + +<p>For instance: The Scripture narrative in Genesis third records how +the serpent persuaded the woman to eat of the forbidden fruit and to +give to her husband, who also ate. This narrative in its simplest +meaning represents what they understand by "letter." "Spirit," +however, they understand to mean the spiritual interpretation, which +is thus: The serpent signifies the evil temptation which lures to +sin. The woman represents the sensual state, or the sphere in which +such enticements and temptations make themselves felt. Adam, the man, +stands for reason, which is called man's highest endowment. Now, when +reason does not yield to the allurements of external sense, all is +well; but when it permits itself to waver and consent, the fall has +taken place.</p> + +<p>20. Origen was the first to trifle thus with the holy Scriptures, and +many others followed, until now it is thought to be the sign of great +cleverness for the Church to be filled with such quibblings. The aim +is to imitate Paul, who (Gal 4, 22-24) figuratively interprets the +story of Abraham's two sons, the one by the free woman, or the +mistress of the house, and the other by the hand-maid. The two women, +Paul says, represent the two covenants: one covenant makes only +bond-servants, which is just what he in our text terms the +ministration of the letter; the other leads to liberty, or, as he +says here, the ministration of the spirit, which gives life. And the +two sons are the two peoples, one of which does not go farther than +the Law, while the other accepts in faith the Gospel.</p> + +<p>True, this is an interpretation not directly suggested by the +narrative and the text. Paul himself calls it an allegory; that is, a +mystic narrative, or a story with a hidden meaning. But he does not +say that the literal text is necessarily the letter that killeth, and +the allegory, or hidden meaning, the spirit. But the false teachers +assert of all Scripture that the text, or record itself, is but a +dead "letter," its interpretation being "the spirit." Yet they have +not pushed interpretation farther than the teaching of the Law; and +it is precisely the Law which Paul means when he speaks of "the +letter."<small>*</small></p> + +<blockquote><small>* What Luther means is that the popish theologians with +their vaunted "spiritual" interpretation had never penetrated to the +Gospel, which confers the life in the Spirit, but had satisfied +themselves with so literal and superficial an interpretation of the +Law as to seek salvation through work-righteousness.</small></blockquote> + +<p>21. Paul employs the word "letter" in such contemptuous sense in +reference to the Law—though the Law is, nevertheless, the Word of +God—when he compares it with the ministry of the Gospel. The letter +is to him the doctrine of the Ten Commandments, which teach how we +should obey God, honor parents, love our neighbor, and so on—the +very best doctrine to be found in all books, sermons and schools.</p> + +<p>The word "letter" is to the apostle Paul everything which may take +the form of doctrine, of literary arrangement, of record, so long as +it remains something spoken or written. Also thoughts which may be +pictured or expressed by word or writing, but it is not that which is +written in the heart, to become its life. "Letter" is the whole Law +of Moses, or the Ten Commandments, though the supreme authority of +such teaching is not denied. It matters not whether you hear them, +read them, or reproduce them mentally. For instance, when I sit down +to meditate upon the first commandment: "Thou shalt have no other +gods before me," or the second, or the third, and so forth, I have +something which I can read, write, discuss, and aim to fulfil with +all my might. The process is quite similar when the emperor or prince +gives a command and says: "This you shall do, that you shall eschew." +This is what the apostle calls "the letter," or, as we have called it +on another occasion, the written sense.</p> + +<p>22. Now, as opposed to "the letter," there is another doctrine or +message, which he terms the "ministration of a New Covenant" and "of +the Spirit." This doctrine does not teach what works are required of +man, for that man has already heard; but it makes known to him what +God would do for him and bestow upon him, indeed what he has already +done: he has given his Son Christ for us; because, for our +disobedience to the Law, which no man fulfils, we were under God's +wrath and condemnation. Christ made satisfaction for our sins, +effected a reconciliation with God and gave to us his own +righteousness. Nothing is said in this ministration of man's deeds; +it tells rather of the works of Christ, who is unique in that he was +born of a virgin, died for sin and rose from the dead, something no +other man has been able to do. This doctrine is revealed through none +but the Holy Spirit, and none other confers the Holy Spirit. The Holy +Spirit works in the hearts of them who hear and accept the doctrine. +Therefore, this ministration is termed a ministration "of the +Spirit."</p> + +<p>23. The apostle employs the words "letter" and "spirit," to contrast +the two doctrines; to emphasize his office and show its advantage +over all others, however eminent the teachers whom they boast, and +however great the spiritual unction which they vaunt. It is of design +that he does not term the two dispensations "Law" and "Gospel," but +names them according to the respective effects produced. He honors +the Gospel with a superior term—"ministration of the spirit." Of the +Law, on the contrary, he speaks almost contemptuously, as if he would +not honor it with the title of God's commandment, which in reality it +is, according to his own admission later on that its deliverance to +Moses and its injunction upon the children of Israel was an occasion +of surpassing glory.</p> + +<p>24. Why does Paul choose this method? Is it right for one to despise +or dishonor God's Law? Is not a chaste and honorable life a matter of +beauty and godliness? Such facts, it may be contended, are implanted +by God in reason itself, and all books teach them; they are the +governing force in the world. I reply: Paul's chief concern is to +defeat the vainglory and pretensions of false preachers, and to teach +them the right conception and appreciation of the Gospel which he +proclaimed. What Paul means is this: When the Jews vaunt their Law of +Moses, which was received as Law from God and recorded upon two +tables of stone; when they vaunt their learned and saintly preachers +of the Law and its exponents, and hold their deeds and manner of life +up to admiration, what is all that compared to the Gospel message? +The claim may be well made: a fine sermon, a splendid exposition; +but, after all, nothing more comes of it than precepts, expositions, +written comments. The precept, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with +all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself," remains a mere array of +words. When much time and effort have been spent in conforming one's +life to it, nothing has been accomplished. You have pods without +peas, husks without kernels.</p> + +<p>25. For it is impossible to keep the Law without Christ, though man +may, for the sake of honor or property, or from fear of punishment, +feign outward holiness. The heart which does not discern God's grace +in Christ cannot turn to God nor trust in him; it cannot love his +commandments and delight in them, but rather resists them. For nature +rebels at compulsion. No man likes to be a captive in chains. One +does not voluntarily bow to the rod of punishment or submit to the +executioner's sword; rather, because of these things, his anger +against the Law is but increased, and he ever thinks: "Would that I +might unhindered steal, rob, hoard, gratify my lust, and so on!" And +when restrained by force, he would there were no Law and no God. And +this is the case where conduct shows some effects of discipline, in +that the outer man has been subjected to the teaching of the Law.</p> + +<p>26. But in a far more appalling degree does inward rebellion ensue +when the heart feels the full force of the Law; when, standing before +God's judgment, it feels the sentence of condemnation; as we shall +presently hear, for the apostle says "the letter killeth." Then the +truly hard knots appear. Human nature fumes and rages against the +Law; offenses appear in the heart, the fruit of hate and enmity +against the Law; and presently human nature flees before God and is +incensed at God's judgment. It begins to question the equity of his +dealings, to ask if he is a just God. Influenced by such thoughts, it +falls ever deeper into doubt, it murmurs and chafes, until finally, +unless the Gospel comes to the rescue, it utterly despairs, as did +Judas, and Saul, and perhaps pass out of this life with God and +creation. This is what Paul means when he says (Rom 7, 8-9) that the +Law works sin in the heart of man, and sin works death, or kills.</p> + +<p>27. You see, then, why the Law is called "the letter": though noble +doctrine, it remains on the surface; it does not enter the heart as a +vital force which begets obedience. Such is the baseness of human +nature, it will not and cannot conform to the Law; and so corrupt is +mankind, there is no individual who does not violate all God's +commandments in spite of daily hearing the preached Word and having +held up to view God's wrath and eternal condemnation. Indeed, the +harder pressed man is, the more furiously he storms against the Law.</p> + +<p>28. The substance of the matter is this: When all the commandments +have been put together, when their message receives every particle of +praise to which it is entitled, it is still a mere letter. That is, +teaching not put into practice. By "letter" is signified all manner +of law, doctrine and message, which goes no farther than the oral or +written word, which consists only of the powerless letter. To +illustrate: A law promulgated by a prince or the authorities of a +city, if not enforced, remains merely an open letter, which makes a +demand indeed, but ineffectually. Similarly, God's Law, although a +teaching of supreme authority and the eternal will of God, must +suffer itself to become a mere empty letter or husk. Without a +quickening heart, and devoid of fruit, the Law is powerless to effect +life and salvation. It may well be called a veritable table of +omissions (Lass-tafel); that is, it is a written enumeration, not of +duties performed but of duties cast aside. In the languages of the +world, it is a royal edict which remains unobserved and unperformed. +In this light St. Augustine understood the Law. He says, commenting +on Psalm 17, "What is Law without grace but a letter without spirit?" +Human nature, without the aid of Christ and his grace, cannot keep +it.</p> + +<p>29. Again, Paul in terming the Gospel a "ministration of the spirit" +would call attention to its power to produce in the hearts of men an +effect wholly different from that of the Law: it is accompanied by +the Holy Spirit and it creates a new heart. Man, driven into fear and +anxiety by the preaching of the Law, hears this Gospel message, +which, instead of reminding him of God's demands, tells him what God +has done for him. It points not to man's works, but to the works of +Christ, and bids him confidently believe that for the sake of his Son +God will forgive his sins and accept him as his child. And this +message, when received in faith, immediately cheers and comforts the +heart. The heart will no longer flee from God; rather it turns to +him. Finding grace with God and experiencing his mercy, the heart +feels drawn to him. It commences to call upon him and to treat and +revere him as its beloved God. In proportion as such faith and solace +grow, also love for the commandments will grow and obedience to them +will be man's delight. Therefore, God would have his Gospel message +urged unceasingly as the means of awakening man's heart to discern +his state and recall the great grace and lovingkindness of God, with +the result that the power of the Holy Spirit is increased constantly. +Note, no influence of the Law, no work of man is present here. The +force is a new and heavenly one—the power of the Holy Spirit. He +impresses upon the heart Christ and his works, making of it a true +book which does not consist in the tracery of mere letters and words, +but in true life and action.</p> + +<p>30. God promised of old, in Joel 2, 28 and other passages, to give +the Spirit through the new message, the Gospel. And he has verified +his promise by public manifestations in connection with the preaching +of that Gospel, as on the day of Pentecost and again later. When the +apostles, Peter and others, began to preach, the Holy Spirit +descended visibly from heaven upon their hearts. Acts 8, 17; 10, 44. +Up to that time, throughout the period the Law was preached, no one +had heard or seen such manifestation. The fact could not but be +grasped that this was a vastly different message from that of the Law +when such mighty results followed in its train. And yet its substance +was no more than what Paul declared (Acts 13, 38-39): "Through this +man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: and by him every one +that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not +be justified by the law of Moses."</p> + +<p>31. In this teaching you see no more the empty letters, the valueless +husks or shells, of the Law, which unceasingly enjoins, "This thou +shalt do and observe," and ever in vain. You see instead the true +kernel and power which confers Christ and the fullness of His Spirit. +In consequence, men heartily believe the message of the Gospel and +enjoy its riches. They are accounted as having fulfilled the Ten +Commandments. John says (Jn 1, 16-17): "Of his fullness we all +received, and grace for grace. For the Law was given through Moses; +grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John's thought is: The +Law has indeed been given by Moses, but what avails that fact? To be +sure, it is a noble doctrine and portrays a beautiful and instructive +picture of man's duty to God and all mankind; it is really excellent +as to the letter. Yet it remains empty; it does not enter into the +heart. Therefore it is called "law," nor can it become aught else, so +long as nothing more is given.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRIST SUPERSEDES MOSES.</h4> + +<p>Before there can be fulfilment, another than Moses must come, +bringing another doctrine. Instead of a law enjoined, there must be +grace and truth revealed. For to enjoin a command and to embody the +truth<small>*</small> are two different things; just as teaching and doing differ. +Moses, it is true, teaches the doctrine of the Law, so far as +exposition is concerned, but he can neither fulfil it himself nor +give others the ability to do so. That it might be fulfilled, God's +Son had to come with his fullness; he has fulfilled the Law for +himself and it is he who communicates to our empty heart the power to +attain to the same fullness.</p> + +<blockquote><small>* Es ist zweirlei, Gesetz geben, und, Wahrheit werden.</small></blockquote> + +<p>This becomes possible when we receive grace for grace, that is, when +we come to the enjoyment of Christ, and for the sake of him who +enjoys with God fullness of grace, although our own obedience to the +Law is still imperfect. Being possessed of solace and grace, we +receive by his power the Holy Spirit also, so that, instead of +harboring mere empty letters within us, we come to the truth and +begin to fulfil God's Law, in such a way, however, that we draw from +his fullness and drink from that as a fountain.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRIST THE SOURCE OF LIFE GREATER THAN ADAM THE SOURCE OF DEATH.</h4> + +<p>32. Paul gives us the same thought in Romans 5, 17-18, where he +compares Adam and Christ. Adam, he says, by his disobedience in +Paradise, became the source of sin and death in the world; by the sin +of this one man, condemnation passed upon all men. But on the other +hand, Christ, by his obedience and righteousness, has become for us +the abundant source wherefrom all may obtain righteousness and the +power of obedience. And with respect to the latter source, it is far +richer and more abundant than the former. While by the single sin of +one man, sin and death passed upon all men, to wax still more +powerful with the advent of the Law, of such surpassing strength and +greatness, on the other hand, is the grace and bounty which we have +in Christ that it not only washes away the particular sin of the one +man Adam, which, until Christ came, overwhelmed all men in death, but +overwhelms and blots out all sin whatever. Thus they who receive his +fullness of grace and bounty unto righteousness are, according to +Paul, lords of life through Jesus Christ alone.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE LAW INEFFECTUAL.</h4> + +<p>33. You see now how the two messages differ, and why Paul exalts the +one, the preaching of the Gospel, and calls it a "ministration of the +spirit," but terms the other, the Law, a mere empty "letter." His +object is to humble the pride of the false apostles and preachers +which they felt in their Judaism and the law of Moses, telling the +people with bold pretensions: "Beloved, let Paul preach what he will, +he cannot overthrow Moses, who on Mount Sinai received the Law, God's +irrevocable command, obedience to which is ever the only way to +salvation."</p> + +<p>34. Similarly today, Papists, Anabaptists and other sects make +outcry: "What mean you by preaching so much about faith and Christ? +Are the people thereby made better? Surely works are essential." +Arguments of this character have indeed a semblance of merit, but, +when examined by the light of truth, are mere empty, worthless +twaddle. For if deeds, or works, are to be considered, there are the +Ten Commandments; we teach and practice these as well as they. The +Commandments would answer the purpose indeed—if one could preach +them so effectively as to compel their fulfilment.</p> + +<p>But the question is, whether what is preached is also practiced. Is +there something more than mere words—or letters, as Paul says? do +the words result in life and spirit? This message we have in common; +unquestionably, one must teach the Ten Commandments, and, what is +more, live them. But we charge that they are not observed. Therefore +something else is requisite in order to render obedience to them +possible. When Moses and the Law are made to say: "You should do +thus; God demands this of you," what does it profit? Ay, beloved +Moses, I hear that plainly, and it is certainly a righteous command; +but pray tell me whence shall I obtain ability to do what, alas, I +never have done nor can do? It is not easy to spend money from an +empty pocket, or to drink from an empty can. If I am to pay my debt, +or to quench my thirst, tell me how first to fill pocket or can. But +upon this point such prattlers are silent; they but continue to drive +and plague with the Law, let the people stick to their sins, and make +merry of them to their own hurt.</p> + +<p>35. In this light Paul here portrays the false apostles and like +pernicious schismatics, who make great boasts of having a clearer +understanding and of knowing much better what to teach than is the +case with true preachers of the Gospel. And when they do their very +best, when they pretend great things, and do wonders with their +preaching, there is naught but the mere empty "letter." Indeed, their +message falls far short of Moses. Moses was a noble preacher, truly, +and wrought greater things than any of them may do. Nevertheless, the +doctrine of the Law could do no more than remain a letter, an Old +Testament, and God had to ordain a different doctrine, a New +Testament, which should impart the "spirit."</p> + +<p>"It is the letter," says Paul, "which we preach. If any glorying is +to be done, we can glory in better things and make the defiant plea +that they are not the only teachers of what ought to be done, +incapable as they are of carrying out their own precepts. We give +direction and power as to performing and living those precepts. For +this reason our message is not called the Old Testament, or the +message of the dead letter, but that of the New Testament and of the +living Spirit."</p> + +<p>36. No seditious spirit, it is certain, ever carries out its own +precepts, nor will he ever be capable of doing so, though he may +loudly boast the Spirit alone as his guide. Of this fact you may rest +assured. For such individuals know nothing more than the doctrine of +works—nor can they rise higher and point you to anything else. They +may indeed speak of Christ, but it is only to hold him up as an +example of patience in suffering. In short, there can be no New +Testament preached if the doctrine of faith in Christ be left out; +the spirit cannot enter into the heart, but all teaching, endeavor, +reflection, works and power remain mere "letters," devoid of grace, +truth, and life. Without Christ the heart remains unchanged and +unrenewed. It has no more power to fulfil the Law than the book in +which the Ten Commandments are written, or the stones upon which +engraved.</p> + +<blockquote>"For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."</blockquote> + +<p>37. Here is yet stronger condemnation of the glory of the doctrine of +the Law; yet higher exaltation of the Gospel ministry. Is the apostle +overbold in that he dares thus to assail the Law and say: "The Law is +not only a lifeless letter, but qualified merely to kill"? Surely +that is not calling the Law a good and profitable message, but one +altogether harmful. Who, unless he would be a cursed heretic in the +eyes of the world and invite execution as a blasphemer, would dare to +speak thus, except Paul himself? Even Paul must praise the Law, which +is God's command, declaring it good and not to be despised nor in any +way modified, but to be confirmed and fulfilled so completely, as +Christ says (Mt 5, 18), that not a tittle of it shall pass away. How, +then, does Paul come to speak so disparagingly, even abusively, of +the Law, actually presenting it as veritable death and poison? Well, +his is a sublime doctrine, one that reason does not understand. The +world, particularly they who would be called holy and godly, cannot +tolerate it at all; for it amounts to nothing short of pronouncing +all our works, however precious, mere death and poison.</p> + +<p>38. Paul's purpose is to bring about the complete overthrow of the +boast of the false teachers and hypocrites, and to reveal the +weakness of their doctrine, showing how little it effects even at its +best, since it offers only the Law, Christ remaining unproclaimed and +unknown. They say in terms of vainglorious eloquence that if a man +diligently keep the commandments and do many good works, he shall be +saved. But theirs are only vain words, a pernicious doctrine. This +fact is eventually learned by him who, having heard no other +doctrine, trusts in their false one. He finds out that it holds +neither comfort nor power of life, but only doubt and anxiety, +followed by death and destruction.</p> +<br> + +<h4>TERRORS OF THE LAW.</h4> + +<p>39. When man, conscious of his failure to keep God's command, is +constantly urged by the Law to make payment of his debt and +confronted with nothing but the terrible wrath of God and eternal +condemnation, he cannot but sink into despair over his sins. Such is +the inevitable consequence where the Law alone is taught with a view +to attaining heaven thereby. The vanity of such trust in works is +illustrated in the case of the noted hermit mentioned in Vitæ Patrum +(Lives of the Fathers). For over seventy years this hermit had led a +life of utmost austerity, and had many followers. When the hour of +death came he began to tremble, and for three days was in a state of +agony. His disciples came to comfort him, exhorting him to die in +peace since he had led so holy a life. But he replied: "Alas, I truly +have all my life served Christ and lived austerely; but God's +judgment greatly differs from that of men."</p> + +<p>40. Note, this worthy man, despite the holiness of his life, has no +acquaintance with any article but that of the divine judgment +according to the Law. He knows not the comfort of Christ's Gospel. +After a long life spent in the attempt to keep God's commandments and +secure salvation, the Law now slays him through his own works. He is +compelled to exclaim: "Alas, who knows how God will look upon my +efforts? Who may stand before him?" That means, to forfeit heaven +through the verdict of his own conscience. The work he has wrought +and his holiness of life avail nothing. They merely push him deeper +into death, since he is without the solace of the Gospel, while +others, such as the thief on the cross and the publican, grasp the +comfort of the Gospel, the forgiveness of sins in Christ. Thus sin is +conquered; they escape the sentence of the Law, and pass through +death into life eternal.</p> +<br> + +<h4>EFFICACY OF THE GOSPEL.</h4> + +<p>41. Now the meaning of the contrasting clause, "the spirit giveth +life," becomes clear. The reference is to naught else but the holy +Gospel, a message of healing and salvation; a precious, comforting +word. It comforts and refreshes the sad heart. It wrests it out of +the jaws of death and hell, as it were, and transports it to the +certain hope of eternal life, through faith in Christ. When the last +hour comes to the believer, and death and God's judgment appear +before his eyes, he does not base his comfort upon his works. Even +though he may have lived the holiest life possible, he says with Paul +(1 Cor 4, 4): "I know nothing against myself, yet am I not hereby +justified."</p> + +<p>42. These words imply being ill pleased with self, with the whole +life; indeed, even the putting to death of self. Though the heart +says, "By my works I am neither made righteous nor saved," which is +practically admitting oneself to be worthy of death and condemnation, +the Spirit extricates from despair, through the Gospel faith, which +confesses, as did St. Bernard in the hour of death: "Dear Lord Jesus, +I am aware that my life at its best has been but worthy of +condemnation, but I trust in the fact that thou hast died for me and +hast sprinkled me with blood from thy holy wounds. For I have been +baptized in thy name and have given heed to thy Word whereby thou +hast called me, awarded me grace and life, and bidden me believe. In +this assurance will I pass out of life; not in uncertainty and +anxiety, thinking, Who knows what sentence God in heaven will pass +upon me?"</p> + +<p>The Christian must not utter such a question. The sentence against +his life and works has long since been passed by the Law. Therefore, +he must confess himself guilty and condemned. But he lives by the +gracious judgment of God declared from heaven, whereby the sentence +of the Law is overruled and reversed. It is this: "He that believeth +on the Son hath eternal life." Jn 3, 36.</p> + +<p>43. When the consolation of the Gospel has once been received and it +has wrested the heart from death and the terrors of hell, the +Spirit's influence is felt. By its power God's Law begins to live in +man's heart; he loves it, delights in it and enters upon its +fulfilment. Thus eternal life begins here, being continued forever +and perfected in the life to come.</p> + +<p>44. Now you see how much more glorious, how much better, is the +doctrine of the apostles—the New Testament—than the doctrine of +those who preach merely great works and holiness without Christ. We +should see in this fact an incentive to hear the Gospel with +gladness. We ought joyfully to thank God for it when we learn how it +has power to bring to men life and eternal salvation, and when it +gives us assurance that the Holy Spirit accompanies it and is +imparted to believers.</p> + +<blockquote>"But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, +came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look +stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which +glory was passing away: how shall not rather the ministration of the +Spirit be with glory? For if the ministration of condemnation hath +glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in +glory."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>GLORY OF THE GOSPEL.</h4> + +<p>45. Paul is in an ecstasy of delight, and his heart overflows in +words of praise for the Gospel. Again he handles the Law severely, +calling it a ministration, or doctrine, of death and condemnation. +What term significant of greater abomination could he apply to God's +Law than to call it a doctrine of death and hell? And again (Gal 2, +17), he calls it a "minister (or preacher) of sin;" and (Gal 3, 10) +the message which proclaims a curse, saying, "As many as are of the +works of the law are under a curse." Absolute, then, is the +conclusion that Law and works are powerless to justify before God; +for how can a doctrine proclaiming only sin, death and condemnation +justify and save?</p> + +<p>46. Paul is compelled to speak thus, as we said above because of the +infamous presumption of both teachers and pupils, in that they permit +flesh and blood to coquet with the Law, and make their own works +which they bring before God their boast. Yet, nothing is effected but +self-deception and destruction. For, when the Law is viewed in its +true light, when its "glory," as Paul has it, is revealed, it is +found to do nothing more than to kill man and sink him into +condemnation.</p> + +<p>47. Therefore, the Christian will do well to learn this text of Paul +and have an armor against the boasting of false teachers, and the +torments and trials of the devil when he urges the Law and induces +men to seek righteousness in their own works, tormenting their heart +with the thought that salvation is dependent upon the achievements of +the individual. The Christian will do well to learn this text, I say, +so that in such conflicts he may take the devil's own sword, saying: +"Why dost thou annoy me with talk of the Law and my works? What is +the Law after all, however much you may preach it to me, but that +which makes me feel the weight of sin, death and condemnation? Why +should I seek therein righteousness before God?"</p> + +<p>48. When Paul speaks of the "glory of the Law," of which the Jewish +teachers of work-righteousness boast, he has reference to the things +narrated in the twentieth and thirty-fourth chapters of Exodus—how, +when the Law was given, God descended in majesty and glory from +heaven, and there were thunderings and lightnings, and the mountain +was encircled with fire; and how when Moses returned from the +mountain, bringing the Law, his face shone with a glory so dazzling +that the people could not look upon his face and he was obliged to +veil it.</p> + +<p>49. Turning their glory against them, Paul says: "Truly, we do not +deny the glory; splendor and majesty were there; but what does such +glory do but compel souls to flee before God, and drive into death +and hell?" We believers, however, boast another glory,—that of our +ministration. The Gospel record tells us (Mt 17, 2-4) that Christ +clearly revealed such glory to his disciples when his face shone as +the sun, and Moses and Elijah were present. Before the manifestation +of such glory, the disciples did not flee; they beheld with amazed +joy and said: "Lord, it is good for us to be here. We will make here +tabernacles for thee and for Moses," etc.</p> + +<p>50. Compare the two scenes and you will understand plainly the import +of Paul's words here. As before said, this is the substance of his +meaning: "The Law produces naught but terror and death when it +dazzles the heart with its glory and stands revealed in its true +nature. On the other hand, the Gospel yields comfort and joy." But to +explain in detail the signification of the veiled face of Moses, and +of his shining uncovered face, would take too long to enter upon +here.</p> + +<p>51. There is also especial comfort to be derived from Paul's +assertion that the "ministration," or doctrine, of the Law "passeth +away"; for otherwise there would be naught but eternal condemnation. +The doctrine of the Law "passes away" when the preaching of the +Gospel of Christ finds place. To Christ, Moses shall yield, that he +alone may hold sway. Moses shall not terrify the conscience of the +believer. When, perceiving the glory of Moses, the conscience +trembles and despairs before God's wrath, then it is time for +Christ's glory to shine with its gracious, comforting light into the +heart. Then can the heart endure Moses and Elijah. For the glory of +the Law, or the unveiled face of Moses, shall shine only until man is +humbled and driven to desire the blessed countenance of Christ. If +you come to Christ, you shall no longer hear Moses to your fright and +terror; you shall hear him as one who remains servant to the Lord +Christ, leaving the solace and the joy of his countenance unobscured. +In conclusion:</p> + +<blockquote>"For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made +glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth."</blockquote> + +<p>52. The meaning here is: When the glory and holiness of Christ, +revealed through the preaching of the Gospel, is rightly perceived, +then the glory of the Law—which is but a feeble and transitory +glory—is seen to be not really glorious. It is mere dark clouds in +contrast to the light of Christ shining to lead us out of sin, death +and hell unto God and eternal life.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm16"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Galatians 3, 15-22.</center> + +<blockquote>15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a +man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it +void, or addeth thereto. 16 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, +and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of +one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 Now this I say: A covenant +confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and +thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of +none effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more +of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise. 19 What +then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the +seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was +ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator +is not a mediator of one; but God is one. 21 Is the law then against +the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given +which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the +law. 22 But the scripture shut up all things under sin, that the +promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>GOD'S TESTAMENT AND PROMISE IN CHRIST.</h4> + +<p>1. This is a keen, severe epistle, one that is unintelligible to the +ordinary man. Because the doctrine it contains has not hitherto been +employed and enforced, it has not been understood. It is also too +long and rich to be treated briefly. But it is fully explained in the +complete commentary on this epistle to the Galatians, where those who +will may read it. The substance of it is, that here, as in the whole +epistle, Paul would earnestly constrain the Christian to distinguish +between the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of works or +of the Law. In order that we may note to some extent the main points +Paul makes in this text, we remark that he emphasizes two things. He +treats first of the doctrine that we are justified by faith alone, +and he maintains this, after giving many reasons and proofs, by +saying in effect:</p> + +<p>2. In this connection you should note that no one, whether Jew or +gentile, is justified by works or by the Law. For the Law was given +four hundred and thirty years after the promise of a Savior had been +made to Abraham (who was to be the father of all the people of God) +and the assurance that all nations should be blessed in him. It was +given after it had been testified of Abraham that his faith was +imputed to him for righteousness. And as he was justified and +received the blessing by reason of his faith, so also his children +and descendants were justified and received the blessing through the +same faith in that seed for whose sake the blessing had been promised +to all the world. For in his dealings with the Jews and with the +whole world, God always promised his grace and the forgiveness of +sins (and that means to be blessed of God) even when there was as yet +no Law by which they might pretend to become righteous, and before +Moses was born.</p> + +<p>3. Therefore the Law, being given to this people only after the lapse +of so long a period, could not have been given to them for +justification; otherwise it would have been given earlier. Or if it +had been necessary for righteousness, then Abraham and his children +up to that date could not have been justified at all. Indeed God +designed that the Law should be given so long after Abraham. +Undoubtedly he would have been able to give it to the fathers much +earlier if he had seen fit to do so. Apparently he desired thereby to +teach that the Law was not given to the end that God's grace and +blessing should be acquired through it, but that these come from the +pure mercy of God which was promised and bestowed so long before upon +Abraham and those who believed.</p> + +<p>4. Therefore Paul concludes: How could the Law produce righteousness +for those who lived before Moses, since Moses was the first through +whom the Law was given; and since even before his time there were +holy people and people who were saved? Whence did they derive their +righteousness? Certainly not from the fact that they had offered +sacrifice at Jerusalem, but from the fact that they believed the Word +in which God promised to bless them through the coming seed, Christ. +Hence, those also who lived afterwards could not have been justified +by the Law; for they did not receive the grace of God in a different +way from that in which those who went before had received it. God did +not annul or revoke by the Law the promise of blessing which he had +made and freely bestowed without the Law.</p> + +<p>5. Here some might desire to show their wisdom and say to Paul: +Although the fathers did not have the Law of Moses, they had the same +Word of God which teaches the ten commandments and which was +implanted in the human heart from the beginning of the world, whence +also it is called the law of nature or the natural law; and the same +law was afterwards given publicly to the Jewish people and +comprehended in the ten commandments. It might also be said that +Moses borrowed the ten commandments from the fathers, to which Christ +testifies in John 7, 22. For it is certain that the fathers from the +beginning taught them and urged them upon their children and +descendants. With what consistency, then, does Paul conclude that the +fathers were not justified by the Law because it was not given until +four hundred years after Abraham's time; as if the fathers before +that time had no Law?</p> + +<p>6. To answer this question we must observe the meaning and purpose of +Paul's words; for he so speaks because of the boasting of the Jews, +who placed their dependence on the Law and claimed that it was given +to them that they might be God's people. They considered their +attempts at keeping his Law, sufficient to procure justification. Why +else did God give the Law, they said, and distinguish us from all +heathen peoples, if we were not thereby to be preëminent before God +and more pleasing to him than they who have it not? They made so much +of this boasting that they paid no respect at all to the promise of +blessing in the coming seed, given to the fathers, nor thought that +faith therein was necessary to their justification. Thus they +practically considered it as annulled and made void, excepting for a +temporal interpretation which they put upon it—that the Messiah +would come and, because of their Law and piety, give to them the +dominion of the world and other great rewards.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE JEWS GOD'S PEOPLE BY PROMISE.</h4> + +<p>7. To rout such vain delusions and boasts, and to show that the Jews +were not justified through the Law and did not become God's children +thereby, Paul cites the fact that the holy patriarchs, their fathers, +were justified neither by the Law of which they boast, because it was +not yet given, nor by their own deeds, whether of the natural law or +the ten commandments. God had based no promise of blessing or +salvation on their works. He had promised out of pure grace to give +them the blessing freely (that is, to give them grace or +righteousness and all eternal blessing), through the coming seed, +which had been promised also to our first parents without their +merit, when by their transgression they had fallen under God's wrath +and condemnation. Therefore, although the fathers had a knowledge of +the Law, or God's commandments, these did not help them to become +righteous before God. They had to hear and apprehend by faith the +promise of God, which was based not on works but only on the coming +seed. For if they had been able by means of the Law or of good works +to become righteous, it would have been wholly unnecessary to give +the promise of blessing in Christ.</p> + +<p>8. Now, if Abraham and the fathers could not be justified by works, +and in fact were not justified by them, no more were their children +and descendants justified by the Law or by works. They were justified +in no other way than by faith in the promise given to Abraham and to +his seed, a promise by which not only the Jews but all the heathen +(through the same faith) were blessed.</p> + +<p>9. This truth Paul now further enforces and establishes on the basis +of these two particulars—God's promise, and his free grace or +gift—in opposition to the boasting of the Law and our own merit. +First, he makes a declaration concerning the value and weight which +every testament or promise of the last will possesses. Likewise in +the fourth commandment is implied an ordinance that the last will of +parents should be honored by their children and heirs.</p> + +<p>10. In regard to this subject he asserts that the rule is, if a man's +testament be confirmed (and it is confirmed by his death) no man dare +alter it nor add to it nor take away from it. So the jurists declare +it to be a divine law that no one should break a man's last will. How +much more then should God's testament be honored intact? Now, God has +made a testament, which is to be his final last will; namely, that he +will bless all nations through the seed which at first he promised to +the fathers. This he determined upon, and assured to Abraham, and in +him to all the world—to us all. And he has confirmed it by the death +of this seed, his only Son, who had to become man and die (as was +typified by the sacrifice of Isaac on the part of Abraham) in order +that the inheritance of the blessing and eternal life might be +bestowed upon us. This is God's last will. He does not desire to make +any other. Therefore, no man can or dare change it or add anything to +it. Now, it is adding to it, it is breaking or revoking it—since +this testament has been opened and the blessing proclaimed to all the +world—if anyone claims that we must first earn that blessing through +the Law, proceeding as if, without the Law, this testament, by mere +virtue of its promise and will, had no force at all.</p> + +<p>11. In short, this testament, Paul concludes, is a simple promise of +blessing and sonship with God. Accordingly, there is no law which we +must keep in order to merit it. Here nothing avails but the will +which promises saying, I will not regard your deeds, but promise the +blessing—that is, grace and eternal life—to you who are found in +sin and death. This I will confirm by the death of my Son, who shall +merit and obtain this inheritance for you.</p> + +<p>Now, God made this testament in the first place without the Law, and +has thus confirmed it; therefore, the Law, published and confirmed +long afterwards, cannot take aught from it, much less annul or revoke +it. And he who declares or teaches that we are to be justified by the +Law—are to obtain God's blessing by it—does nothing else but +interfere with God's testament and destroy and annul his last will. +This is one argument of Paul, based on the word "promise," or +"testament," and is readily understood; for no one is so stupid that +he cannot distinguish between these two—law or commandment, and +promise.</p> + +<p>12. The second argument of Paul is based on the words, "God gave it +to Abraham by promise." Here also it is easy for one who is possessed +of common sense to perceive there is a marked difference between +receiving something as a gift and earning it. What is earned is given +because of obligation and debt, as wages, and he who receives it may +boast of it, rather than he who gives it, and may insist upon his +right. But when something is given for nothing and, as Paul here +says, is bestowed freely—out of grace—then there can be no boasting +of right or of merit on the part of the recipient. On the contrary, +he must praise the goodness and kindness of his benefactor. So Paul +concludes: God freely gave the blessing and the inheritance to +Abraham by promise. Therefore, Abraham did not earn it by his works; +nor was it given to him as a reward, much less to his children.</p> + +<p>13. It is evident enough to even a child that what is earned by works +as a reward is not identical with what is promised or bestowed +gratis, out of grace and pure free will. There is a distinction +between them. God has stopped the mouth of all the world and deprived +it of all occasion for boasting that it has received God's grace by +reason of the Law. For he promised and bestowed that as a gift, +before the Law or merit through the Law had any existence. In his +dealings with his own people, with Abraham and his descendants, God +promised to bless the patriarch and all his race and said nothing of +any law, works or reward; he based all solely on the coming seed.</p> + +<p>14. In the faith of this promise they lived and died—Abraham himself +and his children's children—till over four hundred and thirty years +had elapsed. Then only did God give the Law, institute an outward +form of worship, a priesthood, etc., and direct them how to live and +govern themselves. They had now become a separate people, released +from foreign domination, and brought into their own land, and they +needed an external form of government. It was not intended that only +now and by means of these gifts they should obtain forgiveness of +sins and God's blessing.</p> + +<p>15. This is the substance of the first part of this epistle. In +teaching how we are to be justified before God, Paul would have us +distinguish well these two points, promise and law; or again, gift +and reward. If we teach that God, out of pure grace, and not because +of any law or merit, bestows forgiveness of sins and eternal life, +the question at once presents itself: Why is the Law given, or of +what use is it? Shall we not perform any good works? Why do we teach +the ten commandments at all? Paul takes up this matter and asks the +question, "What then is the Law?" Then he proceeds to discuss at +length what is the office and use of the Law, and shows the +difference between it and the Gospel. Of this enough has been said +elsewhere, in other postils.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm17"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Galatians 5, 16-24.</center> + +<blockquote>16 But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of +the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the +Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the +other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye are +led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the +flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, +lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, +wraths, factions, divisions, parties, 21 envyings, drunkenness, +revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did +forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit +the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, +peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, +self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And they that are of +Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts +thereof.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>WORKS OF THE FLESH AND FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT.</h4> + +<p>This Epistle has been treated at length in the complete commentary +(Luther's Commentary on Galatians). It exhorts to good works or +fruits of faith in those who have the Holy Spirit through faith. And +it does so in a way to show that it is not the design of this +doctrine to forbid good works or to tolerate and refrain from +censuring bad ones, or to prevent the preaching of the Law. On the +contrary it shows clearly that God earnestly wills that Christians +should flee and avoid the lusts of the flesh, if they would remain in +the Spirit. To have and retain the Spirit and faith, and yet to +fulfil the lusts of the flesh, are two things that cannot harmonize; +for "these," Paul says, "are contrary the one to the other," and +there is between them a vehement conflict. They cannot tolerate each +other; one must be supreme and cast the other out. For this reason he +clearly mentions some works of the flesh which plainly and evidently +are not of the Spirit, and immediately concludes that those who +commit and practice these are not in a condition to inherit God's +kingdom. They have lost the Holy Spirit and faith. But he also shows +whence the Christians obtain strength to enable them to resist the +lusts of the flesh; namely, from the fact that they have received the +Holy Spirit through faith, and from the knowledge that they have a +gracious God. Thus their hearts become filled with love and a desire +to obey God and to shun sin. Consequently they resist and refuse to +obey the lusts of the flesh, lest they make God angry again. And +although in this conflict they still feel their weakness, the Law +nevertheless cannot condemn them, because through faith they are and +remain in Christ.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm18"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Fifteenth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Galatians 5, 25-26 and 6, 1-10.</center> + +<blockquote>25 If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk. 26 Let +us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one +another.</blockquote> + +<blockquote>1 Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are +spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to +thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, +and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man thinketh himself to +be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let each +man prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard +of himself alone, and not of his neighbor. 5 For each man shall bear +his own burden. 6 But let him that is taught in the word communicate +unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 Be not deceived; God is +not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 +For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap +corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit +reap eternal life. 9 And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in +due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 So then, as we have +opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and +especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>CHURCH OFFICERS WARNED OF VAIN-GLORY.</h4> + +<p>The chief aim of this epistle text is to instruct those in official +authority in the Church. Since Christians are under obligation to +honor their pastors and teachers, they are admonished by the apostle +to guard against the sin of vain-glory, that those in authority may +not become proud nor misuse their office against unity in doctrine +and in love, and that they may not despise or pass by the wounded and +helpless, as the priest and Levite did. Lk 10, 31-32. Finally, Paul +exhorts all diligently to do the good and thus serve everyone, as +Christ also teaches in the Gospel (Mt. 6, 34) that everyone should do +the work of each day and not be anxious about the future. [See the +explanation of these verses in Luther's Commentary on the Galatians.]</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm19"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Ephesians 3, 13-21.</center> + +<blockquote>13. Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, +which are your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the +Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 +and that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, +that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the +inward man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to +the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong +to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and +height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth +knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. 20 Now +unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we +ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 unto him +be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations +for ever and ever. Amen.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>PAUL'S CARE AND PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH.<small>*</small></h4> + +<blockquote><small>* This sermon appeared in three editions the first year it +was printed in 1525, at Wittenberg.</small></blockquote> + +<p>1. Up to this time Paul has been extolling the office of the +ministry, which proclaims the Gospel of the New Testament. In lofty +and impressive terms he introduces its purpose, power and wisdom—in +a word, the great benefits the office effects, since God thereby +bestows upon us abundantly all manner of wisdom, strength and +blessings, all which things, in heaven or earth, are of his +dispensing. The Gospel proclaims to us life from death, righteousness +from sin, redemption from hell and all evil, and brings us out of the +kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. So sublime is the whole +subject, Paul does not venture to compass it with words but in the +loftiest of language suggests much.</p> + +<p>2. In the first part of the text he shows the depth of his concern +that the Ephesians should retain the Gospel preaching received from +him, not allowing themselves to be torn away from it. To this end he +employs two expedients: first, he consoles and admonishes; second, he +prays and desires.</p> + +<blockquote>"Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, +which are your glory."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>PAUL CONSOLES HIS CONVERTS.</h4> + +<p>3. Having been imprisoned at Rome by order of the emperor, Paul thus +consoles his beloved converts at Ephesus, admonishing them to cleave +to the doctrine learned from him; not to be frightened from it by +beholding his fate, nor permit themselves to be alienated by such +comment as this: "This man Paul in his preaching to you made great +pretentions to being commissioned of Christ himself, and to outdoing +all the other apostles. And you made your boast in him and relied +upon him as if he were the only and all-deserving one. Where is he +now? What assistance can he render you? There he lies in Rome, by the +Jews condemned to death; more than that, he is in the hands of that +cruel tyrant, Emperor Nero. Did we not long ago tell you he would +meet such fate? Presumably this puts an end to his boastings over +every other man."</p> + +<p>4. To prevent the offense that threatened, Paul writes from his +prison, and his message is, in effect, this: "Dear friends, you see I +am imprisoned; the devil and the world have me in their hands. This +may perhaps alarm you, and rouse in you the evil suspicion, 'If his +doctrine were all right and if he were the great apostle of Christ he +claims to be, God would not permit him to suffer such fate.'" For +some of the false apostles thus taunted Paul's disciples. "But I +entreat and exhort you," Paul would say, "not to be offended, or +alarmed, not to grow faint, though I am in prison. Whether we be +tempted and suffer tribulation, whether we be honored or dishonored, +no matter what comes, only cleave to the doctrine I have preached to +you—the Gospel, God's sure Word, as you know." He reminds them, as +before he has done, of that whereunto God has called them, and of +what they have received through his preaching.</p> + +<p>5. Such admonition is still, and will ever be, necessary in the +Christian community. The weak must endure severe conflicts in the +tribulations the Gospel inevitably entails. The trial is especially +hard when they must lose their leaders and teachers, and in addition +hear the shameful, bitter taunts of the calumniators. We in this day +have to expect that some will be offended when teachers are assailed. +We should therefore be prepared, and when any of our number fall away +from our faith to flatter tyrants and the Pope, and to become liars +and knaves, we must individually lay hold of the Gospel in a way to +enable us to stand and say: "Not because a certain one has so taught, +do I believe. It matters not what becomes of him or what he may be, +the doctrine itself is right. This I know, whatever God may permit to +befall myself or others because of it."</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE CHRISTIAN'S CONFIDENCE MUST BE IN GOD.</h4> + +<p>6. So have I personally had to do, and must still do. Otherwise I +would have been terrified and enervated when I saw the Pope, and +bishops, emperors, kings and all the world, opposed to the doctrine +they ought to sustain. I would have been overwhelmed, thinking, +"They, too, are men and cannot all be followers of the devil." How +could I comfort myself and stand firm unless I were able to say: +"Though ten other worlds and everything great, lofty, wise and +prudent, and all my dear friends and brethren as well, should turn +from me, the doctrine still remains true. It stands: it will not, +like men, totter and fall. I will adhere to the Word of God, stand or +fall what may."</p> + +<p>7. The Christian must be discerning enough to strip the individual of +his mask—of his great pomp and majesty—and distinguish it from the +Word. He who cannot so do, cannot stand under temptation; let one +fall, and he will soon follow suit.</p> + +<p>8. Such is the nature of the Church in its earthly government that +human wisdom must stumble thereat; various sects of the offended must +rise in opposition to the faith. But God delights to rule, not with +the sword or with visible power, but through weakness and in +opposition to the devil and the world. Seemingly, he would permit his +Church to be utterly overthrown. Guard against and resist offenses as +well as we may—and the practice is not without its efficacy—still +we must ultimately be driven to say defiantly: "He who established +the Church and has to this time preserved it, will continue to +protect it. Man would not rule it wisely, but the living Christ is +seated upon the throne whereon God placed him, and we shall see who +can pull him down and destroy his Church."</p> +<br> + +<h4>PAUL'S SUFFERINGS FOR THE CHURCH'S GOOD.</h4> + +<p>9. When the trying hour arrives, we are able to accomplish about as +little against the enemy as Paul when he lay in chains powerless to +succor a soul. He was obliged to commit his cause to the Lord. At the +same time, as a faithful apostle, he ceased not, though removed from +his followers, to admonish and warn to the full extent of his power. +Well he knew that many false apostles were ready, so sure as he said +a word, to pervert it and to fill the ears of the people with their +own empty words and poisonous teaching. He elsewhere complains (2 Tim +1, 15) that by the influence of this class all Asia was turned away +from him. He had reference to the nearest neighbors of the Ephesians +in Asia.</p> + +<p>10. For the sake of affording his converts comfort and strength, Paul +proceeds to make his sufferings and tribulations pleasing to them by +speaking of these afflictions in unusual and beautiful terms. He +presents a view quite opposed to the opinion of the world and the +judgment of calumniators. "My sufferings and tribulations," says +Paul, "which to you and the world, viewed in a fleshy way, are most +disastrous, really work you no injury nor disadvantage, +notwithstanding what the pernicious babblers claim about such trials. +Rather, they are beneficial to you and me. Though your enemies seek +thus to injure you to the fullest extent, benefits they never foresee +will accrue to us.</p> + +<p>"My sufferings are not for my own sake, but yours. They work your +benefit; it is better for you as it is, than for me to be present and +preach to you. And how so? Because I suffer only for the sake of the +ministry, for that Gospel I delivered you. I risk my life and all I +have that you may hold it fast; such is my earnest desire. I contend +for and cleave to, at the risk of my life, that which Christ gave me +and enjoined upon me. Thus by my chains and bands I honor and +establish the Gospel, that you may be strengthened and may cleave +more firmly to it.</p> + +<p>11. "So we shall joyfully transform the tribulation imposed by the +world in an attempt to inflict great evils: God will have to +pronounce the sentence: 'Hear, O world, devil, emperor, tyrant! Thou +hast imprisoned my apostle Paul for the sake of my godly Christians. +What injury have they done thee? what fault committed? With no wrong +on their part, thou persecutest them. It is simply because I gave +them my Word; therefore thou art opposing and defying me. What shall +I say but that thou hast imprisoned and bound, not Paul, but me? Is +it not insupportable that a perishable worm, be he emperor or prince, +should presume to apprehend God in heaven? But thinkest thou I will +remain silent and unprotesting? Thinkest thou I will not break +chains, stocks and bands, and give command: Hold thou, devil and +tyrant, and submit! Let me rule, substituting for one Paul, ten; and +for one Church at Ephesus establishing thirty, yes, a hundred.'"</p> + +<p>12. And as in Paul's time, so today: when our enemies get hold of an +evangelical preacher, either he must secretly be drowned or murdered, +or he must publicly be hanged or burned. Why is it? Because of the +Christians to whom he has taught his doctrine. For a while God looks +on serenely. He says: "Beloved lords, be not enraged. Know you whom +you have apprehended and murdered? It is I, the Divine Majesty. It +was not their own word and command but mine which these preachers +taught and my Christians believed. You cannot deny the fact. I must, +then, consider how to secure myself against your wrath. How shall I +do it? Indeed, by way of returning your favors and kindnesses, I must +so arrange that where one town had a minister and the Gospel, ten, +yes twenty, towns must have their pastor and preachers. I will, O +Pope and bishops, invade your own dioceses and you must tolerate and +accept the Gospel, whether to your joy or your grief. If you begin to +rave, I will give you cause for alarm, for you shall be overthrown, +bishops, hats and all."</p> + +<p>13. Note, when Paul says he suffers for the Ephesians, he means that +his suffering is for their profit, to teach them they have nothing to +fear in suffering. They, not he, are the subjects of concern in this +matter. His pains are not merely those of Paul—upon whom not so much +depends—but of an apostle or preacher of the Church of Christ. When +the latter name is associated with the suffering, when it is not John +or Peter who is cast into prison—that God might tolerate—but a +minister of the Church, then the deed is a too gross jesting with the +majesty of God; it is tempting him too far, yes apprehending him.</p> + +<p>14. It was necessary that Paul give his converts this admonition: +"Dear children, fear not. Do not be alarmed at my arrest and intended +execution. Let our enemies put forth their utmost effort. You shall +see how I will rend the cords and burst the prison, humiliating them +until they lie in ashes; the place of one resister of the Gospel will +be filled by ten who preach it."</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRIST PERSECUTED IN CHRISTIANS.</h4> + +<p>Since Paul's enemies refuse instruction and will not cease their +raging, since they refuse to learn against whom they rage, he must +make known to them who is the object of their persecution. It is +neither Paul nor an apostle, but he to whom it was said (Ps 110, 1), +"Sit thou at my right hand." It is a perilous thing to take liberties +with him. He is now seated where he will brook no suffering. The +enemies of the Christians must behold such things as did the Jews who +delivered Paul into the Emperor's hands, and as the Romans witnessed. +Soon after Paul's execution, Jerusalem lay in ashes, and not a great +while after, the city of Rome was destroyed. For when Christ was +oppressed, when in the person of his apostles and martyrs he was +seized and put to death, he had no alternative but to destroy a whole +city. And Germany may expect a similar fate.</p> +<br> + +<h4>NO MAN CAN MERIT ETERNAL LIFE FOR ANOTHER.</h4> + +<p>15. It is unnecessary here to reply to those wicked and illiterate +dolts, the Papists and Anabaptist factions, who explain Paul's words, +"my tribulations for you," and similar passages, as teaching that one +Christian can by his sufferings merit or aid in the salvation of +others. Paul does not say, "My tribulations for you are designed to +secure for you forgiveness of sins and salvation." He clearly +declares, as the Scriptures everywhere do, that only Christ's +sufferings are thus effective and for all men. Paul's thought may +well be expressed—and every minister may say the same—in these +words: "My preaching and my suffering are for your sake." Just as a +parent may say to a child, "I must do or endure this for you."</p> + +<p>True, works wrought and sufferings endured for another's sake are +productive of the good and comfort of that one or of many, but the +worker or sufferer does not thereby merit, either for himself or +another, God's grace and eternal life. No, these things demand the +offices of a being of another order—Christ. He through his +sufferings exterminates your sins, and through his death gives you +life. Then again, Paul is addressing those already Christians and +having forgiveness of sins and all the requirements of a Christian; +yet he suffers for them; that is, for their good—that in proportion +as his enemies seek to oppose the Gospel, its influence may be +widened and the faith of his followers strengthened.</p> + +<p>16. In the effort to comfort and strengthen the Ephesians, Paul yet +further glorifies and extols his tribulations in the words "which are +your glory." What unheardof talk is this? Is it not much rather, as +reason dictates and as all the world affirms, a disgrace to his +followers that he lies there in prison? What greater dishonor can +Christians suffer than to have their ministers and pastors—their +instructors and consolers—shamefully arrested? So it seems to the +world, it is true; but I tell you, in God's sight and in reality, +this trial is a great honor to you, one of which you may proudly +boast. This very disgrace and provocation you may turn squarely to +your good, saying: "From the very fact of our disgrace, I know the +doctrine is true and divine. For it is the lot of the Word of God and +of salutary doctrine, together with the supporters of the same, to be +defamed and persecuted by the world and the devil." Such persecution +is but glory and honor to Christians. Paul says in Romans 5, 3, "We +rejoice in our tribulations." In other words, we regard them as +glorious, beneficial, precious, blessed.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRISTIANS TO REJOICE IN PERSECUTIONS.</h4> + +<p>17. Christians should not, and cannot, have their glory in the things +the world esteems and honors; for the world will not, nor can it, +honor even God and his Word. Christ's followers, then, should not be +terrified at such treatment as Paul received nor feel disgraced. Let +them rather rejoice, deriving comfort and glory therefrom, as did the +apostles. We read (Acts 4, 13) of their boldness, and (Acts 5, 41) +that they rejoiced in being "counted worthy to suffer dishonor for +the Name." So it fared with Christ himself, and Christians ought to +be grieved if it be otherwise with them and if the world regard them +in a kindly way. In proportion as the world persecutes them and heaps +upon them its malice, should they rejoice. Let them accept +persecution as a good indication, regarding themselves blessed, as +Christ teaches in Matthew 5, 11. So much for the first part of our +text; now follows the second:</p> + +<blockquote>"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father [of our Lord Jesus +Christ], from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>PREACHING MUST BE FOLLOWED BY PRACTICE.</h4> + +<p>18. Having comforted his followers concerning his tribulations, Paul +tells them it is his earnest petition, his longing, that God would +grant them power to cleave in firm faith to the Gospel, not forsaking +it or growing weary when they have to endure affronts and +tribulations, but firmly resisting these. It is not enough merely to +accept the Gospel, or even to preach it. Acceptance must be followed +by that spiritual power which renders faith firm and manifests +steadfastness in conflicts and temptations; for "the kingdom of God +is not in word, but in power," as Paul says, 1 Cor 4, 20. There must +be a motive force consisting of the inner belief of the heart and the +outward proofs of faith: not mere speaking, but doing: not mere +talking, but living. Conditions must be such that the Word does not +simply remain on the tongue and in the ears, but becomes operative +and accomplishes something. In the Old Testament dispensation, Moses +preached much indeed, and the people practiced little; but here Paul +desires that much be done and little said. He would not have the +Gospel preached in vain, but desires that it accomplish the object of +its revelation.</p> + +<p>19. Note how Paul devotes himself to the welfare of the Christian +community. He sets an example, to us ministers in particular, of how +to effect the good of the people. But we do not rightly heed his +example. We imagine it sufficient to hear the Gospel and be able to +discourse about it; we stop at the mere knowledge of it; we never +avail ourselves of the Gospel's power in the struggles of life. +Unquestionably, the trouble is, we do not earnestly pray. We ought +constantly to come to God with great longing, entreating him day and +night to give the Word power to move men's hearts. David says (Ps 68, +33), "Lo, he uttereth his voice, a mighty voice."</p> + +<p>20. Not only preachers, but all Christians, should constantly entreat +the God who grants knowledge to grant also efficacy; should beseech +him that the Word may not pass with the utterance, but may manifest +itself in power. The prevailing complaint at present is that much +preaching obtains, but no practice; that the people are shamefully +rude, cold and indolent, and less active than ever, while at the same +time they enjoy the strong, clear light of revelation concerning all +right and wrong in the world. Well may we pray, then, as Paul does +here. He says, in effect: "You are well supplied: the Word is richly +proclaimed to you—abundantly poured out upon you. But I bend my +knees to God, praying that he may add his blessing to the Word and +grant you to behold his honor and praise and to be firmly +established, that the Word may grow in you and yield fruit."</p> + +<p>21. Feelingly does Paul speak of praying for his followers. He seems +to say: "I must lie here imprisoned, not privileged to be with you or +to aid you in any way but by bending my knees—that is, entreating +and imploring God earnestly and in deep humility—to the end that God +may grant you, may effect in you, what neither myself nor any other +human being can accomplish—what I could not do even were I free and +ever present with you."</p> +<br> + +<h4>TRUE PRAYER CONSISTS NOT IN OUTWARD THINGS.</h4> + +<p>22. Observe, the apostle alludes to his prayer by naming its outward +expression—bending the knees. But the external posture, if +accompanied by nothing else, is sheer hypocrisy. When prayer is +genuine, possessing the fire by which it is kindled, prompted by a +sincere heart which recognizes its need and likewise the blessings +that are ours as proclaimed in the Word, and when faith in God's +Word—in his promise—revives, then the individual will be possessed +with a fervor prompting him to fall upon his knees and pray for +strength and for the power of the Spirit. When the Spirit of prayer +is enkindled and burns within the heart, the body will responsively +assume the proper attitude; involuntarily, eyes and hands will be +upraised and knees bended. Witness the examples of Moses, David and +even Christ himself.</p> + +<p>When we pray with glowing hearts, external gestures will take care of +themselves. They are prompted by the Spirit, and therefore are not to +be denounced. If assumed, unbidden of the Spirit, they are +hypocritical; as, for instance, when one presumes outwardly to serve +God and perform good works while his heart is far away. The prophet +says (Is 29, 13), "This people draw nigh unto me, and with their +mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart +far from me."</p> + +<p>23. By the declaration, "I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord +Jesus Christ," Paul establishes the doctrine that no one should +presume to speak to God, to entreat him for any favor, unless +approaching, as Paul does here, in the name of "the Father of our +Lord Jesus Christ." For Christ is our sole Mediator, and no one need +expect to be heard unless he approach the Father in the name of that +Mediator and confess him Lord given of God as intercessor for us and +ruler of our bodies and souls. Prayer according to these conditions +is approved. Strong faith, however, is necessary to lay hold of the +comforting Word, picturing God in our hearts as the Father of our +Lord Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>24. The statement that Christ is our Lord is very comforting, though +we have made it terrifying by regarding Christ as a stern and angry +judge. But the fact is, he is Lord for the sole purpose of securing +us against harsh lords, tyrants, the devil, the world, death, sin and +every sort of misfortune. We are his inheritance, and therefore he +will espouse our cause, deliver us from violence and oppression of +all kinds and better our condition.</p> + +<p>The name "Lord," then, is altogether lovable and comforting to us who +believe, and gives us confidence of heart. But still more comforting +is it to know that our God, our Lord, is the Father of our Lord Jesus +Christ. The name "Lord" stands for the complete Godhead, who gives +himself to us. Therefore, all we ask in this name must be abundantly +bestowed. Naught is here for me but real help and pure grace. For God +designs to have me his child in Christ, placed above all things +temporal and eternal.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOD OUR FATHER.</h4> + +<p>25. Paul further declares that God is not merely a father, but the +true Father, "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is +named." Earthly fathers are so called because in a flesh and blood +way they have begotten us, or on account of their age and their claim +to honor. It is the universal custom to apply the term "father" to an +old master. In Second Kings 5, 13, for instance, the servants of +Naaman called their lord "father." Paul's thought is: "All fatherhood +on earth is but a semblance, a shadow, a painted image, in comparison +with the divine Fatherhood of God."</p> + +<p>26. But reason can never see it so. And only by the Spirit's work can +the heart recognize the fact. Reason may go so far as to regard God +an angry and terrible judge, one who makes the world, even hell +itself, too narrow for it and leaves it without a foothold. But it is +impossible for natural reason to call God a father in sincerity; much +less to regard him the divine Father, preëminent over all who bear +the name of "father" in heaven or on earth, of whom all other fathers +are as mirror reflections.</p> + +<p>27. Think of the attitude of an earthly father toward his child, and +of the child toward his father. Even where actual parenthood is +lacking, the name engenders a confidence affectionate and pleasing +enough to kindle the brightest anticipations of great good to be +received. Now, if the sincere, loyal designs of earthly fathers for +their children are mere pretense compared to the blessed purposes of +our heavenly Father, what must we look for from this heavenly Father, +this Father above all others? Paul would teach us to look at the +proportions, and from the confidence we repose in our natural fathers +estimate the character of God as a Father and what we may expect from +him.</p> + +<p>28. He who can put his trust in God, who can confidently rely upon +him and sincerely cry, "Thou art my beloved Father!" need not fear to +ask anything of God, or that God will at all deny him. His own heart +will tell him that his petitions will be granted. Because of the +strength of his confidence, he cannot fail to secure his heart's +desires. Thus God himself teaches us to break open heaven and lay him +bare before our eyes that we may see who this Father is.</p> + +<p>[Thus Paul is confident what he asks is pleasing to God and will be +granted. If we did the same we would, doubtless, have a like +experience. There are still people who pray. It would be a blessing +if there were many more. Then the Gospel would make greater progress +and impart to us greater power. It is evident, God be praised, that +all who rage against the Gospel must be put to shame. The more they +rage, the more the Gospel spreads, and all without our help or +counsel, only because God awakens hearts to pray that it may prosper, +even without our help. The more fervently we pray, the greater is +God's pleasure to hear.]</p> + +<p>29. What is the nature of the prayer Paul here presents? It is the +same as the Lord's Prayer, being particularly identical with the +first, second and third petitions. In words of different sound but +implying the very same thing, Paul briefly embraces these +petitions—the hallowing of God's name and Word in our midst, and the +destruction of the devil's kingdom and all evil—whatever is opposed +to the Word and will of God. He says:</p> + +<blockquote>"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that +ye may be strengthened with power."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>GOD LAVISH IN HIS BLESSINGS.</h4> + +<p>30. Sublime words are these, wrung from a fervent heart. Evidently, +in the effort to express himself fully, clearly and in language +worthy of his subject, the apostle finds words too weak and rare. The +fervor of his heart can be but poorly portrayed. By the phrase, +"according to the riches of his glory," Paul means to say: "Such is +the greatness of God's glory, it deserves the title of riches. For it +is conducive to God's honor and praise that he gives abundantly." +These words reveal the nature of God, proclaiming him the source +whence we may expect all good, and all aid in time of need. He is God +of all the world. The reason the world has made many gods, has +invoked many saints, is because it looks to them for aid and benefit. +The Scriptures term "gods" certain individuals who do good and lend +assistance to their fellows. God says to Moses (Ex 7, 1), "I have +made thee as God [a god] to Pharaoh."</p> + +<p>31. But God, because of the abundance and lavishness of his gifts, is +entitled to greater honor and glory. He is the true God, to whom +alone belongs all glory; yea, the riches of glory. He pours out his +blessings abundantly and above measure; he is the source of all +blessings in heaven and on earth. Even his most inferior +creatures—water, air, the earth and its products—are so generously +bestowed that we can appropriate only an infinitesimal part of them. +Yet in our blindness and stupidity we do not see, yea, we utterly +ignore the fact that God is the giver of these. Now, how much more +generous is God in spiritual blessings! He has freely given +himself—poured out himself—for us, and also gifts and blessings of +the highest order. He has illumined us with a light bright enough to +reveal to us the real character of the world, the devil and the +angels. Yes, to show to us God's purposes, present, past and future. +Thus we have all wisdom and all power over sin, the devil and death, +being lords of all creatures. In a word, our riches are inexpressibly +great.</p> + +<p>32. Paul employs forcible words to record his prayer here. He has +firm confidence in God that the petition must be efficacious, must +penetrate the clouds and open heaven. He does not say that God looks +upon our merit and worthiness and for the sake of these grants our +requests; but for the sake of the riches of his glory. We are not +worthy his favors, but his glory is worthy of our recognition, and we +are to honor him because he gratuitously lavishes his blessings upon +us, that his name alone may be hallowed. Only with a recognition of +these facts may prayer be offered if it is to avail before God. If +God were to consider our merit, very small would be the portion due +us. But if we are to be richly blessed, it must come about through +our recognition of pure grace as the source of our gifts, and our +praise of God's exceeding glory.</p> + +<p>33. But what are the blessings for which Paul's prayer entreats? +Something more than continuance of the Word with his followers, +though it is a great and good gift even to have the Word thoroughly +taught: he prays that the heart may taste the Word and that it may be +effectual in the life. Thus the apostle contrasts a knowledge of the +Word with the power of the Word. Many have the knowledge, but few the +impelling and productive power that the results may be as we teach. +Hence they are criticised and not without reason. But our enemies +cannot censure and reproach us to greater extent than to say that we +preach and accept much good doctrine to no purpose; that no one +practices it and profits thereby; that in fact we are morally worse +than before we heard the doctrines, and consequently it would have +been better had things remained as they were.</p> +<br> + +<h4>WE SHOULD PRAY FOR THE POWER OF THE WORD.</h4> + +<p>34. What answer shall we make? This: In the first place, considering +our unsatisfactory condition and the lack of power with the Word, we +have great reason to pray with the earnestness Paul's example +teaches. And secondly, though our enemies see little improvement and +few fruits of the Gospel, it is not theirs to judge. They think we +ought to do nothing but work miracles—raising the dead and bordering +the Christian's walk with roses, until naught but holiness obtains +everywhere. This being the case, where would be the need to pray? We +cannot, nor dare we, pray for what we already have, but must thank +God for it. But, since Paul and other Scripture authorities command +us to pray, a defect somewhere in our strength is indicated. +Otherwise why say they so much about it?</p> + +<p>Thus Paul himself acknowledges the Ephesians were weak. He complains +of the same weakness in other Epistles and especially in those to the +Corinthians. Everywhere he urges them to do and live as they had been +taught. The only reason Paul advocates this is that he saw, as we now +see, that everywhere they fail, and things are not as they should be.</p> + +<p>In spite of the fact that not everyone's conduct is satisfactory, +some do mend their ways; and the happy condition obtains that many +consciences are assured and many former evils are now avoided. If the +two sides of the question were carefully compared, we would see much +advantage with us not now noticed. Again, even though we are somewhat +weak, is that any reason for saying all is lost? Further, there is +naught else but filth and corruption in the ranks of our enemies, +which they would gladly adorn with our weakness even. But they must +look upon their way as excellent and ours as odious.</p> + +<p>35. Let them go on with their judging. We admit we are not all +strong, but it is also true that were there no weakness in our ranks, +we would have no need of prayer, perseverance, exhortation and daily +preaching. In condemning the Gospel because of our admitted weakness, +something we ourselves confess, our enemies are themselves judged +before God by their judging us. It is possible for me to be truly in +the kingdom of grace and at the same time outwardly weak enough to be +regarded of men as a knave. My faith is not apparent to men, but God +sees it and I am myself sensible of it. You meantime erroneously +judge me by my outward conduct, thus bringing judgment upon yourself. +We are aware of, and also lament, our weakness and imperfection. +Hence we cry and groan, and pray to God to grant us strength and +power.</p> +<br> + +<h4>WORLD SEES NOT INNER MARKS OF CHRISTIANS.</h4> + +<p>36. A third answer to our enemies is: We are certain that wherever +the Word of God is proclaimed, the fruits of the same must exist. We +have the Word of God, and therefore the Spirit of God must be with +us. And where the Spirit is, faith must obtain, however weak it may +be. Though visible evidence may be lacking, yet inevitably there must +be some among us who daily pray, while we may not be aware of it. It +is reasonably to be expected that our enemies should judge +erroneously, because they look for outward evidences of Christianity, +which are not forthcoming.</p> + +<p>The Word is too sublime to pass under our judgment; it is the +province of the Word to judge us. The world, however, while unwilling +to be judged and convicted by us, essays to judge and convict the +Word of God. Here God steps in. It would be a pity for the worldly to +see a godly Christian, so God blinds them and they miss his kingdom. +As Isaiah says (ch. 26, 10): "In the land of uprightness will he deal +wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah." For this +reason, few real Christians come under the observation of cavilers; +the latter, in general, observe fools and fanatics, at whom they +maliciously stumble and take offense. They are unworthy to behold +God's honor in a godly Christian upon whom the Lord has poured out +himself in fullness of blessing.</p> + +<p>37. Let the real Christian come into the presence of the caviler, +stand before his very eyes, and the caviler will not see him. Let the +fault-finder hear that one leads an irreproachable life and he will +say: "Heretics have behaved similarly, but under a good appearance +concealed poison." Let one be refractory and reckless, and he must be +a knave. Whatever we do, they are not satisfied. If we pipe, they +will not dance; if we mourn, they will not lament. Neither sweet nor +sour appeals to them. Wisdom must permit herself to be schooled and +governed by these cavilers, as Christ says in Matthew 11, 19. Thus +God confounds and shames the world; while all the time tolerating its +judgment of himself, he is ever careful to have the Gospel +inculcated, even though the worldly burst with rage. I say these +things to teach us to be careful not to join the caviler in judging +presumptuously the work and Word of God. Notwithstanding our +weakness, we are yet certain the kingdom of God is in our midst so +long as we have his Word and daily pray for its efficacy and for an +increase of our faith, as the following words recommend:</p> + +<blockquote>"That ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the +inward man."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>THE SPIRIT IMPARTS REAL STRENGTH.</h4> + +<p>38. The apostle here speaks with varied expression. He leaves little +honor and glory, as it were, for free-will, but desires for his +followers the heavenly power imparted through the Holy Spirit. There +is also a power of the world, and a spirit—the devil, the prince of +the world, who blinds and hardens men's hearts. He boasts of himself +and imparts to men a spirit of daring in his purpose to suppress and +exterminate Christian doctrine. But while worldings are courageous +and daring, so are Christians, and the latter are greater and far +more powerful through the Holy Spirit, and are undaunted by the +world, the devil, death and all kinds of misfortune. This is real +spiritual strength. The Hebrew word "spirit" might well be rendered +"bold, undaunted courage." Spiritual strength is not the strength of +muscle and bone; it is true courage—boldness of heart. Weakness, on +the contrary, is faint-heartedness, timidity, lack of courage.</p> + +<p>39. Paul's meaning, then, is: "I desire for you, and pray God to +grant you, that bold, dauntless courage and that strong, cheerful +spirit which will not be terrified by poverty, shame, sin, the devil +or death, but is confident that nothing can harm us and we will never +be in need." The courage of the world—the spirit of the world—holds +out only until exhaustion of the stores whereon it relies. As the +saying is, "Wealth gives temporal boldness, but the soul must rely on +God alone." The boldness resulting from riches and worldly power is +haughty and makes its boast in earthly things. But the soul has no +hoarded treasure. In God alone it braves every evil; it has a courage +and heart very different from that of the world.</p> + +<p>This is the strength for which Paul prays on behalf of his converts, +a strength not inherent in flesh and blood. The possessor thereof +does not rely and build on his own powers and riches, nor upon any +human help and support. This strength dwells in the inner man. It is +the trust of the dauntless, cheerful heart in God's grace and +assistance, and in these alone. The heart which so trusts has no +fear. It possesses by faith abundance of riches and pleasures—God +himself with all his blessings. At the same time, to human sight only +want, weakness and terror may be apparent.</p> + +<blockquote>"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith."</blockquote> + +<p>40. The Holy Spirit brings Christ into the heart and teaches it to +know him. He imparts warmth and courage through faith in Christ. Paul +everywhere intimates that no man should presume to approach God +otherwise than through Christ, the one Mediator. Now, if Christ +dwells in my heart and regulates my entire life, it matters not +though my faith be weak. Christ is not mere bone but also flesh. Yes, +he has blisters and boils and sins of which he is not ashamed, +notwithstanding the eminent saints may hold their noses thereat. And +where he dwells all fullness is, let the individual be weak or strong +as God permits.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRIST EMBRACED ONLY BY THE HEART.</h4> + +<p>41. For Christ to dwell in the heart is simply for the heart to know +him; in other words, to understand who he is and what we are to +expect from him—that he is our Saviour, through whom we may call God +our Father and may receive the Spirit who imparts courage to brave +all trials. It is thus that Christ dwells with us, in our hearts. +Only so can he be embraced; for he is not an inanimate thing, but the +living God. How does man lay hold of the Saviour in the heart? Not by +embracing him intellectually. It is accomplished only by living +faith. Christ will not permit himself to be received by works, nor to +be apprehended with mental vision; he will consent only to be +embraced by the heart. If your faith be true and on a firm +foundation, you have and feel Christ in your heart and are aware of +all he thinks and does in heaven and on earth—how he rules through +his Word and his Spirit, and the attitude of those who have Christ +and those who have him not.</p> + +<p>42. Paul desires Christ to be efficacious in the hearts of his +followers unto the full realization of the promises of the +Word—liberation from sin and death, and assurance of grace and +eternal life. It is impossible for the heart having such experience +to be other than firm and courageous to oppose the terrors of the +devil and the world. But the heart which has not yet arrived at this +point is here advised what course to take, namely, to pray God for +such faith and strength, and to avail himself of the prayers of +others to the same end. So much in regard to faith; now follows the +mention of love.</p> + +<blockquote>"That ye, being rooted and grounded in love."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>LOVE, THE EXPRESSION OF FAITH.</h4> + +<p>43. This is an unusual way of speaking. Is it not in faith that we +are to be rooted, engrafted and grounded? Why, then, does Paul here +substitute "love?" I reply: Faith, it is true, is the essential +thing, but love shows whether or no faith is real and the heart +confident and courageous in God. Where one has an unquestioning +confidence that God is his Father, necessarily, be his faith never so +weak, that faith must find expression in word and deed. He will serve +his neighbor in teaching and in extending to him a helping hand. This +is what Paul calls being rooted and grounded in love—having the +conscious experience of possessing true faith. Love is the test that +determines the reality of faith. Peter says (2 Pet 1, 10), "Give the +more diligence to make your calling and election sure." That is, +proceed to good works that others may see and you experience that you +have true faith. Until you do, you will always be uncertain, +vacillating, superficial in heart, not rooted and grounded. So by +these two clauses Paul teaches, first, that we should have in our +hearts genuine faith toward God; and second, that faith should find +expression in loving service to one's neighbor.</p> + +<blockquote>"May be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth +and length and height and depth."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>TRUE CHRISTIANS FIND CHRIST EVERYWHERE.</h4> + +<p>44. These words represent another feature of the apostle's desire for +his Christians to be established and comforted in God through faith, +and rooted and grounded in love toward their neighbors. "When you are +thus strengthened," he would say, "and are perseveringly pressing +forward, you will be able to grasp with all saints the four parts, to +increase therein and to appreciate them more and more." Faith alone +effects this apprehension. Love is not the moving force here, but it +contributes by making faith manifest.</p> + +<p>45. Some teachers would make these words reflect and measure the holy +cross. But Paul does not say a word about the cross. He simply says, +in effect: "That you may apprehend all things; may see the length and +breadth, the height and depth, of Christ's kingdom." This condition +obtains when my heart has reached the point where Christ cannot make +the spiritual life too long or too wide for me to follow, nor high +enough or deep enough to cause my fall from him or his Word; the +point where I may be satisfied that wherever I go he is, and that he +rules in all places, however long or broad, deep or high, the +situation from either a temporal or eternal point of view. No matter +how long or wide I measure, I find him everywhere. David says (Ps +139, 7-8): "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I +flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: +if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there." Christ rules +eternally. His length and breadth, his depth and height, are +unlimited. If I descend into hell, my heart and my faith tell me he +is there.</p> + +<p>46. The sum of the matter is this: Depressed or exalted, +circumscribed in whatsoever way, dragged hither or thither, I still +find Christ. For he holds in his hands everything in heaven or on +earth, and all are subject to him—angels, the devil, the world, sin, +death and hell. Therefore, so long as he dwells in my heart, I have +courage, wherever I go, I cannot be lost. I dwell where Christ my +Lord dwells. This, however, is a situation impossible to reason. +Should reason ascend a yard above the earth or descend a yard below, +or be deprived of the tangible things of the present, it would have +to despair. We Christians are, through Christ, better fortified. We +are assured that he dwells everywhere, be it in honor or dishonor, +hunger, sorrow, illness, imprisonment, death or life, blessing or +affliction. It is Paul's desire for the Ephesians that God give them +grace and strength to have such heart-apprehension of his kingdom. He +concludes the details of his prayer in these words:</p> + +<blockquote>"And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may +be filled unto all the fulness of God."</blockquote> + +<p>47. He means: "I desire you, in addition to having faith and +apprehending the four proportions of Christ's kingdom, to know the +love of Christ we should have—the love Christ bears toward us, and +the love we owe our neighbor. This knowledge transcends all other, +even familiarity with the Gospel; for, know as much as you may, your +knowledge will avail little or nothing without love."</p> + +<p>48. Paul's desire, briefly summed up, is that the faith of Christians +may be strengthened unto efficacy, and that love may be warm and +fervent, and the heart filled with the fullness of God. "Filled unto +all the fullness of God" means, if we follow the Hebrew, filled with +everything God's bounty supplies, full of God, adorned with his grace +and the gifts of his Spirit—the Spirit who gives us steadfastness, +illuminates us with his light, lives within us his life, saves us +with his salvation, and with his love enkindles love in us; in short, +it means having God himself and all his blessings dwelling in us in +fullness and being effective to make us wholly divine—not so that we +possess merely something of God, but all his fullness.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.</h4> + +<p>49. Much has been written about the way we are to become godlike. +Some have constructed ladders whereby we are to ascend to heaven, and +others similar things. But this is all patchwork. In this passage is +designated the truest way to attain godlikeness. It is to become +filled to the utmost with God, lacking in no particular; to be +completely permeated with him until every word, thought and deed, the +whole life in fact, be utterly godly.</p> + +<p>50. But let none imagine such fullness can be attained in this life. +We may indeed desire it and pray for it, like Paul here, but we will +not find a man thus perfect. We stand, however, upon the fact that we +desire such perfection and groan after it. So long as we live in the +flesh, we are filled with the fullness of Adam. Hence it is necessary +for us continually to pray God to replace our weakness with courage, +and to put into our hearts his Spirit to fill us with grace and +strength and rule and work in us absolutely. We ought all to desire +this state for one another. To this end may God grant us grace. Amen.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm20"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Ephesians 4, 1-6.</center> + +<blockquote>1 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk +worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, 2 with all +lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in +love; 3 giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond +of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were +called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one +baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through +all, and in all.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>THE CHRISTIAN CALLING AND UNITY.</h4> + +<p>1. This, too, is a beautiful sermon, delivered by Paul to the +Ephesians, concerning the good works of Christians, who believe and +are obedient to the doctrine of the Gospel. In the knowledge of good +works Paul desires Christians to grow and increase, as we learned in +the epistle for last Sunday. The ground of all doctrine, of all right +living, the supreme and eternal treasure of him who is a Christian in +the sight of God, is faith in Christ. It alone secures forgiveness of +sins and makes us children of God. Now, where this faith is, fruits +should follow as evidence that Christians in their lives honor and +obey God. They are necessary for God's glory and for the Christian's +own honor and eternal reward before him.</p> + +<p>2. Paul, remembering the imprisonment and tribulations he suffered +because of the Gospel and for the advantage, as he before said, of +the Ephesians, gives the admonition here. He would have them, in +return for his sufferings, honor the Gospel in their lives. First he +names a general rule of life for Christians.</p> + +<blockquote>"To walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>THE CHRISTIAN CALLING.</h4> + +<p>3. The chief thing that should influence a Christian's outward walk +is the remembrance of his calling and appointment by God. He should +be mindful of why he is called a Christian, and live consistently. He +must shine before the world; that is, through his life and God's +work, the Word and the name of Christ the Lord must be exalted. +Christ exhorts his disciples: "Even so let your light shine before +men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who +is in heaven." Mt 5, 16.</p> + +<p>4. Similarly, Paul would say: "You have received God's grace and his +Word and are a blessed people. In Christ all your needs are blessedly +supplied. Be mindful of this and remember you are called to a far +different and vastly higher life than others know. Show by your +manner of living that you seek a higher good than the world +seeks—indeed, that you have received far greater blessings. Let your +lives honor and glorify the Lord who has given you such blessings. +Give no occasion for dishonoring your treasured faith, or for +scorning his Word. Rather, influence men by your godly walk and good +works to believe in Christ and to glorify him."</p> + +<p>5. Let the Christian know his earthly life is not unto himself, nor +for his own sake; his life and work here belong to Christ, his Lord. +Hence must his walk be such as shall contribute to the honor and +glory of his Master, whom he should so serve that he may be able to +say with Paul, not only with respect to the spiritual life—the life +of faith and of righteousness by grace—but also with respect to its +fruits—the outward conduct: "It is no longer I that live, but Christ +liveth in me." Gal 2, 20. The Christian's manner of life may be +styled "walking in Christ"; yes, as Paul elsewhere has it (Rom 13, +14), "putting on" the Lord Jesus Christ, like a garment or an +ornament. The world is to recognize Christ by his shining in us.</p> + +<p>6. But the so-called Christian life that does not honor Christ makes +its sin the more heinous for the name it bears. Every sin the people +of God commit is a provocation of Jehovah; not only in the act of +disobedience itself, but also in the transgression of the second +commandment. The enormity of the sin is magnified by the conditions +that make it a blasphemy of God's name and an occasion of offense to +others. Paul says in Romans 2, 24: "For the name of God is blasphemed +among the Gentiles because of you." So a Christian should, in his +life, by all means guard the honor of God—of Christ. He must take +heed that he be not guilty of blaspheming that name and of doing +wickedness. The devil, aided by the world, construes every act, when +possible, to reflect upon God's honor and glory. His purpose is to +manifest his bitter hatred against Christ and the Word; also to +injure the Church by charging offenses, thus deterring unbelievers +from embracing the Gospel and causing the weak to fall away.</p> + +<p>7. To guard against such disaster, Christians should be particularly +careful to give, in their conduct, no occasion for offense, and to +value the name and honor of their God too highly to permit blasphemy +of them. They should prefer to lose their own honor, their wealth, +their physical well-being, even their lives, rather than that these, +their most precious possessions and greatest blessings, should suffer +disgrace. Let them remember that upon keeping sacred the name and +honor of God depends their own standing before God and men. God +promises (1 Sam 2, 30), "Them that honor me I will honor." But +pursuing the opposite course, Christians bring upon themselves God's +sternest wrath and effect their own rejection and shame. For he says +further: "They that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." And in the +second commandment God threatens certain and terrible punishment to +abusers of his name; that is, to them who do not employ it to his +honor and praise.</p> + +<p>8. Well may every Christian examine his own life to see if he is +careful to guard against offense to the Gospel and to regulate his +words and conduct by God's first commandment, making them contribute +to the honor and praise of the divine name and the holy Gospel. +Weighty indeed and well calculated to cause complaint are the sins to +which every Christian is liable in this respect; well may he avoid +them lest he heap to himself the wrath of God. Especially need we be +careful in these last and evil times when the Gospel is everywhere +suppressed by great offenses. Man was created to be the image of God, +that through this his image God might himself be expressed. God's +image, then, should be reflected in the lives of men as a likeness in +a glass, and a Christian can have no higher concern than to live +without dishonor to the name of God.</p> +<br> + +<h4>ADMONITION TO SPECIAL CHRISTIAN VIRTUES.</h4> + +<p>9. Such is the first part of Paul's admonition concerning the general +life of Christians. He goes on to make special mention of several +good works which Christians should diligently observe: humility, +meekness, long-suffering, preservation of the unity of the Spirit, +and so on. These have been specially treated before, in other epistle +lessons, particularly those from Peter. Humility, for +instance—mentioned in today's lesson—is taken up the third Sunday +after Trinity; patience and meekness, the second Sunday after Easter, +and the fifth Sunday after Trinity.</p> + +<p>10. The text here presents good works sufficient to occupy all +Christians in every station of life; we need not seek other nor +better ones. Paul would not impose upon Christians peculiar works, +something unrelated to the ordinary walks of life, as certain false +saints taught and practiced. These teachers commanded separation from +society, isolation in the wilderness, the establishment of monkeries +and the performance of self-appointed works. Such works they exalted +as superior to ordinary Christian virtues. Indeed, their practice +amounted to rejection of the latter, and they actually regarded them +as dangerous. The Papacy has in the past shamelessly styled the +observance of Christian good works as worldly living, and men were +compelled to believe they would find it hard to reach heaven unless +they became ecclesiasts—for they regarded only the monks and priests +worthy—or at least made themselves partakers of the works of +ecclesiasts by purchasing their merits.</p> + +<p>But Paul—in fact, the entire Scriptures—teaches no other good works +than God enjoins upon all men in the Ten Commandments, and which +pertain to the common conditions of life. True, these make not such +brilliant show in the eyes of the world as do the self-appointed +ceremonials constituting the divine service of hypocrites; +nevertheless, they are true, worthy, good and profitable works in the +sight of God and man. What can be more acceptable to God and +advantageous to man than a life lived, in its own calling, in the way +that contributes to the honor of God, and that by its example +influences others to love God's Word and to praise his name? +Moreover, what virtues, of all man possesses, serve him better than +humility, meekness, patience and harmony of mind?</p> + +<p>11. Now, where is a better opportunity for the exercise of these +virtues than amidst the conditions in which God destined us to +live—in society, where we mingle with one another? Upon these +conditions, self-appointed, unusual lives and monastic holiness have +no bearing. For what other person is profited by your entering a +cloister, making yourself peculiar, refusing to live as your fellows +do? Who is benefited by your cowl, your austere countenance, your +hard bed? Who comes to know God or to have a peaceful conscience by +such practices on your part, or who is thereby influenced to love his +neighbor? Indeed, how can you serve your neighbor by such a life? How +manifest your love, humility, patience and meekness if you are +unwilling to live among men? if you so strenuously adhere to your +self-appointed orders as to allow your neighbor to suffer want before +you would dishonor your rules?</p> + +<p>12. Astonishing fact, that the world is merged in darkness so great +it utterly disregards the Word of God and the conditions he designed +for our daily living. If we preach to the world faith in God's Word, +the world receives it as heresy. If we speak of works instituted of +God himself and conditions of his own appointing, the world regards +it as idle talk; it knows better. To live a simple Christian life in +one's own family, to faithfully perform the duties of a man-servant +or maid-servant—"Oh, that," it says, "is merely the following of +worldly pursuits. To do good works you must set about it in a +different way. You must creep into a corner, don a cap, make +pilgrimages to some saint; then you may be able to help yourself and +others to gain heaven." If the question be asked, "Why do so? where +has God commanded it?" there is, according to their theory, really no +answer to make but this: Our Lord God knows nothing about the matter; +he does not understand what good works are. How can he teach us? He +must himself be tutored by these remarkably enlightened saints.</p> +<br> + +<h4>FRUITS OF ORIGINAL SIN.</h4> + +<p>13. But all this error results from that miserable inherent plague, +that evil termed "original sin." It is a blind wickedness, refusing +to recognize the Word of God and his will and work, but introducing +instead things of its own heathenish imagination. It draws such a +thick covering over eyes, ears and hearts that it renders men unable +to perceive how the simple life of a Christian, of husband or wife, +of the lower or the higher walks of life, can be beautified by +honoring the Word of God. Original sin will not be persuaded to the +faithful performance of the works that God testifies are well +pleasing to him when wrought by believers in Christ. In a word, +universal experience proves that to perform really good works is a +special and remarkable grace to which few attain; while the great +mass of souls aspiring after holiness vainly busy themselves with +worthless works, being deceived into thinking them great, and thus +make themselves, as Paul says, "unto every good work reprobate." Tit +1, 16. This fruitless effort is one evil result of the error of human +ideas of holiness and the practice of self-chosen works.</p> + +<p>14. Another error is the hindrance—yes, the suppression and +destruction—of the beautiful virtues of humility, meekness, patience +and spiritual harmony here commended of Paul. At the same time the +devil is given occasion to encourage fiendish blasphemy. In every +instance where the Word of God is set aside for humanly-appointed +works, differing views and theories must obtain. One introduces this +and another that, each striving for first recognition; then a third +endeavors to improve upon their doctrine. Consequently divisions and +factions ensue as numerous as the teachers and their creeds; as +exemplified in the countless sects to this time prevalent in Popedom, +and in the factious spirits of all time. Under such circumstances, +none of the virtues like humility, meekness, patience, love, can have +place. Opposite conditions must prevail, since harmony of hearts and +minds is lacking. One teacher haughtily rejects another, and if his +own opinions fail to receive recognition and approval, he displays +anger, envy and hatred. He will neither affiliate with nor tolerate +him whose practices accord not with his own.</p> + +<p>15. On the other hand, the Christian life, the life of faith with its +fruits, controlled as it is by the Word of God, is in every way +conducive to the preservation of love and harmony, and to the +promotion of all virtues. It interferes not with the God-ordained +relations of life and their attendant obligations upon men—the +requirements of social order, the duties of father and mother, of son +and daughter, master and mistress, servant and maid. All life's +relations are confirmed by it as valid and its duties as vital. The +Christian faith bids each person in his life, and all in common, to +be diligent in the works of love, humility, patience. It teaches that +one be not intolerant of another, but rather render him his due, +remembering that he whose condition in life is the most insignificant +can be equally upright and blessed before God with the occupant of +the most significant position. Again, it teaches that man must have +patience with the weakness of his fellow, being mindful of how others +must bear with his own imperfections. In short, it says one must +manifest to another the love and kindness he would have that other +extend to him.</p> + +<p>16. To this Christian attainment, contributes very largely the single +fact that a Christian is conscious he has, through Christ, the grace +of God, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And these not for +his own merits or peculiar life and works, but because he is, no +matter how insignificant in condition before the world, a child of +God and blessed; a partaker, if he but believes, in all the blessings +of Christ, sharing equally with the most eminent saint. So, then, he +need not look about for works not enjoined upon him. He need not +covet those wrought in prominence and by the aid of great gifts of +God—of unusual attainments. Let him confine himself to his own +sphere; let him serve God in his vocation, remembering that God makes +him, too, his instrument in his own place.</p> + +<p>Again, the occupant of a higher sphere, the possessor of higher gifts +and accomplishments, who likewise serves in his vocation received +from God, should learn and exhibit harmony of mind. So shall he +continue humble and be tolerant of others. He should remember that he +is not worthier in the eyes of God because of his greater gifts, but +rather is under deeper obligation to serve his fellows, and that God +can use the possessor of lesser gifts for even greater +accomplishments than himself can boast. Having so learned, he will be +able to manifest patience, meekness and love toward his weak and +imperfect neighbors, considering them members of Christ with him, and +partakers of the same grace and salvation.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT.</h4> + +<p>17. Now you have the reason why the apostles Paul and Peter +everywhere so faithfully enforce this virtue, the unity of the +Spirit. It is the most necessary and beautiful grace that Christians +possess. It holds together the Christian community, preventing +factions and schisms, as before explained. So Paul here admonishes +men to be careful for harmony, making every endeavor to preserve it. +The term "unity of the Spirit" is used to make plain the apostle's +meaning. He would thus emphasize oneness of doctrine—the one true +faith. Since the Holy Spirit is present only where there is knowledge +of and faith in the Gospel of Christ, "unity of the Spirit" implies a +unity of faith. Above all things, then, the effort must be to +preserve, in the Church, the doctrine of the Scriptures, pure and in +its unity.</p> + +<p>18. One of the wickedest offenses possible to commit against the +Church is the stirring up of doctrinal discord and division, a thing +the devil encourages to the utmost. This sin usually has its rise +with certain haughty, conceited, self-seeking leaders who desire +peculiar distinction for themselves and strive for personal honor and +glory. They harmonize with none and would think themselves disgraced +were they not honored as superior and more learned individuals than +their fellows, a distinction they do not merit. They will give honor +to no one, even when they have to recognize the superiority of his +gifts over their own. In their envy, anger, hatred and vengefulness, +they seek occasion to create factions and to draw people to +themselves. Therefore Paul exhorts first to the necessary virtue of +love, having which men will be enabled to exercise humility, patience +and forbearance toward one another.</p> + +<p>19. The character of the evils resulting to the Church from divisions +and discords in doctrine is evident from the facts. Many are +deceived; the masses immediately respond to new doctrine brilliantly +presented in specious words by presumptuous individuals thirsting for +fame. More than that, many weak but well-meaning ones fall to +doubting, uncertain where to stand or with whom to hold. Consequently +men reject and blaspheme the Christian doctrine and seek occasion to +dispute it. Many become reckless pleasure-lovers, disregarding all +religion and ignoring the Word of God. Further, even they who are +called Christians come to have hard feelings against one another, +and, figuratively, bite and devour in their hate and envy. +Consequently their love grows cold and faith is extinguished.</p> + +<p>20. Of so much disturbance in the Church, and of the resulting +injuries to souls, are guilty those conceited, factious leaders who +do not adhere to the true doctrine, preserving the unity of the +Spirit, but seek to institute something new for the sake of advancing +their own ideas and their own honor, or gratifying their revenge. +They thus bring upon themselves damnation infinitely more intolerable +than others suffer. Christians, then, should be careful to give no +occasion for division or discord, but to be diligent, as Paul here +admonishes, to preserve unity. And this is not an easy thing to do, +for among Christians occasions frequently arise provoking self-will, +anger and hatred. The devil is always at hand to stir and blow the +flame of discord. Let Christians take heed they do not give place to +the promptings of the devil and of the flesh. They must strive +against them, submitting to all suffering, and performing all +demands, whether honor, property, physical welfare or life itself be +involved, in the effort to prevent, so far as in them lies, any +disturbance of the unity of doctrine, of faith and of Spirit.</p> + +<blockquote>"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in +one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God +and Father of all."</blockquote> + +<p>21. Christians should feel bound to maintain the unity of the Spirit, +since they are all members of one body and partakers of the same +spiritual blessings. They have the same priceless treasures—one God +and Father in heaven, one Lord and Savior, one Word, baptism and +faith; in short, one and the same salvation, a blessing common to all +whereof one has as much as another, and cannot obtain more. What +occasion, then, for divisions or for further seeking?</p> + +<p>22. Here Paul teaches what the true Christian Church is and how it +may be identified. There is not more than one Church, or people of +God, one earth. This one Church has one faith, one baptism, one +confession of God the Father and of Jesus Christ. Its members +faithfully hold, and abide by, these common truths. Every one +desiring to be saved and to come to God must be incorporated into +this Church, outside of which no one will be saved.</p> + +<p>23. Unity of the Church does not consist in similarity of outward +form of government, likeness of Law, tradition and ecclesiastical +customs, as the Pope and his followers claim. They would exclude from +the Church all not obedient to them in these outward things, though +members of the one faith, one baptism, and so on. The Church is +termed "one holy, catholic or Christian Church," because it +represents one plain, pure Gospel doctrine, and an outward confession +thereof, always and everywhere, regardless of dissimilarity of +physical life, or of outward ordinances, customs and ceremonies.</p> + +<p>24. But they are not members of the true Church of Christ who, +instead of preserving unity of doctrine and oneness of Christian +faith, cause divisions and offenses—as Paul says (Rom 16, 17)—by +the human doctrines and self-appointed works for which they contend, +imposing them upon all Christians as necessary. They are perverters +and destroyers of the Church, as we have elsewhere frequently shown. +The consolation of the true doctrine is ours, and we hold it in +opposition to Popedom, which accuses us of having withdrawn from +them, and so condemns us as apostates from the Church. They are, +however, themselves the real apostates, persecuting the truth and +destroying the unity of the Spirit under the name and title of the +Church and of Christ. Therefore, according to the command of God, all +men are under obligation to shun them and withdraw from them.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm21"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 1 Corinthians 1, 4-9.</center> + +<blockquote>4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which +was given you in Christ Jesus; 5 that in everything ye were enriched +in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; 6 even as the testimony +of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 so that ye come behind in no gift; +waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; 8 who shall also +confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreprovable in the day of our +Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom ye were called +into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>TREASURE CHRISTIANS HAVE IN THE GOSPEL.</h4> + +<p>1. We have before us the opening words of the Epistle to the +Corinthians, which Paul was moved to write because of unpleasant +conditions in the Church at Corinth after his departure. Divisions +had arisen and sad confusion prevailed in doctrine and life. Hence +the apostle was constrained to rebuke their wickedness and correct +their infirmities. Because of these wholesome admonitions, the +reading and heeding of this epistle is not only profitable but +essential to this day; for the devil takes no respite, but whenever +the Gospel is preached in its purity he mixes with the children of +God and sows his seed.</p> + +<p>2. Paul intends to be rather severe—even caustic—but he begins very +leniently, showing them what they have received through the Gospel. +His purpose is to arouse their gratitude to God, and to induce them, +for his honor and glory, to be harmonious in doctrine and life, +avoiding divisions and other offenses.</p> + +<blockquote>"I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was +given you in Christ Jesus," etc.</blockquote> + +<p>3. In other words, Paul would say: Dear brethren, consider, I pray +you, what abundant grace and gifts have been given you of God. They +are bestowed not because of the Law, or because of your +righteousness, your merits and works; you are given no reason to +exalt yourselves above others, or to originate sects or schisms. Nay, +all these blessings have been freely given you in Christ and for his +sake, through the preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel is a grace +which brings to you all manner of gifts, by him enriching you in +everything. You lack nothing from God, but you await this one thing, +that blessed day when Christ will reveal himself to you with all +those heavenly gifts which you now possess in faith.</p> + +<p>4. In this wise he extols to them the preaching of the Gospel (as +indeed he does on different occasions); his purpose is to induce them +to regard it most appreciatively. He gives them an example of his own +gratitude, thanking God on their behalf, for the purpose of calling +forth their especial gratitude when they should consider what they +formerly were and what they now had received through the Gospel. And +again, he would have them beware lest, forgetful of their former +misery and present grace, they relapse into their old blindness. A +sad beginning in such backsliding had been made by factions in their +midst, who, satiated with the Gospel and indifferent to the abundant +grace they enjoyed, began to cast about for something else.</p> + +<p>5. Now observe: If the exalted apostle and venerable teacher of the +Gentiles in his day had to witness in his own parish such factions +and sects as those which, in sinful security and ingratitude toward +the Gospel, arose during his life, what wonder is it that today, when +we do not have the excellent preachers and pious Christians of those +times, there are similar sects? We are aware of the great benefits +bestowed upon us, but at the same time we see and realize that the +devil instigates divisions and scandals. And the cause of these evils +may be traced to our ingratitude; we have quickly forgotten the ills +we endured under the blindness of popery, and how miserably we were +deluded and tormented. Necessarily, where God's mercies are lightly +dismissed from the mind and disregarded, gratitude and regard for +God's Word cannot be the result; satiated, listless Christians go +their way fancying that spiritual conditions always were and always +will be as now.</p> + +<p>6. The people, therefore, must be awakened to consider their former +destitution, the very wretchedness they were in. The apostle later on +vividly pictures such condition to his Corinthians, while here, in +the opening chapter, he intimates to them, in kind and courteous +words, to consider, in the light of the Gospel benefits they now +enjoy, what they lacked before and might be deprived of again.</p> + +<p>7. Therefore he says, You now have received the grace whereby in +everything ye are enriched. Formerly you had not this grace and would +not have it today had not the Gospel been preached to you. You are +enriched in everything pertaining to yonder life, for it is not the +purpose of the Gospel to give earthly riches. But in spiritual +blessings ye come behind in no gift and have need of naught except +this one thing, that the Lord himself should come. This blessing you +are yet to have, and biding its advent you here live by the gifts and +grace with which you were enriched, until you are finally redeemed +from the sinful, wicked life of the world and from all its +oppressions. You must know, and must thank God for it, that you need +not seek after any higher calling or better gifts, thinking you have +not all that is essential, as the factious spirits would have you +believe.</p> + +<p>8. For in your own judgment, what better thing could you have than is +the Christian's in his Gospel and his faith? He has assurance of sins +forgiven and washed away in holy baptism, of justification and +holiness before God, and of the fact that he is God's child and heir +to eternal life. Furthermore, although the Christian is conscious of +remaining weakness and sin, yea, although he be overcome by a fault, +he may avail himself of absolution, comfort and strength through his +fellow Christians and by the aid of the sacraments; and he has daily +guidance for his conduct and faith in all the walks of life. Again, +he can call upon God in prayer in the day of trouble, and the firm +assurance is his that God will hear and help him. What further can +one desire, or what more does he need, than the knowledge that he is +God's child through baptism and has God's Word at hand for comfort +and strength in weakness and sin? Do you consider it slight +enrichment to have assurance of the fact that God himself is speaking +to you and, by means of the office of the ministry, is effective in +you, teaching, admonishing, comforting, sustaining you, yea, granting +you victory over the devil, death and all evil influences on earth?</p> + +<p>9. Formerly what would we not gladly have given and done for but a +single Gospel truth in our distress and trials of conscience! True, +when one was discouraged or perplexed he was advised to seek and +follow the counsel of some intelligent and judicious mind; but such +judicious one who might assist with his counsel was nowhere to be +found. For a wise man's counsel does not answer in such case. The +Word of God alone suffices, and you are to rely on it as if God +himself revealed his counsel to you from heaven.</p> + +<p>10. As Paul says, it is great riches, a precious treasure, to possess +in very fact the Word of God and not to doubt that it is the Word of +God. It is this that will answer; this can comfort your heart and +support it. Of spiritual benefits you know we had none under the +tyranny and darkness of the Pope. At that time we suffered ourselves +to be led and driven by his commandments, vain human baubles, by +bulls, lies, invocation of saints, indulgences, masses, monkery. And +we did whatever was enjoined in the name of the Church, solely to +gain comfort and help, that we might not despair of God's grace. But +instead of comforting us, these things led us to the devil and thrust +us into greater anguish and terror; for there was nothing in the +doctrine of the papists that could give us certainty. Indeed, they +themselves had to confess that by its teachings no man could or +should be certain of his state of grace.</p> + +<p>11. Yea, they forced poor, timid, tempted hearts to dread and fear +Christ more than the devil even, as I myself experienced full well. I +resorted to the dead—St. Barbara, St. Ann and other departed +saints—regarding them as mediators between me and Christ's wrath. +But this availed me nothing, nor did it free me from a fearful and +fugitive conscience. There was not one among us all—and we were +called very learned doctors of Holy Writ—who could have given true +comfort from God's Word, saying: This is God's Word; this one thing +God asks of you, that you honor him by accepting comfort; believe and +know that he forgives your transgressions and has no wrath against +you. If someone could have told me this, I would have given all I +possessed for the knowledge; yea, for such word of comfort I would +not have taken in exchange the glory and the crowns of all kings, for +it would have restored my soul, it would have refreshed and sustained +my body and life.</p> + +<p>12. All this we should bear in mind, by no means should we forget it; +that we may return thanks to God, recounting the superior and +wonderful gifts which have enriched us in all things. We have besides +the Word, free prayer and the Lord's Prayer, knowing what to pray for +and how to pray—knowledge common to the very children today, thank +God. In former times, all men, especially we monks, tormented +themselves with lengthy repetitions in reading and singing; yet our +prayers were but chattering, as the noise of geese over their food, +or of monks repeating a psalm.</p> + +<p>13. I, too, wanted to be a pious and godly monk and I prepared with +earnest devotion for mass and for prayers. But when most devout I +went to the altar a doubter and left the altar a doubter. When I had +rendered my confession I still doubted, and I doubted when I did not +render it. For we were wholly wrapped up in the erroneous idea that +we could not pray and would not be heard unless we were absolutely +clean and without sin, like the saints in heaven. It would have been +much better not to pray at all and to have done something else, than +thus to take God's name in vain. Still, we monks—in fact all the +ecclesiastics—deluded the people, promising them our prayers for +their money and possessions, actually selling our prayers, though we +did not even know that we prayed in a manner acceptable to God. But +today, thank God, we do know and understand, not only what to pray +for and how to approach God "nothing doubting," but we can also add a +hearty Amen, believing that according to his promise he will +certainly hear us.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE CHRISTIAN'S TREASURE.</h4> + +<p>14. The Christian has indeed inestimable treasure. In the first place +he has the testimony of the Word of God, which is the word of eternal +grace and comfort, that he has a right and true conception of +baptism, the Lord's Supper, the Ten Commandments and the Creed. In +addition he has the sure refuge of God's promise to deliver us from +every trouble in which we shall call upon him, and to give us, as he +promised by the prophet Zechariah (12, 10), the Spirit of grace and +of prayer. And the Christian, by virtue of his enlightened +understanding, can wisely discern what are good works and what +callings are pleasing to God; on the other hand, his judgment is +equally true as to unprofitable and vain works and false services. +Before, we had not this wholesome knowledge. We knew not what we +believed, or how we prayed and lived. We sought comfort and salvation +in self-devised trivialities, in penances, confessions and +satisfactions, in self-righteous works of monkery and in obedience to +the commands of the Pope. We believed such works to be fully +satisfactory and, indeed, the only things that were holy; the +pursuits of common Christians we considered worldly and dangerous.</p> + +<p>15. In illustration of this idea, a picture was exhibited—with the +sanction of the Pope—representing a great ship in the wild, wide +sea, containing only the holy monks and the super-holy popes, +cardinals, bishops, etc., who were throwing their merits to those in +peril struggling in the water, or extending a hand, or by means of +ropes and their stoles drawing the drowning to safety in the boat.</p> + +<p>16. In contrast to this darkness, consider the priceless and +to-be-cherished blessing of knowing with certainty wherein the heart +is to take comfort, how to seek help in distress and how to conduct +one's self in one's own station. If, though provided with spiritual +riches on all sides, you are not sufficient of yourself at all times +to grasp them, you can, nevertheless, always reach and appropriate +them by means of the ordinary ministry and office of the Church, yes, +by the aid of your fellow-Christians. Again, it is productive of the +greatest happiness to know that when living aright in the ordinary +walks of life established by God, you are more acceptable and +pleasing to him than you would be to purchase the works and merits of +all the monks and hermits.</p> + +<p>17. What Paul terms being "enriched," first, "in all utterance," or +knowledge—which, in the exalted spiritual meaning of the words, +bears on life everlasting—is having the comfort of faith in Christ +and of invocation and prayer. And enriched in "all knowledge," means +having true conception and right judgment in all things of our +physical life and in all our earthly relations. All things that a +Christian should know and should possess are comprehended in these +two terms. These blessings are gifts and treasures indescribably +great. He who will contrast them with the destitution of our former +condition cannot but be joyful and thankful. I remember the time when +I, engaged in earnest study of Holy Writ, would have given a great +deal for the right exposition of a psalm; and when had I but begun to +understand a verse aright, I would have been as rejoiced as if born +to life anew.</p> + +<p>18. Truly, then, we should now render to God heartfelt thanks for the +great favor and blessing of restored light and understanding in +Scripture, and the right conception of doctrinal matters. But, alas! +it is likely to be with us as with the Corinthians, who had received +most abundantly from Paul but by way of return had made ill use of it +and proved shamefully unthankful. And they met with retribution, the +worst of it being false doctrine and seductions, until at last that +grand congregation was wholly ruined and destroyed. A similar +retribution threatens us, yes, is before the door with appalling +knock, in the instance of the Turks and in other distress and +calamity. For this reason we should, with a thankful heart and +serious mind, pray, as Paul here does for his Corinthians, that God +would keep us steadfast in the possession of his gifts and blameless +in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>19. Paul admonishes us to continue in this knowledge and appreciation +of the grace and gifts of God. Since by these blessings we have +received riches and happiness to the satisfying of all our need, the +apostle further admonishes us to look only for the Lord to reveal to +us publicly by his coming that which he has promised and through +faith already granted us.</p> + +<p>20. In the past, much has been written and ingeniously devised on the +topic of preparing for death and the final judgment. But it has only +served to further confuse timid consciences. For these comforters +were not able to show anything of the comfort to be found in the +riches of grace and bliss in Christ. They directed the people to +oppose with their own works and good life, death and God's judgment. +In place of this delusion is now evident the precious truth; he who +knows the Gospel doctrines, goes on and performs his own work and +duty in his respective calling. He takes comfort in the fact that +through baptism he is engrafted into Christ; he receives absolution +and partakes of the holy supper for the strengthening of his faith, +commending his soul and body to Christ. Why should such a one fear +death? Though it come at any time, in form of pestilence or accident, +it will always find the Christian ready and well prepared, be he +awake or asleep; for he is in Christ Jesus.</p> + +<p>21. For all these things the Christian may well thank and bless God, +realizing that he has no further need, nor can he gain anything +better than he already has in the remission of sins, the gift of the +Holy Spirit and the faithful prosecution of his calling; however, he +should remain in, and daily grow in, faith and supplication. But he +cannot hope to attain to another and better doctrine, faith, Spirit, +prayer, sacrament, reward, etc., than had all the saints, John the +Baptist, Peter, Paul, or in fact than has now every Christian that is +baptized. Therefore I need not idly spend time in trying to prepare +people for death and inspire them with courage by such commonplaces +as recalling and relating the innumerable daily accidents, ills and +dangers of this life. This method will not answer; death will not +thereby be frightened away, nor will the fear of death be removed. +The Gospel teaching is: Believe in Christ, pray and live in +accordance with God's Word, and then, when death overtakes and +attacks you, you will know that you are Christ the Lord's. Paul says +(Rom 14, 8): "Whether we live ... or die, we are the Lord's." Indeed, +we Christians live upon this earth to the very end that we may have +assured comfort, salvation and victory over death and hell.</p> + +<p>22. Of this Paul here reminds us, and dwells on it more fully later +in this Epistle; he would have us duly thankful for this great grace +and living among ourselves in a Christian and brotherly manner, in +doctrine and practice, ignoring and avoiding that wild, disorderly +conduct of the contentious and disorderly. He who recognizes such +grace and blessing cannot but love and thank God and conduct himself +aright toward his neighbor; and when he finds himself falling short +in this he will, by admonition and the Word of God, make amends.</p> + +<p>23. Here you might put the question: Why does Paul speak in such a +commendatory way of the Corinthians, saying that they were enriched +in everything and came behind in no gift, when he himself confesses +later on that they had contentions and schisms—in regard to baptism, +to the sacrament, to the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and +in regard to abuse of liberty, and some lived as they pleased. Would +you not call these things faults and shortcomings? How, then, is he +in a position to say that they were abundantly supplied with all +things spiritual, lacking not one thing?</p> + +<p>24. Well, you should recall what I have repeatedly stated: +Christendom is never so spotless that there are not some spurious and +wicked admixed, just as you will always find weeds, darnel, tares, or +wild mustard together with pure grain. And he who will examine the +Church with only a view of finding faults and frailties among those +called Christians, will miss the Church, yes, the Gospel and Christ, +and never discover a Church at all.</p> + +<p>25. But we have the consolation of knowing that if we have the Gospel +pure, we have the treasure God gives his Church and we cannot go +astray nor want. But as yet we have not reached that degree of +perfection where all hearers of the Gospel will grasp it fully and +wholly or are faultless in faith and life; at all times there will be +some who do not believe and some who are weak and imperfect. However, +that great treasure and rich blessing of doctrine and knowledge is +present. There is no defect in this, and it is effective and +fruitful. The fact that some do not believe, does not weaken baptism +or the Gospel or the Church; they only harm themselves. To sum up, +where the Word remains, there most assuredly is also the Church. For +wherever the doctrine is pure, there you can also keep purity in +baptism, the sacrament, absolution, the Ten Commandments, the Lord's +Prayer, good works and all callings; and wherever you find a defect +or an irregularity, you can admonish, amend and rectify by means of +the Word.</p> + +<p>26. Some there must be who have the Word and sacraments pure and +unadulterated, who have faith, pray aright, keep God's commandments +and do other things, as, thank God, we have with us. Then we may +firmly conclude: If the true Church were not here, these +characteristics would be lacking; therefore we must have among +ourselves true members of the Church and true saints. Now even though +children of the world intermingle (as will be the case always and in +all places), who show neither faith nor a godly life, it would +corrupt neither faith, nor baptism, nor doctrine, nor would the +Church perish on that account—the treasure remains in its integrity +and efficacy, and God may graciously cause some to turn from their +unbelief and wicked life and be added to the faithful and to mend +their ways.</p> + +<p>27. Again, they with whom this treasure—the Word or doctrine and its +knowledge—is not found, cannot be the Christian Church nor members +of it, and for that reason they cannot pray or believe aright or do +good works pleasing to God. It follows that their whole lives are in +God's sight lost and condemned, though they may assiduously extol God +and the Church and before the world may have the appearance and +reputation of leading particularly holy lives and excelling even the +upright Christians in virtues and honor. It is a settled fact that +outside the Church of Christ there is no God, no grace, no bliss; as +Paul says (Eph 4, 5): "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and +Father of all," etc. And Acts 4, 12 says: "And in none other is there +salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is +given among men, wherein we must be saved."</p> + +<p>28. And so Paul, when here extolling the Corinthians, has not an eye +to the contentious, the Epicureans, or to those who give public +offense, as the man that "had his father's wife;" but the apostle +looks to the fact that a few remain who have the pure Word of God, +faith, baptism and the sacrament, though some hypocrites be among +them. Because of these few—and few indeed there may be—we recognize +the presence of that inestimable treasure of which the apostle +speaks. It is found as well where two or three are gathered together +as with thousands. Neither the Gospel nor the ministers nor the +Church is to be blamed that the multitude miss this treasure; the +multitude have but themselves to blame, for they close their ears and +eyes.</p> + +<p>29. Now behold how loftily Paul has extolled and how beautifully +portrayed the Christian Church—where she is to be found on earth and +what inestimable blessings and gifts she has received of Christ, for +which she is in duty bound to thank and praise him in her confession +and in her life. This subject the apostle concludes with the words:</p> + +<blockquote>"God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of +his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."</blockquote> + +<p>30. The good work which Christ has begun in you and already assured +to you, he will without fail establish in you until the end and for +ever, if you but do not fall away through unbelief, or cast grace +from you. For his Word or promise given to you, and his work begun in +you, are not changeable as is man's word and work, but are firm, +certain, divine, immovable truth. Since you are in possession of this +your divine calling, draw comfort therefrom and rely on it without +wavering. Amen.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm22"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Ephesians 4, 22-28.</center> + +<blockquote>22 That ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the +old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that +ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, +that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of +truth. 25 Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one +with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, +and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 neither give +place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather +let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he +may have whereof to give to him that hath need.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>DUTY TO NEW AND OLD MAN.</h4> + +<p>1. Here again is an admonition for Christians to follow up their +faith by good works and a new life, for though they have forgiveness +of sins through baptism, the old Adam still adheres to their flesh +and makes himself felt in tendencies and desires to vices physical +and mental. The result is that unless Christians offer resistance, +they will lose their faith and the remission of sins and will in the +end be worse than they were at first; for they will begin to despise +and persecute the Word of God when corrected by it. Yea, even those +who gladly hear the Word of God, who highly prize it and aim to +follow it, have daily need of admonition and encouragement, so strong +and tough is that old hide of our sinful flesh. And so powerful and +wily is our old evil foe that wherever he can gain enough of an +opening to insert one of his claws, he thrusts in his whole self and +will not desist until he has again sunk man into his former +condemnable unbelief and his old way of despising and disobeying God.</p> + +<p>2. Therefore, the Gospel ministry is necessary in the Church, not +only for instruction of the ignorant—such as the simple, unlettered +people and the children—but also for the purpose of awakening those +who know very well what they are to believe and how they are to live, +and admonishing them to be on their guard daily and not to become +indolent, disheartened or tired in the war they must wage on this +earth with the devil, with their own flesh and with all manner of +evil.</p> + +<p>3. For this reason Paul is so persistent in his admonitions that he +actually seems to be overdoing it. He proceeds as if the Christians +were either too dull to comprehend or so inattentive and forgetful +that they must be reminded and driven. The apostle well knows that +though they have made a beginning in faith and are in that state +which should show the fruits of faith, such result is not so easily +forthcoming. It will not do to think and say: Well, it is sufficient +to have the doctrine, and if we have the Spirit and faith, then +fruits and good works will follow of their own accord. For although +the Spirit truly is present and, as Christ says, willing and +effective in those that believe, on the other hand the flesh is weak +and sluggish. Besides, the devil is not idle, but seeks to seduce our +weak nature by temptations and allurements.</p> + +<p>4. So we must not permit the people to go on in their way, neglecting +to urge and admonish them, through God's Word, to lead a godly life. +Indeed, you dare not be negligent and backward in this duty; for, as +it is, our flesh is all too sluggish to heed the Spirit and all too +able to resist it. Paul says (Gal 5, 17): "For the flesh lusteth +against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh ... that ye may +not do the things that ye would." Therefore, God is constrained to do +as a good and diligent householder or ruler, who, having a slothful +man-servant or maid-servant, or careless officers, who otherwise are +neither wicked nor faithless, will not consider it sufficient once or +twice to direct, but will constantly be supervising and directing.</p> + +<p>5. Nor have we as yet arrived at the point where our flesh and blood +will joyfully and gladly abound in good works and obedience to God as +the spirit is inclined and faith directs. Even with the utmost +efforts the Spirit scarce can compel our old man. What would be the +result if we were no more urged and admonished but could go our way +thinking, as many self-satisfied persons do: I am well acquainted +with my duties, having learned them many years ago and having heard +frequent explanations of them; yea, I have taught others? It might be +that one year's intermission of preaching and admonition would place +us below the level of the heathen.</p> + +<p>6. Now, this exhortation in itself is simple and easy of +comprehension. The apostle is but repeating his exhortations of other +places—on the fruits of faith, or a godly walk—merely in different +terms. Here he speaks of putting away the old man and putting on the +new man, of being "renewed in the spirit of your mind."</p> +<br> + +<h4>"THE OLD MAN."</h4> + +<p>7. What he calls "the old man" is well known to us; namely, the whole +nature of man as descended from Adam after his fall in paradise, +being blinded by the devil, depraved in soul, not keeping God before +his eyes nor trusting him, yes, utterly regardless of God and the +judgment day. Though with his mouth he may honor God's Word and the +Gospel, yet in reality he is unchanged; if he does have a little +additional knowledge, he has just as little fear, love and trust in +God as heretofore.</p> + +<p>8. Such a life and such conduct should not be found among you, says +the apostle; you are not to continue with "the old man." He must be +put off and laid aside. Your former manner of life, inherited of +Adam, consisted in disobeying God, in neither fearing, trusting nor +calling upon him. Again, in your body you obeyed not God's +commandments, being given to lust, pride, insatiable greed, envy, +hatred, etc. A life and walk of this nature is not becoming a +Christian who is regarded as, and truly is, a different order of +being from his former self, as we shall hear. Necessarily he should +walk differently.</p> + +<p>9. In this respect a Christian must take heed that he does not +deceive himself; the true Christian differs from the hypocrite. True +Christians so live that it is apparent from their lives that they +keep God before their eyes and truly believe the Gospel, while +hypocrites likewise show by their walk that their pretensions of +faith and forgiveness of sin are hollow. No proof is seen in their +lives and works showing that they have in any wise mended their +former ways; they merely deck themselves with a pretense, with the +name of Gospel, of faith, of Christ.</p> + +<p>10. Now, the apostle has two things to say of the old man: that he +corrupts himself in error as to the soul and in lusts as to the body. +Paul portrays the old man—meaning every man without true faith +though he bear the name of a Christian—as in the first place given +to error: coming short of the truth, knowing naught of the true +knowledge of Christ and faith in him, indifferent alike to God's +wrath and God's grace, deceiving himself with his own conceit that +darkness is light. The old man believes that God will not be moved to +vengeance though he do as he pleases, even to decorating vices with +the names of virtues. Haughtiness, greed, oppressing and tormenting +the poor, wrath, envy—all this he would call preserving his dignity, +exercising strict discipline, honestly and economically conducting +his domestic affairs, caring for his wife and children, displaying +Christian zeal and love of justice, etc. In short, he proceeds in the +perfectly empty delusion and self-conceit that he is a Christian.</p> + +<p>11. Out of this error proceeds the other corruption, the lusts of the +body, which are fruits of unbelief. Unbelief causes men to walk in +sinful security and yield to all the appetites of their flesh. Such +have no inclination toward what is good, nor do they aim to promote +orderliness, honor or virtue. They take desperate chances on their +lives, wanting to live according to the lusts of their flesh and yet +not be reprimanded.</p> + +<p>12. This, says the apostle, is the old man's course and nature. He +will do naught but ruin himself. The longer continued, the greater +his debasement. He draws down upon himself his own condemnation and +penalty for body and soul; for in proportion as he becomes +unbelieving and hard-hearted, does he become haughty, hateful and +faithless, and eventually a perfect scoundrel and villain. This was +your former manner of life, when as yet you were heathen and +non-Christians. Therefore you must by all means put off the old man +and cast him far from you; otherwise you cannot remain a Christian. +For glorying in the grace of God and the forgiveness of sin is +inconsistent with following sin—remaining in the former old +un-Christian life and walking in error and deceitful lusts.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE GROWTH OF "THE NEW MAN."</h4> + +<blockquote>"And that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the +new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and +holiness of truth."</blockquote> + +<p>13. Having put away the old man, the apostle exhorts us further to +put on the new man, that day by day we may grow as new creatures. +This is effected by first being delivered from error—from the +erroneous thoughts and ideas incident to our corrupt nature with its +false conceptions of God, wherein we do not fear nor believe him—and +then from God's Word receiving the right understanding of him. When +we rightly understand, we shall fear his wrath against sin and rely +on his grace in true faith, believing that he will forgive our sins +for Christ's sake and will hear our prayer for strength and +assistance to withstand and conquer, and to continually grow in +faith.</p> + +<p>14. This change Paul calls being "renewed in the spirit of your +mind"; that is, constantly growing and becoming established in that +true conception and clear knowledge of Christ begun in us, in +opposition to error and idle vaporings. He who is thus received, says +the apostle, is a man "that after God hath been created in +righteousness and holiness of truth." In the old man there is naught +but error, by means of which the devil leads to destruction. But the +new man has the Spirit and the truth, by which the heart is illumined +unto righteousness and holiness, wherein man follows the guidance of +God's Word and feels a desire for a godly walk and good life; just +as, on the other hand, the desire and love for sin and wickedness is +the product of error. This new man is created after God, as an image +of God, and must of necessity differ from such as live in error and +in lusts, without the knowledge of God and disobedient to him. For if +God's image is in man, man must consequently have the right knowledge +of God and right conceptions and ideas, and lead a godly life +consistent with holiness and righteousness as found in God himself.</p> + +<p>15. Such an image of God Adam was when first created. He was, as to +the soul, truthful, free from error, and possessed of true faith and +knowledge of God; and as to the body, holy and pure, that is, without +the impure, unclean desires of avarice, lasciviousness, envy, hatred, +etc. And all his children—all men—would have so remained from their +birth if he had not suffered himself to be led astray by the devil +and to be thus ruined. But since Christians, by the grace and Spirit +of God, now have been renewed to this image of God, they are so to +live that soul and spirit are righteous and pleasing to God through +faith in Christ; and that also the body—meaning the whole external +life—be pure and holy, which is genuine holiness.</p> + +<p>16. Some there are who pretend to great holiness and purity, but it +is mere pretense, deceiving the people in general. Such are the +factious spirits and monastic saints, who base their holiness and +uprightness solely on an external, peculiar life and on self-elected +works. Theirs may be apparently a commendable, holy and pure way of +praying and fasting, of denying self, etc., and the people may call +it so; but inwardly they are and remain haughty, venomous, hateful, +filled with the filth of human lust and evil thoughts, as Christ says +of such. Mt 15, 19; Lk 16, 15. Likewise their righteousness on which +they pride themselves before God has a certain gloss, on the strength +of which they presume to merit the grace of God for themselves and +others; but inwardly they have no true conception of God, being in +rank unbelief, that is, false and vain suppositions, or doubts. Such +righteousness, or holiness, is not true nor honest. It is made up +wholly of hypocrisy and deceit. It is built, not of God nor after +God, but after that lying spirit, the devil.</p> + +<p>17. The true Christian, Paul asserts, has been molded through faith +in Christ into a new man, like unto God, truly justified and holy in +his sight; even as Adam originally was in perfect harmony of heart +with God, showing true, straightforward confidence, love and +willingness. And his body was holy and pure, knowing naught of evil, +impure or improper desire. Thus the whole life of the man was a +beautiful portrait of God, a mirror wherein God himself was +reflected; even as the lives and natures of the holy spirits the +angels are wrapped up in God and represent true knowledge of him, +assurance, and joy in him and utterly pure and holy thoughts and +works according to the will of God.</p> + +<p>18. But since man is now so grievously fallen from this cheerful +confidence, this certainty and joy, into doubts or into presumption +toward God, and from unspotted, noble obedience into the lusts of +iniquity and ungodliness, it follows that not from mankind can come +help or relief. Nor can any one hope for remedy except the +Christians, who through faith in Christ begin again to have a joyful +and confident heart toward God. They thus enter again into their +former relation and into the true paradise of perfect harmony with +God and of justification; they are comforted by his grace. +Accordingly they are disposed to lead a godly life in harmony with +God's commandments and to resist ungodly lusts and ways. These begin +to taste God's goodness and loving kindness, as Paul says, and +realize what they lost in paradise. He, therefore, that would be a +Christian should strive to be found in this new man created after +God; not in blind error and vain conceit, but in the very essence of +righteousness and holiness before God.</p> +<br> + +<h4>TWO CLASSES OF SINS.</h4> + +<blockquote>"Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his +neighbor: for we are members one of another."</blockquote> + +<p>19. Lest there might be one who failed to understand the meaning of +the old and the new man, or of true and false righteousness and +holiness, the apostle now proceeds to give an example or two, making +it easier for us to grasp the idea. All sin comes under one of two +classes: First, that of the devil's own making, such as murder and +deceit; for by lies he establishes all idolatry, error, false faith +and holiness, and among men he creates faithlessness, deceit, malice, +etc. Secondly, those sins which he instigates man to commit against +man; deeds of wrath, hatred, vengeance and murder. Paul combines +these two classes.</p> + +<p>20. Now, when a man does not deal fairly with his neighbor, but +practices dishonesty and deceit, be it in matters spiritual or +temporal (and the world is ever deceitful in all transactions), then +certainly the old man holds sway and not righteousness nor holiness, +however much the man may effect a good appearance and evade the +courts. For such conduct does not reflect God's image, but the +devil's. For the heart does not rely on God and his truth, otherwise +it would war with fraud and deception; but its object is to clothe +itself with a misleading garb, even assuming the name of God, and +thus to deceive, belie, betray and forsake its neighbor at the +bidding of every fiendish whim, and all for the satisfaction of its +avarice, selfishness and pride.</p> + +<p>21. In contrast thereto you can recognize the new man. He speaks the +truth and hates lies, not only those momentous lies against the first +table of the Ten Commandments, but also those against the second +table; for he deals faithfully and in a brotherly way with others, +doing as he would be done by himself. Thus should Christians live +with each other, as members of one body, according to the apostle, +and as having in Christ all things common and alike.</p> + +<blockquote>"Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath."</blockquote> + +<p>22. Half the sins which the world has learned of its lord and master, +the devil, consist in lying and deceiving, and that in the name and +appearance of truth. No one wants to be called a liar, and even the +devil covers his lies with the name of truth. The other half, which +is easier to recognize, consists in wrath and its fruits. And this +class is usually the result of the other. The world, for its own +advantage, lies and deceives; and when it sees mankind acting in +opposition to its wishes, or beholds its lies exposed and its schemes +thwarted, it begins to rage in wrath against God, endeavoring to +avenge itself and inflict harm, but fraudulently disguising its +wicked motive under the plea of having good and abundant reasons for +its action.</p> + +<p>23. Therefore Paul admonishes the Christians as new creatures, to +guard against this vice of wrath, adducing the fourth verse of the +fourth Psalm: "Stand in awe and sin not." The repetition of this +passage sounds, in Paul's rendering, as if permission to be angry +were given; he says: "Be ye angry, and sin not." But Paul is taking +into consideration the way of the world. Men are tempted and moved to +anger. There are no clean records. Under sudden provocation the heart +swells with ire, while the devil busily fans the flame; for he is +ever alert to stamp upon us his seal and image and make us like unto +him, either through error and false doctrine, or through wrath and +murder in conflict with love and patience. These two forms of evil +you will encounter, especially if you make an effort to be a godly +Christian, to defend the truth and to live uprightly in the sight of +all. You will meet with all manner of malice aforethought and deceit, +and with faithlessness and malignity on the part of those you have +benefited; again, with unmasked violence and injustice on the part of +those who should protect you and see to your interests. This will +hurt and move you to wrath. Yea, in your own house and among your +dear Christian brethren you will often meet with that which vexes +you; again, a word of yours may hurt their feelings. And it will not +be otherwise. This life of ours is so constituted that such +conditions must be. Flesh and blood cannot but be stirred at times by +wrath and impatience, especially when it receives evil for good; and +the devil is ever at hand kindling your anger and endeavoring to fan +into a blaze the wrath and ill humor between yourself and your +neighbor.</p> + +<p>24. But right here, says the apostle, you should beware and not sin; +not give rein, nor yield to the impulse and promptings of wrath. That +you may indeed be moved, the apostle would say, I well know, and you +may fancy to have the best of reasons for exhibiting anger and +vengeance; but beware of doing what your wrath would have you do: and +if overcome by wrath and led to rashness, do not continue in it, do +not harbor it, but subdue and restrain it, the sooner the better; do +not suffer it to take root or to remain with you over night.</p> + +<p>25. If followed, wrath will not suffer you to do a single right +thing, as James affirms (ch. 1, 20). It causes man to fall and sin +against God and his neighbor. Even the heathen have seen that wrath +gets the better of reason and is never the source of good counsel. In +line with this, we read that St. Ambrose reproved the emperor +Theodosius for having, while in a rage, caused the execution of many +persons in Thessalonica; and that he succeeded in having the emperor +issue a rescript to the effect that no one should be executed, even +on his imperial order and command, until a full month had passed by, +thus affording an opportunity to rescind the order if given in haste +and wrath.</p> + +<p>26. Therefore the Psalm says: When wrath attacks and moves you, do +not at once give it leave to do its will. Therein you would certainly +commit sin. But go into your chamber, commune and take counsel with +yourself, pray the Lord's Prayer, repeat some good passages from +God's Word, curb yourself and confide in God; he will uphold your +rights.</p> + +<p>27. It is this the apostle has in mind when saying: "Let not the sun +go down upon your wrath." A Christian must not entertain wrath; he +should instantly quench and stifle it. It is the part of the new man +to control anger, that the devil may not move him from his new-found +faith and make him lose what he has received. If he yields to these +instigations of his flesh, he thereby returns to the error and +condemnation in the old man and loses control of himself, following +his own desires. Then he adorns a lie with the appearance of truth, +claiming the right to be angry and take revenge; just as the world +does when it asserts: This fellow has done me infinite violence and +injustice; am I to suffer it? I have a just cause and shall not +recline my head in ease until he is repaid! By such talk it loses its +case before both God and men; as the saying goes: He that strikes +back has the most unjust cause.</p> + +<p>28. Both divine and human justice forbids that a man be judge in his +own case. For this very reason God has established governmental and +judicial authority, in his stead to punish transgressions, +which—when properly administered—is not man's but God's judgment. +He therefore that invades such judgment, invades the authority of God +himself; he commits a double wrong and merits double condemnation. If +you desire to seek and obtain redress in the courts, you are at +liberty to do so, provided you proceed in the proper way, at the +proper place and with those to whom God has entrusted authority. To +these authorities you may appeal for redress. If you obtain it +according to law, well and good; if not, you must suffer wrong and +commit your case to God, as we have explained more fully elsewhere.</p> + +<p>29. In short, we find in this unique passage a statement to the +effect that he who curbs not his wrath but retains it longer than a +day, or over night, cannot be a Christian. Where then do they stand +who entertain wrath and hatred indefinitely, for one, two, three, +seven, ten years? Such is no longer human wrath but fiendish wrath +from hell; it will not be satisfied nor extinguished, but when it +once takes possession of a man he would, if able, destroy everything +in a moment with his hellish fire. Even so the arch-fiend is not +satisfied with having cast the whole human race into sin and death, +but will not rest content unless he can drag all human beings into +eternal damnation.</p> + +<p>30. A Christian therefore has ample cause to carefully guard against +this vice. God may have patience with you when wrath wells up in your +heart—although that, too, is sinful—but take heed that wrath does +not overcome you and cause you to fall. Rather take serious counsel +with yourself and extinguish and expel your anger by applying +passages of Holy Writ and calling upon your faith. When alone or +about to retire, repeat the Lord's Prayer, ask for forgiveness and +confess that God daily forgives you much oftener than your neighbor +sins against you.</p> + +<blockquote>"Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: +but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is +good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need."</blockquote> + +<p>31. This thought is brought out also in the next Epistle, namely, +that a Christian should guard against giving offense to anybody by +his life, lest God's name be blasphemed. It is a grand thing to be a +Christian, who, as has been stated, is a new man created after God +and a true image of God, wherein God himself desires to be reflected. +Therefore, whatever of good a Christian does, or whatever of evil he +does, under the name of a Christian, either honors or disgraces God's +name. Now, says Paul, whenever you follow your lusts, in obedience to +your old Adam, you do naught but give occasion to the slanderers—the +devil and his troop—to blaspheme the name of God. For the devil, +even without your assistance, at all times seeks opportunity—nor can +he desist—to befoul our dear Gospel and the name of God with his +slanderous tales, composed, if need be, entirely of lies. But where +he finds the semblance of occasion he knows how to profit by it. He +will then open his mouth wide and cry: Behold, these are your Gospel +people! Here you have the fruits of this new doctrine! Is their +Christ such a one as they honor by their lives?</p> + +<p>32. So then a Christian should be exceedingly careful and cautious +for this reason, if for no other: to protect the name and honor of +his dear God and Saviour and not to do the devil the favor of letting +him whet his slanderous tongue on Christ's name. How shall we stand +and answer in his sight when we cannot deny the fact that our life +gives just cause for complaint and offense? By such a life we +intentionally bring disgrace and shame upon God's name and Word, +which things should be our highest treasures and most valuable +possessions.</p> + +<p>33. When the apostle says, "Let him that stole steal no more: but +rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, +that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need," he indicates +the true fruit of repentance, which consists in abandoning and +utterly abstaining from evil and in doing good. He at the same time +attacks and reproves the sin of theft so common in all walks of life. +And them who idle away their time and neglect their duty of serving +and helping their fellow-beings, he calls—and rightfully—thieves in +God's sight.</p> + +<p>34. For the right interpretation of the commandment, Thou shalt not +steal, is this: Thou shalt live of thine own work, that thou mayest +have to give to the needy. This is your bounden duty, and if you do +not so God will pronounce you not a Christian but a thief and robber. +In the first place, because you are an idler and do not support +yourself, but live by the sweat and toil of others; in the second +place, because you withhold from your neighbor what you plainly owe +him. Where now shall we find those who keep this commandment? Indeed, +where should we dare look for them except where no people live? But +such a class of people should Christians be. Therefore, let each of +us beware lest he deceive himself; for God will not be mocked nor +deceived. Gal 6, 7.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm23"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Twentieth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Ephesians 5, 15-21.</center> + +<blockquote>15 Look therefore carefully how ye walk [See then that ye walk +circumspectly], not as unwise, but as wise; 16 redeeming the time, +because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not foolish, but +understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunken with +wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; 19 speaking one +to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and +making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always +for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the +Father; 21 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of +Christ.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>THE CAREFUL WALK OF THE CHRISTIAN.</h4> + +<p>1. Paul's admonition here is designed for those who, having heard the +Gospel and made a fine start in believing, immediately imagine +themselves secure and think they have accomplished all. Forgetful +that they are still flesh and blood, and in the world and in contact +with the devil's kingdom, they live in unconcern, as if delivered +from all danger, and the devil far fled. By the very reason of their +security they are overcome of the devil and their own flesh, and fall +unawares from the Gospel. They have just enough connection with it to +be able to prate of it, boasting themselves Christians but giving no +indication of the fact in their conduct.</p> + +<p>2. Paul would tell them how, in view of these things, vigilance is +essential to the Christian life. To regulate the life by keeping +God's will ever before the eyes, always conforming the conduct to +it—this he calls walking circumspectly and being wise. If you for a +moment lose sight of God's will, the devil immediately possesses you +and works pernicious results, transforming a Christian into an +indolent, self-secure hypocrite; a hypocrite into a heretic and +factionist; and a heretic into an open enemy. So the apostle here +teaches that in all seriousness if we would secure ourselves against +the craft and power of the devil we must be vigilant; we must be +careful how we walk. In Satan we have an enemy bent on hindering us; +on undermining our very foundation.</p> + +<p>3. Consequently they who fail to keep earnest watch over their +Christian life—that is, to have a care for soundness of belief and +to gladly hear and obey the Word of God—are unwise, even foolish, +and have no knowledge of God's will. They have removed the light from +before their eyes to behold instead a thing of their own imagination. +They see as through a painted glass, presuming they do well in +following such phantoms of their reason, until they are misled and +defeated of the devil.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE WORD, THE GUIDE OF THE CHRISTIAN.</h4> + +<p>4. Therefore, not without reason does Paul warn Christians to be +always wise and circumspect—to keep the Word of God before them. +Upon so doing depends their wisdom and understanding. Let each one +make it a matter of personal concern, and especially should it be the +general interest of the congregation. Where care is not observed to +retain the Word in the Church, but there are admitted to the pulpit +brawlers who set forth their own fraudulent doctrines, the Church is +injured; the congregation will soon be as the preacher. Again, if the +individual fails to regulate his daily life—the affairs of his +calling—by the Word of God; if he forgets the Word and absorbs +himself in accumulating wealth; if he is tangled with secular +interests, he soon becomes a cold and indolent Christian, then an +erring soul, and finally utterly disregards God's will and his Word.</p> + +<p>It is for these reasons God so frequently commands us in the +Scriptures continually to explain and apply his Word, to hear it +willingly and practice it faithfully, and to meditate upon it day and +night. He would have our lives emanate from the Word in honor to God +and gratitude to him—from the Word wherein we daily look as in a +mirror. But care and diligence are necessary to bring it to pass, and +we should faithfully assist each other by instruction, advice, and in +other ways.</p> + +<p>5. In my admonitions I have often enough urged those who have +influence, to use all diligence in drawing the young to school, where +they may receive proper instruction to become pastors and preachers; +and I have earnestly advised that in cases of necessity ample +financial provision be made for students. But, alas, few communities, +few States, are interested in the matter. In all Germany, look at the +bishops, princes, noblemen, the inhabitants of town and country—how +confidently they go on sleeping and snoring in their indifference to +the question. They presume to think there is no need for action; the +matter will adjust itself; there will always be pastors and +preachers. But assuredly they deceive themselves if they think they +are consulting their best interests in this affair; for they will, as +the text says, become foolish and fail to recognize the will of God. +Therefore they will some day have to experience what they do not now +believe: in a few years after our day they will seek preachers and +find none; they will have to hear rude, illiterate dolts who, lacking +understanding of the Word of God, will, like all stupid Papists, +preach the vile, offensive things of the Pope, about consecrated +water and salt, about gray gowns, new monasteries and the like.</p> + +<p>6. Cry, preach and admonish as we will, no one will hear; foreseeing +which, Paul prophesies that they who observe not God's will, become +unwise, foolish, and consequently waste the day of grace and neglect +their salvation. Now, it is God's will we should sanctify his name, +love and advance his Word, and so aid in building up his kingdom. +When we fulfill his will in these things, he will regard our desires, +providing us with daily bread and granting peace and happiness.</p> + +<p>7. Now, it should be our chief concern to preserve to ourselves the +Word and will of God. That would truly be wisdom, and redeeming the +time. But failing therein, it must be with us as with the unwise and +fools; we will have to hear the declaration: "Since you refuse to +sanctify my name, to advance my kingdom and to do my will, neither +will I provide you daily bread, nor forgive your sins, nor keep from +temptation and deliver from evil." God will then permit us to deplore +the great calamities of the world—its turmoil and wickedness, the +cause whereof the world attributes to the Gospel. But the punishment +just mentioned must be visited upon them who will not recognize the +will of God and submit to it. These, however, desire to justify +themselves and are unwilling to receive censure for having conducted +themselves unwisely, even foolishly.</p> + +<p>8. So much for a general observation upon the expression "walking +wisely and circumspectly"; so much upon unwise conduct in regard to +matters of vital importance to the Church, which have to do with the +office of the ministry and with God's Word. Where the ministry and +the Word of God are preserved, there will always be some among the +masses to attend upon the preaching of the Word and to conform their +lives to it. But when the Bible leaves the pulpit, little good will +be accomplished, even though one here and there be able to read the +Scriptures for themselves and imagine they have no need of the +preached Word. Where will the untaught masses stand? Note how it has +been with the poor people in our time who were misled by Münzer and +Munster, and their prophets and factionists.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PUBLIC PREACHING OF THE WORD ENJOINED.</h4> + +<p>Then let everyone lend earnest effort to promote public preaching of +the Word everywhere, and public attendance upon that preaching; and +thus rightly to found and build up the Church. Let him also put on +the wedding garment himself (mentioned in the Gospel for today); let +him take care to be found an earnest advocate of the Word of God, +uninfluenced by thoughts common to the secure spirit: "Oh, there are +pastors and preachers enough for me. I can hear or read the Word when +I please; have access to it any day. I must give first attention to +bread-winning and like things. Let others look out for themselves." +Take care, my dear sir; you can easily fail by carelessness here and +be found without the wedding garment, perhaps may die without it, +unaware how you are being deceived. Whose fault will it be but your +own since you would not hear Paul's admonition to walk wisely and +circumspectly?</p> + +<p>9. We should make provision while the opportunity is at our doors, +for, judging from the present course of the world, it will not long +retain what it has. Everywhere men are diligently helping to hunt +down ministers, or at least to so bring to bear upon them hunger and +poverty, to so oppose them with secret fraud, as to drive them from +the land. And little trouble and labor will be required to accomplish +it. We shall only too soon be rid of our ministers and have their +places amply supplied by deceivers. I would much rather suffer in +hell with Judas the Betrayer than to bear the guilt of accomplishing +one minister's death or of being instrumental in offering place to +one deceiver. For it would not be so intolerable to suffer the +anguish of the betrayer of Christ as to endure that of one who, by +his sin in this respect, is responsible for the loss of countless +souls.</p> +<br> + +<h4>NECESSITY OF IMPROVING THE TIME.</h4> + +<p>10. Paul goes on to elaborate his admonition by explaining what it is +to walk circumspectly and wisely—to "redeem the time, because the +days are evil." In other words: Think not happy days are in store for +you and you may defer duty till better times; better times will never +be. The devil is always in the world to hinder your every effort to +do good, and his opposition increases with time. The longer you +tarry, the less your power to accomplish good; wasted time only makes +matters worse. Then redeem the time; grasp your opportunities as best +you can. Let no interest be so dear to you as the promotion of God's +kingdom and the serving of the public in every good and useful way +possible, whatever befall yourself.</p> + +<p>11. Christ in like manner says to the Jews: "While ye have the light, +believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light." Jn 12, 36. +And Paul, after quoting from Isaiah 49, 8, adds: "Behold, now is the +acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor 6, 2. So +his counsel in our text means: Take heed you receive not the grace of +God in vain. Or, neglect not the matter of your salvation; enjoy +while you may the opportunity of furthering the kingdom of God, for +the sake of your own and others' salvation. Defer not the thing to +another time, lest the opportunity escape you.</p> + +<p>Elsewhere (Gal 6, 10) the apostle says, "As we have opportunity, let +us work that which is good." In other words: Act now, while you may. +Your time passes with astonishing rapidity. Be not deceived, then, by +the thought, "Oh, I can attend to the matter a year from now—two +years—three." That is simply foolish. It is an unwise conclusion of +the thoughtless. Before they are aware, they have lost the salvation +extended them. They defer to consider God's will, putting it off for +a season, until they shall have accomplished their own aims; then +they have deferred too long.</p> + +<p>12. The Lord comes to your door. You do not have to seek him. If you +are grateful he tarries to speak with you. But if you let him pass by +you will have to complain as did the bride in Song of Solomon 5, 6: +"I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and +was gone ... I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, +but he gave me no answer." Think not you will find the Lord when he +has once gone, though you traverse the world. But while he is near +you may seek and find; as Isaiah says (ch. 55, 6), "Seek ye Jehovah +while he may be found." If through your neglect he pass by, all +seeking then will be vain.</p> + +<p>For more than twenty years in my cloister I experienced the meaning +of such disappointment. I sought God with great toil and with severe +mortification of the body, fasting, watching, singing and praying. In +this way I shamefully wasted my time and found not the Lord. The more +I sought and the nearer I thought I was to him, the farther away I +got. No, God does not permit us to find him so. He must first come +and seek us where we are. We may not pursue and overtake him. That is +not his will.</p> + +<p>13. Then be careful to avail yourself of the present opportunity. +Embrace it while he is near, and faithfully consider what he requires +of you. To ascertain this, go to the Creed and the Ten Commandments. +They will tell you. Regulate your life by them. Be helped by the +Lord's Prayer. Begin with yourself; then pray for the Church. Let it +be your desire that God's name be everywhere sanctified and that your +life conform to his will. If you are faithful in these things, +assuredly you will walk wisely; you will avoid sin and do good. For +the study and practice of these precepts will leave you no +opportunity to do evil. God's Word will soon teach you to sanctify +his name, to extend his kingdom, to do your neighbor no injury in +mind, body or estate.</p> + +<p>14. Observe this is "redeeming the time." This is employing it well, +while the golden days last in which we have remission from pain and +sin. Not such remission as the Pope grants in his jubilees, wherein +he deceives the world. Right here let us be careful not to cheat +ourselves with the false idea that salvation cannot escape us. Let it +not be with us as befell the children of Israel, of whom it is said +in Psalms 95, 11 and Hebrews 4, 3 that because of their unbelief they +entered not into the rest of God. They would not accept their +opportunity in the forty years wherein he gave them his Word and +showed them his wonders, daily admonishing them and calling to +repentance and faith. They but tempted and provoked him the more. +Hence another admonition was given the people of God and a certain +day appointed: "Today if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your +hearts." Heb 4, 7. Every day with us is "today" and we are permitted +to hear God's voice still imploring us not to waste the time.</p> + +<p>15. Surely we ought supremely to thank God, as the latter part of our +text enjoins, for the great blessing of his nearness to us. We have +his presence in our homes. He is with us at our board, by our +couch—anywhere we desire him. He offers us all assistance and grants +all we may ask. So gracious a guest should indeed receive our high +esteem. We ought to honor him while he is with us.</p> + +<p>16. Well may we pray, as I have said. There is too much slumbering +everywhere in Germany. We cannot perceive how it is possible to +preserve the Gospel and fill the pulpits for ten years longer. To +such extent does wickedness rage in the world that blindness and +error must sweep it as before. And no one will be to blame but the +stupid bishops and princes, and those of us who esteem not the Word +of God.</p> +<br> + +<h4>INGRATITUDE WILL BE PUNISHED.</h4> + +<p>Alas, that I am compelled against my will to be a prophet of ill to +Germany. Yet it is not I, but the prayer of my Lord and your Lord; +for according to its teachings he will say: "You neglected my Word. +Unwilling to tolerate it, you persecuted and starved out its +messengers. Therefore I will withhold your daily bread and give +instead famine and war and murder, unto utter desolation; for you +wish to have it so. Then when you cry for forgiveness of sins and +deliverance from the evils come upon you, I will hear you as you +heard my Word, my entreaties. I will leave you in your misfortunes as +you left me and my Word."</p> + +<p>17. In fact, no one for a moment thinks of how God has signally, +richly and graciously blessed us; how we are in possession of actual +paradise—yes, the entire kingdom of heaven—if we only recognized +the fact: and yet we shamefully, ungratefully and unreasonably reject +the kingdom; as if it were not enough for us to overstep the Ten +Commandments in our disobedience, but must even trample under foot +the mercy God offers in the Gospel. Then why should we be surprised +if he send down wrath upon us? What else is he to do but fulfill our +Gospel passage for today, which threatens every individual rejecter +and persecutor of God's Son and his servants, by whom we are invited +to the marriage—what else is God to do but send out a divine army of +servants to arrest the career of such murderers and to terminate +their existence? We are given a special illustration—an example to +the world—in the instance of the fate of Jerusalem, and in fact of +the entire Jewish nation. They sinned unceasingly against all God's +commandments, and when he proclaimed grace and offered forgiveness of +sins, they trampled upon his mercy. Should Christ not revenge himself +when they shamed and mocked his precious blood?</p> + +<p>18. Unto all the abominable sins mentioned, we must heap blasphemies; +for when wrath and punishment come upon us we make outcry, +complaining that the Gospel—or the new doctrine, as it is now +called—is responsible. The Jews blame us Christians alone for the +fact that they are scattered throughout the world. Their prayers day +and night are directed against us, in blasphemies and reproaches +inexpressible. Nevertheless, it was not the Christians who harassed +and scattered them, but the heathenish Roman emperor.</p> + +<p>But whom other than themselves have the Jews to blame for their +condition? for they would not tolerate Christ, when he brought them +only help and boundless grace. Refusing to accept him whom God gave +and in whom he promised all blessings, they necessarily lost their +daily bread from God, except as they rebelliously extort it by usury +and wickedness. They had also to suffer the loss of their national +life, their priesthood and public worship, forgiveness of sins and +redemption, and so remain eternally captive under the wrath and +condemnation of God. Such is the just and inevitable punishment of +the unwise—the foolish—who refused to recognize their opportunity +when Christ was with them.</p> + +<p>19. With this terrible example before our eyes, we are still +unrepentant, pursuing the same course the Jews followed, not only in +disobedience to the will of God, but in rejecting his grace. For that +grace we should earnestly long and pray, striving to secure to our +children after us baptism, the ministry and the sacrament, in their +purity. In return for our perversity, it will eventually be with us +as with the Jews and other ungrateful persecutors and rejecters.</p> + +<p>20. Then let him who will receive advice and help, faithfully heed +Paul's counsel and redeem the time, not sleeping away the blessed +golden hour of grace; as Christ earnestly admonishes in the parable +of the five foolish virgins. Mt 25, 13. The foolish virgins might +have made their purchases in season, before the bridegroom's arrival; +but failing to attend to the matter until time to meet the +bridegroom, they missed both the market and the wedding.</p> + +<p>21. The ancient poets and sages make use of a similar illustration at +the expense of the cricket or grasshopper. As the fable runs, when +winter came the grasshoppers, having nothing to eat, went to the ants +and asked them to divide their gathered store. "What did you in the +summer time that you gathered nothing?" asked the ants. "We sang," +the grasshoppers replied. "If you sang in the summer, you must dance +for it in the winter," was the response. Similarly should fools +unwilling to learn the will of God be answered. Terrible and alarming +is the wrath of God when with scorn and mockery he turns away a soul. +In Proverbs 1, 24 and 26 he threatens: "Because I have called, and ye +have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath +regarded.... I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will +mock when your fear cometh."</p> + +<p>22. Some may ask what Paul means by adding to the phrase, "Redeeming +the time," the modifier, "because the days are evil"; if we are to +regard the present opportunity golden, why are the days evil?</p> +<br> + +<h4>EVIL DOCTRINES EVER OPPOSE THE CHRISTIAN.</h4> + +<p>23. I answer: The time is unquestionably good so long as the Gospel +is sounded—is faithfully preached and received. At the same time, +even today the world is filled with evils, factions, false theories +and bad examples of every sort; much of this wickedness is inherent +in ourselves. With these things the Christian must always contend; +the devil pursues, and our own flesh discourages us and allures from +recognition and observance of the divine will. If we strive not +against it, we shall soon lose sight of God's will, to our own +injury, even while listening to the Gospel. For the devil's strongest +fury is exerted to befoul the world with fanaticism, and to draw from +the pure doctrine of faith into that evil even them who possess the +Gospel. Moreover, being still flesh and blood we are always +self-secure, unwilling to be led by the Spirit, and indolent and +unresponsive in relation to the Word of God and to prayer. Again, in +the outward walks of life, in temporal conditions, only obstacles and +evils meet us everywhere, impeding our spiritual progress and +impelling us to suppress the Gospel and to rend the Church.</p> + +<p>24. Let no one, then, expect to enjoy an era of peace and pleasure +here on earth. Although the present time is in itself good, and God +bestows upon us the golden year of his Word and his grace, yet the +devil is here with his factions and followers, and our own flesh +supports him. He corrupts the blessed days of grace at every possible +opportunity, and so oppresses Christians that they must contend +against him with their utmost strength and vigilance if they would +not, through the influence of evils and obstacles, be wrested from +the Gospel they have received, and if they would persevere therein +unto the end.</p> + +<p>Wherefore, we have the best reasons to adapt ourselves to the present +time in the best possible way; to walk wisely and circumspectly, +showing all faithfulness to the will of God; obeying it while we have +opportunity—while still in possession of God's Word, his grace and +his Spirit. Being opposed and obstructed by the devil and our own +flesh, we must, as Paul implies, be wise and careful; we must guard +against following them. If we fail in this respect, it will not avail +us to pretend we did not know our duty, or had not time to perform it +and consequently could not cope with them. So, then, we are to +understand by "evil days" the allurements that lead us away from +God's Word and his will.</p> + +<blockquote>"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess."</blockquote> + +<p>25. The apostle touches upon several evils strongly tending to waste +of time and neglect of the golden opportunity. Especially is +drunkenness one, for drink makes men particularly self-secure, +reckless and disorderly. The evil was formerly common in Greece, and +in Germany today are men who delight in being riotously drunk night +and day. Such individuals are utterly lacking in the faithfulness and +interest essential to following the will of God. They are unable, +even in temporal affairs, to persistently apply themselves, much less +to be opportune. Indeed, so beastly and swinish do they become, they +lose all sense of either shame or honor; they have no modesty nor any +human feeling. Alas, examples are before our eyes plainer and more +numerous than we can depict.</p> + +<p>26. Paul's words of admonition, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and +hymns and spiritual songs," are treated in the epistle passage for +the fifth Sunday after Epiphany, where the text is similar.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm24"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Twenty First Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Ephesians 6, 10-17.</center> + +<blockquote>10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. +11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand +against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against +flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, +against the worldrulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts +of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Wherefore take up the whole +armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, +having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your +loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, +15 and having shod your foot with the preparation of the gospel of +peace; 16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be +able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 And take the +helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word +of God.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>THE CHRISTIAN ARMOR AND WEAPONS.</h4> + +<p>This epistle text is fully expounded in "The Explanations and Sermons +on Paul's Epistles"—in the sermon on Ephesians 6, 10-17, entitled +"The Christian Armor and Weapons," preached in the year 1533.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm25"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Twenty Second Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Philippians 1, 3-11.</center> + +<blockquote>3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every +supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with +joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the +first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he +who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus +Christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of +you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my +bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are +partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how I long after +you in all the tender mercies of Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, +that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all +discernment; 10 so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; +that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ; 11 +being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through +Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>PAUL'S THANKS AND PRAYERS FOR CHURCHES.</h4> + +<p>1. First, the apostle Paul thanks God, as his custom is in the +beginning of his epistles, for the grace whereby the Philippians came +into the fellowship of the Gospel and were made partakers of it. +Secondly, his desire and prayer to God is for their increase in the +knowledge of the Gospel, and their more abundant fruits. His intent +in extolling the Gospel is to admonish them to remain steadfast in +their faith, continuing as they have begun and as they now stand. +Apparently this is a simple passage, especially to learned and apt +students of the Scriptures. They may not think it holds any great +truth to be discovered. Yet we must explain this and like discourses +for the benefit of some who do not fully understand it, and who +desire to learn.</p> + +<p>2. These words give us an exact delineation of the Christian heart +that sincerely believes in the holy Gospel. Such hearts are rare in +the world. It is especially difficult to find one so beautiful as we +observe here unless it be among the beloved apostles or those who +approached them in Christ-likeness. For in the matter of faith we +today are entirely too indolent and indifferent.</p> + +<p>3. But the Christian heart is such as inspired Paul's words; here its +characteristics are shown. He rejoices in the Gospel with his inmost +soul. He thanks God that others have come into its fellowship. His +confidence is firm regarding certain beginners in the faith, and he +is so interested in their salvation he rejoices in it as much as in +his own, seeming unable to thank God sufficiently for it. He +unceasingly prays that he may live to see many come with him into +such fellowship and be preserved therein until the day of the Lord +Jesus Christ, who shall perfect and complete all the defects of this +earthly life. He prays these beginners may go forth faultlessly in +faith and hope until that joyful day.</p> + +<p>4. Thus the godly apostle expresses himself, pouring out the depths +of his heart—a heart filled with the real fruits of the Spirit and +of faith. It burns with love and joy whenever he sees the Gospel +recognized, accepted and honored, and the Church flourishing. Paul +can conceive for the converts no loftier desire—can offer no greater +petition for them than to implore God they may increase and persevere +in the Gospel faith. Such is the inestimable value he places upon +possessing and holding fast God's Word. And Christ in Luke 11, 28 +pronounces blessed those who keep the Word of God.</p> +<br> + +<h4>I. THE DUTY OF GRATITUDE.</h4> + +<p>5. Now, the first thing in which Paul is here an example to us is his +gratitude. It behooves the Christian who recognizes the grace and +goodness of God expressed in the Gospel, first of all to manifest his +thankfulness therefor; toward God—his highest duty—and toward men. +As Christians who have abandoned the false services and sacrifices +that in our past heathenish blindness we zealously practiced, let us +remember our obligation henceforth to be the more fervent in offering +true service and right sacrifices to God. We can render him no +better—in fact, none other—service, or outward work, than the +thank-offering, as the Scriptures term it. That is, receiving and +honoring the grace of God and the preaching and hearing of his Word, +and furthering their operation, not only in word, but sincerely in +our hearts and with all our physical and spiritual powers. This is +the truest gratitude.</p> + +<p>6. God calls that a "pure offering" which is rendered to him "among +the gentiles" (Mal 1, 11), where his name is not preached and praised +from avariciousness, not from pride and presumption in the priesthood +and in the holiness of human works. These motives actuated the +boasting Jews, who, as God charges in this reference, presumptuously +thought to receive honor from him for every trivial service like +closing a door or opening a window. But the offering of the gentiles +is joyfully rendered from a sincere, willing heart. This kind of +thanksgiving and sacrifices are acceptable to God, for he says in +Psalms 110, 3, "Thy people shall be willing"; and in Second +Corinthians 9, 7, "God loveth a cheerful giver." The knowledge of the +Gospel should inspire us with gratitude of this order. Let us not be +found unthankful, and forgetful of God's infinite goodness.</p> +<br> + +<h4>INGRATITUDE DENOUNCED BY THE HEATHEN.</h4> + +<p>7. The heathen everywhere, despite their ignorance of God and his +grace, condemned to the utmost the evil of ingratitude. They regarded +it the mother of evils, than which was none more malevolent and +shameful. Among many examples in this respect is one left us by a +people in Arabia called Nabathians, who had an excellent form of +government. So strict were they in regard to this evil that anyone +found guilty of ingratitude to his fellows was looked upon as a +murderer and punished with death.</p> + +<p>8. No sin is more abominable to human nature, and of none is human +nature less tolerant. It is easier to forgive and to forget the act +of an enemy who commits a bodily injury, or even murders one's +parents, than it is to forget the sin of him who repays simple +kindness and fidelity with ingratitude and faithlessness; who for +love and friendship returns hatred. In the sentiment of the Latin +proverb, to be so rewarded is like rearing a serpent in one's bosom. +God likewise regards this sin with extreme enmity and punishes it. +The Scriptures say: "Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not +depart from his house." Prov 17, 13.</p> + +<p>9. Thus we have the teaching of nature and of reason regarding the +sin of men's ingratitude toward one another. How much greater the +evil, how much more shameful and accursed, when manifested toward God +who, in his infinite and ineffable goodness, conferred upon us while +yet enemies to him and deserving of the fires of hell—conferred upon +us, I say, not ten dollars, not a hundred thousand dollars even, but +redemption from divine wrath and eternal death, and abundantly +comforted us, granting us safety, a good conscience, peace and +salvation! These are inexpressible blessings, incomprehensible in +this life. And they will continue to occupy our minds in yonder +eternal life. How much more awful the sin of ingratitude for these +blessings, as exemplified in the servant mentioned in the Gospel +passage for today, to whom was forgiven the debt of ten thousand +talents and who yet would not forgive the debt of his fellow-servant +who owed him a hundred pence!</p> + +<p>10. Is it not incredible that there are to be found on earth +individuals wicked enough to manifest for the highest and eternal +blessings such unspeakable ingratitude? But alas, we have the +evidence of our own eyes. We know them in their very dwelling-places. +We see how the world abounds with them. Not only are the ingrates to +be found among deliberate rejecters of the acknowledged truth of the +Gospel, concerning God's grace, an assured conscience and the promise +of eternal life, terrible as such malice of the devil is, but they +are present also in our midst, accepting the Gospel and boasting of +it. Such shameful ingratitude prevails among the masses it would not +be strange were God to send upon them the thunders and lightnings of +his wrath, yes, all the Turks and the devils of hell.</p> + +<p>There is a generally prevalent ingratitude like that of the wicked +servant who readily forgot the straits he experienced when, being +called to account for what he could not pay, the wrathful sentence +was pronounced against him that he and all he possessed must be sold, +and he be indefinitely imprisoned. Nor have we less readily forgotten +how we were tortured under the Papacy; how we were overwhelmed, +drowned as in a flood, with numberless strange doctrines, when our +anxious consciences longed for salvation. Now that we are, through +the grace of God, liberated from these distresses, our gratitude is +of a character to increasingly heap to ourselves the wrath of God. So +have others before us done, and consequently have endured terrible +chastisement.</p> + +<p>11. Only calculate the enormity of our wickedness when, God having +infinitely blessed us in forgiving all our sins and making us lords +over heaven and earth, we so little respect him as to be unmindful of +his blessings; to be unwilling for the sake of them sincerely to +forgive our neighbor a single slighting word, not to mention +rendering him service. We conduct ourselves as if God might be +expected to connive at our ingratitude and permit us to continue in +it, at the same time conferring upon us as godly and obedient +children, success and happiness. More than this, we think we have the +privilege and power to live and do as we please. Indeed, the more +learning and power we have and the more exalted our rank, the greater +knaves we are; perpetrating every wicked deed, stirring up strife, +discord, war and murder for the sake of executing our own arbitrary +designs, where the question is the surrender of a penny in +recognition of the hundreds of thousands of dollars daily received +from God notwithstanding our ingratitude.</p> + +<p>12. Two mighty lords clash with each other like powerful battering +rams, and for what? Perhaps for undisputed possession of a city or +two, a matter they must be ashamed of did they but call to mind what +they have received from God. They would be constrained to exclaim: +"What are we doing that we injure one another—we who are all +baptized in one name, the name of Christ, and pledged to one Lord?" +But no, it will not do for them to consider this matter; not even to +think of it. They must turn their eyes away from it, and put it far +from their hearts. Wholly forgetting God's benefits, they must wage +war against each other, involving nations, and subjecting people to +the Turk. And all for sake of the insignificant farthing each refused +to yield to the other.</p> + +<p>13. The world permits the very devil to saddle and ride it as he +pleases. It seems to be characteristic of every phase of life that +one will not yield to another—will not submit to any demand. +Everyone is disposed to force his arrogant authority. The presumption +is that supreme honor and final success depend upon an unyielding, +unforgiving disposition, and that to seek to retain our possessions +by peaceable means will prove our ruin. Even the two remaining cows +in the stall must be brought into requisition, and war waged to the +last stick, until when the mutineer comes and we have neither cow nor +stall, nor house nor stick, we are obliged to cease.</p> +<br> + +<h4>RETRIBUTION FOLLOWS INGRATITUDE.</h4> + +<p>Oh, had we but grace enough to reflect on how it would be with us did +God require us, as he has a perfect right to do, to pay our whole +indebtedness, none being forgiven! grace enough to think whether we +would not this very moment be in the abyss of hell! But so must it +finally be with those who disregard the question and continually heap +to themselves the wrath of God, being at the same time unwilling for +him to deal otherwise with them than he did with the servant he +forgave. But against that servant was finally passed the irrevocable +sentence which, without mercy, delivered him to the tormentor till he +should pay the debt, something he could never do.</p> + +<p>14. Nor is there any wrong or injustice in this ruling. For, as St. +Bernhard says, ingratitude is an evil damnable and pernicious enough +to quench all the springs of grace and blessing known to God and men; +it is like a poison-laden, burning, destructive wind. Human nature +will not tolerate it. Nor can God permit you, upon whom he has +bestowed all grace and goodness, all spiritual and temporal blessing, +to go on continually in wickedness, defiantly abusing his benevolence +and dishonoring him; you thus recklessly bring upon yourself his +wrath. For God cannot bless you if you are ungrateful, if you reject +his goodness and give it no place in your heart.</p> + +<p>In such case the fountain of grace and mercy that continually springs +for all who sincerely desire it, must be quenched for you. You cannot +enjoy it. It would afford you an abundant and unceasing supply of +water did you not yourself dry it up by the deadly wind of your +ingratitude; by shamefully forgetting the ineffable goodness God +bestows upon you; and by failing to honor the blood of Christ the +Lord, wherewith he purchased us and reconciled us to God—failing to +honor it enough to forgive your neighbor, for Christ's sake, a single +wrong word.</p> + +<p>15. What heavy burden is there for the individual who, in submission +and gratitude to his God, and in honor to Christ, would conduct +himself something like a Christian? It will cost him no great effort +nor trouble. It will not break any bones nor injure him in property +or honor. Even were it to affect him to some trifling extent, to +incur for him some slight injustice, he should remember what God has +given him, and will still give, of his grace and goodness.</p> + +<p>Yes, why complain even were you, in some measure, to endanger body +and life? What did not the Son of God incur for you? It was not +pleasure for him to take upon himself the wrath of God, to bear the +curse for you. It cost him bloody sweat and unspeakable anguish of +heart, as well as the sacrifice of his body, the shedding of his +blood, when he bore for you the wrath and curse of God, which would +have rested upon you forever. Yet he did it cheerfully and with +fervent love. Should you not, then, be ashamed in your own heart, and +humiliated before all creatures, to be so slow and dull, so +stock-and-stone-hardened, about enduring and forgiving an occasional +unkind word—something to be suffered in token of honor and gratitude +to him? What more noble than, for the sake of Christ, to incur +danger, to suffer injury, to aid the poor and needy? in particular to +further the Word of God and to support the ministry, the pulpit and +the schools?</p> + +<p>16. It would be no marvel had Germany long ago sunk to ruin, or had +it been razed to its very foundations by Turks and Tartars, because +of its diabolical forgetfulness, its damnable rejection, of God's +unspeakable grace. Indeed, it is a wonder the earth continues to +support us and the sun still gives us light. Because of our +ingratitude, well might the heavens become dark and the earth be +perverted—as the Scriptures teach (Ps 106)—and suffer the fate of +Sodom and Gomorrah, no longer yielding a leaf nor a blade of grass, +but completely turned from its course—well might it be so did not +God, for the sake of the few godly Christians known and acknowledged +of him, forbear and still delay.</p> +<br> + +<h4>EXAMPLES OF INGRATITUDE FOR THE GOSPEL.</h4> + +<p>17. Wherever we turn our eyes we see, in all conditions of life, a +deluge of terrible examples of ingratitude for the precious Gospel. +We see how kings, princes and lords scratch and bite; how they envy +and hate one another, oppressing their own people and destroying +their own countries; how they tax themselves with not so much as a +single Christian thought about ameliorating the wretchedness of +Germany and securing for the oppressed Church somewhere a shelter of +defense against the murderous attacks of devil, Pope and Turks. The +noblemen rake and rend, robbing whomever they can, prince or +otherwise, and especially the poor Church; like actual devils, they +trample under foot pastors and preachers. Townsmen and farmers, too, +are extremely avaricious, extortionate and treacherous; they +fearlessly perpetrate every sort of insolence and wickedness, and +without shame and unpunished. The earth cries to heaven, unable +longer to tolerate its oppression.</p> + +<p>18. But why multiply words? It is in vain so far as the world is +concerned; no admonition will avail. The world remains the devil's +own. We must remember we shall not by any means find with the world +that Christian heart pictured by the apostle; on the contrary we +shall find what might be represented by a picture of the very +opposite type—the most shameless ingratitude. But let the still +existing God-fearing Christians be careful to imitate in their +gratitude the spirit of the apostle's beautiful picture. Let them +give evidence of their willingness to hear the Word of God, of +pleasure and delight in it and grief where it is rejected. Let them +show by their lives a consciousness of the great blessing conferred +by those from whom they received the Gospel. As recipients of such +goodness, let their hearts and lips ever be ready with the happy +declaration: "God be praised!" For thereunto are we called. As before +said, praise should be the constant service and daily sacrifice of +Christians; and according to Paul's teaching here, the Christian's +works, his fruits of righteousness, should shine before men. Such +manifestation of gratitude assuredly must result when we comprehend +what God has given us.</p> + +<p>19. Notwithstanding the world's refusal to be influenced by the +recognition of God's goodness, and in spite of the fact that we are +obliged daily to see, hear and suffer the world's increasing +ungratefulness the longer it stands, we must not allow ourselves to +be led into error; for we will be unable to change it. We must preach +against the evil of ingratitude wherever possible, severely censuring +it, and faithfully admonish all men to guard against it. At the same +time we have to remember the world will not submit. Although +compelled to live among the ungrateful, we are not for that reason to +fall into error nor to cease from doing good. Let our springs be +dispersed abroad, as Solomon says in Proverbs 5, 16. Let us +continually do good, not faltering when others receive our good as +evil. Just as God causes his sun to rise on the thankful and the +unthankful. Mt 5, 45.</p> + +<p>20. But if your good works are wrought with the object of securing +the thanks and applause of the world, you will meet with a reception +quite the reverse. Your reward will justly be that of him who crushes +with his teeth the hollow nut only to defile his mouth. Now, if when +ingratitude is met with, you angrily wish to pull down mountains, and +resolve to give up doing good, you are no longer a Christian. You +injure yourself and accomplish nothing. Can you not be mindful of +your environment—that you are still in the world where vice and +ingratitude hold sway? that you are, as the phrase goes, with "those +who return evil for good"? He who would escape this fact must flee +the boundaries of the world. It requires no great wisdom to live only +among the godly and do good, but the keenest judgment is necessary to +live with the wicked and not do evil.</p> + +<p>21. Christianity should be begun in youth, to give practice in the +endurance that will enable one to do good to all men while expecting +evil in return. Not that the Christian is to commend and approve evil +conduct; he is to censure and restrain wickedness to the limit of the +authority his position in life affords. It is the best testimony to +the real merit of a work when its beneficiaries are not only +ungrateful but return evil. For its results tend to restrain the doer +from a too high opinion of himself, and the character of the work is +too precious in God's sight for the world to be worthy of rewarding +it.</p> +<br> + +<h4>II. THE DUTY OF PRAYER.</h4> + +<p>22. The other Christian duty named by Paul in this passage is that of +prayer. The two obligations—gratitude for benefits received, and +prayer for the preservation and growth of God's work begun in us—are +properly related. Prayer is of supreme importance, for the devil and +the world assail us and delight in turning us aside; we have +continually to resist wickedness. So the conflict is a sore one for +our feeble flesh and blood, and we cannot stand unvanquished unless +there be constant, earnest invocation of divine aid. Gratitude and +prayer are essential and must accompany each other, according to the +requirements of the daily sacrifice of the Old Testament: the +offering of praise, or thank-offering, thanks to God for blessings +received; and the sacrifice of prayer, or the Lord's Prayer—the +petition against the wickedness and evil from which we would be +released.</p> + +<p>23. Our life has not yet reached the heights it is destined to +attain. We know here only its incipient first-fruits. Desire is not +satisfied; we have but a foretaste. As yet we only realize by faith +what is bestowed upon us; full and tangible occupancy is to come. +Therefore, we need to pray because of the limitations that bind our +earthly life, until we go yonder where prayer is unnecessary, and all +is happiness, purity of life and one eternal song of thanks and +praise to God.</p> + +<p>But heavenly praise and joy is to have its inception and a measure of +growth here on earth through the encouragement of prayer—prayer for +ourselves and the Church as a whole; that is, for them who have +accepted and believe the Gospel and are thus mutually helpful. For +the Gospel will receive greater exaltation and will inspire more joy +with the individual because of its acceptance by the many. So Paul +says he thanks God for the fellowship of the Philippians in the +Gospel, and offers prayer in their behalf.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PRAYER FOR OTHERS.</h4> + +<p>24. Yes, it should be the joy of a Christian heart to see multitudes +accept the offer of mercy, and praise and thank God with him. This +desire for the participation of others in the Gospel promotes the +spirit of prayer. The Christian cannot be a misanthrope, wholly +unconcerned whether his fellows believe or not. He should be +interested in all men and unceasingly long and pray for their +salvation; for the sanctification of God's name, the coming of his +kingdom, the fulfilment of his will; and for the exposure everywhere +of the devil's deceptions, the suppression of his murderous power +over poor souls and the restraint of his authority.</p> + +<p>25. This prayer should be the sincere, earnest outflow of the true +Christian's heart. Note, Paul's words here indicate that his praise +and prayer were inspired by a fervent spirit. It is impossible that +the words "I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, always in +every supplication" be the expression of any but a heart full of such +sentiments.</p> + +<p>Truly, Paul speaks in a way worthy of an apostle—saying he renders +praise and prayer with keenest pleasure. He rejoices in his heart +that he has somewhere a little band of Christians who love the Gospel +and with whom he may rejoice; that he may thank God for them and pray +in their behalf. Was there not much more reason that all they who had +heard the Gospel should rejoice, and thank Paul in heart and in +expression for it, praying God in his behalf? should rejoice that +they became worthy of the apostle's favor, were delivered from their +blindness and had now received from him the light transferring from +sin and death into the grace of God and eternal life?</p> + +<p>26. But Paul does not wait for them to take the initiative, as they +ought to have done to declare their joy and their gratitude to him. +In his first utterance he pours out the joy of his heart, fervently +thanking God for them, etc. Well might they have blushed, and +reproached themselves, when they received the epistle beginning with +these words. Well might they have said, "We should not have permitted +him to speak in this way; it was our place first to show him +gratitude and joy."</p> +<br> + +<h4>FEW BELIEVERS NO REASON FOR DISCOURAGEMENT.</h4> + +<p>27. We shall not soon be able to boast the attainment of that +beautiful, perfect Christian spirit the apostle's words portray. +Seeing how the apostle rejoices over finding a few believers in the +Gospel, why should we complain because of the smaller number who +accord us a hearing and seriously accept the Word of God? We have no +great reason to complain nor to be discouraged since Christ and the +prophets and apostles, meeting with the same backwardness on the part +of the people, still were gratified over the occasional few who +accepted the faith. We note how Christ rejoiced when now and then he +found one who had true faith, and on the other hand was depressed +when his own people refused to hear him, and reluctantly censured +them. And Paul did not meet with more encouragement. In all the Roman +Empire—and through the greater part of it he had traveled with the +Gospel—he only occasionally found a place where was even a small +band of earnest Christians; but over them he peculiarly rejoices, +finding in them greater consolation than in all the treasures on +earth.</p> + +<p>28. But it is a prophecy of good to the world, a portent of ultimate +success, that Christ and his apostles and ministers must rejoice over +an occasional reception of the beloved Word. Such acceptance will +tell in time. One would think all men might eagerly have hastened to +the ends of the earth to be afforded an opportunity of hearing an +apostle. But Paul had to go through the world himself upon his +ministry, enduring great fatigue and encountering privations and +grave dangers, being rejected and trampled upon by all men. However, +disregarding it all, he rejoiced to be able now and then to see some +soul accept the Gospel. In time past it was not necessary for the +Pope and his officials to run after anyone. They sat in lordly +authority in their kingdom, and all men had to obey their summons, +wherever wanted, and that without thanks.</p> + +<p>29. What running on the part of our fathers, even of many of us, as +if we were foolish—running from all countries, hundreds of miles, to +Jerusalem, to the holy sepulcher, to Compostella, St. James, Rome, to +the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul; some barefooted and others in +complete armor—all this, to say nothing of innumerable other +pilgrimages! We thus expended large sums of money, and thanked God, +and rejoiced to be able thereby to purchase the wicked indulgences of +the Pope and to be worthy to look upon or to kiss the bones of the +dead exhibited as holy relics, but preferably to kiss the feet of His +Most Holy Holiness, the Pope. This condition of things the world +desires again, and it shall have nothing better.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm26"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Twenty Third Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Philippians 3, 17-21.</center> + +<blockquote>17 Brethren, be ye imitators [followers] together of me, and mark +them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample. 18 For many +walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that +they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is +perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, +who mind earthly things. 20 For our citizenship [conversation] is in +heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 +who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation [change our vile +body], that it may be conformed [fashioned] to the body of his glory, +according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all +things unto himself.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST AND THE CHRISTIAN'S CITIZENSHIP IN +HEAVEN.</h4> + +<p>1. Paul immeasurably extols the Philippians for having made a good +beginning in the holy Gospel and for having acquitted themselves +commendably, like men in earnest, as manifest by their fruits of +faith. The reason he shows this sincere and strong concern for them +is his desire that they remain steadfast, not being led astray by +false teachers among the roaming Jews. For at that time many Jews +went about with the intent of perverting Paul's converts, pretending +they taught something far better; while they drew the people away +from Christ and back to the Law, for the purpose of establishing and +extending their Jewish doctrines.</p> + +<p>Paul, contemplating with special interest and pleasure his Church of +the Philippians, is moved by parental care to admonish them—lest +they sometime be misled by such teachers—to hold steadily to what +they have received, not seeking anything else and not imagining, like +self-secure, besotted souls who allow themselves to be deceived by +the devil—not imagining themselves perfect and with complete +understanding in all things. In the verses just preceding our text he +speaks of himself as having not yet attained to full knowledge.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PURITY OF DOCTRINE ENJOINED.</h4> + +<p>2. He particularly admonishes them to follow him and to mark those +ministers who walk as he does; also to shape their belief and conduct +by the pattern they have received from him. Not only of himself does +he make an example, but introduces them who similarly walk, several +of whom he mentions in this letter to the Philippians. The +individuals whom he bids them observe and follow must have been +persons of special eminence. But it is particularly the doctrine the +apostle would have the Philippians pattern after. Therefore we should +be chiefly concerned about preserving the purity of the office of the +ministry and the genuineness of faith. When these are kept unsullied, +doctrine will be right, and good works spontaneous. Later on, in +chapter 4, verse 8, Paul admonishes, with reference to the same +subject: "If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think +on these things."</p> + +<p>3. Apparently Paul is a rash man to dare boast himself a pattern for +all. Other ministers might well accuse him of desiring to exalt his +individual self above others. "Think you," our wise ones would say to +him, "that you alone have the Holy Spirit, or that no one else is as +eager for honor as yourself?" Just so did Miriam and Aaron murmur +against Moses, their own brother, saying: "Hath Jehovah indeed spoken +only with Moses? hath he not spoken also with us?" Num 12, 2. And it +would seem as if Paul had too high an appreciation of his own +character did he hold up his individual self as a pattern, intimating +that no one was to be noted as worthy unless he walked as he did; +though there might be some who apparently gave greater evidence of +the Spirit, of holiness, humility and other graces, than himself, and +yet walked not in his way.</p> + +<p>4. But he does not say "I, Paul, alone." He says, "as ye have us for +an example", that does not exclude other true apostles and teachers. +He is admonishing his Church, as he everywhere does, to hold fast to +the one true doctrine received from him in the beginning. They are +not to be too confident of their own wisdom in the matter, or to +presume they have independent authority; but rather to guard against +pretenders to a superior doctrine, for so had some been misled.</p> +<br> + +<h4>RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW IS VAIN.</h4> + +<p>5. In what respect he was a pattern or example to them, he has made +plain; for instance, in the beginning of this chapter, in the third +verse and following, he says: "For we are the circumcision, who +worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no +confidence in the flesh: though I myself might have confidence even +in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the +flesh, I yet more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of +Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews." That is, he +commands the highest honor a Jew can boast. "As touching the law," he +goes on, "a Pharisee; as touching zeal, persecuting the Church; as +touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. +Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for +Christ. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the +excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I +suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I +may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of +mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through +faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith."</p> + +<p>6. "Behold, this is the picture or pattern," he would say, "which we +hold up for you to follow, that remembering how you obtained +righteousness you may hold to it—a righteousness not of the Law." So +far as the righteousness of the Law is concerned, Paul dares to say +he regards it as filth and refuse (that proceeds from the human +body); notwithstanding in its beautiful and blameless form it may be +unsurpassed by anything in the world—such righteousness as was +manifest in sincere Jews, and in Paul himself before his conversion; +for these in their great holiness, regarded Christians as knaves and +meriting damnation, and consequently took delight in being party to +the persecution and murder of Christians.</p> + +<p>7. "Yet," Paul would say, "I who am a Jew by birth have counted all +this merit as simply loss that I might be found in 'the righteousness +which is from God by faith'." Only the righteousness of faith teaches +us how to apprehend God—how to confidently console ourselves with +his grace and await a future life, expecting to approach Christ in +the resurrection. By "approaching" him we mean to meet him in death +and at the judgment day without terror, not fleeing but gladly +drawing near and hailing him with joy as one waited for with intense +longing.</p> + +<p>Now, the righteousness of the Law cannot effect such confidence of +mind. Hence, for me it avails nothing before God; rather it is a +detriment. What does avail is God's imputation of righteousness for +Christ's sake, through faith. God declares to us in his Word that the +believer in his Son shall, for Christ's own sake, have God's grace +and eternal life. He who knows this is able to wait in hope for the +last day, having no fear, no disposition to flee.</p> + +<p>8. But is it not treating the righteousness of the Law with +irreverence and contempt to regard it—and so teach—as something not +only useless and even obstructive, but injurious, loathsome and +abominable? Who would have been able to make such a bold statement, +and to censure a life so faultless and conforming so closely to the +Law as Paul's, without being pronounced by all men a minion of the +devil, had not the apostle made that estimation of it himself? And +who is to have any more respect for the righteousness of the Law if +we are to preach in that strain?</p> + +<p>9. Had Paul confined his denunciations to the righteousness of the +world or of the heathen—the righteousness dependent upon reason and +controlled by secular government, by laws and regulations—his +teaching would not have seemed so irreverent. But he distinctly +specifies the righteousness of God's Law, or the Ten Commandments, to +which we owe an obligation far above what is due temporal powers, for +they teach how to live before God—something no heathenish court of +justice, no temporal authority, knows anything about. Should we not +condemn as a heretic this preacher who goes beyond his prerogative +and dares find fault with the Law of God? who also warns us to shun +such as observe it, such as trust in its righteousness, and exalts to +sainthood "enemies of the cross of Christ ... whose God is the +belly"—who serve the appetites instead of God?</p> + +<p>10. Paul would say of himself: I, too, was such a one. In my most +perfect righteousness of the Law I was an enemy to and persecutor of +the congregation, or Church, of Christ. It was the legitimate fruit +of my righteousness that I thought I must be party to the most +horrible persecution of Christ and his Christians. Thus my holiness +made me an actual enemy of Christ and a murderer of his followers. +The disposition to injure is a natural result of the righteousness of +the Law, as all Scripture history from Cain down testifies, and as we +see even in the best of the world who have not come to the knowledge +of Christ. Princes, civil authorities in proportion to their wisdom, +their godliness and honor are the bitter and intolerant enemies of +the Gospel.</p> + +<p>11. Of the sensual papistical dolts at Rome, cardinals, bishops, +priests and the like, it is not necessary to speak here. Their works +are manifest. All honorable secular authorities must confess they are +simply abandoned knaves, living shameless lives of open scandal, +avarice, arrogance, unchastity, vanity, robbery and wickedness of +every kind. Not only are they guilty of such living, but shamelessly +endeavor to defend their conduct. They must, then, be regarded +enemies of Christ and of all honesty and virtue. Hence every +respectable man is justly antagonistic toward them. But, as before +said, Paul is not here referring to this class, but to eminent, godly +individuals, whose lives are beyond reproach. These very ones, when +Christians are encountered, are hostile and heinous enough to be able +to forget all their own faults in the sight of God, and to magnify to +huge beams the motes we Christians have. In fact, they must style the +Gospel heresy and satanic doctrine for the purpose of exalting their +own holiness and zeal for God.</p> +<br> + +<h4>RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW OPPOSES THE CROSS.</h4> + +<p>12. The thing seems incredible, and I would not have believed it +myself, nor have understood Paul's words here, had I not witnessed it +with my own eyes and experienced it. Were the apostle to repeat the +charge today, who could conceive that our first, noblest, most +respectable, godly and holy people, those whom we might expect, above +all others, to accept the Word of God—that they, I say, should be +enemies to the Christian doctrine? But the examples before us testify +very plainly that the "enemies" the apostle refers to must be the +individuals styled godly and worthy princes and noblemen, honorable +citizens, learned, wise, intelligent individuals. Yet if these could +devour at one bite the "Evangelicals," as they are now called, they +would do it.</p> + +<p>13. If you ask, Whence such a disposition? I answer, it naturally +springs from human righteousness. For every individual who professes +human righteousness, and knows nothing of Christ, holds that +efficacious before God. He relies upon it and gratifies himself with +it, presuming thereby to present a flattering appearance in God's +sight and to render himself peculiarly acceptable to him. From being +proud and arrogant toward God, he comes to reject them who are not +righteous according to the Law; as illustrated in the instance of the +Pharisee. Lk 18, 11-12. But greater is his enmity and more bitter his +hatred toward the preaching that dares to censure such righteousness +and assert its futility to merit God's grace and eternal life.</p> + +<p>14. I myself, and others with me, were dominated by such feelings +when, under popery, we claimed to be holy and pious; we must confess +the fact. If thirty years ago, when I was a devout, holy monk, +holding mass every day and having no thought but that I was in the +road leading directly to heaven—if then anyone had accused me—had +preached to me the things of this text and pronounced our +righteousness—which accorded not strictly with the Law of God, but +conformed to human doctrine and was manifestly idolatrous—pronounced +it without efficacy and said I was an enemy to the cross of Christ, +serving my own sensual appetites, I would immediately have at least +helped to find stones for putting to death such a Stephen, or to +gather wood for the burning of this worst of heretics.</p> + +<p>15. So human nature ever does. The world cannot conduct itself in any +other way, when the declaration comes from heaven saying: "True you +are a holy man, a great and learned jurist, a conscientious regent, a +worthy prince, an honorable citizen, and so on, but with all your +authority and your upright character you are going to hell; your +every act is offensive and condemned in God's sight. If you would be +saved you must become an altogether different man; your mind and +heart must be changed." Let this be announced and the fire rises, the +Rhine is all ablaze; for the self-righteous regard it an intolerable +idea that lives so beautiful, lives devoted to praiseworthy callings, +should be publicly censured and condemned by the objectionable +preaching of a few insignificant individuals regarded as even +pernicious, and according to Paul, as filthy refuse, actual obstacles +to eternal life.</p> + +<p>16. But you may say: "What? Do you forbid good works? Is it not right +to lead an honorable, virtuous life? Do you not acknowledge the +necessity of political laws, of civil governments? that upon +obedience to them depends the maintenance of discipline, peace and +honor? Indeed, do you not admit that God himself commands such +institutions and wills their observance, punishing where they are +disregarded? Much more would he have his own Law and the Ten +Commandments honored, not rejected. How dare you then assert that +such righteousness is misleading, and obstructive to eternal life? +What consistence is there in teaching people to observe the things of +the Law, to be righteous in that respect, and at the same time +censuring those things as condemned before God? How can the works of +the Law be good and precious, and yet repulsive and productive of +evil?"</p> + +<p>17. I answer, Paul well knows the world takes its stand on this point +of righteousness by the Law, and hence would contradict him. But let +him who will, consult the apostle as to why he makes such bold +assertions here. For indeed the words of the text are not our words, +but his. True, law and government are essential in temporal life, as +Paul himself confesses, and God would have everyone honor and obey +them. Indeed, he has ordained their observance among Turks and +heathen. Yet it is a fact that these people, even the best and most +upright of them, they who lead honorable lives, are naturally in +their hearts enemies to Christ, and devote their intellectual powers +to exterminating God's people.</p> + +<p>It must be universally admitted that the Turks, with all the +restrictions and austerity of life imposed upon them by the Koran, a +life more rigorous even than that of Christians—it must be admitted +they belong to the devil. In other words, we adjudge them condemned +with all their righteousness, but at the same time say they do right +in punishing thieves, robbers, murderers, drunkards and other +offenders; more, that Christians living within their jurisdiction are +under obligation to pay tribute, and to serve them with person and +property. Precisely the same thing is true respecting our princes who +persecute the Gospel and are open enemies to Christ: we must be +obedient to them, paying the tribute and rendering the service +imposed; yet they, and all obedient followers willingly consenting to +the persecution of the Gospel, must be looked upon as condemned +before God.</p> + +<p>18. Similarly does Paul speak concerning the righteousness of all the +Jews and pious saints who are not Christians. His utterance is bold +and of certain sound. He censures them and, weeping, deprecatingly +refers to certain who direct the people to the righteousness of the +law with the sole result of making "enemies to the cross of Christ."</p> + +<p>19. Again, all the praise he has for them is to say that their "end +is perdition"; they are condemned in spite of strenuous efforts all +their lives to teach and enforce the righteousness of works. Here on +earth it is truly a priceless distinction, an admirable and noble +treasure, a praiseworthy honor, to have the name of being a godly +and upright prince, ruler or citizen; a pious, virtuous wife or +virgin. Who would not praise and exalt such virtue? It is indeed a +rare and valuable thing in the world. But however beautiful, +priceless and admirable an honor it is, Paul tells us, it is +ultimately condemned and pertains not to heaven.</p> +<br> + +<h4>HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS IDOLATROUS.</h4> + +<p>20. The apostle makes his accusation yet more galling with the words +"whose god is their belly." Thus you hear how human righteousness, +even at its best, extends no higher than to service of the sensual +appetites. Take all the wisdom, justice, jurisprudence, artifice, +even the highest virtues the world affords, and what are they? They +minister only to that god, carnal appetite. They can go no farther +than the needs of this life, their whole purpose being to satisfy +physical cravings. When the physical appetites of the worldly pass, +they pass likewise, and the gifts and virtues we have mentioned can +no longer serve them. All perish and go to destruction +together—righteousness, virtues, laws and physical appetites which +they have served as their god. For they are wholly ignorant of the +true and eternal God; they know not how to serve him and receive +eternal life. So then in its essential features such a life is merely +idolatrous, having no greater object than the preservation of this +perishable body and its enjoyment of peace and honor.</p> + +<p>21. The fourth accusation is, "whose glory is in their shame." That +is all their glory amounts to. Let wise philosophers, scrupulous +heathen, keen jurists, receive the acme of praise and honor—it is +yet but shame. True, their motto is "Love of Virtue"; they boast +strong love of virtue and righteousness and may even think themselves +sincere. But judged by final results, their boast is without +foundation and ends in shame. For the utmost their righteousness can +effect is the applause of the world—here on earth. Before God it +avails nothing. It cannot touch the life to come. Ultimately it +leaves its possessor a captive in shame. Death devours and hell +clutches him.</p> + +<p>22. You may again object, "If what you say is true, why observe +temporal restrictions? Let us live in indulgent carelessness +following our inclinations. Let pass the godly, honorable man; the +virtuous, upright wife or virgin." I answer, By no means; that is not +the design. You have heard it is God's command and will that there be +temporal righteousness even among Turks and heathen. And later on +(ch. 4, 8) Paul admonishes Christians to "think on these things," +that is, on what is true. He says: "Whatsoever things are honorable, +whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever +things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be +any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." And +continuing, in verse 9, he refers them to his own example, saying, +"which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me."</p> +<br> + +<h4>FRUITS OF FAITH.</h4> + +<p>23. With the believers in Christ, them who have their righteousness +in him, there should follow in this life on earth the fruits of +upright living, in obedience to God. These fruits constitute the good +works acceptable to God, which, being works of faith and wrought in +Christ, will be rewarded in the life to come. But Paul has in mind +the individuals who, rejecting faith in Christ, regard their +self-directed lives, their humanly-wrought works, which conform to +the Law, as righteousness availing in the sight of God. His reference +is to them who so trust, though wholly ignorant of Christ, for whose +sake, without any merit on our part, righteousness is imputed to us +by God. The only condition is we must believe in Christ; for he +became man, died for our sins and rose from the dead, for the very +purpose of liberating us from our sins and granting us his +resurrection and life. Toward the heavenly life we should tend, in +our life here walking in harmony with it; as Paul says in conclusion: +"Our citizenship is in heaven [not earthly and not confined to this +temporal life only]; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord +Jesus Christ."</p> + +<p>If we have no knowledge, no consciousness, of this fact, it matters +not how beautiful and praiseworthy our human, earthly righteousness +may be, it is merely a hindrance and an injury. For flesh and blood +cannot help relying on its own righteousness and arrogantly boasting +in this strain: "We are better, more honorable, more godly, than +others. We Jews are the people of God and keep his Law." Even +Christians are not wholly free from the pernicious influence of human +holiness. They ever seek to bring their own works and merits before +God. I know for myself what pains are inflicted by this godless +wisdom, this figment of righteousness, and what effort must be made +before the serpent's head is bruised.</p> + +<p>24. Now, this is the situation and there is no alternative: Either +suffer hell or regard your human righteousness as loss and filth and +endeavor not to be found relying on it at your last hour, in the +presence of God and judgment, but rather stand in the righteousness +of Christ. In the garment of Christ's righteousness and reared in him +you may, in the resurrection from sin and death, meet Christ and +exclaim: "Hail, beloved Lord and Saviour, thou who hast redeemed me +from the wretched body of sin and death, and fashioned me like unto +thy holy, pure and glorious body!"</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOD'S PATIENCE WITH HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS.</h4> + +<p>25. Meantime, while we walk in the faith of his righteousness, he has +patience with the poor, frail righteousness of this earthly life, +which otherwise is but filth in his sight. He honors our human +holiness by supporting and protecting it during the time we live on +earth; just as we honor our corrupt, filthy bodies, adorning them +with beautiful, costly garments and golden ornaments, and reposing +them on cushions and beds of luxury. Though but stench and filth +encased in flesh, they are honored above everything else on earth. +For their sake are all things performed—the ordering and ruling, +building and laboring; and God himself permits sun and moon to shine +that they may receive light and heat, and everything to grow on earth +for their benefit. What is the human body but a beautiful pyx +containing that filthy, repulsive object of reverence, the digestive +organs, which the body must always patiently carry about; yes, which +we must even nourish and minister to, glad if only they perform their +functions properly?</p> + +<p>26. Similarly God deals with us. Because he would confer eternal life +upon man, he patiently endures the filthy righteousness of this life +wherein we must dwell until the last day, for the sake of his chosen +people and until the number is complete. For so long as the final day +is deferred, not all to have eternal life are yet born. When the time +shall be fulfilled, the number completed, God will suddenly bring to +an end the world with its governments, its jurists and authorities, +its conditions of life; in short, he will utterly abolish earthly +righteousness, destroying physical appetites and all else together. +For every form of human holiness is condemned to destruction; yet for +the sake of Christians, to whom eternal life is appointed, and for +their sake only, all these must be perpetuated until the last saint +is born and has attained life everlasting. Were there but one saint +yet to be born, for the sake of that one the world must remain. For +God regards not the world nor has he need for it, except for the sake +of his Christians.</p> + +<p>27. Therefore, when God enjoins upon us obedience to the emperor, and +godly, honest lives on earth, it is no warrant that our subjection to +temporal authority is to continue forever. Instead, God necessarily +will minister to, adorn and honor this wretched body—vile body, as +Paul here has it—with power and dominion. Yet the apostle terms +human righteousness "filth," and says it is not necessary to God's +kingdom; indeed, that it is condemned in the sight of God with all +its honor and glory, and all the world must be ashamed of it in his +presence, confessing themselves guilty. Paul in Romans 3, 27 and 4, 2 +testifies to this fact when he tells how even the exalted, holy +fathers—Abraham, and others—though having glory before the world +because of their righteous works, could not make them serve to obtain +honor before God. Much less will worldly honor avail with God in the +case of individuals who, being called honorable, pious, honest, +virtuous—lords and princes, wives and husbands—boast of such +righteousness.</p> + +<p>28. Outwardly, then, though your righteousness may appear dazzlingly +beautiful before the world, inwardly you are but filth. Illustrative +of this point is the story told of a certain nun regarded holy above +all others. She would not fellowship with anyone else, but sat alone +in her cell in rapt devotion, praying unceasingly. She boasted +special revelations and visions and had no consciousness of anything +but that beloved angels hovered about and adorned her with a golden +crown. But some outside, ardently desiring to behold such sights, +peeped through holes and crevices, and seeing her head but defiled +with filth, laughed at her.</p> + +<p>29. Notice, the reason Paul calls the righteousness of the Law filth +and pollution, is his desire to denounce the honor and glory claimed +for it in God's sight; notwithstanding he honors before the world the +observance of the Law by styling it "righteousness." But if you +ostentatiously boast of such righteousness to him, he pronounces his +sentence of judgment making you an abomination, an enemy of the cross +of Christ, and shaming your boasted honor and finally casting you +into hell. Concerning the righteousness of faith, however, which in +Christ avails before God, he says:</p> + +<blockquote>"Our citizenship [conversation] is in heaven, from whence also we +look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our +vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body."</blockquote> + +<p>30. We who are baptized and believe in Christ, Paul's thought is, do +not base our works and our hope on the righteousness of this temporal +life. Through faith in Christ, we have a righteousness that holds in +heaven. It abides in Christ alone; otherwise it would avail naught +before God. And our whole concern is to be eternally in Christ; to +have our earthly existence culminate in yonder life when Christ shall +come and change this life into another, altogether new, pure, holy +and like unto his own, with a life and a body having the nature of +his.</p> +<br> + +<h4>THE CHRISTIAN A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN.</h4> + +<p>31. Therefore we are no longer citizens of earth. The baptized +Christian is born a citizen of heaven through baptism. We should be +mindful of this fact and walk here as if native there. We are to +console ourselves with the fact that God thus accepts us and will +transplant us there. Meantime we must await the coming again of the +Saviour, who is to bring from heaven to us eternal righteousness, +life, honor and glory.</p> + +<p>32. We are baptized and made Christians, not to the end that we may +have great honor, or renown of righteousness, or earthly dominion, +power and possessions. Notwithstanding we do have these because they +are requisite to our physical life, yet we are to regard them as mere +filth, wherewith we minister to our bodily welfare as best we can for +the benefit of posterity. We Christians, however, are expectantly to +await the coming of the Saviour. His coming will not be to our injury +or shame as it may be in the case of others. He comes for the +salvation of our unprofitable, impotent bodies. Wretchedly worthless +as they are in this life, they are much more unprofitable when +lifeless and perishing in the earth.</p> + +<p>33. But, however miserable, powerless and contemptible in life and +death, Christ will at his coming render our bodies beautiful, pure, +shining and worthy of honor, until they correspond to his own +immortal, glorious body. Not like it as it hung on the cross or lay +in the grave, blood-stained, livid and disgraced; but as it is now, +glorified at the Father's right hand. We need not, then, be alarmed +at the necessity of laying aside our earthly bodies; at being +despoiled of the honor, righteousness and life adhering in them, to +deliver it to the devouring power of death and the grave—something +well calculated to terrify the enemies of Christ: but we may joyfully +hope for and await his speedy coming to deliver us from this +miserable, filthy pollution.</p> + +<blockquote>"According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all +things unto himself."</blockquote> +<br> + +<h4>THE GLORIFIED BODY OF THE CHRISTIAN.</h4> + +<p>34. Think of the honor and the glory Christ's righteousness brings +even to our bodies! How can this poor, sinful, miserable, filthy, +polluted body become like unto that of the Son of God, the Lord of +Glory? What are you—your powers and abilities, or those of all men, +to effect this glorious thing? But Paul says human righteousness, +merit, glory and power have nothing to do with it. They are mere +filth and pollution, and condemned as well. Another force intervenes, +the power of Christ the Lord, who is able to bring all things into +subjection to himself. Now, if he has power to subject all things +unto himself at will, he is also able to glorify the pollution and +filth of this wretched body, even when it has become worms and dust. +In his hands it is as clay in the hands of the potter, and from the +polluted lump of clay he can make a vessel that shall be a beautiful, +new, pure, glorious body, surpassing the sun in its brilliance and +beauty.</p> + +<p>35. Through baptism Christ has taken us into his hands, actually that +he may exchange our sinful, condemned, perishable, physical lives for +the new, imperishable righteousness and life he prepares for body and +soul. Such is the power and the agency exalting us to marvelous +glory—something no earthly righteousness of the Law could +accomplish. The righteousness of the Law leaves our bodies to shame +and destruction; it reaches not beyond physical existence. But the +righteousness of Christ inspires with power, making evident that we +worship not the body but the true and living God, who does not leave +us to shame and destruction, but delivers from sin, death and +condemnation, and exalts this perishable body to eternal honor and +glory.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm27"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Twenty Fourth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: Colossians 1, 3-14.</center> + +<blockquote>3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying +always for you, 4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of +the love which ye have toward all the saints, 5 because of the hope +which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in +the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which is come unto you; even +as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it +doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in +truth; 7 even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, +who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 who also +declared unto us your love in the Spirit.</blockquote> + +<blockquote>9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to +pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the +knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 +to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in +every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 +strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, +unto all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks unto +the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of +the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of +darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; +14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE.</h4> + +<p>1. In this short epistle to the Colossians Paul treats of many +things, but particularly of faith, love, patience and gratitude. Upon +these topics he is remarkably eloquent, for as God himself declares +in Acts 9, 15, Paul is a chosen vessel, or instrument, of God—his +best preacher on earth. He is particularly strong in his discussion +of the main principle of the Gospel, faith in Christ. And he exalts +Christ supremely, in person and kingdom, making him all in all in his +Church—God, Lord, Master, Head and Example, and everything +mentionable in goodness and divinity.</p> + +<p>2. The apostle's first words are praise for the Colossians. He +remarks upon the good report he has heard of them, how they have +faith in Christ and love for all saints, and hold fast the hope of +eternal life reserved for them in heaven: in other words, that they +are true Christians, who have not allowed themselves to be led away +from the pure Word of God but who earnestly cling to it, proving +their faith by their fruits; for they love the poor Christians, and +for Christ's sake have endured much in the hope of the promised +salvation. So he exalts them as model Christians, a mirror of the +entire Christian life.</p> + +<p>3. "Hearing these things of you," Paul would say, "I heartily rejoice +in your good beginning." Apparently he was not the one who first +preached to them. In the first verse of the second chapter he speaks +of his care for them and others who have not seen his face, and he +also intimates here that the Colossians learned of Christ and the +Gospel from Epaphras, Paul's fellow-servant.</p> + +<p>4. "And therefore I always pray for you," he writes, "that you may +continue in this way; may increase and be steadfast." He is aware of +the necessity for such prayer and exhortation in behalf of Christians +if they are to abide firm and unchangeable in their new-found faith, +against the ceaseless assaults of the devil, the wickedness of the +world, and the weakness of the flesh in tribulation and affliction.</p> + +<blockquote>"That ye may be filled," Paul continues, "with the knowledge of his +will."</blockquote> + +<p>5. This is his chief prayer and desire for them and if it is +fulfilled there can be no lack. The words are, "be filled"; that is, +not only hear and understand God's will, but become rich in the +knowledge of it, with ever-increasing fullness. "You have begun well; +you are promising shoots." But something more than a good beginning is +required, and the knowledge of God's will is not to be exhaustively +learned immediately on hearing the Word. On the contrary it must be +constantly pursued and practiced as long as we live if it is ever to +be rounded and perfected in us.</p> +<br> + +<h4>KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL IMPOSES OBLIGATION.</h4> + +<p>6. "Knowing the will of God" means more than simply knowing about +God, that he created heaven and earth and gave the Law, and so on, a +knowledge even the Jews and Turks possess. For doubtless to them has +been revealed that knowledge of God and of his will concerning our +conduct which nature—the works of creation—can teach. Rom 1, 20. +But if we fail to do God's revealed will, the knowledge of it does +not benefit us. Such mere mental consciousness is a vain, empty +thing; it does not fulfil God's will in us. Indeed, it eventually +becomes a condemnatory knowledge of our own eternal destruction. When +this point has been reached, further enlightenment is necessary if +man is to be saved. He must know the meaning of Christ's words in +John 6, 40: "This is the will of my Father, that every one that +beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life"; +and in Matthew 18, 14: "It is not the will of your Father, that one +of these should perish, which believe on me."</p> + +<p>7. Since we have not done God's will according to the first +revelation and must be rejected and condemned by his eternal, +unendurable wrath, in his divine wisdom and mercy he has determined, +or willed, to permit his only Son to take upon himself our sin and +wrath; to give Christ as a sacrifice for our ransom, whereby the +unendurable wrath and condemnation might be turned from us; to grant +us forgiveness of sins and to send the Holy Spirit into our hearts, +thus enabling us to love God's commandments and delight in them. This +determination or will he reveals through the Son, and commands him to +declare it to the world. And in Matthew 3, 17 he directs us to Christ +as the source of all these blessings, saying: "This is my beloved +Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him."</p> +<br> + +<h4>SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE ENJOINED.</h4> + +<p>8. Paul would gladly have a spiritual knowledge of these things +increase in us until we are enriched and filled—wholly assured of +their truth. Sublime and glorious knowledge this, the experience of a +human heart which, born in sins, boldly and confidently believes that +God, in his unfathomable majesty, in his divine heart, has +irrevocably purposed—and wills for all men to accept and believe +it—that he will not impute sin, but will forgive it and be gracious, +and grant eternal life, for the sake of his beloved Son.</p> + +<p>9. This spiritual knowledge or confidence, is not so easily learned +as are other things. It is not so readily apprehended as the +knowledge of the law written in nature, which when duly recognized by +the heart overpowers with the conviction of God's wrath. Indeed, that +more than anything else hinders Christians and saints from obtaining +the knowledge of God's will in Christ, for it compels heart and +conscience to plead guilty in every respect and to confess having +merited the wrath of God; therefore the soul naturally fears and +flees from God. Then, too, the devil fans the flame of fear and sends +his wicked, fiery arrows of dismay into the heart, presenting only +frightful pictures and examples of God's anger, filling the heart +with this kind of knowledge to the exclusion of every other thought +or perception. Thus recognition of God's wrath is learned only too +well, for it becomes bitterly hard for man to unlearn it, to forget +it in the knowledge of Christ. Again, the wicked world eagerly +contributes its share of hindrance, its bitter hatred and venomous +outcry against Christians as people of the worst type, outcast, +condemned enemies of God. Moreover, by its example it causes the weak +to stumble. Our flesh and blood also is a drawback, being waywardly +inclined, making much of its own wisdom and holiness and seeking +thereby to gain honor and glory or to live in security a life of +wealth, pleasure and covetousness. Hence on every side a Christian +must be in severe conflict, and fight against the world and the +devil, and against himself also, if he is to succeed in preserving +the knowledge of God's will.</p> +<br> + +<h4>WE MUST PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL LIGHT.</h4> + +<p>10. Now, since this knowledge of the Gospel is so difficult to attain +and so foreign to nature, it is necessary that we pray for it with +all earnestness and labor to be increasingly filled with it, and to +learn well the will of God. Our own experience testifies that if it +be but superficially and improperly learned, when one is overtaken by +a trifling misfortune or alarmed by a slight danger or affliction, +his heart is easily overwhelmed with the thunderbolts of God's wrath +as he reflects: "Wo to me! God is against me and hates me." Why +should this miserable "Wo!" enter the heart of a Christian upon the +occasion of a little trouble? If he were filled with the knowledge of +God as he should be, and as many secure, self-complacent spirits +imagine themselves to be, he would not thus fear and make outcry. His +agitation and his complaint, "O Lord God! why dost thou permit me to +suffer this?" are evidence that he as yet knows not God's will, or at +least has but a faint conception of it; the wo exceeds the joy. But +full knowledge of God's will brings with it a joy that far +overbalances all fear and terror, ay, removes and abolishes them +altogether.</p> + +<p>11. Therefore let us learn this truth and with Paul pray for what we +and all Christians supremely need—full knowledge of God's will, not +a mere beginning; for we are not to imagine a beginning will suffice +and to stop there as if we had comprehended it all. Everything is not +accomplished in the mere planting; watering and cultivation must +follow. In this case the watering and cultivating are the Word of +God, and prayer against the devil, who day and night labors to +suppress spiritual knowledge, to beat down the tender plants wherever +he sees them springing up; and also against the world, which promotes +only opposition and directs its wisdom and reason to conflicting +ends. Did not God protect us and strengthen the knowledge of his +will, we would soon see the devil's power and the extent of our +spiritual understanding.</p> + +<p>12. We have a verification of this assertion in that poetical work, +the book of Job. Satan appears before God, who asks (ch. 1, 8): "Hast +thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the +earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God." And Satan +answers on this wise: "Yea, thou hast surrounded him with thy +protection and kept me at bay; but only withdraw thy hand and I +venture I will soon bring him around to curse thee to thy face"; as +he afterward did when he afflicted Job with ugly boils and in +addition filled him with his fiery arrows—terrifying thoughts of +God. Further, Christ said to Peter and the other apostles: "Satan +asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: but I made +supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not." Lk 22, 31-32. In +short, if God hinders him not, Satan dares to overthrow even the +greatest and strongest saints.</p> + +<p>13. Therefore, although we have become Christians and have made a +beginning in the knowledge of God's will, we ought nevertheless to +walk in fear and humility, and not to be presumptuous like the +soon-wearied, secure spirits, who imagine they exhausted that +knowledge in an instant, and know not the measure and limit of their +skill. Such people are particularly pleasing to the devil, for he has +them completely in his power and makes use of their teaching and +example to harm others and make them likewise secure, and unmindful +of his presence and of the fact that God may suffer them to be +overwhelmed. Verily, there is need of earnest and diligent use of the +Word of God and prayer, that Christians may not only learn to know +the will of God, but also to be filled with it. Only so can the +individual walk always according to God's will and make constant +progress, straining toward the goal of an ever-increasing comfort and +strength that shall enable him to face fears and terrors and not +allow the devil, the world, and flesh and blood to hinder him.</p> +<br> + +<h4>SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE BRINGS INCREASING JOY.</h4> + +<p>14. Such is the nature of this fullness of knowledge that the +possessor never becomes satiated with it or tired of it, but it +yields him ever-increasing pleasure and joy, and he is ever more +eager, more thirsty, for it. As the Scriptures declare, "They that +drink me shall yet be thirsty." Ecclus 24, 21. For even the dear +angels in heaven never become sated with fullness of knowledge, but +as Peter says, they find an everlasting joy and pleasure in the +ability to behold what is revealed and preached to us. 1 Peter 1, 12. +Therefore, if we have not a constant hunger and thirst after the full +and abundant comprehension of God's will—and certainly we ought to +have it in greater degree than the angels—until we, too, shall be +able to behold it eternally in the life everlasting, then we have but +a taste of that knowledge, a mere empty froth, which can neither +refresh nor satisfy us, cannot comfort us nor make us better.</p> +<br> + +<h4>WHY AFFLICTIONS ARE SENT.</h4> + +<p>15. To create and stimulate this hunger and thirst in us, and to +bring us to the attainment of full knowledge, God kindly sends upon +his Christians temptation, sorrow and affliction. These preserve them +from carnal satiety and teach them to seek comfort and help. So God +did also in former ages, in the time of the martyrs, when he daily +suffered them to be violently seized in person and put to death by +sword, fire, blood and wild beasts. In this way he truly led his +people to school, where they were obliged to learn to know his will +and to be able defiantly to say: "No, O tyrant, O world, devil and +flesh, though you may injure me bodily, may beat or torment me, +banish me or even take my life, you shall not deprive me of my Lord +Jesus Christ—of God's grace and mercy." So faith taught them and +confirmed to them that such suffering was God's purpose and immutable +will concerning themselves, which, whatever attitude towards them he +might assume, he could not alter, even as he could not in the case of +Christ himself. This discipline and experience of faith strengthened +the martyrs and soon accustomed them to suffering, enabling them to +go to their death with pleasure and joy. Whence came, even to young +girls thirteen and fourteen years old, like Agnes and Agatha, the +courage and confidence to stand boldly before the Roman judge, and, +when led to death, to go as joyfully as to a festivity, whence unless +their hearts were filled with a sublime and steadfast faith, a +positive assurance that God was not angry with them, but that all was +his gracious and merciful will and for their highest salvation and +bliss?</p> + +<p>16. Behold, what noble and enlightened, what strong and courageous, +people God produced by the discipline of cross and affliction! We, in +contrast, because unwilling to experience such suffering, are weak +and enervated. If but a little smoke gets into our eyes, our joy and +courage are gone, likewise our perception of God's will, and we can +only raise a loud lamentation and cry of woe. As I said, this is the +inevitable condition of a heart to which the experience of affliction +is unknown. Just so Christ's disciples in the ship, when they saw the +tempest approach and the waves beat over the vessel, quite forgot, in +their trembling and terror, the divine will, although Christ was +present with them. They only made anxious lamentation, yet withal +cried for help: "Save, Lord; we perish!" Mt 8, 25. So also in the +time of the martyrs, many Christians became timid and at first denied +Christ from fear of torture or of long confinement in prison.</p> + +<p>17. It is God's will that we, too, should learn to accustom ourselves +to these things through temptation and affliction, though these be +hard to bear and the heart is prone to become agitated and utter its +cry of woe. We can quiet our disturbed hearts, saying: "I know what +is God's thought, his counsel and will, in Christ, which he will not +alter: he has promised to me through his Son, and confirmed it +through my baptism, that he who hears and sees the Son shall be +delivered from sin and death, and live eternally."</p> + +<p>18. Now, what Paul calls being filled with the knowledge of the +divine will in Christ through the faith of the Gospel, means faith in +and the comfort of the forgiveness of sins, since we have not in +ourselves the ability to fulfil his will in the ten commandments. +This knowledge is not a passive consciousness, but a living, active +conviction, which will stand before the judgment of God, contend with +the devil and prevail over sin, death and life.</p> + +<p>19. Now, the heart possessing such knowledge or faith is kindled by +the Holy Spirit and acquires a love for and delight in God's +commandments. It becomes obedient to them, patient, chaste, modest, +gentle, given to brotherly kindness, and honors God in confession and +life. Thus it is increasingly filled with the knowledge of God's +will; it is armed and fortified on all sides to withstand and defeat +the flesh and the world, the devil and hell.</p> +<br> + +<h4>"SPIRITUAL WISDOM" DEFINED.</h4> + +<p>20. By way of explanation Paul adds the words, "all spiritual wisdom +and understanding." This is not the wisdom of the world. There is no +necessity to strive and to endure persecution for that which concerns +itself with other than spiritual matters. Nor is it the wisdom of +reason, which indeed presumes to judge of divine things, but yet can +never understand them; on the contrary, although it accepts them, it +quickly falls away into doubt and despair.</p> + +<p>21. "Wisdom" signifies with Paul, when he places it in apposition +with "spiritual understanding," the sublime and secret doctrine of +the Gospel of Christ, which teaches us to know the will of God. And a +"wise man" is a Christian, who knows himself and can intelligently +interpret God's will toward us and how we perceive his will by +faith—growing and obediently living in harmony with it. This wisdom +is not devised of reason; it has not entered into the heart of man +nor is it known to any of the princes of this world, as Paul says in +1 Corinthians 2, 8-10. But it is revealed from Heaven by the Holy +Spirit to those who believe the Gospel.</p> + +<p>22. But there is necessary to the full completion of wisdom something +which the apostle calls "understanding"; that is, a careful retention +of what has been received. It is possible for one having the +spiritual wisdom to be overtaken by the devil through a momentary +intellectual inspiration, or through anger and impatience, or even +through greed and similar deceitful allurements. Therefore it is +necessary here to be cautious, alert and watchful in an effort to +guard against the devil's cunning attacks and always to oppose him +with his own spiritual wisdom, that he may not be undeceived. The +Pauline and scriptural use of the word "understanding" signifies the +ability to make good use of one's wisdom; to make it effective as a +test whereby to prove all things, to judge with keen discernment +whatever presents itself in the name and appearance of wisdom. Thus +armed, the soul defends itself and does not in any case violate its +own discretion. To furnish himself with understanding, the Christian +must ever have regard to the Word of God, must put it into practice, +lest the devil dazzle his mind with some palaver and error and +deceive him before he is aware of it. This Satan is well able to do; +indeed, he uses every art to accomplish it if a man be not on his +guard and seek not counsel in God's Word. Such is the teaching of +David's example, who says in Psalm 119, 11: "Thy word have I laid up +in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." And again in verse +24: "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors."</p> + +<p>23. A man may be familiar with God's Word, yet if he walks in +self-security, concerned about other matters, or if perhaps being +tempted he loses sight of God's Word, it may easily come to pass that +he is seduced and deceived by the secret craft and cunning of the +devil; or of himself he may become bewildered, losing his wisdom and +being unable to find counsel or help even in the most trivial +temptations. For the devil and reason, or human wisdom, can dispute +and syllogize with extraordinary subtlety in these things until one +imagines to be true wisdom that which is not. A wise man soon becomes +a fool; men readily err and make false steps; a Christian likewise is +prone to stumble; ay, even a good teacher and prophet can easily be +deceived by reason's brilliant logic. Essentially, then, Christians +must take warning and study, with careful meditation, the Word of +God.</p> + +<p>24. We read of St. Martin how he would not undertake to dispute with +heretics for the simple reason that he was unwilling to fall into +wrangling, to rationalize with them or to attempt to defeat them by +the weapon of reason, the sole means whereby they pointed and adorned +all their arguments, as the world always does when opposing the Word +of God. The shrewd Papists today pretend, as they think, very acutely +to confirm and support all their antichristian abominations by the +name of the Church, making the idiotic claim that one must not effect +nor suffer any change in the religious teaching commonly accepted by +Christendom. They say we must believe the Christian Church is always +guided by the Holy Spirit and therefore demands our obedience. Notice +here the name of the Church, concerning which your spiritual wisdom +teaches according to the article: "I believe in a holy Christian +Church." But that name is distorted to confirm the lies and idolatry +of the Papacy, just as is true of the name of God. So there is need +of understanding, of careful, keen discernment, that wisdom be not +perverted and falsified, and man be deceived with its counterfeit.</p> + +<p>25. By close examination and comparison with God's Word, the standard +and test, you may clearly prove the Papacy to be not the Church of +Christ, but a sect of Satan; it is filled with open idolatry, lies +and murder, which its adherents fain would defend. These things the +Church of Christ does not endorse, and to tax it with resolving, +appointing, ordering and demanding obedience to that which is at +variance with the Word of God, is to do the Church wrong and +violence.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHURCH NOT TO COMPROMISE WITH PAPISTS.</h4> + +<p>26. The world at the present time is sagaciously discussing how to +quell the controversy and strife over doctrine and faith, and how to +effect a compromise between the Church and the Papacy. Let the +learned, the wise, it is said, bishops, emperor and princes, +arbitrate. Each side can easily yield something, and it is better to +concede some things which can be construed according to individual +interpretation, than that so much persecution, bloodshed, war, and +terrible, endless dissension and destruction be permitted. Here is +lack of understanding, for understanding proves by the Word that such +patchwork is not according to God's will, but that doctrine, faith +and worship must be preserved pure and unadulterated; there must be +no mingling with human nonsense, human opinions or wisdom. The +Scriptures give us this rule: "We must obey God rather than men." +Acts 5, 29.</p> + +<p>27. We must not, then, regard nor follow the counsels of human +wisdom, but must keep ever before us God's will as revealed by his +Word; we are to abide by that for death or life, for evil or good. If +war or other calamity results complain to him who wills and commands +us to teach and believe our doctrine. The calamity is not of our +effecting; we have not originated it. And we are not required to +prove by argument whether or no God's will is right and to be obeyed. +If he wills to permit persecution and other evils to arise in +consequence of our teaching, for the trial and experience of true +Christians and for the punishment of the ungrateful, let them come; +and if not, his hand is doubtless strong enough to defend and +preserve his cause from destruction, that man may know the events to +be of his ordering. And so, praise his name, he has done in our case. +He has supported us against the strong desires of our adversaries. +Had we yielded and obeyed them, we would have been drawn into their +falsehood and destruction. And God will still support us if we deal +uprightly and faithfully in these requirements, if we further and +honor the Word of God, and be not unthankful nor seek things that +counterfeit God's Word.</p> + +<p>28. So much by way of explaining what Paul means by wisdom and +understanding to know the will of God, and by way of teaching the +necessity of having both wisdom and understanding. For not only must +the doctrine whereby wisdom is imparted be inculcated in Christendom, +but there is also need for admonition and exhortation concerning that +understanding necessary to preserve wisdom, and for defense in strife +and conflict. Were not these principles exercised and inculcated in +us, we would be deceived by false wisdom and vain imaginations, and +would accept their gloss and glitter for pure gold, as many in the +Church have ever done.</p> + +<p>29. The Galatians had received from Paul the wisdom of justification +before God by faith in Christ alone. Nevertheless, in spite of that +knowledge, they were deceived and would have lost their wisdom +altogether through the claim of the false prophets that the God-given +Law must be observed, had not Paul aroused their understanding at +this point and brought them back from error. The Corinthians were +taught by their spiritual wisdom the article of Christian liberty; +they knew that sacrifices to idols are nothing. But they failed in +this respect: they proceeded without understanding, and made carnal +use of their liberty, contrary to wisdom and offending others. +Therefore Paul had to remind them of their departure from his +doctrine and wisdom.</p> + +<p>30. The Scriptures record many instances of failure in this matter of +understanding. A notable one is found in the thirteenth chapter of +First Kings. A man of God from the kingdom of Judah, who had in the +presence of King Jeroboam openly denounced the idolatry instituted by +the king, and had confirmed his preaching and prophecy by a miracle, +was commanded by God not under any circumstances to abide in the +place whither he had gone to prophesy, nor to eat and drink there. He +was to go straight home by another way than the route he had come. +Yet on the way homeward he allowed himself to be persuaded by another +prophet, one who falsely claimed to have a revelation from God, by an +angel, commanding him to take the man of God to his home and give him +to eat and drink. While they sat together at the table the Word of +the Lord came to the inviting prophet and under its inspiration he +told the other that he should not reach home alive. The latter, +departing on his journey, was killed on the way by a lion, which +remained standing by the body and the ass the man of God had ridden, +not touching them further, until the old prophet came and found them. +He brought the body home on the ass and buried it, commanding that +after his own death he should be laid in the same grave. Such was +God's punishment of the prophet who allowed himself to be deceived +and obeyed not God's express command. However, his soul suffered not +harm, as God testified by the fact the lion did not devour his body +but defended it. Now, in what was the prophet lacking? Not in wisdom, +for he had the Word of God. He lacked in understanding, allowing +himself to be deceived when the other man declared himself a prophet +whom the angel of the Lord had instructed. The man of God should have +abided by the word given to him, and have said to the other: "You may +be a prophet, indeed, but God has commanded me to do this thing. Of +that I am certain and I will be governed by it. I will regard no +conflicting order, be it in the name of an angel or of God."</p> +<br> + +<h4>NEITHER REASON NOR FEELINGS A RIGHT JUDGE.</h4> + +<p>31. So it is often with man today, not only in doctrinal controversy +but in private affairs and in official capacity. He is prone to +stumble and to fail in understanding when not watchful of his +purposes and motives, to see how they accord with the wisdom of God's +Word. Particularly is his understanding unreliable when the devil +moves him to wrath, impatience, dejection, melancholy, or when he is +otherwise tempted. Often they who have been well exercised with +trials become bewildered in small temptations and uncertain what +course to take. Here must one be watchful and not go by his reason or +his feelings, but remember God's Word—or ascertain if he does not +know what it is—and be guided thereby. When tempted man cannot judge +aright by the dictates of reason. Therefore he ought not to follow +his own natural intelligence nor to act from hasty conclusions. Let +him be suspicious of all his reasoning and beware the cunning of the +devil, who seeks either to allure or to intimidate us by his specious +arguments. First of all let man call upon the understanding born of +his wisdom in the Gospel, what his faith, love, hope and patience +counsel, in fact, what God's will eloquently teaches everywhere and +in all circumstances if only one strive, labor and pray to be filled +with such knowledge.</p> + +<p>32. Paul uses the expression, "spiritual wisdom and understanding," +because it represents that which makes us wise and prudent to oppose +the devil and his assaults and temptations, or wiles as Paul calls +them in Ephesians 6, 11; which governs and guides, shepherds and +leads, teaches and keeps us, and enables us to fare well +spiritually—in faith and a good conscience toward God—and also in +the temporal affairs of life when reason fails as a counselor or +teacher. Paul further says:</p> + +<blockquote>"To walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in +every good work; and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened +with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all +patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks unto the Father, +who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in +light."</blockquote> + +<p>33. What is meant by "walking worthily of the Lord" we have heard in +other epistles, namely to believe, and to confess the faith by +doctrine and life, as people worthy of the Lord and of whom the Lord +can triumphantly say: "These are my people—Christians who live and +abide in what they have been taught by the Word, who know my will and +obediently do and suffer for it."</p> + +<p>34. Our wisdom and understanding of the knowledge of God should serve +to make us characters that are an honor and praise to God, in whom he +may be glorified, and who live to God unto all pleasing, that is, +please him in every way, according to his Word. And because of such +wisdom and knowledge, we should, in our lives, in our stations and +appointed work, not be unfruitful nor harmful hypocrites and +unbelievers, as false Christians are, but doers of much good, useful +characters to the honor of God's kingdom. All the time we are to make +constant growth and progress in the knowledge of God, that we may not +be seduced or driven from it by the cunning of the devil, who at all +times and in all places assails Christians and strenuously seeks to +effect their fall from the Word and from God's will, even as in the +beginning he did with Adam and Eve in paradise.</p> +<br> + +<h4>ONLY GOD'S POWER CAN OVERCOME THE DEVIL.</h4> + +<p>35. The apostle continues: "strengthened with all power, according to +the might of his glory." Here is preparation to sustain the conflict +against the devil, the world and the flesh, and to overcome. Not our +own power, nor the combined power of all mankind, can effect it. Only +God's own divine, glorious power and might can overcome the devil and +win honor and praise in the contest with the gates of hell. Christ in +himself proved such efficacy of the divine strength when he overcame +all the devil's superlative assaults.</p> + +<p>36. By this power and might of God must we be strengthened in faith. +We must strive after such divine agency and by the help of the Word +persevere and pray, that there may be not only a beginning, but a +continuation and a victorious end. So shall we become ever stronger +and stronger in God's might. Whatever we do, it must not be +undertaken in and by our own strength. We must not boast as if we had +ourselves accomplished it, but must rely upon God, upon his strength +and support. Certainly it is not due to our ability but to his own +omnipotent agency if one remains a Christian, steadfast in the +knowledge of God and not deceived nor conquered by the devil.</p> +<br> + +<h4>PATIENCE ESSENTIAL TO ENDURANCE.</h4> + +<p>37. But, the writer tells us, the attainment of strength and victory +calls for "all patience." We must have patience to endure the +persistent persecution of the devil, the world and the flesh. Not +only patience is required here, but "longsuffering." The apostle +makes a distinction between the two words, regarding the latter as +something more heroic. It is the devil's way, when he fails to defeat +by affliction and trouble, to try the heart with endurance. He makes +the ordeal unbearably hard and long to patience, even apparently +without end. His scheme is to accomplish by unceasing persistence +what he cannot attain by the severity and multitude of his +temptations; he aims to wear out one's patience and to discourage his +hope of conquering. To meet these conditions there is necessary, in +addition to patience, longsuffering, which holds out firmly and +steadfastly in suffering, with the determination: "Indeed, you cannot +try me too severely or too long, even though the trial continue to +the end of the world." True, knightly, Christian strength is that +which in conflict and suffering is able to endure not only severe and +manifold assaults of the devil, but to hold out indefinitely. More +than anything else do we need to be strengthened, through prayer, +with the power of God, that we may not succumb in such grievous +warfare, but achieve the end.</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRISTIANS SHOULD REJOICE AND BE THANKFUL.</h4> + +<p>38. And your patience and longsuffering, Paul says, must be exercised +"with joy." In these severe, multiplied and long temptations you must +not allow yourselves to be filled with sad and depressing thoughts. +You are to be hopeful and joyous, despising the devil and the +troubles and tumults of the world and himself. Rejoice because you +have on your side the knowledge of the divine will in Christ, and his +power and glorious might, and doubt not that his omnipotence will +help you through.</p> + +<p>39. Finally the apostle enjoins us to give thanks, or to be thankful. +Forget not, he would say, the unspeakable benefits and gifts God has +bestowed upon you above all men on earth. He has richly blessed you, +and liberated you from the power and might of sin, death, hell and +the devil, wherein you would, for all you could help yourselves, have +had to remain eternally captive; he has appointed you for eternal +glory, making you co-heirs with the saints elected for his eternal +kingdom; and he has made you partakers of all eternal, divine, +heavenly blessings. In your sufferings and conflicts, remember these +glories ordained for and given to you, and remembering rejoice the +more and willingly fight and suffer to obtain possession, to enjoy +the fruition, of what is certainly appropriated to you in the Word +and in faith.</p> + +<p>40. The writer of the epistle calls it "the inheritance of the saints +in light," or of the "light" saints, that is, the true saints. Thus +he distinguishes from false saints, intimating that there are two +classes of saints. To one class belong the many in the world who have +only their own claim to sainthood: the Jews, for instance, with their +holiness of the Law; and the world generally, the philosophers, +jurists and their kind, with their self-righteousness. These are not +saints of light; they are saints of darkness, unclean, even defiled. +In Philippians 3, 8 Paul counts such righteousness loss and refuse. +To this class belong also many false, hypocritical saints in the +company of Christians who have the Gospel; they, too, hear the Gospel +and attend upon the Holy Supper, but they remain in darkness, without +the least experience of the wisdom and understanding that knows the +divine will. But they who exercise themselves in these spiritual +graces by faith, love and patience in temptation, and perceive the +wonderful grace and blessing God imparts through the Gospel—these +honorably may be called the saints, destined, even appointed, to +eternal light and joy in God's kingdom.</p> + +<blockquote>"Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us +into the kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have our +redemption, the forgiveness of our sins."</blockquote> + +<p>41. Paul now expatiates on the things that call for our gratitude to +God the Father. He sums up the whole teaching of the Gospel, showing +us what is ours in Christ and giving a glorious and comforting +description of his person and the blessing he brings. But first, he +says, we ought, above all, to thank God unceasingly for the knowledge +of his revealed Gospel. In it we have no small treasure. Rather, it +is a possession with which all the gold, silver and other riches of +this world, all the earthly joy and comfort of this life, are not to +be compared. For it means redemption from eternal, irreparable loss +and ruin under God's eternal, unbearable wrath and condemnation. And +this wretchedness was the result of our sin. We were committed to sin +and without help, without deliverance, ay, we were captive in such +blindness and darkness that we did not recognize our misery; much +less could we devise and effect our escape. Now, in place of this +misery, we have, without any merit on our part, any preparation, any +deed or design, ay, without even a thought, assuredly received, +through God's unfathomable grace and mercy, redemption, or the +forgiveness of sins.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOD'S GRACE INCOMPREHENSIBLE.</h4> + +<p>42. The measure of such graciousness and blessing no tongue can +express; indeed, in this life no man can understand it. In hell the +wicked shall become sensible of it by the realization of their +condemnation and the never-ending wrath of the eternal, divine +Majesty and of all creatures. No created thing shall they be able to +behold with joy, because in these ever shall be reflected the +condemned one's own unceasing, lamentable sorrow, terror and despair. +Nor, on the other hand, can the creature behold the condemned with +pleasure, but must abhor them; it must be an object of further terror +and condemnation to the damned. However, in this life God in his +unspeakable goodness has subjected the creature to vanity, as Paul +says in Romans 8, 20, and to the service of the wicked. Yet it serves +against its will, travailing as a woman in pain, with the supreme +desire to be liberated from this service of the wicked, condemned +world. It must, however, have patience in its hope of redemption, for +the sake of those children of God yet to come to Christ and finally +to be brought to glory; otherwise it is as hostile to sin as God +himself.</p> + +<p>43. But because an eternal, unchangeable sentence of condemnation has +passed upon sin—for God cannot and will not regard sin with favor, +but his wrath abides upon it eternally and irrevocably—redemption +was not possible without a ransom of such precious worth as to atone +for sin, to assume the guilt, pay the price of wrath and thus abolish +sin.</p> + +<p>44. This no creature was able to do. There was no remedy except for +God's only Son to step into our distress and himself become man, to +take upon himself the load of awful and eternal wrath and make his +own body and blood a sacrifice for the sin. And so he did, out of his +immeasurably great mercy and love towards us, giving himself up and +bearing the sentence of unending wrath and death.</p> + +<p>45. So infinitely precious to God is this sacrifice and atonement of +his only beloved Son who is one with him in divinity and majesty, +that God is reconciled thereby and receives into grace and +forgiveness of sins all who believe in this Son. Only by believing +may we enjoy the precious atonement of Christ, the forgiveness +obtained for us and given us out of profound, inexpressible love. We +have nothing to boast of for ourselves, but must ever joyfully thank +and praise him who at such priceless cost redeemed us condemned and +lost sinners.</p> + +<p>46. The essential feature of redemption—forgiveness of sins—being +once obtained, everything belonging to its completion immediately +follows. Eternal death, the wages of sin, is abolished, and eternal +righteousness and life are given; as Paul says in Romans 6, 23, the +grace, or gift, of God is eternal life. And now that we are +reconciled to God and washed in the blood of Christ, everything in +heaven and earth, as Paul again declares (Eph 1, 10), is in turn +reconciled to us. The creatures are no longer opposed, but at peace +with us and friendly; they smile upon us and we have only joy and +life in God and his creation.</p> + +<p>47. Such is the doctrine of the Gospel, and so is it to be declared. +It shows us sin and forgiveness, wrath and grace, death and life; how +we were in darkness and how we are redeemed from it. It does not, +like the Law, make us sinners, nor is its mission to teach us how to +merit and earn grace. But it declares how we, condemned and under the +power of sin, death and the devil, as we are, receive by faith the +freely-given redemption and in return show our gratitude.</p> + +<p>48. Paul also explains who it is that has shed his blood for us. He +would have us understand the priceless cost of our redemption, +namely, the blood of the Son of God, who is the image of the +invisible God. The apostle declares that he existed before creation, +and by him were all things created, and that therefore he is true, +eternal God with the Father. Hence, Paul says, the shed blood truly +is God's own blood. And so the writer of this epistle clearly and +mightily establishes the article of the divinity of Christ. But this +requires a special and separate sermon.</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm28"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Twenty Fifth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-18.</center> + +<blockquote>13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that +fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. +14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them +also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For +this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, +that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede +them that are fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend +from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with +the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; 17 then we +that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up +in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be +with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>LIVING AND DEAD WHEN CHRIST RETURNS.</h4> + +<p>Paul writes these words to comfort Christians who were troubled about +what would take place at the resurrection of the dead. Shall all rise +together? Shall those living on the earth at the last day meet Christ +before others? These and like thoughts worried them. Here Paul +answers them by saying that Christ would take all his believers to +himself at the same time, etc.</p> + +<p>This epistle text you will find richly expounded in "The Explanation +of Certain Epistles," which appeared on special occasions. [The +Miscellaneous Sermons of the Year 1532.]</p> +<br> +<br><a name="serm29"></a> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Twenty Sixth Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 2 Thessalonians 1, 3-10.</center> + +<blockquote>3 We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even +as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love +of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; 4 so that we +ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and +faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye +endure; 5 which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; +to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for +which ye also suffer: 6 if so be that it is a righteous thing with +God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, 7 and to you +that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus +from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, 8 rendering +vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the +gospel of our Lord Jesus: 9 who shall suffer punishment, even eternal +destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his +might, 10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be +marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto +you was believed) in that day.</blockquote> +<br> +<h4>GOD'S JUDGMENT WHEN CHRIST RETURNS.</h4> + +<p>1. First, Paul has words of praise for his Church at Thessalonica. In +view of its faith and its love it was one of the first rank. +Patiently it stood firm, and even increased, under crosses of +affliction. The apostle's intent in commending these people is to +incite to perseverance. He would hold them up to others as an +example—an illustration—of the fruits resulting when the Gospel is +preached and received. He also points out in what the edification and +success of the true Church of Christ consist. Then he consoles them +for their patient sufferings with the mention of the glorious coming +of Christ the Lord, which shall mean their final redemption, the +recompense of peace and joy for their tribulations, and the bringing +of eternal wrath upon their persecutors.</p> + +<p>2. This consolation Paul draws from their sufferings and God's +righteous judgment, by which he makes plain why God lets them suffer +here on earth—what is his purpose in it. Looking at the Christian +community with the eye of human reason and reflection, no more +wretched, tormented, persecuted, unhappy people are in evidence on +earth than those who confess and glory in Christ the crucified. In +the world they are continually persecuted, tormented and assailed by +the devil with all manner of wretchedness, misfortune, distress and +death. Even to their own perceptions, it seems as if they surely are +forgotten and forsaken by God in the sight of mankind. For he allows +them to remain prostrate under the weight of the cross, while others +in the world, particularly their persecutors, live in the enjoyment +of honor and fortune, of happiness, power and riches, with everything +moving to the fulfilment of their desires. The Scriptures frequently +deplore this condition of things, especially the Psalms, and Paul in +First Corinthians 15, 19 confesses: "If we have only hoped in Christ +in this life, we are of all men most pitiable."</p> +<br> + +<h4>CHRISTIAN'S SUFFERINGS LEAD TO HAPPINESS.</h4> + +<p>3. Now, assuredly this state of affairs cannot continue without end; +it cannot be God's intention to permit Christians thus to suffer +continually while they live, to die because of it and remain dead. It +would be incompatible with his eternal, divine truth and honor +manifest in his Word. For there he declares he will be the God of the +pious, of them who fear and trust him, and gives them unspeakable +promises. Necessarily, then, he has planned a future state for +Christians and for non-Christians, in either instance unlike what +they know on earth. Possibly one of the chief reasons why God permits +Christians to suffer on earth is to make plain the distinction +between their reward and that of the ungodly. In the sufferings of +believing Christians, and in the wickedness, tyranny, rage, and +persecution directed by the unrighteous against the godly, is certain +indication of a future life unlike this and a final judgment of God +in which all men, godly and wicked, shall be forever recompensed.</p> + +<p>4. Notice, Paul means to say here when he speaks of the tribulations +and sufferings of Christians: "These afflictions are the indication +of God's righteous judgment, and a sign you are worthy of the kingdom +of God for which you suffer." In other words: "O beloved Christians, +regard your sufferings as dear and precious. Think not God is angry +with you, or has forgotten you, because he allows you to endure these +things. They are your great help and comfort, for they show God will +be a righteous judge, will richly bless you and avenge you upon your +persecutors. Yes, therein you have unfailing assurance. You may +rejoice, and console yourselves, believing without the shadow of a +doubt that you belong to the kingdom of God, and have been made +worthy of it, because you suffer for its sake."</p> + +<p>5. Whatever the Christian suffers here on earth at the hands of the +devil and the world, befalls him simply for the sake of the name of +God and for his Word. True, as a baptized child of God the Christian +should justly enjoy unalloyed goodness, comfort and peace on earth; +but since he must still dwell in the kingdom of the devil, who +infuses sin and death into human flesh, he must endure the devil. Yet +all Satan's inflictions and the world's plagues, persecutions, +terrors, tortures, even the taking of the Christian's life, and all +its abuse, is wrought in violence and injustice. But to offset this, +the Christian has the comforting assurance of God's Word that because +he suffers for the sake of the kingdom of Christ and of God he shall +surely be eternally partaker of that kingdom. Certain it is, no one +will be worthy of it unless he suffers for it.</p> + +<p>6. "If so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense +affliction to them that afflict you," continues the apostle. It is +impossible it should continue to be, as now, well with the world and +evil with you. God's righteousness will not admit of it. Just because +he is a righteous judge, things must be eventually different: the +godly must have eternal good, and the wicked, on the other hand, must +be punished forever. Otherwise God's judgment would not be righteous; +in other words, he would not be God. Now, since this is an impossible +proposition, since God's righteousness and truth are immutable, in +his capacity of judge he must perforce, in due time, come from +heaven, when he shall have assembled his Christians, and avenge them +of their enemies, recompense the latter according to their merits, +and confer eternal rest and peace upon his followers for the temporal +sufferings they have endured here.</p> +<br> + +<h4>GOD DOES NOT FORGET HIS CHILDREN.</h4> + +<p>7. Christians should certainly expect this and comfort themselves in +the confidence that God will not permit the wrongs of his people to +continue unpunished and unavenged. We might think he had forgotten +were we to judge from the facts that godly Abel was shamefully +murdered by his brother, that God's prophets and martyrs—John the +Baptist, Jeremiah, Paul and others—suffered death at the hands of +bloodhounds like the Herods, Neros and other shameless, sanguinary +tyrants of the sort, and this when God had, even in this life, given +glorious testimony to their being his beloved children. A judgment +must be forthcoming that tyrants may suffer pains and punishments, +and that the godly, delivered from sufferings, may have eternal rest +and joy. Let all the world know God does not forget, even after +death.</p> + +<p>8. This is the consolation the future judgment at the resurrection of +the dead holds, that, as God's righteousness requires, the saints +shall receive for their sufferings a supremely rich and glorious +recompense. Paul seems to present as the principal reason why God +must punish the world with everlasting pain, the fact that the world +has inflicted tribulations on Christians. Apparently his words imply +that the perpetrations of the devil and the world—their supreme +contempt and hatred of God's name and Word, their blasphemies of +these, their wickedness and disobedience in other respects, whereby +they bring upon themselves everlasting pain and damnation—that for +these sins against himself God is not so ready to punish as for their +persecution and torment of his poor, believing Christians. This truth +is indicated where we read that Christ on the last day shall say: +"Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared +for the devil and his angels ... inasmuch as ye did it not unto one +of these least, ye did it not unto me." Mt 25, 41 and 45.</p> + +<p>9. Paul's further observations, concerning the manner of the judgment +to come and the painful punishment of the ungodly, is sufficiently +clear as rendered, and is also explained in the sermon on the Gospel +text. Further explanation here is unnecessary.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2><i>Twenty Seventh Sunday After Trinity</i></h2> + +<center>Text: 2 Peter 3, 3-7.</center> +<br><br> +<h4>TO THE READER.</h4> + +<p>When the year has twenty-seven Sundays after Trinity, which seldom +occurs, substitute the text of 2 Peter 3, 3-7 for the twenty-sixth +Sunday and use the text of the twenty-sixth Sunday for the +twenty-seventh Sunday.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Epistle Sermons, Vol. III, by Martin Luther + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EPISTLE SERMONS, VOL. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Epistle Sermons, Vol. III + Trinity Sunday to Advent + +Author: Martin Luther + +Translator: John Nicholas Lenker + +Release Date: December 7, 2009 [EBook #30619] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EPISTLE SERMONS, VOL. III *** + + + + +Produced by Ron Swanson (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries) + + + + + + +LUTHER'S +EPISTLE SERMONS +TRINITY SUNDAY TO ADVENT. + + +TRANSLATED WITH THE HELP OF OTHERS +BY +PROF. JOHN NICHOLAS LENKER, D.D. + +AUTHOR OF "LUTHERANS IN ALL LANDS," TRANSLATOR OF +LUTHER'S WORKS INTO ENGLISH, AND PRESIDENT OF +THE NATIONAL LUTHERAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION + + + + +VOL. III. +(_Volume IX of Luther's Complete Works_.) +Third Thousand + + + + +_The Luther Press_ +MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., U.S.A. +1909. + + + + +_Dedication_ + + +To all Laymen of Evangelical Christendom interested in developing a +deeper Christian Life, on the basis of the spiritual classics of our +Protestant Church Fathers, this volume of sermons that apply the pure +doctrine of God's Word to everyday life, is prayerfully dedicated. + + + + +Copyright, 1909, by J. N. LENKER. + + + + +_Foreword_ + + +Here comes the English Luther in his twelfth visit to your home. In +peasant boots, decorated by no star of worldliness nor even by the +cross of churchliness, but by the Book from heaven pressed to his +heart in a firm attitude of earnest prayer, he comes as the man of +prayer and of the one Book, a familiar friend, to help you to live +the simple Christian life. + +This volume of twenty-four practical sermons from Trinity Sunday to +Advent marks an epoch in that it completes in an unabridged form one +branch of Luther's writings, the eight volumes of his Gospel and +Epistle Postil. They are bound in uniform size, numbered as in the +Erlangen edition from the seventh to the fourteenth volume inclusive, +paragraphed for convenient reference according to the Walch edition +with summaries of the Gospel sermons by Bugenhagen. The few subheads +inserted in the text are a new feature for American readers. + +These eight volumes of 175 sermons and 3,110 pages are the classic +devotional literature of Protestantism. They were preached by its +founder to the mother congregation of Evangelical Christendom in the +birth-period of the greatest factor in modern civilization. No +collection of Evangelical sermons has passed through more editions +and been printed in more languages, none more loved and praised, none +more read and prayed. They will be a valuable addition to the meager +sermon literature on the Epistle texts in the English language. +English Protestants will hereafter have no excuse for unacquaintance +with Luther's spiritual writings. + +What Luther's two Catechisms were in the school room to teach the +Christian faith to the youth, that these sermons were in the homes to +develop the same faith in adults. They have maintained their good +name wherever translated until the present and their contents are +above the reach of critics. These Epistle sermons especially apply +the Christian truth to everyday life. The order in developing the +Christian life with the best help from the prince of the Teutonic +church fathers, should be from the Small to the Large Catechism and +then to his Epistle sermons. Blessed the pastor and congregation who +can lead the youth to "Church Postil Reading"--to read in harmony +with their church-going. Blessed is the immigrant or diaspora +missionary who finds his people reading them in the new settlements +he visits. + +Next to the Bible and Catechisms no books did more to awaken and +sustain the great Evangelical religious movements under Spener in +Germany, Rosenius in Sweden, and Hauge in Norway, than these sermon +books devoutly and regularly read in the homes of church members. + +The transition of a people and church from a weak language into a +stronger, is easy and accompanied by gain; while the opposite course +from a strong into a weaker tongue is difficult; and accompanied by +loss. While in our land the Germans and Scandinavians lose much in +the transition ordeal, all is not lost; they have something to give. + +It is a good sign that two-tongued congregations are growing in +favor. Familiar thought in a strange language is not so strange as +when both language and thought are foreign. A church whose +constituency is many-tongued should avoid becoming one-tongued. +Church divisions are often more ethnological than theological. If +exclusively English pastors learned one-tenth as much German and +Scandinavian as these people do English, unity would be greatly +promoted. As Protestantism is far more divided in the English +language than in German or Scandinavian, the enthusiasm over the +unifying influence of English is misleading. The hope is rather in +the oneness of teaching and of spirit. This treasure, given first in +Hebrew, Greek and German, can be translated into all languages. Who +equals Luther as a translator? May his followers be inspired by his +example and translate the Evangelical classics of this prophet of the +Gentiles into all their dialects! That these volumes may contribute +to this end is our prayer. + +The history of the writing of these sermons is found in volumes 10, +11, 12 and 13 of the Gospel sermons of the "Standard Edition of +Luther's Works in English." + +The German text will be readily found in the 12th volume of the Walch +and of the St. Louis Walch editions, and in the 9th volume of the +Erlangen edition of Luther's works. + +Grateful acknowledgment is hereby made for translations to the +following: To Pastor H. L. Burry, the first sermon for Trinity +Sunday; Pastor W. E. Tressel, Third Sunday after Trinity; Prof. A. G. +Voigt, D. D., the Fifth and Twenty-fourth Sundays; Dr. Joseph Stump, +Sixth, Eighth and Thirteenth Sundays; Prof. A. W. Meyer, Eighteenth +and Nineteenth Sundays; and to Pastor C. B. Gohdes for revising the +Second Sermon for Trinity Sunday and the sermons for the Second, +Tenth, Twelfth and Sixteenth Sundays after Trinity. + +Next volumes to appear will be Genesis Vol. II, Psalms Vol. II and +Galatians. + +Heartily do we thank all parts of the church for their complimentary, +suggestive and helpful cooperation and earnestly hope our work may be +worthy of its continuance. + + J. N. LENKER. + Home for Young Women, + Minneapolis, Minn., Pentecost, 1909. + + + + +_Contents_ + + +Trinity Sunday.--The Article of Faith on the Trinity. The + Revelation of the Divine Nature and Will. Romans 11, 33-36 . . 7 + +Second Sermon.--The Trinity. Romans 11, 33-36 . . . . . . . . . 36 + +First Sunday After Trinity.--Love. God is Love. 1 John 4, 16-21 40 + +Second Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Brotherly Love. + 1 John 3, 13-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 + +Third Sunday After Trinity.--Humility, Trust, Watchfulness, + Suffering. 1 Peter 5, 5-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 + +Fourth Sunday After Trinity.--Consolation in Suffering and + Patience. Waiting for the Revealing of the Sons of God. Romans + 8, 18-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 + +Second Sermon.--Suffering, Waiting and Sighing of Creation. + Romans 8, 18-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 + +Fifth Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to the Fruits of Faith. + Duty of Unity and Love. 1 Peter 3, 8-15 . . . . . . . . . . . 119 + +Sixth Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Christian Living. + Life in Christ. Romans 6, 3-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 + +Seventh Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Resist Sin. The + Wages of Sin and the Gift of God. Romans 6, 19-23 . . . . . . 156 + +Eighth Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Live in the Spirit + Since We Have Become the Children of God, Sons and Heirs. + Romans 8, 12-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 + +Ninth Sunday After Trinity.--Warning to Christians Against + Carnal Security and Its Evils. 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13 . . . . 180 + +Tenth Sunday After Trinity.--Spiritual Counsel for Church + Officers. The Use of the Spiritual Gifts. 1 Corinthians 12, + 1-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 + +Eleventh Sunday After Trinity.--Paul's Witness to Christ's + Resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15, 1-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 + +Twelfth Sunday After Trinity.--The Twofold Use of the Law and + the Gospel. "Letter" and "Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3, 4-11 . . . 223 + +Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity.--God's Testament and Promise in + Christ, and Use of the Law. Galatians 3, 15-22 . . . . . . . . 248 + +Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity.--Works of the Flesh and Fruits + of the Spirit. Galatians 5, 16-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 + +Fifteenth Sunday After Trinity.--Conduct of Christians to One + Another in Church Government. Sowing and Reaping. Galatians 5, + 25-26 and 6, 1-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 + +Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity.--Paul's Care and Prayer for the + Church That It May Continue to Abide in Christ. Ephesians 3, + 13-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 + +Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity.--Exhortation to Live According + to the Christian Calling, and in the Unity of the Spirit. + Ephesians 4, 1-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 + +Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity.--The Treasure Christians Have + in the Preaching of the Gospel. The Call to Fellowship. + 1 Corinthians 1, 4-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 + +Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity.--Putting on the New Man and + Laying Off the Old Man. Ephesians 4, 22-28 . . . . . . . . . . 304 + +Twentieth Sunday After Trinity.--The Careful Walk of the + Christian and Redeeming the Time. Ephesians 5, 15-21 . . . . . 317 + +Twenty-First Sunday After Trinity.--The Christian Armor and + Weapons. Ephesians 6, 10-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 + +Twenty-Second Sunday After Trinity.--Paul's Thanks and Prayers + for His Churches. Philippians 1, 3-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 + +Twenty-Third Sunday After Trinity.--The Enemies of the Cross of + Christ and the Christian's Citizenship in Heaven. Philippians + 3, 17-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 + +Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Trinity.--Knowledge of God's Will and + Its Fruits. Prayer and Spiritual Knowledge. Colossians 1, 3-14 358 + +Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Trinity.--Christ Will Take Both Alike + to Himself, the Dead and Living, When He Comes. + 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 + +Twenty-Sixth Sunday After Trinity.--God's Righteous Judgment in + the Future. When Christ Comes. 2 Thessalonians 1, 3-10 . . . . 380 + + + + +_Trinity Sunday_ + +Text: Romans 11, 33-36. + +33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of +God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing +out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his +counsellor? 35 or who hath first given to him, and it shall be +recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him and through him, and unto +him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen. + + +THE ARTICLE OF FAITH ON THE TRINITY. + +1. This epistle is read today because the festival of Holy Trinity, +or of the three persons of the Godhead--which is the prime, great, +incomprehensible and chief article of faith--is observed on this day. +The object of its observance is that, by the Word of God, this truth +of the Godhead may be preserved among Christians, enabling them to +know God as he would be known. For although Paul does not treat of +that article in this epistle, but touches on it only in a few words +in the conclusion, nevertheless he would teach that in our attempts +to comprehend God we must not speculate and judge according to human +wisdom, but in the light of the Word of God alone. For these divine +truths are too far above the reach of reason ever to be comprehended +and explored by the understanding of man. + +2. And although I have, on other occasions, taught and written on +this article fully and frequently enough, still I must say a few +words in general concerning it here. True, it is not choice German, +nor has it a pleasing sound, when we designate God by the word +"Dreifaltigkeit" (nor is the Latin, Trinitas, more elegant); but +since we have no better term, we must employ these. For, as I have +said, this article is so far above the power of the human mind to +grasp, or the tongue to express, that God, as the Father of his +children, will pardon us when we stammer and lisp as best we can, if +only our faith be pure and right. By this term, however, we would say +that we believe the divine majesty to be three distinct persons of +one true essence. + +3. This is the revelation and knowledge Christians have of God: they +not only know him to be one true God, who is independent of and over +all creatures, and that there can be no more than this one true God, +but they know also what this one true God in his essential, +inscrutable essence is. + +4. The reason and wisdom of man may go so far as to reach the +conclusion, although feebly, that there must be one eternal divine +being, who has created and who preserves and governs all things. Man +sees such a beautiful and wonderful creation in the heavens and on +the earth, one so wonderfully, regularly and securely preserved and +ordered, that he must say: It is impossible that this came into +existence by mere chance, or that it originated and controls itself; +there must have been a Creator and Lord from whom all these things +proceed and by whom they are governed. Thus God may be known by his +creatures, as St. Paul says: "For the invisible things of him since +the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through +the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity." +Rom 1, 20. This is (a posteriori) the knowledge that we have when we +contemplate God from without, in his works and government; as one, +looking upon a castle or house from without, would draw conclusions +as to its lord or keeper. + +5. But from within (a priori) no human wisdom has been able to +conceive what God is in himself, or in his internal essence. Neither +can anyone know or give information of it except it be revealed to +him by the Holy Spirit. For no one knoweth, as Paul says (1 Cor 2, +11), the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him; even +so the things of God none knoweth save the Spirit of God. From +without, I may see what you do, but what your intentions are and what +you think, I cannot see. Again, neither can you know what I think +except I enable you to understand it by word or sign. Much less can +we know what God, in his own inner and secret essence is, until the +Holy Spirit, who searcheth and knoweth all things, yea, the deep +things of God--as Paul says above--reveals it to us: as he does in +the declaration of this article, in which he teaches us the existence +in the divine majesty of the one undivided essence, but in such +manner that there is, first, the person which is called the Father; +and of him exists the second person called the Son, born from +eternity; and proceeding from both these is the third, namely, the +Holy Spirit. These three persons are not distinct from each other, as +individual brothers or sisters are, but they have being in one and +the same eternal, undivided and indivisible essence. + +6. This, I say, is not discovered or attained to by human reason. It +is revealed from heaven above. Therefore, only Christians can +intelligently speak of what the Godhead essentially is, and of his +outward manifestation to his creatures, and his will toward men +concerning their salvation. For all this is imparted to them by the +Holy Spirit, who reveals and proclaims it through the Word. + +7. Those who have no such revelation, and who judge according to +their own wisdom, such as the Jews, Turks and heathen, must consider +the Christian's declaration the greatest error and rankest heresy; +they must say that we Christians are mad and foolish in imagining +that there are three Gods, when, according to all reason--yea, even +according to the Word of God--there can be but one God. It would not +be reasonable, they will say, that there should be more than one +householder over the same house, more than one lord or sovereign over +the same government; much less reasonably should more than one God +reign over heaven and earth. They imagine that thus with their wisdom +they have completely overthrown our faith and exposed it to the +derision and scorn of all the world. As if we were all blockheads and +egregious fools and could not see their logic as well as they! But, +thank God, we have understanding equal to theirs, and can argue as +convincingly, or more so, than they with their Alkoran and Talmud, +that there is but the one God. + +8. Further, we know, from the testimony of Holy Writ, that we cannot +expound the mystery of these divine things by the speculations of +reason and a pretense of great wisdom. To explain this, as well as +all the articles of our faith, we must have a knowledge higher than +any to which the understanding of man can attain. That knowledge of +God which the heathen can perceive by reason or deduce from rational +premises is but a small part of the knowledge that we should possess. +The heathen Aristotle in his best book concludes from a passage in +the wisest pagan poet, Homer: There can be no good government in +which there is more than one lord; it results as where more than one +master or mistress attempts to direct the household servants. So must +there be but one lord and regent in every government. This is all +rightly true. God has implanted such light and understanding in human +nature for the purpose of giving a conception and an illustration of +his divine office, the only Lord and Maker of all creatures. But, +even knowing this, we have not yet searched out or fathomed the +exalted, eternal, divine Godhead essence. For even though I have +learned that there is an only divine majesty, who governs all things, +I do not thereby know the inner workings of this divine essence +himself; this no one can tell me, except, as we have said, in so far +as God himself reveals it in his Word. + +9. Now we Christians have the Scriptures, which we know to be the +Word of God. The Jews also have them, from whose fathers they have +descended to us. From these, and from no other source, we have +obtained all that is known of God and divine works, from the +beginning of the world. Even among the Turks and the heathen, all +their knowledge of God--excepting what is manifestly fable and +fiction--came from the Scriptures. And our knowledge is confirmed and +proven by great miracles, even to the present day. These Scriptures +declare, concerning this article, that there is no God or divine +being save this one alone. They not only manifest him to us from +without, but they lead us into his inner essence, and show us that in +him there are three persons; not three Gods or three different kinds +of divinity, but the same undivided, divine essence. + +10. Such a revelation is radiantly shed forth from the greatest of +God's works, the declaration of his divine counsel and will. In that +counsel and will it was decreed from all eternity, and, accordingly, +was proclaimed in his promises, that his Son should become man and +die to reconcile man to God. For in our dreadful fall into sin and +death eternal, there was no way to save us excepting through an +eternal person who had power over sin and death to destroy them, and +to give us righteousness and everlasting life instead. This no angel +or other creature could do; it must needs be done of God himself. +Now, it could not be done by the person of the Father, who was to be +reconciled, but it must be done by a second person, with whom this +counsel was determined and through whom and for whose sake the +reconciliation was to be brought about. + +11. Here there are, therefore, two distinct persons, one of whom +becomes reconciled, and the other is sent to reconcile and becomes +man. The former is called the Father, being first in that he did not +have his origin in any other; the latter is called the Son, being +born of the Father from eternity. To this the Scriptures attest, for +they make mention of God's Son; as, for instance, in Psalm 2, 7: +"Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee;" and again, +Galatians 4, 4: "But when the fulness of the time came, God sent +forth his Son," etc. From this it necessarily follows that the Son, +who is spoken of as a person, must be distinct from the person of the +Father. + +12. Again, in the same manner, the Spirit of God is specifically and +distinctively mentioned as a person sent or proceeding from God the +Father and the Son: for instance, God says in Joel 2, 28: "I will +pour out my Spirit upon all flesh," etc. Here a spirit is poured out +who is God's, or a divine spirit, and who must be of the same +essence, otherwise he could not say, "my Spirit;" and yet he must be +a person other than he who sent him or who pours out. Again, because +when he was sent he manifested himself, and appeared in his descent +in a visible form, like that of a dove or tongues of fire, he must be +distinct in person from both the Father and the Son. + +13. But in this article of faith, in which we say that the Son of God +became man and that he was of the same nature as we ourselves are, in +order that he might redeem us from sin and death and give us eternal +life without any merit or worthiness of our own, we give Jews and +Turks no less occasion for laughter and mockery than when we speak of +the three persons. For this is a more absurd assertion by far, in the +estimation of human reason, which speculates in its Jewish and +Turkish--yea, heathenish--teachings, on this wise: God is an only, +almighty Lord of all, who has created all men and given them the law +according to which they are to live; accordingly it follows that he +will be merciful to the good and obedient, but will condemn and +punish the disobedient. Therefore, he who does good works and guards +himself against sin, God will reward. These are nothing but +heathenish conclusions drawn from earthly, worldly experience and +observation, as if God's government must be conducted on the same +principles as that of a father among his children and domestics; for +those are considered good rulers and masters who make a distinction +with regard to their own interests. + +14. Such heathen ideas of wisdom, holiness and service of God are +taught and practiced by the Pope. And so we believed, myself and +others, while we were under him, not knowing any better; otherwise we +would have done and taught differently. And, in fact, he who has not +this revelation and Word of God, can neither believe nor teach other +than pagan doctrine. With such a faith, how much better were we than +the heathen and Turks? Yea, how could we guard ourselves against any +deception and lying nonsense that might be offered as good works and +as service of God? Then we had to follow every impostor who came with +his cowl and cord, as if Christ were represented in him; and we +thought that in the observance of these things we would be saved. So +the whole world was filled with naught but false service of +God--which the Scriptures properly call idolatry--the product of +human wisdom, which is so easily deceived by that which pretends to +be a good work and to be obedience to God. For human wisdom knows no +better; and how could it know better without the revelation? Even +when the revelation was proclaimed, human wisdom would not heed it, +but despised it and followed its own fancies. Hence it continued to +be hidden and incomprehensible to such wisdom, as Saint Paul says: +"For who hath known the mind of the Lord?" + +15. But to us this counsel and mind of God in giving his Son to take +upon himself our flesh, is revealed and declared. For from the Word +of God we have the knowledge that no man of himself can be righteous +before God; that our whole life and all our deeds are under wrath and +condemnation, because we are wholly born in sin and by nature are +disobedient to God; but if we would be delivered from sin and be +saved, we must believe on this mediator, the Son of God, who has +taken our sin and death upon himself, by his own blood and death +rendering satisfaction, and has by his resurrection, delivered us. In +this truth we will abide, regardless of the ridicule heaped upon us +because of such faith, by heathen wisdom, which teaches that God +rewards the pious. We understand that quite as well, if not better, +than heathenism does. But in these mysteries we need a higher wisdom +than our own minds have devised or can devise, a wisdom given to us +by grace alone, through divine revelation. + +16. For it is not our intention thus to pry into the counsel, +thoughts and ways of God with our understanding and opinions, and to +be his counselors, as they do who meddle in the affairs that are the +prerogative of the Godhead, and who even dare, in the face of this +passage of Saint Paul, to refuse to receive or learn of God, but +would impart to him that for which he must recompense again. And thus +they make gods after their own fancy, as many gods as they have +thoughts; so that every shabby monastic cowl or self-appointed work, +in their estimation, accomplishes as much and passes for as much as +God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in their eternal divine counsel, +determine and accomplish. And they continue to be nothing but wearers +of cowls and instructors in works, which works even they can do who +know nothing of God and are manifestly scoundrels. And even though +they have long been occupied with these things, they still do not +know how matters stand between themselves and God. And it will ever +be true as Saint Paul says: "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, +or who hath been his counselor?" + +17. For your own theories--which are no more than what anyone can +arrive at, conjecture or conceive in his own mind, without divine +revelation--are not a knowledge of the mind of God. And what does it +avail if you are not able to say more than that God is merciful to +the good and will punish the wicked? Who will assure you that you are +good and that you are pleasing to God with your papistic, Turkish +monkery and holiness? Is it all that is necessary to assert: God will +reward with heaven such as are faithful to the order? No, dear +brother, mere presumption, or an expression of your opinion, will not +suffice here. I could do that as well as you. Indeed, each may devise +his own peculiar idea; one a black, and another a gray monk's cowl. +But we should hear and know what God's counsel is, what is his will +and mind. This none can tell you by his own understanding, and no +book on earth can teach it except the Scriptures. These God himself +has given, and they make known to us that he has sent his Son into +the world to redeem us from sin and the wrath of God, and that +whosoever believes in him should have everlasting life. + + +DIVINE MYSTERIES INEXPLICABLE TO REASON. + +18. Behold, Paul's purpose in this epistle is to show Christians that +these sublime and divine mysteries--that is, God's actual divine +essence and his will, administration and works--are absolutely beyond +all human thought, human understanding or wisdom; in short, that they +are and ever will be incomprehensible, inscrutable and altogether +hidden to human reason. When reason presumptuously undertakes to +solve, to teach and explain these matters, the result is worthless, +yea, utter darkness and deception. If anything is to be ascertained, +it must be through revelation alone; that is, the Word of God, which +was sent from heaven. + +19. We do not apply these words of Paul to the question of divine +predestination for every human being--who will be saved and who not. +For into these things God would not have us curiously inquire. He has +not given us any special revelation in regard to them, but refers all +men here to the words of the Gospel. By them they are to be guided. +He would have them hear and learn the Gospel, and believing in it +they shall be saved. Therein have all the saints found comfort and +assurance in regard to their election to eternal life; not in any +special revelation in regard to their predestination, but in faith in +Christ. Therefore, where Saint Paul treats of election, in the three +chapters preceding this text, he would not have any to inquire or +search out whether he has been predestinated or not; but he holds +forth the Gospel and faith to all men. So he taught before, that we +are saved through faith in Christ. He says (Rom 10, 8): "The word is +nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart," and he explains himself +by saying that this word should be proclaimed to all men, that they +may believe what he says in verses 12 and 13: "For the same Lord is +Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: for, Whosoever +shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." + +20. But he speaks of the marvelous ruling of God in the Church, +according to which they who have the name and honor of being the +people of God, and the Church--the people of Israel--are rejected on +account of their unbelief. Others, on the other hand, who formerly +were not God's people, but were unbelieving, are now, since they have +received the Gospel and believe in Christ, become the true Church in +the sight of God, and are saved. Consequently it was on account of +their own unbelief that the former were rejected. Then the grace and +mercy of God in Christ was offered unto everlasting life, and without +any merit of their own, to all such as were formerly in unbelief and +sin, if only they would accept and believe it. He declares: "For God +hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon +all." Rom 11, 32. + +21. Hereupon follows the text, which Saint Paul begins with emotions +of profound astonishment at the judgment and dealings of God in his +Church, saying: + +"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of +God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing +out!" + +22. Sublime are the thoughts and counsel of God, transcending by far +the mind and comprehension of man, yea of all creatures, when he so +richly pours forth his goodness and out of pure grace and mercy +elects, as beneficiaries of that goodness, the poor and wretched and +unworthy, who are concluded under sin--that is, those who acknowledge +themselves before God to be guilty and deserving of everlasting wrath +and perdition; when he does all this that they might know him in his +real divine essence, and the sentiment of his heart--that through his +Son he will give all who believe everlasting life. And, again, that +they might know how he will reject and condemn the others--those who, +in pride and security, boast of their own gifts and the fact that +they are called the people of God in preference to all other nations; +who boast that they have special promises, that they have the +prophets, the fathers, etc.; who think that God will acknowledge no +nation on earth but themselves as his people and his Church. He will +reject them on account of their unbelief, in which they are fettered +by the pride and imaginations of their own wisdom and holiness. + +23. This is that rich, inexpressible, divine wisdom and knowledge +which they possess who believe in Christ, and by which they are +enabled to look into the depths and see what the purposes and +thoughts of the divine heart are. True, in their weakness they cannot +fully reach it; they only can apprehend it in the revealed Word, by +faith, as in a glass or image, as Saint Paul says. 1 Cor 13, 12. But +to blind, unbelieving reason, divine wisdom will be foreign and +hidden; nothing of it will enter reason's consciousness and thoughts, +nor will reason desire more though a revelation be given. + +24. That attitude Saint Paul encountered, especially when the +arrogant Jews opposed themselves so sternly and stubbornly to the +preaching of the Gospel. Filled with astonishment, he exclaimed: What +shall I say more? I see indeed that it is but the deep unsearchable +wisdom of God, his incomprehensible judgment, his inscrutable ways. +So he says elsewhere: "But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, even +the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the +world unto our glory: which none of the rulers of this world hath +known." 1 Cor 2, 7-8. + +25. This depth and richness of wisdom and knowledge, we Christians +apprehend through faith; for, as Saint Paul says, it cannot be +apprehended nor comprehended otherwise. Though the world will not do +it, we will firmly believe that God is a true God and Lord, wise, +just and gracious, whose riches and depth are ineffable. We will +glorify him with our whole heart, therefore, as he ought justly to be +praised and glorified by every creature, for his wonderful government +of his Church, through his Word and revelation. Whosoever will hear +and receive the same shall have light that will turn them to him and +give them a knowledge of their salvation--an experience which others +can never realize. And he is to be glorified because he manifests +such unutterable goodness to all who are in sin and under God's wrath +that he translates them, though they are unworthy and condemned, from +the power of death and hell into the kingdom of eternal grace and +life, if they will only seek grace and believe on Christ his Son. +And, on the other hand, he is to be glorified because, as a just +judge, he rightfully rejects and condemns those who will not believe +the revelation and testimony of his will in his Son; who insist on, +and boast of, their blind fancies, of their own wisdom and +righteousness. Being accordingly deprived of such light, such grace +and consolation, they must forever be separated and cast forth from +the kingdom of God, regardless of what great name and fame may have +been theirs when they were supposed to be the people and Church of +God. + +26. And such are God's unsearchable judgments and his ways past +tracing out. Such are his government and works. For by "judgments" is +meant that which in his view is right or wrong; what pleases or does +not please him; what merits his praise or his censure; in short, what +we should follow or avoid. Again, by "his ways" is meant that which +he will manifest unto men and how he will deal with them. These +things men cannot and would not discover by their own reason, nor +search out by their own intellect, and never should they oppose their +judgments or speculations to God. It is not for them to say what is +right or wrong, whether an act or ruling is divine. They should +humble themselves before him and acknowledge that they cannot +understand, they cannot teach God in such matters; they should give +him, as their God and Creator, the honor of better understanding +himself and his purposes than do we poor, miserable worms. + +"For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his +counselor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be +recompensed unto him again?" + +27. Paul states three propositions which take away from the world all +its boasting concerning divine things: To know the mind of the +Lord--what are his thoughts and purposes, or what he has determined +within himself from eternity; to be his counselor--advising or +showing him what to do and how to do it; to give to him--assisting +him, by one's own ability, to accomplish his divine purpose. All this +is impossible to human nature; it cannot know his mind, and how much +less will it be able, with all of its wisdom and activity, to counsel +him or give him anything. + +28. Therefore, it is a shameful presumption on the part of the world +to presume by its own powers to ascertain and discover God's essence, +his will and works, and to counsel him as to his duties and +pleasures; and shameful is it that it presumes with its works to have +merited something from him, and to have earned a recompense; shameful +presumption to expect to be honored as having achieved much for God's +kingdom and for the Church--strengthening and preserving them and +filling heaven with holiness! + +29. God must defeat minds so perverted. In his administration he must +disregard their opinions and attempts. Thus, being made fools by +their own wisdom, they may stumble and be offended at it. So would +God, by showing us the realities, convince us of the futility of our +own endeavors and lead us to acknowledge that we have not fathomed +his mind, his counsel and will, and that we cannot counsel him. No +man or angel has ever yet first thought out for God his counsel, or +offered suggestion to him. Much less is he compelled to call us into +counsel, or recompense us for anything we have given to him. + + +THREE CLASSES OF PEOPLE. + +30. There are three different kinds of people on earth, among whom +Christians must live. The first of these are that rude class which is +unconcerned about the nature of God and how he rules. They have no +regard for God's Word. Their faith is only in their mammon and their +own appetites. They think only of how they may live unto themselves, +like swine in the sty. To such we need not preach anything of this +text: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge +of God." They would understand nothing of it though we were to preach +it to them everlastingly. They would rather hear of the husks and +swill with which they fill themselves. Therefore we will let them +remain the swine that they are, and separated from others as they +are. But it is exasperating to have to encounter them among +Christians. + +31. The second class are they who are still reasonable, concerning +themselves, about God's purposes and their fulfilment, and how we may +be saved. The heathen, and even we ourselves when under the papacy, +contended, according to reason, over these things. Here is the +beginning of all idolatry on earth; everyone teaches of God according +to his own opinion. Mohammed says: He that believes his Koran and its +doctrines is pleasing to God. A monk: He that is faithful to the +order and its regulations will be saved. The Pope: He who observes +his prescriptions and ritual, who makes a pilgrimage to the apostles +at Rome, buys himself an indulgence; he has acquired the forgiveness +of sins: but he who neglects it is under the wrath of God. These +observances they call judgments and ways, controlling consciences and +directing them to eternal life; and they imagine that they are God's +judgments and ways. + +32. On the contrary, the Word declares that God wants none of these +things; that they are error and darkness and a vain service--idolatry, +which he hates and which provokes him to the utmost. All must +acknowledge who have practiced their own self-appointed observances +for any length of time, that they have no real assurance that God will +be gracious unto them and take pleasure in them because of their lives +and observances. Yet, in their blind delusion and presumption, they go +on in their vagaries till God touches their hearts by a revelation of +his law; then, alarmed, they must admit that they have lived without a +knowledge of God and of his will, and that they have no counsel or +help unless they lay hold on the words of the Gospel of Christ. + +33. We were all like that heretofore. Even I, a learned doctor of +divinity, did not know better. I imagined that with my monk's cowl I +was pleasing to God and on the way to heaven. I thought that I knew +the mind of God well. I wanted to be his counselor, and to earn a +recompense of him. But now I realize that my belief was false; it was +blindness. I know that I must learn from his Word; that nothing else +avails before him but faith in the crucified Christ, his Son; and +that in such faith we must live, and do as our respective callings or +positions require. Thus we may know right and wrong in God's sight; +for our knowledge is not of our own invention, but we have it from +revelation. By revelation God shows us his mind; as Saint Paul says +(1 Cor 2, 16): "We have the mind of Christ." And again (verse 10): +"But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit." + +34. The third class are those who transgress, having knowledge. They +have the Word of revelation. I am not now speaking of those who +knowingly persecute the truth--those of the first class, who are +unconcerned about God--but I am speaking of those who recognize the +revelation but are led by the devil to override it and go around it. +They would conceive ways and judgments of God that he has not +revealed. If they were Christians, they would be satisfied and thank +God for having given us his Word, in which he shows us what is +pleasing to him and how we may be saved. But instead, they allow +themselves to be led by the devil to seek for other revelations and +to speculate on what God in his invisible majesty is, and how he +secretly governs the world, and what he has determined in regard to +the future of each particular individual. And so presumptuous is our +human nature that it would even interfere, with its wisdom, in God's +judgment, and intrude into his most secret counsel, attempting to +teach him and direct him. It was because of his arrogance that the +devil was cast out into the abyss of hell; because he aspired to +interference in the affairs of divine majesty, and would drag down +man in the fall with himself. So did he cause man to fall in +paradise, and so did he tempt the saints; and so he tempted Christ +himself when he set him on the pinnacle of the temple. + +35. Against this third class Saint Paul directs his words, in answer +to the impudent questions of wise reason as to why God punished and +rejected the Jews, as he did, and allowed the condemned heathen to +come into the Gospel grace; why he so administers justice as to exalt +the godless and allow the godly to suffer and be oppressed; why he +elected Judas as an apostle and afterwards rejected him and accepted +a murderer and malefactor. With these words Saint Paul would command +the wise to cease their impertinent strivings after the things of the +secret majesty, and to confine themselves to the revelation he has +given us; for all such searching and prying will be in vain and +harmful. Though you were to search forever you would nowhere attain +the secrets of God's purposes, but would only risk your soul. + +36. If you, therefore, would proceed wisely, you cannot do better +than to be interested in the Word and in God's works. In them he has +revealed himself, and in them he may be comprehended. For instance, +he manifests his Son, Christ, to you, on the cross. This is the work +of your redemption. In it you may truly apprehend God, and learn that +he will not condemn you on account of your sins, if you believe, but +will give you everlasting life. So Christ tells you: "God so loved +the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever +believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." Jn 3, 16. +In this Christ, says Saint Paul (Col 2, 3), are all the treasures of +wisdom and knowledge hidden. Herein you will have more than enough to +learn, to study and ponder. You will marvel at the wonderful +revelation of God, and you will learn to delight in and love him. It +is a mine which can never be exhausted in this life by study, and in +the contemplation of which, as Peter says (1 Pet 1, 12), even the +angels never tire, but find unceasing joy and pleasure. + +37. I say this so that we may be prepared to instruct and direct +those we may meet who, assailed and tormented by such thoughts of the +devil, are led to tempt God. They are beguiled by the devil to search +and grope, in his false ways, after what may be the intention of God +concerning them, and thereby they are led into such apprehension and +despair that they are unable to endure it. Such individuals must be +reminded of these words, and be reproved by them. So did Paul reprove +the Jews and cavilers of his day when they presumed to comprehend God +with their wisdom, to instruct him as his counselors and masters, to +deal with him directly themselves, without any mediator, and to +render him such service that he would owe them a recompense. Nothing +will come of such searching. Against its endeavors he has erected +barriers that, with all your striving, you will never be able to +overcome. And so infinite are his wisdom, his counsel and riches, +that you will never be able to fathom nor exhaust them. You ought to +rejoice that he gives you some knowledge of his omnipotence in his +revelation, as follows: + +"For of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be +the glory for ever." + +38. Why should we boast, he would say here, when everything that has +being--and our own wisdom and capabilities, of course--did not +originate itself but had its origin in him and must be preserved by +him, must exist through him? He says (Acts 17, 28): "For in him we +live, and move, and have our being." And again (Ps 100, 3): "It is he +that hath made us, and not we ourselves." That is, what we are and +are able to do, and the fact that we live and have peace and +protection--in short, all the good or evil that happens to us--comes +to pass not by accident or chance. It all proceeds from his divine +counsel and good pleasure. He cares for us as his people and flock. +He governs us and gives us good things. He aids and preserves us in +every time of need. Therefore, all honor and glory are due to him +alone, from his creatures. + + +EVERYTHING IS OF GOD. + +39. But when he says, Of him, through him, in him, are all things--he +says in the simplest way that the beginning, middle and end is of +God; that all creatures have their origin in him, also their growth +and their limitations. To illustrate: Every little grain of corn has +its beginning. A root springs from the dead seed in the ground; then +a shoot comes forth and becomes a stalk, a leaflet, an ear of corn, +and here it pauses, having the three parts it is intended to have. +All creatures also have their beginning, their continuation and end, +filling up the period of their existence. When this order ceases, +every creature will cease to exist. That which has a beginning and +grows but does not attain its end, does not reach perfection, is +nothing. To sum it all up, everything must be of God. Nothing can +exist without origin in him. Nothing that has come into being can +continue to exist without him. He has not created the world as a +carpenter builds a house and, departing, leaves it to stand as it +may. God remains with and preserves all things which he has made; +otherwise they would not continue to exist. + +40. Saint Paul does not simply say--as he does elsewhere--Of him are +all things. He adds two other assertions, making a triple expression, +and then unites the three thoughts into one whole when he says, "To +him be the glory for ever." No doubt it was his intention therewith +to convey the thought of this article of faith and to distinguish the +three persons of the Godhead, even though he does not mention them by +name, which is not necessary here. The ancient teachers also looked +upon this passage as a testimony to the Holy Trinity. Their analysis +was: All things are created by God the Father through the Son--even +as he does all things through the Son--and are preserved, in God's +good pleasure, through the Holy Spirit. So Paul is wont to say +elsewhere; for example (1 Cor 8, 6): "There is one God, the Father, +of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, +through whom are all things." And concerning the Holy Spirit, Genesis +1, 31 says: "And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it +was very good." + +41. The Scriptures teach us that all creation is the work of one God, +or the whole Godhead; and yet, inasmuch as they make a distinction +between the three persons of the one Godhead, we may properly say +that everything had its origin, everything exists and continues, in +the Father as the first person; through the Son, who is of the +Father; and in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from both the Father and +the Son; which three, nevertheless, are comprehended in the one +undivided essence. + +42. But how such a distinction of persons exists in the divine +essence from eternity is a mystery which we shall and must leave +unsolved. For we cannot, with our crude understanding, even fathom +God's creatures; no creature is wise enough to understand these three +parts of itself--the beginning, the middle and the end. Though they +are distinct from each other, nevertheless they are so closely +connected that we cannot with our physical senses separate one from +the other. Who has ever been able to discover or explain the process +by which a leaflet grows from a tree, or a tiny grain of corn becomes +a root, or a cherry grows from the blossom to wood and kernel? Again, +who can explain how the bodily members of a human being manifestly +grow; what the sight of the eye is; how the tongue can make such a +variety of sounds and words, which enter, with marvelous diversity, +into so many ears and hearts? Much less are we able to analyze the +inner workings of the mind--its thoughts, its meditations, its +memory. Why, then, should we presume, with our reason, to compass and +comprehend the eternal, invisible essence of God? + + + + +_Trinity Sunday_ + +Second Sermon. Text: Romans 11, 33-36. + + +THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.[1] + +[Footnote 1: This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.] + +1. This festival requires us to instruct the people in the dogma of +the Holy Trinity, and to strengthen both memory and faith concerning +it. This is the reason why we take up the subject once more. Without +proper instruction and a sound foundation in this regard, other +dogmas cannot be rightly and successfully treated. The other +festivals of the year present the Lord God clothed in his works and +miracles. For instance: on Christmas we celebrate his incarnation; on +Easter his resurrection from the dead; on Whitsunday the gift of the +Holy Spirit and the establishment of the Christian Church. Thus all +the other festivals present the Lord in the guise of a worker of one +thing or another. But this Trinity Festival discloses him to us as he +is in himself. Here we see him apart from whatever guise assumed, +from whatever work done, solely in his divine essence. We must go +beyond and above all reason, leaving behind the evidence of created +things, and hear only God's own testimony concerning himself and his +inner essence; otherwise we shall remain unenlightened. + +2. Upon this subject the foolishness of God and the wisdom of the +world conflict. God's declaration that he is one God in three +distinct persons, the world looks upon as wholly unreasonable and +foolish; and the followers of mere reason, when they hear it, regard +every one that teaches or believes it as no more than a fool. +Therefore this article has been assailed continually, from the times +of the apostles and the fathers down to the present day, as history +testifies. Especially the Gospel of St. John has been subjected to +attack, which was written for the special purpose of fortifying this +dogma against the attacks of Cerinthus the heretic, who in the +apostolic age already attempted to prove from Moses the existence of +but one God, which he assigned as reason that our Lord Jesus cannot +be true God on account of the impossibility of God and man being +united in one being. Thus he gave us the prattle of his reason, which +he made the sole standard for heaven to conform to. + +3. O shameless reason! How can we poor, miserable mortals grasp this +mystery of the Trinity? we who do not understand the operation of our +own physical powers--speech, laughter, sleep, things whereof we have +daily experience? Yet we would, untaught by the Word of God, guided +merely by our fallible head, pronounce upon the very nature of God. +Is it not supreme blindness for man, when he is unable to explain the +most insignificant physical operation daily witnessed in his own +body, to presume to understand something above and beyond the power +of reason to comprehend, something whereof only God can speak, and to +rashly affirm that Christ is not God? + +4. Indeed, if reason were the standard of judgment in such matters, I +also might make a successful venture; but when the conclusions of +even long and mature reflections upon the subject are compared with +Scripture, they will not stand. Therefore we must repeat, even though +a mere stammering should be the result, what the Scriptures say to +us, namely: that Jesus Christ is true God and that the Holy Spirit is +likewise true God, yet there are not three Gods; not three divine +natures, as we may speak of three brothers, three angels, three suns, +three windows. There is one indivisible divine essence, while we +recognize a distinction as to the persons. + + +SCRIPTURE PROOF THAT CHRIST IS GOD. + +Paul, speaking of Christ in Hebrews 1, 3, refers to him as the +express image of God's substance. Again, in Colossians 1, 15 he says +of Christ: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of +all creation." We must take these words for what they say--that all +creatures, even angels and men, are ranked below Christ. This +classification leaves room for God only: taking away the creature, +only God remains. It is one and the same thing, then, to say that +Christ is the firstborn of all creatures and that Christ is true and +essential God. + +5. To make the matter as clear as possible Paul uses the expression +"image of the invisible God." If Christ be the image of God he must +be a person distinct from him whose image he is, but at the same time +in one divine essence with the Father. He and the Father are not one +person, but two, and yet Christ could not be the express image of the +Father's person, or essence, if he were not equally divine. No +creature can be an image of the divine essence, for it does not +possess that essence. To repeat, Christ could not be called the +express image of God if he and the Father were not distinct persons; +there must be one imaged and one who is the image. Expressed more +clearly and according to Scripture, one person is the Father, who in +eternity begets the other; the other is the Son, begotten in +eternity, yet both are equally eternal, mighty, wise and just. + +6. Though the Jews and Turks ridicule our doctrine, as if we taught +the existence of three brothers in heaven, it does not signify. Might +I also cavil were it to serve any purpose here. But they do us wrong +and falsify our teaching; for we do not conceive of the Trinity as in +the nature of three men or of three angels. We regard it as one +divine essence, an intimacy surpassing any earthly unity. The human +body and soul are not so completely one as the Triune God. Further, +we claim the Holy Scriptures teach that in the one divine essence, +God the Father begot a son. Before any creature was made, before the +world was created, as Paul says, "before the foundation of the +world," in eternity, the Father begot a Son who is equal with him and +in all respects God like himself. Not otherwise could Paul call +Christ the express image of the invisible God. Thus it is proven that +the Father and the Son are distinct persons, and that nevertheless +but one God exists, a conclusion we cannot escape unless we would +contradict Paul, and would become Jews and Turks. + + +PAUL AND MOSES AGREE IN TESTIMONY. + +7. Again, Paul makes mention of Christ in different phrase, saying: +"Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were +destroyed of serpents." 1 Cor 10, 9. Now, keeping this verse in mind, +note how Paul and Moses kiss each other, how clearly the one responds +to the other. For Moses says (Num 14, 22): "All those men ... have +tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice," and +in this connection the speaker is represented by the term "Lord," +everywhere in the Bible printed by us in capitals to indicate a name +belonging only to the Eternal, applicable to none but the one true +God. Other terms used to designate God are sometimes applied also to +men, but this word "Lord" refers only to God. + +Now, Moses says: "And the Lord [Adonai, the true God] said ... All +these men ... have tempted me these ten times." Then comes Paul +explaining who this God is--saying they tempted "Christ." Crawl +through this statement if you may; the fact remains that Paul +declares it was Christ who was tempted, and Moses makes him the one +eternal and true God. Moreover, Christ was not at that time born; no, +nor were Mary and David. Nevertheless, the apostle plainly says, They +tempted Christ, let us not also tempt him. + +8. Certainly enough, then, Christ is the man to whom Moses refers as +God. Thus the testimony of Moses long before is identical with that +of Paul. Though employing different terms, they both confess Christ +as the Son of God, born in eternity of the Father, in the same divine +essence and yet distinct from him. You may call this difference what +you will; we indicate it by the term "person." True, we do not make a +wholly clear explanation of the mystery; we but stammer when speaking +of a "Trinity." But what are we to do? we cannot better the attempt. +So, then, the Father is not the Son, but the Son is born of the +Father in eternity; and the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father +and God the Son. Thus there are three persons, and yet but one God. +For what Moses declares concerning God Paul says is spoken of Christ. + +9. The same argument substantially Paul employs in Acts 20, 28, when, +blessing the Church of Miletus and exhorting the assembled ministers +concerning their office, he says: "Take heed unto yourselves, and to +all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to +feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood." +This, too, is a significant text, proving beyond all controversy that +Christ our Lord, who purchased the Church with his blood, is truly +God, and to him the Church belongs. For the apostle plainly asserts +it was God who bought the Church with his blood and that the Church +is his own. + +Now, in view of the fact already established that the persons are +distinct, and of the further statement that God has purchased the +Church through his own blood, we inevitably conclude that Christ our +Saviour is true God, born of the Father in eternity, and that he also +became man and was born of the Virgin Mary in time. + +10. If such blood--the material, tangible, crimson blood, shed by a +real man--is truly to be called the blood of God, then he who shed it +must be actually God, an eternal, almighty person in the one divine +essence. In that case we truly can say the blood flowing from the +side of the crucified One and spilled upon the ground is not merely +the blood of an ordinary man, but God's own. Paul does not indulge in +frivolous talk. He speaks of a most momentous matter; and he is in +dead earnest when he in his exhortation reminds us that it is an +exalted office to rule the Church and to feed it with the Word of +God. Lest we toy in the performance of such an office we are reminded +that the flock is as dear to him as the blood of his dear Son, so +precious that all creatures combined can furnish no equivalent. And +if we are indolent or unfaithful, we sin against the blood of God and +become guilty of it, inasmuch as through our fault it has been shed +in vain for the souls which we should oversee. + +11. There are many passages of similar import, particularly in the +Gospel of John. So we cannot evade the truth but must say God the +Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three individual +persons, yet of one divine essence. We do not, as the Jews and Turks +derisively allege, worship three Gods; we worship only one God, +represented to us in the Scriptures as three persons. + +Christ said to Philip (Jn 14, 9), "He that hath seen me hath seen the +Father." There Christ claims unity and equality with the Father in +the one divine essence. So does Paul in Colossians 1, 15, where he +calls Christ "the image of the invisible God," at the same time +indicating two distinct persons: the Father is not the Son and the +Son is not the Father, yet they are one God. Such passages, I say, +are frequent. By means of them the sainted fathers valiantly +maintained this dogma of the Trinity against the devil and the world, +thus making it our heritage. + +12. Now, what care we that reason should regard it as foolishness? It +requires no skill to cavil over these things; I could do that as well +as others. But, praise God, I have the grace to desire no controversy +on this point. When I know it is the Word of God that declares the +Trinity, that God has said so, I do not inquire how it can be true; I +am content with the simple Word of God, let it harmonize with reason +as it may. And every Christian should adopt the same course with +respect to all the articles of our faith. Let there be no caviling +and contention on the score of possibility; be satisfied with the +inquiry: Is it the Word of God? If a thing be his Word, if he has +spoken it, you may confidently rely upon it he will not lie nor +deceive you, though you may not understand the how and the when. + +Since, then, this article of the Holy Trinity is certified by the +Word of God, and the sainted fathers have from the inception of the +Church chivalrously defended and maintained the article against every +sect, we are not to dispute as to how God the Father, the Son and the +Holy Spirit are one God. This is an incomprehensible mystery. It is +enough that God in his Word gives such testimony of himself. Both his +nature and its revelation to us are far beyond our understanding. + + +PHYSICAL LIFE INEXPLICABLE TO REASON. + +13. And why should you presume to comprehend, to exactly understand, +the sublime, inconceivable divine essence when you are wholly +ignorant of your own body and life? You cannot explain the action of +your laughter, nor how your eyes give you knowledge of a castle or +mountain ten miles away. You cannot tell how in sleep one, dead to +the external world, is yet alive. If we are unable to understand the +least detail of our physical selves, anything so insignificant as the +growth of a mere hair, for instance, can we, unaided by the +revelation of God's Word, climb by reason--that reason so blind to +things within its natural realm--into the realm of heavenly mysteries +and comprehend and define God in his majesty? + +If you employ reason from mere love of disputation, why not devote it +to questions concerning the daily workings of your physical nature? +for instance, where are the five senses during sleep? just how is the +sound of your own laughter produced? We might without sin occupy +ourselves with such questions. But as to the absolute truth in a +matter such as this, let us abide patiently by the authority of the +Word. The Word says that Christ is the express image of the invisible +God, the firstborn of all creatures; in other words, he is God +equally with the Father. + +14. Again, John 5, 23 testifies that all should honor the Son as they +honor the Father. And in John 12, 44 we read: "He that believeth on +me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me." Also, John 14, 1: +"Believe in God, believe also in me." And again, John 16, 15: "All +things whatsoever the Father hath are mine." These and similar +passages are armor that cannot be pierced: for they are uttered by +God, who does not lie and who alone is qualified to speak the truth +concerning himself. Thus the dogma of the Trinity is thoroughly +founded upon the holy Scriptures. + + +THE THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY. + +15. Now, having established the existence of Christ in the Trinity, +we must next consider the third person, the Holy Spirit, in Scripture +sometimes termed the "Spirit" of God and sometimes his "Soul." This +person is not spoken of as "born"; he is not born like the Son, but +proceeds from the Father and the Son. To express it differently, he +is a person possessing in eternity the divine essence, which he +derives from the Father and Son in unity in the same way the Son +derives it from the Father alone. There are, then, three distinct +persons in one divine essence, one divine majesty. According to the +Scripture explanation of the mystery, Christ the Lord is the Son of +God from eternity, the express image of the Father, and equally +great, mighty, wise and just. All deity, wisdom, power and might +inherent in the Father is also in Christ, and likewise in the Holy +Spirit, who proceeds from Father and Son. Now, when you are asked to +explain the Trinity, reply that it is an incomprehensible mystery, +beyond the understanding of angels and creatures, the knowledge of +which is confined to the revelations of Scripture. + +16. Rightly did the fathers compose the Creed, or Symbol, in the +simple form repeated by Christian children: "I believe in God the +Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his +only Son ... I believe in the Holy Ghost." This confession we did not +devise, nor did the fathers of former times. As the bee collects +honey from many fair and gay flowers, so is this Creed collected, in +appropriate brevity, from the books of the beloved prophets and +apostles--from the entire holy Scriptures--for children and for +unlearned Christians. It is fittingly called the "Apostle's Symbol," +or "Apostle's Creed." For brevity and clearness it could not have +been better arranged, and it has remained in the Church from ancient +time. It must either have been composed by the apostles themselves or +it was collected from their writings and sermons by their ablest +disciples. + +17. It begins "I believe." In whom? "In God the Father." This is the +first person in the Godhead. For the sake of clear distinction, the +peculiar attribute and office in which each person manifests himself +is briefly expressed. With the first it is the work of creation. +True, creation is not the work of one individual person, but of the +one divine, eternal essence as such. We must say, God the Father, God +the Son and God the Holy Spirit created heaven and earth. Yet that +work is more especially predicated of the person of the Father, the +first person, for the reason that creation is the only work of the +Father in which he has stepped forth out of concealment into +observation; it is the first work wrought by the divine Majesty upon +the creature. By the word "Father" he is particularly and rightly +distinguished from the other persons of the Trinity. It indicates him +as the first person, derived from no other, the Son and the Holy +Spirit having existence from him. + +18. Continuing, the Creed says, I believe in another who is also God. +For to believe is something we owe to no being but God alone. Who is +this second person? Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son. Christians +have so confessed for more than fifteen hundred years; indeed, such +has been the confession of believers from the beginning of the world. +Though not employing precisely these words, yet this has been their +faith and profession. + +19. The first designation of God the Son makes him the only Son of +God. Although angels are called sons of the Lord our God, and even +Christians are termed his children, yet no one of these is said to be +the "only" or "only-begotten" Son. Such is the effect of Christ's +birth from the Father that he is unequaled by any creature, not +excepting even the angels. For he is in truth and by nature the Son +of God the Father; that is, he is of the same divine, eternal, +uncreated essence. + +20. Next comes the enumeration of the acts peculiar to him: "Who was +conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under +Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into +hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into +heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from +thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." The distinct +personality of the Son is thus demonstrated by acts peculiar to +himself. Not the Father and not the Holy Spirit, but the Son alone, +assumed human nature of flesh and blood, like unto ours, to suffer, +die, rise again and ascend into heaven. + +21. In the third place we confess, "I believe in the Holy Ghost." +Here again a distinct person is named, yet one in divine essence with +the Father and the Son; for we must believe in no one but the true +God, in obedience to the first commandment: "I am Jehovah thy God ... +Thou shalt have no other gods before me." + +Thus briefly this confession comprehends the unity of the divine +essence--we accept and worship only one God--and the revealed truth +that in the Trinity are three distinct persons. The same distinction +is indicated in holy baptism; we are baptized into the faith of one +God, yet Christ commands us to baptize "into the name of the Father +and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." + +22. The peculiarity of this third person is the fact that he proceeds +from both the Father and the Son. He is therefore called also the +Spirit of the Father and the Son; he is poured into the human heart +and reveals himself in the gathering of the Church of Christ in all +tongues. Through the Word of the Gospel he enlightens and kindles the +hearts of men unto one faith, sanctifying, quickening and saving +them. + +23. So the Creed confesses three persons as comprehended in one +divine essence, each one, however, retaining his distinct +personality; and in order that the simple Christian may recognize +that there is but one divine essence and one God, who is +tri-personal, a special work, peculiar to himself, is ascribed to +each person. And such acts, peculiar to each person, are mentioned +for the reason that thus a confusion of persons is avoided. To the +Father we ascribe the work of creation; to the Son the work of +Redemption; to the Holy Spirit the power to forgive sins, to gladden, +to strengthen, to transport from death to life eternal. + +The thought is not that the Father alone is the Creator, the Son +alone Redeemer and the Holy Spirit alone Sanctifier. The creation and +preservation of the universe, atonement for sin and its forgiveness, +resurrection from the dead and the gift of eternal life--all these +are operations of the one Divine Majesty as such. Yet the Father is +especially emphasized in the work of creation, which proceeds +originally from him as the first person; the Son is emphasized in the +redemption he has accomplished in his own person; and the Holy Spirit +in the peculiar work of sanctification, which is both his mission and +revelation. Such distinction is made for the purpose of affording +Christians the unqualified assurance that there is but one God and +yet three persons in the one divine essence--truths the sainted +fathers have faithfully gathered from the writings of Moses, the +prophets and the apostles, and which they have maintained against all +heretics. + +24. This faith has descended to us by inheritance, and by his power +God has maintained it in his Church, against sects and adversaries, +unto the present time. So we must abide by it in its simplicity and +not be wise. Christians are under the necessity of believing things +apparently foolish to reason. As Paul says (1 Cor 1, 21): "It was +God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save +them that believe." How can reason adapt itself to comprehend that +three are one, and one is three; that God became man; that he who is +washed with water in obedience to Christ's command, is washed with +the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and cleansed from all sins? Such +articles of faith appear utterly foolish to reason. Paul aptly calls +the Gospel foolish preaching wherewith God saves such as do not +depend on their own wisdom but simply believe the Word. They who will +follow reason in the things dealt with in these articles, and will +reject the Word, shall be defeated and destroyed in their wisdom. + +25. Now, we have in the holy Scriptures and in the Creed sufficient +information concerning the Holy Trinity, and all that is necessary +for the instruction of ordinary Christians. Besides, the divinity of +our Lord Jesus Christ and that of the Holy Spirit is also attested by +miracles not to be lightly esteemed nor disregarded. The Lord our God +brings to pass miraculous things for the Christian's sake--for the +strengthening of his faith--and not merely as a rebuke to false +teachers. Were he to consider the false teachers alone, he might +easily defer their retribution to the future life, since he permits +many other transgressors to go unpunished for ten, twenty or thirty +years. But the fact is, God openly in this life lays hold upon +leaders of sects who blaspheme and slander him with their false +doctrines. He inflicts upon them unusual punishments for the sake of +warning others. Besides being openly convicted of blasphemy and +having the condemnation of their own conscience, the misguided ones +receive testimony to the fact that these false leaders are +instigators of blasphemy against God's name and his Word. All men are +compelled to admit God can have no pleasure in their doctrine, since +he visits them with special marks of his displeasure, destroying them +with severer punishments than ordinarily befall offenders. + +26. History records that John the evangelist had as contemporary a +heretic, by the name of Cerinthus, who was the first to arise in +opposition to the apostolic doctrine and in blasphemy against the +Lord Jesus with the claim that Jesus is not God. This blasphemy +spread to such an extent that John saw himself compelled to +supplement the work of the other evangelists with his Gospel, whose +distinct purpose it is to defend and maintain the deity of Christ +against Cerinthus and his rabble. + +A feature of John's Gospel patent to all is the sublime beginning of +his Gospel which renders it distinct from the others. He does not lay +stress upon the miraculous doings of Christ, but upon his preaching, +wherein he reveals himself powerfully as true God, born of the Father +from eternity, and his equal in power, honor, wisdom, righteousness +and every other divine work. + +With respect to John and Cerinthus it is reported that the former, +having gone to a public bath with some of his disciples, became aware +that Cerinthus and his rabble were there, also. Without hesitation he +told his disciples to be up and away, and not to abide among +blasphemers. The disciples followed his advice and departed. +Immediately after their departure the room collapsed, and Cerinthus +with his followers perished, not one escaping. + +27. We also read concerning the heretic Arius, the chief foe of his +time toward the dogma of the deity of Christ. The injury done by this +man to the cause of Christ was such as to occupy the Church for four +centuries after his death; and still today his heresy has not been +altogether rooted out. But the Lord took the matter in hand by the +performance of a miracle which could not but be understood. + +History records that Arius had ingratiated himself into the favor of +Constantine, the emperor, and his counselors. With an oath he had +succeeded in impressing them with the righteousness of his doctrine, +so that the emperor gave command that Alexander, bishop of +Constantinople, should recognize him as a member of the Christian +Church and restore him to the priestly office. When the godly bishop +refused to accede to this demand, knowing full well the purpose +pursued by Arius and his followers, Eusebius and the other bishops +who supported Arius threatened him with the imperial edict and +expressed the determination to drive him out by force and to have +Arius restored by the congregation as such. However, they gave him a +day to think the matter over. + +28. The godly bishop was fearful. The following of Arius was large +and powerful, being supported by the imperial edict and the whole +court. The bishop, therefore, resolved to seek help from God, where +alone it is found in all things relating to God's honor. He fell down +upon his face in the church and prayed all night long that God should +preserve his name and honor by methods calculated to stem the tide of +evil purpose, and to preserve Christendom against the heretics. When +it was morning, and the hour had come when Alexander the bishop +should either restore Arius to office or be cast out of his own, +Arius convened punctually with his followers. As the procession was +wending its way to the church, Arius suddenly felt ill and was +compelled to seek privacy. The pompous procession halted, waiting his +return, when the message came that his lungs and liver had passed +from him, causing his death. The narrative comments: Mortem dignam +blasphema et foetida mente--a death worthy such a blasphemous and +turpid mind. + +29. We see, then, that this dogma has been preserved by God first +through the writings and the conflicts of the apostles, and then by +miracles, against the devil and his blasphemers. And it shall be +preserved in the future likewise, so that, without a trace of doubt, +we may believe in God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. +This is the faith which we confess with our children daily. To guard +against a mixing of persons or the abandonment of the tri-personality, +three distinct acts are predicated. This should enable the common +Christian to avoid confusing the persons, while maintaining the divine +unity as to essence. + +We proclaim these things on this Sunday in order to call attention to +the fact that we have not come upon this doctrine in a dream, but by +the grace of God through his Word and the holy apostles and Fathers. +God help us to be found constant and without blemish in this doctrine +and faith to our end. Amen. + + + + +_First Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 John 4, 16-21. + +16 God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God +abideth in him. 17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may +have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are +we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love: but perfect love +casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth +is not made perfect in love. 19 We love, because he first loved us. +20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: +for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God +whom he hath not seen. 21 And this commandment have we from him, that +he who loveth God love his brother also. + + +GOD IS LOVE. + +This epistle text is amply expounded in the "Explanation of Certain +Epistles of the Apostles" printed in other volumes. Those who wish +may read there one or more sermons for themselves or their people. +They are too long to insert here. + + + + +_Second Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 John 3, 13-18. + +13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 14 We know that we +have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He +that loveth not abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is +a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in +him. 16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: +and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso +hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and +shutteth up his compassion from him, how does the love of God abide +in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither with +the tongue; but in deed and truth. + + +EXHORTATION TO BROTHERLY LOVE. + +1. The Epistles and Gospels selected for the Pentecost cycle of +Sundays have love as their general theme. They deal not only with the +love we owe to Christ and God, which is only to be thankful for the +unspeakable blessing of forgiveness of sins and salvation through +Christ's blood and death, but also of the love we owe our neighbor; +not a love in return for favors, but one that unceasingly gives, +forgives and works all good even when unrequited. + +2. John here admonishes the Christian to exercise the virtue of love. +Considering the evident rarity of love among men, this admonition is +necessary. He particularly warns Christians not to wonder at the +world's hatred and desire for their death. Such was the hate of Cain +for his brother, of which the apostle has just spoken. The world's +hate, it must be admitted, repels love and powerfully obstructs its +exercise. + +3. Is it not surpassing strange that one can hate those who love him +and from whom he has received only kindness? Such wickedness is +almost inconceivable, we say. What incentive is there for any to +render the world service when in ingratitude it rewards love with +hatred? But let us examine ourselves, who are baptized and have +received the Gospel, and confess how we requite the supreme love of +God in giving us his Son. What a beautiful example of glad gratitude +we display! For the shame of it we ought to despise ourselves before +God and his angels. + +And what shall we say of those who will not endure the preaching of +the glorious message of God's grace and blessing, but condemn it as +heresy? to whom they who seek to serve, to benefit and save the world +by declaring the good news, must be, as Paul says, "as the filth of +the world, the offscouring of all things," 1 Cor 4, 13. Indeed, no +criminal receives more wretched and ignominious treatment and +execution, of which the Pope and his followers are a case in point. + + +THE WORLD'S HATRED. + +4. While experience has proven this otherwise incredible fact, John +vouchsafes the admonition notwithstanding: "Marvel not, brethren, if +the world hateth you." If we are not to wonder at this, is there +anything in the world to incite wonder? I should truly think the +hearing of a single sermon on the grace of Christ would suffice to +bring the world to receive the Gospel with intense joy and never to +forget the divine mercy and blessing. It would be no wonder should +the earth suddenly open and engulf mankind because of its ingratitude +to God who has given his Son to become man for the purpose of +redeeming us condemned mortals from sin and death and restoring us to +life and salvation. Is it not a horrible thing that any man should +shun and oppose such a Savior and his doctrine even more than he does +the devil himself? + +5. But what is God's attitude toward such conduct? Well does he say +to the Jews through the prophet: "O my people, what have I done unto +thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. For I +brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of +the house of bondage; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and +Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab, devised; +and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him; remember from Shittim +unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteous acts of Jehovah." Mic 6, +3-5. And well does Christ say to his ungrateful people: "O Jerusalem, +Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent +unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even +as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" +Mt 23, 37. As if he would say, "I surely did not come to effect your +death and condemnation by my message. I am about to suffer death and +God's wrath for your sins. I bring you God's endless grace and +blessing for time and eternity. Then why this bitter hatred against +me and my message?" + +6. "Since the world hates even God for his kindness," argues John, +"marvel not, my beloved, that you suffer the same fate. What does it +signify that I show my love by hazarding life and limb to sustain +this doctrine of the Gospel and help my neighbor? Mine is but a poor, +mean, uncouth, offensive love in comparison with the love that led +Christ to die for me and to redeem me from eternal death. If God's +supreme, unfathomable love fails to awaken the gratitude of the +world, what wonder if the world hates you for all your kindness? Why +will you bring down your fist and stamp your foot in anger at such +ingratitude? You are yourselves of that race for whom the Son of God +had to die. And even were you to die for the Gospel, your sacrifice +would be as nothing in comparison to the fact that God, for the sake +of the world, spared not his own Son but permitted the world to put +him to death." + +7. But whence arises the world's hatred? John tells us in verse +twelve when he mentions the incident of Cain, who, he says, "was of +the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? +Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous." An +excellent reason, indeed, for hating--the hater and murderer is evil +and the benefactor good! In civil and domestic affairs it is the +evil-doers and disobedient who incur displeasure and receive +punishment; and such reward is just. But whenever God has dealings +with the world, it shows what a rotten fruit it is by hating, +persecuting, and putting to death as evil-doers and impostors its +very benefactors. This trait it inherits, John tells us, from its +ancestor Cain, the great fratricide saint. He is a true picture of +the world of all times, and ever its spirit and fashion is patterned +after him. + +8. When mother Eve, the dear, godly woman, bore her first son, she +declared in her joy and her hope of God's promise of the future seed +that should bruise the serpent's head: "I have gotten a man with the +help of Jehovah" (Gen 4, 1); and she named him Cain, which means +"obtained," as if she would say, "I have obtained the true treasure." +For she had not before seen a human being born; this was the first, +precious fruit of man. Over Cain she rejoiced, pronouncing herself +blessed. This son was trained in the hope that he should be a savior +of the future race, a comfort to his brothers and sisters with all +their offspring. Nor was he unaware of these proud hopes. Proudly he +lorded it over his brother, who in contrast had to bear the +ignominious name of Abel, meaning "nothing," or "vanity," as if +voicing the thought of the parents' hearts: "Alas! this one has no +future. Cain is the rightful heir to the blessing God has promised +man; he is lord and master of his brethren." + +9. It is likely that the godly father and mother for many years drew +their solace from the hope placed in their first-born son, as they +looked forward with intensest longing to the redemption from their +deplorable fall. Doubtless they trained both sons very carefully and +instructed them concerning their own sin and fall and the promise God +had given them, until they were fully grown and had entered into the +priestly office. Cain the first-born was particularly zealous in that +respect, desiring to be first inasmuch as he offered his first fruits +of the earth, given by God and obtained by his own labor, as he no +doubt had seen his father offer. Abel, however, the inferior, the +poor shepherd, offered the firstlings of his sheep, given him of God +and obtained without effort and toil of his own. Now, God in a +wonderful way manifested his preference concerning the gifts upon the +altar. Fire descended from heaven and consumed Abel's offering, but +Cain's remained. The fire was the sign of God's favor. The text says: +"And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain +and to his offering he had not respect." Gen 4, 4-5. + +10. Thereupon Adam and Eve saw that the hope and solace centering in +their first-born son, were a delusion. They began to learn the +wonderful judgments of God, who gave precedence to Abel, the male +counterpart of Cinderella--which is all he was in his own sight when +he compared himself with his brother. Now Cain, with full confidence +in his position, spoiled by the delusion of his parents that as the +first-born he was God's preference, felt himself outraged. His +hypocrisy, hitherto masked, comes to the surface. He burns with +secret hate against God, with hate and anger against his brother, +which he takes no trouble whatever to disguise. The parents rebuke +him, but effect nothing. The flame of his resentment rises higher, +and meeting him alone upon the field, he fells him to the ground. Far +from contemplating amendment of life or seeking grace from God, he +has no mercy upon the only brother he has on earth, who has done him +no harm whatever. He cannot forgive him and leave him in unenvied +possession of the grace of God. + +11. Such was the solace and joy poor Adam and Eve lived to experience +in their first children! From this time on their earthly life was +fraught with gloom and sorrow, particularly since they could not but +see the source of these in their own fall and they would have pined +to death had not God comforted them with another son. For when it +became evident that the hope they had placed in Cain was a delusion, +and that they were deprived of the son who, beyond a doubt, possessed +the grace of God, they, without another son, would not have known +where to look for the solace of the promised seed. + + +CAIN THE WORLD, ABEL THE CHURCH. + +12. Note, in this man Cain is pictured the world in its true, +characteristic colors; in him its true spirit stands reflected. +Certainly his equal has never been. In him are unquestionably +prefigured the very flower, the very quintessence, of holiness on +earth--the most pious servants of God. On the other hand, that poor, +wretched, abject male counterpart of Cinderella, Abel, well +represents the obscure little brotherhood, the Church of Christ. She +must yield to Cain the lord the distinction of being everything +before God, of being the recipient of every gift of God, of being +entitled to all honor and every privilege. He feels important in his +imagined dignity, permits this spirit to pervade his sacrifices and +his worships, and thinks that God cannot but favor and accept his +offering rather than that of his brother. + +Meanwhile, the pious Abel goes his way, meekly suffering his +brother's contempt. He willingly yields Cain the honor, esteems +himself vastly inferior and beholds no consolation for himself aside +from the pure mercy and goodness of God. He believes in God and hopes +for the promised future seed. In such faith he performs his sacrifice +as a confession, a sign, of his gratitude. + +13. This illustration is intended by God as solace for his little +throng; for the incident is not written for Abel's sake but for the +sake of the humble children of God, whose condition is like that of +Abel. God has not forgotten them, though they are haughtily ignored +by proud Cain, who regards them as nothing in his presence. God +graciously looks upon them and rejects proud Cain with his birthright +and offering. + +14. Innocent Abel becomes the object of anger and hatred when the +Word of God lays hold of Cain revealing God's displeasure where he +had fancied himself worthy, and God's unwillingness to regard his +offering and devotion as superior to this of his brother and more +meritorious. Cain begins bitterly to hate and persecute his brother. +He finds no rest until Abel is laid low and cut off from the earth. +Now you have the cause of the world's hatred and anger against +Christians; simply this, as John says of Cain: "Because his works +were evil, and his brother's righteous." + +15. What offense had godly Abel committed against his brother to be +so hated? He had even regarded that brother as the first-born, as +vastly superior to himself, and had done him all honor and loved him +as became a brother. He was easily satisfied, desiring simply the +grace of God. He prayed for the future seed, that is, for the +salvation and happiness of his parents, his brother and the entire +human race. How could Cain be unmerciful and inhuman enough in his +frenzy to murder his own flesh and blood? + +The answer is found in the fact that the devil had filled Cain's +heart with pride and vanity over his birthright. He considered +himself a man of distinction, with every claim upon God's favor and +sinless, whilst his brother was nothing whatever. Cain's heart is +devoid of true brotherly love; he has only contempt for Abel. He +cannot endure God's manifest favor toward his brother, and will not +be moved by the injunction to humble himself and seek God's grace. +Anger and envy possess him to the extent that he cannot tolerate his +brother alive. In violation of God's commandment and his own +conscience, he becomes a murderer, and then goes his way as if he had +done right. + +16. This is what John means when he says that Cain had no other cause +for his crime than that his own works were evil and his brother's +righteous. Similarly, that obedient daughter of Saint Cain, the +world, hates the Christians; and for no other reason than the +latter's love and goodness of heart. Witness the examples of the holy +patriarchs, the prophets and, most of all, of Christ himself. + +17. What sin against the world did the beloved apostles commit? They +desired the injury of none, but went about in extreme poverty and +toil, teaching mankind how, through faith in Christ, to be saved from +the devil's kingdom and from eternal death. This the world will not +hear and suffer; hence the hue and cry: "Kill, kill these people! +Away with them from off the earth! Show them no mercy!" Why this +hostility? Because the apostles sought to relieve the world of its +idolatry and damnable doings. Such good works the world could not +tolerate. What it desires is nothing but praise and commendation for +its own evil doings, expecting from God the impossible endorsement, +"Your deeds are good and well-pleasing to me. Pious children of mine +are you. Just keep on cheerfully killing all who believe and preach +my Word." + +18. In the same way does the world conduct itself today with +reference to our Gospel. For no other reason are we hated and +persecuted than because we have, through God's grace, proclaimed his +Word that recovered us from the blindness and idolatry in which we +were sunken as deeply as the world, and because we desire to rescue +others. That is the unpardonable sin by which we have incurred the +world's irreconcilable anger and its inextinguishable hatred. It +cannot permit us to live. + +We preach no other doctrine than faith in Christ, which our children +pray and they themselves confess in words. We differ only in our +claim that Christ having been crucified for us and having shed his +blood to redeem us from sin and death, our salvation is not effected +by our own works, or holiness or devotion. The fact that we do not +regard their faithless worship equal to Christ himself, but teach men +to trust in the grace of God and not their own worthiness, and to +render him gratitude for his grace--this fact is intolerable to the +world. It would be well for our adversaries if they would receive +such teaching, since it would render them more than ever what they +profess to be: our superiors in wisdom, knowledge and reputation--a +claim we are willing to concede. But Cain's works are evil and Abel's +righteous. The world simply cannot tolerate the Gospel, and no unity +or harmony is ever to be hoped for. The world will not forsake its +idolatry nor receive the faith. It would force us to renounce the +Word of God and praise its Cain-like worship, or take death at their +hands. + +19. Therefore, John says, "Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth +you," for it is compelled to act according to the nature inherited +from its father Cain. It would have all merits and concede to Abel +none. The world comprises the exalted, the wise, the learned, the +mighty. The Scriptures represent these as under necessity to hate and +persecute the poor throng of the Church of Christ by reason of the +good works done by them. They can under no consideration tolerate the +idea of being taught by this despised and humble throng the doctrine +of salvation through the grace and mercy of God alone, not through +man's own merits. They cannot endure the teaching that their +offering--the mass, regarded by the Papists as a work of superlative +merit and holiness--avails nothing before God. + +20. In the text the nature of the world is portrayed for our +recognition. So to understand the world as to know what may be +expected from it is essential and valuable knowledge for the +Christian. Thus armed he will not be dismayed and become impatient of +suffering, nor permit its malice and ingratitude to mislead him to +hate and desire for revenge. He will keep his faith and love, +suffering the world to go its way if it refuse to hear his message. +The Christian should expect nothing better from the world than its +bitter persecution in return for his good works and love. The Church +of Christ on earth, let him remember, is never to have an easier lot. +He is not to judge according to show and appearance, thinking: "They +are the great throng, the wisest and cleverest people on earth; how +is it possible that they should all be in error and under +condemnation?" + +21. It is necessarily true that discipline and peace are impossible +without the most excellent, exalted, erudite, clever people--royal, +princely, noble in achievement and honor. Cain is never plain and +lowly. He is always eminently clever, wise, holy and in every way +vastly Abel's superior. In fact, he must in himself represent all +desirable things, as his name indicates. And the same characteristic +is manifest in his children, who are ingenious in the invention of +every variety of art. Deplorable the fact that a man of Cain's +qualifications, born of godly parents and signally honored of God, +should display such hatred and inhumanity toward poor Abel merely +because of God's Word and Abel's faith. + +22. Such knowledge is comforting to the godly little company of +Christians, who are confident they have God's favor and know it to be +the occasion of their persecution; they have no protection and succor +but are exposed to the same fate as Abel. If they fare better, they +may thank God for it. But they are ever to abide in love toward God, +whose love they have received and felt, and likewise toward men, +their enemies not excepted. This was Abel's way; could he have lived +again, he would have kept his brotherly love for his murderer, +forgiving him and even imploring God's forgiveness for him. + +"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love +the brethren." + + +LOVE MOVES CHRISTIANS. + +23. To abide in love should be the motive for us Christians. John +contrasts it with the motive of the world in hating us--its +wickedness. The world's hatred of you, as John's words imply, is not +strange. The contrast between you and the world is exceedingly great. +Through its own evil works, unbelief, pride, contempt for the Word +and grace of God, and the persecution of the godly, the world has +become by this time the victim of Satan and eternal death. It spurns +all counsel and aid directed toward its rescue. Stiff-necked and +hardened, under evident condemnation by its own conscience, it has +chosen to persist in its doom. But we believers in Christ, God be +praised! are different people. We have come forth from death; we have +passed through death and entered into life through the knowledge and +faith of the Son of God, who has loved us and given himself for us. + +24. Such grace and goodness of God, says the apostle, should prompt +you not to be offended and vanquished by the world's ingratitude, +hate and malice, and thus to cease from holy endeavor and become +likewise, evil, which course will result in the loss of your +treasure. It is yours, not by your own effort, but by grace alone; +for at one time you as well as they languished in the kingdom and +power of death, in evil works, far from faith and love. + +Remember to comfort yourselves, therefore, with the thought of this +great blessing, an advantage you enjoy above the others. What if the +world, abiding in death, does hate and persecute you who abide in +life? Whom can its hatred injure? It cannot take from you the life +which it lacks while you possess it, nor deliver you to death, from +which you have passed, through Christ. When it does its worst it may +perhaps falsely slander you, or deprive you of your property, or +destroy your corrupt body--the final home of maggots and in any event +doomed to corruption--and thus through the death of the body help you +gain true life. Thus vengeance will be yours rather than its own. +Yours will be the joy of being transplanted from death into life, +whereas the world must abide in death. While they of the world think +to deny you both the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth, they +themselves lose body and soul. What more terrible retribution could +their hatred and envy receive? For the sake of denying gratification +to the devil and the world, and much more for your own welfare, you +must not allow your persecutions to rob you of your peace and +salvation, nor to lead you to lose your faith through impatience and +desire for revenge. Rather, pity their wretchedness and doom. You +lose nothing by their oppression; yours is the gain, theirs the loss. +For the slight grief inflicted upon you with reference to body and +time, it shall dearly pay both here and hereafter. + +25. How do we know we have passed from death unto life? John says, +because we love the brethren. Just what does he mean? Is it not our +doctrine that Christ first loved us, as John elsewhere says? that +before we ever loved him he died and rose again for us? When we fully +believe in our Savior's love, then our own hearts respond with +perfect love to God and our neighbor. Why, then, does John say, "We +have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren"? + +26. The explanation is found in the words "We know." John says +plainly, "From the fact that we love the brethren, we know we have +passed out of death into life." Love of the brethren is the test +whereby we may ascertain who are the true believers. The apostle +directed this epistle especially against false Christians; many there +are who extol Christ, as did unbelieving Cain, and yet fail to bear +the fruit of faith. John's reference is not to the means whereby we +pass from sin and death to life, but to the proof whereby we may know +the fact--not to the cause, but to the effect. + +27. It is not sufficient to boast of having passed from death into +life; there must be evidence of the fact. Faith is not an inactive +and lifeless thing. When there is faith in the heart, its power will +be manifest. Where power is not in evidence, all boasting is false +and vain. When the human heart, in its confidence in divine mercy and +love, is thrilled with spiritual comfort, and also warmed into +kindness, friendliness, humility and patience towards the neighbor, +envying and despising none but cheerfully serving all and ministering +unto necessity even to hazarding body and life--when this is the +case, then the fruits of faith are manifest. + +Such fruits are proof that the believer has truly passed from death +into life. Had he not true faith, but doubted God's grace and love, +his heart would not prompt him, by reason of his love and gratitude +to God, to manifest love for his neighbor. Where man has faith, and +where he realizes God's infinite mercy and goodness in raising him +from death to life, love is enkindled in his heart, and he is +prompted to do all manner of good, even to his enemies, as God has +done to him. + +28. Such is the right interpretation and understanding of John's +expression: "We know that we have passed out of death into life, +because we love the brethren." It leaves in its integrity the +foundation, justification, or deliverance from death, through faith +alone. This is the first element of Christian doctrine. Granting that +faith does justify, the next question is whether the faith is real or +simulated, being merely a deceptive show and unsupported claim. The +clear information imparted by the apostles is, that love, indeed, +does not deliver from death, but that deliverance from death and the +presence of life becomes a matter of sight and knowledge in that love +has been wrought. With true faith we must have come to the point +where we no longer, like Cain, in our pride and conceit, despise our +neighbor; where we are not filled with envy, hatred and bitterness; +where we desire, and to the extent of our power, promote the +interests of our neighbor and work him all good. + +29. John draws to a close by showing the opposite side of the +picture, in that he addresses earnest words that re-echo like peals +of thunder to those who make the carnal boast of being Christians +while destitute of love. He cites several facts as evidence that +where love is lacking, necessarily faith and deliverance from death +are absent, likewise. Thus no opportunity is given for self-deception +or a frivolous excuse based upon wordy boasting of one's faith. The +reality of the inner life is known by the presence of love, which in +turn attests the presence of faith in the heart. + +I. "He that loveth not abideth in death." + +30. Here, in clear, decisive words, the conclusion is expressed that +no man may boast of life unless he has love. If it is true that faith +must be active, it is conversely true that the absence of fruitage +demonstrates one's continuance in the old Cain-like manner of +existence, torpid and dead, bereft of solace and the experience of +God's grace and life. Let no one presume to think he has passed into +life so long as he is devoid of love and the fruits of faith. Let him +become serious, and in alarm make ready to become a true believer, +lest he remain in eternal death and under greater condemnation than +those who have never heard the Gospel. + +II. "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no +murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." + +31. Still clearer and stronger becomes the argument that lack of love +means continuance in death. The stern and frightful judgment is here +expressed that the unloving person is no better than Cain the +fratricide. His heart is under the influence of deadly hate and +murderous malice against the brother who refuses to be subservient to +his desires. Kindling rage will prove its existence by appropriate +works unless restrained by the fear of disgrace and punishment. He +wishes his brother nothing good, but rejoices in his misfortune. + +All this, however, is impossible for one who believes that he has +been delivered from death. One who knows the wretchedness and misery +of death from experience, but has entered upon life with its solace +and joy, blessings he seeks to maintain--such a person will desire +for others the same blessing; he cannot rejoice in another's death. +Therefore it is true conversely: "We know that no murderer hath +eternal life abiding in him." + + +HATRED NATURAL TO HUMAN REASON. + +32. Thus we see the nature of the human heart without faith and the +knowledge of Christ; at bottom it is but the heart of a Cain, +murderous toward its neighbor. Nor can anything better be expected +from him who is not a Christian. The Scriptures repeatedly denounce +such faithless hypocrites as bloodthirsty and deceitful. "Jehovah +abhorreth the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." Ps 5, 6. "For their +feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood." Prov 1, 16. See +also verse 11. All mankind are by nature the children of the murderer +Cain. They are, of course, no better than their father. While Cain +was a man most magnificent, intelligent and wise, being the first +fruit born of those holy parents Adam and Eve, and in his superior +endowment with natural virtues infinitely superior to all who come +after him, he was nevertheless an unbeliever before God. Hence he +became the murderer of his brother. + +III. "Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and +we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath the +world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his +compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?" + +33. These words delineate true Christian love and hold up the sublime +example, or pattern, of God's love manifest in Christ. Christ's blood +and death is God's own blood and death. Paul in Acts 20, 28, speaks +of God having purchased the Church "with his own blood." The heart of +man by faith receives and apprehends this sacrifice. Under its +transforming influence he is disposed to work good to his neighbor as +he has himself received good. He even jeopardizes his life to that +end, being conscious of his redemption from eternal death, and +knowing physical death powerless to affect his eternal life. But the +heart that fails to appropriate Christ's sacrifice is without faith +and insensible to God's love and eternal life. + +34. John uses an illustration plain enough for anyone to understand, +and from which we may judge that the soul found wanting in small +duties will be deficient in great ones. According to the apostle, if +one possesses this world's goods and sees his neighbor want, he being +able to render assistance without injury to himself, and yet closes +his heart against that neighbor, not assisting him with even the +slightest work of love, how can the love of God dwell in him since he +appreciates it so little that he will not spare his needy brother a +penny? How can he be expected, then, to render a greater service--to +even lay down his life for his brother? What right has such a soul to +boast--how can he know--that Christ has laid down his life for him +and delivered him from death? + +35. How frequently are such people to be found! Having this world's +goods and being able to help the needy, they close their hearts +against the unfortunate, as did the rich glutton toward poor Lazarus. +Where shall we find in imperial courts, among kings, princes and +lords, any who extend a helping hand to the needy Church, or give her +so much as a crust of bread toward the maintenance of the poor, of +the ministry and of schools, or for other of her necessities? How +would they measure up in the greater duty of laying down their lives +for the brethren, and especially for the Christian Church? Note the +terrible judgment that they who are devoid of brotherly love are in +God's sight murderers and cannot have eternal life. + +36. But the merely selfish may well escape our censure in comparison +with those who not only close their purses to the poor but +shamelessly and forcibly deprive and rob their needy neighbor of his +own by overreaching, by fraud, oppression and extortion; who take +from the Church the property rightfully hers and especially reserved +for her, snatching the bread from her mouth, so to speak. Not only is +the papistical rabble today guilty of such sin, but many who would be +known as evangelical practice the same fraud with reference to the +parochial estates and general property of the Church, and, in +addition, tyrannically harass and torment the poor ministers. But oh, +how heavy and terrible the impending judgment for those who have +denied to Christ the Lord in his thirst even the cup of cold water! + +IV. "My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the +tongue; but in deed and truth." + +37. The world and the false Christians in word pretend great love; +but in practice, when love should manifest itself in deeds, it is +found to be insincere. So John admonishes that where our love is not +ardent enough to lead us to lay down our lives for our brethren, +however much we may profess Christ, that love is assuredly only a +vain show, a false pretense, wherewith we deceive ourselves and +remain in infidelity and death, and in a more deplorable condition +than those who are wholly ignorant of the Gospel. Therefore, let him +who would proceed safely and prove himself a Christian remember to +prove himself such by his deeds and works. Then men will know that he +does not, a murderer and liar, like others, follow the devil. They +will know, on the contrary, that he truly and with the heart clings +to the Word of God, having passed from death to life. + + + + +_Third Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Peter 5, 5-11. + +5 Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you +gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God +resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble +yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt +you in due time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he +careth for you. 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as +a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom +withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings +are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. 10 And the +God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, +after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, +establish, strengthen you. 11 To him be the dominion for ever and +ever. Amen. + + +HUMILITY, TRUST, WATCHFULNESS, SUFFERING + +1. This is the conclusion of Saint Peter's epistle. It is an +exhortation to good works, such as a Christian, or believer, should +practice. It is evident that the doctrine of the Gospel is not such +as is charged by some, forbidding good works, or not earnestly +commanding and urging them. Most diligently and repeatedly it urges +the doctrine of works--such works as are, indeed, good works. There +are in this epistle four natural heads which furnish us four good +sermons. + + +I. HUMILITY. + +2. The apostle has, in the verses immediately preceding our text, +exhorted the elders, that is, preachers, to be in their lives +"ensamples to the flock," not "lording it over the charge allotted" +to them, but using their office for the service of others. And here +in our text he exhorts the others, especially the young, to "be +subject unto the elder." And, in general, he admonishes all to "gird" +themselves "with humility, to serve one another." So Paul likewise +admonishes that we should honor one another. Humility is the noblest +and sweetest virtue love brings forth, and it is the most essential +to peace and discipline. But especially does it become and adorn the +young, making them pleasing and precious to God and men, bringing +forth an abundance of good fruits. + +3. If mankind could be led so to believe this that the virtue of +humility would be generally practiced, it would be well everywhere. +This would be a beautiful world, filled with discipline and good +works. I would much prefer to see a city in which the young are +reared in this virtue than a hundred monasteries of barefooted and +Carthusian friars, though they lived ever so strictly. Alas! the +greatest and most frequent complaint heard anywhere is concerning the +disobedience, wantonness and pride of the younger generation found +among all ranks. Therefore it is necessary to use all diligence that +this exhortation be instilled into the hearts of the young and urged +upon them, in the hope that it may benefit them. + +4. First of all, Peter presents the divine command. We are not left +to our own good pleasure in the matter--to show humility or not, as +we please. God earnestly asks it of us, and asks that we do it +lovingly and willingly. Otherwise his anger will be poured out upon +us and we will have no happiness nor favor, not even among men. For +everyone is a foe to pride and arrogance. These offenses are +condemned by the whole world, even by strangers whom they do not +concern. + +One may be guilty of pride and not see his own shame, yet he cannot +suffer it in another; he will hate and condemn that one. This vice +hurts no one save himself. He makes himself hateful and contemptible +before God and men. Everyone calls him a great, proud bag of filth +and cries shame upon him. God metes out judgment and scorn to him, +witnessing that he will not let this vice go unpunished, but will put +the offender to shame. As Peter here says: "God resisteth the proud." + +5. Men should be moved by the examples which daily come to light in +fulfilment of this passage. If we should have no regard for our own +honor and standing before the world, neither for the contempt and the +curses of all men; if the illustrious example of the noble character +and eternal majesty of God's Son, our Lord, should not stir us (which +ought to move us if we have one spark of Christianity in us), as we +behold his unspeakable and incomprehensible humility which, rightly +viewed, should melt the Christian's heart--if all this does not move +us, we should be humbled by the many awful examples of God's fearful +wrath which, from the beginning, he has hurled against pride. + +6. What is more terrible than the eternal, irreparable fall and +banishment of once lofty angelic nature that resulted when the devil +robbed himself of the honor and glory enjoyed by the noble blessed +spirits, and of the contemplation of eternal God, and brought upon +himself everlasting and intolerable damnation by seeking to make +himself equal with God, and through similar pride, led the human race +to its awful fall? But what a blind, condemned creature are you, who, +with your filthy, shameful pride and haughtiness, become like the +spirit of evil, thereby turning all the world into your enemy and +opposing yourself to the divine majesty, before which even the angels +must tremble! If you have no fear of losing the favor and prayers of +mankind, at least be afraid lest God send down upon your head his +lightning and thunder, with which he crushes iron, rocks, and +mountains, and hurl you forever into the abyss, as he hurled down the +proud spirit and his angels. + +7. Saint Peter exhorts both those who are in the office of the +ministry, and other Christians, to whom God has given something, that +they abide in their calling and office and conduct the same humbly, +gladly obeying and serving others. Right here this vice of pride is +the most hurtful to Christianity. For its whole government, life and +essence are so ordered by God that no one should exalt himself and +lord it over others, as the Pope, the true Antichrist has done. Only +humility and deeds of Christian love and service should prevail in +all classes and in all offices and works. + + +PRIDE OPPOSED TO THE FIRST TABLE. + +8. Pride in this order of the Church is really and directly opposed +to the first table of the law. It is a genuinely devilish pride in +God's name and Word on the part of such people as would be wise in +matters of faith and would lord it over God's Word. They puff +themselves up if, forsooth, they have a gift more than others, and +they hold God and all men as nothing. This vice is common among the +great, learned and wise bishops and preachers. It prevails among +those who learn of them and cling to them, especially beginners who, +inexperienced and undisciplined, are brought into prominence. Such +puff themselves up and boast: "I also am a learned doctor. I love the +Spirit and other gifts just as well as, and even in greater measure +than, these preachers." So they think they deserve to be heard and +honored above others. They consider themselves so wise that all the +world, in comparison, are geese and fools. + +And the greater one's gifts, the greater and more harmful such pride. +It is common in other professions, also. He who has a little ability, +or bears the title of doctor, makes much ado about it, and despises +others. He acts as if what he has were not given him by God, but as +if it were his by nature and birth, and therefore he deserves the +praise and worship of all men. Such persons do not realize they are +acting in opposition to God, and that they will themselves plunge +into the abyss of hell before they can hurl God down from his +heavenly throne. + +9. See, from the examples of our own time, how God has overthrown +such people. Thomas Munzer, with his tumultuous prophets, and later +the Anabaptist faction, were proud of heart, would not listen to +admonition, and lo! suddenly they went down to ruin, not only in +utter disgrace, but to their own miserable and eternal loss and that +of many people who had been misled by them. So, too, there are at the +present day many proud spirits. Some dare not yet publicly show +themselves. Such as have perceived that they are learned, or are held +in regard by men, thereupon grow boastful and, despite all their +skill and learning, abide without the Spirit and without fruit, even +if they do not work more harm in addition to bringing themselves into +condemnation. + +10. Thus it is in all kinds of gifts and offices where men are not +God-fearing and humble. For example, those who are intrusted with the +civil government--princes, counselors, lawyers (where they are not +"theologians," that is, Christians)--are so insolent and proud that +they imagine themselves alone to be the people, whom others are to +reverence as gods. In their pride, they despise God and men, and by +their arrogance they lead the land and the people to destruction. +These have already the judgment upon themselves that they, as God's +enemies, must be hurled down. For they have cut themselves loose from +God's kingdom and grace; and the blessings of baptism and of Christ, +with his suffering and blood, are lost upon them. + +11. We have now shown how pride conflicts with the demands of the +first table of the law. Men do not employ the spiritual treasures and +gifts to God's honor nor to the good of their neighbors. Thus they +mar these gifts and, in their wicked course, go to the devil, into +whose likeness they have grown. + + +PRIDE OPPOSED TO THE SECOND TABLE. + +12. Further, this vice is just as general in the sphere of the second +table of the law--among the common people and in the temporal life of +the world, each one boasting of himself and despising others. Prince +and nobleman think that all the world is nothing in comparison with +themselves. Commoner and peasant, puffed up because they have much +wealth, imagine they must defy everybody, and do good to nobody. +These deserve to be spit upon by all men. Such pride does not become +them better than ornaments of gold or silver would become an image of +stone or a wooden block. Finally, the women, with their foolish pride +of dress, must not be forgotten. One prides herself on being better +or more beautifully adorned than her neighbor. She is, in truth, a +finely decorated goose. She imagines that no other woman equals her. +Yea, there is scarcely a house-servant or maid but brags over others. + +13. In short, we have come to the point where all men, with their +insolence and boastfulness, seek to lord it over others. None will +humble himself to another. Each thinks he has full right to act as he +does, and is under no obligation to yield to others. And the civil +government has grown so weak that there is no hope of restraining the +haughtiness of all classes, from the highest to the lowest. At last, +God must strike with thunder and lightning to prove to us that he +resists such people and will not tolerate pride. Therefore the young, +who can still be led, should be exhorted and trained, as far as +possible, to guard themselves against this vice. + +14. Peter uses for his purpose a peculiar term when he says, "Gird +yourselves with humility." "Gird" has the meaning of being bound or +joined together most firmly; or, as a garment, most carefully woven +through and through so that it cannot tear. He illustrates by this +term how Christians, with all diligence, should strive after the +virtue, and manifest and practice it among themselves, as if upon +them as a band it was a special obligation. Thus, he says, must you +be twined together and bound to each other, and your hands clasped +together. So must you be joined by humility, which cannot be +dissolved, dismembered, or torn, even though occasion be given one, +here and there, incited by the devil, or the evil word of someone +else, to fly into a passion, and grow defiant and boastful, as if to +say: Must I suffer such things at the hands of this man? But rather +say to yourselves. We are Christians, and must bear with each other +and yield, in many things; for we are all one body, and we are placed +together here on earth for the sole reason that we may, through love, +serve one another. + +15. And each should recognize his own weakness. He should remember +that God has given others also something and can give them yet more, +and that therefore he should gladly serve and yield to others, +remembering that he needs their help. Each one is created for the +sake of others, and we are all to serve one another. God gives the +same grace and salvation to all, so that none may exalt himself above +his neighbor; or, if he lift himself up, that he lose the grace +conferred and fall into deeper condemnation. Therefore we must hold +fast to this humility, so that the unity may not be destroyed. For +Satan seeks to destroy this also, and uses every possible means to +lead people to despise each other and to be proud and insolent in +their treatment of each other. And these are things to which flesh +and blood, even without special incitement, are inclined. Thus +humility is easily and quickly lost if men are not alert to fight +against the devil and their own flesh. + + +THE BEAUTY OF HUMILITY. + +16. Humility is one of the beautiful garments and ornaments with +which Christians should adorn themselves before God and the world. +Paul, in Colossians 3, 12, says, "Put on humility." He regards this +virtue as more precious than all earthly crowns and splendor. This is +the true spiritual life. It is not to be sought elsewhere, by running +into the cloisters or the deserts, by putting on gray gown or cowl. +Peter here admonishes all classes to cultivate this virtue. This +sermon on good works concerns every station in every house, city or +village. It is for all churches and schools. Children, servants and +the youth should be humbly obedient to parents, superiors and the +aged. On the other hand, it is for those in the higher stations of +life who serve their inferiors, even the lowest. If all men so +observed this virtue the world would be full of good works. For it is +impossible that humility should do evil. It is profitable and +pleasant to all men. + +17. By this virtue, true saints and Christians can better be known +than by monastic seclusion and holiness. It requires no great effort +to wear a gray cowl. It is not even such a great trial to lie on the +ground at night and to arise at midnight; scoundrels, thieves, and +murderers must often do the same. But to wear and hold fast to this +angelic garment, humility--this the world is not so willing to accept +as monasticism and its works. And thus it comes to pass that flesh +and blood do not strive after this holy life. Each man seeks an easy +life, in which he can live to himself and need serve no one nor +suffer anything at the hands of others; just as the monks have sought +and chosen. + +18. Peter adds to this admonition the reason: "For God resisteth the +proud, but giveth grace to the humble." As I have said above, he +strives to show the earnestness of God's command. The command is +accompanied by a threat. He does not simply say, God punishes the +proud, or God is hostile to them; but he "resisteth" them, he sets +himself against them. Now, what is the pride of all men toward God? +Not so much as a poor, empty bubble. Their pride puffs itself up and +distends itself as though it would storm the sky and contend against +the lightning and thunder, that can shatter heaven and earth. What +can the combined might of all creatures accomplish if God oppose +himself thereto? And how does a miserable man, whose heart is +overwhelmed by a small pestilence, rise against the majesty of heaven +which can, any moment, cast him down into the abyss? What are earth +and ashes proud of? says Sirach, 10, 9. + +19. Is it not enough and more than enough that other sin and +disobedience are laid to our account, by which we anger God and merit +heavy punishment, without our trying further to provoke him with our +pride and haughtiness, so that he must arise in his majesty and +resist us? With other sins he can have patience, that he may exhort +and incite us to repentance. But if, in hardened impenitence, we defy +and oppose him, he cannot but rise up against us. Who is there that +will bear it, or be able to stand, when God sets his countenance and +his power against a poor man already subject, every moment, to death +and the power of the devil? + + +THE CONSEQUENCE OF PRIDE. + +20. From the beginning, innumerable instances in history have proved +the truth of this saying, "God resisteth the proud." They show how he +has always overthrown and destroyed the proud world and has cast down +the haughty, scornful kings and lords. The great king of Babylon, +Nebuchadnezzar, was humbled when banished from his royal throne to +the companionship of the beasts of the field and compelled to eat +grass with them, Dan 4, 30ff. Again, remember how suddenly the great +king Alexander was hurled down, when after the victory and good +fortune God had given him, he began to grow proud, and wanted to be +reverenced as a god? Again, there was King Herod Agrippa, Acts 12, +23. The proud, learned emperor Julian, a virulent mocker and +persecutor of Christ, whom he had denied--how soon was he drowned in +his own blood! And since then, what has become of all the proud, +haughty tyrants, who proposed to oppress and crush Christianity? + +21. The Pope, also, has ever, in devilish pride, exalted himself, and +in the temple of God set himself forth as God. Further, in worldly +pomp and pride he has lifted himself above all others. He has even +learned, from heathen emperors, as Diocletian and other tyrants, to +have men kiss his feet. Yea, he has forced emperors and kings to +submit to this humiliating act. What open, inhuman insolence and +pride Pope Alexander the Third practiced when, by threatening against +him his empty ban, he compelled the pious and mighty German emperor, +Frederick Barbarossa, to prostrate himself at his feet while he +stepped upon him and said, Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; +and when the emperor protested against such shameful pride and said, +Non tibi, sed Petro (Not to thee, but to Peter), the Pope, with +increasing scorn, replied, "Et mihi, et Petro" (Both to me, and to +Peter). This is pride carried almost to its highest point. + +22. The Turk, too, is prouder now than ever, and, I hope, has reached +the heights of pride, beyond which he cannot and shall not proceed. +Meantime, may he not attack and humble us! But it will come to pass, +in the end, that God will overthrow both pope and Turk through his +divine power, and, as Daniel says, without the aid of men. This word +will not fail, "God resisteth the proud." Its truth must appear in +human events, so that men may see what is meant by the declaration, +"God resisteth"; otherwise no one would believe it. Though the Turk +and all the world should be a thousand times more proud and powerful, +this should not help them when he who is above sees and grows angry, +and lifts his hand. He asks as little about the power of all Turkish +emperors and of the Pope as about a dead fly. + +23. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," +Heb 10, 31. This, however, is nothing else than with scorn and +defiance to oppose his will, so that he, in turn, must set himself +against man and must lift his hand. Therefore, let everyone beware +lest he boast and grow defiant in the presence of the divine majesty. +Not only must he beware, that he may not awaken God's anger, but that +he may have grace and blessing in the things he ought to do. For, if +thou beginnest something in thine own power, and wisdom, and +haughtiness, think not he will grant thee success and blessing to +carry out thy purpose. On the other hand, if thou humblest thyself, +and beginnest aught in accordance with his will, in the fear of God +and trusting in his grace, there is given thee the promise, "He +giveth grace to the humble." So, then, thou shalt not only have favor +with men, but success shall crown thine efforts. Thou shalt prove a +useful man, both to God and to the world, and shalt complete and +maintain thy work despite the resistance of the devil. For where +God's grace is, there his blessing and protection must follow, and +his servant cannot be overthrown or defeated. Though he be oppressed +for a time, he shall finally come forth again and be exalted. So +Peter concludes by saying: + +"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he +may exalt you in due time." + +24. Peter shows in these words what true humility is and whence it +comes. The heart, through knowledge of its sin, becomes terrified in +the presence of God's anger and anxiously seeks grace. Thus a +humility is born, not merely external and before men, but of the +heart and of God, from fear of God and knowledge of one's own +unworthiness and weakness. He who fears God and "trembles at his +word" (Is 66, 5), will surely defy or hector or boast against nobody. +Yea, he will even manifest a gentle spirit toward his enemies. +Therefore, he finds favor both with God and men. + +25. The cause of this, Peter says, shall be "the mighty hand of God." +As though he would say: Ye may not do nor leave undone this thing for +the sake of men, but ye ought to humble yourselves under the hand of +God. God's hand is powerful and mighty in a twofold respect: It +dashes down and overthrows the proud and self-secure, however hard +and iron their heads and hearts may be. They must languish in dust +and ashes; yea, must lie despondent and desperate in the anguish and +torments of hell, if he touch them but a little with the terrors of +his anger. These are experiences through which the saints also pass, +and concerning whose severity they make lamentation. "For thine +arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no +soundness in my flesh because of thine indignation," Ps 38, 2-3. "For +I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. +Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast taken me +up, and cast me away," Ps 102, 9-10. "I am consumed by the blow of +thy hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou +makest his beauty to consume away like a moth," Ps 39, 10-11. + + +THE REWARD OF HUMILITY. + +26. In the second place, God's hand is mighty to raise, to comfort +and strengthen the humbled and the fearful, and, as Peter says here, +to exalt them. Those who in terror have been cast down should not, +therefore, despair, or flee before God, but rise again, and be +comforted in God. God wants it preached and published that he never +lays his hand upon us in order that we may perish and be damned. But +he must pursue this course in order to lead us to repentance; +otherwise we would never inquire about his Word and will. And if we +seek grace, he is ready to help us up again, to grant us forgiveness +of sins, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. The Psalms and the +Prophets here and there speak of this. "Jehovah hath chastened me +sore; but he hath not given me over unto death," Ps 118, 18. "Jehovah +raiseth up them that are bowed down," Ps 146, 8. + +27. God will "exalt you in due time," says Peter. Though God's help +be delayed, and the humbled and suffering seem to lie oppressed all +too long under God's hand, and on that account to languish, +nevertheless, let them hold to the promise Paul has given: God "will +not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able," 1 Cor 10, 13, +but he will hear your cry, and will, at the right time, help; and +with this let them be comforted. But again, let the proud fear, even +though he permit them to go unpunished and to continue in their +boastful course for a time. He watches their lives, and, when the +proper time comes, he will descend all too heavily upon them, so that +they cannot bear it. He has already stretched forth his mighty hand, +both to cast down the godless and to exalt the humble. + +II. "Casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you." + +28. What will become of him who lives a God-fearing and humble life, +suffering the insolence, pride and wantonness of the world? Or, where +will he find protection and defense, to abide in his godly ways? We +see daily how the pious are harassed and persecuted, and are trod on +by the world. The Apostle says: "Ye Christians must endure temptation +and adversity, want and need, both physical and spiritual, in the +world, and your heart is oppressed with anxiety and cares, and ye +think within yourselves: O, what will become of me? How shall I be +supported? What if I should die?" (The world only concerns itself +about how it may be enriched and be filled, and anxious, unbelieving +consciences would, through themselves and their own good works, seek +to have a gracious God and to die in peace.) "In view of all this," +he says, "only hearken, I will counsel and instruct you aright as to +what disposition you should make of your troubles." + +There is a brief passage in the 55th Psalm, verse 22, which reads: +"Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will +never suffer the righteous to be moved." Follow ye this advice. Let +not your burden rest upon yourselves; for ye cannot bear it, and must +finally perish beneath its weight. But, confident and full of joy, +cast it from you and throw it on God, and say: Heavenly Father, thou +art my Lord and God, who didst create me when I was nothing; moreover +hast redeemed me through thy Son. Now, thou hast committed to me and +laid upon me, this office or work, and things do not go as well as I +would like. There is so much to oppress and worry, that I can find +neither counsel nor help. Therefore I commend everything to thee. Do +thou supply counsel and help, and be thou, thyself, everything in +these things. + +29. Such a prayer is pleasing to God, and he tells us to do only what +we are commanded, and throw upon him all anxiety as to the issue and +what we shall accomplish. As also other passages of Scripture +declare: "Commit thy way unto Jehovah, trust also in him, and he will +bring it to pass," Ps 37, 5. No heathen, philosopher, jurist, if he +have not God's Word, can throw his care and complaint upon God. He +thinks that all the world, especially the great, the wise, who rule, +must accomplish everything by their own planning and circumspection. +And where trouble arises--for it is quite common for even the +greatest and wisest people to make mistakes--he becomes a madman or a +fool, and begins to murmur and argue against God and his government, +as though God's rule merited criticism. But such men receive their +deserts when God permits their calculations and hopes to fail, and +lets the reverse obtain. For they will not admit they have need of +him. They think they have sufficient wisdom and power, and that God +must respect their plans. Thus, they spend their lives in many vain, +useless cares and projects, and must, in the course of their +experience, learn and confess, many a time, that the very opposite of +their judgment is the truth. + +30. Christians have the rare faculty, above all other people on +earth, of knowing where to place their care, whilst others vex and +torture themselves and at length must despair. Such must be the +consequence of unbelief, which has no God and would provide for +itself. But faith understands this word Peter quotes from the +Scriptures: "Because he careth for you." It joyfully meditates +thereon and does and suffers faithfully. For faith knows this to be +its duty. Its trouble, however, it commits to God, and proceeds with +vigor against all that opposes. It can call upon God as a father, and +it says: I will do what God has commanded me and leave the result +with him. + +31. The Christian must take this course if he would proceed safely +and happily in matters of the highest import. In time of danger and +in the hour of death, when, with all his worrying, he cannot discover +where he is or how he is journeying, he must, with eyes, senses and +thoughts closed to the world, surrender himself in faith and +confidence and cast himself upon God's hand and care and protection, +and say: God has permitted me to live until this hour, without my +solicitude. Moreover, he has given me his beloved Son as a treasure +and sure pledge of eternal life. Therefore, my dear soul, journey on +in joy. Thou hast a faithful Father and Savior, who has taken thee +into his own hand, and will preserve thee. + +32. The Christian Church collectively must so proceed in the +discharge of its high spiritual office, of which Peter speaks here, +that no man or creature, by his own wisdom and power, can sustain or +accomplish any work. No power, might, or protection that can comfort, +or upon which one may rely, is to be sought in the world. Wholly in +God, and in God alone, must help be sought. By his divine power God +must uphold the Church. He has, from the beginning, always and +wonderfully preserved it in the world, in the midst of great +weakness, in disunion occasioned by schismatics and heretics, in +persecution by tyrants. And the government is wholly his, though he +commits the office and service to men, whom he would summon and use +to administer his Word and sacrament. Therefore, each Christian, +especially if he fills such an office and partakes of this +fellowship, should be intent, in that whereunto God has called and +appointed him, upon serving God faithfully and doing that which is +commanded him. The anxiety respecting the Church's continued +existence and her preservation against the devil and the world, can +be left to the Lord. He has taken this upon himself and thus has +removed the burden from our shoulders, that we might be certain of +the permanence of the Church. If its preservation were committed to +human counsel, might and will, the devil, with his power, would soon +overthrow and destroy it. + +33. Likewise, in every office and station, each one should follow +this counsel of Saint Peter. A prince should seek to protect his land +and people, to promote God's Word, to maintain discipline and peace, +to do justice to every man, to punish the disobedient, etc. Councils, +officials, and those in authority should faithfully advise and direct +to this end. Pastors and preachers should rightly and fearlessly +declare God's Word and truth. Every citizen and subject should be +intent upon his work and duty, and whatever, in connection therewith, +is unusual he must simply commit to God. + +But the world does not pursue this course. Each one says: Why should +I incur so much danger, opposition and hostility? Again, why should I +labor and toil for naught? I will not accomplish my work at any rate. +In this spirit of fear and worry, his proper office and work are +delayed, or he is always careless. + +But let such people know that they are not Christians, nor do they +promote God's kingdom or profit the offices conferred on them. If +they do not propose to mend their ways, they should give up the +office bestowed on them by God. It is not enough to simply sit at +ease in one's office and accept the plaudits of men. We all like to +render esteem and honor to office and station. But know this, that +you are not in office to parade about in beautiful garments, to sit +in the front row, and be called "Gracious Master" and "Esquire." You +are to conduct faithfully the office with which God has clothed and +honored you, regardless of human honor and profit, shame or injury. + +34. But men are not generally inclined to believe and trust God. They +are not inclined to remember that he cares for us; that he has +assumed and must bear the greatest of burdens, which no man on earth +can bear; that he cared for us before we were born, and could still, +of himself, execute all things dispensing with all human help, but he +prefers to accomplish his purpose through human means, and to employ +us as instruments in these divine works--governing, punishing, +teaching, comforting. + +35. The world is particularly culpable in this matter of pride. When +divinely charged with some great work, it always seeks to determine, +in advance, by its own wisdom, all future danger and accidents, and +tries to anticipate them. The world looks for man's help, and seeks +friendship and assistance wherever it can. It makes alliances, and +resorts to other schemes. It puts its trust in these and then +considers itself strong enough to meet opposition, and is sure of its +cause by reason of its own efforts. This is not showing faith in God. +It is not committing our cause and all care for ourselves to him. It +is maintaining the cause through one's own anxiety and forethought. +It is ignoring and disbelieving the fact that nothing can be +accomplished by one's own vexed effort. No human wisdom has power to +foresee the future. If we looked back at the examples furnished by +history, we should learn how woefully human wisdom is deceived when +it relies upon itself. The results are not what was expected, but the +very opposite. + +36. The Scriptures give many pertinent examples of the kings of Judah +and Israel, whom the prophets often and severely rebuked because they +sought refuge and help among strange nations and kings. The prophets +warned them that they should not trust in human aid, but should do +according to God's Word and command. They told them he would protect +and uphold them. But the kings would not hear. They continued to form +friendships and alliances with the kings of Egypt, Syria, Babylon and +Assyria, and thus invited them as guests into the land, whereupon the +heathen kings came with force and led away captive the inhabitants +and laid everything desolate. That was their reward for not heeding +God's Word; for not believing that he cared for them, and desired to +protect and defend them if they would but trust and obey him. + +The wisest and most eminent, even among the heathen, have lamented, +in the light of their own experience, that they have been shamefully +deluded by their counsels, even though founded on the most careful +deliberations. Nor can it be said that the world has grown wiser in +consequence of its own or others' sufferings. + +37. This exhortation is preached to no one except the few who are +Christians. They have regard for God's Word, and, now humbled, have +learned that they should not rely on their own wisdom and reason, or +upon human help and comfort. They have come to the belief that God +cares for them. So they do what they know is right and are in duty +bound to do, and suffer themselves not to be hindered by such fears +as possess the world concerning dangers, injuries, and adversities. +They commend all such things to God, and at his word go right through +with courage. + +38. Let me illustrate from my own experience. What should I have done +when I began to denounce the lies of the indulgence system, and later +the errors of the papacy, if I had listened and given heed to the +terrible things all the world wrote and said would happen to me? How +often I heard it said that if I wrote against such and such eminent +people I would provoke their displeasure, which would prove too +severe for me and the whole German nation. But, since I had not begun +this work of myself, being driven and led thereto by reason of my +office (otherwise I should have preferred to keep silence), I must +continue. I commended the cause to God and let him bear the burden of +care, both as to the result of the work and also as to my own fate. +Thus I advanced the cause farther, despite tumultuous opposition, +than I had ever before dared to think or hope. + +39. Oh, how much good would God accomplish through us if people could +be persuaded, especially the eminent lords and kings, that what Peter +here says is true: "He careth for you!" How much he could do if they +believed that truth instead of seeking, through their own wisdom and +reason, to equip, strengthen, and compose themselves by aid of human +might and assistance, friendship and alliance, for the accomplishment +and maintenance of their cause! It is apparent that mortal plans fail +and have always failed, and that they accomplish nothing. God hinders +and resists man's work when he will not trust him. Hence God can +grant no success or favor to that which is founded on human wisdom or +on trust in human powers. This is a truth men must finally perceive +by experience, and they must lament because they would not believe +it. + +40. Let him who would be a Christian learn to believe this. Let him +practice and exhibit faith in all his affairs, bodily and spiritual, +in his doing and his suffering, his living and his dying. Let him +banish cares and anxious thoughts. Courageous and cheerful, let him +cast them aside; not into a corner, as some vainly think to do, for +when burdens are permitted to conceal themselves in the heart they +are not really put away. But let the Christian cast his heart and its +anxieties upon God. God is strong to bear and he can easily carry the +burden. Besides, he has commanded that all this be put upon himself. +The more thou layest upon him, the more pleasing it is to him. And he +gives thee the promise that he will carry thy cares for thee, and all +things else that concern thee. + +41. This is a grand promise, and a beautiful, golden saying, if men +would only believe it. If a powerful ruler here on earth were to give +such a promise, and were to demand that we let him have all the +concern about gold and silver and the needs of this life, how +cheerfully and contentedly would every one cling to such promise! But +now a greater lord says all this, one who is almighty and truthful, +who has power over the body and life, and who can and will give us +everything we need, both temporal and eternal. We should have in all +this, if we only believed it, half of heaven, yea, a perfect paradise +on earth. For what is better and nobler than a quiet, peaceful heart? +For this all men are striving and laboring. So have we been doing +hitherto, running to and fro after it. Yet it is found nowhere except +in God's word, which bids us cast our cares and burdens on God and +thus seek peace and rest. It counsels us to throw upon him everything +that threatens to oppress and worry us. God would not have anxiety +dwell in our hearts, for it does not belong there; it is put there by +the devil. + +42. Therefore, a Christian, even though obliged to suffer all manner +of adversity, temptation and misfortune, can cheerfully go forward +and say: Dear Lord God, thou hast commanded me to believe, to teach, +to govern and to act; this I will attempt in thy name, and I will +commend to thee whatever may happen to me in the course of duty. +There you have a man who is equal to any task, and can do much good. +For he is freed from the greatest misfortune and has laid the +heaviest weight upon God, whilst another man does nothing except fill +his heart with anxiety and gloom. This other can apply himself to no +good work. He becomes unfit both to do and to suffer. He is afraid of +every trifle and, because of his vexation or impatience, can do +nothing worth mentioning. + +What is the world doing now? Princes, lords, counselors, citizens, +and peasants--all want only power, honor, and wealth. None desires to +render service. Everyone fears that this or the other thing might +happen to him. Though the world never needed more careful rule than +at the present time, lords and princes, simply because they are such, +idly sit adorned with beautiful crowns, though they have received +their trust from God to discharge their princely office. For the +world must be governed, the youth must be educated, the wicked must +be punished. But if thou desirest the honor only, and art not willing +to step in the mire, to suffer people's displeasure, and through it +all learn to trust God and for his sake do everything, thou art not +worthy of the grace given for the accomplishment of a good and +praiseworthy work. In punishment, resting under God's wrath, thou +must remain unfit for every good work. + +III. "Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring +lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom withstand +stedfast in your faith." + +43. The apostle has set forth two things to be practiced throughout +the Christian life; namely, Christian humility--which is fear of +God--and faith and confidence in God. Now he admonishes his readers +to battle and warfare, that these blessings may be preserved. He +shows us our enemy and adversary who seeks to rob us of our treasure +and deprive us of our salvation and eternal blessedness. Hence he +would say: Be not concerned about living a life of earthly glory, and +let not anxious cares fill your soul. But be intent on humbling +yourselves before God. Trust in him. Let this be your care, that you +may abide in the grace of humility. Let it never be wrested from you. +For the devil seeks to instill these forbidden cares, and to produce +disobedience against God, that he may tear faith and God's Word out +of your heart. + + +WATCHFULNESS ENJOINED. + +Therefore, you must not ignore these facts, and meanwhile strive +after something else. You are not to go along in false security or +sleep and snore as though there were no danger. You must rather know +that you have not been placed in a garden of roses here, but in the +midst of heavy conflicts, where you must be on your guard, always +watchful and prepared for resistance. For you have an adversary who +is not insignificant or to be despised, but is strong, mighty, and +moreover wicked and ferocious. He does not fight with stone and wood, +destroying rocks and trees, but he has his eye fixed on you +Christians. He never grows tired or weary, but without rest and +ceasing he pursues you; not only to spy upon you and to harass you, +in which he can be withstood, but he desires utterly to devour you. + +44. His sole purpose and plan is to murder and destroy men, +spiritually and bodily; even as, at the beginning, when man had been +created, he led and cast him into death. He practices his schemes +with awful and deadly effect in the world against those who do not +believe in Christ, and he will never stop until the judgment day. One +can perceive his incessant activity. He bustles about and openly +raves and roars against all Christendom. He uses for his purpose the +Turks, and other tyrants and godless people, not to speak of the +sorrow and murder he works by so possessing people that in their +frenzy they do themselves injury, or without cause murder others. He +otherwise, through wicked and shameful snares, leads men into +misfortune and sorrow. + +In short, the world is nothing else than the devil's murderous cave, +both spiritually and physically. God, in order to somewhat hinder and +restrain physical murder, has ordained temporal government, parental +and other authority. These in their office are to be sober, watchful, +and diligent. We ought to thank God for his preservation of such +authority, for otherwise there would be no peace--everywhere on earth +nothing but murder. Nevertheless, the awful murder the devil +perpetrates on those who are without God's Word and faith, is not +thereby checked. + +45. Some other defense and protection, then, another kind of +watchfulness, must be sought, in order that men may remain +undestroyed and unharmed in the presence of this bloodthirsty +murderer. Of this Peter speaks here to the little company of +Christians, and says: Ye, through Christ's blood and death rescued +from the devil's lies and murderous intent, have been made alive and +have been transplanted into the heavenly life, like your beloved +fathers, Adam, Abel, and others. They are no longer under bondage to +Satan, but live in Christ, though the body lie for a time in the +earth and truth and life must be supplied to their body and soul. But +because ye still dwell in the world, ye are exposed to all danger. +Physically, ye are yet in the murderer's house; therefore ye must +take good heed, that he may not kill you again, and murder your souls +dwelling in these mortal bodies. It shall harm you none that the soul +was ruined and the body is yet subject to death. "Because I live," +says Christ (Jn 14, 19), "ye shall live also." However, ye must +struggle if ye are to abide in the truth and life. To this ye are +appointed whilst ye live here on earth; otherwise ye would already be +in Paradise. But the devil has not yet been consigned wholly to the +punishment of his damnation, which will be at the last day, when he +will finally be cast down from his airy height, and from the earth, +into the abyss of hell. Then he will no more be able to attack us, +and there will no longer be cloud or veil between us and God and the +angels. + + +SOBERNESS ESSENTIAL. + +46. In order, now, he continues, that ye may be saved from his +murderous designs, and may preserve the life you have begun, ye must +be sober and watchful; not only mindful of the body, but much rather +of the mind and soul. It is true that a Christian who is to resist +the devil must be physically sober, for a full hog and drunkard +cannot be watchful nor can he plan defense against the devil. Yet +must a Christian much more guard himself, lest the soul become sleepy +or drunken. As the soul is burdened by the body when the latter is +overwhelmed by drunkenness, so, when the soul is watchful and sober, +the body also is temperate and prepared to hear God's Word. But where +the body is oppressed by drunkenness, there the soul must first have +been a drunkard, not heeding God's Word nor giving attention to +prayer. Where the soul is drunken and drowned in such security, it +will not avail that the body suffer hurt by strict fasting and +self-mortification, after the fashion of the Carthusians and hermits. + +47. Saint Peter, then, forbids not only bodily drunkenness, but also +drunkenness of the soul. One's soul is drunk when he lives in carnal +security, without thought and anxiety as to whether he have and hold +God's Word or not; when he asks no questions, either about God's +wrath or his grace; and when he, moreover, lets himself be filled +with the sweet poison of false doctrine through the mob of evil +spirits Satan employs for this purpose, until he grows numb, loses +faith and clear judgment and finally becomes overfull of drunkenness +and spews it out upon others. + +48. The same thing results when men begin to be wise in divine things +by following human reason. Saint Peter aptly describes this false +doctrine with the expression, "cunningly devised fables," 2 Pet 1, +16. He says: "We did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we +made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." +Such are the beautiful words and sermons which make a great show of +wisdom and holiness, and naturally please men. For instance it is a +cunningly devised fable when one with the aid of philosophy, which +reason can understand, sets forth in grandiloquent words what a fine +thing it is for a man to live honorably, chastely, and to practice +good works and virtues. The aim is, with such pretense, to have us +believe that we, through these works (not alone through faith), are +justified before God; that is, are redeemed from sin and death. + +49. Again, other factious spirits travel about with worthy sayings +which they have heard from us--externals do not help souls; the +Spirit must do the work--and then they proceed to fling contempt on +baptism and the Lord's Supper. So Thomas Munzer, with his seditious +peasants, and the Anabaptist rabble, went about, with great +demonstration, preaching about the shameful, wicked life of the +world, especially of the authorities, declaring that these were +godless people and tyrants, and deserved God's wrath and punishment; +that therefore men should depose and execute them, and establish a +new government, of only pious and holy people. + +These and similar things Peter calls "cunningly devised fables." They +are exaggeratingly pretended to be the product of great wisdom and +art, and are rendered sweet and palatable to reason. So has all +idolatry, heresy, and false doctrine, from the beginning on, +prevailed, being fashioned and most beautifully adorned by people +learned and wise and held in the esteem of the world. + +50. How admirable did the position of Arius and his adherents appear +in comparison with the true faith concerning the divinity of Christ, +when they declared that though Christ should be exalted above all +angels and creatures, and that all honor, dominion and power in +heaven and on earth belong to him, yea, that he is quite equal to +God--all this, yet he is not "homo-ousios"; that is, he is not in one +undivided, divine, eternal essence, which is of such unity that it +could be imparted to no one else. It would be too much to say that a +man is God, etc. With such pretense was a great multitude of +Christians seduced. Even few bishops remained in the pure doctrine +and faith. And afterward this poison prevailed among the wise people +of Asia and Greece, until Mohammed, with his Saracens and Turks, had +miserably corrupted the greatest part of the world. + +51. Likewise the Pope has adorned and colored with a glorious form +his abominations and idolatry, claiming for his order of service that +it is a meritorious and beautiful thing. Again, he calls attention to +the serviceableness of the beautiful, orderly government and power of +the Church, with its well regulated gradations of office and +position--bishops superior to the ordinary priests, and over the +bishops Saint Peter's chair at Rome. In that chair is vested the +authority for the convocation of general councils so often as these +may be necessary. These councils are to judge and decide in all +matters of faith, and their decisions everyone must follow and obey. +Again, he boasts what great service and consolation to the whole +world is the work of the priests in the mass, when they daily renew +and offer to God the sacrifice made by Christ on the cross. This is +the sweet wine in the "golden cup" of the scarlet harlot of Babylon, +with which she has made drunken all kings and nations, Rev 17, 2-4. + +52. Where the devil finds those who give ear to such fables, he takes +them captive and so fills them with these falsehoods that they +neither see nor hear anything else. They think their belief is the +only one, and they will not suffer themselves to be instructed out of +God's Word. And so, in their madness, without rightful intelligence +of faith and all principles of pure doctrine, they continue in their +darkened mind, with their fantastic, lying prattle, without +repentance and amendment, having no grace to learn or do anything +good. This is amply proved by the example of all seditious spirits. + +53. Therefore, Peter admonishes us to be "sober and watchful," +especially in spirit, and to guard ourselves against this sweet +poison and these beautiful, adorned lies and fables of the devil. He +teaches us how to equip and defend ourselves against his wicked +devices. + +"Whom withstand stedfast in your faith." + +54. The true defense and resistance, in which we are to be sober and +watchful, is to be well grounded in God's Word and cling firmly +thereto when the devil seeks, with his cunningly devised fables, born +of human understanding and reason, to overthrow our faith. Reason is +the devil's bride, and always vaunts itself wise and skilful in +divine things, and thinks what it holds to be right and good must be +accounted so before God. But faith holds to God's Word alone. It +knows that before God, human wisdom, skill and power, and whatever +gifts and virtues man may have, count for nothing. Only his grace and +the forgiveness of sins in Christ has value. Therefore, faith can +repel and defeat all these fine pretensions and cunning fables. + +55. Worldly dominion and authority boasts before God in this fashion: +My crown is a crown in God's sight, for my power and sovereignty have +been given me by God. Therefore, whatever I say he must respect and +regard as valid, and everyone must endorse my words and actions. + +The wise philosopher or jurist would thus give expression to his +boasts and pretensions: We are the learned, the wise rulers of the +world, and have admirable laws and statutes. We have superior and +beautiful doctrines concerning good works and virtues. Men must +listen to us and allow our judgment to have precedence. He who can +do, or does, such things as we have done is, in God's sight, superior +to others. + + +FAITH, NOT WORLDLY WISDOM, ESSENTIAL. + +56. No, dear man, says faith to this, I grant that the things of +which thou boastest have been ordained and confirmed by God; but they +are not of value save for this temporal life. The world regards it a +crown to be known as wise. But in the presence of God thou shouldst +lay aside thy crown, let thy might and power, thy law and wisdom, go, +and say: God, be merciful to me a poor sinner! Reason has this +advantage, that it is equipped and adorned with God's promise to +confirm its rule here on earth and to be pleased therewith; but with +the provision that reason shall not interfere in God's government, or +boast over against him. Let it be known that what is called wisdom +and prudence on earth, is foolishness before God. What in the sight +of the world is commended and honored as beautiful, valuable, as of +honor and virtue, is before God sin, and subject to his wrath. What +on earth is called life, is before God nothing but death. + +57. If, now, the parental, governmental, and other authority which +he, himself, has arrayed and through his word established, and which +is even administered by Christians, does not endure before him in +that other life, how much less will he allow that to stand which man +has devised or subtly contrived out of his own head and heart! +Wouldst thou be wise and prudent, then cultivate these virtues in the +sphere appointed thee, in thy home, the State, and whatever office +thou hast. In these temporal things, rule as well as thou canst. Thou +wilt find little enough to help in all thy books, thy reason and +wisdom. But when thou beginnest to devise out of thine own reason the +things of God, though they may all seem trustworthy wisdom, yet, as +Peter says, they are nothing else than fables and lies. + +58. For example, a monk's words: Whoever dons a cowl can lead a holy +life, for he is cut off from the world, can banish all care and +sorrow, and can undisturbed, in peace and quietness, serve God--these +words appear wisely spoken, but at bottom they are nothing but +unreliable and useless chatter. This is proved from God's Word, which +teaches that God has forbidden us to invent our own worship; also, +that God would have us serve him in our ordinary life and station and +not by fleeing therefrom. Hence, such monkery can not be a holy, +godly life. In Psalm 119, 85, we read: "The proud have digged pits +for me, who are not according to thy law." That is, they preach to me +about praiseworthy things, and represent their cause as most worthy, +in order to overcome me. But when I look at their words aright, I do +not find them to be in accord with thy Word and commandments, which +(says he) "are faithful." A lie is always beautiful. It attracts and +pretends to be truth. It has, further, the advantage that it can +adorn itself from the wardrobe of God's Word, and, perverting the +Word, can use it in an uncertain sense. On the other hand, the truth +does not so glitter, because it does not make itself plain to reason. +For example, a common Christian, a type of the brethren, hears the +Gospel, believes, uses the sacraments, leads a Christian life at home +with wife and children--that does not shine as does the fascinating +lie of a saintly Carthusian or hermit, who, separated from his fellow +men, would be a holier servant of God than other people. Yet the +latter is useful to nobody. He lets others preach and rule, and labor +in the sweat of their brows. + + +GOD'S WORD THE CHRISTIAN'S GUIDE. + +59. The one important thing, then, is to see to it that we have God's +Word, and that we regulate all the teachings and claims of men in +accordance therewith. We will thus distinguish between the true and +the false. We must remember, also, that human reason holds a far +inferior position to faith and is not to be acknowledged as +trustworthy, save as it is authorized by God for temporal authority. +He who has faith can easily perceive when reason conflicts with God's +Word or seeks, in its wisdom, to rise superior thereto; just as, in +worldly things, each one in his station, office, or calling, knows +full well, when another attempts the same work, whether he does it +right or not. So every householder well understands that in his home +wantonness and wrong-doing on the part of the servants are not to be +tolerated. However, in divine things, reason can so attire and adorn +itself as not to be recognized except by one who, guided by faith, +has a right knowledge of God's Word. + +Reason will not refrain from intruding, with its wisdom and prudence, +into the affairs of God, where it has no orders. Thus the devil +creates endless misery, as he did at the beginning in the case of our +first parents. And yet reason will not permit, in its own domain, the +slightest interference of one unskilled in reason's code. + +60. If a cobbler were to arise in the Church and censure the people +because they did not wear his make of shoes, and should try to +convince people that such a procedure was necessary to salvation, +they would pursue him out of the Church with shoes and slippers, and +cry after him: Stay at home in your shop with your shoes and lasts! +What does that concern the spiritual estate? + +But when a factious spirit stands up and in his supposed wisdom +grunts forth: I am a holy, pious man. I have a special illumination +from the spirit. Therefore do not believe what the others say, which +is nothing but the dead letter, that one person can be God and man; +that a virgin can be a mother; that a man can be cleansed from sin by +water and the spoken Word, etc.,--when he does this, then there is no +one to offer resistance. Reason then gains the victory if it only +claims the glory of guidance by the Spirit, of a holy life, etc., +even though God's Word and faith are not present in their purity. +Behold, what mischief the Turk, with his Mohammed, has wrought and is +still working, solely by claiming the honor of worshipping the one +God, and asserting that he alone has the true God! He declares that +only he and his followers are God's people on earth, to honor which +God they war and fight against the Christians. He presses his cause +the more vigorously because he has such large fortune and victory; so +even many Christians who come among them adopt their faith and become +Turks. But none of the Turks turn Christian. + +61. Therefore, no other counsel can be offered for resisting the +devil and escaping destruction by him, than this, that we remain firm +in faith, says Saint Peter. One must have a heart which holds fast to +God's Word and fully understands the same and holds it to be true. +For faith cannot exist or endure without the Word, nor can it hear or +understand aught else. One must separate the Word far from all reason +and wisdom, placing it above these. He must hold reason as +nothing--yea, as dead--in matters pertaining to God's government and +to how man is to escape sin and eternal death. Reason must keep +silent and give to God's Word alone the honor which belongs to the +truth, "bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of +Christ," as Saint Paul says, 2 Cor 10, 5. If reason is to be my +teacher in these things, what need is there of faith? And why should +I not throw away all the Scriptures? We Christians, says Paul (1 Cor +1, 20-21), preach something else and higher than reason comprehends, +for the wisdom of the world is mere folly. If reason taught me that +the mother of Christ is a virgin, the angel Gabriel might have +remained in heaven and kept silent concerning the matter. Your faith, +says Paul again (1 Cor 2, 4), should not stand in the wisdom of men, +but in the power of God. Now you have seen the tricks and wiles of +the devil with which he seeks to devour you, which he bases on reason +as opposed to God's Word. + +62. Peter admonishes all Christians, especially the preachers, how to +defend themselves against the devil's intrigues and artifices, with +which he seeks to capture them. In order that Christians may be +properly equipped, Saint Peter calls attention to two things: First, +we must know the enemy and realize his purpose; second, we must be +armed to meet him and defend ourselves, that we may stand before him +and conquer. He is a terrible, mighty foe, says Peter, and is the god +of this world. He has more wisdom and more deceptive snares than all +men, and can so blind and unsettle reason that it will cheerfully +believe and follow him. + +He is, moreover, a wicked and bitter enemy to you who in Christ have +life. He cannot bear to see you Christ's. He thinks and plots about +nothing else than your overthrow. And think not that he is far from +you, or that he will pursue you from a distance. He has encamped +close to you and right around you; yea, in your own territory--that +is, in your flesh and blood. There he seeks how to reach you, and +overtake you when unguarded, attempting now this, now that. Misguided +faith, doubt, anger, impatience, covetousness, evil passions, etc., +are points of attack--any place where he finds an opening or +discovers that you are weak. Therefore, think not that he is simply +jesting. He is more furious and hungry than a famished and angry +lion. He does not purpose merely to wound or prick you, but wholly to +consume you, so that nothing of body or soul will remain. + +63. Whoever would withstand such a foe must be equipped with other +armor and weapons than those furnished by human wit and +understanding, by human powers or ability. Your defense is nothing +else, says Peter, than faith, which holds and grasps God's Word. And +because the believer holds fast to this, the devil can gain nothing. +It is God's truth and power, before which, with his lying and +murdering, he cannot stand; he must yield and flee. Therefore +Ephesians 6, 16 says: "Taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye +shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one." These +fiery darts are chiefly those he hurls into the heart through the +beautiful thoughts of human reason. He thus transforms himself into +an angel of light, to displace right thoughts and faith, and to +introduce human whims and false faith. His aim is, also, to lead into +doubt, distrust, hatred, and anger toward God. + +Thus it is, too, in the other temptations and trials of life, when +Satan drives men into sin and disobedience against God's commandment, +into such sins as avarice, usury, anger, revengefulness, unchastity, +and other vices. Here he uses the same insidious arts, first tearing +God's Word out of the heart, then blinding reason with sweet and +beautiful thoughts. He says: The thing proposed is not so wicked. God +will not be so angry with you. He can afford to be patient with you, +you still love the Gospel. With such suggestions as these he carries +you away and plunges you under God's fearful anger and condemnation. + +64. If you would withstand these wiles, there can be no other plan or +counsel than this: Fight with God's Word in firm faith against these +suggestions and allurements. Further, keep in mind both your former +misery and your present treasures of grace. Remember how you were +once under God's wrath when, without fear of God and without faith, +you were the devil's own, subject to all his will, and must have +perished had not God, in boundless goodness, forgiven you your sin +and bestowed on you his grace. And now give heed that you may not +lose this treasure, to which end the Holy Spirit has been promised +you. You need not succumb if you remain in faith. Again, if you +experience weakness and suffer want, you are bidden to call upon him, +certain that he will hear you. The promise is: "If ye shall ask +anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name," Jn 16, 23. +Also: "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever +ye will, and it shall be done unto you," Jn 15, 7. + +65. Peter would, with his admonitions, make Christians bold and +confident for resisting the temptations of the devil and defending +themselves. He would not have us feel terrified nor despair before +Satan, even though that wicked one press us hard through the +instrumentality of the world and of our own flesh, as well as by his +direct onslaughts. We are not to fear though he seem too strong for +us, and though surrender to his prowess seems inevitable. We are to +have a manly heart and fight valiantly through faith. We must be +assured that, if we remain firm in the faith, we shall have strength +and final victory. The devil shall not defeat us; we shall prove +superior to him. + +We have been called of God and made Christians to the end that we +renounce the devil and contend against him, and thus maintain God's +name, Word, and kingdom against him. Christ, our head, has already, +in himself, smitten and destroyed for us the devil and his power. In +addition, he gives us faith and the Holy Spirit, whereby we can +wholly defeat Satan's further wickedness and his attempts to +overthrow us. + +66. A Christian should bear all this in mind, I say, and learn to +experience the strength and power of faith. So will he not yield to +temptation and enticement. Nor will he, from love of the devil or the +world, to his own eternal hurt, and for the sake of small temporal +advantage, pleasure, or honor, cast from him God's grace and the Holy +Spirit, and put himself again under God's eternal anger and +condemnation. + +IV. "Knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your +brethren who are in the world." + +67. This is a very precious and comforting passage, the truth of +which Peter learned not only by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but +from his own experience. One instance of his experience was when, in +the high-priest's house, he thrice denied his Lord, and soon +thereafter fell into such anxiety and despair that he would have +followed the traitor Judas had not Christ turned and looked on him. +It was for this reason that Christ, so soon after his resurrection, +first of all commanded that the glad tidings should be announced to +Peter. Christ also said to him, before all this happened: "Simon, ... +I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, +when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren," Lk 22, +31-32. + + +CONDUCT IN SUFFERING. + +Peter makes faithful use of the present passage for his readers' +comfort: Ye must expect, in the world, says he, to suffer many and +severe things, both in temptations of soul and body, against the +first and the second table of the law, Satan lying in wait for you +with his deceitful and murderous arts. + +68. Weak Christians suffer beyond measure because they are plagued +and beset so constantly by the devil. Their afflictions so sorely +oppress them that they conclude that no one suffers so severely as do +they. Especially does this seem the case in the great spiritual +temptations which come to those endowed with peculiar gifts and who +are called to positions of prominence in the Church. So Paul often +laments his great temptations, which the common people do not +understand and cannot endure. God, moreover, is careful to lay on +each one just the cross he is able to carry. Still these sufferings +are such that even the great and strong must languish and wither +beneath them were it not for the comfort God bestows. These troubles +grip the heart, and consume the very marrow, as the Psalms often +lament. + +69. Some of those living in cloisters, and other pious, tender +consciences, have learned by experience how hard such burdens are to +bear, especially in the darkness of the papacy, where they receive +but little genuine comfort. There are, also, some inexperienced and +forward spirits who have seen but have not understood these things, +and who yet desire to be regarded as people of large experience. +When, however, the test comes, they are found wanting. It is related +of one of this class, who heard others bemoaning their temptations, +that he prayed God to let temptation visit him also; whereupon God +permitted him to be tempted with carnal lust. But when he found he +could not bear it, he again prayed God, asking that the burden of his +brother, whom he regarded inferior to himself, be given him. But when +this request was granted, he prayed yet more earnestly that God would +give him back his former burden. + +70. Amid such temptations Peter comforts suffering Christians by +telling them that they are not the first, nor the only ones, to be +thus assailed. They are not to feel as if it were a wonderful, rare, +unheard of cross which they bear, or that they bear it alone. They +are to know that their brethren, the Christians of all times, and +scattered through all the world, must, because they are in the world, +suffer the same things at the hand of Satan and his minions. It +assuages and comforts beyond measure for the sufferer to know that he +does not suffer alone, but with a great multitude. + +71. It is true that in external temptations this comfort is easily +grasped, because of the knowledge of others' experiences. But when +Satan assails thee alone with his poisonous darts--for example, when +he tempts thee to doubt God's grace, as if thou alone hadst been cast +off; or when he suggests horrible blasphemies, hatred of God, +condemnation of his government, and so tortures and fills with +anguish thy heart that thou art led to think that no man on earth is +more fearfully assailed than thyself--then there is need to make use +of this comfort which Peter offers thee and all Christians. In other +words, Peter would say: "My friend, let not the devil and thy +sufferings terrify thee or lead thee to despair. Thou shouldst know +this for a certainty, that thou sufferest not alone. No matter how +shamefully he attacks thee, he has done and is doing the same to +others." + +The devil seeks, not only our own destruction, but also that of all +Christendom. It is ever his purpose to tear out of men's hearts, in +the midst of their sufferings, God's Word and faith. He would rob +them of their comfort in Christ, and depict God in the most horrible +and hostile light, that the heart may have not one kind thought +regarding him. And he can do this; not only with lofty, refined, +subtle thoughts, but also by gross suggestions from without, before +which a man must fear and shudder. I, myself, saw and heard a girl +who complained of a temptation of this nature; namely, that while she +stood in the church and saw the sacrament elevated, the thought +occurred to her: Lo, what a big knave the priest is elevating. And +she was suddenly so frightened at the terrible thought that she sank +to the floor. + +72. Such terror and anxiety proceed from the fact that one imagines +that no one else has ever experienced such dreadful assaults. He +thinks he has a special, strange, and unusual affliction. Although it +is true that men's temptations differ and come from different sources +and one may imagine his own a peculiar kind, yet the sufferings and +temptations of all Christians are alike in this, that the devil tries +to drive them all from the fear and confidence of God into unbelief, +contempt, hatred, and blasphemy against God. Therefore, the apostles +are accustomed to call Christians' sufferings a fellowship in pain +and tribulations. They point all men who suffer to the agonies of +Christ our Lord, as the head and exemplar. Peter says in his first +epistle, ch. 1, 11: "The Spirit of Christ ... testified beforehand +the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them." +And Paul says, "I fill up on my part that which is lacking of the +afflictions of Christ in my flesh," Col 1, 24. + +73. If one would speak of specially severe sufferings, surely no +human heart can comprehend, much less tell, how great and heavy were +the anxiety and sorrow of our first parents on account of their +miserable fall. And what sorrow must Adam have witnessed during the +nine hundred years of his life in the experiences of his first son +Cain, and his children! No man has ever borne such a burden as lay on +both parents for nearly a hundred years after Abel's death, until +their third son was born. Truly, these nine hundred years were a +period of sorrow and misery. + +Perhaps, on the last day, we shall discuss with this our father the +solitary suffering of that time, of which we know nothing. And we +shall willingly confess that in sorrow's school he stands far above +us and we have been only insignificant pupils. It must have been most +severe and dangerous for him, since he had no example before him of +similar suffering with which to comfort himself. + +74. Likewise, if thou couldst rightly understand what the other holy +patriarchs, the prophets and apostles--especially Paul and Peter--and +later all the beloved martyrs and saints, have endured thou wouldst +be forced to say that all thy temptation and suffering are nothing in +comparison. But above all these must we reckon the experiences of the +Lord Christ, whose heart was so pierced by Satan's fiery darts and +bitter thrusts that the bloody drops of sweat were pressed out of his +body. He has gone before and surpassed us on the way of sorrow. We, +with all our suffering, can only follow his footsteps. + + +OF TEMPTATION. + +75. Therefore, learn well this saying of Peter, and think not that +thou alone endurest this severe, fearful temptation and these +onslaughts of the devil. Remember that thy brethren, not only they +who are dead--who also have set thee a good example--but also those +who live with thee in the world, have suffered and do suffer such +terror and distress. For they have the very same enemy Christ and all +Christendom have. Thou canst be glad and shout: God be praised! I am +not the only one that suffers, but with me there is a great +multitude, all Christians on earth, my beloved brothers and sisters, +even down to the last who shall walk this earth. And in this passage +Peter comforts and strengthens me, as Christ commanded him, who also +has tasted of these sorrows, and, indeed, in far greater measure than +I and others have. + +76. I have at times thought, in my trials, that I should like to +argue with Peter and Paul as to whether they were tried more severely +than I. For, when he can do nothing else, the devil resorts to the +plan of leading a man to fix his attention solely on his own +affliction, and oppresses him with the thought: No man has been so +cast off by God, or has sunk so deep into anxiety and distress. The +devil has often so wearied me with such arguments that at length I +could offer no further opposition to him, but simply turned him over +to Christ, who can quickly silence him with arguments. If we have not +Christ with us, Satan proves far too strong for us. We cannot silence +him. He soon renders helpless all our skill, and slays us with our +own sword. + +77. Ah, these seditious leaders and other self-secure spirits are +poor, miserable people, who know nothing at all of this conflict! +They drown in their own imaginations, and think they are perfect. And +some of them are so shameless and without fear as to blaspheme, +saying that God himself could not take their virtue from them. The +devil simply strengthens them in these thoughts, and hardens them the +more. This very thing is a sign that they do not yet know the devil; +they are already blinded and taken captive by him, so that he can +ruin them when he pleases. + +78. Genuine Christians are not thus self-confident and boastful when +they are attacked. In severe conflicts and anxieties they labor that +the devil may not deprive them of the sword. I know that I am learned +and have seen something of what the devil can do; but I must bear him +witness, from my daily experience, that he can overcome me unless I +am well established in faith and have Christ in my heart. Thomas +Munzer was so firm and inflexible, as he thought, that he dared to +say that he would not behold Christ, if he did not himself wish to +speak with him. But at last, when the devil began to attack him, men +saw what his pride and boasts were. No, they are not the ones to +accomplish anything, who go about so boastful, as if they had +consumed the devil. They do not see that they, themselves, were long +since devoured seven times over by him and are held fast in his jaws. + +79. The heretic Arius was also secure and proud enough against the +pious bishops and Christians. Yea, when he was punished for his error +by his bishop, and admonished to desist, he became the more +obstinate. He complained about the bitter persecution to which he was +subjected. But his suffering was that they would not approve his +horrible blasphemy. Just so in every age the heretics and +blasphemers, yea, even open murderers and tyrants, pose as martyrs +when they are not permitted to run against God's Word and against +pious people. So confident do they try to be that they have no fear +of God. They count the devil a dead bee until, at length, he suddenly +seizes and destroys them in a moment. + +80. But the poor, tempted Christians have need of the comfort and the +strength furnished by God's Word. They must anxiously contend lest +they lose, in their hours of severe temptation, God, Christ, faith, +and Our Father. Therefore, the mission intrusted to Peter, to +strengthen his brethren, is most needful. So the same comfort was +necessary in his own temptations, and he was even given it beforehand +by Christ, who declared that he had prayed for him that his faith +might not be extinguished nor fail, which faith, however, from the +time of his denial on to the third day did almost die, and scarcely +the smallest spark remained. + +Hence he now, as a true apostle, comforts those who are in the like +fears and straits of a sinking and expiring faith. He says to all the +suffering and comfortless: My dear brother, think not that thou alone +sufferest distress and temptation. Many of thy brethren have suffered +quite as heavily, perhaps more heavily. I, myself, have been as weak +as thou canst ever be. If thou dost not believe this, look and see +what occurred in the house of Caiaphas, the high-priest, when I, who +protested my readiness to go with Christ into prison and death, at a +word spoken to me by a maid, fell, and denied and abjured most +shamefully my beloved Lord. For three whole days I lay in misery. I +had no one to comfort me and none who suffered equally with myself. I +had no consolation except that my dear Master gave me, with his eyes, +one friendly look. + +81. Therefore, no one should regard his distress and need as too +heavy and fearful, as if it were an entirely new thing, something +which had never been experienced by others. To thee it may be +something new and untried. But look about thee, at the great +multitude of the Church, from the beginning until this hour. The +Church has been set in the world to suffer the attacks of the devil, +and without ceasing it must be sifted as wheat, as Christ's words +suggest, Luke 22, 31. + +My friend, thou hast not yet seen nor experienced what our first +parents endured their whole life long, and after them all the holy +fathers until Christ. Peter, also, has been farther in this school +than I and thou, and I would say that the same temptation as his +could hardly be found. Paul says of him and the beloved apostles (1 +Cor 4, 9): "For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of +all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the +world, both to angels and men"--so that Satan may torment us +according to his will, and thus work out his pleasure upon us. And +what are the sufferings of all men combined when compared with +Christ's agony and conflict, in that he sweat blood for thee? + +82. When the devil plagues and assails thee with his manifold +temptations, refer him to Christ, with whom to dispute about the +severe temptations, the death struggle, the anguish of hell, etc. +Comfort thyself that thou art one of a great company of sufferers, +past present and future. O beautiful, glorious company! All under one +lord and head, who took from the devil his power and hell-fire. In +short, thy affliction cannot prove so great that thou wilt not find +it paralleled in the lives of the apostles, prophets, patriarchs and +all the saints, especially of Christ himself; with whom, if we +suffer, let us not doubt, says Paul, that we shall "be also +glorified," Rom 8, 17. + + + + +_Fourth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Romans 8, 18-22. + +18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not +worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to +us-ward. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for +the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected +to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, +in hope 21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the +bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children +of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and +travaileth in pain together until now. + + +CONSOLATION IN SUFFERING, AND PATIENCE.[1] + +[Footnote 1: This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.] + +1. Paul's language here is peculiar. He speaks in a manner wholly +different from the other apostles. There is something particularly +strange about the first sentences of the passage. His words must be +faithfully studied and their meaning learned by personal experience. +The Christian life consists altogether in the practice and experience +of what the Word of God tells us. He who has no experimental +knowledge of the Word will have but little conception and +appreciation of Paul's words here. Indeed, they will be wholly +unintelligible to him. + +2. Up to the point where our text begins, Paul has been assuring us +in this epistle that through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we attain +the high privilege of calling God our Father; that the Holy Spirit +bears witness in our hearts of our sonship, and makes us bold enough +to come, by faith in Christ the Mediator, joyfully before God, +trusting him to fill and bless us. Then Paul draws the conclusion, +first, that we are children of God; next, he says: "If children, then +heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." The second +conclusion is the outcome of the first. For the reason that we have +the boldness and assurance to call God our Father in sincerity and +nothing doubting, we are become not only children but heirs, heirs of +God and brethren to Christ, joint-heirs with him. But all this, as +Paul says, is true "if so be that we suffer with him" (verse 17). + +3. The high prerogative of heirship, Paul faithfully enjoins, is +dependent on a sacred duty. Let him who would be Christ's brother, +and joint-heir with him, remember he must also be a joint-martyr and +joint-sufferer with Christ. The apostle's meaning is: Many are the +Christians, indeed, who would be joint-heirs with Christ and gladly +enjoy the privilege of sharing his inheritance, but who object to +suffering with him; they separate themselves from him because +unwilling to participate in his pain. But Paul says this will not do. +The inheritance follows only as a consequence of the suffering. Since +Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, had to suffer before he could be +glorified, we must be martyrs with him, with him be mocked by the +world, despised, spit upon, crowned with thorns and put to death, +before the inheritance will be ours. It cannot be otherwise. + +A consistent sympathy is essential to Christian faith and doctrine. +He who would be Christ's brother and fellow-heir must also suffer +with him. He who would live with Christ must first die with him. The +members of a family not only enjoy good together but also share in +their ills. As the saying is, "He who would be a companion in eating +must also be a companion in labor." + +4. Paul would earnestly admonish us not to become false Christians +who look to find in Christ mere pleasure and enjoyment, but to +remember that if we are to participate in the "eternal weight of +glory" we must first bear the "light affliction, which is for the +moment." 2 Cor 4, 17. + +By the words "if so be that we suffer with him" the writer means that +we are to do more than exercise the sympathy that grieves over +another's misfortune, though such sympathy is binding upon Christians +and is a superior Christian virtue, a work of mercy: we ourselves +must suffer, non solum affectu, sed etiam effectu, that is, we are +overwhelmed by like sufferings. As Christ our Lord was persecuted, we +also must endure persecution. As the devil harassed him, we also must +be harassed unceasingly. And so Satan does torment true Christians. +Indeed, were it not for the restraining hand of the Lord our God, the +devil would suffer us to have no peace. Paul has reference to a +heartfelt sympathy intense enough to enter into actual suffering. He +says to the Hebrews (ch. 10, 32-33): "Ye endured a great conflict of +sufferings; partly, being made a gazing stock both by reproaches and +afflictions." + +5. And in the verse preceding our text he tells us that as our +blissful inheritance through brotherhood and joint-heirship with +Christ is not a mere fancy and false hope of the heart, but a real +inheritance, so our sympathy must amount to real suffering, which we +take upon ourselves as befitting joint-heirs. Now Paul comforts the +Christian in his sufferings with the authority of one who speaks from +experience, from thorough acquaintance with his subject. He seems to +view this life as through obscurities, while beholding the life to +come with clear and unobstructed vision. He says: + +"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy +to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward [in +us]." + +6. Notice how he turns his back to the world and his face to the +future revelation, as if seeing no suffering anywhere, but all joy. +"Even if it does go ill with us," he would argue, "what indeed is our +suffering in comparison with the unspeakable joy and glory to be +revealed in us? It is too insignificant to be compared and unworthy +to be called suffering." We fail to realize the truth of these words +because we do not see with our bodily eyes the supreme glory awaiting +us; because we fail to grasp fully the fact that we shall never die +but shall have a body that cannot suffer nor be ill. If one could +conceive the nature of this reward he would be compelled to say: +"Were it possible for me to suffer ten deaths by fire or flood, that +would be nothing in comparison to the future life of glory. What is +temporal suffering, however protracted, contrasted with eternal life? +It is not worthy to be called suffering or to be esteemed +meritorious." + +7. In this light does Paul regard suffering, as he says, and he +admonishes Christians to look upon it similarly. Then shall they find +the infinite beyond all comparison with the finite. What is a single +penny measured by a world of dollars? though this is not an +appropriate comparison since the things compared are both perishable. +The suffering of the world is always to be counted as nothing +measured by the glorious and eternal possessions yet to be ours. "I +entreat you, therefore, beloved brethren," Paul would say, "to fear +no sufferings, not even should it be your lot to be slain. For if you +are actually joint-heirs, it must be your fortune, a part of your +inheritance, to suffer with others. But what is your pain measured by +the eternal glory prepared for you and obtained by the sacrifice of +your Savior Jesus Christ? It is too insignificant to be contrasted." +So Paul makes all earthly suffering infinitely small--a drop, a tiny +spark, so to speak; but of yonder hoped-for glory he makes a +boundless ocean, an illimitable flame. + +8. Why cannot we take his view of the insignificance of our +afflictions and the magnitude of the future glory? The extravagance +of our conduct is apparent in the fact that but a harsh word uttered +by one to his fellow will make the injured one ready to overturn +mountains and uproot trees in his resentment. To them who are so +unwilling to suffer, Paul's word of encouragement here is wholly +unintelligible. Christians are not to conduct themselves in this +impatient manner. It ill becomes them to make extravagant complaint +and outcry about injustice. "But," you say, "I have truly suffered +injustice." Very well, so be it. But why do you make so much of your +sufferings and never give a thought to what awaits you in heaven? Why +not exalt the future glory also? If you desire to be a Christian, +truly it will not do to conduct yourself in this impatient manner. If +you must air your grievances, surely you may do it quietly and +decorously. + +9. In this life it must be otherwise than in the life of glory. If +you essay to be a joint-heir with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not +suffer with him, to be his brother and are not like unto him, Christ +certainly will not at the last day acknowledge you as a brother and +fellow-heir. Rather he will ask where are your crown of thorns, your +cross, the nails and scourge; whether you have been, as he and his +followers ever have from the beginning of time, an abomination to the +world. If you cannot qualify in this respect, he cannot regard you as +his brother. In short, we must all suffer with the Son of God and be +made like unto him, as we shall see later, or we shall not be exalted +with him in glory. + +10. Upon this same topic Paul addresses also the Galatians (ch. 6, +17): Henceforth let no one confuse me, say nothing to me about the +doctrine that friendship is rewarded on earth; for I bear branded on +my body the marks of my Lord Jesus Christ. His reference is to the +signs in ancient paintings of Christ, where the Savior was +represented as bearing his cross upon his shoulders, with the nails, +the scourge, the crown of thorns and other emblems in evidence. These +marks or signs, Paul instructs, all Christians as well as himself +must exhibit, not painted on a wall but branded in their flesh and +blood. They are made when inwardly the devil affrights and assails us +with all manner of terrors and overwhelming afflictions, and at the +same time outwardly the world slanders us as heretics, laying her +hand to our throats whenever possible and putting us to death. + + +THE REWARD. + +Such marks, or scars, for Christ the Lord, Paul admonishes all +Christians to exhibit. Thus he encourages them not to be terrified +though they suffer every conceivable wrong, such as our brethren here +and there have suffered now for several years. But brighter days are +in store for us when once the hour of our enemies and the power of +darkness shall come. Our adversaries annoy us now with malignant +words and slanderous writings, and indeed they may take our lives. So +be it. We must in any event suffer if we are ever to attain true +glory. But what they will secure by putting us to death they +certainly shall experience. + +11. In Paul's reference to the glory that shall be revealed in us +there is a hint as to the cause of man's unwillingness to suffer: +faith is yet weak and fails to descry the hidden glory; that glory is +yet to be revealed in us. Could we but behold it with mortal vision, +what noble, patient martyrs we should be! Suppose one stood on yonder +side of the Elbe with a chest full of gold, offering it to him who +should venture to swim across for it. What an effort would be made +for the sake of that tangible wealth! + +12. Take the case of the adventurous officer. For a few dollars per +month he defies spears and guns, exposing himself to almost certain +death. The merchant hurries to and fro in the world in a frenzied +effort to amass riches, hazarding life and limb, apparently careless +of physical cost so long as God's mercy preserves to him but the +shattered hulk of a body. And what must not one endure at court +before he realizes, if he ever does, the fulfilment of his ambition? + +In temporal things man can do and suffer everything for the sake of +honor, wealth and power, because these are manifest to earthly +vision. But in the spiritual conflict, because the reward is not +discernible to the senses it is very difficult for the old man in us +to believe that God will finally grant us glorious bodies, pure souls +and hearts of gladness, and make us superior to any earthly king. +Indeed, the very reverse of this condition obtains now. Here is one +condemned as a heretic; there one is burned or in some other way put +to death. Glory, wealth and honor are not in evidence now. So it +seems hard for us to resign ourselves to suffering and wait for the +redemption and glory yet unrevealed. + +Again, no hardship is too great for the world to undergo for the sake +of sordid gain; it willingly suffers whatever comes for that which +moth and rust consume and thieves steal. + +13. Paul means to say: "I am certain there is reserved for us +exceeding glory, in comparison wherewith all earthly suffering is +actually of no consideration; only it is not yet manifest." If we +have to face the slightest gale of adversity, or if a trifling +misfortune befalls us, we begin to make outcry, filling the heavens +with our false complaint of a terrible calamity. Were our faith +triumphant, we would regard it but as a small inconvenience to +suffer, even for thirty or forty years or longer; indeed, we should +think our sufferings too trifling to be taken into account. May the +Lord our God only forbear to reckon with us for the sins we have +committed! Why will we have so much to say about great sufferings and +their merits? How utterly unworthy we are of the free grace and +ineffable glory which are ours in the fact that through Christ we +become children and heirs of God, brethren and joint-heirs with +Christ! + +Well may we resolve: "I will maintain a cheerful silence about my +sufferings, boasting not of them nor complaining about them. I will +patiently endure all my merciful God sends upon me, meanwhile +rendering him my heartfelt gratitude for calling me to such +surpassing grace and blessing." But, as I said, the vision of glory +will not enter our hearts because of our weak and miserable flesh, +which allows itself to be more influenced by the present than by the +future. So the Holy Spirit must be our schoolmaster to bring the +matter home to our hearts. + +14. Note particularly how Paul expressly states that the glory is to +be revealed in us. He would remind us that not only such as Peter or +Paul are to participate in the blessing, as we are prone to believe, +but that we and all Christians are included in the word "us." Indeed, +even the merest babe obtains at death, wherein it is a joint-sufferer +with mankind, this unspeakable glory, which the Lord Jesus into whose +death it was baptized has purchased and bestowed upon it. Though in +the life beyond one saint may have more glory than another, yet all +will have the same eternal life. Here on earth men differ in point of +strength, comeliness, intellect, yet all enjoy the same animal life. +So in the other life there will be degrees of radiance or glory, as +Paul teaches (1 Cor 15, 41), yet all will share the same eternal +happiness and joy; there will be one glory for all, for we shall all +be the children of God. + +15. Now the first point of consolation is that we turn our backs upon +all suffering, saying: "What is all my pain, though it were tenfold +greater, compared to the eternal life unto which I am baptized, to +which I am called? My sufferings are not worthy to be so termed in +connection with the exceeding glory to be revealed in me." Paul +magnifies the future glory to make the temporal sufferings the more +insignificant. Then follows: + +"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the +revealing [manifestation] of the sons of God. For the creation was +subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who +subjected it, in hope: [For the creature was made subject to vanity, +not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in +hope;]" + +16. Here is the second point of consolation. Paul holds up as an +example to us the condition of the whole creation. He exhorts us to +endure patiently, as the creature does, all the violence and +injustice we suffer from the devil and the world, and to comfort +ourselves with the hope of future redemption. Remarkable doctrine +this, unlike anything elsewhere found in the Scriptures, that heaven +and earth, sun, moon and stars, leaf and blade, every living thing, +waits with sighing and groaning for the revelation of our glory. + + +THE TRAVAIL OF CREATION. + +17. Such sighing and agony of the creature is not audible to me, nor +is it to you. But Paul tells us he sees and hears it, not expressed +by one creature alone, but by all God has made. What does he mean? +What is the sighing and longing of creation? It is not that annually +the leaves wither and the fruits fall and decay: God purposes that +every year new fruits shall grow; he decrees the shattering of the +fallen tree. But Paul refers to the creature's unwilling subjection +to the ungodly; "subject to vanity," he phrases it. + +For instance, the blessed sun, most glorious of created things, +serves the small minority of the godly, but where it shines on one +godly man it must shine on thousands and thousands of knaves, such as +enemies of God, blasphemers, persecutors, with whom the world is +filled; also murderers, robbers, thieves, adulterers. To these it +must minister in all their ungodliness and wickedness, permitting its +pure and glorious influence to benefit the most unworthy, most +shameful and abandoned profligates. According to the apostle, this +subjection is truly painful, and were the sun a rational creature +obeying its own volition rather than the decree of the Lord God who +has subjected it to vanity against its will, it might deny every one +of these wicked wretches even the least ray of light; that it is +compelled to minister to them is its cross and pain, by reason of +which it sighs and groans. + +Just as we Christians endure many kinds of injustice and consequently +sigh for and implore help and deliverance in the Lord's prayer, so do +the creatures sigh. Although they have not human utterance, yet they +have speech intelligible to God and the Holy Spirit, who mark the +creatures' sighs over their unjust abuse by the ungodly. + +18. Nowhere else in the Holy Scriptures do we find anything like +Paul's declaration here concerning the earnest expectation and +waiting of the creatures for the revelation of the children of God; +which waiting the apostle characterizes as a sighing in eager desire +for man's redemption. A little later he compares the state of the +creature to a woman in travail, saying it cries out in its anguish. +The sun, moon and stars, the heavens and earth, the bread we eat, the +water or wine we drink, the cattle and sheep, in short, all things +that minister to our comfort, cry out in accusation against the world +because they are subjected to vanity and must suffer with Christ and +his brethren. This accusing cry is beyond human power to express, for +God's created things are innumerable. Rightly was it said from the +pulpit in former times that on the last day all creatures will utter +an accusing cry against the ungodly who have shown them abuse here on +earth, and will call them tyrants to whom they were unjustly +subjected. + +19. Paul presents this example of the creatures for the comfort of +Christians. His meaning is: Be not sorrowful because of your +sufferings; they are small indeed when the ensuing transcendent glory +is considered. You are not alone in your tribulation and your +complaint at injustice; the whole creation suffers with you and cries +out against its subjection to the wicked world. Every bleat of the +flock, every low of the herd, is an outcry against the ungodly as +enemies of God and not worthy to enjoy the creatures' ministrations; +not even to receive a morsel of bread or a drink of water. Along this +line St. Augustine is eloquent. "A miserly wretch," he says, "is +unworthy the bread he eats, for he is an enemy of God." + +Paul tells us the whole creation groans and travails with us, as if +desiring relief from anguish; that it suffers like a woman in +travail. For instance: the heavenly planets would gladly be freed +from serving, yes, in the extent of their anguish would willingly +suffer eclipse; the earth would readily become unfruitful; all waters +would voluntarily sink from sight and deny the wicked world a +draught; the sheep would prefer to produce thorns for the ungodly +instead of wool; the cow would willingly yield them poison rather +than milk. But they must perform their appointed work, Paul says, +because of him who has subjected them in hope. God will finally +answer the cry of creation; he has already determined that after the +six thousand years of its existence now passed, the world shall have +its evening and end. + +20. Had not our parents sinned in paradise, the world would never be +dissolved. But since man has fallen in sin, we all--the whole +creation--must suffer the consequence; because of our sins, creation +must be subjected to vanity and dissolution. During the six thousand +years, which are as nothing compared to eternal life, all created +things must be under the power of a condemned world, and compelled to +serve with all their energies until God shall overthrow the entire +world and for the elect's sake purify again and renew the creature, +as Peter teaches. 2 Pet 3, 13. + +21. The sun is by no means as gloriously brilliant as when created. +Because of man's ungodliness its brightness is to an extent dimmed. +But on the day of visitation God will cleanse and purify it by fire +(2 Pet 3, 10), giving it a greater glory than it had in the +beginning. Because it must suffer in our sins, and is obliged to +shine as well for the worst knave as the godly man, even for more +knaves than godly men, it longs intensely for the day when it shall +be cleansed and shall serve the righteous alone with its light. + +Neither would the earth produce thistles nor thorns were it not +cursed for our sins. So it, with all creatures, longs for the day +when it shall be changed and renewed. + +22. This is the explanation of Paul's remarkable declaration +concerning the "earnest expectation of the creation." The creature +continually regards the end of service, and freedom from slavery to +the ungodly. This event will not take place before the revealing of +the sons of God; therefore the earnestly expectant creation desires +that revelation to come without delay, at any moment. Until such +manifestation the world will not consider godly souls as children of +the Father, but as children of the devil. So it boldly abuses and +slanders, persecutes and puts to death, God's beloved children, +thinking it thereby does God service. In consequence the whole +creation cries: "Oh, for a speedy end of this calamity, and the +dawning of glory for the children of God!" + +23. We have plain authority for the interpretation of the groaning of +creation in Paul's further words, "the creation was subjected to +vanity, not of its own will." He thus makes all creation--sun and +moon, fire, air, water, heaven and earth with all they +contain--merely poor, captive servants. And whom do they serve? Not +our Lord God; not for the most part his children, for they are a +minority among those ministered unto. To whom, then, is their service +given? To the wicked--to vanity. The created things are not, as they +would be, in righteous service. The sun, for instance, would choose +to shine for Paul, Peter and other godly ones. It begrudges to wicked +characters like Judas, Pilate, Herod, Annas and Caiaphas the least +ray of light; for it is useless service, yielding no good. To serve +Peter and Paul would be productive of pleasure and profit; well may +its benefit be bestowed upon these godly ones. But the sun must shine +as well for the wicked as for the ungodly. Indeed, where it fittingly +serves one godly individual, thousands abuse its service. + +The case is similar with gold and other minerals, and with all the +articles of food, drink and clothing. To whom do these minister? +Wicked desperadoes, who in return blaspheme and dishonor God, condemn +his holy Gospel and murder his Christians. This is wasted service. + +24. So Paul says, "The creature was made subject to vanity;" it must +render service against its consent, having no pleasure therein. The +sun does not shine for the purpose of lighting a highway robber to +murder. It would light him in godly deeds and errands of mercy; but +since he follows not these things the service of the blessed sun is +abused and that creature ministers with sincere unwillingness. But +how is it to avoid service? + +A wicked tyrant, a shameful harlot, may wear gold ornaments. Is the +gold responsible for its use? It is the good creature of the Lord our +God and fitted to serve righteous people. But the precious product +must submit to accommodating the wicked world against its will. Yet +it endures in hope of an end of such service--such slavery. Therein +it obeys God. God has imposed the obligation, that man may know him +as a merciful God and Father, who, as Christ teaches (Mt 5, 45), +makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good. For the Father's sake +the blessed sun serves wickedness, performing its service and +bestowing its favors in vain. But God in his own good time will +reckon with those who abuse the glorious sunlight and other +creatures, and will richly recompense the created things for their +service. + +25. Beloved, Paul thus traces the holy cross among all creatures; +heaven and earth and all they contain suffer with us. So we must not +complain and excessively grieve when we fare ill. We must patiently +wait for the redemption of our bodies and for the glory which is to +be revealed in us; especially when we know that all creatures groan +in anguish, like a woman in travail, longing for the revealing of the +sons of God. For then shall begin their redemption, when they shall +not be slaves to wickedness but shall willingly and with delight +serve God's children only. In the meantime they bear the cross for +the sake of God, who has subjected them in hope. Thus we are assured +that captivity will not endure forever, but a time must come when the +creatures will be delivered. + +"Do ye likewise, beloved Christians," Paul would advise, "and reflect +that as the creature will rejoice with you on the last day, so does +it now mourn with you; that not you alone must suffer, but the whole +creation suffers with you and awaits your redemption, a redemption so +great and glorious as to make your sufferings unworthy to be +considered." + + + + +_Fourth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Second Sermon. Text: Romans 8, 18-22. + + +REDEMPTION OF THE CREATURES. + +1. We have heard how Paul comforts the Christians in their +sufferings, pointing them to the future inconceivable and eternal +glory to be revealed in us in the world to come; and how he has, for +our greater consolation, reminded us that the whole creation as one +being suffers in company with the Christian Church. We have noted how +he sees, with the clear, keen eye of an apostle, the holy cross in +every creature. He brings out this thought prominently, telling us it +is not strange we Christians should suffer, for in our preaching, our +reproving and rebuking, we easily merit the world's persecution; but +creation must suffer being innocent, must even endure forced +subjection to the wicked and the devil himself. + +2. Could the sun voice its experience from Adam's time down, what +misery it has witnessed and endured, undoubtedly it would tell of its +heavy cross in being compelled to serve innumerable adulterers, +thieves, murderers, in fact, the devil's whole kingdom. Yet it is a +noble and admirable work of creation, fit to serve only God, angels +and pious Christians, who thank God for it. But it must serve those +who blaspheme and dishonor God and who are guilty of all wickedness +and lawlessness. Notwithstanding its dislike of such service, it is +with every other created thing obedient to God. + +3. This is a fine and comforting thought of the apostle's, that all +creatures are martyrs, having to endure unwillingly every sort of +injustice. The creatures do not approve the conduct of the devil and +of the wicked in their shameful abuse of creation, but they submit to +it for the sake of him who has subjected them to vanity, at the same +time hoping for a better dispensation in the fulfilment of time, when +they shall again be rightly received and abuse be past. Hence Paul +points to another life for all creation, declaring it to be as weary +of this order as we are and to await a new dispensation. By his +reference to the earnest expectation of the creature he means that it +does not expect to remain in its present condition, but with us looks +toward heaven and hopes for a resurrection from this degraded life +into a better one where it will be delivered from the bondage of +corruption, as he says later. + +4. By these sayings Paul gives us to understand that all creation is +to attain a perfection far beyond its present state where with us it +must be subject to tyrants. These tyrants wantonly abuse our +characters, our bodies, our property rights, just as the devil abuses +our souls. But we must suffer our lot, remembering that mankind is +captive on earth in the kingdom of the devil, and all creation with +it. The earth must submit to be trodden and to be cultivated by many +a wicked one, to whom it must yield subsistence. Likewise is this +submission true of the elements--air, fire, water--all creation +having its cross, yet hoping for the end of the dispensation. + +5. There is a refined and comforting perception in the apostle's +exposition where he represents the entire creation as one being, with +us looking forward to entrance upon another life. We are satisfied +that our present life is not all, that we await another and true +life. Likewise the sun awaits the restoration coming to it, to the +earth and all creatures, when they shall be purified from the +contaminating abuse of the devil and the world. + +6. And this condition is to come about when the children of God are +revealed. True, they are God's children on earth, but they have not +yet entered into their glory. Similarly, the sun is not now in +possession of its real glory, for it is subject to evil; it awaits +the appointed time when its servitude shall cease. With all creation +and with the true saints it waits and longs, being meanwhile subject +to vanity--that is, the devil and the wicked world--for the sake of +God alone, who subjects, yet leaves hope that the trial shall not +continue forever. + +7. We are children of God now on earth. We are blessed if we believe +and are baptized, as it is written: "He that believeth and is +baptized shall be saved." Mk 16, 16. And again: "As many as received +him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to +them that believe on his name." Jn 1, 12. Baptism is a visible rite +and we behold with mortal vision those who receive it; the Word of +the Gospel we hear, and we have in ourselves the witness of the Holy +Spirit that our faith, however weak, is acceptable to God. But who +among men recognizes us as children of God? Who will apply the term +to a class imprisoned and tortured and tormented in every conceivable +way, as if they were children of the devil, condemned and accursed +souls? + +8. Not without significance is Paul's assertion that the glory of +God's children is now unmanifest but shall be revealed in them. In +Colossians 3, 3-4 he declares: "Ye died, and your life is hid with +Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, +then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." So long as God's +children are here upon earth they are not arrayed in the garb of his +own, but wear the livery of the devil. It would be fitting for the +children of the devil to be bound, fettered and imprisoned and to +suffer all manner of misfortune; but it does not so come to pass. +They have the world's pleasures. They are wealthy and powerful, have +honor and money in plenty and withal bear God's name and wear the +garb of his children, as if having his approval. Meanwhile they +regard us as heretics and enemies of God. Thus the rightful order of +things is reversed: they who are God's appear to be the devil's, and +the devil's to be God's. This condition is painful to the pious. +Indeed, heaven and earth and all creatures cry out in complaining +protest, unwilling to be subject to evil and to suffer the abuse of +the ungodly; to endure that dishonor of God that opposes the +hallowing of his name, the extension of his kingdom and the execution +of his will on earth as in heaven. + +9. Because God's children are thus unrevealed and denied their true +insignia, all creation, as Paul says, cries out with them for the +Lord God to rend the heavens and come down to distinguish his +children from those of the devil. Considering the unrevealed state of +God's own on earth, the ungodly in their great blindness are not able +to discern them. The doctrine of the righteous which magnifies God's +grace manifest in Christ is by the wicked termed error, falsehood, +heresy and diabolical teaching. So Paul says the whole creation waits +for the manifestation of the children of God. + + +THE CHRISTIAN'S GLORY TO BE REVEALED. + +John, also, says: "Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not +yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be +manifested, we shall be like him." 1 Jn 3, 2. That is, when our Lord +Jesus Christ comes with his loved angels and we are drawn up into the +clouds to meet him in the air, he will bring to God's children a +glory consistent with their name. They will be far more splendidly +arrayed than were the children of the world in their lifetime, who +went about in purple and velvet and ornaments of gold, and as the +rich man, in silk. Then shall they wear their own livery and shine as +the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Such is the wonderful glory +of the revelation that the radiant beauty of poor Lazarus who lay in +wretchedness at the rich man's gate surpasses all expectation. Upon +this topic, see Wisdom of Solomon, chapter 5, 2ff. + +10. The hope of this wonderful glory, Paul says, is ours and that of +all creation with us, for creation is to be purified and renewed for +our sakes. Then will we be impressed with the grandeur of the sun, +the majesty of the trees and the beauty of the flowers. Having so +much in prospect, we should, in the buoyancy of our hope, attach +little importance to the slight suffering that may be our earthly +lot. What is it compared to the glory to be revealed in us? Doubtless +in yonder life we shall reproach ourselves with the thought: "How +foolish I was! I am unworthy to be called the child of God, for I +esteemed myself all too highly on earth and placed too little value +upon this surpassing glory and happiness. Were I still in the world +and with the knowledge I now have of the heavenly glory, I would, +were it possible, suffer a thousand years of imprisonment, or endure +illness, persecution or other misfortunes. Now I have proven true +that all the sufferings of the world are nothing measured by the +glory to be manifested in the children of God." + +11. We find many, even among nominal Christians, with so little +patience they scarce can endure a word of criticism, even when well +deserved. Rather than suffer from the world some slight reproach, +some trifling loss, for the sake of the Gospel, they will renounce +that Gospel and Christ. But how will it be in the day of revelation? +Beloved, let us be wise now and not magnify our temporal sufferings; +let us patiently submit to them as does creation, according to Paul's +teaching. We may imagine the earth saying: "I permit myself to be +plowed and cultivated for man's benefit, notwithstanding the +Christians whom I bless are in the minority, the great mass of those +profiting by me being wicked men. What am I to do? I will endure the +conditions and permit myself to be tilled because my Creator so +orders; meanwhile I hope for a different order eventually, when I +shall no longer be subject to wickedness and obliged to serve God's +enemies." + +12. Peter also alludes to the new order of creation, saying: "The +heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be +dissolved with fervent heat ... But according to his promise, we look +for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 +Pet 3, 10 and 13. In other words: Here on earth men as a rule are +dishonorable and wicked and obey not the will of the Lord God as it +is done in heaven; but the day will come when only righteousness and +holiness shall dwell on the earth--none but godly, righteous souls. +As in heaven all is righteousness, the devil being banished, so on +the last day, Satan and all the ungodly shall be thrust from the +earth. Then will there be none but holy ones in both heaven and +earth, who will in fullness of joy possess all things. These will be +the elect. This is Peter's meaning in the words, "According to his +promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth +righteousness." Paul adds that all creation waits with us for the +revelation, groaning and crying out in anguish. + +13. But Paul protects the creature from condemnation and reproach for +sinful submission to abuse. He says, in effect: "True, it is subject +to vanity, yet not willingly." Likewise I do not desire to suffer +reproach as a heretic and a deceiver, but I endure it for God's sake, +who permits it. This attitude on my part does not make me partaker of +the sin committed against me by enemies of the truth who reproach me. +The case is the same as that of the creature suffering abuse for the +sake of him who has subjected it. And you Christians are to imitate +the example of creation. The sun seems to say: "Great God, I am thy +creature; therefore I will perform, I will suffer, whatsoever is the +divine will." So when the Lord God sends upon you some affliction and +says, "Endure a little suffering for my sake; I will largely repay +it," you are to say: "Yes, gladly, blessed Lord. Because it is thy +will, I will suffer it with a willing heart." + + +OF HOPE. + +It also belongs to the consolation against suffering to be conscious +that the suffering will not last forever, but will sometime have an +end--on the day of judgment, when the godless shall be separated from +the godly. For this life on earth is nothing else than a masquerade +where people walk in masks, and one sees another different than he +is. He who appears to be an angel is a devil, and those considered +the children of the devil are angels and the children of our dear +Lord. Hence it is that they are attacked, plagued, martyred and put +to death as heretics and children of the devil. This masquerade must +be tolerated until the day of judgment; when the wicked will be +unmasked and will no longer be able to pass as holy people.[1] The +text now continues: + +"That the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of +corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God." + +"[Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the +bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of +God.]" + +[Footnote 1: This paragraph is from the pamphlet edition of 1535.] + +14. We Christians are not the only beings to receive deliverance, +Paul declares; the creature in bondage has the same hope of release +as the poor, enslaved human being. Sun, moon and every other created +thing is captive to the devil and to wicked people, and must serve +them in every form of sin and vice. Hence these sigh and complain, +waiting for the manifestation of the children of God, when the devil +and the ungodly shall be thrust into hell, and for all eternity be +denied sight of sun and moon, the enjoyment of a drop of water or a +breath of air, and forever deprived of every blessing. + +15. So the apostle tells us, "Creation itself also shall be delivered +from the bondage of corruption." In other words, creation must now +subserve most shameful ends. Sun, moon and all creatures must be +slaves to the devil and the ungodly because God so desires. He wills +for his beautiful creation to lie at the feet of Satan and his +adherents and to serve them for the present. Likewise many a +sensitive heart is compelled to obey a tyrant or a Turk because the +Lord has imposed that servitude upon it. Some may even have to clean +the Turk's boots, or perform still more menial duties, and in +addition suffer all sorts of indignities from that individual. + +16. These words, "Creation itself also shall be delivered from the +bondage of corruption," signify that all created things must until +the final reckoning be servants and menials, not to the godly, but to +the devil and wicked men. Paul himself regards with pity the sun and +other creatures because of their forced service to Satan and to +tyrannical beings. The created works no more desire such servility +than we desire subjection to the Turk. Nevertheless, they submit and +wait--for what? The glorious liberty of the children of God. Then +shall they be released from slavery and be no longer bound to serve +the wicked and worthless. More than that, in their freedom they will +have a grandeur far in excess of their present state and shall +minister only unto God's children. They will be done with bondage to +the devil. + +"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain +together until now." + +17. Paul uses forcible language here. Creation is aware, he says, not +only of its future deliverance from the bondage of corruption, but of +its future grandeur. It hopes for the speedy coming of its glory, and +waits with the eagerness of a maiden for the dance. Seeing the +splendor reserved for itself, it groans and travails unceasingly. +Similarly, we Christians groan and intensely desire to have done at +once with the Turks, the Pope, and the tyrannical world. Who would +not weary of witnessing the present knavery, ungodliness and +blasphemy against Christ and his Gospel, even as Lot wearied of the +ungodliness he beheld in Sodom? Thus Paul says that creation groaneth +and travaileth while waiting for the revelation and the glorious +liberty of the children of God. + +18. "And not only so," he adds, "but ourselves also, who have the +firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, +waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." We +pray, we cry with great longing, in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom +come," meaning: "Help, dear Lord, and speed the blessed day of thy +second advent, that we may be delivered from the wicked world, the +devil's kingdom, and may be released from the awful distress we +suffer--inwardly from our own consciences and outwardly from the +wicked. Afflict to the limit these old bodies of ours so long as we +may obtain others not sinful, as these; not given to iniquity and +disobedience; bodies that can never know illness, persecution or +death; bodies delivered from all physical and spiritual distress and +made like unto thine own glorified body, dear Lord Jesus Christ. Thus +may we finally realize our glorious redemption. Amen." + +19. Paul uses a peculiar word here in the text, which we cannot +render by any other in our language than "travail." It carries the +idea of pains and pangs such as a woman knows in childbirth. The +mother's ardent desire is to be delivered. She longs for it with an +intensity that all the wealth, honor, pleasure and power of the world +could not awaken. This is precisely the meaning of the word Paul +applies to creation. He declares it to be in travail, suffering pain +and anguish in the extremity of its desire for release. But who can +discern the anguish of creation? Reason cannot believe, nor human +wisdom imagine, the thing. "It is impossible," declares reason. "The +sun cannot be more glorious, more pleasing and beneficent. And what +is lacking with the moon and stars and the earth? Who says the +creature is in travail or unwillingly suffers its present state?" + +The writer of the text, however, declares creation to be weary of +present conditions of servitude, and as eager for liberation as a +mother for deliverance in the hour of her anguish. Truly it is with +spiritual sight, with apostolic vision, that Paul discerns this fact +in regard to creation. He turns away from this world, oblivious to +the joys and the sufferings of earthly life, and boasts alone of the +future, eternal life, unseen and unexperienced. Thus he administers +real and effectual comfort to Christians, pointing them to a future +life for themselves and all created things after this sinful life +shall have an end. + +20. Therefore, believers in Christ are to be confident of eternal +glory, and with sighs and groans to implore the Lord God to hasten +the blessed day of the realization of their hopes. For so Christ has +taught us to pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come." May he +who has commanded give us grace and strength to perform, and a firm +faith in our future glory. Our faith is not to be exercised for the +attainment of earthly riches, but as a means to bring us into another +life. We are not baptized unto the present life, nor do we receive +the Gospel as ministering to our temporal good; these things are to +point us to yonder eternal life. God grant the speedy coming of the +glad day of our redemption, when we shall realize all these +blessings, which now we hear of and believe in through the Word. +Amen. + + + + +_Fifth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Peter 3, 8-15. + +8 Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, +tender-hearted, humble-minded: 9 not rendering evil for evil, or +reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were +ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For, + + He that would love life, + And see good days, + Let him refrain his tongue from evil, + And his lips that they speak no guile: + 11 And let him turn away from evil, and do good; + Let him seek peace, and pursue it. + 12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, + And his ears unto their supplication: + But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil. + +13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which +is good? 14 But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, +blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; 15 but +sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord. + + +EXHORTATION TO THE FRUITS OF FAITH. + +1. Here you have enumerated again a long list of eminently good works +enjoined upon Christians who believe and have confessed their faith +in the Gospel. By such fruits is faith to be manifest. Peter +classifies these works according to the obligations of Christians to +each other, and their obligations to enemies and persecutors. + +2. Immediately preceding the text, Peter has been instructing +concerning the domestic relations of husband and wife; how they +should live together as Christians in love and companionship, giving +due honor and patiently and reasonably bearing with each other. Now +he extends the exhortation to Christians in general, enjoining them +to live together in Christian love, like brothers and sisters of a +household. In the rehearsal of many preeminently noble virtues and +works, he portrays the ideal church, beautiful in its outward +adornment, in the grace wherewith it shines before men. With such +virtues the Church pleases and honors God, while angels behold with +joy and delight. And what earthly thing is more desirable to man's +sight? What happier and more pleasing society may he seek than the +company of those who manifest a unity of heart, mind and will; +brotherly love, meekness, kindliness and patience, even toward +enemies? Surely, no man is too depraved to command such goodness and +to desire companionship among people of this class. + +3. The first virtue is one frequently mentioned by the apostles. +Paul, for instance, in Romans 12, 16, says: "Be of the same mind one +toward another." Also in Ephesians 4, 3: "Giving diligence to keep +the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Harmony is the +imperative virtue for the Christian Church. Before the other +virtues--love, meekness--can be manifest, there must first be concord +and unity of heart among all. It is impossible that outward +circumstances of human life be always the same; much dissimilarity in +person, station, and occupation is inevitable. + +To this very unlikeness and to the natural depravity of flesh and +blood is due the discord and disagreement of men in this world. Let +one become conscious of personal superiority in point of uprightness, +learning, skill or natural ability, or let him become aware of his +loftier station in life, and he immediately grows self-complacent, +thinks himself better than his fellows, demands honor and recognition +from all men, is unwilling to yield to or serve an inferior and +thinks himself entitled to such right and privilege because of his +superiority and virtue. + +4. Pride is the common vice of the world, and the devil fosters it +among his numerous followers thereby causing every sort of misery and +unhappiness, corrupting all ranks and stations, and rendering men +vicious, depraved and incapable of executing good. In opposition to +this vice the apostles diligently admonish Christians to be of one +mind, regardless of station or occupation, since every individual +must remain in the position to which he has been ordained and called +of God. All ranks and stations cannot be one. Particularly is this +true in the Church; for in addition to the outward difference of +person, station, and so on, there are manifold divine gifts unequally +distributed and varyingly imparted. Yet these many dissimilarities, +both spiritual and secular, are to be amenable to the unity of the +spirit, as Paul calls it, or a spiritual unity. Just as the members +of the physical body have different offices and perform different +functions, no one member being able to do the work of the other, and +yet all are in the unity of one bodily life; so also Christians, +whatever the dissimilarity of language, office and gift among them, +must live, increase and be preserved in unity and harmony of mind, as +in one body. + +5. This matter of harmony is the first and most necessary commandment +enjoined by the doctrine of faith; ay, this virtue is the first fruit +which faith is to effect among Christians, who are called in one +faith and baptism. It is to be the beginning of their Christian love. +For true faith necessarily creates in all believers the spirit that +reasons: "We are all called by one Word, one baptism and Holy Spirit, +to the same salvation; we are alike heirs of the grace and the +blessings of God. Although one has more and greater gifts than +another, he is not on that account better before God. By grace alone, +without any merit of ours, we are pleasing to God. Before him none +can boast of himself." + +6. How can I think myself better than another by reason of my person +or my gifts, rank or office? Or what more than I has another to boast +of before God concerning himself? No one has a different baptism or +sacrament, a different Christ, from mine, or grace and salvation +other than I have. And no individual can have another faith than have +Christians in general, nor does he hear any other Gospel or receive a +different absolution, be he lord or servant, noble or ignoble, poor +or rich, young or old, Italian or German. When one imagines himself +different from or better than his fellows, desiring to exalt and +glorify himself above others, he is truly no longer a Christian; +because he is no longer in that unity of mind and faith essential to +Christians. Christ with his grace is always the same, and cannot be +divided or apportioned within himself. + +7. Not without reason did the beloved apostles urge this point. They +clearly saw how much depends upon it, and what evil and harm result +from disregard of the commandment. Where this commandment is +dishonored, schisms and factions will necessarily arise to corrupt +pure doctrine and faith, and the devil will sow his seed, which +afterwards can be eradicated only with difficulty. When once +self-conceit rules, and one, pretending more learning, wisdom, +goodness and holiness than his fellows, begins to despise others and +to draw men to himself, away from the unity of mind which makes us +one in Christ, and when he desires the first praise and commendation +for his own doctrine and works, his own preaching, then the harm is +already done; faith is overthrown and the Church is rent. When unity +becomes division, certainly two sects cannot both be the true Church. +If one is godly, the other must be the devil's own. On the other +hand, so long as unity of faith and oneness of mind survives, the +true Church of God abides, notwithstanding there may be some weakness +in other points. Of this fact the devil is well aware; hence his +hostility to Christian unity. His chief effort is to destroy harmony. +"Having that to contend with," he tells himself, "my task will be a +hard and wearisome one." + +8. Therefore, Christians should be all the more careful to cherish +the virtue of harmony, both in the Church and in secular government. +In each instance there is of necessity much inequality. God would +have such dissimilarity balanced by love and unity of mind. Let +everyone be content, then, with what God has given or ordained for +him, and let him take pleasure in another's gifts, knowing that in +eternal blessings he is equally rich, having the same God and Christ, +the same grace and salvation; and that although his standing before +God may differ from that of his fellows, he is nevertheless in no way +inferior to them, nor is anyone for the same reason at all better +than or superior to himself. + +9. In temporal affairs, every inequality in the world can be +harmonized by a unity of mind and heart. In relations other than +spiritual there is mutual love and friendship. How great the outward +dissimilarity between man and wife--in person, nature and employment! +likewise between masters and their subjects. Yet, in mutual +conscientiousness they mutually agree and are well satisfied with +each other. So it would be possible to enjoy life upon earth in peace +and happiness were it not that the devil cannot suffer it. He must +divide hearts and alienate love, allowing no one to take pleasure in +another. He who is illustrious, of noble birth, or has power or +riches, feels bound to despise others as silly geese or witless +ducks. + + +SYMPATHY A CHRISTIAN VIRTUE. + +10. The other virtues enjoined by Peter are easily +recognized--"Compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, and +humbleminded" [Luther translates "friendly"--courteous]. These +particularly teach that Christians should esteem one another. God has +subjected them all to love and has united them, with the design that +they shall be of one heart and soul, and each care for the other as +for himself. Peter's exhortation was especially called for at that +time, when Christians were terribly persecuted. Here a pastor, there +a citizen, was thrown into prison, driven from wife, child, house and +home, and finally executed. Such things happen even now, and may +become yet more frequent considering that unfortunate people are +harassed by tyrants, or led away by the Turks, and Christians are +thus dispersed in exile here and there. Wherever by his Word and +faith God has gathered a church, and that spiritual unity, the bond +of Christianity, exists in any measure, there the devil has no peace. +If he cannot effect the destruction of that church by factiousness, +he furiously persecutes it. Then it is that body, life and everything +we have must be jeopardized--put to the stake--for the sake of the +Church. + +11. Christians, according to Peter, should, in the bond of a common +heart and mind, sympathetically share the troubles and sufferings of +their brethren in the faith, whoever and wherever the brethren may +be. They are to enter into such distresses as if themselves +suffering, and are to reason: "Behold, these suffer for the sake of +my precious faith, and standing at the front, are exposed to the +devil, while I have peace. It does not become me to rejoice in my +security and to manifest my pleasure. For what befalls my dear +brethren affects me, and my blessings are the cause of their +misfortune. I must participate in their suffering as my own." +According to the admonition of Hebrews 13, 3: "Remember them that are +in bonds, as bound with them; that is, as if in the same bonds and +distress. Remember them that are illtreated, as being yourselves also +in the body;" as members of the same body. + +12. We are all bound to one another, just as in the body one member +is bound to another. As you know by your own physical experience, +"Whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one +member is honored, all the members rejoice with it," as Paul says in +1 Corinthians 12, 26. Note how, when a foot is trodden upon or a +finger pinched, the whole body is affected: eyes twitch, nose is +contorted, mouth cries out--all the members are ready to rescue and +help. No one member can forsake the others. In reality not the foot +or the finger is injured, but the whole body suffers the accident. On +the other hand, benefit received by one member is pleasing to all, +and the whole body rejoices with it. Now the same principle should +hold in the Church, because it likewise is one body of many members +with one mind and heart. Such unity naturally entails the +participation by each individual in the good and evil of every other +one. + +13. This virtue of sympathy, resulting as it does from a unity of +mind and faith, is impossible to the world. In the world every man +looks only upon what benefits himself and regards not how others, +especially the godly, fare. Indeed, the world is capable of scornful +smiles and extreme pleasure at sight of Christians in poverty and +distress, and in their sufferings it can give them vinegar and gall +to drink. But you who claim to be a Christian, should know it is +yours to share the sufferings of your brethren and to prove your +heartfelt sympathy with them. If you cannot do more, at least show it +with comforting words or prayer. Their suffering concerns you as well +as themselves, and you must expect the same afflictions from the +devil and the wicked world. + + +OF LOVE. + +14. "Loving as brethren." This virtue must prevail among Christians +everywhere. They are to manifest toward one another the love and +faithfulness of brothers according to the flesh. It is a law of +nature that brothers have a peculiar confidence in one another, being +of the same blood and flesh and having a common inheritance. +Particularly is this true when in distress. Although they may not be +united in other respects, yet when stranger blood assails and +necessity comes, they of the same flesh and blood will take one +another's part, uniting person, property and honor. + +15. Likewise Christians should exercise a peculiar brotherly love and +faithfulness toward one another, as having one Father in heaven and +one inheritance, and in the bond of Christianity being of one faith, +united in heart and mind. None may despise another. Them among us who +are still weak, frail and eccentric in faith and morals, we are to +treat with gentleness, kindness and patience. They must be exhorted, +comforted, strengthened. We should do by them as do the brothers and +sisters of a household toward the member who is weak or frail or in +need. Indeed we cannot otherwise dwell in peace. If we are to live +together we must bear with one another much weakness, trouble and +inconvenience; for we cannot all be equally strong in faith and +courage and have equal gifts and possessions. There is none without +his own numerous weaknesses and faults, which he would have others +tolerate. + + +OF MERCY. + +16. "Tenderhearted, humbleminded" [friendly]. Here Peter has in mind +mankind in general--friends and enemies, Christians and persecutors. +Owing to original sin, man is naturally disposed to seek revenge, +especially upon those who injure him without cause. If he can do no +more, he at least maliciously invokes evil upon his enemy and +rejoices in his misfortune. Now, Christians more than any others in +this world are innocently persecuted, injured, oppressed and +aggrieved, even by those having the name and honor of Christians, a +thing of frequent occurrence today. God's people are aggrieved by +such treatment, and if the natural instinct of flesh and blood could +have its way, they would gladly revenge themselves; just as they of +the world mutually exercise their revenge, not content until passion +is cooled. + +17. But a Christian should not, and indeed consistently he cannot, be +unmerciful and vindictive, for he has become a child of God, whose +mercy he has accepted and therein continues to live. He cannot seek +pleasure in injury to his neighbor or enjoy his misfortune. He cannot +maintain a bitter or hard and stubborn heart toward him. Rather he is +disposed to show mercy even to his hostile neighbor, and to pity his +blindness and misery; for he recognizes that neighbor as under God's +wrath and hastening to everlasting ruin and condemnation. Thus the +Christian is already more than revenged on his enemy. Therefore he +should be friendly towards the hostile neighbor and do him every +kindness he will permit, in an effort to lead him to repentance. + +18. Yet, in showing mercy, as frequently enjoined heretofore we are +not to interfere with just and ordained punishments. God's Word does +not teach us to demand mercy or commend kindness where sin and evil +practices call for punishment, as the world would have us believe +when their sins merit rebuke, particularly the vices of those in high +places. These transgressors claim that when reproved their honor is +assailed and occasion is given for contempt of their office and +authority, and for rebellion, a thing not to be tolerated. This is +not true. The lesson teaches the duty of each individual toward all +other individuals, not toward the God-ordained office. Office and +person must be clearly distinguished. The officer or ruler in his +official capacity is a different man from what he is as John or +Frederick. The apostle or preacher differs from the individual Peter +or Paul. The preacher has not his office by virtue of his own +personality; he represents it in God's stead. Now, if any person be +unjustly persecuted, slandered and cursed, I ought to and will say: +"Thank God;" for in God I am richly rewarded for it. But if one +dishonors my baptism or sacrament, or the Word God has commanded me +to speak, and so opposes not me but himself, then it is my duty not +to be silent nor merciful and friendly, but to use my God-ordained +office to admonish, threaten and rebuke, with all earnestness, both +in season and out of season--as Paul says in 2 Timothy 4, 2--those +who err in doctrine or faith or who do not amend their lives; and +this regardless of who they are or how it pleases them. + +19. But the censured may say: "Nevertheless you publicly impugn my +honor; you give me a bad reputation." I answer: Why do you not +complain to him who committed the office to me? My honor is likewise +dear to me, but the honor of my office must be more sacred still. If +I am silent where I ought to rebuke, I sully my own honor, which I +should maintain before God in the proper execution of my office; +hence I with you deserve to be hanged in mid-day, to the utter +extinguishment of my honor and yours. No, the Gospel does not give +you authority to say the preacher shall not, by the Word of God, tell +you of your sin and shame. What does God care for the honor you seek +from the world when you defy his Word with it? To the world you may +seem to defend your honor with God and a good conscience, but in +reality you have nothing to boast of before God but your shame. This +very fact you must confess if you would retain your honor before him; +you must place his honor above that of all creatures. The highest +distinction you can achieve for yourself is that of honoring God's +Word and suffering rebuke. + +20. "Yes, but still you attack the office to which I am appointed." +No, dear brother, our office is not assailed when I and you are +reminded of our failure to do right, to conduct the office as we +should. But the Word of God rebukes us for dishonoring that divinely +ordained appointment and abusing it in violation of his commandment. +Therefore you cannot call me to account for reproving you. However, +were I not a pastor or preacher, and had I no authority to rebuke +you, then it would be my duty and my pleasure to leave your honor and +that of every other man unscathed. But if I am to fill a divine +office and to represent not my own but God's dignity, then for your +own sake I must not and will not be silent. If you do wrong, and +disgrace and dishonor come upon you, blame yourself. "Thy blood shall +be upon thine own head," says Scripture, 1 Kings 2, 37. Certainly +when a judge sentences a thief to the gallows, that man's honor is +impugned. Who robs you of your honor but yourself, by your own theft, +your contempt of God, disobedience, murder, and so on? God must give +you what you deserve. If you consider it a disgrace to be punished, +then consider it also no honor to rob, steal, practice usury and do +public wrong; you disgrace yourself by dishonoring God's commandment. + +21. This much by way of reminder of the difference between official +rebuke and personal anger and revenge. It must constantly be kept +before us because of the artfulness of flesh and blood, which ever +seeks to disregard that difference. True, God would have all men to +be merciful and friendly, to forgive and not to avenge wrong; but the +office, which is ordained for the punishment of the wicked, will not +always admit of that course. Few are willing to forgive, and +therefore God must enforce his government over the merciless. They +must be punished without mercy. This divine principle must not be +restricted. Neither must it be applied beyond measure. Every official +must be careful not to exceed the demands of his office, exercising +his own revenge, his own envy and hatred, in the name and under +pretense of that position. + +22. Peter continues to expatiate upon this topic--the good works he +has been discussing: gentleness, mercy, friendliness--citing +beautiful passages of Scripture and using other exhortations--to +incite Christians to practice these virtues. He says: + +"Not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but +contrariwise blessing: for hereunto were ye called, that ye should +inherit a blessing." + +23. We have now seen whose prerogative it is to avenge, rebuke and +punish evil. This passage does not refer to official duty. When the +judge declares sentence of execution upon a thief we have truly an +instance of vengeance and reproach, and a public and extreme +reflection upon honor. But it is God's judgment and his doing, with +which we are not here concerned. The Christian of true faith and +innocent life, who confesses his doctrine and belief, and as he is +commanded rebukes opposing forces, will provoke the devil and the +world, and will be persecuted, oppressed and harassed in the name of +office and right, even by individuals whose official duty it is to +protect the godly and restrain unjust power. If these cannot do more, +they will at least annoy, hinder and oppose that Christian as far as +possible. If the Christian be quick-tempered and fail to curb his +anger and impatience, he will effect no good. He will only bring upon +himself that disquiet of heart which consumes and worries itself with +thoughts of revenge and retaliation upon the offender; which when the +devil perceives, he rejoices. He so urges and instigates as to cause +more mischief on both sides. Thus he doubly injures the +Christian--through his enemy and through the anger wherewith the +Christian torments himself and spoils his own peace. + + +OF PATIENCE. + +24. What then shall we do, you say, when we must suffer such abuse +and without redress? The only resource, Peter says, is to possess +your heart in patience and commit the matter to God. This is all that +remains when they whose duty it is will not help you, nor restrain +and punish the wrong, but even do you violence themselves. If the +evil receive not judicial punishment, let it go unpunished until God +looks into it. Only see that you keep a quiet conscience and a loving +heart, not allowing yourself, on account of the devil and wicked men, +to be disturbed and deprived of your good conscience, your peaceful +heart and your God-given blessing. But if in your official capacity +you are commanded to punish the evil, or if you can obtain protection +and justice from rightful authorities, avail yourself of these +privileges without anger, hatred or bitterness, ay, with a heart that +prompts to give good for evil and blessing for reviling. + +25. Such conduct is becoming you as Christians, the apostle says, for +you are a people called to inherit a blessing. Oh, wonderful and +glorious fact, that God has decreed and appropriated to you this +blessing whereby all the riches of his grace and everything good are +yours! and that he will abundantly give you his Spirit to remain with +you, blessing body and soul, if only you hold fast his grace and do +not allow yourselves to be deprived of it. What price would you not +gladly pay for this blessing, were it purchasable, instead of being +freely given, without your merits, and were you privileged thus to +buy the assurance of having a God so gracious, one willing to bless +you in time and eternity? Who would not willingly give even body and +life, or joyfully undergo all suffering to have the perfect assurance +of heart which says: "I know I am a child of God, who has received me +into his grace and I live in the sure hope that I will be eternally +blessed and saved." Think, Peter says, what a vast difference God +makes between you and others because you are Christians. He has +appointed you to be heirs of everlasting grace and blessing and of +eternal life. But they who are not Christians--what have they but a +terrible sentence like a weight about their necks? the sentence +pronouncing them children of the curse and of eternal condemnation. + +26. If men would take this to heart, it would be easy by teaching and +persuasion to win them to friendship and kindness toward their +fellow-men; to induce them not to return evil or reviling from motive +of revenge, but when their own privileges and protection and the +punishment of evil cannot be obtained, quietly and peaceably to +suffer injury rather than lose their eternal comfort and joy. +Christians have excellent reason, a powerful motive, for being +patient and not revengeful or bitter in the fact that they are so +richly blessed of God and given that great glory whereof, as Peter +afterwards remarks, they cannot be deprived, nor can they suffer its +loss, if only they abide in it. The apostle emphasizes this fact and +further persuades Christians by citing the beautiful passage in Psalm +34, 12-16: + +"He that would love life, and see good days, let him refrain his +tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: and let him +turn away from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it. +For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto +their supplication: but the face of the Lord is upon them that do +evil." + +27. These words the Holy Spirit uttered long ago through the prophet +David, for the instruction and admonition of all saints and children +of God. David presents to us the matter as he daily saw it in his own +life and learned from his own experience, and as he gathered from +examples of the dear fathers from the beginning of the world. "Come +hither, dear children," he would say, "if you will be taught and +advised, I will give you sound instruction as to how we are to fear +God and become his children. Who desires peace and comfort?" "Oh, who +would not desire peace and comfort?" cries the world. For these +everyone seeks and strives, and all the efforts of the world are +directed toward this end. + + +THE CHRISTIAN'S PEACE. + +28. There are two ways to the goal of peace. One is that chosen by +the world. The world seeks to obtain peace by preserving its own with +violence. It desires the death of all who oppose it and will suffer +injury or evil in word or deed from no one. This method, it is true, +is appointed to governmental authority. It is the duty of civil +rulers to faithfully employ it to arrest and hinder evil as far as +possible. But they can never wholly restrain evil nor punish every +offense. Much wickedness will remain, particularly secret evil, which +must punish itself, either by repentance here or in hell hereafter. +By this procedure Christians will not accomplish for themselves any +personal advantage; the world is too wicked and it will not give them +support. + +29. Therefore, if you desire peace for yourself personally, +particularly as a Christian, you must choose another way. The Psalm +shows it to you when it says: "Refrain thy tongue from evil, and thy +lips that they speak no guile." This injunction really applies to +doctrine, meaning that we are to abide by the true Word of God and +not to allow ourselves to be seduced by false teaching. But Peter +here extends the application to the outward life and conduct of +Christians in the work, the circumstances being such as to call for +this admonition in the matter of refraining the tongue. On account of +the faith and confession for which men are called Christians, they +must suffer much; they are endangered, hated, persecuted, oppressed +and harassed by the whole world. Christ foretold (Mt 10, 22): "Ye +shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." Easily, then, +Christians, might believe they have cause to return evil, and being +still flesh and blood mortals, they are inevitably moved to be angry +and to curse, or to forsake their confession and doctrine and with +unbelievers to join the false church with its idolatrous teaching. +Here the Psalm admonishes: Dear Christian, let not all this move you +to rave, curse, blaspheme and revile again, but abide in the blessing +prepared for you to inherit; for you will not by violence remedy +matters or obtain any help. The world will remain as it is, and will +continue to hate and persecute the godly and believing. Of what use +is it for you to hate, chafe and curse against its attitude? You only +disturb your own heart with bitterness, and deprive yourself thereby +of the priceless blessing bestowed upon you. + +30. We have the same teaching in the fourth verse of Psalm 4, which +comforts saints and strengthens them against the temptation and +provocation to anger and impatience which they must experience in the +world. "Be ye angry," David says, "and sin not: commune with your own +heart upon your bed, and be still." That is, although according to +the nature of flesh and blood you fret because you are compelled to +witness the prosperity of the world in its ungodly life and +wickedness, and how it spites, despises and persecutes you with pride +and insolence, nevertheless let not yourselves be easily provoked; +let wrong, displeasure, vexation and worry remain outside the inner +life; let them affect only the outward life, body and possessions. By +no means let them become rooted in your heart. Still your hearts and +content yourselves, and regard all this vexation as not worth losing +sleep over. If you desire to serve God truly and to render acceptable +sacrifice to him, then with faith in his Word place your hope in him +as your dear Father who cares for you, hears you and will wondrously +support you. + + +GUARDING THE LIPS. + +31. But the psalmist's additional words, "Refrain your lips that they +speak no guile," refer, as I have said, primarily to confession of +the doctrine; but there is another thought: When one is prompted to +anger and to complaint about injury and wrong, in his impatience and +irritation he cannot speak fairly concerning the matter of offense, +but invariably exaggerates. So it is with anger and retaliation. One +receiving but a pin-point wound will fly into a passion and be ready +to break the offender's head. The individual that suffers a single +adverse word immediately proceeds to abuse and slander in the extreme +his opponent. In short, an angry heart knows no moderation and cannot +equally repay, but must make of a splinter, even a mote, a great +beam, or must fan a tiny spark into a volcano of flame, by +retaliating with reviling and cursing. Yet it will not admit that it +does wrong. It would, if possible, actually murder the offender, thus +committing a greater wrong than it has suffered. + +32. So wicked and unjust is human nature that when offended it stops +not with equal measure in retribution; it goes beyond and in its +anger and revenge spares neither the neighbor's honor nor his body +and life. James 1, 20 says: "The wrath of man worketh not the +righteousness of God"; that is, it suffers not a man to abide in his +faith and good conscience. But official indignation, which is God's +wrath, does not so. It seeks not the destruction of man, but only the +punishment of the actual fault. Man's anger and revenge, so wicked +and insatiable are they, return ten blows for one, or even double +that number, and repay a single abusive word with a hundred. + +33. So Peter admonishes you to restrain your tongues, to curb them, +lest they suddenly escape your control and sin with wicked words, +doing injury double that you have received. Guard your lips that your +mouth utter not guile or falsehood through your anger, and that it +may not calumniate, abuse and slander your neighbor contrary to truth +and justice and in violation of the eighth commandment. Such conduct +is, before God and man, unbecoming a Christian and leads to that most +disgraceful vice of slander, which God supremely hates. It is the +devil's own, whence he has his name of liar or slanderer--diabolus, +or devil. + + +GOOD WORKS. + +34. The Psalm says further: "Turn away from evil and do good"; that +is, beware lest on account of the wickedness of another you also +become wicked, for anger and revenge meditate only harm and +wickedness. Therefore be all the more diligent to do good, if you +can, that your heart may retain its honor and joy and that you may +abide in righteousness, and not fall from God's grace and from +obedience to him into the service of the devil. By anger and revenge +the devil tempts you, endeavoring to get you again into his toils and +to embitter your heart and conscience until you shall exceed others +in sin. + +35. "Seek peace and pursue it," continues the apostle. This is a +sublime exhortation, and faithful, divine counsel. You must not +think, Peter would say, that peace will run after you, or that the +world--much less the devil--will bring it into your house. Rather you +will find the very opposite true. From without strife will be carried +to you in bales, and within your own heart will be kindled anger and +bitterness to fill you with everlasting disquiet. Therefore if you +desire peace, wait not until other people help you to obtain it, nor +until you create it for yourself by force and revenge. Begin with +yourself. Turn from the evil to the good. Even undergo suffering to +provide your heart with the peace which endures in spite of all that +would rob you of it. Strive ever to keep your heart firm in the +resolve: I will not be angry nor seek revenge, but will commit my +affairs to God and to those whose duty it is to punish evil and +wrong-doing. As for my enemy, may God convert and enlighten him. And +however much more of violence and wrong I may suffer, I will not +allow my heart to be robbed of its peace. + +36. Notice, the way to preserve peace and to see good days even in +evil times is to keep a silent tongue and a quiet heart through the +comfort of divine grace and blessing. No outward occasion may be +given for strife, but always peace is to be sought with good words, +works and prayers. We must even pursue peace, follow after it, with +genuine and strong suffering. Thus we preserve it by force. In no +other way can a Christian see good days and hold fast his blessing. +Remember you must make strenuous effort if you would not reject your +blessing nor be influenced by another to carelessly lie and otherwise +sin with your tongue. Flesh and blood are weak and sluggish in the +matter of preserving peace, therefore Peter strengthens his +exhortation and further encourages us by the promise of God's help +and protection for the faithful and his punishment of their enemies. +He says: + +"For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto +their supplication." + +37. Inscribe this verse upon your heart in firm faith and see if it +does not bring you peace and blessings. Try to believe that God sits +above, sleepless and with his vigilant eye ever upon you. With +watchful vision he beholds the righteous as they suffer violence and +wrong. Why will you complain and become discouraged by reason of the +harm and grief you experience, when the gracious eyes of the true +Judge and God are upon you and his intent is to help you? All the +wealth of the world would I give, if I might, to purchase that +watchful care, or rather to obtain the requisite faith; for surely +the lack is not in his regarding, but in our faith. + + +GOD OVER ALL. + +38. More than this, God's ears, the apostle tells us, are also open +to the prayers of the righteous. As he looks upon you with gracious, +winning eyes, so also are his ears alert to even the faintest sound. +He hears your complaint, your sighing and prayer, and hears, too, +willingly and with pleasure; as soon as you open your mouth, your +prayer is heard and answered. + +39. Again, Peter says: "The face of the Lord is upon them that do +evil." True, God's eyes are upon the righteous, but nevertheless he +sees also the others. In this case he beholds not with a friendly +look or gracious countenance, but with a displeased and wrathful +face. When a man is angry the forehead frowns, the nostrils dilate +and the eyes flash. Such a manifestation of anger are we to +understand by the Scripture when it refers here to "the face of the +Lord." On the other hand it illustrates the pleased and gracious +aspect of God by "the eyes of the Lord." + +40. Now, why is "the face of the Lord" upon evil-doers and what is +its effect? Certainly God's purpose is not to heed or to help them, +to bestow blessing or success upon their evil-doing. His purpose is, +according to the succeeding words in the psalm, "to cut off the +remembrance of them from the earth." This is a terrible, an appalling +sentence, before which a heart may well be prostrated as from a +thunderbolt. And ungodly hearts would be thus appalled were they not +so hardened as to despise God's Word. + +41. Notwithstanding the indifference of the wicked, the sentence is +passed. Verily it is no jest with God. It illustrates how sincerely +he cares for the righteous and how he will avenge them on the wicked, +toward whom his countenance bespeaks punishment in due time and the +cutting off of their memory from the earth. In contrast, the +righteous, because they have feared God and abode in their piety +though suffering for it, shall, even here upon earth, live to see +blessing and prosperity upon their children's children. Although for +a time the company of the wicked conduct themselves with pride upon +the earth, and imagine themselves secure beyond the possibility of +being unseated, nevertheless when their hour comes they are suddenly +hurled down from earth into the abyss of hell and must suffer the +righteous to remain in possession of the earth. So testifies Christ +in Matthew 5, 5, and Psalm 37 more fully explains the matter. + +42. It is proven by all the examples of Scripture and also by the +experience of the whole world from the beginning, that God casts down +those who seek only to injure. They who have despised God's threats +and angry countenance with security and defiance have at last +experienced the fulfillment of these warnings and perished thereby. +King Saul thought to destroy godly David, to exterminate his root and +branch and blot out his name as if he had been a rebellious, accursed +man. But God effected the very opposite. Because David in his +sufferings and persecution walked in the fear of God and trusted him +with simplicity, desiring no harm to his enemy, God's gracious eye +was ever upon him and preserved him from that enemy. On the other +hand, the angry face of God was bent upon King Saul, and before David +was aware of it the king had fallen, and his whole family met ruin +with him; they were obliged to surrender crown and kingdom to the +persecuted David. + +43. Christians should strengthen their faith with the comforting +thought that God's gracious countenance is over them and he turns eye +and ear toward them; and that on the other hand he looks with angry +face upon their enemies and those seeking to injure, and will take a +hand in their game, obliging them either to refrain from their +evil-doing, or to perish by it. Such retribution is certain. No one +can live long without proving by his own experience and that of other +men the truth of the proverb, "Right will assert itself." However, we +lack in faith and cannot wait God's hour. We think he delays too long +and that we suffer too much. But in reality his time will come +speedily, and we can well wait and endure if we believe in God, who +but grants our enemies a brief opportunity to be converted. But their +appointed hour is already at hand and they will not escape if it +overtakes them without repentance. + +"And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is +good? But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed +are ye." + +44. According to Peter's words here, you have a very great advantage +over all your enemies, whoever they be, in being richly endowed by +God with eternal blessing. You know he will protect, support and +avenge you, hence you abide in your faith and godliness. Although +your adversaries think to trouble and harm you, they can do you no +real injury whatever they effect. For wherein can persecution harm if +you strive for godliness and abide in it? Not by malice, might and +violence can your enemies take from you, or diminish, your piety and +God's grace, his help and blessing. And even from all the bodily and +temporal harm they can inflict, you suffer no loss. For the more they +seek to injure you, the more they hasten their own punishment and +destruction, and the greater is your recompense from God. By the very +fact that they slander, disgrace, persecute and trouble you, they +multiply your blessing with God and further your cause, for God must +the sooner consider your case, supporting you and overthrowing them. +They but prepare your reward and benefit by their wicked, venomous +hatred, their envy, anger and fury. At the same time they effect for +themselves conditions the very reverse. Being condemned by their own +evil consciences, they cannot in their hearts enjoy one good day, one +peaceful hour; and they heap up for themselves God's wrath and +punishment. + +45. Indeed, you are all the more blessed, temporally and eternally, +Peter declares, for the very reason that you suffer for +righteousness' sake. You are so to regard the situation and to praise +and thank God for your suffering. The apostle looks upon tribulation +in this light and exalts it as supreme blessedness and a glorious +thing. Christ says in Matthew 5, 11-12: "Blessed are ye when men +shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil +against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for +great is your reward in heaven." Oh, your adversaries should purchase +a little of this comfort regardless of cost and boast of suffering a +little for the sake of righteousness! Could they understand the +promise and be worthy of it, how intensely might they desire to have +suffered all and much more than they thought to inflict upon you, if +only they might be blessed and prove the comfort of this precious, +divine promise! + +"Fear not their fear, neither be troubled; but sanctify in your +hearts Christ as Lord." + +46. Here again Peter resorts to Scripture and cites a verse from the +prophet Isaiah (ch. 8, 12-13) where he admonishes God's people not to +be terror-stricken by the wrath and threats of men, but firmly and +confidently to trust in God. The prophet speaks similarly in chapter +51, verse 7: "Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye dismayed +at their revilings." As if he would say: Why will you permit +yourselves to be disturbed by the persecutions of men, however great, +mighty and terrible enemies they may be, when you are blessed and +happy in God to the extent that all creatures must pronounce you +blessed? Moreover, you know the eyes of your God behold you and his +ears are open to your cry, and whatever you desire and pray for is +heard and granted. More than this, your adversaries are threatened by +his angry face. What are all men--tyrants, pope, Turk, Tartars, ay, +the devil himself--compared to this Lord, and what can they do +against him, when and wheresoever he chooses to show his power? They +are but as a straw to a mighty thunderbolt which makes the earth +tremble. Therefore, if you are indeed Christians and believe in God +you ought in no wise to fear all these adversaries, but rather, +joyfully and with scornful courage to despise their defiance, their +threatening and rage, as something utterly harmless to you; they are +but effecting their own destruction in hurling themselves at the +Majesty before which all creatures must tremble. + + +TRUST IN GOD ENJOINED. + +47. But this you are to do: Sanctify God; that is, regard and honor +him as holy. This is nothing else than to believe his Word; be +confident that in God you have truly one who, if you suffer for +righteousness' sake, neither forgets nor forsakes, but graciously +looks upon you and purposes to give his support and to revenge you on +your enemies. Such faith and confession honors him as the true God, +upon whom man can confidently and joyfully call for help, reposing +his whole trust in him upon the authority of his sure Word and +promise, which cannot deceive or fail. + +48. In contrast, unbelievers cannot sanctify God; they cannot render +him due honor, although they may talk much of him and display much +divine worship. They do not accept God's Word as the truth, but +always remain in doubt. In the hour of suffering they deem themselves +utterly forgotten and forsaken by the Lord. Therefore they murmur and +fret, being very impatient and disobedient toward God. They rashly +seek to protect and revenge themselves by their own power. That very +conduct betrays them as beings without a God, as blind, miserable, +condemned heathen. Such are the great multitude of Turks, Jews, +Papists and unbelieving saints today throughout the world. + + + + +_Sixth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Romans 6, 3-11. + +3 Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus +were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him +through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the +dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in +newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with him in the +likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his +resurrection; 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with +him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no +longer be in bondage to sin; 7 for he that hath died is justified +from sin. 8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also +live with him; 9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth +no more; death no more hath dominion over him. 10 For the death that +he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he +liveth unto God. 11 Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto +sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. + + +EXHORTATION TO CHRISTIAN LIVING. + +1. In this epistle lesson Paul gives Christians instruction +concerning the Christian life on earth, and connects with it the hope +of the future and eternal life, in view of which they have been +baptized and become Christians. He makes of our earthly life a +death--a grave--with the understanding, however, that henceforth the +risen man and the newness of life should be found in us. And he +treats of this doctrine because of an error that always prevails: +When we preach that upon us is bestowed grace and the forgiveness of +sins, without any merit on our part, people are disposed to regard +themselves as free from obligation and will do no works except those +to which their own desires prompt them. This was Saint Paul's +experience when he so strongly commended the grace of Christ and its +consolation (ch. 5, 20), declaring that "where sin abounded, grace +did abound more exceedingly," and that where there are many and great +sins, there also reigns great, abundant and rich grace. The rude +crowd cried: Oh, is it true that great grace follows upon great sin? +In that case we will cheerfully load ourselves with sin so that we +may receive the greater grace. + + +GRACE DOES NOT GIVE LICENSE TO SIN. + +2. Such argument Paul now confutes. He says: It is not the intention +of the Gospel to teach sin or to allow it; it teaches the very +opposite--how we may escape from sin and from the awful wrath of God +which it incurs. Escape is not effected by any doings of our own, but +by the fact that God, out of pure grace, forgives us our sins for his +Son's sake; for God finds in us nothing but sin and condemnation. How +then can this doctrine give occasion or permission to sin when it is +so diametrically opposed to it and teaches how it is to be blotted +out and put away? + +3. Paul does not teach that grace is acquired through sin, nor that +sin brings grace; he says quite the opposite--that "the wrath of God +is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness +of men," Rom 1, 18. But because the sins of men which are taken away +are so grievous and numerous, the grace which drowns and destroys +them must be mighty and abundant also. Where there is great thirst, a +great draft is needed to quench it. Where there is a mighty +conflagration, powerful streams of water are necessary to extinguish +it. In cases of severe illness, strong medicine is essential to a +cure. But these facts do not give us authority to say: Let us +cheerfully drink to satiety that we may become more thirsty for good +wine; or, Let us injure ourselves and make ourselves ill that +medicine may do us more good. Still less does it follow that we may +heap up and multiply sins for the purpose of receiving more abundant +grace. Grace is opposed to sin and destroys it; how then should it +strengthen or increase it? + +4. Therefore he begins his sermon by inquiring, in this sixth chapter +(verses 1-3): "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that +grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any +longer live therein?" In other words: How is it possible that because +grace should destroy sin ye should live unto sin? And then, further +to illustrate this, he says: + +"Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus +were baptized into his death?" + +5. He speaks here in figurative language to clearly and forcibly +impress this matter upon us; ordinarily it would have been sufficient +for him to ask: "We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live +therein?" that is to say, Inasmuch as ye have been saved from sin +through grace, it is not possible that grace should command you to +continue in sin, for it is the business of grace to destroy sin. Now, +in the figurative words above quoted, he wishes to vividly remind us +what Christ has bestowed upon us. He would say to us: Do but call to +mind why you are Christians--you have been baptized into Christ. Do +you know why and whereunto you have been baptized, and what it +signifies that you have been baptized with water? The meaning is that +not only have you there been washed and cleansed in soul through the +forgiveness of sins, but your flesh and blood have been condemned, +given over unto death, to be drowned, and your life on earth to be a +daily dying unto sin. For your baptism is simply an overwhelming by +grace--a gracious overwhelming--whereby sin in you is drowned; so may +you remain subjects of grace and not be destroyed by the wrath of God +because of your sin. Therefore, if you let yourself be baptized, you +give yourself over to gracious drowning and merciful slaying at the +hands of your God, and say to him: Drown and overwhelm me, dear Lord, +for gladly would I henceforth, with thy Son, be dead to sin, that I +may, with him, also live through grace. + + +THE POWER OF BAPTISM. + +6. When he says, "All we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were +baptized into his death," and again, "We were buried therefore with +him through baptism into death," he speaks in his own Pauline style +concerning the power of baptism, which derives its efficacy from the +death of Christ. By his death he has paid for and taken away our +sins; his death has been an actual strangling and putting to death of +sin, and it no longer has dominion over him. So we, also, through his +death have obtained forgiveness of sins; that sin may not condemn us, +we die unto sin through that power which Christ--because we are +baptized into him--imparts to and works in us. + +7. Yea, he further declares that we are not only baptized into his +death, but, by the same baptism, we are buried with him into death; +for in his death he took our sins with him into the grave, burying +them completely and leaving them there. And it follows that, for +those who through baptism are in Christ, sin is and shall remain +completely destroyed and buried; but we, through his +resurrection--which, by faith, gives us the victory over sin and +death and bestows upon us everlasting righteousness and life--should +henceforth walk in newness of life. + +8. Having these things through baptism, we dare no longer obey--live +unto--the sin which still dwells in our flesh and blood in this life; +we must daily strangle it so that it may have no power nor life in us +if we desire to be found in the estate and life of Christ. For he +died unto sin, destroying it by his death and burying it in his +grave; and he acquired life and the victory over sin and death by his +resurrection, and bestows them upon us by baptism. The fact that +Christ himself had to die for sin is evidence of the severe wrath of +God against sin. Sin had to be put to death and laid away in the +grave in the body of Christ. Thereby God shows us that he will not +countenance sin in us, but has given us Christ and baptism for the +purpose of putting to death and burying sin in our bodies. + +9. Thus Paul shows us in these words what has been effected by +Christ's death and burial, and what is the signification of our being +buried with him. In the first place, Christ was buried that he might, +through forgiveness, cover up and destroy our sin, both that which we +have actually committed and that which is inherent in us; he would +not have it inculpate and condemn us. In the second place, he was +buried that he might, through the Holy Spirit, mortify this flesh and +blood with its inherent sinful lusts; they must no longer have +dominion over us, but must be subject to the Spirit until we are +utterly freed from them. + +10. Thus, we still lie with Christ in the grave according to the +flesh. Although it be true that we have the forgiveness of sins, that +we are God's children and possess salvation, yet all this is not +perceptible to our own senses or to the world. It is hidden in Christ +by faith until the judgment day. For we do not yet experience in +ourselves such righteousness, such holiness, such life and such +salvation as God's Word describes and as faith expects to find. +Wherefore Paul says in Colossians 3, 3-4 (as we have heard in the +Easter sermons), "Your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, +who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be +manifested in glory." + +11. On the other hand, we are outwardly oppressed with the cross and +sufferings, and with the persecution and torments of the world and +the devil, as with the weight of a heavy stone upon us, subduing our +old sinful nature and checking us against antagonizing the Spirit and +committing other sins. + +"For if we have become united [planted together] with him in the +likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his +resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, +that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer +be in bondage to sin; for he that hath died is justified from sin." + +12. This is another distinctly apostolic discourse. Being baptized +into Christ's death and buried with him, to which Paul had just +referred, he here calls being united, or planted together, with +Christ in the likeness of his death. Christ's death and resurrection +and our baptism are intimately united with, and related to, one +another. Baptism is not to be regarded a mere empty sign, as +Anabaptists erroneously hold. In it is embodied the power of both +Christ's death and resurrection. Hence Paul says, "we are planted +together with him," engrafted into him as a member of his body, so +that he is a power in us and his death works in us. Through baptism +he dedicates us to himself and imparts to us the power of his death +and resurrection, to the end that both death and life may follow in +us. Hence our sins are crucified through his death, taken away, that +they may finally die in us and no longer live. + +13. Being placed under the water in baptism signifies that we die in +Christ. Coming forth from the water teaches, and imparts to, us a new +life in him, just as Christ remained not in death, but was raised +again to life. Such life should not and can not be a life of sin, +because sin was crucified before in us and we had to die to it. It +must be a new life of righteousness and holiness, Christ through his +resurrection finally destroyed sin, because of which he had to die, +and instead he brought to himself the true life of righteousness, and +imparts it to us. Hence we are said to be planted together with +Christ or united with him and become one, so that we both have in us +the power of his death and resurrection. The fruits and results of +this power will be found in us after we are baptized into him. + +14. The apostle speaks consolingly of the death of the Christian as a +being planted, to show that the Christian's death and sufferings on +earth are not really death and harm, but a planting unto life; being +redeemed, by the resurrection, from death and sin, we shall live +eternally. For that which is planted is not planted unto death and +destruction, but planted that it may sprout and grow. So Christ was +planted, through death, unto life; for not until he was released from +this mortal life and from the sin which rested on him and brought him +into death on our account, did he come into his divine glory and +power. Since this planting begins in baptism, as said, and we by +faith possess life in Christ, it is evident that this life must +strike root in us and bear fruit. For that which is planted is not +planted without purpose; it is to grow and bear fruit. So must we +prove, by our new conversation and by our fruits, that we are planted +in Christ unto life. + + +CHRISTIAN GROWTH. + +15. Paul gives the reason for new growth. He says: "Knowing this, +that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might +be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin." It +does not become us, as baptized Christians, to desire to remain in +our old sinful estate. That is already crucified with Christ; the +sentence of condemnation upon it has been pronounced and carried out. +For that is what being crucified means. Just so, Christ, in suffering +crucifixion for our sins, bore the penalty of death and the wrath of +God. Christ, innocent and sinless, being crucified for our sins, sin +must be crucified in our body; it must be utterly condemned and +destroyed, rendered lifeless and powerless. We dare not, then, in any +wise serve sin nor consent to it. We must regard it as actually +condemned, and with all our power we must resist it; we must subdue +and put it to death. + +16. Paul here makes a distinction. He says, "Our old man was +crucified with him [Christ]," and "that the body of sin might be done +away." He intimates that the "old man" and "the body of sin" are two +different things. By the term "old man" he means not only the +body--the grossly sinful deeds which the body commits with its five +senses--but the whole tree with all its fruits, the whole man as he +is descended from Adam. In it are included body and soul, will, +reason and understanding. Both inwardly and outwardly, it is still +under the sway of unbelief, impiety and disobedience. Man is called +old, not because of his years; for it is possible for a man to be +young and strong and vigorous and yet to be without faith or a +religious spirit, to despise God, to be greedy and vainglorious, or +to live in pride or the conceit of wisdom and power. But he is called +the old man because he is unconverted, unchanged from his original +condition as a sinful descendant of Adam. The child of a day is +included as well as the man of eighty years; we all are thus from our +mother's womb. The more sins a man commits, the older and more unfit +he is before God. This old man, Paul says, must be crucified--utterly +condemned, executed, put out of the way, even here in this life. For +where he still remains in his strength, it is impossible that faith +or the spirit should be; and thus man remains in his sins, drowned +under the wrath of God, troubled with an evil conscience which +condemns him and keeps him out of God's kingdom. + +17. The "new man" is one who has turned to God in repentance, one who +has a new heart and understanding, who has changed his belief and +through the power of the Holy Spirit lives in accordance with the +Word and will of God. This new man must be found in all Christians; +it begins in baptism or in repentance and conversion. It resists and +subdues the old man and its sinful lusts through the power of the +Holy Spirit. Paul declares, "They that are of Christ Jesus have +crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts," Gal 5, 24. + +18. Now, although in those who are new men, the old man is crucified, +there yet, Paul says, remains in them in this life "the body of sin." +By this we understand the remaining lusts of the old man, which are +still felt to be active in the flesh and blood, and which would fain +resist the spirit. But inasmuch as the head and life of sin are +destroyed, these lusts cannot harm the Christian. Still the Christian +must take care not to become obedient to them, lest the old man come +to power again. The new man must keep the upper hand; the remaining +sinful lusts must be weakened and subdued. And this body of ours must +finally decay and turn to dust, thereby utterly annihilating sin in +it. + +19. Now, he says, if ye be dead to sin under the reign of the spirit +and the new man, and adjudged to death under the reign of the body, +ye must no longer permit sin to bring you under its dominion, lest it +inculpate and condemn you. But ye must live as those who are wholly +released from it, over whom it no longer has any right or power. For +we read, "He that hath died is justified from sin." This is said of +all who are dead. He that has died has paid for his sin; he need not +die for it again, for he no longer commits sin and evil deeds. If sin +be destroyed in man by the Spirit, and the flesh also is dead and +gone, man is completely released and freed from sin. + +20. Paul comprehends the whole existence of the Christian on earth in +the death of Christ, and represents it as dead and buried, in the +coffin; that is, the Christian has ceased from the life of sin, and +has nothing more to do with it. He speaks of sin as being dead unto +the Christian and of the latter as being dead unto sin for the reason +that Christians no longer take part in the sinful life of the world. +And, too, they are doubly dead. First, spiritually they are dead unto +sin. And this, though painful and bitter to flesh and blood, is a +blessed, a comfortable and happy dying, sweet and delightful, for it +produces a heavenly life, pure and perfect. Secondly, they are +physically dead--the body dies. But this is not really death; rather +a gentle, soothing sleep. Therefore ye are, Paul would say, beyond +measure happy. In Christ ye have already escaped death by dying unto +sin; that death ye need die no more. It--the first death, which ye +have inherited from Adam through sin--is already taken away from you. +That being the real, the bitter and eternal death, ye are +consequently freed from the necessity of dying. At the same time +there is a death, or rather only the semblance of one, which ye must +suffer because ye are yet on earth and are the descendants of Adam. + + +SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL RESURRECTION. + +21. The first death, inherited from Adam, is done away with, changed +into a spiritual dying unto sin, by reason of which the soul no +longer consents to sin and the body no longer commits it. Thus, in +place of the death which sin has brought upon us, eternal life is +already begun in you. Ye are now freed from the dreadful damning +death; then accept the sweet, holy and blessed death unto sin, that +ye may beware of sin and no longer serve it. Such is to be the result +of the death of Christ into which ye are baptized; Christ has died +and has commanded you to be baptized in order that sin might be +drowned in you. + +22. The other, the "little death," is that outward, physical death. +In the Scriptures it is called a sleep. It is imposed upon the flesh, +because, so long as we live on earth, the flesh never ceases to +resist the spirit and its life. Paul says: "The flesh lusteth against +the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary +the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would." +Gal 5, 17. The spirit, or soul, says: I am dead unto sin and will not +sin any more. But the flesh says: I am not dead and must make use of +my life while I have it. The spirit declares: I believe that God has +forgiven my sins and taken them away from me through Christ. But the +flesh asks: What do I know of God or his will? The spirit resolves: I +must be meek, pure, chaste, humble, patient, and seek the future +life. But the flesh in reply makes a loud outcry: Away with your +heaven! if only I had enough of bread and money and property here! +Thus the flesh does continually, as long as it lives here; it draws +and drags sin after itself; it is rebellious and refuses to die. +Therefore God must finally put it to death before it becomes dead +unto sin. + +23. And after all, it is but a gentle and easy death. It is truly +only a sleep. Since soul and spirit are no longer dead, the body +shall not remain dead; it shall come forth again, cleansed and +purified, on the last day, to be united with the soul. Then shall it +be a gentle, pure and obedient body, without sin or evil lust. + +24. These words of Paul are an admirable Christian picture of death, +representing it not as an awful thing, but as something comforting +and pleasant to contemplate. For how could Paul present a more +attractive description than when he describes it as stripped of its +power and repulsiveness and makes it the medium through which we +attain life and joy? What is more desirable than to be freed from sin +and the punishment and misery it involves, and to possess a joyful, +cheerful heart and conscience? For where there is sin and real +death--the sense of sin and God's wrath--there are such terror and +dismay that man feels like rushing through iron walls. Christ says, +in Luke 23, 30, quoting from the prophet Hosea (ch. 10, v. 8), that +such a one shall pray that the mountains and the hills may fall on +him and cover him. + +25. That dreadful death which is called in the Scriptures the second +death is taken away from the Christian through Christ, and is +swallowed up in his life. In place of it there is left a miniature +death, a death in which the bitterness is covered up. In it the +Christian dies according to the flesh; that is, he passes from +unbelief to faith, from the remaining sin to eternal righteousness, +from woes and sadness and tribulation to perfect eternal joy. Such a +death is sweeter and better than any life on earth. For not all the +life and wealth and delight and joy of the world can make man as +happy as he will be when he dies with a conscience at peace with God +and with the sure faith and comfort of everlasting life. Therefore +truly may this death of the body be said to be only a falling into a +sweet and gentle slumber. The body ceases from sin. It no longer +hinders or harasses the spirit. It is cleansed and freed from sin and +comes forth again in the resurrection clothed with the obedience, joy +and life which the spirit imparts. + +26. The only trouble is that the stupid flesh cannot understand this. +It is terrified by the mask of death, and imagines that it is still +suffering the old death; for it does not understand the spiritual +dying unto sin. It judges only by outward appearance. It sees that +man perishes, decays under the ground and is consumed. Having only +this abominable and hideous mask before its eyes, it is afraid of +death. But its fear is only because of its lack of understanding. If +it knew, it would by no means be afraid or shudder at death. Our +reason is like a little child who has become frightened by a bugbear +or a mask, and cannot be lulled to sleep; or like a poor man, bereft +of his senses, who imagines when brought to his couch that he is +being put into the water and drowned. What we do not understand we +cannot intelligently deal with. If, for instance, a man has a penny +and imagines it to be a five-dollar gold piece, he is just as proud +of it as if it were a real gold piece; if he loses it he is as +grieved as if he had lost that more valuable coin. But it does not +follow that he has suffered such loss; he has simply deluded himself +with a false idea. + +27. Thus it is not the reality of death and burial that terrifies; +the terror lies in the flesh and blood, which cannot understand that +death and the grave mean nothing more than that God lays us--like a +little child is laid in a cradle or an easy bed--where we shall +sweetly sleep till the judgment day. Flesh and blood shudders in fear +at that which gives no reason for it, and finds comfort and joy in +that which really gives no comfort or joy. Thus Christians must be +harassed by their ignorant and insane flesh, because it will not +understand its own good or harm. They must verily fight against it as +long as they live, at the cost of much pain and weariness. + +28. There is none so perfect that he does not flee from and shudder +at death and the grave. Paul complains and confesses of himself, and +in his own person of all Christians: "For that which I do I know not: +for not what I would, that do I practice." Rom 7, 15. In other words: +By the spirit, I am well aware that when this body comes to die God +simply lays me to rest in sweetest slumber, and I would gladly have +my flesh to understand this; but I cannot bring it to it. The spirit +indeed is willing and desires bodily death as a gentle sleep. It does +not consider it to be death; it knows no such thing as death. It +knows that it is freed from sin and that where there is no sin there +is no death--life only. But the flesh halts and hesitates, and is in +constant dread lest I die and perish in the abyss. It will not allow +itself to be tamed and brought into that obedience and into that +consoling view of death which the spirit exercises. Even Saint Paul +cries out in anxiety of spirit: "Wretched man that I am! who shall +deliver me out of the body of this death?" Rom 7, 24. Now we see what +is meant by the statement, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." +The flesh must be dragged along and compelled by the spirit to +obediently follow, in spite of its resistance and trembling. It must +be forced into submission until it is finally overcome. Just so the +mother so deals with the child that is fretful and restless that she +constrains it to sleep. + +29. Paul says, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified"--that +is, we know that, in soul and spirit, we are already dead unto +sin--"that the body of sin might be done away." The meaning is: +Because the body does not willingly and cheerfully follow the spirit, +but resists and would fain linger in the old life of sin, it is +already sentenced, compelled to follow and to be put to death that +sin may be destroyed in it. + +30. He does not say that the body is destroyed as soon as a man has +been baptized and is become a Christian, but that the body of sin is +destroyed. The body which before was obstinate and disobedient to the +spirit is now changed; it is no longer a body of sin but of +righteousness and newness of life. So he adds, "that we should no +longer be in bondage to sin." + +"But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with +him; knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; +death no more hath dominion over him. For the death that he died, he +died unto sin once; but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God." + +31. Here he leads us out of the death and grave of sin to the +resurrection of spirit and body. When we die--spiritually unto sin, +and physically to the world and self--what doth it profit us? Is +there nothing else in store for the Christian but to die and be +buried? By all means yes, he says; we are sure by faith that we also +shall live, even as Christ rose from death and the grave and lives. +For we have died with him, or, as stated above, "we have become +united with him in the likeness of his death." By his death he has +destroyed our sin and death; therefore we share in his resurrection +and life. There shall be no more sin and death in our spirit or body, +just as there is no more death in him. Christ, having once died and +been raised again, dieth no more. There is nothing to die for. He has +accomplished everything. He has destroyed the sin for which he died, +and has swallowed up death in victory. And that he now lives means +that he lives in everlasting righteousness, life and majesty. So, +when ye have once passed through both deaths, the spiritual death +unto sin and the gentle death of the body, death can no more touch +you, no more reign over you. + +32. This, then, is our comfort for the timidity of the poor, weak +flesh which still shudders at death. If thou art a Christian, then +know that thy Lord Jesus Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no +more; death hath no more dominion over him. Therefore, death hath no +more dominion over thee, who art baptized into him. Satan is defied +and dared to try all his powers and terrors on Christ; for we are +assured, "Death no more hath dominion over him." Death may awaken +anger, malice, melancholy, fear and terror in our poor, weak flesh, +but it hath no more dominion over Christ. On the contrary, death must +submit to the dominion of Christ, in his own person and in us. We +have died unto sin; that is, we have been redeemed from the sting and +power, the control, of death. Christ has fully accomplished the work +by which he obtained power over death, and has bestowed that power +upon us, that in him we should reign over death. So Paul says in +conclusion: + +"Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive +unto God in Christ Jesus." + +33. "Reckon ye also yourselves," he says. Ye, as Christians, should +be conscious of these things, and should conduct yourselves in all +your walk and conversation as those who are dead to sin and who give +evidence of it to the world. Ye shall not serve sin, shall not follow +after it, as if it had dominion over you. Ye shall live in newness of +life, which means that ye shall lead a godly life, inwardly by faith +and outwardly in your conduct; ye shall have power over sin until the +flesh--the body--shall at last fall asleep, and thus both deaths be +accomplished in you. Then there will remain nothing but life--no +terror or fear of death and no more of its dominion. + + + + +_Seventh Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Romans 6, 19-23. + +19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your +flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness +and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as +servants to righteousness unto sanctification. 20 For when ye were +servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. 21 What +fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now +ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made +free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +sanctification, and the end eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is +death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our +Lord. + + +EXHORTATION TO RESIST SIN. + +1. The text properly should include several verses preceding. Paul +has not yet concluded the subject of the epistle for last Sunday. +There he urges that since we are baptized into Christ and believe, we +should henceforth walk in a new life; that we are now dead to sin +because we are in Christ, who by his death and resurrection has +conquered and destroyed sin. He illustrates the power of Christ's +death and resurrection by saying: "For sin shall not have dominion +over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace." That is, being +in Christ and possessed of the power of his resurrection--in other +words, having God's grace and the forgiveness of sins--you can now +readily resist sin. Although you may not perfectly fulfill the letter +of the Law in its demands, yet it cannot condemn you as a sinner nor +subject you to God's wrath. + + +GOOD WORKS NOT FORBIDDEN. + +2. Then Paul presents again the question raised by the obstinate +world when it encounters this doctrine. "What then?" he asks, "shall +we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?" It is the +perversity of the world that, when we preach about forgiveness of +sins by pure grace and without merit of man, it should either say we +forbid good works, or else try to draw the conclusion that man may +continue to live in sin and follow his own pleasure; when the fact +is, we should particularly strive to live a life the very reverse of +sinful, that our doctrine may draw people to good works, unto the +praise and honor and glory of God. Our doctrine, rightly apprehended, +does not influence to pride and vice, but to humility and obedience. + +3. In affairs of temporal government, whether domestic or civil, +judge or ruler, it is understood that he who asks for pardon +confesses himself guilty, acknowledges his error and promises to +reform--to transgress no more. For instance, when the judge extends +mercy and pardon to the thief deserving of the gallows, the law is +canceled by grace. Suppose now the thief continues in wrong-doing and +boasts, "Now that I am under grace I may do as I please, I have no +law to fear"; who would tolerate him? For though the law is indeed +canceled for him and he receives not merited punishment, though grace +delivers him from the rope and the sword, life is not granted him +that he may continue to steal, to murder; rather he is supposed to +become honest and virtuous. If he does not, the law will again +overtake him and punish him as he deserves. In short, where grace +fulfills the law, no one is for that reason given license to continue +in wrong-doing; on the contrary, he is under increased obligation to +avoid occasions of falling under condemnation of the law. + +4. Everyone can readily comprehend this principle in temporal things; +no one is stupid enough to tolerate the idea of grace being granted +to extend opportunity to do wrong. It is only the Gospel doctrine +concerning God's grace and the forgiveness of sin that must suffer +the slanderous misrepresentation that makes it abolish good works or +give occasion for sin. We are told how God, in his unfathomable +grace, has canceled the sentence of eternal death and hell fire +which, according to the Law and divine judgment, we deserved, and has +given us instead the freedom of life eternal; thus our life is purely +of grace. Yet certainly we are not pardoned that we may live as +before when, under condemnation and wrath, we incurred death. Rather, +forgiveness is bestowed that we in appreciation of the sublimity and +sanctity of God's unspeakably great blessing which delivers us from +death unto life, should henceforth take heed that we lose it not; +that we fall not from grace to pass again under judgment and the +sentence of eternal death. We are to conduct ourselves as men made +alive and saved. + +5. So Paul says in verse 16, "Know ye not, that to whom ye present +yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye +obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" +Meaning, Since you now have, under grace, obtained forgiveness of sin +and are become righteous, you owe it to God to live in obedience to +his will. Necessarily your life must be obedient to some master. +Either you obey sin, to continue in the service of which brings death +and God's wrath, or you obey God, in grace, unto a new manner of +life. So, then, you are no more to obey sin, having been freed from +its dominion and power. Paul continues the topic in this Sunday's +epistle text, saying: + + +GOOD AND EVIL "AFTER THE MANNER OF MEN." + +"I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your +flesh: for as ye presented your members as members to uncleanness," +etc. + +6. Heretofore he had been speaking, under the inspiration of the Holy +Spirit, in language unusual and unintelligible to the world. To the +gentiles it was a strange and incomprehensible thing he said about +dying with Christ unto sin, being buried and planted into his death, +and so on. But now, since his former words are obscure to the natural +understanding, he will, he says, speak according to human +reason--"after the manner of men." + +7. Even reason and the laws of all the gentiles, he goes on to say, +teach we are not to do evil; rather to avoid it and do good. All +sovereigns establish laws to restrain evil and preserve order. + +How could we introduce through the Gospel a doctrine countenancing +evil? Though the wisdom of the Gospel is a higher gift than human +reason, it does not alter or nullify the God-implanted intelligence +of the latter. Hence it is a perversion of our doctrine to say it +does not teach us to love good works and practice them. "Now, if you +cannot understand this truth from my explanation," Paul would +say--"that through faith you have, by baptism, died to the sinful +life, even been buried--then learn it through your accustomed +exercise of reason. You know for yourselves that pardon for former +transgression and release from lawful punishment gives no one license +to do evil--to commit theft or murder." + +8. It is a commonly recognized fact among men that pardon does not +mean license. God's Word confirms the same. Yet the disadvantage is +that although reason teaches, through the Law, good works and forbids +evil, it is unable to comprehend why its teachings are not fulfilled. +It perceives from the results which follow dishonoring of the Law, +that to honor is best, that it is right and praiseworthy not to steal +and commit crime. But it fails to understand why, given the teachings +at first, they are not naturally fulfilled. Nor, again, does it know +how existing conditions may be removed or bettered. It resorts to +this expedient and that to restrain evil, but it cannot attain the +art of uprooting and destroying it. With the sword, rack and gallows +the judge may restrain public crime, but he cannot punish more than +what is known and witnessed to before the court. Whatever is done +secretly and never comes before him, he cannot punish or restrain. +The Word of God, however, takes hold of the difficulty in a different +manner. It teaches how to crush the head of the serpent and to slay +the evil. Then the judge and the executioner are no longer necessary. +But where we may not control the cause of the wrong, we should, +nevertheless, restrain so far as possible its manifest workings. + +Now, the utmost reason can teach is that we are not to do evil even +in thought or desire, and the extent of its punishment relates only +to outward works; it cannot punish the thought and inclination to do +evil. + +9. "But we preach another doctrine," Paul means to say, "a doctrine +having power to control the heart and restrain the will. We say you +believers in Christ, who are baptized into his death and buried with +him, are not only to be reckoned dead, but are truly dead unto sin." +A Christian has certain knowledge that through the grace of Christ +his sins are forgiven--blotted out and deprived of condemning power. +Because he has obtained and believes in such grace, he receives a +heart abhorrent of sin. Although feeling within himself, perhaps, the +presence of evil thoughts and lusts, yet his faith and the Holy +Spirit are with him to remind him of his baptism. "Notwithstanding +time and opportunity permit me to do evil," he says to himself, "and +though I run no risk of being detected and punished, yet I will not +do it. I will obey God and honor Christ my Lord, for I am baptized +into Christ and as a Christian am dead unto sin, nor will I come +again under its power." + +So acted godly Joseph, who, when tempted by his master's wife, "left +his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" (Gen 39, 12); +whereas another might have been glad of the invitation. He was but +flesh and blood and naturally not insensible to her inducement, to +the time and opportunity, the friendship of the woman and the offered +enjoyment; but he restrained himself, not yielding even in thought to +the temptation. Such obedience to God destroys indeed the source of +evil--sin. Reason and human wisdom know nothing of it. It is not to +be effected by laws, by punishment, by prison and sword. It can be +attained only by faith and a knowledge of Christ's grace, through +which we die to sin and the world, and restrain the will from evil +even when detection and punishment are impossible. + +10. Now, such doctrine is not to be learned from human reason; it is +spiritual and taught of the Scriptures. It reveals the source of evil +and how to restrain it. Since, then, we teach restraint of evil and +show withal a way higher and more effectual than reason can find, the +accusation that we prohibit good works and license sin is +sufficiently answered and disproved. But Paul would say to the +Romans, "If you cannot comprehend our superior doctrine as to the +questions raised, then answer them according to the teachings of your +own reason, for even that will tell you--and no man will dispute +it--we are to do no wrong. The Word of God confirms this doctrine." + +11. The apostle says he will speak of the point they raise, after the +manner of men. That does not mean according to corrupt flesh and +blood, which are not capable of speaking anything good, but according +to natural reason as God created it, where some good still remains, +for there are to be found many upright individuals who make just +laws. I speak thus "because of the infirmity of your flesh," Paul +declares. As if he would say, I have not yet said as much as reason, +the teachers of the Law and the jurists would demand, but I will go +no further because you are yet too weak spiritually, and too +unaccustomed to my manner of speech, for all of you to understand it. +I must come down to your apprehension and speak according to your +capacity. Now, I want to say, ask your own statutes, your own laws, +whether they authorize the prohibition of good works; if they license +evil, though they may not be able to prevent it. Thus I convince you +that such a pretense regarding our doctrine is not to be tolerated. + + +THE TEACHINGS OF REASON. + +"Even reason teaches that your lives must conform to your business; +each is in duty bound to obey him whom he serves. As Christians you +are obliged to render another service than that you gave when under +the dominion of sin, and obedient to it; when you were unable to +escape its power and to do any work good before God. You have now +come out of bondage and are relieved from obedience to sin, through +grace, having devoted yourselves to the service of God, to obeying +him. Therefore, assuredly you must change your manner of life." + +12. Truly, Paul here argues reasonably and within the scope of man's +natural understanding. We preach the same truths, but, presenting +them in the form of Christian doctrine, we necessarily employ +different language and a loftier tone, lest it be offensive to the +world. We may say that theft, murder, envy, hate and other crimes and +vices are transgressions, yet we cannot remedy the evils by the mere +prohibitions of the law. The remedy must be effected through God's +grace, and is accomplished in the believer, not by our power, but by +the Holy Spirit. But when we so explain, the stupid world immediately +blurts out, "Oh, if it be true that our works do not remedy evils, +let us enjoy ourselves and not bother about good works!" + +13. That their implication is false and a wanton perversion of the +true doctrine is manifest from the fact that we exalt and endorse the +command of God, and also the doctrine of reason, that teach us to do +good and avoid evil. Indeed, we assist reason, which is powerless to +remedy evil. If reason were itself sufficient, men would not permit +themselves to be deceived by their own visionary ideas and false +doctrines about worthless and vain works, as are followers of the +papacy and of all false worship. No doubt such error has its rise in +the principle that we are to do good and avoid evil. The principle +fundamentally is true, and accepted by all men; but when it comes to +the theories we build upon it, the speculations as to how it is to be +put into practice, there is disagreement. Only the Word of God can +show how to accomplish it. + +Reason is easily blinded on this point and deceived by false +appearances, being led by anything merely called good. Even when it +has performed all it believes to be right, it is still uncertain of +acceptance. Indeed, it perceives no fruits, no benefit, to result +from its teaching; for at best its achievements extend no farther +than outward works--the object being to make the doer appear +righteous and respectable before men--while inward sinfulness is +unrestrained and the soul remains captive to its former life, +obedient to the lusts of sin. And the motive of such a one is not +sincere; he would conduct himself quite otherwise were he not +restrained by fear of shame and punishment. + + +GOSPEL HIGHER THAN REASON. + +14. We present a higher doctrine--the Gospel. The Gospel teaches +first how sin in ourselves is, through Christ, slain and buried. Thus +we obtain a good conscience, a conscience hating and opposing sin, +and become obedient to another power. Being delivered from sin we +would serve God and exert ourselves to do his pleasure, even though +no fear, punishment, judge or executioner existed. + +With this point accepted--with the settlement of this minor subject +of controversy as to how we are delivered from sin and attain to +truly good works, we unite once more on the fundamental principle +that good is to be done and evil avoided. Therefore, we immediately +conclude: Since we are free from sin and converted to God, we must in +obedience to him do good and live no more in sin. + +15. Thus does Paul make use of the Law, and of human reason so far as +it is able to interpret the Law, to resist them who speak falsely and +pervert the right doctrine. Evidently, then, the doctrine of the +Gospel does not oppose the doctrine of good works, but transcends it. +For it reveals the source and inspiration of good works--not human +reason, not human ability, but the grace and power of the Holy +Spirit. Now Paul deduces the point: + +"For as ye presented [yielded] your members as servants to +uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present +[yield] your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification +[holiness]." + + +BODY NOT TO SERVE SIN. + +16. Even reason teaches that, being no more subject to sin and +unrighteousness, you are no longer to serve them with your body and +members--your whole physical life. And further, having yielded +yourselves to obey God and righteousness, you are in duty bound to +serve them with body and life. To put it concisely and clearly, Let +him who formerly was evil and lived contrary to his own conscience +and to God's will, now become godly and serve the Lord with a good +conscience. Or, as Paul says, "Let him that stole steal no more," Eph +4, 28. + +17. Formerly, he tells them, their members--eyes, ears, mouth, hands, +feet--even the whole body, served uncleanness. For "vice" he uses +this term "uncleanness," readily intelligible to reason and inclusive +of all forms of sin. "You permitted your members to serve +unrighteousness," he would say, "and devoted them to every sort of +unholy life, every wicked work, committing one iniquity after another +and exercising all manner of villainy that can be named. Now reverse +the order. Reasoning according to your own logic: while before you +willingly witnessed, heard and uttered things shameful and unchaste, +and sought lewdness, lending your bodies to it, let impurity now be +distressing to your sight and hearing; let the body flee from it; be +pure in words and works. All the members of the body, all its +functions, are to be devoted to righteousness." + +Thus your members, your whole bodies, are to become holy--to be God's +own--and given over solely to his service. The longer and the more +ardently they serve, the more cheerfully will they honor and obey +God, being devoted to all that is divine, praiseworthy, honorable and +virtuous. The instructions God has written upon your own heart would +teach you this principle, even were there no Word of God. It is +useless for you to protest: "Yes, but you have taught that good works +do not save," for that doctrine is not inconsistent, but beyond your +understanding. Indeed, it is the true light whereby you may fulfill +the teachings of reason. + +"For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of [free +from] righteousness." + +18. All these expressions Paul uses "after the manner of men," +adapting them from the laws and customs of the times concerning +slavery, service and freedom. Then servants were bondmen, purchased +by their masters, with whom they must abide until set at liberty by +those owners, or otherwise freed. His allusion to a former service of +unrighteousness and a present service of righteousness implies two +conditions of servitude and consequently two conditions of freedom. +He who serves sin, the apostle teaches, is free from righteousness; +that is, he is captive under sin, unable to attain to righteousness +and to do righteous works. Even reason can comprehend the principle +that he is free who does not serve--who is not servant. Again, +servants of righteousness means service and obedience to +righteousness, and freedom from sin. + + +FRUITS OF TWO KINDS OF SERVICE. + +Paul now puts the matter a little differently, contrasting the +experience of the Romans in the two forms of service. He leaves it +with them to determine which has been productive of benefit and which +of injury, and to choose accordingly as to future service and +obedience. + +"What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now +ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made +free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +sanctification [holiness], and the end eternal life." + +19. Rather recall your manner of life when you were free from +righteousness and obeyed only the urgings and enticements of sin. +What pleasure or gain had you in it? None, except that for which you +are now ashamed. Further, had you remained in it you would at last +have found death. Only these two grand results--shame and death. +Nothing better have you earned in its service. Munificent reward +indeed for him who, choosing freedom from righteousness, lives to his +own pleasure. He is deceived into thinking he has chosen a highly +desirable life, for it gratifies the fleshly desires, and he thinks +to go unpunished. + +But gratification is succeeded by two severe punishments: First, +shame--confession of disgrace before God and the world. Thus Adam and +Eve in Paradise, when they chose to violate God's command and, +enticed by the devil, followed their desire for a forbidden thing, +were made to feel the disgrace of their sin; they were in their +hearts ashamed to appear in the presence of God. The other and added +punishment is eternal death and the fires of hell, into which also +fell our first parents. + +20. Is it not better, then, to be free from the service of sin and to +serve righteousness? So doing, you would never suffer shame nor +injury but would receive a double blessing: First, a clear conscience +before God and all creatures, proof in itself that you live a holy +life and belong to God; second and chief, the rich and incorruptible +reward of eternal life. + +21. In all these observations Paul is still speaking after the manner +of men; in a way comprehended and accepted by reason, even without +knowledge of Christ. It is universally true in the world that +evil-doers--thieves, murderers and the like--are punished in addition +to the public disgrace they feel. Similarly, they who do good +receive, in addition to the honor of men, all manner of happy reward. + +"For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal +life in Christ Jesus our Lord." + +22. It seems a strange saying, that evil-doers are to receive wages, +seemingly implying right and deserving action on their part. +Ordinarily the term "wages" signifies a good reward, given to those +who acquit themselves righteously and bravely. Paul uses the word to +discomfit them who pervert his teaching. For they say, "Ah, Paul +preaches of grace alone, yet he promises wages to sin." "Yes," Paul +would respond, "boast as you will, you will receive a reward--death +and hell-fire. You must confidently expect it if you interpret the +Gospel to teach that God shall reward you who serve sin." With the +convincing words of the text, Paul would undeceive those who +advocate, or suffer themselves to believe, that man can serve God in +sin and can receive a happy reward. He chooses words familiar to +them. "Yes, if, as you maintain, wages must be the reward of every +service, you will of course receive yours--death and hell. These any +may have who desire them and regard them precious." + +23. Paul says further, "The free gift of God is eternal life." +Observe his choice of words. He does not here use the term "wages," +because he has previously taught that eternal life is not the reward +of our works, but is given of pure grace, through faith and for +Christ's sake. So he speaks of it as a "free gift of God, through +Christ Jesus our Lord." The soul possessing eternal life is furnished +with power to crush the serpent's head, and none can deprive him of +his priceless blessing. He has also power to avoid sin and to +constantly crucify his flesh. These are things not to be effected by +any law, any human ability; faith is requisite. Through faith we are +incorporated into Christ and planted with him in the death of sin, +unto eternal life and truly good works. + + + + +_Eighth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Romans 8, 12-17. + +12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after +the flesh: 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by +the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 +For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. +15 For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye +received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The +Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children +of God: 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs +with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also +glorified with him. + + +LIVING IN THE SPIRIT AS GOD'S CHILDREN. + +1. This text, like the preceding one, is an exhortation to Christian +life and works. The language employed, however, is of different +construction. The hateful machinations of the devil, by which he +produces so much disaster in the world, make it necessary to urge +this exhortation in many different forms upon those who have become +Christians. For when God out of grace, without any merit on our part, +bestows upon us the forgiveness of sins which we ourselves are unable +to buy or acquire, the devil instigates men at once to conclude and +exclaim: Oh, in that case we need no longer do good! Whenever, +therefore, the apostle speaks of the doctrine of faith, he is obliged +continually to maintain that grace implies nothing of that kind. For +our sins are not forgiven with the design that we should continue to +commit sin, but that we should cease from it. Otherwise it would more +justly be called, not forgiveness of sin but permission to sin. + +2. It is a shameful perversion of the salutary doctrine of the Gospel +and great and damnable ingratitude for the unfathomable grace and +salvation received, to be unwilling to do good. For we ought in fact +to be impelled by this very grace to do, with all diligence and to +the utmost of our knowledge and ability, everything that is good and +well-pleasing to God, to the praise and glory of his name. + +3. Of this Paul reminds and admonishes us here, in plain and simple +but earnest and important words, in which he points out to us how +much we owe to God for that which we have received from him, and what +injury we shall suffer if we do not value it as we should, and act +accordingly. He says: + +"We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh." + +4. Because we have been redeemed from the condemnation we deserved by +our sins, and now have eternal life through the Spirit of Christ +dwelling in us (he speaks of this in the preceding verses), therefore +we are debtors to live after the Spirit and obey God. This Paul +declares also in the text for last Sunday: "Now being made free from +sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto +sanctification." Rom 6, 22. Therefore, he says, ye are debtors; your +new calling, station, and nature require of you that, since ye have +become Christians and have the Holy Spirit, ye should live as the +Holy Spirit directs and teaches. It is not left to your own caprice +to do or to leave undone. If ye desire to glory in the possession of +grace and the Holy Spirit, ye must confess yourselves debtors to +live, not after the flesh, the only desire of which is to continue in +sin, but after the Spirit; the Spirit shows you that, having been +baptized and redeemed from sin, ye must turn from sin to the new life +of righteousness and not from that new life to sin. + +"For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die." + +5. Here judgment is plainly and tersely pronounced on the pretensions +of those foolish people who seek to make the freedom of grace a +pretext for giving license to the flesh. The apostle speaks these +words that he may deter them from presumption, lest in place of the +life and grace in which they pride themselves, they bring upon +themselves again eternal wrath and death. It would be utterly +inconsistent in you who are now saved and freed from eternal death to +desire henceforth to live after the flesh. For if ye do that, ye need +not imagine that ye shall retain eternal life; ye will be subject to +death and condemned to hell. For ye know that it was solely because +of your sins that ye lay under the wrath of God and had incurred +death, and that it was because ye lived after the flesh that ye +deserved condemnation. Most assuredly Christ has not died for those +who are determined to remain in their sins; he has died that he might +rescue from their sins those who would gladly be released but cannot +liberate themselves. + +6. Therefore, let him that is a Christian take care not to be guilty +of such nonsense as to say: I am free from the Law, therefore I may +do as I please. Rather let him say and do the contrary. Let him, +because he is a Christian, fear and shun sin, lest he fall from his +freedom into his former state of bondage to sin under the Law and +God's wrath; or lest the life, begun in God, lapse again into death. +For here stands the express declaration, "If ye live after the flesh, +ye must die;" as if the apostle meant: It will not avail you that ye +have heard the Gospel, that ye boast of Christ, that ye receive the +sacraments, so long as ye do not, through the faith and Holy Spirit +received, subdue your sinful lusts, your ungodliness and impiety, +your avarice, malice, pride, hatred, envy and the like. + +7. For the meaning of "living after the flesh" has been repeatedly +stated and is readily understood. It includes not only the gross, +sensual lust of fornication or other uncleanness, but everything man +has inherited by his natural birth; not only the physical body, but +also the soul and all the faculties of our nature, both mental and +corporal--our reason, will and senses--which are by nature without +the Spirit and are not regulated by God's Word. It includes +particularly those things which the reason is not inclined to regard +as sin; for instance, living in unbelief, idolatry, contempt of God's +Word, presumption and dependence on our own wisdom and strength, our +own honor, and the like. Everything of this nature must be shunned by +Christians (who have the Holy Spirit and are hence able to judge what +is carnal) as a fatal poison which produces death and damnation. + + +PUTTING TO DEATH SIN. + +"But if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall +live." + +8. Here the apostle confesses that even in the Christian there is a +remnant of the flesh, that must be put to death--all manner of +temptation and lusts in opposition to God's commandments. These are +active in the flesh and prompt to sin. They are here called the +"deeds of the body." Of this nature are thoughts of unbelief and +distrust, carnal security and presumption instead of the fear of God, +coldness and indolence with respect to God's Word and prayer, +impatience and murmurings under suffering, anger and vindictiveness +or envy and hatred against our neighbor, avarice, unchastity and the +like. Such inclinations as these dwell in flesh and blood and cease +not to move and tempt man. Yea, because of human infirmity they at +times overtake him when he is not careful enough about transgression. +They will certainly overpower him unless he resolutely opposes them +and, as here stated, "puts to death the deeds of the body." To do +this means a severe struggle, a battle, which never abates nor ceases +so long as we live. The Christian dare never become slothful or +negligent in this matter. He must arouse himself through the Spirit +so as not to give place to the flesh. He must constantly put to death +the flesh lest he himself be put to death by it. The apostle +declares, "If ye live after the flesh, ye must die," and again +comforts us, "If by the Spirit ye put to death [mortify] the deeds of +the body, ye shall live." For the Christian receives the gift of the +Holy Spirit that he may become willing and able to mortify these +sinful lusts. + +9. This mortifying of sin through the Spirit is accomplished on this +wise: Man recognizes his sin and infirmity, at once repents, +remembers God's Word, and, through faith in the forgiveness of sins, +strengthens himself against sin, and so resists it that he does not +consent to it nor permit it to come to deeds. + +10. This constitutes the difference between those who are Christians +and sanctified and those who are without faith and the Holy Spirit or +who grieve and lose the Spirit. For although believers, as well as +unbelievers, are not wholly free from the sinful lusts of the flesh, +they yet remain in repentance and the fear of God; they hold fast to +the belief that their sins are forgiven, for Christ's sake, because +they do not yield to them but resist them. Therefore they continue +under forgiveness, and their remaining infirmity is not fatal nor +damning to them as it is to those who, without repentance and faith, +go on in carnal security and purposely follow their evil lusts +against their own conscience; who thus cast away from themselves both +faith and the Holy Spirit. + +11. So Paul admonishes the Christians to remember what they have +received, and whereunto they are called. Having received the +forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit, they are to be careful not +to lose these again; they must use them in contending against the +sinful lusts of the flesh. They are to comfort themselves with the +fact that they have the Holy Spirit, that is, have help and strength +by means of which they can resist and mortify sin. These things are +impossible to those who have not faith. Therefore Paul declares +further: + +"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of +God." + +12. Like ourselves, Paul had to deal with two classes of people, the +true and the false Christians. There is not so much danger from the +adversaries of the doctrine; for instance, from popery: their +opposition is so open that we can readily beware of them. But since +the devil sows even among us his seed--they are called Christians and +boast of the Gospel--it behooves us to take heed, not to the mouth, +but to the works, of those who claim to be Christians. Not what they +say, but what they do, is the question. It is easy enough to boast of +God and of Christ and of the Spirit. But whether such boasting has +any foundation or not, depends on whether or not the Spirit so works +and rules in one as to subdue and mortify sin. For where the Spirit +is, there assuredly the Spirit is not idle nor powerless. He proves +his presence by ruling and directing man and prevailing on man to +obey and follow his promptings. Such a man has the comfort that he is +a child of God, and that God so reigns and works in him that he is +not subject to death; he has life. + + +MEANING OF "LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD." + +13. To be "led by the Spirit of God" means, then, to be given a heart +which gladly hears God's Word and believes that in Christ it has +grace and the forgiveness of sins; a heart which confesses and proves +its faith before the world; a heart which seeks, above all things, +the glory of God, and endeavors to live without giving offense, to +serve others and to be obedient, patient, pure and chaste, mild and +gentle; a heart which, though at times overtaken in a fault and it +stumble, soon rises again by repentance, and ceases to sin. All these +things the Holy Spirit teaches one if he hears and receives the Word, +and does not wilfully resist the Spirit. + +14. On the other hand, the devil, who also is a spirit, persuades the +hearts of the worldlings. But it soon becomes evident that his work +is not that of a good spirit or a divine spirit. For he only leads +men to do the reverse of that which the Spirit of God leads them to +do; then they find no pleasure in hearing and obeying God's Word, but +despise God, and become proud and haughty, avaricious, unmerciful. + +15. Let every one therefore take heed that he do not deceive himself. +For there are many who claim to be Christians and yet are not. We +perceive this from the fact that not all are led by the Spirit of +God. Some spirit there must be by which men are led. If it is not the +Spirit of God leading them to oppose the flesh, then it must be the +other and evil spirit leading them to give way to the flesh and its +lusts and to oppose the Spirit of God. They must, therefore, either +be God's own, his dear children, his sons and his daughters, called +to eternal life and glory; or they must be rejected and abandoned, +children of the devil, and with him heirs of eternal fire. + +16. Paul takes occasion to speak more at length on the words "sons of +God," and proceeds in beautiful and comforting words to describe the +nature and glory of this sonship. He only begins the subject, +however, in today's text. He says: + +"For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye +received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." + +17. This is a noble and comforting text, worthy of being written in +letters of gold. Because ye now through faith, he means to say, have +the Holy Spirit and are led by him, ye are no longer in bondage as ye +were when under the Law; ye need no longer be afraid of its terrors +and its demands, as if God would condemn and reject you on account of +your unworthiness and the remaining infirmity of your flesh. On the +contrary, ye have the consolation that, through faith, ye have the +assurance of God's grace, and may consider God your Father and call +upon him as his children. + + +TWO KINDS OF PREACHING AND OF WORKS. + +18. Thus he contrasts the two kinds of works which spring from the +two kinds of preaching and doctrine--of the Law and of the +Gospel--and which constitute the difference between the Christians +and those still without faith and the knowledge of Christ. They who +have nothing and know nothing but the Law, can never attain to true, +heartfelt trust and confidence in God, though they do ever so much +and exercise themselves ever so earnestly in the Law. For when the +Law shines upon them in real clearness and they see what it demands +of them and how far they come short of its fulfilment, when it thus +discloses to them God's wrath, it produces in them only a terror, a +fear and dread, of God under which they must at last perish if they +be not rescued by the Gospel. This is what Paul here terms "the +spirit of bondage," one that produces only fear and dread of God. +But, on the other hand, if the heart grasps the preaching of the +Gospel, which declares that, without any merit or worthiness on our +part, God forgives us our sins, for Christ's sake, if we believe in +him--then it finds in God's grace comfort against the terrors of the +Law; then the Holy Spirit enables it to abide in that confidence, to +hold fast to that comfort, and to call upon God sincerely in that +faith, even though it feels and confesses to be still weak and +sinful. This is what is meant by receiving "the spirit of adoption." + +19. Paul speaks of the "spirit of bondage" and the "spirit of +adoption" according to the customs of his times. In those days +men-servants and maid-servants were the property of the master of the +house in the same sense that a cow was his property. He bought them +with his money; he did with them as he pleased, just as with his +cattle. They were afraid of their master and had to expect stripes, +imprisonment and punishment even unto death. They could not say, So +much of my master's property belongs to me, and he must give it to +me. But they had always to reflect: Here I serve for my bread only; I +have nothing to expect but stripes, and must be content to have my +master cast me out or sell me to someone else whenever he chooses. +They could never have a well-grounded hope of release from such fear +and bondage and coercion. + +20. Such a slavish spirit, such a captive, fearful and uncertain +spirit, ye do not have, says the apostle. Ye are not compelled to +live continually in fear of wrath and condemnation as are the +followers of Moses and all who are under the Law. On the contrary, ye +have a delightful, free spirit, one confident and contented, such as +a child entertains toward its father, and ye need not fear that God +is angry with you or will cast you off and condemn you. For ye have +the Spirit of his Son (as he says above and in Galatians 4, 6) in +your heart and know that ye shall remain in his house and receive the +inheritance, and that ye may comfort yourselves with it and boast of +it as being your own. + + +CHILDREN OF GOD. + +21. On this "spirit of adoption," that is on what the apostle means +when he says "whereby we cry, Abba, Father," I have spoken at some +length in my sermon on the text Galatians 4, 6, where the same words +are used. In short, Paul describes here the power of the kingdom of +Christ, the real work and the true exalted worship the Holy Spirit +effects in believers: the comfort by which the heart is freed from +the terror and fear of sin and given peace, and the heartfelt +supplication which in faith expects of God an answer and his help. +These blessings cannot be secured through the Law or our own +holiness. By such means man could never obtain the comfort of God's +grace and love to him; he would always remain in fear and dread of +wrath and condemnation, and, because of such doubt, would flee from +God, not daring to call upon him. But where there is faith in Christ, +there the Holy Spirit brings the comfort spoken of, and a childlike +trust which does not doubt that God is gracious and will answer +prayer, because he has promised all these--grace and help, comfort, +and answer to prayer--not for the sake of our worthiness, but for the +sake of the name and merit of Christ, his Son. + +22. Of these two works of the Holy Spirit, comfort and supplication, +the prophet Zechariah (ch. 12, 10) said that God would establish a +new dispensation in the kingdom of Christ when he should pour out +"the spirit of grace and of supplication." The spirit he speaks of is +the same who assures us that we are God's children, and desires us to +cry to him with heartfelt supplications. + +23. The Hebrew word "Abba"--which, as the apostle himself interprets +it, means "Father"--is the word which the tiny heir lisps in +childlike confidence to its father, calling him "Ab, Ab"; for it is +the easiest word the child can learn to speak: or, as the old German +language has it, almost easier still, "Etha, Etha." Such simple, +childlike words faith uses toward God through the Holy Spirit, but +they proceed out of the depth of the heart and, as afterwards stated, +"with groanings which cannot be uttered." Rom 8, 26. Especially is +this the case when the doubtings of the flesh and the terrors and +torments of the devil bring conflict and distress. Man must defend +himself against these and cries out: O dear Father! Thou art, indeed, +my Father, for thou hast given thine only and beloved Son for me. +Thou wilt not be angry with me or disown me. Or: Thou seest my +distress and my weakness; do thou help and save me. + +"The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are +children of God." + +24. That we are children of God and may confidently regard ourselves +as such, we do not learn from ourselves nor from the Law. We learn it +from the witness of the Spirit, who, in spite of the Law and of our +unworthiness, testifies to it in our weakness and assures us of it. +This witness is the experience within ourselves of the power of the +Holy Spirit working through the Word, and the knowledge that our +experience accords with the Word and the preaching of the Gospel. For +thou art surely aware whether or no, when thou art in fear and +distress, thou dost obtain comfort from the Gospel, and art able to +overcome thy doubts and terror; to so overcome that thy heart is +assured of God's graciousness, and thou no longer fleest from him, +but canst cheerfully call upon him in faith, expecting help. Where +such a faith exists, consciousness of help must follow. So Saint Paul +says, Rom 5, 4-5: "Stedfastness worketh approvedness; and +approvedness, hope: and hope putteth not to shame." + +25. This is the true inward witness by which thou mayest perceive +that the Holy Spirit is at work in thee. In addition to this, thou +hast also external witnesses and signs: for instance, it is a witness +of the Holy Spirit in thee that he gives thee special gifts, acute +spiritual understanding, grace and success in thy calling; that thou +hast pleasure and delight in God's Word, confessing it before the +world at the peril of life and limb; that thou hatest and resistest +ungodliness and sin. Those who have not the Holy Spirit are neither +willing nor able to do these things. It is true, that even in the +Christian, these things are accomplished in great weakness; but the +Holy Spirit governs them in their weakness, and strengthens in them +this witness, as Paul says again: "The Spirit also helpeth our +infirmity." Rom 8, 26. + + +HEIRS OF GOD. + +"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with +Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also +glorified with him." + +26. Here, then, thou hast the high boast, the honor and the glory of +the Christian. Leave to the world its splendor, its pride and its +honors, which mean nothing else--when it comes to the point--than +that they are the children of the devil. But do thou consider the +marvel of this, that a poor, miserable sinner should obtain such +honor with God as to be called, not a slave nor a servant of God, but +a son and an heir of God! Any man, yea the whole world, might well +consider it privilege enough to be called one of God's lowest +creatures, only so that they might have the honor of being God's +property. For who would not wish to belong to such a Lord and +Creator? But the apostle declares here that we who believe in Christ +shall be not his servants, but his own sons and daughters, his heirs. +Who can sufficiently magnify or utter God's grace? It is beyond the +power of our expression or comprehension. + +27. Yet here our great human weakness discovers itself. If we fully +and confidently believed this, then of what should we be afraid or +who could do us harm? He who from the heart can say to God, Thou art +my Father and I am thy child--he who can say this can surely bid +defiance to all the devils in hell, and joyfully despise the +threatenings and ragings of the whole world. For he possesses, in his +Father, a Lord before whom all creatures must tremble and without +whose will they can do nothing; and he possesses a heritage which no +creature can harm, a dominion which none can reduce. + +28. But the apostle adds here the words, "if so be that we suffer +with him," to teach us that while we are on earth we must so live as +to approve ourselves good, obedient children, who do not obey the +flesh, but who, for the sake of this dominion, endure whatever +befalls them or causes pain to the flesh. If we do this, then we may +well comfort ourselves and with reason rejoice and glory in the fact +the apostle declares, that "as many as are led by the Spirit of God," +and do not obey the promptings of the flesh, "these are the sons of +God." + +29. O how noble it is in a man not to obey his lusts, but to resist +them with a strong faith, even though he suffer for it! To be the +child of a mighty and renowned king or emperor means to possess +nobility, honor and glory on earth. How much more glorious it would +be, could a man truthfully boast that he is the son of one of the +highest of the angels! Yet what would be all that compared with one +who is named and chosen by God himself, and called his son, the heir +of exalted divine majesty? Such sonship and heritage must assuredly +imply great and unspeakable glory and riches, and power and honor, +above all else that is in heaven or in earth. This very honor, even +though we had nothing but the name and fame of it, ought to move us +to become the enemies of this sinful life on earth and to strive +against it with all our powers, notwithstanding we should have to +surrender all for its sake and suffer all things possible for a human +being to suffer. But the human heart cannot grasp the greatness of +the honor and glory to which we shall be exalted with Christ. It is +altogether above our comprehension or imagination. This Paul declares +in what follows, in verse 18, where he says: "I reckon that the +sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with +the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward," as we have heard in +the text for the fifth Sunday after Trinity. + + + + +_Ninth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13. + +6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not +lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye +idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat +down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit +fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and +twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of +them made trial, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, +as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer. 11 Now these +things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written +for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12 +Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. +13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but +God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye +are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, +that ye may be able to endure it. + + +CARNAL SECURITY AND ITS VICES. + +1. Here is a very earnest admonition, a message as severe as Paul +ever indited, although he is writing to baptized Christians, who +always compose the true Church of Christ. He confronts them with +several awful examples selected from the very Church, from Israel the +chosen people of God. + +2. Paul's occasion and meaning in writing this epistle was the +security of the Corinthians. Conscious of their privileged enjoyment +of Christ, of baptism and the Sacrament, they thought they lacked +nothing and fell to creating sects and schisms among themselves. +Forgetting charity, they despised one another. So far from reforming +in life, and retrieving their works of iniquity, they became more and +more secure, and followed their own inclinations, even allowing a man +to have his father's wife. At the same time they desired to be +regarded Christians, and boastfully prided themselves on having +received the Gospel from the great apostles. So Paul was impelled to +write them a stern letter, dealing them severity such as he nowhere +else employs. In fact, it seems almost as if it were going too far to +so address Christians; the rebuke might easily have struck weak and +tender consciences with intolerable harshness. But, as in the second +epistle, seeing how his sternness has startled the Corinthians, he +modifies it to some extent, and deals tenderly with the repentant. + +3. However, in the striking Scripture examples of the text here, he +sufficiently shows the need for such admonition to them who would, +after having received grace, become carnally secure and abandon the +repentant life. + +4. The text should properly include the beginning of this tenth +chapter, which is read in the passage for Third Sunday before Lent. +He begins with: "I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our +fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and +were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all +eat the same spiritual food; and did all drink the same spiritual +drink.... Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for +they were overthrown in the wilderness." Then follows our text +here--"Now these things were our examples." + +5. As we said, the admonition is to those already Christians. Paul +would have them know that although they are baptized unto Christ, and +have received and still enjoy his blessing through grace alone, +without their own merit, yet they are under obligation ever to obey +him; they are not to be proud and boastful, nor to misuse his grace. +Christ desires obedience on our part, though obedience does not +justify us in his sight nor merit his grace. For instance, a bride's +fidelity to her husband cannot be the merit that purchased his favor +when he chose her. She is the bridegroom's own because it pleased him +to make her so, even had she been a harlot. But now that he has +honored her, he would have her maintain that honor henceforth by her +purity; if she fails therein, the bridegroom has the right and power +to put her away. + +Again, a poor, wretched orphan, a bastard, a foundling, may be +adopted as a son by some godly man and made his heir, though not +meriting the honor. Now, if in return for such kindness the child +becomes disobedient and refractory, he justly may be cut off from the +inheritance. Not by the merit of their devotion, as Moses often +hinted, did the Jews become the people of God; they were ever +stiff-necked and continually rebelled against him. God, having chosen +them and led them out of Egypt, urgently commanded them to serve him +and obey his Word. But when they failed to fulfil the commandments, +they had to feel the terrific force of his punishment. + + +ISRAEL'S CARNAL SECURITY A WARNING TO US. + +6. Their example Paul here, with great earnestness, holds up to the +world as a warning against carnally and confidently presuming upon +the grace and goodness of God because we have already received of +them. In unmistakable colors the apostle portrays the teaching of +this striking and important, this weighty and specific, example. +Rightly viewed, there certainly is no greater, more wonderful, story +from the creation of the world down to the present time, nothing more +marvelous to be found in any book--except that supremely wonderful +work, the death and resurrection of the Son of God--than this history +of a people led by God's power out of Egypt, through the wilderness +and into the promised land. It is filled with the remarkably +wonderful works of God, with striking examples of his anger and of +his great kindness. + +7. Referring to these examples, Paul goes on to imply: "As Christians +and baptized, you should be familiar with them. If you are not, I +would not fail to bring them before you for reflection on what befell +other people of God, according to the Scripture record. They were our +fathers, a noble, intelligent and great company and congregation of +men, numbering over six hundred thousands, not counting wives and +children." + +They, Paul tells us, were termed, and rightly, the holy people of +God. God designed their welfare; and through Moses, their bishop and +pope, they had the Word of God, the promise and the Sacrament. Under +Moses they were all baptized, when he led them through the sea, and +by the cloud, under the shadow of which, sheltered from the heat, +they daily pursued their journey. At night a beautiful pillar of +fire, an intense lightning-like brilliance, protected them. In +addition, their bread came daily from heaven and they drank water +from the rock. These providences were their Sacrament, and their sign +that God was with them to protect. They believed on the promised +Christ, the Son of God, their guide in the wilderness. Thus they were +a noble, highly-favored and holy people. + +8. But with the great mass of the people, how long did faith last? No +longer than until they came into the wilderness. There they began to +despise God's Word, to murmur against Moses and against God and to +fall into idolatry. Whereupon God vindicated himself among them; of +all that great nation which came out from Egypt, of all the +illustrious ones who assisted Moses in leading and governing, only +two individuals passed from the wilderness into Canaan. Plainly, +then, God had no pleasure in the great mass of that host. It did not +avail them to be called the people of God, a holy people, a company +to whom God had shown marvelous kindness and great wonders; because +they refused to believe and obey the Word of God. + +The prospect was good when they were so wonderfully and gloriously +delivered from their enemies, and had at Mount Sinai received from +God the Law and a noble order of worship--their prospect was good for +them to enter into the land; they were already at the gate. But even +in that auspicious moment they provoked God until he turned them back +to wander forty years in the wilderness, where they perished. + +9. Their punishment was wholly the result of their odious arrogance +in boasting in the face of God's Word, of their privileges as the +people of God, upon whom he daily bestowed great kindness. "Do you +not recognize," they bragged, "the holiness of this entire +congregation, among whom God dwells, daily performing his marvelous +wonders?" In their pride and defiance they became stiff-necked and +obstinate enough to continually complain against Moses and to oppose +him whatever course he took with them. Thus they day by day awakened +God's wrath against themselves, forcing him to visit them with many +terrible plagues. These failing to humble, he was compelled to remove +the entire nation. Many times God would have destroyed them all at +once had not Moses prostrated himself before him in their behalf and +with earnest entreaty and strong supplication turned aside his wrath. +Because of their perversity, Moses was a most wretched and harassed +man. "The man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon +the face of the earth." Num 12, 3. For he was daily vexed with the +defiance, disobedience and opposition of this great company of +people; and further, he had to witness and endure for the entire +forty years the numerous and awful plagues sent upon his people, his +heart being filled with anguish for them. Then, too, it was his +continually to withstand God's wrath. + +10. Terrible indeed is the thing we learn of this famously great +people--God's own nation, unto whom he reveals himself, to whom God +and Christ himself are revealed; a nation God governs and leads by +his angels; a people he honors by wonders marvelous beyond anything +ever heard on earth of any nation. As Moses says in Deuteronomy 4, 7: +"What great nation is there, that hath a god so nigh unto them, as +Jehovah our God is whensoever we call upon him?" Yet all who came out +of Egypt and had witnessed the mighty wonders God wrought among +themselves and among their enemies, fell and glaringly sinned; not +according to the measure of the mere weakness and imperfection of +human nature, but they sinned disobediently and in willful contempt +of God. Hardened in unbelief unto insensibility, they brought upon +themselves overwhelming punishment. + +11. Paul mentions several instances of the sin whereby they merited +the wrath of God, to illustrate how they fell from faith and +disregarded God's Word. First, he makes the general assertion that +with many of them God was not well pleased. He means to include the +great mass of the people; particularly the officials and leaders, the +eminent of their number, individuals looked up to as the worthiest +and holiest of the congregation, and who actually had wrought great +things. Many of these fell into hypocrisy through boasting of the +divine name, the divine office and spirit; Korah, for instance, with +his faction, including two hundred and fifty princes of the +congregation. Num 16, 1-2. He and his leaders claimed right to the +priesthood and government equal with Moses and Aaron, and so +ostentatiously and boastfully that only God could say whether they +were right. Necessarily God had to make it manifest that he had no +pleasure in them; for they boasted until the earth swallowed them up +alive, and many who adhered to and upheld them were consumed by fire. + + +ISRAEL'S VICES IN THE WILDERNESS PUNISHED. + +12. Proceeding, Paul recounts the vices which occasioned God's +punishment and overthrow of the people in the wilderness. First, he +says, they lusted after evil things. In the second year from the +departure, when they actually had come into Canaan, they forgot God's +kindness and wonderful works in their behalf and, becoming +dissatisfied, longed to be back in Egypt to sit by the flesh-pots. +They murmured against God and Moses until God was forced summarily to +stop them with fire from heaven. Many of the people were consumed and +a multitude more were smitten with a great plague while yet they ate +of the flesh they craved; therefore the place of the camp was named +the "Graves of Lust." Num 11. Such was the reward of their +concupiscence, which Paul here aptly explains as "lusting after evil +things." + +13. Truly it is but lusting after the wrath and punishment of God +when, in forgetfulness of and ingratitude for his grace and goodness +we seek something new. The world is coming to be filled with the +spirit of concupiscence, for the multitude is weary of the Gospel. +Particularly are they dissatisfied with it because it profits not the +flesh; contributes not to power, wealth and luxury. Men desire again +the old and formal things of popery, notwithstanding they suffered +therein extreme oppression and were burdened not less than were the +people of Israel in Egypt. But they will eventually have to pay a +grievous penalty for their concupiscence. + +14. In the third place, the apostle mentions the great sin--idolatry. +"Neither be ye idolaters," he counsels, "as were some of them." Not +simply the lower class of people were guilty in this respect, but the +leaders and examples. As they led, the multitude followed. Even +Aaron, the brother of Moses, himself high-priest, swayed by the +influential ones, yielded and set up the golden calf (Ex 32, 4) while +Moses tarried in the mount. We are astounded that those eminently +worthy individuals, having heard God's Word and seen his wonders +liberally displayed, should so soon fall unrestrainedly into the +false worship of idolatry, as if they were heathen and possessed not +the Word. Much less need we wonder that the blind world always is +entangled with idol-worship. + +15. Where the Word of God is lacking or disregarded, human wisdom +makes for itself a worship. It will find its pleasure in the thing of +its own construction and regard it something to be prized, though it +may be imperatively forbidden in God's Word, perhaps even an +abomination before him. Human reason thinks it may handle divine +matters according to its own judgment; that God must be pleased with +what suits its pleasure. Accordingly, to sanction idolatry, it +appropriates the name of the Word of God. The Word must be forced +into harmony with the false worship to give the latter an admirable +appearance, notwithstanding the worship is essentially the reverse of +what it is made to appear. Similarly popery set off its abominations +of the mass, of monkery and the worship of saints; and the world in +turn seeks to set off that idolatry to make it stand before God's +Word. + +Such is the conduct of the eminent Aaron when he makes for the people +the golden calf (Ex 32, 5-6), an image or sign of their offerings and +worship. He builds an altar to it and causes to be proclaimed a feast +to the Lord who has led them out of the land of Egypt. They must +imitate the worship of the true God, a worship of sincere devotion +and honest intention, with their offering, the calf, in the attempt +to introduce a refined and ennobling worship. + +16. Thereupon follows what is recorded in Exodus 32, 6, to which Paul +here refers: "And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt +offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to +eat and to drink, and rose up to play." That is, they rejoiced and +were well pleased with themselves, content to have performed such +worship, and deemed they had done well. Next they proceed to their +own pleasure, as if having provided against God's anger. Thenceforth +they would live according to their inclinations, wholly unrestrained +and unreproved by the Word of God; for, as they said, Aaron made the +people free. + +17. Such is the usual course of idolatry. Refusing to be considered a +sin, it presumes to merit grace and boasts of the liberty of the +people of God. It continues unrepentant and self-assured, even in the +practice of open vice, imagining every offense to be forgiven before +God for the sake of its holy worship. Thus have the priestly rabble +of popery been doing hitherto; and they still adorn--yes, strengthen +and defend--their shameful adultery, unchastity and all vices, with +the name of the Church, the holy worship, the mass, and so on. + + +ISRAEL'S TRIAL OF GOD. + +18. In the fourth admonition, the apostle says, "Neither let us make +trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the +serpents." This, too, is a heinous sin, as is proven by the terrible +punishment. In Numbers 21 we read that after the people had journeyed +for forty years in the wilderness and God had brought them through +all their difficulties and given them victory over their enemies, as +they drew near to the promised land, they became dissatisfied and +impatient. They were setting out to go around the land of the +Edomites, who refused them a passage through their country, when they +began to murmur against God and Moses for leading them out of Egypt. +Thereupon God sent among them fiery serpents and they were bitten, a +multitude of the people perishing. + +Complaining against God is here called tempting him. Men set +themselves against the Word of God and blaspheme as if God and his +Word were utterly insignificant, because his disposing is not as they +desire. Properly speaking, it is tempting God when we not only +disbelieve him but oppose him, refusing to accept what he says as +true and desiring that our own wisdom rule. That is boasting +ourselves against him. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10, 22: "Do we +provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?" + +19. Such was the conduct of the Jews. Notwithstanding God's promise +to be their God, to remain with them and to preserve them in trouble, +if only they would believe in him and trust him; and notwithstanding +he proved his care by daily providences expressed as special +blessings and strange wonders, yet all these things availed not to +save them from murmuring. When the ordering of events accorded not +exactly with their wisdom or desire, or when, perhaps, disaster or +failure threatened, immediately they began to make outcry against +Moses; in other words, against his God-given office and message. "Why +have you led us out of Egypt?" they would complain, meaning: "If you +bore, as you say you do, the word and command of God and if he truly +designed to work such marvels with us, he would not permit us to +suffer want like this." In fact, they could not believe God's +dealings with them were in accord with his promise and design. They +insisted that he should, through Moses, perform what they dictated; +otherwise he should not be their God. + +At the outset, when they entered the wilderness, after having come +out of Egypt and having experienced God's wonderful preservation of +them in the Red Sea and his deliverance from their enemy, and having +received from him bread and flesh, they immediately began to murmur +against Moses and Aaron and to chide them for leading into the +wilderness where no water was. "Is Jehovah among us, or not?" they +burst forth. Ex 17, 7. This was, indeed, as our text says, tempting +God; for abundantly as his word and his wonders had been revealed to +them, they refused to believe unless he should fulfil their desires. + +20. And they persisted in so opposing and tempting God as long as +they were in the wilderness, unto the fortieth year; to which God +testifies when he says to Moses: "Because all those men that have +seen my glory, and my signs, which I wrought in Egypt and in the +wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not +hearkened to my voice," etc., Num 14, 22. It was in the second year +after the departure from Egypt that the Jews murmured about the +water, and now in the fortieth year, when they should have been +humbled after so long experience, and when they whose lives covered +that period ought to have been conscious of the wonderful +deliverances they had experienced in not being destroyed with others +of their number, but being brought safely to the promised land--now +they begin anew to complain with great impatience and bitterness: +"Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?" +Or, in other words: "You often remind us you represent God's command, +and you have promised us great things. This is a fine way you take to +lead us into the land when here we have yet farther to journey and +are all going to die in the wilderness!" + +21. Notice, Paul in speaking of how they tempted God says, "They +tempted Christ," pointing to the fact that the eternal Son of God was +from the beginning with his Church and with the people who received +from the ancient fathers the promise of his coming in the form of +man. They believed as we do that Christ--to use Paul's words in the +beginning--was the rock that followed them. + +Therefore the apostle gives us to understand, the point of the +Israelites' insult was directed against faith in Christ, against the +promise concerning him. Moses was compelled to hear them protest +after this manner: "Yes, you boast about a Messiah who is one with +God, and who is with us to lead us; one revealed to the fathers and +promised to be born unto us of our flesh and blood, to redeem us and +bring relief to all men; a Messiah who for that reason adopts us for +his own people, to bring us into the land; but where is he? This is a +fine way he relieves us! Is our God one to permit us to wander for +forty years in the wilderness until we all perish?" + +22. That such sin and blasphemy was the real meaning of their +murmurings is indicated by the fact that Moses afterward, in the +terrible punishment of the fiery serpents by which the people were +bitten and died, erected at God's command a brazen serpent and +whoever looked upon it lived. It was to them a sign of Christ who was +to be offered for the salvation of sinners. It taught the people they +had blasphemed against God, incurred his wrath and deserved +punishment, and therefore in order to be saved from wrath and +condemnation, they had no possible alternative but to believe again +in Christ. + + +MURMURING AGAINST GOD OPEN REVOLT. + +23. This last point is akin to the one preceding. Paul defines +murmuring against God as an open revolt actuated by unbelief in the +Word, a manifestation of anger and impatience, an unwillingness to +obey when events are not ordered according to the pleasure of flesh +and blood, and a readiness instantly to see God as hating and +unwilling to help. Just so the Jews persistently behaved, despite +Moses' efforts to reconcile. Being also continually punished for +their perversity, they ought prudently to have abandoned their +murmurings; but they only murmured the more. + +24. The apostle's intent in the narration is to warn all who profess +to be Christians, or people of God, as we shall hear later. He holds +that the example of the Israelites ought deeply to impress us, +teaching us to continue in the fear of God and to be conscious of it, +and to guard against self-confidence. For God by the punishments +mentioned shows forcibly enough to the world that he will not trifle +with, nor excuse, our sin--as the world and our own flesh fondly +imagine--if we, under cover of his high and sacred name, dare despise +and pervert his Word; if we, actuated by presumptuous confidence in +our own wisdom, our own holiness and the gifts of God, follow our +private opinions, our own judgment and inclinations, and vainly +satisfy ourselves with the delusion: "God is not angry with me, one +so meritorious, so superior, in his sight." + +25. You learn here that God spared none of the great throng from +Egypt, among whom were many worthy and eminent individuals, even the +progenitors of Christ in the tribe of Judah. He visited terrible +punishment upon the distinguished princes and the leaders among the +priesthood and other classes, and that in the sight of the entire +people among whom he had performed so many marvelous wonders. Having +by Moses delivered them from temporal bondage in Egypt, and through +his office spiritually baptized and sanctified them; having given +Christ, to speak with, lead, defend and help them; having dealt +kindly with them as would a father with his children: yet he visits +terrible destruction upon these Jews because they have abused his +grace and brought forth no fruits of faith, and have become proud, +boasting themselves the people of God, children of Abraham and +circumcised, sole possessors of the promise of a Messiah, and +consequently sure of participating in the kingdom of God and enjoying +his grace. + +26. Now, as Paul teaches, if terrible judgment and awful punishment +came upon these illustrious and good people, let us not be proud and +presumptuous. We are far inferior to them and cannot hope, in these +last ages of the world, to know gifts and wonders as great and +glorious as they knew. Let us see ourselves mirrored in them and +profit by their example, being mindful that while we are privileged +to glory in Christ, in the forgiveness of sins and the grace of God, +we must be faithfully careful not to lose what we have received and +fall into the same condemnation and punishment before God which was +the fate of this people. For we have not yet completed our +pilgrimage; we have not arrived at the place toward which we journey. +We are still on the way and must constantly go forward in the +undertaking, in spite of dangers and hindrances that may assail. The +work of salvation is indeed begun in us, but as yet is incomplete. We +have come out of Egypt and have passed through the Red Sea; that is, +have been led out of the devil's dominion into the kingdom of God, +through Christian baptism. But we are not yet through the wilderness +and in the promised land. There is a possibility of our still +wandering from the way, into defeat, and missing salvation. + +27. Nothing is lacking on God's part; he has given us his Word and +the Sacraments, has bestowed the Spirit, given grace and the +necessary gifts, and is willing to help us even further. It rests +with ourselves not to fall from grace, not to thrust it from us +through unbelief, ingratitude, disobedience and contempt of God's +Word. For salvation is not to him who only begins well, but, as +Christ says (Mt 24, 13), "He that endureth to the end, the same shall +be saved." But the apostle continues: + +"Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were +written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come." + + +ISRAEL'S CAREER AN ADMONITION TO INDIVIDUALS. + +28. When you read or hear this historical example, the terrible +punishment the Jewish people suffered in the wilderness, think not it +is an obsolete record and without present significance. The narrative +is certainly not written for the dead, but for us who live. It is +intended to restrain us, to be a permanent example to the whole +Church. For God's dealings with his own flock are always the same, +from the beginning of time to the end. Likewise must the people of +God, or the Church, be always the same. This history is a portrait of +the Church in every age, representing largely its actual life--the +vital part; for it shows on what the success of the Church on earth +always depends and how it acts. The record teaches that the Church is +at all times wonderfully governed and preserved by God, without human +agency, in the midst of manifold temptations, trials, suffering and +defeat; that it does not exist as an established government regulated +according to human wisdom, with harmony of parts and logical action, +but is continually agitated, impaired and weakened in itself by much +confusion and numerous penalties; that the great and best part, who +bear the name of the Church, fall and bring about a state of things +so deplorable God can no longer spare, but is compelled to send +punishments in the nature of mutinies and similar disorders, the +terrible character of which leaves but a small proportion of the +people upright. + +29. Now, if such disaster befell the nation selected of God, chosen +from the first as his people, among whom he performed works marvelous +and manifest beyond anything ever known since, what better thing may +we expect for ourselves? Indeed, how much greater the danger +threatening us; how much reason we have to take heed that the same +fate, or worse, overtake not ourselves! + +With reference to the things chronicled in our text, Paul tells us: +"They were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages +are come." That is, we are now in the last and most evil of days, a +time bringing many awful dangers and severe punishments. It is +foretold in the Scriptures, predicted by Christ and the apostles, +that awful and distressing times will come, when there shall be wide +wanderings from the true faith and sad desolations of the Church. +And, alas, we see the prophecies only too painfully fulfilled in past +heresy, and later in Mohammedanism and the papacy. + +30. The era constituting the "last time" began with the apostles. The +Christians living since Christ's ascension constitute the people of +the latter times, the little company left for heaven; and we +gentiles, amidst the innumerable multitude of the ungodly generation +in the wide world, must experience worse calamities than befell the +Jews, who lived under the law of Moses and the Word of God, under an +admirable external discipline and a well-regulated government. Yet +even in this final age so near the end of time, when we should be +occupied with proclaiming the Gospel everywhere, the great multitude +are chiefly employed with boasting their Christian name. We see how +extravagantly the Pope extols his church, teaching that outside its +pale no Christians are to be found on earth, and that the entire +world must regard him as the head of the Church. + +31. True, his subjects were baptized unto Christ, called to the +kingdom of God and granted the Sacrament and the name of Christ. But +how do they conduct themselves? Under that superior name and honor, +they suppress Christ's Word and his kingdom. For more than a thousand +years now they have desolated the Church, and to this hour most +deplorably persecute it. On the other hand, great countries, vast +kingdoms, claiming to be Christian but disregarding the true doctrine +of faith, are punished by the Turk's desolating hand, and instead of +the incense of Christianity, with them is the revolting odor of +Mohammed's faith. + +32. Great and terrible was the punishment of the Jewish people. +Seemingly no disaster could befall man more awful than overtook them +in the wilderness. Yet it was physical punishment, and although many, +through unbelief and contempt of God, fell and incurred everlasting +condemnation, still the Word of God remained with a remnant--Moses +and the true Church. But the punishment of this last age is +infinitely more awful, for God permits the pure doctrine to be lost, +and sends strong delusions, that they who receive not the truth nor +love it shall believe falsehood and be eternally lost. 2 Thes 2, 10. +Such has been our reward; we have only too terribly suffered +punishment. And if we are not more thankful for the grace God extends +in his Word--a last gleam of light, on the point of extinction--we +shall meet with retribution even more appalling. + +"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." + +33. Here is summed up the teaching of the above examples. The sermon +is directed against the self-confident. Some there were among the +Christian Corinthians who boasted they were disciples of the great +apostles, and who had even received the Holy Spirit, but who stirred +up sects and desired to be commended in all their acts. To these Paul +would say: "No, dear brother, be not too secure, not too sure where +you stand. When you think you stand most firmly you are perhaps +nearest to falling, and you may fall too far to rise again. They of +the wilderness were worthy people and began well, doing great deeds, +yet they fell deplorably and were destroyed. Therefore, be cautious +and suffer not the devil to deceive you. You will need to be +vigilant, for you are in the flesh, which always strives against the +spirit; and you have the devil for enemy, and dangers and +difficulties beset you on all sides. Be careful lest you lose what +you have received. You have only made a beginning; the end is yet to +be attained." So we must be wary and steadfast, that we may, as Paul +has it, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Phil 2, +12. + +"There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear [such as +is common to man]: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be +tempted above that ye are able." + +34. Paul's meaning is: I must not terrify you too much. I would in a +measure comfort you. So far you have had no temptations greater than +flesh and blood offer. They have risen among yourselves--one holding +another in contempt, one doing another injustice; allowing adulteries +and other evils to creep in, which things are indeed not right nor +decent. You must resolve to reform in these things lest worse error +befall you. For should Satan get hold of you in earnest with his +false doctrine and spiritual delusions, his strong temptations of the +soul--contempt of God, for instance--such as assailed Peter and many +others of the saints, you could not stand. You are yet weak; you are +new and untried Christians. Then thank God who gives you strength to +bear your present temptations; who, to retain you, presents what is +best for you, admonishing you, through his Word, to be on your guard +against falling yet deeper into temptation. + + + + +_Tenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Corinthians 12, 1-11. + +1 Now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you +ignorant. 2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto +those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. 3 Wherefore I make known +unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is +anathema [accursed], and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the +Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same +Spirit. 5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same +Lord. 6 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who +worketh all things in all. 7 But to each one is given the +manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. 8 For to one is given +through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of +knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith, in the +same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; 10 +and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to +another discernings of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; +and to another the interpretation of tongues; 11 but all these +worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally +even as he will. + + +SPIRITUAL COUNSEL FOR CHURCH OFFICERS. + +1. This epistle selection treats of spiritual things, things which +chiefly pertain to the office of the ministry and concern the Church +authorities. Paul instructs how those in office should employ their +gifts for the benefit of one another and thus further the unity and +advancement of the Churches. Inharmony is a deplorable offense in the +case of Christians, putting them in the worst possible light, and +making it impossible for them to steer clear of factions. Divisions +are an offense to the world's wisest and best, who cry out, "If the +Christians' doctrine were true, they would preserve unity among +themselves, but as it is they envy and slander and devour one +another." For, though the world carries its own great beam in its +eye, it cannot refrain from judging us for our mote, and thus +exalting itself as if it were pure and beautiful. + + +PERFECT HARMONY NOT TO BE EXPECTED. + +2. Well, we cannot altogether prevent inharmony in the Church. Paul +says (1 Cor 11, 19), "For there must be also factions among you, that +they that are approved may be made manifest among you." Wherever the +Word of God has a foothold, there the devil will be. By the agency of +his factions he will always build his taverns and kitchens beside +God's house. So he did at first, in Paradise. In the family of Adam +he entrenched himself, establishing there his church. And such has +been his practice ever since, and doubtless will ever be. He who +takes offense at differences in the Church, who when he sees any +inharmony at once concludes there is no Church there, will in the end +miss both the Church and Christ. You will never find any congregation +of such purity that all its members are unanimous on every point of +belief and teaching and all live in perfect harmony. + +3. Paul had experience in this matter in the case of the beautiful +and famed Church at Corinth in Achaia, which he himself planted and +where he taught two years. Soon after his departure they began to +disagree about their preachers and to attach themselves to certain +ones--some to Paul, some to Peter, some to Apollos. Though these had +all taught correctly, though they had been unanimous in their +doctrine, yet men would cleave to a certain one because he was more +or differently gifted than the others, could speak better, or was +more attractive in personal appearance. And among the ministers of +the Church, if one had a special gift or office, he thought he ought +to be a little better and a little greater than the others. +Necessarily, from such division and inharmony, grew hatred, strife +and jealousy, resulting in great injury and disorder to the Church. + +4. We must, then, so far as possible, guard against this fatal evil, +though we cannot altogether keep it out of the Church. Were we to +offer no resistance at all, the devil would seize all authority and +bring every element into discord. But when we resist Satan, God will +continue to extend his grace and favor, and some fruit and +improvement will follow. Even were it not possible for us to +accomplish anything, yet as faithful ministers we must not keep +silent if we would not be regarded indolent hirelings who flee when +the wolf comes. See Jn 10, 12. + +5. Such is the tenor of this text from Paul. He begins by preaching +on spiritual gifts and admonishing the Corinthians how to conduct +themselves in respect to them. In proportion to the greatness and +excellence of the gifts are flesh and blood inclined to discord and +to coveting personal honor. Let one have a good understanding of the +Scriptures and be able to explain them, or let him have the power to +work miracles, and he will soon begin to have an extravagantly good +opinion of himself, deeming himself worthy the honor of all men, +desiring the multitude to follow only him, and positively refusing to +regard anyone his equal. He will seek to create something new in +doctrine, to change the old order, as if he could introduce something +better than others, who must be infinitely below him or at least his +inferiors. + +6. The same thing has taken place in our day--and will continue to +take place--with respect to the Gospel. But through the grace of God +that Gospel is brought to light again, and rightly instructs and +harmonizes the people. The devil, unable to rest, had to rouse his +factious rabble, his selfish souls, who desired the name of being +superior and inspired people, a people who could preach, write and +explain the Scriptures better than others; for they had learned a +little from us. They conceded that the Gospel had indeed made a +beginning, had somewhat purified ecclesiastical doctrine, but claimed +it had not gone far enough; it was necessary that greater improvement +be made--Church doctrine must be brought to far greater perfection. +But as Paul says (1 Cor 3, 11), they could, with their doctrine, lay +no other foundation, could preach no other Christ, than the Christ of +the Gospel. Nevertheless, they pretended to teach something better +and higher. They hindered and perverted the true doctrine. Their work +could not be called building up the faith, but was rather breaking up +and destroying its foundation and leading the people back into error +and blindness. So Paul begins his admonition in these words: + +"Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb +idols, howsoever ye might be led." + +7. Paul reminds the Corinthians of their manner of life before they +became Christians, for he would have them pause to think that their +gifts, past and present, are not of their own procuring, nor are any +gifts bestowed upon them because of merit on their part. It is his +intent to restrain them from pride in their gifts and from +disputations concerning them; to keep them from divisions and from +pretending to teach and introduce into the Church something new and +better. But at the same time he deals a blow to those who take +offense at inharmony among Christians. + +8. "Recall, all of you," Paul would say, "your manner of life before +you came to Christ. What were you? Mere darkened heathen, having no +knowledge of God but suffering yourselves blindly to be led by anyone +who should say aught to you of God. All your devotion was but a +discordant worship. Each one--even the child in the cradle, the +infant at the mother's breast--must find his own idol wherever he +might turn." St. Augustine tells us that the city of Rome alone had +more than four hundred gods, and that it erected a church for all the +gods in the world, which building still stands--the Pantheon. + +"These superstitions," Paul's words imply, "you followed as you were +led; you flocked after them, praying and sacrificing, hanging your +hearts upon dumb idols which could not teach and advise you, could +not comfort, relieve or help you. In return for your devotion you +obtained only the privilege of being a blind, wretched, divided, +miserable people, unable to fortify yourselves against any error, and +allowing yourselves to be distracted by the advocate of any doctrine. +You were like a flock of helpless sheep scattered by wolves. + +9. "But now you have been turned from that manifold idolatry to the +one true worship and have been enlightened by God's Word. More than +that, in Christ have been bestowed upon you great and glorious +gifts--discerning of the Scriptures, diversities of tongues, power to +work miracles--things impossible to the world. It is unmistakably +evident that you embrace the true God, who does not, like dumb idols, +leave you to wander in the error of your own speculations, +uncounseled by the Word; a living God, who speaks to you that you may +know what to expect from him, and works among you publicly and +visibly. + +"Therefore, it is not for you to make divisions among yourselves +after the manner of the heathen as you see in the great Babel +confusion and divisions of the world, where no one agrees with +another, where one runs to this his idol and another to that, each +claiming superiority for his own. Knowing that you all embrace the +one true God and his Word, you are to hold together in one faith and +one mind, not disagreeing among yourselves as if you had a variety of +gods, of faiths, of baptisms, spirits and salvations." + + +CAVILERS THEMSELVES LED ASTRAY. + +10. Paul speaks with particular plainness to the fault-finding and +insolent cavilers against Christians and to other factious leaders +when he says, "Ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye +might be led." This class peremptorily judge and criticise the life +and doctrine of the Church because they see therein a measure of +defects, and even some divisions and disagreements; notwithstanding +the fact is plainly evident to them that the Church possesses the +Word of God in purity, a knowledge of Christ, an illumined +understanding of God's will and his grace, and true comfort for all +distress of conscience, and that, in addition to all these, the Holy +Spirit manifestly operates with them. At the same time, these same +uncalled-for and self-constituted critics would never have been able +to say anything about the Christian religion had they not witnessed +that religion in the little company of Christians who have the Word +of God and the Spirit's gifts. + +11. These fault-finders were individuals who, undoubtedly to a +greater extent than others, suffered themselves to be blindly led in +whatever way was pointed out, and who gave credence to what was +taught and preached to them concerning the way to serve God, yet who +all the time were but worshipers of dumb idols, possessing not the +Word of God and having no witness to the truth of their faith and +their works. Each believed and followed the devices of his own +imagination or the popular choice. No man was able to teach anything +certain and steadfast, anything to give the heart satisfaction and +perfect security. They continually changed from one thing to another, +accepting every new thing presented as real worship and true +doctrine. + +12. And the world, ever from the beginning, has had naught but dumb +idols in the countless forms of worship offered to the numerous +gods--gods which never existed, but of which images were made and to +which divine honors were shown. Worship has been rendered to the mere +names of misfortune, disaster and disease, of all sorts; yes, to +insects, and to garlic and onions even. Yet, in the practice of all +this idolatry, supposed to be evidence of great holiness, each one +sacrificing to the idol of his choice--in it all no one could have +the assurance of being heard and answered by his god. Men had no word +or sign of the divine will or work; they possessed naught but a vain +dream and delusion of the human imagination; man devised and made his +own idols. + +13. And what did we under the papacy but walk blindly? We suffered +ourselves to be led just as we were directed by the names of God and +the saints. I was myself a pious monk and priest, holding mass daily, +wherein I worshiped St. Barbara, St. Anna, St. Christopher and +others--more saints than the calendar mentions, some of whom no one +knew anything about. I had no knowledge of Christ, I knew not why I +should find comfort in him nor what I should expect of him. I was as +much afraid of him as of the devil himself, regarding him more a +stern Judge than a Saviour. How many shameful pilgrimages were made +to dead idols of wood and stone, images of Mary and of the saints! +How many were the pilgrimages to the graves of the dead, and to bones +called "holy relics"! These relics were mere open deception, devised +by shameless impostors; yet such worship was established by popes and +bishops, and indulgences granted therefor. + +14. How many new saints, new brotherhoods, new psalms to Mary, and +new rosaries and crowns did the monks daily invent? In fact, +everything each individual monk might dream of had to be a special +form of worship, and no one inquired whether or not it was at all +authorized by God's Word. When we had done all, we were uncertain +that we had pleased God. What was this sort of worship but a worship +of dumb idols in the place of the living God--idols which could not +talk with us and could not give any definite information or comfort, +but left the people fettered and ruined with eternal doubts? + + +FAITH IN THE ONE CHRIST PRODUCTIVE OF UNITY. + +15. But Christians, as Paul says, have not a dead and dumb god, for +which the Lord be praised! Nor will we countenance such idols. We +have a living, speaking God, who gives us his infallible Word. We +know how he is disposed toward us and what we may expect from him; +namely: through faith in Christ we have forgiveness of sins and are +his beloved children; and as evidence of acceptance with God, we have +baptism and the Holy Supper, the office and gifts of the Holy Spirit, +by which he works in our hearts. We know that in the faith of Christ +our works and lives are pleasing to God, and that he will hear and +help when in our distress and weakness we cry unto him. + +16. Where this confidence obtains, where hearts enjoy such faith, +there will be unity in the Church; for verily no one then will allow +himself to be led into the manifold doctrines of insensible idols. +But dissensions, sects and divisions are sure signs that the true +doctrine is either ignored or misunderstood, men thus being left in a +condition to be "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind +of doctrine," as Paul says (Eph 4, 14); which is indisputably the +case with these same schismatics who condemn the Church and her +doctrines because of some discordant ones. + +The schismatics show by their very instability that they do not +embrace the true, uniform and established doctrine, nor can exhibit +any substitute for it. They refuse to see that in cases where the +Christian doctrine does not obtain, there is only blindness, +distraction and confusion, and warring factions and sects, none +agreeing with another, each claiming to be better than the other. +Numerous have been the sects of monks, and of saints of the Pope and +his god the devil, no two of which agreed. Each class regarded its +own whims and speculations, and claimed to be holier than the others. +The Pope, however, gave validity to them all, granting great +indulgence to these factious fraternities. And I am not saying +anything of other discords in the papacy--among the monasteries and +in the parishes, and between these and the cloisters everywhere, +perpetual quarreling, rioting and bitter contention. Such is +inevitably the case when righteousness and divine worship are made to +consist in external self-devised works and forms, for then each +individual, pleased with his own ideas, thinks his way right; under +such circumstances, there can never be unanimity of opinion as to +what is right and the best. + +17. "From these numerous sources of disunion and idolatry," Paul +would say to the Corinthians, "you are now delivered. You know you +embrace the real Word of God, the true faith. You worship one God, +one Lord, and enjoy the same grace, the same Spirit, the same +salvation. You need not seek other forms and ceremonies as essential +to salvation--wearing a white or a gray cowl, refraining from this or +that food, forbearing to touch certain things. No diversity of +external service, of persons, offices and conditions, destroys the +unity in Christ. + +"But take heed to continue in unity, to hold fast to it. +Unquestionably, you should be made wiser by the experience you have +had with error; in the future you ought to be prudent, and watchful +against being allured from the unity of this settled mind and true +faith into your former blindness again. But so it will certainly +befall you if you forget such grace and seek your own honor and +praise more than the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and his gifts, and +come to despise one another and to conduct yourselves as if you had +many and not the same God, the same Christ, the same Spirit. God's +gifts cannot be different from, but must be one with his nature, and +hence he cannot give to one a better Gospel or a different baptism +from that given another." + +In short, Paul teaches there must be unity in Christ, otherwise we +have no Christ, no God and Holy Spirit, no grace nor salvation; as +the next verse emphasizes. + +"Wherefore I make known unto you that no man speaking in the Spirit +of God saith, Jesus is anathema [calleth Jesus accursed]; and no man +can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." + +18. "Why make divisions and differences," Paul inquires, "in the +doctrine and faith of the Church, which rests wholly upon the one +Christ? In him you are to be one if you are Christians at all; you +must harmoniously praise him, according to your individual gifts. No +one can possibly possess the Holy Spirit if he does not regard Christ +as the Lord, much less if he call him accursed. Destroy the +foundation and you destroy all; there will be no God, no Spirit, and +all your claims, teaching and works are naught. You must recognize +and be governed by the fact that either Christ must be received and +believed in as the one true Lord, and praised and glorified as such, +or else he will be cursed; between these alternatives is no medium." + + +THE SPIRIT, THE TEST OF THE TRUE TEACHER. + +It is easy, then, to judge the doctrine of every official teacher of +the Christian Church. No one need resort to faction, no one need gaze +hither and thither in uncertainty and hesitate as to which gift or +which person is most to be regarded. We are to make the doctrine of +this verse the standard and authority as to what and how we preach +concerning Christ. He who speaks by inspiration of the Holy Spirit +certainly will not curse Christ; he will glorify and praise him. So +doing, he surely will not teach error, or give occasion for +divisions. If his teaching is not to the glory of God, you may safely +conclude that he is not true, not inspired by the Holy Spirit. + +19. Thus Paul rejects the glorying and boasting of the sects over +their offices and gifts--they who pretend to be filled with the +Spirit and to teach the people correctly, and who make out that Paul +and other teachers are of no consequence. Themselves the chief of +apostles, the people must hear them and accept their baptism. More +than that, they demand a higher attainment in the Spirit for Gospel +ministers, deeming faith, the Sacrament and the outward office not +sufficient. + +But Paul says: "Boast as you will about the great measure of the +Spirit you possess, it is certain that the Spirit-inspired teacher +will not curse Christ." In other words, such boasting of the Spirit +will not answer the purpose. What you believe and teach concerning +Christ must receive attention. You are either reproaching and cursing +Jesus, or praising him and owning him your Lord. If your preaching +and teaching fail to point to Christ, something else being offered, +and you nevertheless boast of the Spirit, you are already judged: the +spirit you boast is not the Holy Spirit, not the true Spirit, but a +false one. To it we are not to listen. Rather we are to condemn it to +the abyss of hell, as Paul declares (Gal 1, 8), saying: "But though +we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any Gospel other +than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema." + +20. When Paul here speaks of calling Jesus accursed, he does not only +have reference to openly blaspheming or cursing Christ's name or +person after the manner of heathen and of ungodly Jews; with them +Paul has nothing to do here, nor are the Corinthians supposed to be +of that character. Paul refers rather to the Christian who, though +boasting of the Holy Spirit, does not preach Christ as the ground of +our salvation as he should, but, neglecting this truth, points the +soul away to something else, pretending that this substitute is of +the Holy Spirit and is something better and more essential than the +common doctrine of the Gospel. + +All such teachers are in reality simply guilty of condemning, +reproaching and cursing Christ, though themselves bearing and +boasting that name. To slight Christ's Word and ministry, and exalt +in their stead other things as mediums for obtaining the Holy Spirit +and eternal life, or at least as being equally efficacious and +essential--what is this but scorning Christ and making him of no +consequence? Indeed, according to Hebrews 6, 6 and 10, 29, it is +crucifying the Son of God afresh, and treading under foot his blood. + +21. Christ himself explains the office and ministry of the Holy +Spirit--what he is to teach in the Church--saying (Jn 15, 26), "He +shall bear witness of me." Again (Jn 16, 14): "He shall glorify me: +for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you." The tongue +of a minister of Christ--the language he employs--must be of that +simplicity which preaches naught but Christ. If he is to testify of +the Saviour and glorify him, he cannot present other things whereby +Christ would be ignored and robbed of his glory. He who does so, +certainly is not inspired by the Holy Spirit, even though he possess +great gifts and be called a teacher, a bishop, a pope, a council, an +apostle even--yes, an angel from heaven. There were among the +Corinthians some who thus neglected to preach only Christ, and +presented instead the apostles, making choice of them--one Cephas, +another Apollos and a third Paul. + +And just so our monks have done. They have in a way highly extolled +Jesus, have in words honored and worshiped his name and used it to +clothe all their lying nonsense and idolatry. For instance, they +exalt Mary as the mother of Jesus and Anna as his grandmother. But +they have thus torn men's hearts away from Christ, turning over to +Mary and the saints the honor due him alone, and teaching the people +to invoke these as mediators and intercessors having power to protect +us in the hour of death. This is substituting dumb idols for Christ. +No saint has ever taught such things; still less does the Word of God +enjoin them. Thus the monks really curse and insult Christ. + +22. The Pope, throughout his whole administration, has been guilty of +such insult to Christ, notwithstanding his boast that his kingdom +represents the Christian Church, that he truly possesses the Holy +Spirit and that his decrees and ordinances must be respected. Nothing +can dissuade the Papists from their practice. They ever boast of +being led by the Spirit, yet their vaunting is mere malediction, not +only of Christ in person, but of his Word and his sacraments. For +they openly condemn, and denounce as heresy, the doctrine of the +Gospel, which Gospel assures us that to Christ alone we owe the +unmerited forgiveness of our sins; they condemn also the use of the +sacraments according to Christ's command and institution. And they +destroy the people who thus offend them. + +The fact is, the Pope has in our doctrine nothing to curse but Jesus +Christ, its foundation and principle, expressed by his Word and +sacraments. The same is true of other factions--the Anabaptists and +similar sects. What else do they but slander baptism and the Lord's +Supper when they pretend that the external Word and outward +sacraments do not benefit the soul, that the Spirit alone can do +that? But in these matters you have Paul's sure word of judgment to +strengthen your faith. You may be assured that the factions of the +Pope and other sects are not, as they boast, the Church of Christ, +but accursed schisms of the devil. The true Church, the righteous +bride of Christ, certainly will not curse him nor persecute his Word. +Let no one be moved by hearing men loudly boast about Christ after +the manner of the false apostles who called themselves disciples of +the true apostles of Jesus, and claimed that certain of their number +had even seen Christ in person. The Saviour himself warns us against +this class when he says (Mt 24, 5-24), "Many shall come in my name +... and shall show wonders"; and (Mt 7, 21), "Not every one that +saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." + + +HOLY SPIRIT ALONE GIVES ASSURANCE. + +23. Paul has the same thought here when he says, "No man can say, +Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." To call Jesus "Lord" is to +confess one's self his servant and to seek his honor alone; to act as +his messenger or the bearer of his Word and command. Paul's reference +here is chiefly to the office representative of Christ and bearing +his Word. Where the office answers these conditions and points to +Christ as the Lord, it is truly the message of the Holy Spirit, even +though the occupant of the office does not in his own person possess +the Spirit; the office itself is essentially the Holy Spirit. +Hypocrisy and invention have no place here. One must proceed in +sincerity if he would be certain he is Christ's minister, or apostle, +and really handles his Word. Only the inspiration of the Holy Spirit +can give one this assurance. + +24. All Christians--each in his own work or sphere--equally may call +Christ "Lord." One may be assured he serves Christ if he can call him +"Lord," for only by the Holy Spirit is he enabled to do that. Let him +try for a single day--from morning until evening--whether or no he +can truly say at all times that he is the servant of God and of +Christ in what he does. When delivering a sermon or listening to one, +when baptizing a child or bringing a child to baptism, when pursuing +your daily home duties, ask yourself if the act is attended by such +faith that you can, without misgiving and not hypocritically nor +mechanically, boast--and if necessary die by your word--that you +serve and please Christ therein. This is calling Christ "Lord." +Unquestionably you will often feel your heart doubting and trembling +over the matter. + +25. In the papacy we were altogether hindered from feeling thus +confident--yes, frightened from it by accursed scepticism. No one +could--no one dared--say, "I know I am a servant, a bondsman, of +Christ, and that my conduct pleases him." Flesh and blood are too +weak to obtain this glorious confidence; the Holy Spirit is +essential. Reason and our own hearts cry out in protest: "Alas, I am +far too evil and unworthy! How could I be proud and presumptuous +enough to boast myself the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ? I might +if I were as holy as St. Peter, St. Paul and others." + +26. I used often to wonder that St. Ambrose was so bold as, in his +letters, to call himself a servant of Jesus Christ. I supposed we all +ought to be terrified at thoughts of this kind, and that none but the +apostles might boast of such honor. But the fact is, we must all say +to Christ: "Thou art my Lord and I am thy servant; for I believe on +thee and aspire to be with thee and all the faithful and to possess +thy Word and Sacrament." Otherwise Christ will not acknowledge us. + + +CHRISTIANS TO GIVE ALL GLORY TO GOD. + +It is written (Mt 4, 10)--indeed, it is the first commandment--"Thou +shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." There +Christ requires of us, under the penalty of forfeiting eternal life, +to honor him as our Lord and so to regulate our lives that we shall +know we serve him. Peter also teaches (1 Pet 4, 11) that all the +Christian's words and deeds should be regarded not as his own, but as +God's. The word and the act are to be of the ability which God gives, +that in it all God may be glorified. Of necessity this condition can +obtain only through the Holy Spirit. + +27. In this point--the glorification of Christ--do the true +Christians distinguish themselves from false Christians, hypocrites +and factious spirits, who likewise triumphantly boast of the Spirit +and of their divine office. But the vanity of their boasting is +evident from the fact that they do not hold to the doctrine that +glorifies Christ, but preach that which leads to other evils and +deceives; yes, which condemns and persecutes the right doctrine and +the true faith of Christ. Further evidence of the emptiness of their +boasting is apparent in the fact that they have no conscious +testimony that they serve Christ, nor can their followers give +assurance on the same point. You have here the clear sentence of Paul +declaring this class devoid of the Holy Spirit and thus separated +from the true Church and from Christians. He exhorts us to be on our +guard against them, and would bring Christians together in one faith +and under one Lord and Spirit. Now he teaches how to employ rightly +the manifold gifts of a united Church for the general benefit of its +members. + +"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." + +28. "In former time, when you were heathen, you followed many kinds +of idolatrous worship, many doctrines and spirits; but it was only a +divided religion, and representative of blindness and error. Now, +however, you possess various beautiful divine gifts and offices. +These are mutually related and all emanate, not from man's reason or +faculties, but from the one true God. They are his work--the +expression of his power. Notwithstanding the dissimilarity of gifts, +offices and works, of a certain order in one and otherwise in +another, many and few, great and small, weak and strong--notwithstanding +all, we are not to divide the Spirit, God and faith; we are not to +create factions, exalting this individual or that one solely because of +his gifts, and despising others. All gifts are direct from one God, one +Lord, one Spirit, and to serve the same purpose--to bring men to the +knowledge of the one God and to build up the Church in the unity of +faith. Therefore, you are united in the one doctrine, your object being +to serve God and the Church in a harmonious way." This verse is briefly +the substance of all that follows in the text. + + +THE TRINITY. + +29. Paul presents three different points: "Diversities of gifts, but +the same Spirit;" "diversities of administrations, and the same +Lord;" "diversities of workings, but the same God." Unquestionably, +Paul touches the article of faith concerning the Trinity, or three +persons in the Divine Essence, and shows that both Christ and the +Holy Spirit are true God and yet different in person from the Father +and from each other. He teaches the same elsewhere (1 Cor 8, 5-6), +saying: "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven +or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; yet to us there +is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and +one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through +him." + +30. In the text before us, the apostle likewise distinguishes the +three--one God, one Lord, one Spirit. He assigns to each the +particular operation whereby he manifests himself. One is God the +Father, and from him as the origin and first person emanates all +power. Another is the Lord, Christ the Son of God, who as the head of +the Church appoints all offices. The third is the Spirit, who +produces and dispenses all gifts in the Church. Yet all three are of +one divine, almighty and eternal essence. They are of the same name, +and are truly one since God must be an indivisible essence. + +To each individual is attributed only the characteristics of the +Divine Majesty. As he who is the source of all operative power in the +Church and in the entire creation is true God; so also must the Lord +who appoints all offices, and the Spirit who confers all gifts, be +true God. No creature is able to impart spiritual offices and gifts; +that is impossible to any but God. These three--God, Lord and +Spirit--are not Gods of unlike nature, but one in divine essence. The +Lord is no other God than God the Father; and the Spirit is none +other than God and the Lord. But more on this topic elsewhere. + + +SPIRITUAL GIFTS SPECIFIED. + +31. The names and nature of the spiritual gifts, the apostle here +specifies. He names wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, power to discern +spirits, capacity to speak with tongues and to interpret, +extraordinary gifts of faith, and power to work miracles. "The word +of wisdom" is the doctrine which teaches a knowledge of God, +revealing his will, counsel and design. It embraces every article of +belief and justification. The world knows nothing of this loftiest, +most exalted gift of the Spirit. + + +THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE. + +The "word of knowledge" also teaches of the outward life and +interests of the Christian: how we are to conduct ourselves toward +all others, making a profitable use of the Gospel doctrine according +as necessity of time and person demands; it teaches us the wisest +course toward the weak and the strong, the timid and the obstinate. + + +THE GIFT OF PROPHECY. + +The gift of prophecy is the ability to rightly interpret and explain +the Scriptures, and powerfully to reveal therefrom the doctrine of +faith and the overthrow of false doctrine. The gift of prophecy +includes, further, the ability to employ the Scriptures for +admonition and reproof, for imparting strength and comfort, by +pointing out, on the one hand, the certainty of future indignation, +vengeance and punishment for the unbelieving and disobedient, and on +the other hand presenting divine aid and reward to godly believers. +Thus did the prophets with the Word of God, both the Law and the +promises. + + +THE GIFT OF FAITH. + +32. Paul is making mention of gifts not common to all. Only to +certain ones are they given, and the gifts in themselves are unlike. +"To another faith," he says, "to another workings of miracles, and to +another prophecy." In "faith" here the reference is not to ordinary +faith in Christ which brings justification before God and forgiveness +of sin; such faith is essentially the property of every Christian, +even if they do not possess the particular gifts here enumerated. +Paul is speaking of a particular virtue or power of the Spirit +operating in the Church, whereby certain ones can effect great and +glorious things by reason of their remarkable and confident courage; +as instanced in Paul's words later on (1 Cor 13, 2), "If I have all +faith, so as to remove mountains." + +To work such wonders, a very strong and sure faith is certainly +necessary. An unwavering, vigorous, courageous faith may accomplish a +special work in the name and power of Christ although the worker may +not himself be truly repentant nor possess the right kind of faith to +secure forgiveness of sins and grace in Christ. He may be a +hypocrite, a false saint. Christ says (Mt 7, 22), "Many will say to +me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by +thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?" It +is true that such gifts are exercised, such works performed, in the +name of Christ, and that the gifts are granted to none but +individuals in the Church of Christ, and yet the possessor may not be +altogether righteous, may even be a false Christian. For the effects +wrought do not emanate from the individual but from the office he +represents, being the operation of the Spirit given in behalf of the +Church. Thus, as occupants of the office and by virtue of the Church, +these persons perform many and great works, benefiting not themselves +but others. + +33. Paul says of all these, "There are diversities of gifts, but the +same Spirit," by way of admonishing us against creating sects. The +Spirit is equally effective through him whose gifts are few and less +significant and through him of remarkable gifts. And as with gifts, +so it is with workings and ministrations. + + +MEANING OF "WORKINGS." + +34. The term "workings," or operations, has reference to remarkable +works of God wrought through certain individuals in an exceptional +way. For instance, he grants to Paul a ministerial office of unusual +influence: Paul is permitted to convert more souls than other +apostles, to perform more wonders and accomplish more. He says +himself (1 Cor 15, 10) that by the grace of God he labored more +abundantly than all. + + +MEANING OF "ADMINISTRATIONS." + +35. The meaning of "administrations" is easily apparent. Office is an +ordained and essential feature of every government. It represents +various duties imposed and commanded by sovereign authority. It may +have reference to the duties enjoined upon a society collectively, in +the service of others. There are various offices in the Church; for +instance, one individual is an apostle, another an evangelist, +another a teacher, as Paul mentions in Ephesians 4, 11. And as he +says in First Corinthians 14, 26 and also hints in this text, the +office of one is to read the Scriptures in different languages, of +another to interpret and explain. So it was ordained in the Church at +that time, and similarly today are ordained certain offices--of +pastors, preachers, deacons or priests, their duties being to hear +confessions, to administer the Sacrament, and so on. + +36. Not every Christian is obliged, nor is able, to execute such +duties; only upon certain ones are they enjoined. "Administrations" +differ from what Paul terms "workings" and gifts. There have ever +been many Christians who, though possessing the Holy Spirit, were not +"administrators;" for instance, virgins and wives--Agnes Anastasia +and others--and martyrs, many of whom wrought miracles and had other +gifts. True, both gifts and workings are imparted chiefly for the +execution of Christian duties. It is essential here, especially in +the superior office of preaching, that the occupant be peculiarly +qualified for the place. The preacher must be able to understand and +explain the Scriptures and be familiar with the languages. It is +necessary to the effectiveness of his labors that he be accompanied +by God's operative power. Thus the three--gifts, workings, +administrations--are harmonious features of one divine government in +the Church; Christ is the Lord, who regulates and maintains the +offices, while God works and the Holy Spirit bestows his gifts. + + +DIVERSITY OF GIFTS NO REASON FOR SECTS. + +37. As we said, offices are many and varied, even as one gift is +greater than another: an apostle, for instance, is superior to a +teacher or expounder, while the office of a baptizer is inferior to +that of a preacher. Yet notwithstanding, we are to remember, Paul +says, that all are ordained of the same Lord, and the occupant of a +superior office is not to consider himself any better by reason of +his position and to despise others. He must bear in mind that all +serve the same Lord, the least as well as the greatest, and +consequently the holder of the inferior office is not necessarily +inferior with his Lord, nor the executor of the higher office greater +with him. Christ is ever Lord of all; one belongs as much to his +realm as another. Therefore he will have no divisions and sects over +this point; rather he wills that such diversity of gifts and offices +be promotive of unity. + +38. When I preach and you listen, we are not exercising the same gift +and office, yet you as truly serve Christ by listening as I by +preaching. If you preach, explain the Scriptures, baptize, comfort or +aught else, through you works the same Christ who works through +another. All is wrought in obedience to the order of him who commands +me to hear his Word as well as to preach to you, and to exercise the +same faith and Spirit with you. Thus all alike praise the one Lord. +You say, "The Word I hear is the true Word of God," and I as a +preacher prove and declare the very same thing. When I baptize, +administer the Sacrament or absolve, and you accept my +administrations, we are both engaged in the service of the same Lord +and harmoniously execute his command. You and I, however, so far as +office and gifts are considered, may be of different capacities. + +39. A peculiarity of the Christian profession, and the chief point of +distinction between Christians and the heathen, is their recognition +of the fact that workings, offices and gifts are of God, Christ the +Lord and the Holy Spirit. The world does not perceive this truth, +though it, too, enjoys the gifts of God. For God remembers all his +creatures, though, like swine that enter the trough on all fours with +no thought but of eating and rooting therein, not even lifting their +eyes, they cannot raise their thoughts to the source of all their +good and have not a thought as to whom they should thank for it. He +who is not a Christian comes before God in an insensible and beastly +attitude. The world is but a pen of animals indifferent to the +kingdom of God and with no idea of gratitude for his rich +beneficence, his gifts for body and soul. The worldly seek only their +husks and their troughs. To these they cleave like fattening swine +intended for slaughter. Jeremiah (ch. 12, 3) says concerning the +ungodly, who with great satisfaction persecute the righteous: "Pull +them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day +of slaughter." + +40. God gives the ungodly mighty kingdoms, riches, lands and houses, +making them to enjoy greatness and abundance. But when the swine are +fed and fat, the question of bacon and sausage introduces a struggle. +A slaughterer--a sausage-maker--appears, perchance, to slaughter the +swine in their sty; one comes desolating the country, overthrowing +the kingdom, destroying people and all; for, desiring to be but +swine, the people must be destroyed like swine. Even though the world +have personal knowledge of such punishment, it continues its course +so long as possible--until the slaughterer comes. Swine remain swine; +they are capable of standing ever unmoved by their trough, one +perfectly indifferent if another be struck dead before its eyes. + + +CHRISTIANS RECOGNIZE THE DIVINE SOURCE OF THEIR GIFTS. + +41. Christians, however, though obliged to live among swine and to be +at times trampled under foot and rooted about, have nevertheless +surpassing glory; for they can look up and intelligently behold their +Lord and his gifts. They are not of the pen of swine intended only +for slaughter; they know themselves children of God, adorned by him +with gifts and graces not merely temporal. They are conscious that, +having given them body and life--for these they realize are not of +their own obtaining--he will also supply their further needs, +providing for them forever. + +42. Christians are able to recognize even God's least blessing as +most precious, as truly excellent; not only because it comes from +him, but because of its inherent value. No one who recognizes even +temporal blessings would give an eye, or a less important member of +the body, to redeem the riches of the entire world. How much loftier +and more precious to the Christian are the spiritual gifts concerning +which Paul here speaks--gifts bestowed as means unto salvation! The +baptizing of a child or the absolution of a penitent makes no great +show, but were the office viewed in the true light, the bestowed +treasure rightly appreciated, all the officers, authority and riches +of kings and emperors would be nothing at all in comparison. + +43. Regarding the baptizer--who may be a woman even--and the +baptized, we certainly can see nothing wonderful. The humanity in the +case does not effect any great work; the work is wrought by him who +is God, Lord and Spirit. It is he who gives to the office power and +greatness above that of all emperors, kings and lords, however +inferior the instrumentality--the occupants of the sacred offices. By +these ministrations souls are won from the devil, snatched out of +hell and transformed into saints blessed forever. Person and office +may be apparently inferior, but the office is of God and God is no +inferior being. His greatness cannot be equaled by a hundred thousand +worlds. He accomplishes things incomprehensible to the world and +impossible to angels. + +The combined efforts of all creation could not produce baptism. Were +the world to unite in baptizing an infant, the infant would receive +no good therefrom unless God the Lord commanded the deed. Let the +Sultan be many thousands of times more powerful than at present and +he could not, with all his riches, his dominion and peoples, free +himself or any other from the power of the least sin. He could not +effectively pronounce the absolution, "God has forgiven you your +sins." For the Sultan has neither gift, office nor work; indeed, he +knows nothing about them. They belong to God alone, though human +mouths and hands are instrumental therein. + +44. Note why Paul boasts of the fact that God bestows such great +blessings. It is that Christians may discern them and thank him; and +that such discernment may lead them to serve one another in humility, +with mutual faith and love, each one learning to praise God fervently +wherever he beholds God's gifts and offices operative in the Church, +and to esteem them as he would esteem God himself. For, +unquestionably, none would possess office and gifts had not God +ordained and bestowed them. + +45. How we have exalted our own nonsense--pilgrimages, cloisters, +cords, cowls, running to the dead in the wilderness and so on! But to +what purpose? What benefit have we derived therefrom, notwithstanding +we walked until our feet were bleeding, and watched and fasted and +tormented ourselves to death? Such a life, it is true, may be called +holy, divine, yet it is not at all the gift, the work, the office, of +God. No God, no Lord, no Spirit, is in that practice. God has nowhere +commanded such a life. We have devised it and may reward and help +ourselves for so doing. We cannot boast his authority for it nor find +divine comfort therein. + +But the discerning Christian can with satisfaction boast on this +wise: "My baptism or my absolution is not of my own devising or +ordaining, nor of another man's. It is of Christ my Lord. For here is +his command ordaining the office: 'Go ye therefore, and make +disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the +Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' Mt 28, 19. Upon +authority of the office, work and gift here presented, I can boast +and be strong in faith against the devil and all the gates of hell; +otherwise I cannot withstand Satan for one moment. He would not be +afraid of me and my works though I should be able to boast of having +lived seventy years as a member of a holy order, serving God every +day and hour, praying, fasting, and so on." + +46. The devil hurls both person and work, as he finds them, into the +abyss of hell. If he ask you where God has commanded such works as +yours, you have no answer. But let him hear you boast in the +confident faith God's command inspires: "I have received from Christ +my Lord baptism and absolution; of this I am certain, and what I do +is done at his command and by his power"--let him hear that and he is +forced immediately to leave you. He must flee, not from your person +or works, but from Christ's office and gifts found with you. + +47. Paul presents these thoughts to teach us what we Christians have +from God in the three forms, blessings superior to those enjoyed by +all others in the world. The apostle would have us be grateful for +these things and make use of them in a spirit of Christian love. He +desires that the possessor of gifts devote them to the service of +others. He teaches we are to honor God in the gifts another +possesses; that we are highly to esteem them, remembering they are +not of man's production, not wrought of man's ability or skill, but +are the offices, gifts and works of God. They are not the inferior +and trivial things they seem to the world because making no show and +noise. God does not give unredeemable coin or empty shells and mere +husks. His gifts and works in his Church must effect inexpressible +results, taking souls from the jaws of the devil and translating them +into eternal life and glory. + + + + +_Eleventh Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Corinthians 15, 1-10. + +1 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached +unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which +also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto +you, except ye believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of +all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins +according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he +hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and +that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; 6 then he appeared to +above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain +until now, but some are fallen asleep; 7 then he appeared to James; +then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the child untimely +born, he appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, +that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the +church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his +grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored +more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which +was with me. + + +PAUL'S WITNESS TO CHRIST'S RESURRECTION. + +This text is fully explained in the sermons on the entire chapter, +which have been published separately. He who desires may read them +there. It speaks almost exclusively of the resurrection of the dead, +and therefore ought properly to be read and preached at the Easter +season. The reason of its selection for this Sunday seems to be that +the latter part of it corresponds with the Gospel for this Sunday. + +For Saint Paul, though he was an exalted apostle, and had labored in +that office more than all the others together, boasts not of his own +deeds, as did the proud Pharisee. Like the poor publican he confessed +his sin and unworthiness, and ascribed all that he is to the grace of +God alone, which made a Christian and an apostle of him who had been +a persecutor. + + + + +_Twelfth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 2 Corinthians 3, 4-11. + +4 And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 not that +we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from +ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6 who also made us +sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of +the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But +if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came +with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly +upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was +passing away: 8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit +be with glory? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, +much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. +10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made +glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11 +For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which +remaineth is in glory. + + +GOSPEL TRANSCENDS LAW. + +1. This epistle lesson sounds altogether strange and wonderful to +individuals unaccustomed to Scripture language, particularly to that +of Paul. To the inexperienced ear and heart it is not intelligible. +In popedom thus far it has remained quite unapprehended, although +reading of the words has been practiced. + +2. That we may understand it, we must first get an idea of Paul's +theme. Briefly, he would oppose the vain boasting of false apostles +and preachers concerning their possession of the spirit and their +peculiar skill and gifts, by praising and glorifying the office of a +preacher of the Gospel with which he is intrusted. For he found that, +especially in the Church at Corinth, which he had converted by the +words of his own lips and brought to faith in Christ, soon after his +departure the devil introduced his heresies whereby the people were +turned from the truth and betrayed into other ways. Since it became +his duty to make an attack upon such heresies, he devoted both his +epistles to the purpose of keeping the Corinthians in the right way, +so that they might retain the pure doctrine received from him, and +beware of false spirits. The main thing which moved him to write this +second epistle was his desire to emphasize to them his apostolic +office of a preacher of the Gospel, in order to put to shame the +glory of those other teachers--the glory they boasted with many words +and great pretense. + +3. He starts in on this theme just before he reaches our text. And +this is how it is he comes to speak in high terms of praise of the +ministration of the Gospel and to contrast and compare the twofold +ministration or message which may be proclaimed in the Church, +provided, of course, that God's Word is to be preached and not the +nonsense of human falsehood and the doctrine of the devil. One is +that of the Old Testament, the other of the New; in other words, the +office of Moses, or the Law, and the office of the Gospel of Christ. +He contrasts the glory and power of the latter with those of the +former, which, it is true, is also the Word of God. In this manner he +endeavors to defeat the teachings and pretensions of those seductive +spirits who, as he but lately foretold, pervert God's Word, in that +they greatly extol the Law of God, yet at best do not teach its right +use, but, instead of making it tributary to faith in Christ, misuse +it to teach work-righteousness. + +4. Since the words before us are in reality a continuation of those +with which the chapter opens, the latter must be considered in this +connection. We read: + +"Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, +epistles of commendation to you or from you? Ye are our epistle, +written in our hearts, known and read of all men; being made manifest +that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with +ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, +but in tables that are hearts of flesh." + +"We, my fellow-apostles and co-laborers and I," he says, "do not ask +for letters and seals from others commending us to you, or from you +commending us to others, in order to seduce people after gaining +their good will in your church and in others as well. Such is the +practice of the false apostles, and many even now present letters and +certificates from honest preachers and Churches, and make them the +means whereby their unrighteous plotting may be received in good +faith. Such letters, thank God, we stand not in need of, and you need +not fear we shall use such means of deception. For you are yourselves +the letter we have written and wherein we may pride ourselves and +which we present everywhere. For it is a matter of common knowledge +that you have been taught by us, and brought to Christ through our +ministry." + + +PAUL'S CONVERTS LIVING EPISTLES. + +5. Inasmuch as his activity among them is his testimonial, and they +themselves are aware that through his ministerial office he has +constituted them a church, he calls them an epistle written by +himself; not with ink and in paragraphs, not on paper or wood, nor +engraved upon hard rock as the Ten Commandments written upon tables +of stone, which Moses placed before the people, but written by the +Holy Spirit upon fleshly tables--hearts of tender flesh. The Spirit +is the ink or the inscription, yes, even the writer himself; but the +pencil or pen and the hand of the writer is the ministry of Paul. + +6. This figure of a written epistle is, however, in accord with +Scripture usage. Moses commands (Deut 6, 6-9; 11, 18) that the +Israelites write the Ten Commandments in all places where they walked +or stood--upon the posts of their houses, and upon their gates, and +ever have them before their eyes and in their hearts. Again (Prov 7, +2-3), Solomon says: "Keep my commandments and ... my law as the apple +of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the tablet +of thy heart." He speaks as a father to his child when giving the +child an earnest charge to remember a certain thing--"Dear child, +remember this; forget it not; keep it in thy heart." Likewise, God +says in the book of Jeremiah the prophet (ch. 31, 33), "I will put my +law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it." Here +man's heart is represented as a sheet, or slate, or page, whereon is +written the preached Word; for the heart is to receive and securely +keep the Word. In this sense Paul says: "We have, by our ministry, +written a booklet or letter upon your heart, which witnesses that you +believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and have the assurance +that through Christ you are redeemed and saved. This testimony is +what is written on your heart. The letters are not characters traced +with ink or crayon, but the living thoughts, the fire and force of +the heart." + +7. Note further, that it is his ministry to which Paul ascribes the +preparation of their heart thereon and the inscription which +constitutes them "living epistles of Christ." He contrasts his +ministry with the blind fancies of those fanatics who seek to +receive, and dream of having, the Holy Spirit without the oral word; +who, perchance, creep into a corner and grasp the Spirit through +dreams, directing the people away from the preached Word and visible +ministry. But Paul says that the Spirit, through his preaching, has +wrought in the hearts of his Corinthians, to the end that Christ +lives and is mighty in them. After such statement he bursts into +praise of the ministerial office, comparing the message, or +preaching, of Moses with that of himself and the apostles. He says: + +"Such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: not that we are +sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but +our sufficiency is from God." + + +TRUE PREACHERS COMMISSIONED BY GOD. + +8. These words are blows and thrusts for the false apostles and +preachers. Paul is mortal enemy to the blockheads who make great +boast, pretending to what they do not possess and to what they cannot +do; who boast of having the Spirit in great measure; who are ready to +counsel and aid the whole world; who pride themselves on the ability +to invent something new. It is to be a surpassingly precious and +heavenly thing they are to spin out of their heads, as the dreams of +pope and monks have been in time past. + +"We do not so," says Paul. "We rely not upon ourselves or our wisdom +and ability. We preach not what we have ourselves invented. But this +is our boast and trust in Christ before God, that we have made of you +a divine epistle; have written upon your hearts, not our thoughts, +but the Word of God. We are not, however, glorifying our own power, +but the works and the power of him who has called and equipped us for +such an office; from whom proceeds all you have heard and believed." + +9. It is a glory which every preacher may claim, to be able to say +with full confidence of heart: "This trust have I toward God in +Christ, that what I teach and preach is truly the Word of God." +Likewise, when he performs other official duties in the +Church--baptizes a child, absolves and comforts a sinner--it must be +done in the same firm conviction that such is the command of Christ. + +10. He who would teach and exercise authority in the Church without +this glory, "it is profitable for him," as Christ says (Mt 18, 6), +"that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he +should be sunk in the depths of the sea." For the devil's lies he +preaches, and death is what he effects. Our Papists, in time past, +after much and long-continued teaching, after many inventions and +works whereby they hoped to be saved, nevertheless always doubted in +heart and mind whether or no they had pleased God. The teaching and +works of all heretics and seditious spirits certainly do not bespeak +for them trust in Christ; their own glory is the object of their +teaching, and the homage and praise of the people is the goal of +their desire. + +"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from +ourselves." + +11. As said before, this is spoken in denunciation of the false +spirits who believe that by reason of eminent equipment of special +creation and election, they are called to come to the rescue of the +people, expecting wonders from whatever they say and do. + + +HUMAN DOCTRINE NO PLACE IN THE CHURCH. + +12. Now, we know ourselves to be of the same clay whereof they are +made; indeed, we perhaps have the greater call from God: yet we +cannot boast of being capable of ourselves to advise or aid men. We +cannot even originate an idea calculated to give help. And when it +comes to the knowledge of how one may stand before God and attain to +eternal life, that is truly not to be achieved by our work or power, +nor to originate in our brain. In other things, those pertaining to +this temporal life, you may glory in what you know, you may advance +the teachings of reason, you may invent ideas of your own; for +example: how to make shoes or clothes, how to govern a household, how +to manage a herd. In such things exercise your mind to the best of +your ability. Cloth or leather of this sort will permit itself to be +stretched and cut according to the good pleasure of the tailor or +shoemaker. But in spiritual matters, human reasoning certainly is not +in order; other intelligence, other skill and power, are requisite +here--something to be granted by God himself and revealed through his +Word. + +13. What mortal has ever discovered or fathomed the truth that the +three persons in the eternal divine essence are one God; that the +second person, the Son of God, was obliged to become man, born of a +virgin; and that no way of life could be opened for us, save through +his crucifixion? Such truth never would have been heard nor preached, +would never in all eternity have been published, learned and +believed, had not God himself revealed it. + +14. For this season they are blind fools of first magnitude and +dangerous characters who would boast of their grand performances, and +think that the people are served when they preach their own fancies +and inventions. It has been the practice in the Church for anyone to +introduce any teaching he saw fit; for example, the monks and priests +have daily produced new saints, pilgrimages, special prayers, works +and sacrifices in the effort to blot out sin, redeem souls from +purgatory, and so on. They who make up things of this kind are not +such as put their trust in God through Christ, but rather such as +defy God and Christ. Into the hearts of men, where Christ alone +should be, they shove the filth and write the lies of the devil. Yet +they think themselves, and themselves only, qualified for all +essential teaching and work, self-grown doctors that they are, saints +all-powerful without the help of God and Christ. + +"But our sufficiency is from God." + +15. Of ourselves--in our own wisdom and strength--we cannot effect, +discover nor teach any counsel or help for man, whether for ourselves +or others. Any good work we perform among you, any doctrine we write +upon your heart--that is God's own work. He puts into our heart and +mouth what we should say, and impresses it upon your heart through +the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we cannot ascribe to ourselves any honor +therein, cannot seek our own glory as the self-instructed and proud +spirits do; we must give to God alone the honor, and must glory in +the fact that by his grace and power he works in you unto salvation, +through the office committed unto us. + +16. Now, Paul's thought here is that nothing should be taught and +practiced in the Church but what is unquestionably God's Word. It +will not do to introduce or perform anything whatever upon the +strength of man's judgment. Man's achievements, man's reasoning and +power, are of no avail save in so far as they come from God. As Peter +says in his first epistle (ch. 4, 11): "If any man speaketh, speaking +as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, ministering as of +the strength which God supplieth." In short, let him who would be +wise, who would boast of great skill, talents and power, confine +himself to things other than spiritual; with respect to spiritual +matters, let him keep his place and refrain from boasting and +pretense. For it is of no moment that men observe your greatness and +ability; the important thing is that poor souls may rest assured of +being presented with God's Word and works, whereby they may be saved. + +"Who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of +the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit +giveth life." + + +THE NEW COVENANT. + +17. Paul here proceeds to exalt the office and power of the Gospel +over the glorying of the false apostles, and to elevate the power of +the Word above that of all other doctrine, even of the Law of God. +Truly we are not sufficient of ourselves and have nothing to boast of +so far as human activity is considered. For that is without merit or +power, however strenuous the effort may be to fulfil God's Law. We +have, however, something infinitely better to boast of, something not +grounded in our own activity: by God we have been made sufficient for +a noble ministry, termed the ministry "of a New Covenant." This +ministry is not only exalted far above any teaching to be evolved by +human wisdom, skill and power, but is more glorious than the ministry +termed the "Old Covenant," which in time past was delivered to the +Jews through Moses. While this ministry clings, in common with other +doctrine, to the Word given by revelation, it is the agency whereby +the Holy Spirit works in the heart. Therefore, Paul says it is not a +ministration of the letter, but "of the spirit." + + +"SPIRIT" AND "LETTER." + +18. This passage relative to spirit and letter has in the past been +wholly strange language to us. Indeed, to such extent has man's +nonsensical interpretation perverted and weakened it that I, though a +learned doctor of the holy Scriptures, failed to understand it +altogether, and I could find no one to teach me. And to this day it +is unintelligible to all popedom. In fact, even the old +teachers--Origen, Jerome and others--have not caught Paul's thought. +And no wonder, truly! For it is essentially a doctrine far beyond the +power of man's intelligence to comprehend. When human reason meddles +with it, it becomes perplexed. The doctrine is wholly unintelligible +to it, for human thought goes no farther than the Law and the Ten +Commandments. Laying hold upon these it confines itself to them. It +does not attempt to do more, being governed by the principle that +unto him who fulfils the demands of the Law, or commandments, God is +gracious. Reason knows nothing about the wretchedness of depraved +nature. It does not recognize the fact that no man is able to keep +God's commandments; that all are under sin and condemnation; and that +the only way whereby help could be received was for God to give his +Son for the world, ordaining another ministration, one through which +grace and reconciliation might be proclaimed to us. Now, he who does +not understand the sublime subject of which Paul speaks cannot but +miss the true meaning of his words. How much more did we invite this +fate when we threw the Scriptures and Saint Paul's epistles under the +bench, and, like swine in husks, wallowed in man's nonsense! +Therefore, we must submit to correction and learn to understand the +apostle's utterance aright. + +19. "Letter" and "spirit" have been understood to mean, according to +Origen and Jerome, the obvious sense of the written word. St. +Augustine, it must be admitted, has gotten an inkling of the truth. +Now, the position of the former teachers would perhaps not be quite +incorrect did they correctly explain the words. By "literary sense" +they signify the meaning of a Scripture narrative according to the +ordinary interpretation of the words. By "spiritual sense" they +signify the secondary, hidden, sense found in the words. + +For instance: The Scripture narrative in Genesis third records how +the serpent persuaded the woman to eat of the forbidden fruit and to +give to her husband, who also ate. This narrative in its simplest +meaning represents what they understand by "letter." "Spirit," +however, they understand to mean the spiritual interpretation, which +is thus: The serpent signifies the evil temptation which lures to +sin. The woman represents the sensual state, or the sphere in which +such enticements and temptations make themselves felt. Adam, the man, +stands for reason, which is called man's highest endowment. Now, when +reason does not yield to the allurements of external sense, all is +well; but when it permits itself to waver and consent, the fall has +taken place. + +20. Origen was the first to trifle thus with the holy Scriptures, and +many others followed, until now it is thought to be the sign of great +cleverness for the Church to be filled with such quibblings. The aim +is to imitate Paul, who (Gal 4, 22-24) figuratively interprets the +story of Abraham's two sons, the one by the free woman, or the +mistress of the house, and the other by the hand-maid. The two women, +Paul says, represent the two covenants: one covenant makes only +bond-servants, which is just what he in our text terms the +ministration of the letter; the other leads to liberty, or, as he +says here, the ministration of the spirit, which gives life. And the +two sons are the two peoples, one of which does not go farther than +the Law, while the other accepts in faith the Gospel. + +True, this is an interpretation not directly suggested by the +narrative and the text. Paul himself calls it an allegory; that is, a +mystic narrative, or a story with a hidden meaning. But he does not +say that the literal text is necessarily the letter that killeth, and +the allegory, or hidden meaning, the spirit. But the false teachers +assert of all Scripture that the text, or record itself, is but a +dead "letter," its interpretation being "the spirit." Yet they have +not pushed interpretation farther than the teaching of the Law; and +it is precisely the Law which Paul means when he speaks of "the +letter."[1] + +[Footnote 1: What Luther means is that the popish theologians with +their vaunted "spiritual" interpretation had never penetrated to the +Gospel, which confers the life in the Spirit, but had satisfied +themselves with so literal and superficial an interpretation of the +Law as to seek salvation through work-righteousness.] + +21. Paul employs the word "letter" in such contemptuous sense in +reference to the Law--though the Law is, nevertheless, the Word of +God--when he compares it with the ministry of the Gospel. The letter +is to him the doctrine of the Ten Commandments, which teach how we +should obey God, honor parents, love our neighbor, and so on--the +very best doctrine to be found in all books, sermons and schools. + +The word "letter" is to the apostle Paul everything which may take +the form of doctrine, of literary arrangement, of record, so long as +it remains something spoken or written. Also thoughts which may be +pictured or expressed by word or writing, but it is not that which is +written in the heart, to become its life. "Letter" is the whole Law +of Moses, or the Ten Commandments, though the supreme authority of +such teaching is not denied. It matters not whether you hear them, +read them, or reproduce them mentally. For instance, when I sit down +to meditate upon the first commandment: "Thou shalt have no other +gods before me," or the second, or the third, and so forth, I have +something which I can read, write, discuss, and aim to fulfil with +all my might. The process is quite similar when the emperor or prince +gives a command and says: "This you shall do, that you shall eschew." +This is what the apostle calls "the letter," or, as we have called it +on another occasion, the written sense. + +22. Now, as opposed to "the letter," there is another doctrine or +message, which he terms the "ministration of a New Covenant" and "of +the Spirit." This doctrine does not teach what works are required of +man, for that man has already heard; but it makes known to him what +God would do for him and bestow upon him, indeed what he has already +done: he has given his Son Christ for us; because, for our +disobedience to the Law, which no man fulfils, we were under God's +wrath and condemnation. Christ made satisfaction for our sins, +effected a reconciliation with God and gave to us his own +righteousness. Nothing is said in this ministration of man's deeds; +it tells rather of the works of Christ, who is unique in that he was +born of a virgin, died for sin and rose from the dead, something no +other man has been able to do. This doctrine is revealed through none +but the Holy Spirit, and none other confers the Holy Spirit. The Holy +Spirit works in the hearts of them who hear and accept the doctrine. +Therefore, this ministration is termed a ministration "of the +Spirit." + +23. The apostle employs the words "letter" and "spirit," to contrast +the two doctrines; to emphasize his office and show its advantage +over all others, however eminent the teachers whom they boast, and +however great the spiritual unction which they vaunt. It is of design +that he does not term the two dispensations "Law" and "Gospel," but +names them according to the respective effects produced. He honors +the Gospel with a superior term--"ministration of the spirit." Of the +Law, on the contrary, he speaks almost contemptuously, as if he would +not honor it with the title of God's commandment, which in reality it +is, according to his own admission later on that its deliverance to +Moses and its injunction upon the children of Israel was an occasion +of surpassing glory. + +24. Why does Paul choose this method? Is it right for one to despise +or dishonor God's Law? Is not a chaste and honorable life a matter of +beauty and godliness? Such facts, it may be contended, are implanted +by God in reason itself, and all books teach them; they are the +governing force in the world. I reply: Paul's chief concern is to +defeat the vainglory and pretensions of false preachers, and to teach +them the right conception and appreciation of the Gospel which he +proclaimed. What Paul means is this: When the Jews vaunt their Law of +Moses, which was received as Law from God and recorded upon two +tables of stone; when they vaunt their learned and saintly preachers +of the Law and its exponents, and hold their deeds and manner of life +up to admiration, what is all that compared to the Gospel message? +The claim may be well made: a fine sermon, a splendid exposition; +but, after all, nothing more comes of it than precepts, expositions, +written comments. The precept, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with +all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself," remains a mere array of +words. When much time and effort have been spent in conforming one's +life to it, nothing has been accomplished. You have pods without +peas, husks without kernels. + +25. For it is impossible to keep the Law without Christ, though man +may, for the sake of honor or property, or from fear of punishment, +feign outward holiness. The heart which does not discern God's grace +in Christ cannot turn to God nor trust in him; it cannot love his +commandments and delight in them, but rather resists them. For nature +rebels at compulsion. No man likes to be a captive in chains. One +does not voluntarily bow to the rod of punishment or submit to the +executioner's sword; rather, because of these things, his anger +against the Law is but increased, and he ever thinks: "Would that I +might unhindered steal, rob, hoard, gratify my lust, and so on!" And +when restrained by force, he would there were no Law and no God. And +this is the case where conduct shows some effects of discipline, in +that the outer man has been subjected to the teaching of the Law. + +26. But in a far more appalling degree does inward rebellion ensue +when the heart feels the full force of the Law; when, standing before +God's judgment, it feels the sentence of condemnation; as we shall +presently hear, for the apostle says "the letter killeth." Then the +truly hard knots appear. Human nature fumes and rages against the +Law; offenses appear in the heart, the fruit of hate and enmity +against the Law; and presently human nature flees before God and is +incensed at God's judgment. It begins to question the equity of his +dealings, to ask if he is a just God. Influenced by such thoughts, it +falls ever deeper into doubt, it murmurs and chafes, until finally, +unless the Gospel comes to the rescue, it utterly despairs, as did +Judas, and Saul, and perhaps pass out of this life with God and +creation. This is what Paul means when he says (Rom 7, 8-9) that the +Law works sin in the heart of man, and sin works death, or kills. + +27. You see, then, why the Law is called "the letter": though noble +doctrine, it remains on the surface; it does not enter the heart as a +vital force which begets obedience. Such is the baseness of human +nature, it will not and cannot conform to the Law; and so corrupt is +mankind, there is no individual who does not violate all God's +commandments in spite of daily hearing the preached Word and having +held up to view God's wrath and eternal condemnation. Indeed, the +harder pressed man is, the more furiously he storms against the Law. + +28. The substance of the matter is this: When all the commandments +have been put together, when their message receives every particle of +praise to which it is entitled, it is still a mere letter. That is, +teaching not put into practice. By "letter" is signified all manner +of law, doctrine and message, which goes no farther than the oral or +written word, which consists only of the powerless letter. To +illustrate: A law promulgated by a prince or the authorities of a +city, if not enforced, remains merely an open letter, which makes a +demand indeed, but ineffectually. Similarly, God's Law, although a +teaching of supreme authority and the eternal will of God, must +suffer itself to become a mere empty letter or husk. Without a +quickening heart, and devoid of fruit, the Law is powerless to effect +life and salvation. It may well be called a veritable table of +omissions (Lass-tafel); that is, it is a written enumeration, not of +duties performed but of duties cast aside. In the languages of the +world, it is a royal edict which remains unobserved and unperformed. +In this light St. Augustine understood the Law. He says, commenting +on Psalm 17, "What is Law without grace but a letter without spirit?" +Human nature, without the aid of Christ and his grace, cannot keep +it. + +29. Again, Paul in terming the Gospel a "ministration of the spirit" +would call attention to its power to produce in the hearts of men an +effect wholly different from that of the Law: it is accompanied by +the Holy Spirit and it creates a new heart. Man, driven into fear and +anxiety by the preaching of the Law, hears this Gospel message, +which, instead of reminding him of God's demands, tells him what God +has done for him. It points not to man's works, but to the works of +Christ, and bids him confidently believe that for the sake of his Son +God will forgive his sins and accept him as his child. And this +message, when received in faith, immediately cheers and comforts the +heart. The heart will no longer flee from God; rather it turns to +him. Finding grace with God and experiencing his mercy, the heart +feels drawn to him. It commences to call upon him and to treat and +revere him as its beloved God. In proportion as such faith and solace +grow, also love for the commandments will grow and obedience to them +will be man's delight. Therefore, God would have his Gospel message +urged unceasingly as the means of awakening man's heart to discern +his state and recall the great grace and lovingkindness of God, with +the result that the power of the Holy Spirit is increased constantly. +Note, no influence of the Law, no work of man is present here. The +force is a new and heavenly one--the power of the Holy Spirit. He +impresses upon the heart Christ and his works, making of it a true +book which does not consist in the tracery of mere letters and words, +but in true life and action. + +30. God promised of old, in Joel 2, 28 and other passages, to give +the Spirit through the new message, the Gospel. And he has verified +his promise by public manifestations in connection with the preaching +of that Gospel, as on the day of Pentecost and again later. When the +apostles, Peter and others, began to preach, the Holy Spirit +descended visibly from heaven upon their hearts. Acts 8, 17; 10, 44. +Up to that time, throughout the period the Law was preached, no one +had heard or seen such manifestation. The fact could not but be +grasped that this was a vastly different message from that of the Law +when such mighty results followed in its train. And yet its substance +was no more than what Paul declared (Acts 13, 38-39): "Through this +man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: and by him every one +that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not +be justified by the law of Moses." + +31. In this teaching you see no more the empty letters, the valueless +husks or shells, of the Law, which unceasingly enjoins, "This thou +shalt do and observe," and ever in vain. You see instead the true +kernel and power which confers Christ and the fullness of His Spirit. +In consequence, men heartily believe the message of the Gospel and +enjoy its riches. They are accounted as having fulfilled the Ten +Commandments. John says (Jn 1, 16-17): "Of his fullness we all +received, and grace for grace. For the Law was given through Moses; +grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John's thought is: The +Law has indeed been given by Moses, but what avails that fact? To be +sure, it is a noble doctrine and portrays a beautiful and instructive +picture of man's duty to God and all mankind; it is really excellent +as to the letter. Yet it remains empty; it does not enter into the +heart. Therefore it is called "law," nor can it become aught else, so +long as nothing more is given. + + +CHRIST SUPERSEDES MOSES. + +Before there can be fulfilment, another than Moses must come, +bringing another doctrine. Instead of a law enjoined, there must be +grace and truth revealed. For to enjoin a command and to embody the +truth[2] are two different things; just as teaching and doing differ. +Moses, it is true, teaches the doctrine of the Law, so far as +exposition is concerned, but he can neither fulfil it himself nor +give others the ability to do so. That it might be fulfilled, God's +Son had to come with his fullness; he has fulfilled the Law for +himself and it is he who communicates to our empty heart the power to +attain to the same fullness. + +[Footnote 2: Es ist zweirlei, Gesetz geben, und, Wahrheit werden.] + +This becomes possible when we receive grace for grace, that is, when +we come to the enjoyment of Christ, and for the sake of him who +enjoys with God fullness of grace, although our own obedience to the +Law is still imperfect. Being possessed of solace and grace, we +receive by his power the Holy Spirit also, so that, instead of +harboring mere empty letters within us, we come to the truth and +begin to fulfil God's Law, in such a way, however, that we draw from +his fullness and drink from that as a fountain. + + +CHRIST THE SOURCE OF LIFE GREATER THAN ADAM THE SOURCE OF DEATH. + +32. Paul gives us the same thought in Romans 5, 17-18, where he +compares Adam and Christ. Adam, he says, by his disobedience in +Paradise, became the source of sin and death in the world; by the sin +of this one man, condemnation passed upon all men. But on the other +hand, Christ, by his obedience and righteousness, has become for us +the abundant source wherefrom all may obtain righteousness and the +power of obedience. And with respect to the latter source, it is far +richer and more abundant than the former. While by the single sin of +one man, sin and death passed upon all men, to wax still more +powerful with the advent of the Law, of such surpassing strength and +greatness, on the other hand, is the grace and bounty which we have +in Christ that it not only washes away the particular sin of the one +man Adam, which, until Christ came, overwhelmed all men in death, but +overwhelms and blots out all sin whatever. Thus they who receive his +fullness of grace and bounty unto righteousness are, according to +Paul, lords of life through Jesus Christ alone. + + +THE LAW INEFFECTUAL. + +33. You see now how the two messages differ, and why Paul exalts the +one, the preaching of the Gospel, and calls it a "ministration of the +spirit," but terms the other, the Law, a mere empty "letter." His +object is to humble the pride of the false apostles and preachers +which they felt in their Judaism and the law of Moses, telling the +people with bold pretensions: "Beloved, let Paul preach what he will, +he cannot overthrow Moses, who on Mount Sinai received the Law, God's +irrevocable command, obedience to which is ever the only way to +salvation." + +34. Similarly today, Papists, Anabaptists and other sects make +outcry: "What mean you by preaching so much about faith and Christ? +Are the people thereby made better? Surely works are essential." +Arguments of this character have indeed a semblance of merit, but, +when examined by the light of truth, are mere empty, worthless +twaddle. For if deeds, or works, are to be considered, there are the +Ten Commandments; we teach and practice these as well as they. The +Commandments would answer the purpose indeed--if one could preach +them so effectively as to compel their fulfilment. + +But the question is, whether what is preached is also practiced. Is +there something more than mere words--or letters, as Paul says? do +the words result in life and spirit? This message we have in common; +unquestionably, one must teach the Ten Commandments, and, what is +more, live them. But we charge that they are not observed. Therefore +something else is requisite in order to render obedience to them +possible. When Moses and the Law are made to say: "You should do +thus; God demands this of you," what does it profit? Ay, beloved +Moses, I hear that plainly, and it is certainly a righteous command; +but pray tell me whence shall I obtain ability to do what, alas, I +never have done nor can do? It is not easy to spend money from an +empty pocket, or to drink from an empty can. If I am to pay my debt, +or to quench my thirst, tell me how first to fill pocket or can. But +upon this point such prattlers are silent; they but continue to drive +and plague with the Law, let the people stick to their sins, and make +merry of them to their own hurt. + +35. In this light Paul here portrays the false apostles and like +pernicious schismatics, who make great boasts of having a clearer +understanding and of knowing much better what to teach than is the +case with true preachers of the Gospel. And when they do their very +best, when they pretend great things, and do wonders with their +preaching, there is naught but the mere empty "letter." Indeed, their +message falls far short of Moses. Moses was a noble preacher, truly, +and wrought greater things than any of them may do. Nevertheless, the +doctrine of the Law could do no more than remain a letter, an Old +Testament, and God had to ordain a different doctrine, a New +Testament, which should impart the "spirit." + +"It is the letter," says Paul, "which we preach. If any glorying is +to be done, we can glory in better things and make the defiant plea +that they are not the only teachers of what ought to be done, +incapable as they are of carrying out their own precepts. We give +direction and power as to performing and living those precepts. For +this reason our message is not called the Old Testament, or the +message of the dead letter, but that of the New Testament and of the +living Spirit." + +36. No seditious spirit, it is certain, ever carries out its own +precepts, nor will he ever be capable of doing so, though he may +loudly boast the Spirit alone as his guide. Of this fact you may rest +assured. For such individuals know nothing more than the doctrine of +works--nor can they rise higher and point you to anything else. They +may indeed speak of Christ, but it is only to hold him up as an +example of patience in suffering. In short, there can be no New +Testament preached if the doctrine of faith in Christ be left out; +the spirit cannot enter into the heart, but all teaching, endeavor, +reflection, works and power remain mere "letters," devoid of grace, +truth, and life. Without Christ the heart remains unchanged and +unrenewed. It has no more power to fulfil the Law than the book in +which the Ten Commandments are written, or the stones upon which +engraved. + +"For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." + +37. Here is yet stronger condemnation of the glory of the doctrine of +the Law; yet higher exaltation of the Gospel ministry. Is the apostle +overbold in that he dares thus to assail the Law and say: "The Law is +not only a lifeless letter, but qualified merely to kill"? Surely +that is not calling the Law a good and profitable message, but one +altogether harmful. Who, unless he would be a cursed heretic in the +eyes of the world and invite execution as a blasphemer, would dare to +speak thus, except Paul himself? Even Paul must praise the Law, which +is God's command, declaring it good and not to be despised nor in any +way modified, but to be confirmed and fulfilled so completely, as +Christ says (Mt 5, 18), that not a tittle of it shall pass away. How, +then, does Paul come to speak so disparagingly, even abusively, of +the Law, actually presenting it as veritable death and poison? Well, +his is a sublime doctrine, one that reason does not understand. The +world, particularly they who would be called holy and godly, cannot +tolerate it at all; for it amounts to nothing short of pronouncing +all our works, however precious, mere death and poison. + +38. Paul's purpose is to bring about the complete overthrow of the +boast of the false teachers and hypocrites, and to reveal the +weakness of their doctrine, showing how little it effects even at its +best, since it offers only the Law, Christ remaining unproclaimed and +unknown. They say in terms of vainglorious eloquence that if a man +diligently keep the commandments and do many good works, he shall be +saved. But theirs are only vain words, a pernicious doctrine. This +fact is eventually learned by him who, having heard no other +doctrine, trusts in their false one. He finds out that it holds +neither comfort nor power of life, but only doubt and anxiety, +followed by death and destruction. + + +TERRORS OF THE LAW. + +39. When man, conscious of his failure to keep God's command, is +constantly urged by the Law to make payment of his debt and +confronted with nothing but the terrible wrath of God and eternal +condemnation, he cannot but sink into despair over his sins. Such is +the inevitable consequence where the Law alone is taught with a view +to attaining heaven thereby. The vanity of such trust in works is +illustrated in the case of the noted hermit mentioned in Vitae Patrum +(Lives of the Fathers). For over seventy years this hermit had led a +life of utmost austerity, and had many followers. When the hour of +death came he began to tremble, and for three days was in a state of +agony. His disciples came to comfort him, exhorting him to die in +peace since he had led so holy a life. But he replied: "Alas, I truly +have all my life served Christ and lived austerely; but God's +judgment greatly differs from that of men." + +40. Note, this worthy man, despite the holiness of his life, has no +acquaintance with any article but that of the divine judgment +according to the Law. He knows not the comfort of Christ's Gospel. +After a long life spent in the attempt to keep God's commandments and +secure salvation, the Law now slays him through his own works. He is +compelled to exclaim: "Alas, who knows how God will look upon my +efforts? Who may stand before him?" That means, to forfeit heaven +through the verdict of his own conscience. The work he has wrought +and his holiness of life avail nothing. They merely push him deeper +into death, since he is without the solace of the Gospel, while +others, such as the thief on the cross and the publican, grasp the +comfort of the Gospel, the forgiveness of sins in Christ. Thus sin is +conquered; they escape the sentence of the Law, and pass through +death into life eternal. + + +EFFICACY OF THE GOSPEL. + +41. Now the meaning of the contrasting clause, "the spirit giveth +life," becomes clear. The reference is to naught else but the holy +Gospel, a message of healing and salvation; a precious, comforting +word. It comforts and refreshes the sad heart. It wrests it out of +the jaws of death and hell, as it were, and transports it to the +certain hope of eternal life, through faith in Christ. When the last +hour comes to the believer, and death and God's judgment appear +before his eyes, he does not base his comfort upon his works. Even +though he may have lived the holiest life possible, he says with Paul +(1 Cor 4, 4): "I know nothing against myself, yet am I not hereby +justified." + +42. These words imply being ill pleased with self, with the whole +life; indeed, even the putting to death of self. Though the heart +says, "By my works I am neither made righteous nor saved," which is +practically admitting oneself to be worthy of death and condemnation, +the Spirit extricates from despair, through the Gospel faith, which +confesses, as did St. Bernard in the hour of death: "Dear Lord Jesus, +I am aware that my life at its best has been but worthy of +condemnation, but I trust in the fact that thou hast died for me and +hast sprinkled me with blood from thy holy wounds. For I have been +baptized in thy name and have given heed to thy Word whereby thou +hast called me, awarded me grace and life, and bidden me believe. In +this assurance will I pass out of life; not in uncertainty and +anxiety, thinking, Who knows what sentence God in heaven will pass +upon me?" + +The Christian must not utter such a question. The sentence against +his life and works has long since been passed by the Law. Therefore, +he must confess himself guilty and condemned. But he lives by the +gracious judgment of God declared from heaven, whereby the sentence +of the Law is overruled and reversed. It is this: "He that believeth +on the Son hath eternal life." Jn 3, 36. + +43. When the consolation of the Gospel has once been received and it +has wrested the heart from death and the terrors of hell, the +Spirit's influence is felt. By its power God's Law begins to live in +man's heart; he loves it, delights in it and enters upon its +fulfilment. Thus eternal life begins here, being continued forever +and perfected in the life to come. + +44. Now you see how much more glorious, how much better, is the +doctrine of the apostles--the New Testament--than the doctrine of +those who preach merely great works and holiness without Christ. We +should see in this fact an incentive to hear the Gospel with +gladness. We ought joyfully to thank God for it when we learn how it +has power to bring to men life and eternal salvation, and when it +gives us assurance that the Holy Spirit accompanies it and is +imparted to believers. + +"But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, +came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look +stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which +glory was passing away: how shall not rather the ministration of the +Spirit be with glory? For if the ministration of condemnation hath +glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in +glory." + + +GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. + +45. Paul is in an ecstasy of delight, and his heart overflows in +words of praise for the Gospel. Again he handles the Law severely, +calling it a ministration, or doctrine, of death and condemnation. +What term significant of greater abomination could he apply to God's +Law than to call it a doctrine of death and hell? And again (Gal 2, +17), he calls it a "minister (or preacher) of sin;" and (Gal 3, 10) +the message which proclaims a curse, saying, "As many as are of the +works of the law are under a curse." Absolute, then, is the +conclusion that Law and works are powerless to justify before God; +for how can a doctrine proclaiming only sin, death and condemnation +justify and save? + +46. Paul is compelled to speak thus, as we said above because of the +infamous presumption of both teachers and pupils, in that they permit +flesh and blood to coquet with the Law, and make their own works +which they bring before God their boast. Yet, nothing is effected but +self-deception and destruction. For, when the Law is viewed in its +true light, when its "glory," as Paul has it, is revealed, it is +found to do nothing more than to kill man and sink him into +condemnation. + +47. Therefore, the Christian will do well to learn this text of Paul +and have an armor against the boasting of false teachers, and the +torments and trials of the devil when he urges the Law and induces +men to seek righteousness in their own works, tormenting their heart +with the thought that salvation is dependent upon the achievements of +the individual. The Christian will do well to learn this text, I say, +so that in such conflicts he may take the devil's own sword, saying: +"Why dost thou annoy me with talk of the Law and my works? What is +the Law after all, however much you may preach it to me, but that +which makes me feel the weight of sin, death and condemnation? Why +should I seek therein righteousness before God?" + +48. When Paul speaks of the "glory of the Law," of which the Jewish +teachers of work-righteousness boast, he has reference to the things +narrated in the twentieth and thirty-fourth chapters of Exodus--how, +when the Law was given, God descended in majesty and glory from +heaven, and there were thunderings and lightnings, and the mountain +was encircled with fire; and how when Moses returned from the +mountain, bringing the Law, his face shone with a glory so dazzling +that the people could not look upon his face and he was obliged to +veil it. + +49. Turning their glory against them, Paul says: "Truly, we do not +deny the glory; splendor and majesty were there; but what does such +glory do but compel souls to flee before God, and drive into death +and hell?" We believers, however, boast another glory,--that of our +ministration. The Gospel record tells us (Mt 17, 2-4) that Christ +clearly revealed such glory to his disciples when his face shone as +the sun, and Moses and Elijah were present. Before the manifestation +of such glory, the disciples did not flee; they beheld with amazed +joy and said: "Lord, it is good for us to be here. We will make here +tabernacles for thee and for Moses," etc. + +50. Compare the two scenes and you will understand plainly the import +of Paul's words here. As before said, this is the substance of his +meaning: "The Law produces naught but terror and death when it +dazzles the heart with its glory and stands revealed in its true +nature. On the other hand, the Gospel yields comfort and joy." But to +explain in detail the signification of the veiled face of Moses, and +of his shining uncovered face, would take too long to enter upon +here. + +51. There is also especial comfort to be derived from Paul's +assertion that the "ministration," or doctrine, of the Law "passeth +away"; for otherwise there would be naught but eternal condemnation. +The doctrine of the Law "passes away" when the preaching of the +Gospel of Christ finds place. To Christ, Moses shall yield, that he +alone may hold sway. Moses shall not terrify the conscience of the +believer. When, perceiving the glory of Moses, the conscience +trembles and despairs before God's wrath, then it is time for +Christ's glory to shine with its gracious, comforting light into the +heart. Then can the heart endure Moses and Elijah. For the glory of +the Law, or the unveiled face of Moses, shall shine only until man is +humbled and driven to desire the blessed countenance of Christ. If +you come to Christ, you shall no longer hear Moses to your fright and +terror; you shall hear him as one who remains servant to the Lord +Christ, leaving the solace and the joy of his countenance unobscured. +In conclusion: + +"For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made +glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth." + +52. The meaning here is: When the glory and holiness of Christ, +revealed through the preaching of the Gospel, is rightly perceived, +then the glory of the Law--which is but a feeble and transitory +glory--is seen to be not really glorious. It is mere dark clouds in +contrast to the light of Christ shining to lead us out of sin, death +and hell unto God and eternal life. + + + + +_Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Galatians 3, 15-22. + +15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a +man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it +void, or addeth thereto. 16 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, +and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of +one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 Now this I say: A covenant +confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and +thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of +none effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more +of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise. 19 What +then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the +seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was +ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator +is not a mediator of one; but God is one. 21 Is the law then against +the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given +which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the +law. 22 But the scripture shut up all things under sin, that the +promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. + + +GOD'S TESTAMENT AND PROMISE IN CHRIST. + +1. This is a keen, severe epistle, one that is unintelligible to the +ordinary man. Because the doctrine it contains has not hitherto been +employed and enforced, it has not been understood. It is also too +long and rich to be treated briefly. But it is fully explained in the +complete commentary on this epistle to the Galatians, where those who +will may read it. The substance of it is, that here, as in the whole +epistle, Paul would earnestly constrain the Christian to distinguish +between the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of works or +of the Law. In order that we may note to some extent the main points +Paul makes in this text, we remark that he emphasizes two things. He +treats first of the doctrine that we are justified by faith alone, +and he maintains this, after giving many reasons and proofs, by +saying in effect: + +2. In this connection you should note that no one, whether Jew or +gentile, is justified by works or by the Law. For the Law was given +four hundred and thirty years after the promise of a Savior had been +made to Abraham (who was to be the father of all the people of God) +and the assurance that all nations should be blessed in him. It was +given after it had been testified of Abraham that his faith was +imputed to him for righteousness. And as he was justified and +received the blessing by reason of his faith, so also his children +and descendants were justified and received the blessing through the +same faith in that seed for whose sake the blessing had been promised +to all the world. For in his dealings with the Jews and with the +whole world, God always promised his grace and the forgiveness of +sins (and that means to be blessed of God) even when there was as yet +no Law by which they might pretend to become righteous, and before +Moses was born. + +3. Therefore the Law, being given to this people only after the lapse +of so long a period, could not have been given to them for +justification; otherwise it would have been given earlier. Or if it +had been necessary for righteousness, then Abraham and his children +up to that date could not have been justified at all. Indeed God +designed that the Law should be given so long after Abraham. +Undoubtedly he would have been able to give it to the fathers much +earlier if he had seen fit to do so. Apparently he desired thereby to +teach that the Law was not given to the end that God's grace and +blessing should be acquired through it, but that these come from the +pure mercy of God which was promised and bestowed so long before upon +Abraham and those who believed. + +4. Therefore Paul concludes: How could the Law produce righteousness +for those who lived before Moses, since Moses was the first through +whom the Law was given; and since even before his time there were +holy people and people who were saved? Whence did they derive their +righteousness? Certainly not from the fact that they had offered +sacrifice at Jerusalem, but from the fact that they believed the Word +in which God promised to bless them through the coming seed, Christ. +Hence, those also who lived afterwards could not have been justified +by the Law; for they did not receive the grace of God in a different +way from that in which those who went before had received it. God did +not annul or revoke by the Law the promise of blessing which he had +made and freely bestowed without the Law. + +5. Here some might desire to show their wisdom and say to Paul: +Although the fathers did not have the Law of Moses, they had the same +Word of God which teaches the ten commandments and which was +implanted in the human heart from the beginning of the world, whence +also it is called the law of nature or the natural law; and the same +law was afterwards given publicly to the Jewish people and +comprehended in the ten commandments. It might also be said that +Moses borrowed the ten commandments from the fathers, to which Christ +testifies in John 7, 22. For it is certain that the fathers from the +beginning taught them and urged them upon their children and +descendants. With what consistency, then, does Paul conclude that the +fathers were not justified by the Law because it was not given until +four hundred years after Abraham's time; as if the fathers before +that time had no Law? + +6. To answer this question we must observe the meaning and purpose of +Paul's words; for he so speaks because of the boasting of the Jews, +who placed their dependence on the Law and claimed that it was given +to them that they might be God's people. They considered their +attempts at keeping his Law, sufficient to procure justification. Why +else did God give the Law, they said, and distinguish us from all +heathen peoples, if we were not thereby to be preeminent before God +and more pleasing to him than they who have it not? They made so much +of this boasting that they paid no respect at all to the promise of +blessing in the coming seed, given to the fathers, nor thought that +faith therein was necessary to their justification. Thus they +practically considered it as annulled and made void, excepting for a +temporal interpretation which they put upon it--that the Messiah +would come and, because of their Law and piety, give to them the +dominion of the world and other great rewards. + + +THE JEWS GOD'S PEOPLE BY PROMISE. + +7. To rout such vain delusions and boasts, and to show that the Jews +were not justified through the Law and did not become God's children +thereby, Paul cites the fact that the holy patriarchs, their fathers, +were justified neither by the Law of which they boast, because it was +not yet given, nor by their own deeds, whether of the natural law or +the ten commandments. God had based no promise of blessing or +salvation on their works. He had promised out of pure grace to give +them the blessing freely (that is, to give them grace or +righteousness and all eternal blessing), through the coming seed, +which had been promised also to our first parents without their +merit, when by their transgression they had fallen under God's wrath +and condemnation. Therefore, although the fathers had a knowledge of +the Law, or God's commandments, these did not help them to become +righteous before God. They had to hear and apprehend by faith the +promise of God, which was based not on works but only on the coming +seed. For if they had been able by means of the Law or of good works +to become righteous, it would have been wholly unnecessary to give +the promise of blessing in Christ. + +8. Now, if Abraham and the fathers could not be justified by works, +and in fact were not justified by them, no more were their children +and descendants justified by the Law or by works. They were justified +in no other way than by faith in the promise given to Abraham and to +his seed, a promise by which not only the Jews but all the heathen +(through the same faith) were blessed. + +9. This truth Paul now further enforces and establishes on the basis +of these two particulars--God's promise, and his free grace or +gift--in opposition to the boasting of the Law and our own merit. +First, he makes a declaration concerning the value and weight which +every testament or promise of the last will possesses. Likewise in +the fourth commandment is implied an ordinance that the last will of +parents should be honored by their children and heirs. + +10. In regard to this subject he asserts that the rule is, if a man's +testament be confirmed (and it is confirmed by his death) no man dare +alter it nor add to it nor take away from it. So the jurists declare +it to be a divine law that no one should break a man's last will. How +much more then should God's testament be honored intact? Now, God has +made a testament, which is to be his final last will; namely, that he +will bless all nations through the seed which at first he promised to +the fathers. This he determined upon, and assured to Abraham, and in +him to all the world--to us all. And he has confirmed it by the death +of this seed, his only Son, who had to become man and die (as was +typified by the sacrifice of Isaac on the part of Abraham) in order +that the inheritance of the blessing and eternal life might be +bestowed upon us. This is God's last will. He does not desire to make +any other. Therefore, no man can or dare change it or add anything to +it. Now, it is adding to it, it is breaking or revoking it--since +this testament has been opened and the blessing proclaimed to all the +world--if anyone claims that we must first earn that blessing through +the Law, proceeding as if, without the Law, this testament, by mere +virtue of its promise and will, had no force at all. + +11. In short, this testament, Paul concludes, is a simple promise of +blessing and sonship with God. Accordingly, there is no law which we +must keep in order to merit it. Here nothing avails but the will +which promises saying, I will not regard your deeds, but promise the +blessing--that is, grace and eternal life--to you who are found in +sin and death. This I will confirm by the death of my Son, who shall +merit and obtain this inheritance for you. + +Now, God made this testament in the first place without the Law, and +has thus confirmed it; therefore, the Law, published and confirmed +long afterwards, cannot take aught from it, much less annul or revoke +it. And he who declares or teaches that we are to be justified by the +Law--are to obtain God's blessing by it--does nothing else but +interfere with God's testament and destroy and annul his last will. +This is one argument of Paul, based on the word "promise," or +"testament," and is readily understood; for no one is so stupid that +he cannot distinguish between these two--law or commandment, and +promise. + +12. The second argument of Paul is based on the words, "God gave it +to Abraham by promise." Here also it is easy for one who is possessed +of common sense to perceive there is a marked difference between +receiving something as a gift and earning it. What is earned is given +because of obligation and debt, as wages, and he who receives it may +boast of it, rather than he who gives it, and may insist upon his +right. But when something is given for nothing and, as Paul here +says, is bestowed freely--out of grace--then there can be no boasting +of right or of merit on the part of the recipient. On the contrary, +he must praise the goodness and kindness of his benefactor. So Paul +concludes: God freely gave the blessing and the inheritance to +Abraham by promise. Therefore, Abraham did not earn it by his works; +nor was it given to him as a reward, much less to his children. + +13. It is evident enough to even a child that what is earned by works +as a reward is not identical with what is promised or bestowed +gratis, out of grace and pure free will. There is a distinction +between them. God has stopped the mouth of all the world and deprived +it of all occasion for boasting that it has received God's grace by +reason of the Law. For he promised and bestowed that as a gift, +before the Law or merit through the Law had any existence. In his +dealings with his own people, with Abraham and his descendants, God +promised to bless the patriarch and all his race and said nothing of +any law, works or reward; he based all solely on the coming seed. + +14. In the faith of this promise they lived and died--Abraham himself +and his children's children--till over four hundred and thirty years +had elapsed. Then only did God give the Law, institute an outward +form of worship, a priesthood, etc., and direct them how to live and +govern themselves. They had now become a separate people, released +from foreign domination, and brought into their own land, and they +needed an external form of government. It was not intended that only +now and by means of these gifts they should obtain forgiveness of +sins and God's blessing. + +15. This is the substance of the first part of this epistle. In +teaching how we are to be justified before God, Paul would have us +distinguish well these two points, promise and law; or again, gift +and reward. If we teach that God, out of pure grace, and not because +of any law or merit, bestows forgiveness of sins and eternal life, +the question at once presents itself: Why is the Law given, or of +what use is it? Shall we not perform any good works? Why do we teach +the ten commandments at all? Paul takes up this matter and asks the +question, "What then is the Law?" Then he proceeds to discuss at +length what is the office and use of the Law, and shows the +difference between it and the Gospel. Of this enough has been said +elsewhere, in other postils. + + + + +_Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Galatians 5, 16-24. + +16 But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of +the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the +Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the +other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye are +led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the +flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, +lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, +wraths, factions, divisions, parties, 21 envyings, drunkenness, +revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did +forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit +the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, +peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, +self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And they that are of +Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts +thereof. + + +WORKS OF THE FLESH AND FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. + +This Epistle has been treated at length in the complete commentary +(Luther's Commentary on Galatians). It exhorts to good works or +fruits of faith in those who have the Holy Spirit through faith. And +it does so in a way to show that it is not the design of this +doctrine to forbid good works or to tolerate and refrain from +censuring bad ones, or to prevent the preaching of the Law. On the +contrary it shows clearly that God earnestly wills that Christians +should flee and avoid the lusts of the flesh, if they would remain in +the Spirit. To have and retain the Spirit and faith, and yet to +fulfil the lusts of the flesh, are two things that cannot harmonize; +for "these," Paul says, "are contrary the one to the other," and +there is between them a vehement conflict. They cannot tolerate each +other; one must be supreme and cast the other out. For this reason he +clearly mentions some works of the flesh which plainly and evidently +are not of the Spirit, and immediately concludes that those who +commit and practice these are not in a condition to inherit God's +kingdom. They have lost the Holy Spirit and faith. But he also shows +whence the Christians obtain strength to enable them to resist the +lusts of the flesh; namely, from the fact that they have received the +Holy Spirit through faith, and from the knowledge that they have a +gracious God. Thus their hearts become filled with love and a desire +to obey God and to shun sin. Consequently they resist and refuse to +obey the lusts of the flesh, lest they make God angry again. And +although in this conflict they still feel their weakness, the Law +nevertheless cannot condemn them, because through faith they are and +remain in Christ. + + + + +_Fifteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Galatians 5, 25-26 and 6, 1-10. + +25 If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk. 26 Let +us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one +another. + +1 Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are +spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to +thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, +and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man thinketh himself to +be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let each +man prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard +of himself alone, and not of his neighbor. 5 For each man shall bear +his own burden. 6 But let him that is taught in the word communicate +unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 Be not deceived; God is +not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 +For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap +corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit +reap eternal life. 9 And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in +due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 So then, as we have +opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and +especially toward them that are of the household of the faith. + + +CHURCH OFFICERS WARNED OF VAIN-GLORY. + +The chief aim of this epistle text is to instruct those in official +authority in the Church. Since Christians are under obligation to +honor their pastors and teachers, they are admonished by the apostle +to guard against the sin of vain-glory, that those in authority may +not become proud nor misuse their office against unity in doctrine +and in love, and that they may not despise or pass by the wounded and +helpless, as the priest and Levite did. Lk 10, 31-32. Finally, Paul +exhorts all diligently to do the good and thus serve everyone, as +Christ also teaches in the Gospel (Mt. 6, 34) that everyone should do +the work of each day and not be anxious about the future. [See the +explanation of these verses in Luther's Commentary on the Galatians.] + + + + +_Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 3, 13-21. + +13. Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, +which are your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the +Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 +and that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, +that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the +inward man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to +the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong +to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and +height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth +knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. 20 Now +unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we +ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 unto him +be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations +for ever and ever. Amen. + + +PAUL'S CARE AND PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH.[1] + +[Footnote 1: This sermon appeared in three editions the first year it +was printed in 1525, at Wittenberg.] + +1. Up to this time Paul has been extolling the office of the +ministry, which proclaims the Gospel of the New Testament. In lofty +and impressive terms he introduces its purpose, power and wisdom--in +a word, the great benefits the office effects, since God thereby +bestows upon us abundantly all manner of wisdom, strength and +blessings, all which things, in heaven or earth, are of his +dispensing. The Gospel proclaims to us life from death, righteousness +from sin, redemption from hell and all evil, and brings us out of the +kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. So sublime is the whole +subject, Paul does not venture to compass it with words but in the +loftiest of language suggests much. + +2. In the first part of the text he shows the depth of his concern +that the Ephesians should retain the Gospel preaching received from +him, not allowing themselves to be torn away from it. To this end he +employs two expedients: first, he consoles and admonishes; second, he +prays and desires. + +"Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, +which are your glory." + + +PAUL CONSOLES HIS CONVERTS. + +3. Having been imprisoned at Rome by order of the emperor, Paul thus +consoles his beloved converts at Ephesus, admonishing them to cleave +to the doctrine learned from him; not to be frightened from it by +beholding his fate, nor permit themselves to be alienated by such +comment as this: "This man Paul in his preaching to you made great +pretentions to being commissioned of Christ himself, and to outdoing +all the other apostles. And you made your boast in him and relied +upon him as if he were the only and all-deserving one. Where is he +now? What assistance can he render you? There he lies in Rome, by the +Jews condemned to death; more than that, he is in the hands of that +cruel tyrant, Emperor Nero. Did we not long ago tell you he would +meet such fate? Presumably this puts an end to his boastings over +every other man." + +4. To prevent the offense that threatened, Paul writes from his +prison, and his message is, in effect, this: "Dear friends, you see I +am imprisoned; the devil and the world have me in their hands. This +may perhaps alarm you, and rouse in you the evil suspicion, 'If his +doctrine were all right and if he were the great apostle of Christ he +claims to be, God would not permit him to suffer such fate.'" For +some of the false apostles thus taunted Paul's disciples. "But I +entreat and exhort you," Paul would say, "not to be offended, or +alarmed, not to grow faint, though I am in prison. Whether we be +tempted and suffer tribulation, whether we be honored or dishonored, +no matter what comes, only cleave to the doctrine I have preached to +you--the Gospel, God's sure Word, as you know." He reminds them, as +before he has done, of that whereunto God has called them, and of +what they have received through his preaching. + +5. Such admonition is still, and will ever be, necessary in the +Christian community. The weak must endure severe conflicts in the +tribulations the Gospel inevitably entails. The trial is especially +hard when they must lose their leaders and teachers, and in addition +hear the shameful, bitter taunts of the calumniators. We in this day +have to expect that some will be offended when teachers are assailed. +We should therefore be prepared, and when any of our number fall away +from our faith to flatter tyrants and the Pope, and to become liars +and knaves, we must individually lay hold of the Gospel in a way to +enable us to stand and say: "Not because a certain one has so taught, +do I believe. It matters not what becomes of him or what he may be, +the doctrine itself is right. This I know, whatever God may permit to +befall myself or others because of it." + + +THE CHRISTIAN'S CONFIDENCE MUST BE IN GOD. + +6. So have I personally had to do, and must still do. Otherwise I +would have been terrified and enervated when I saw the Pope, and +bishops, emperors, kings and all the world, opposed to the doctrine +they ought to sustain. I would have been overwhelmed, thinking, +"They, too, are men and cannot all be followers of the devil." How +could I comfort myself and stand firm unless I were able to say: +"Though ten other worlds and everything great, lofty, wise and +prudent, and all my dear friends and brethren as well, should turn +from me, the doctrine still remains true. It stands: it will not, +like men, totter and fall. I will adhere to the Word of God, stand or +fall what may." + +7. The Christian must be discerning enough to strip the individual of +his mask--of his great pomp and majesty--and distinguish it from the +Word. He who cannot so do, cannot stand under temptation; let one +fall, and he will soon follow suit. + +8. Such is the nature of the Church in its earthly government that +human wisdom must stumble thereat; various sects of the offended must +rise in opposition to the faith. But God delights to rule, not with +the sword or with visible power, but through weakness and in +opposition to the devil and the world. Seemingly, he would permit his +Church to be utterly overthrown. Guard against and resist offenses as +well as we may--and the practice is not without its efficacy--still +we must ultimately be driven to say defiantly: "He who established +the Church and has to this time preserved it, will continue to +protect it. Man would not rule it wisely, but the living Christ is +seated upon the throne whereon God placed him, and we shall see who +can pull him down and destroy his Church." + + +PAUL'S SUFFERINGS FOR THE CHURCH'S GOOD. + +9. When the trying hour arrives, we are able to accomplish about as +little against the enemy as Paul when he lay in chains powerless to +succor a soul. He was obliged to commit his cause to the Lord. At the +same time, as a faithful apostle, he ceased not, though removed from +his followers, to admonish and warn to the full extent of his power. +Well he knew that many false apostles were ready, so sure as he said +a word, to pervert it and to fill the ears of the people with their +own empty words and poisonous teaching. He elsewhere complains (2 Tim +1, 15) that by the influence of this class all Asia was turned away +from him. He had reference to the nearest neighbors of the Ephesians +in Asia. + +10. For the sake of affording his converts comfort and strength, Paul +proceeds to make his sufferings and tribulations pleasing to them by +speaking of these afflictions in unusual and beautiful terms. He +presents a view quite opposed to the opinion of the world and the +judgment of calumniators. "My sufferings and tribulations," says +Paul, "which to you and the world, viewed in a fleshy way, are most +disastrous, really work you no injury nor disadvantage, +notwithstanding what the pernicious babblers claim about such trials. +Rather, they are beneficial to you and me. Though your enemies seek +thus to injure you to the fullest extent, benefits they never foresee +will accrue to us. + +"My sufferings are not for my own sake, but yours. They work your +benefit; it is better for you as it is, than for me to be present and +preach to you. And how so? Because I suffer only for the sake of the +ministry, for that Gospel I delivered you. I risk my life and all I +have that you may hold it fast; such is my earnest desire. I contend +for and cleave to, at the risk of my life, that which Christ gave me +and enjoined upon me. Thus by my chains and bands I honor and +establish the Gospel, that you may be strengthened and may cleave +more firmly to it. + +11. "So we shall joyfully transform the tribulation imposed by the +world in an attempt to inflict great evils: God will have to +pronounce the sentence: 'Hear, O world, devil, emperor, tyrant! Thou +hast imprisoned my apostle Paul for the sake of my godly Christians. +What injury have they done thee? what fault committed? With no wrong +on their part, thou persecutest them. It is simply because I gave +them my Word; therefore thou art opposing and defying me. What shall +I say but that thou hast imprisoned and bound, not Paul, but me? Is +it not insupportable that a perishable worm, be he emperor or prince, +should presume to apprehend God in heaven? But thinkest thou I will +remain silent and unprotesting? Thinkest thou I will not break +chains, stocks and bands, and give command: Hold thou, devil and +tyrant, and submit! Let me rule, substituting for one Paul, ten; and +for one Church at Ephesus establishing thirty, yes, a hundred.'" + +12. And as in Paul's time, so today: when our enemies get hold of an +evangelical preacher, either he must secretly be drowned or murdered, +or he must publicly be hanged or burned. Why is it? Because of the +Christians to whom he has taught his doctrine. For a while God looks +on serenely. He says: "Beloved lords, be not enraged. Know you whom +you have apprehended and murdered? It is I, the Divine Majesty. It +was not their own word and command but mine which these preachers +taught and my Christians believed. You cannot deny the fact. I must, +then, consider how to secure myself against your wrath. How shall I +do it? Indeed, by way of returning your favors and kindnesses, I must +so arrange that where one town had a minister and the Gospel, ten, +yes twenty, towns must have their pastor and preachers. I will, O +Pope and bishops, invade your own dioceses and you must tolerate and +accept the Gospel, whether to your joy or your grief. If you begin to +rave, I will give you cause for alarm, for you shall be overthrown, +bishops, hats and all." + +13. Note, when Paul says he suffers for the Ephesians, he means that +his suffering is for their profit, to teach them they have nothing to +fear in suffering. They, not he, are the subjects of concern in this +matter. His pains are not merely those of Paul--upon whom not so much +depends--but of an apostle or preacher of the Church of Christ. When +the latter name is associated with the suffering, when it is not John +or Peter who is cast into prison--that God might tolerate--but a +minister of the Church, then the deed is a too gross jesting with the +majesty of God; it is tempting him too far, yes apprehending him. + +14. It was necessary that Paul give his converts this admonition: +"Dear children, fear not. Do not be alarmed at my arrest and intended +execution. Let our enemies put forth their utmost effort. You shall +see how I will rend the cords and burst the prison, humiliating them +until they lie in ashes; the place of one resister of the Gospel will +be filled by ten who preach it." + + +CHRIST PERSECUTED IN CHRISTIANS. + +Since Paul's enemies refuse instruction and will not cease their +raging, since they refuse to learn against whom they rage, he must +make known to them who is the object of their persecution. It is +neither Paul nor an apostle, but he to whom it was said (Ps 110, 1), +"Sit thou at my right hand." It is a perilous thing to take liberties +with him. He is now seated where he will brook no suffering. The +enemies of the Christians must behold such things as did the Jews who +delivered Paul into the Emperor's hands, and as the Romans witnessed. +Soon after Paul's execution, Jerusalem lay in ashes, and not a great +while after, the city of Rome was destroyed. For when Christ was +oppressed, when in the person of his apostles and martyrs he was +seized and put to death, he had no alternative but to destroy a whole +city. And Germany may expect a similar fate. + + +NO MAN CAN MERIT ETERNAL LIFE FOR ANOTHER. + +15. It is unnecessary here to reply to those wicked and illiterate +dolts, the Papists and Anabaptist factions, who explain Paul's words, +"my tribulations for you," and similar passages, as teaching that one +Christian can by his sufferings merit or aid in the salvation of +others. Paul does not say, "My tribulations for you are designed to +secure for you forgiveness of sins and salvation." He clearly +declares, as the Scriptures everywhere do, that only Christ's +sufferings are thus effective and for all men. Paul's thought may +well be expressed--and every minister may say the same--in these +words: "My preaching and my suffering are for your sake." Just as a +parent may say to a child, "I must do or endure this for you." + +True, works wrought and sufferings endured for another's sake are +productive of the good and comfort of that one or of many, but the +worker or sufferer does not thereby merit, either for himself or +another, God's grace and eternal life. No, these things demand the +offices of a being of another order--Christ. He through his +sufferings exterminates your sins, and through his death gives you +life. Then again, Paul is addressing those already Christians and +having forgiveness of sins and all the requirements of a Christian; +yet he suffers for them; that is, for their good--that in proportion +as his enemies seek to oppose the Gospel, its influence may be +widened and the faith of his followers strengthened. + +16. In the effort to comfort and strengthen the Ephesians, Paul yet +further glorifies and extols his tribulations in the words "which are +your glory." What unheardof talk is this? Is it not much rather, as +reason dictates and as all the world affirms, a disgrace to his +followers that he lies there in prison? What greater dishonor can +Christians suffer than to have their ministers and pastors--their +instructors and consolers--shamefully arrested? So it seems to the +world, it is true; but I tell you, in God's sight and in reality, +this trial is a great honor to you, one of which you may proudly +boast. This very disgrace and provocation you may turn squarely to +your good, saying: "From the very fact of our disgrace, I know the +doctrine is true and divine. For it is the lot of the Word of God and +of salutary doctrine, together with the supporters of the same, to be +defamed and persecuted by the world and the devil." Such persecution +is but glory and honor to Christians. Paul says in Romans 5, 3, "We +rejoice in our tribulations." In other words, we regard them as +glorious, beneficial, precious, blessed. + + +CHRISTIANS TO REJOICE IN PERSECUTIONS. + +17. Christians should not, and cannot, have their glory in the things +the world esteems and honors; for the world will not, nor can it, +honor even God and his Word. Christ's followers, then, should not be +terrified at such treatment as Paul received nor feel disgraced. Let +them rather rejoice, deriving comfort and glory therefrom, as did the +apostles. We read (Acts 4, 13) of their boldness, and (Acts 5, 41) +that they rejoiced in being "counted worthy to suffer dishonor for +the Name." So it fared with Christ himself, and Christians ought to +be grieved if it be otherwise with them and if the world regard them +in a kindly way. In proportion as the world persecutes them and heaps +upon them its malice, should they rejoice. Let them accept +persecution as a good indication, regarding themselves blessed, as +Christ teaches in Matthew 5, 11. So much for the first part of our +text; now follows the second: + +"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father [of our Lord Jesus +Christ], from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." + + +PREACHING MUST BE FOLLOWED BY PRACTICE. + +18. Having comforted his followers concerning his tribulations, Paul +tells them it is his earnest petition, his longing, that God would +grant them power to cleave in firm faith to the Gospel, not forsaking +it or growing weary when they have to endure affronts and +tribulations, but firmly resisting these. It is not enough merely to +accept the Gospel, or even to preach it. Acceptance must be followed +by that spiritual power which renders faith firm and manifests +steadfastness in conflicts and temptations; for "the kingdom of God +is not in word, but in power," as Paul says, 1 Cor 4, 20. There must +be a motive force consisting of the inner belief of the heart and the +outward proofs of faith: not mere speaking, but doing: not mere +talking, but living. Conditions must be such that the Word does not +simply remain on the tongue and in the ears, but becomes operative +and accomplishes something. In the Old Testament dispensation, Moses +preached much indeed, and the people practiced little; but here Paul +desires that much be done and little said. He would not have the +Gospel preached in vain, but desires that it accomplish the object of +its revelation. + +19. Note how Paul devotes himself to the welfare of the Christian +community. He sets an example, to us ministers in particular, of how +to effect the good of the people. But we do not rightly heed his +example. We imagine it sufficient to hear the Gospel and be able to +discourse about it; we stop at the mere knowledge of it; we never +avail ourselves of the Gospel's power in the struggles of life. +Unquestionably, the trouble is, we do not earnestly pray. We ought +constantly to come to God with great longing, entreating him day and +night to give the Word power to move men's hearts. David says (Ps 68, +33), "Lo, he uttereth his voice, a mighty voice." + +20. Not only preachers, but all Christians, should constantly entreat +the God who grants knowledge to grant also efficacy; should beseech +him that the Word may not pass with the utterance, but may manifest +itself in power. The prevailing complaint at present is that much +preaching obtains, but no practice; that the people are shamefully +rude, cold and indolent, and less active than ever, while at the same +time they enjoy the strong, clear light of revelation concerning all +right and wrong in the world. Well may we pray, then, as Paul does +here. He says, in effect: "You are well supplied: the Word is richly +proclaimed to you--abundantly poured out upon you. But I bend my +knees to God, praying that he may add his blessing to the Word and +grant you to behold his honor and praise and to be firmly +established, that the Word may grow in you and yield fruit." + +21. Feelingly does Paul speak of praying for his followers. He seems +to say: "I must lie here imprisoned, not privileged to be with you or +to aid you in any way but by bending my knees--that is, entreating +and imploring God earnestly and in deep humility--to the end that God +may grant you, may effect in you, what neither myself nor any other +human being can accomplish--what I could not do even were I free and +ever present with you." + + +TRUE PRAYER CONSISTS NOT IN OUTWARD THINGS. + +22. Observe, the apostle alludes to his prayer by naming its outward +expression--bending the knees. But the external posture, if +accompanied by nothing else, is sheer hypocrisy. When prayer is +genuine, possessing the fire by which it is kindled, prompted by a +sincere heart which recognizes its need and likewise the blessings +that are ours as proclaimed in the Word, and when faith in God's +Word--in his promise--revives, then the individual will be possessed +with a fervor prompting him to fall upon his knees and pray for +strength and for the power of the Spirit. When the Spirit of prayer +is enkindled and burns within the heart, the body will responsively +assume the proper attitude; involuntarily, eyes and hands will be +upraised and knees bended. Witness the examples of Moses, David and +even Christ himself. + +When we pray with glowing hearts, external gestures will take care of +themselves. They are prompted by the Spirit, and therefore are not to +be denounced. If assumed, unbidden of the Spirit, they are +hypocritical; as, for instance, when one presumes outwardly to serve +God and perform good works while his heart is far away. The prophet +says (Is 29, 13), "This people draw nigh unto me, and with their +mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart +far from me." + +23. By the declaration, "I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord +Jesus Christ," Paul establishes the doctrine that no one should +presume to speak to God, to entreat him for any favor, unless +approaching, as Paul does here, in the name of "the Father of our +Lord Jesus Christ." For Christ is our sole Mediator, and no one need +expect to be heard unless he approach the Father in the name of that +Mediator and confess him Lord given of God as intercessor for us and +ruler of our bodies and souls. Prayer according to these conditions +is approved. Strong faith, however, is necessary to lay hold of the +comforting Word, picturing God in our hearts as the Father of our +Lord Jesus Christ. + +24. The statement that Christ is our Lord is very comforting, though +we have made it terrifying by regarding Christ as a stern and angry +judge. But the fact is, he is Lord for the sole purpose of securing +us against harsh lords, tyrants, the devil, the world, death, sin and +every sort of misfortune. We are his inheritance, and therefore he +will espouse our cause, deliver us from violence and oppression of +all kinds and better our condition. + +The name "Lord," then, is altogether lovable and comforting to us who +believe, and gives us confidence of heart. But still more comforting +is it to know that our God, our Lord, is the Father of our Lord Jesus +Christ. The name "Lord" stands for the complete Godhead, who gives +himself to us. Therefore, all we ask in this name must be abundantly +bestowed. Naught is here for me but real help and pure grace. For God +designs to have me his child in Christ, placed above all things +temporal and eternal. + + +GOD OUR FATHER. + +25. Paul further declares that God is not merely a father, but the +true Father, "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is +named." Earthly fathers are so called because in a flesh and blood +way they have begotten us, or on account of their age and their claim +to honor. It is the universal custom to apply the term "father" to an +old master. In Second Kings 5, 13, for instance, the servants of +Naaman called their lord "father." Paul's thought is: "All fatherhood +on earth is but a semblance, a shadow, a painted image, in comparison +with the divine Fatherhood of God." + +26. But reason can never see it so. And only by the Spirit's work can +the heart recognize the fact. Reason may go so far as to regard God +an angry and terrible judge, one who makes the world, even hell +itself, too narrow for it and leaves it without a foothold. But it is +impossible for natural reason to call God a father in sincerity; much +less to regard him the divine Father, preeminent over all who bear +the name of "father" in heaven or on earth, of whom all other fathers +are as mirror reflections. + +27. Think of the attitude of an earthly father toward his child, and +of the child toward his father. Even where actual parenthood is +lacking, the name engenders a confidence affectionate and pleasing +enough to kindle the brightest anticipations of great good to be +received. Now, if the sincere, loyal designs of earthly fathers for +their children are mere pretense compared to the blessed purposes of +our heavenly Father, what must we look for from this heavenly Father, +this Father above all others? Paul would teach us to look at the +proportions, and from the confidence we repose in our natural fathers +estimate the character of God as a Father and what we may expect from +him. + +28. He who can put his trust in God, who can confidently rely upon +him and sincerely cry, "Thou art my beloved Father!" need not fear to +ask anything of God, or that God will at all deny him. His own heart +will tell him that his petitions will be granted. Because of the +strength of his confidence, he cannot fail to secure his heart's +desires. Thus God himself teaches us to break open heaven and lay him +bare before our eyes that we may see who this Father is. + +[Thus Paul is confident what he asks is pleasing to God and will be +granted. If we did the same we would, doubtless, have a like +experience. There are still people who pray. It would be a blessing +if there were many more. Then the Gospel would make greater progress +and impart to us greater power. It is evident, God be praised, that +all who rage against the Gospel must be put to shame. The more they +rage, the more the Gospel spreads, and all without our help or +counsel, only because God awakens hearts to pray that it may prosper, +even without our help. The more fervently we pray, the greater is +God's pleasure to hear.] + +29. What is the nature of the prayer Paul here presents? It is the +same as the Lord's Prayer, being particularly identical with the +first, second and third petitions. In words of different sound but +implying the very same thing, Paul briefly embraces these +petitions--the hallowing of God's name and Word in our midst, and the +destruction of the devil's kingdom and all evil--whatever is opposed +to the Word and will of God. He says: + +"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that +ye may be strengthened with power." + + +GOD LAVISH IN HIS BLESSINGS. + +30. Sublime words are these, wrung from a fervent heart. Evidently, +in the effort to express himself fully, clearly and in language +worthy of his subject, the apostle finds words too weak and rare. The +fervor of his heart can be but poorly portrayed. By the phrase, +"according to the riches of his glory," Paul means to say: "Such is +the greatness of God's glory, it deserves the title of riches. For it +is conducive to God's honor and praise that he gives abundantly." +These words reveal the nature of God, proclaiming him the source +whence we may expect all good, and all aid in time of need. He is God +of all the world. The reason the world has made many gods, has +invoked many saints, is because it looks to them for aid and benefit. +The Scriptures term "gods" certain individuals who do good and lend +assistance to their fellows. God says to Moses (Ex 7, 1), "I have +made thee as God [a god] to Pharaoh." + +31. But God, because of the abundance and lavishness of his gifts, is +entitled to greater honor and glory. He is the true God, to whom +alone belongs all glory; yea, the riches of glory. He pours out his +blessings abundantly and above measure; he is the source of all +blessings in heaven and on earth. Even his most inferior +creatures--water, air, the earth and its products--are so generously +bestowed that we can appropriate only an infinitesimal part of them. +Yet in our blindness and stupidity we do not see, yea, we utterly +ignore the fact that God is the giver of these. Now, how much more +generous is God in spiritual blessings! He has freely given +himself--poured out himself--for us, and also gifts and blessings of +the highest order. He has illumined us with a light bright enough to +reveal to us the real character of the world, the devil and the +angels. Yes, to show to us God's purposes, present, past and future. +Thus we have all wisdom and all power over sin, the devil and death, +being lords of all creatures. In a word, our riches are inexpressibly +great. + +32. Paul employs forcible words to record his prayer here. He has +firm confidence in God that the petition must be efficacious, must +penetrate the clouds and open heaven. He does not say that God looks +upon our merit and worthiness and for the sake of these grants our +requests; but for the sake of the riches of his glory. We are not +worthy his favors, but his glory is worthy of our recognition, and we +are to honor him because he gratuitously lavishes his blessings upon +us, that his name alone may be hallowed. Only with a recognition of +these facts may prayer be offered if it is to avail before God. If +God were to consider our merit, very small would be the portion due +us. But if we are to be richly blessed, it must come about through +our recognition of pure grace as the source of our gifts, and our +praise of God's exceeding glory. + +33. But what are the blessings for which Paul's prayer entreats? +Something more than continuance of the Word with his followers, +though it is a great and good gift even to have the Word thoroughly +taught: he prays that the heart may taste the Word and that it may be +effectual in the life. Thus the apostle contrasts a knowledge of the +Word with the power of the Word. Many have the knowledge, but few the +impelling and productive power that the results may be as we teach. +Hence they are criticised and not without reason. But our enemies +cannot censure and reproach us to greater extent than to say that we +preach and accept much good doctrine to no purpose; that no one +practices it and profits thereby; that in fact we are morally worse +than before we heard the doctrines, and consequently it would have +been better had things remained as they were. + + +WE SHOULD PRAY FOR THE POWER OF THE WORD. + +34. What answer shall we make? This: In the first place, considering +our unsatisfactory condition and the lack of power with the Word, we +have great reason to pray with the earnestness Paul's example +teaches. And secondly, though our enemies see little improvement and +few fruits of the Gospel, it is not theirs to judge. They think we +ought to do nothing but work miracles--raising the dead and bordering +the Christian's walk with roses, until naught but holiness obtains +everywhere. This being the case, where would be the need to pray? We +cannot, nor dare we, pray for what we already have, but must thank +God for it. But, since Paul and other Scripture authorities command +us to pray, a defect somewhere in our strength is indicated. +Otherwise why say they so much about it? + +Thus Paul himself acknowledges the Ephesians were weak. He complains +of the same weakness in other Epistles and especially in those to the +Corinthians. Everywhere he urges them to do and live as they had been +taught. The only reason Paul advocates this is that he saw, as we now +see, that everywhere they fail, and things are not as they should be. + +In spite of the fact that not everyone's conduct is satisfactory, +some do mend their ways; and the happy condition obtains that many +consciences are assured and many former evils are now avoided. If the +two sides of the question were carefully compared, we would see much +advantage with us not now noticed. Again, even though we are somewhat +weak, is that any reason for saying all is lost? Further, there is +naught else but filth and corruption in the ranks of our enemies, +which they would gladly adorn with our weakness even. But they must +look upon their way as excellent and ours as odious. + +35. Let them go on with their judging. We admit we are not all +strong, but it is also true that were there no weakness in our ranks, +we would have no need of prayer, perseverance, exhortation and daily +preaching. In condemning the Gospel because of our admitted weakness, +something we ourselves confess, our enemies are themselves judged +before God by their judging us. It is possible for me to be truly in +the kingdom of grace and at the same time outwardly weak enough to be +regarded of men as a knave. My faith is not apparent to men, but God +sees it and I am myself sensible of it. You meantime erroneously +judge me by my outward conduct, thus bringing judgment upon yourself. +We are aware of, and also lament, our weakness and imperfection. +Hence we cry and groan, and pray to God to grant us strength and +power. + + +WORLD SEES NOT INNER MARKS OF CHRISTIANS. + +36. A third answer to our enemies is: We are certain that wherever +the Word of God is proclaimed, the fruits of the same must exist. We +have the Word of God, and therefore the Spirit of God must be with +us. And where the Spirit is, faith must obtain, however weak it may +be. Though visible evidence may be lacking, yet inevitably there must +be some among us who daily pray, while we may not be aware of it. It +is reasonably to be expected that our enemies should judge +erroneously, because they look for outward evidences of Christianity, +which are not forthcoming. + +The Word is too sublime to pass under our judgment; it is the +province of the Word to judge us. The world, however, while unwilling +to be judged and convicted by us, essays to judge and convict the +Word of God. Here God steps in. It would be a pity for the worldly to +see a godly Christian, so God blinds them and they miss his kingdom. +As Isaiah says (ch. 26, 10): "In the land of uprightness will he deal +wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah." For this +reason, few real Christians come under the observation of cavilers; +the latter, in general, observe fools and fanatics, at whom they +maliciously stumble and take offense. They are unworthy to behold +God's honor in a godly Christian upon whom the Lord has poured out +himself in fullness of blessing. + +37. Let the real Christian come into the presence of the caviler, +stand before his very eyes, and the caviler will not see him. Let the +fault-finder hear that one leads an irreproachable life and he will +say: "Heretics have behaved similarly, but under a good appearance +concealed poison." Let one be refractory and reckless, and he must be +a knave. Whatever we do, they are not satisfied. If we pipe, they +will not dance; if we mourn, they will not lament. Neither sweet nor +sour appeals to them. Wisdom must permit herself to be schooled and +governed by these cavilers, as Christ says in Matthew 11, 19. Thus +God confounds and shames the world; while all the time tolerating its +judgment of himself, he is ever careful to have the Gospel +inculcated, even though the worldly burst with rage. I say these +things to teach us to be careful not to join the caviler in judging +presumptuously the work and Word of God. Notwithstanding our +weakness, we are yet certain the kingdom of God is in our midst so +long as we have his Word and daily pray for its efficacy and for an +increase of our faith, as the following words recommend: + +"That ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the +inward man." + + +THE SPIRIT IMPARTS REAL STRENGTH. + +38. The apostle here speaks with varied expression. He leaves little +honor and glory, as it were, for free-will, but desires for his +followers the heavenly power imparted through the Holy Spirit. There +is also a power of the world, and a spirit--the devil, the prince of +the world, who blinds and hardens men's hearts. He boasts of himself +and imparts to men a spirit of daring in his purpose to suppress and +exterminate Christian doctrine. But while worldings are courageous +and daring, so are Christians, and the latter are greater and far +more powerful through the Holy Spirit, and are undaunted by the +world, the devil, death and all kinds of misfortune. This is real +spiritual strength. The Hebrew word "spirit" might well be rendered +"bold, undaunted courage." Spiritual strength is not the strength of +muscle and bone; it is true courage--boldness of heart. Weakness, on +the contrary, is faint-heartedness, timidity, lack of courage. + +39. Paul's meaning, then, is: "I desire for you, and pray God to +grant you, that bold, dauntless courage and that strong, cheerful +spirit which will not be terrified by poverty, shame, sin, the devil +or death, but is confident that nothing can harm us and we will never +be in need." The courage of the world--the spirit of the world--holds +out only until exhaustion of the stores whereon it relies. As the +saying is, "Wealth gives temporal boldness, but the soul must rely on +God alone." The boldness resulting from riches and worldly power is +haughty and makes its boast in earthly things. But the soul has no +hoarded treasure. In God alone it braves every evil; it has a courage +and heart very different from that of the world. + +This is the strength for which Paul prays on behalf of his converts, +a strength not inherent in flesh and blood. The possessor thereof +does not rely and build on his own powers and riches, nor upon any +human help and support. This strength dwells in the inner man. It is +the trust of the dauntless, cheerful heart in God's grace and +assistance, and in these alone. The heart which so trusts has no +fear. It possesses by faith abundance of riches and pleasures--God +himself with all his blessings. At the same time, to human sight only +want, weakness and terror may be apparent. + +"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." + +40. The Holy Spirit brings Christ into the heart and teaches it to +know him. He imparts warmth and courage through faith in Christ. Paul +everywhere intimates that no man should presume to approach God +otherwise than through Christ, the one Mediator. Now, if Christ +dwells in my heart and regulates my entire life, it matters not +though my faith be weak. Christ is not mere bone but also flesh. Yes, +he has blisters and boils and sins of which he is not ashamed, +notwithstanding the eminent saints may hold their noses thereat. And +where he dwells all fullness is, let the individual be weak or strong +as God permits. + + +CHRIST EMBRACED ONLY BY THE HEART. + +41. For Christ to dwell in the heart is simply for the heart to know +him; in other words, to understand who he is and what we are to +expect from him--that he is our Saviour, through whom we may call God +our Father and may receive the Spirit who imparts courage to brave +all trials. It is thus that Christ dwells with us, in our hearts. +Only so can he be embraced; for he is not an inanimate thing, but the +living God. How does man lay hold of the Saviour in the heart? Not by +embracing him intellectually. It is accomplished only by living +faith. Christ will not permit himself to be received by works, nor to +be apprehended with mental vision; he will consent only to be +embraced by the heart. If your faith be true and on a firm +foundation, you have and feel Christ in your heart and are aware of +all he thinks and does in heaven and on earth--how he rules through +his Word and his Spirit, and the attitude of those who have Christ +and those who have him not. + +42. Paul desires Christ to be efficacious in the hearts of his +followers unto the full realization of the promises of the +Word--liberation from sin and death, and assurance of grace and +eternal life. It is impossible for the heart having such experience +to be other than firm and courageous to oppose the terrors of the +devil and the world. But the heart which has not yet arrived at this +point is here advised what course to take, namely, to pray God for +such faith and strength, and to avail himself of the prayers of +others to the same end. So much in regard to faith; now follows the +mention of love. + +"That ye, being rooted and grounded in love." + + +LOVE, THE EXPRESSION OF FAITH. + +43. This is an unusual way of speaking. Is it not in faith that we +are to be rooted, engrafted and grounded? Why, then, does Paul here +substitute "love?" I reply: Faith, it is true, is the essential +thing, but love shows whether or no faith is real and the heart +confident and courageous in God. Where one has an unquestioning +confidence that God is his Father, necessarily, be his faith never so +weak, that faith must find expression in word and deed. He will serve +his neighbor in teaching and in extending to him a helping hand. This +is what Paul calls being rooted and grounded in love--having the +conscious experience of possessing true faith. Love is the test that +determines the reality of faith. Peter says (2 Pet 1, 10), "Give the +more diligence to make your calling and election sure." That is, +proceed to good works that others may see and you experience that you +have true faith. Until you do, you will always be uncertain, +vacillating, superficial in heart, not rooted and grounded. So by +these two clauses Paul teaches, first, that we should have in our +hearts genuine faith toward God; and second, that faith should find +expression in loving service to one's neighbor. + +"May be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth +and length and height and depth." + + +TRUE CHRISTIANS FIND CHRIST EVERYWHERE. + +44. These words represent another feature of the apostle's desire for +his Christians to be established and comforted in God through faith, +and rooted and grounded in love toward their neighbors. "When you are +thus strengthened," he would say, "and are perseveringly pressing +forward, you will be able to grasp with all saints the four parts, to +increase therein and to appreciate them more and more." Faith alone +effects this apprehension. Love is not the moving force here, but it +contributes by making faith manifest. + +45. Some teachers would make these words reflect and measure the holy +cross. But Paul does not say a word about the cross. He simply says, +in effect: "That you may apprehend all things; may see the length and +breadth, the height and depth, of Christ's kingdom." This condition +obtains when my heart has reached the point where Christ cannot make +the spiritual life too long or too wide for me to follow, nor high +enough or deep enough to cause my fall from him or his Word; the +point where I may be satisfied that wherever I go he is, and that he +rules in all places, however long or broad, deep or high, the +situation from either a temporal or eternal point of view. No matter +how long or wide I measure, I find him everywhere. David says (Ps +139, 7-8): "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I +flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: +if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there." Christ rules +eternally. His length and breadth, his depth and height, are +unlimited. If I descend into hell, my heart and my faith tell me he +is there. + +46. The sum of the matter is this: Depressed or exalted, +circumscribed in whatsoever way, dragged hither or thither, I still +find Christ. For he holds in his hands everything in heaven or on +earth, and all are subject to him--angels, the devil, the world, sin, +death and hell. Therefore, so long as he dwells in my heart, I have +courage, wherever I go, I cannot be lost. I dwell where Christ my +Lord dwells. This, however, is a situation impossible to reason. +Should reason ascend a yard above the earth or descend a yard below, +or be deprived of the tangible things of the present, it would have +to despair. We Christians are, through Christ, better fortified. We +are assured that he dwells everywhere, be it in honor or dishonor, +hunger, sorrow, illness, imprisonment, death or life, blessing or +affliction. It is Paul's desire for the Ephesians that God give them +grace and strength to have such heart-apprehension of his kingdom. He +concludes the details of his prayer in these words: + +"And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may +be filled unto all the fulness of God." + +47. He means: "I desire you, in addition to having faith and +apprehending the four proportions of Christ's kingdom, to know the +love of Christ we should have--the love Christ bears toward us, and +the love we owe our neighbor. This knowledge transcends all other, +even familiarity with the Gospel; for, know as much as you may, your +knowledge will avail little or nothing without love." + +48. Paul's desire, briefly summed up, is that the faith of Christians +may be strengthened unto efficacy, and that love may be warm and +fervent, and the heart filled with the fullness of God. "Filled unto +all the fullness of God" means, if we follow the Hebrew, filled with +everything God's bounty supplies, full of God, adorned with his grace +and the gifts of his Spirit--the Spirit who gives us steadfastness, +illuminates us with his light, lives within us his life, saves us +with his salvation, and with his love enkindles love in us; in short, +it means having God himself and all his blessings dwelling in us in +fullness and being effective to make us wholly divine--not so that we +possess merely something of God, but all his fullness. + + +CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. + +49. Much has been written about the way we are to become godlike. +Some have constructed ladders whereby we are to ascend to heaven, and +others similar things. But this is all patchwork. In this passage is +designated the truest way to attain godlikeness. It is to become +filled to the utmost with God, lacking in no particular; to be +completely permeated with him until every word, thought and deed, the +whole life in fact, be utterly godly. + +50. But let none imagine such fullness can be attained in this life. +We may indeed desire it and pray for it, like Paul here, but we will +not find a man thus perfect. We stand, however, upon the fact that we +desire such perfection and groan after it. So long as we live in the +flesh, we are filled with the fullness of Adam. Hence it is necessary +for us continually to pray God to replace our weakness with courage, +and to put into our hearts his Spirit to fill us with grace and +strength and rule and work in us absolutely. We ought all to desire +this state for one another. To this end may God grant us grace. Amen. + + + + +_Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 4, 1-6. + +1 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk +worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, 2 with all +lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in +love; 3 giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond +of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were +called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one +baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through +all, and in all. + + +THE CHRISTIAN CALLING AND UNITY. + +1. This, too, is a beautiful sermon, delivered by Paul to the +Ephesians, concerning the good works of Christians, who believe and +are obedient to the doctrine of the Gospel. In the knowledge of good +works Paul desires Christians to grow and increase, as we learned in +the epistle for last Sunday. The ground of all doctrine, of all right +living, the supreme and eternal treasure of him who is a Christian in +the sight of God, is faith in Christ. It alone secures forgiveness of +sins and makes us children of God. Now, where this faith is, fruits +should follow as evidence that Christians in their lives honor and +obey God. They are necessary for God's glory and for the Christian's +own honor and eternal reward before him. + +2. Paul, remembering the imprisonment and tribulations he suffered +because of the Gospel and for the advantage, as he before said, of +the Ephesians, gives the admonition here. He would have them, in +return for his sufferings, honor the Gospel in their lives. First he +names a general rule of life for Christians. + +"To walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called." + + +THE CHRISTIAN CALLING. + +3. The chief thing that should influence a Christian's outward walk +is the remembrance of his calling and appointment by God. He should +be mindful of why he is called a Christian, and live consistently. He +must shine before the world; that is, through his life and God's +work, the Word and the name of Christ the Lord must be exalted. +Christ exhorts his disciples: "Even so let your light shine before +men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who +is in heaven." Mt 5, 16. + +4. Similarly, Paul would say: "You have received God's grace and his +Word and are a blessed people. In Christ all your needs are blessedly +supplied. Be mindful of this and remember you are called to a far +different and vastly higher life than others know. Show by your +manner of living that you seek a higher good than the world +seeks--indeed, that you have received far greater blessings. Let your +lives honor and glorify the Lord who has given you such blessings. +Give no occasion for dishonoring your treasured faith, or for +scorning his Word. Rather, influence men by your godly walk and good +works to believe in Christ and to glorify him." + +5. Let the Christian know his earthly life is not unto himself, nor +for his own sake; his life and work here belong to Christ, his Lord. +Hence must his walk be such as shall contribute to the honor and +glory of his Master, whom he should so serve that he may be able to +say with Paul, not only with respect to the spiritual life--the life +of faith and of righteousness by grace--but also with respect to its +fruits--the outward conduct: "It is no longer I that live, but Christ +liveth in me." Gal 2, 20. The Christian's manner of life may be +styled "walking in Christ"; yes, as Paul elsewhere has it (Rom 13, +14), "putting on" the Lord Jesus Christ, like a garment or an +ornament. The world is to recognize Christ by his shining in us. + +6. But the so-called Christian life that does not honor Christ makes +its sin the more heinous for the name it bears. Every sin the people +of God commit is a provocation of Jehovah; not only in the act of +disobedience itself, but also in the transgression of the second +commandment. The enormity of the sin is magnified by the conditions +that make it a blasphemy of God's name and an occasion of offense to +others. Paul says in Romans 2, 24: "For the name of God is blasphemed +among the Gentiles because of you." So a Christian should, in his +life, by all means guard the honor of God--of Christ. He must take +heed that he be not guilty of blaspheming that name and of doing +wickedness. The devil, aided by the world, construes every act, when +possible, to reflect upon God's honor and glory. His purpose is to +manifest his bitter hatred against Christ and the Word; also to +injure the Church by charging offenses, thus deterring unbelievers +from embracing the Gospel and causing the weak to fall away. + +7. To guard against such disaster, Christians should be particularly +careful to give, in their conduct, no occasion for offense, and to +value the name and honor of their God too highly to permit blasphemy +of them. They should prefer to lose their own honor, their wealth, +their physical well-being, even their lives, rather than that these, +their most precious possessions and greatest blessings, should suffer +disgrace. Let them remember that upon keeping sacred the name and +honor of God depends their own standing before God and men. God +promises (1 Sam 2, 30), "Them that honor me I will honor." But +pursuing the opposite course, Christians bring upon themselves God's +sternest wrath and effect their own rejection and shame. For he says +further: "They that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." And in the +second commandment God threatens certain and terrible punishment to +abusers of his name; that is, to them who do not employ it to his +honor and praise. + +8. Well may every Christian examine his own life to see if he is +careful to guard against offense to the Gospel and to regulate his +words and conduct by God's first commandment, making them contribute +to the honor and praise of the divine name and the holy Gospel. +Weighty indeed and well calculated to cause complaint are the sins to +which every Christian is liable in this respect; well may he avoid +them lest he heap to himself the wrath of God. Especially need we be +careful in these last and evil times when the Gospel is everywhere +suppressed by great offenses. Man was created to be the image of God, +that through this his image God might himself be expressed. God's +image, then, should be reflected in the lives of men as a likeness in +a glass, and a Christian can have no higher concern than to live +without dishonor to the name of God. + + +ADMONITION TO SPECIAL CHRISTIAN VIRTUES. + +9. Such is the first part of Paul's admonition concerning the general +life of Christians. He goes on to make special mention of several +good works which Christians should diligently observe: humility, +meekness, long-suffering, preservation of the unity of the Spirit, +and so on. These have been specially treated before, in other epistle +lessons, particularly those from Peter. Humility, for +instance--mentioned in today's lesson--is taken up the third Sunday +after Trinity; patience and meekness, the second Sunday after Easter, +and the fifth Sunday after Trinity. + +10. The text here presents good works sufficient to occupy all +Christians in every station of life; we need not seek other nor +better ones. Paul would not impose upon Christians peculiar works, +something unrelated to the ordinary walks of life, as certain false +saints taught and practiced. These teachers commanded separation from +society, isolation in the wilderness, the establishment of monkeries +and the performance of self-appointed works. Such works they exalted +as superior to ordinary Christian virtues. Indeed, their practice +amounted to rejection of the latter, and they actually regarded them +as dangerous. The Papacy has in the past shamelessly styled the +observance of Christian good works as worldly living, and men were +compelled to believe they would find it hard to reach heaven unless +they became ecclesiasts--for they regarded only the monks and priests +worthy--or at least made themselves partakers of the works of +ecclesiasts by purchasing their merits. + +But Paul--in fact, the entire Scriptures--teaches no other good works +than God enjoins upon all men in the Ten Commandments, and which +pertain to the common conditions of life. True, these make not such +brilliant show in the eyes of the world as do the self-appointed +ceremonials constituting the divine service of hypocrites; +nevertheless, they are true, worthy, good and profitable works in the +sight of God and man. What can be more acceptable to God and +advantageous to man than a life lived, in its own calling, in the way +that contributes to the honor of God, and that by its example +influences others to love God's Word and to praise his name? +Moreover, what virtues, of all man possesses, serve him better than +humility, meekness, patience and harmony of mind? + +11. Now, where is a better opportunity for the exercise of these +virtues than amidst the conditions in which God destined us to +live--in society, where we mingle with one another? Upon these +conditions, self-appointed, unusual lives and monastic holiness have +no bearing. For what other person is profited by your entering a +cloister, making yourself peculiar, refusing to live as your fellows +do? Who is benefited by your cowl, your austere countenance, your +hard bed? Who comes to know God or to have a peaceful conscience by +such practices on your part, or who is thereby influenced to love his +neighbor? Indeed, how can you serve your neighbor by such a life? How +manifest your love, humility, patience and meekness if you are +unwilling to live among men? if you so strenuously adhere to your +self-appointed orders as to allow your neighbor to suffer want before +you would dishonor your rules? + +12. Astonishing fact, that the world is merged in darkness so great +it utterly disregards the Word of God and the conditions he designed +for our daily living. If we preach to the world faith in God's Word, +the world receives it as heresy. If we speak of works instituted of +God himself and conditions of his own appointing, the world regards +it as idle talk; it knows better. To live a simple Christian life in +one's own family, to faithfully perform the duties of a man-servant +or maid-servant--"Oh, that," it says, "is merely the following of +worldly pursuits. To do good works you must set about it in a +different way. You must creep into a corner, don a cap, make +pilgrimages to some saint; then you may be able to help yourself and +others to gain heaven." If the question be asked, "Why do so? where +has God commanded it?" there is, according to their theory, really no +answer to make but this: Our Lord God knows nothing about the matter; +he does not understand what good works are. How can he teach us? He +must himself be tutored by these remarkably enlightened saints. + + +FRUITS OF ORIGINAL SIN. + +13. But all this error results from that miserable inherent plague, +that evil termed "original sin." It is a blind wickedness, refusing +to recognize the Word of God and his will and work, but introducing +instead things of its own heathenish imagination. It draws such a +thick covering over eyes, ears and hearts that it renders men unable +to perceive how the simple life of a Christian, of husband or wife, +of the lower or the higher walks of life, can be beautified by +honoring the Word of God. Original sin will not be persuaded to the +faithful performance of the works that God testifies are well +pleasing to him when wrought by believers in Christ. In a word, +universal experience proves that to perform really good works is a +special and remarkable grace to which few attain; while the great +mass of souls aspiring after holiness vainly busy themselves with +worthless works, being deceived into thinking them great, and thus +make themselves, as Paul says, "unto every good work reprobate." Tit +1, 16. This fruitless effort is one evil result of the error of human +ideas of holiness and the practice of self-chosen works. + +14. Another error is the hindrance--yes, the suppression and +destruction--of the beautiful virtues of humility, meekness, patience +and spiritual harmony here commended of Paul. At the same time the +devil is given occasion to encourage fiendish blasphemy. In every +instance where the Word of God is set aside for humanly-appointed +works, differing views and theories must obtain. One introduces this +and another that, each striving for first recognition; then a third +endeavors to improve upon their doctrine. Consequently divisions and +factions ensue as numerous as the teachers and their creeds; as +exemplified in the countless sects to this time prevalent in Popedom, +and in the factious spirits of all time. Under such circumstances, +none of the virtues like humility, meekness, patience, love, can have +place. Opposite conditions must prevail, since harmony of hearts and +minds is lacking. One teacher haughtily rejects another, and if his +own opinions fail to receive recognition and approval, he displays +anger, envy and hatred. He will neither affiliate with nor tolerate +him whose practices accord not with his own. + +15. On the other hand, the Christian life, the life of faith with its +fruits, controlled as it is by the Word of God, is in every way +conducive to the preservation of love and harmony, and to the +promotion of all virtues. It interferes not with the God-ordained +relations of life and their attendant obligations upon men--the +requirements of social order, the duties of father and mother, of son +and daughter, master and mistress, servant and maid. All life's +relations are confirmed by it as valid and its duties as vital. The +Christian faith bids each person in his life, and all in common, to +be diligent in the works of love, humility, patience. It teaches that +one be not intolerant of another, but rather render him his due, +remembering that he whose condition in life is the most insignificant +can be equally upright and blessed before God with the occupant of +the most significant position. Again, it teaches that man must have +patience with the weakness of his fellow, being mindful of how others +must bear with his own imperfections. In short, it says one must +manifest to another the love and kindness he would have that other +extend to him. + +16. To this Christian attainment, contributes very largely the single +fact that a Christian is conscious he has, through Christ, the grace +of God, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And these not for +his own merits or peculiar life and works, but because he is, no +matter how insignificant in condition before the world, a child of +God and blessed; a partaker, if he but believes, in all the blessings +of Christ, sharing equally with the most eminent saint. So, then, he +need not look about for works not enjoined upon him. He need not +covet those wrought in prominence and by the aid of great gifts of +God--of unusual attainments. Let him confine himself to his own +sphere; let him serve God in his vocation, remembering that God makes +him, too, his instrument in his own place. + +Again, the occupant of a higher sphere, the possessor of higher gifts +and accomplishments, who likewise serves in his vocation received +from God, should learn and exhibit harmony of mind. So shall he +continue humble and be tolerant of others. He should remember that he +is not worthier in the eyes of God because of his greater gifts, but +rather is under deeper obligation to serve his fellows, and that God +can use the possessor of lesser gifts for even greater +accomplishments than himself can boast. Having so learned, he will be +able to manifest patience, meekness and love toward his weak and +imperfect neighbors, considering them members of Christ with him, and +partakers of the same grace and salvation. + + +THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT. + +17. Now you have the reason why the apostles Paul and Peter +everywhere so faithfully enforce this virtue, the unity of the +Spirit. It is the most necessary and beautiful grace that Christians +possess. It holds together the Christian community, preventing +factions and schisms, as before explained. So Paul here admonishes +men to be careful for harmony, making every endeavor to preserve it. +The term "unity of the Spirit" is used to make plain the apostle's +meaning. He would thus emphasize oneness of doctrine--the one true +faith. Since the Holy Spirit is present only where there is knowledge +of and faith in the Gospel of Christ, "unity of the Spirit" implies a +unity of faith. Above all things, then, the effort must be to +preserve, in the Church, the doctrine of the Scriptures, pure and in +its unity. + +18. One of the wickedest offenses possible to commit against the +Church is the stirring up of doctrinal discord and division, a thing +the devil encourages to the utmost. This sin usually has its rise +with certain haughty, conceited, self-seeking leaders who desire +peculiar distinction for themselves and strive for personal honor and +glory. They harmonize with none and would think themselves disgraced +were they not honored as superior and more learned individuals than +their fellows, a distinction they do not merit. They will give honor +to no one, even when they have to recognize the superiority of his +gifts over their own. In their envy, anger, hatred and vengefulness, +they seek occasion to create factions and to draw people to +themselves. Therefore Paul exhorts first to the necessary virtue of +love, having which men will be enabled to exercise humility, patience +and forbearance toward one another. + +19. The character of the evils resulting to the Church from divisions +and discords in doctrine is evident from the facts. Many are +deceived; the masses immediately respond to new doctrine brilliantly +presented in specious words by presumptuous individuals thirsting for +fame. More than that, many weak but well-meaning ones fall to +doubting, uncertain where to stand or with whom to hold. Consequently +men reject and blaspheme the Christian doctrine and seek occasion to +dispute it. Many become reckless pleasure-lovers, disregarding all +religion and ignoring the Word of God. Further, even they who are +called Christians come to have hard feelings against one another, +and, figuratively, bite and devour in their hate and envy. +Consequently their love grows cold and faith is extinguished. + +20. Of so much disturbance in the Church, and of the resulting +injuries to souls, are guilty those conceited, factious leaders who +do not adhere to the true doctrine, preserving the unity of the +Spirit, but seek to institute something new for the sake of advancing +their own ideas and their own honor, or gratifying their revenge. +They thus bring upon themselves damnation infinitely more intolerable +than others suffer. Christians, then, should be careful to give no +occasion for division or discord, but to be diligent, as Paul here +admonishes, to preserve unity. And this is not an easy thing to do, +for among Christians occasions frequently arise provoking self-will, +anger and hatred. The devil is always at hand to stir and blow the +flame of discord. Let Christians take heed they do not give place to +the promptings of the devil and of the flesh. They must strive +against them, submitting to all suffering, and performing all +demands, whether honor, property, physical welfare or life itself be +involved, in the effort to prevent, so far as in them lies, any +disturbance of the unity of doctrine, of faith and of Spirit. + +"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in +one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God +and Father of all." + +21. Christians should feel bound to maintain the unity of the Spirit, +since they are all members of one body and partakers of the same +spiritual blessings. They have the same priceless treasures--one God +and Father in heaven, one Lord and Savior, one Word, baptism and +faith; in short, one and the same salvation, a blessing common to all +whereof one has as much as another, and cannot obtain more. What +occasion, then, for divisions or for further seeking? + +22. Here Paul teaches what the true Christian Church is and how it +may be identified. There is not more than one Church, or people of +God, one earth. This one Church has one faith, one baptism, one +confession of God the Father and of Jesus Christ. Its members +faithfully hold, and abide by, these common truths. Every one +desiring to be saved and to come to God must be incorporated into +this Church, outside of which no one will be saved. + +23. Unity of the Church does not consist in similarity of outward +form of government, likeness of Law, tradition and ecclesiastical +customs, as the Pope and his followers claim. They would exclude from +the Church all not obedient to them in these outward things, though +members of the one faith, one baptism, and so on. The Church is +termed "one holy, catholic or Christian Church," because it +represents one plain, pure Gospel doctrine, and an outward confession +thereof, always and everywhere, regardless of dissimilarity of +physical life, or of outward ordinances, customs and ceremonies. + +24. But they are not members of the true Church of Christ who, +instead of preserving unity of doctrine and oneness of Christian +faith, cause divisions and offenses--as Paul says (Rom 16, 17)--by +the human doctrines and self-appointed works for which they contend, +imposing them upon all Christians as necessary. They are perverters +and destroyers of the Church, as we have elsewhere frequently shown. +The consolation of the true doctrine is ours, and we hold it in +opposition to Popedom, which accuses us of having withdrawn from +them, and so condemns us as apostates from the Church. They are, +however, themselves the real apostates, persecuting the truth and +destroying the unity of the Spirit under the name and title of the +Church and of Christ. Therefore, according to the command of God, all +men are under obligation to shun them and withdraw from them. + + + + +_Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Corinthians 1, 4-9. + +4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which +was given you in Christ Jesus; 5 that in everything ye were enriched +in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; 6 even as the testimony +of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 so that ye come behind in no gift; +waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; 8 who shall also +confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreprovable in the day of our +Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom ye were called +into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. + + +TREASURE CHRISTIANS HAVE IN THE GOSPEL. + +1. We have before us the opening words of the Epistle to the +Corinthians, which Paul was moved to write because of unpleasant +conditions in the Church at Corinth after his departure. Divisions +had arisen and sad confusion prevailed in doctrine and life. Hence +the apostle was constrained to rebuke their wickedness and correct +their infirmities. Because of these wholesome admonitions, the +reading and heeding of this epistle is not only profitable but +essential to this day; for the devil takes no respite, but whenever +the Gospel is preached in its purity he mixes with the children of +God and sows his seed. + +2. Paul intends to be rather severe--even caustic--but he begins very +leniently, showing them what they have received through the Gospel. +His purpose is to arouse their gratitude to God, and to induce them, +for his honor and glory, to be harmonious in doctrine and life, +avoiding divisions and other offenses. + +"I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was +given you in Christ Jesus," etc. + +3. In other words, Paul would say: Dear brethren, consider, I pray +you, what abundant grace and gifts have been given you of God. They +are bestowed not because of the Law, or because of your +righteousness, your merits and works; you are given no reason to +exalt yourselves above others, or to originate sects or schisms. Nay, +all these blessings have been freely given you in Christ and for his +sake, through the preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel is a grace +which brings to you all manner of gifts, by him enriching you in +everything. You lack nothing from God, but you await this one thing, +that blessed day when Christ will reveal himself to you with all +those heavenly gifts which you now possess in faith. + +4. In this wise he extols to them the preaching of the Gospel (as +indeed he does on different occasions); his purpose is to induce them +to regard it most appreciatively. He gives them an example of his own +gratitude, thanking God on their behalf, for the purpose of calling +forth their especial gratitude when they should consider what they +formerly were and what they now had received through the Gospel. And +again, he would have them beware lest, forgetful of their former +misery and present grace, they relapse into their old blindness. A +sad beginning in such backsliding had been made by factions in their +midst, who, satiated with the Gospel and indifferent to the abundant +grace they enjoyed, began to cast about for something else. + +5. Now observe: If the exalted apostle and venerable teacher of the +Gentiles in his day had to witness in his own parish such factions +and sects as those which, in sinful security and ingratitude toward +the Gospel, arose during his life, what wonder is it that today, when +we do not have the excellent preachers and pious Christians of those +times, there are similar sects? We are aware of the great benefits +bestowed upon us, but at the same time we see and realize that the +devil instigates divisions and scandals. And the cause of these evils +may be traced to our ingratitude; we have quickly forgotten the ills +we endured under the blindness of popery, and how miserably we were +deluded and tormented. Necessarily, where God's mercies are lightly +dismissed from the mind and disregarded, gratitude and regard for +God's Word cannot be the result; satiated, listless Christians go +their way fancying that spiritual conditions always were and always +will be as now. + +6. The people, therefore, must be awakened to consider their former +destitution, the very wretchedness they were in. The apostle later on +vividly pictures such condition to his Corinthians, while here, in +the opening chapter, he intimates to them, in kind and courteous +words, to consider, in the light of the Gospel benefits they now +enjoy, what they lacked before and might be deprived of again. + +7. Therefore he says, You now have received the grace whereby in +everything ye are enriched. Formerly you had not this grace and would +not have it today had not the Gospel been preached to you. You are +enriched in everything pertaining to yonder life, for it is not the +purpose of the Gospel to give earthly riches. But in spiritual +blessings ye come behind in no gift and have need of naught except +this one thing, that the Lord himself should come. This blessing you +are yet to have, and biding its advent you here live by the gifts and +grace with which you were enriched, until you are finally redeemed +from the sinful, wicked life of the world and from all its +oppressions. You must know, and must thank God for it, that you need +not seek after any higher calling or better gifts, thinking you have +not all that is essential, as the factious spirits would have you +believe. + +8. For in your own judgment, what better thing could you have than is +the Christian's in his Gospel and his faith? He has assurance of sins +forgiven and washed away in holy baptism, of justification and +holiness before God, and of the fact that he is God's child and heir +to eternal life. Furthermore, although the Christian is conscious of +remaining weakness and sin, yea, although he be overcome by a fault, +he may avail himself of absolution, comfort and strength through his +fellow Christians and by the aid of the sacraments; and he has daily +guidance for his conduct and faith in all the walks of life. Again, +he can call upon God in prayer in the day of trouble, and the firm +assurance is his that God will hear and help him. What further can +one desire, or what more does he need, than the knowledge that he is +God's child through baptism and has God's Word at hand for comfort +and strength in weakness and sin? Do you consider it slight +enrichment to have assurance of the fact that God himself is speaking +to you and, by means of the office of the ministry, is effective in +you, teaching, admonishing, comforting, sustaining you, yea, granting +you victory over the devil, death and all evil influences on earth? + +9. Formerly what would we not gladly have given and done for but a +single Gospel truth in our distress and trials of conscience! True, +when one was discouraged or perplexed he was advised to seek and +follow the counsel of some intelligent and judicious mind; but such +judicious one who might assist with his counsel was nowhere to be +found. For a wise man's counsel does not answer in such case. The +Word of God alone suffices, and you are to rely on it as if God +himself revealed his counsel to you from heaven. + +10. As Paul says, it is great riches, a precious treasure, to possess +in very fact the Word of God and not to doubt that it is the Word of +God. It is this that will answer; this can comfort your heart and +support it. Of spiritual benefits you know we had none under the +tyranny and darkness of the Pope. At that time we suffered ourselves +to be led and driven by his commandments, vain human baubles, by +bulls, lies, invocation of saints, indulgences, masses, monkery. And +we did whatever was enjoined in the name of the Church, solely to +gain comfort and help, that we might not despair of God's grace. But +instead of comforting us, these things led us to the devil and thrust +us into greater anguish and terror; for there was nothing in the +doctrine of the papists that could give us certainty. Indeed, they +themselves had to confess that by its teachings no man could or +should be certain of his state of grace. + +11. Yea, they forced poor, timid, tempted hearts to dread and fear +Christ more than the devil even, as I myself experienced full well. I +resorted to the dead--St. Barbara, St. Ann and other departed +saints--regarding them as mediators between me and Christ's wrath. +But this availed me nothing, nor did it free me from a fearful and +fugitive conscience. There was not one among us all--and we were +called very learned doctors of Holy Writ--who could have given true +comfort from God's Word, saying: This is God's Word; this one thing +God asks of you, that you honor him by accepting comfort; believe and +know that he forgives your transgressions and has no wrath against +you. If someone could have told me this, I would have given all I +possessed for the knowledge; yea, for such word of comfort I would +not have taken in exchange the glory and the crowns of all kings, for +it would have restored my soul, it would have refreshed and sustained +my body and life. + +12. All this we should bear in mind, by no means should we forget it; +that we may return thanks to God, recounting the superior and +wonderful gifts which have enriched us in all things. We have besides +the Word, free prayer and the Lord's Prayer, knowing what to pray for +and how to pray--knowledge common to the very children today, thank +God. In former times, all men, especially we monks, tormented +themselves with lengthy repetitions in reading and singing; yet our +prayers were but chattering, as the noise of geese over their food, +or of monks repeating a psalm. + +13. I, too, wanted to be a pious and godly monk and I prepared with +earnest devotion for mass and for prayers. But when most devout I +went to the altar a doubter and left the altar a doubter. When I had +rendered my confession I still doubted, and I doubted when I did not +render it. For we were wholly wrapped up in the erroneous idea that +we could not pray and would not be heard unless we were absolutely +clean and without sin, like the saints in heaven. It would have been +much better not to pray at all and to have done something else, than +thus to take God's name in vain. Still, we monks--in fact all the +ecclesiastics--deluded the people, promising them our prayers for +their money and possessions, actually selling our prayers, though we +did not even know that we prayed in a manner acceptable to God. But +today, thank God, we do know and understand, not only what to pray +for and how to approach God "nothing doubting," but we can also add a +hearty Amen, believing that according to his promise he will +certainly hear us. + + +THE CHRISTIAN'S TREASURE. + +14. The Christian has indeed inestimable treasure. In the first place +he has the testimony of the Word of God, which is the word of eternal +grace and comfort, that he has a right and true conception of +baptism, the Lord's Supper, the Ten Commandments and the Creed. In +addition he has the sure refuge of God's promise to deliver us from +every trouble in which we shall call upon him, and to give us, as he +promised by the prophet Zechariah (12, 10), the Spirit of grace and +of prayer. And the Christian, by virtue of his enlightened +understanding, can wisely discern what are good works and what +callings are pleasing to God; on the other hand, his judgment is +equally true as to unprofitable and vain works and false services. +Before, we had not this wholesome knowledge. We knew not what we +believed, or how we prayed and lived. We sought comfort and salvation +in self-devised trivialities, in penances, confessions and +satisfactions, in self-righteous works of monkery and in obedience to +the commands of the Pope. We believed such works to be fully +satisfactory and, indeed, the only things that were holy; the +pursuits of common Christians we considered worldly and dangerous. + +15. In illustration of this idea, a picture was exhibited--with the +sanction of the Pope--representing a great ship in the wild, wide +sea, containing only the holy monks and the super-holy popes, +cardinals, bishops, etc., who were throwing their merits to those in +peril struggling in the water, or extending a hand, or by means of +ropes and their stoles drawing the drowning to safety in the boat. + +16. In contrast to this darkness, consider the priceless and +to-be-cherished blessing of knowing with certainty wherein the heart +is to take comfort, how to seek help in distress and how to conduct +one's self in one's own station. If, though provided with spiritual +riches on all sides, you are not sufficient of yourself at all times +to grasp them, you can, nevertheless, always reach and appropriate +them by means of the ordinary ministry and office of the Church, yes, +by the aid of your fellow-Christians. Again, it is productive of the +greatest happiness to know that when living aright in the ordinary +walks of life established by God, you are more acceptable and +pleasing to him than you would be to purchase the works and merits of +all the monks and hermits. + +17. What Paul terms being "enriched," first, "in all utterance," or +knowledge--which, in the exalted spiritual meaning of the words, +bears on life everlasting--is having the comfort of faith in Christ +and of invocation and prayer. And enriched in "all knowledge," means +having true conception and right judgment in all things of our +physical life and in all our earthly relations. All things that a +Christian should know and should possess are comprehended in these +two terms. These blessings are gifts and treasures indescribably +great. He who will contrast them with the destitution of our former +condition cannot but be joyful and thankful. I remember the time when +I, engaged in earnest study of Holy Writ, would have given a great +deal for the right exposition of a psalm; and when had I but begun to +understand a verse aright, I would have been as rejoiced as if born +to life anew. + +18. Truly, then, we should now render to God heartfelt thanks for the +great favor and blessing of restored light and understanding in +Scripture, and the right conception of doctrinal matters. But, alas! +it is likely to be with us as with the Corinthians, who had received +most abundantly from Paul but by way of return had made ill use of it +and proved shamefully unthankful. And they met with retribution, the +worst of it being false doctrine and seductions, until at last that +grand congregation was wholly ruined and destroyed. A similar +retribution threatens us, yes, is before the door with appalling +knock, in the instance of the Turks and in other distress and +calamity. For this reason we should, with a thankful heart and +serious mind, pray, as Paul here does for his Corinthians, that God +would keep us steadfast in the possession of his gifts and blameless +in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. + +19. Paul admonishes us to continue in this knowledge and appreciation +of the grace and gifts of God. Since by these blessings we have +received riches and happiness to the satisfying of all our need, the +apostle further admonishes us to look only for the Lord to reveal to +us publicly by his coming that which he has promised and through +faith already granted us. + +20. In the past, much has been written and ingeniously devised on the +topic of preparing for death and the final judgment. But it has only +served to further confuse timid consciences. For these comforters +were not able to show anything of the comfort to be found in the +riches of grace and bliss in Christ. They directed the people to +oppose with their own works and good life, death and God's judgment. +In place of this delusion is now evident the precious truth; he who +knows the Gospel doctrines, goes on and performs his own work and +duty in his respective calling. He takes comfort in the fact that +through baptism he is engrafted into Christ; he receives absolution +and partakes of the holy supper for the strengthening of his faith, +commending his soul and body to Christ. Why should such a one fear +death? Though it come at any time, in form of pestilence or accident, +it will always find the Christian ready and well prepared, be he +awake or asleep; for he is in Christ Jesus. + +21. For all these things the Christian may well thank and bless God, +realizing that he has no further need, nor can he gain anything +better than he already has in the remission of sins, the gift of the +Holy Spirit and the faithful prosecution of his calling; however, he +should remain in, and daily grow in, faith and supplication. But he +cannot hope to attain to another and better doctrine, faith, Spirit, +prayer, sacrament, reward, etc., than had all the saints, John the +Baptist, Peter, Paul, or in fact than has now every Christian that is +baptized. Therefore I need not idly spend time in trying to prepare +people for death and inspire them with courage by such commonplaces +as recalling and relating the innumerable daily accidents, ills and +dangers of this life. This method will not answer; death will not +thereby be frightened away, nor will the fear of death be removed. +The Gospel teaching is: Believe in Christ, pray and live in +accordance with God's Word, and then, when death overtakes and +attacks you, you will know that you are Christ the Lord's. Paul says +(Rom 14, 8): "Whether we live ... or die, we are the Lord's." Indeed, +we Christians live upon this earth to the very end that we may have +assured comfort, salvation and victory over death and hell. + +22. Of this Paul here reminds us, and dwells on it more fully later +in this Epistle; he would have us duly thankful for this great grace +and living among ourselves in a Christian and brotherly manner, in +doctrine and practice, ignoring and avoiding that wild, disorderly +conduct of the contentious and disorderly. He who recognizes such +grace and blessing cannot but love and thank God and conduct himself +aright toward his neighbor; and when he finds himself falling short +in this he will, by admonition and the Word of God, make amends. + +23. Here you might put the question: Why does Paul speak in such a +commendatory way of the Corinthians, saying that they were enriched +in everything and came behind in no gift, when he himself confesses +later on that they had contentions and schisms--in regard to baptism, +to the sacrament, to the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and +in regard to abuse of liberty, and some lived as they pleased. Would +you not call these things faults and shortcomings? How, then, is he +in a position to say that they were abundantly supplied with all +things spiritual, lacking not one thing? + +24. Well, you should recall what I have repeatedly stated: +Christendom is never so spotless that there are not some spurious and +wicked admixed, just as you will always find weeds, darnel, tares, or +wild mustard together with pure grain. And he who will examine the +Church with only a view of finding faults and frailties among those +called Christians, will miss the Church, yes, the Gospel and Christ, +and never discover a Church at all. + +25. But we have the consolation of knowing that if we have the Gospel +pure, we have the treasure God gives his Church and we cannot go +astray nor want. But as yet we have not reached that degree of +perfection where all hearers of the Gospel will grasp it fully and +wholly or are faultless in faith and life; at all times there will be +some who do not believe and some who are weak and imperfect. However, +that great treasure and rich blessing of doctrine and knowledge is +present. There is no defect in this, and it is effective and +fruitful. The fact that some do not believe, does not weaken baptism +or the Gospel or the Church; they only harm themselves. To sum up, +where the Word remains, there most assuredly is also the Church. For +wherever the doctrine is pure, there you can also keep purity in +baptism, the sacrament, absolution, the Ten Commandments, the Lord's +Prayer, good works and all callings; and wherever you find a defect +or an irregularity, you can admonish, amend and rectify by means of +the Word. + +26. Some there must be who have the Word and sacraments pure and +unadulterated, who have faith, pray aright, keep God's commandments +and do other things, as, thank God, we have with us. Then we may +firmly conclude: If the true Church were not here, these +characteristics would be lacking; therefore we must have among +ourselves true members of the Church and true saints. Now even though +children of the world intermingle (as will be the case always and in +all places), who show neither faith nor a godly life, it would +corrupt neither faith, nor baptism, nor doctrine, nor would the +Church perish on that account--the treasure remains in its integrity +and efficacy, and God may graciously cause some to turn from their +unbelief and wicked life and be added to the faithful and to mend +their ways. + +27. Again, they with whom this treasure--the Word or doctrine and its +knowledge--is not found, cannot be the Christian Church nor members +of it, and for that reason they cannot pray or believe aright or do +good works pleasing to God. It follows that their whole lives are in +God's sight lost and condemned, though they may assiduously extol God +and the Church and before the world may have the appearance and +reputation of leading particularly holy lives and excelling even the +upright Christians in virtues and honor. It is a settled fact that +outside the Church of Christ there is no God, no grace, no bliss; as +Paul says (Eph 4, 5): "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and +Father of all," etc. And Acts 4, 12 says: "And in none other is there +salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is +given among men, wherein we must be saved." + +28. And so Paul, when here extolling the Corinthians, has not an eye +to the contentious, the Epicureans, or to those who give public +offense, as the man that "had his father's wife;" but the apostle +looks to the fact that a few remain who have the pure Word of God, +faith, baptism and the sacrament, though some hypocrites be among +them. Because of these few--and few indeed there may be--we recognize +the presence of that inestimable treasure of which the apostle +speaks. It is found as well where two or three are gathered together +as with thousands. Neither the Gospel nor the ministers nor the +Church is to be blamed that the multitude miss this treasure; the +multitude have but themselves to blame, for they close their ears and +eyes. + +29. Now behold how loftily Paul has extolled and how beautifully +portrayed the Christian Church--where she is to be found on earth and +what inestimable blessings and gifts she has received of Christ, for +which she is in duty bound to thank and praise him in her confession +and in her life. This subject the apostle concludes with the words: + +"God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of +his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." + +30. The good work which Christ has begun in you and already assured +to you, he will without fail establish in you until the end and for +ever, if you but do not fall away through unbelief, or cast grace +from you. For his Word or promise given to you, and his work begun in +you, are not changeable as is man's word and work, but are firm, +certain, divine, immovable truth. Since you are in possession of this +your divine calling, draw comfort therefrom and rely on it without +wavering. Amen. + + + + +_Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 4, 22-28. + +22 That ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the +old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that +ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, +that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of +truth. 25 Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one +with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, +and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 neither give +place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather +let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he +may have whereof to give to him that hath need. + + +DUTY TO NEW AND OLD MAN. + +1. Here again is an admonition for Christians to follow up their +faith by good works and a new life, for though they have forgiveness +of sins through baptism, the old Adam still adheres to their flesh +and makes himself felt in tendencies and desires to vices physical +and mental. The result is that unless Christians offer resistance, +they will lose their faith and the remission of sins and will in the +end be worse than they were at first; for they will begin to despise +and persecute the Word of God when corrected by it. Yea, even those +who gladly hear the Word of God, who highly prize it and aim to +follow it, have daily need of admonition and encouragement, so strong +and tough is that old hide of our sinful flesh. And so powerful and +wily is our old evil foe that wherever he can gain enough of an +opening to insert one of his claws, he thrusts in his whole self and +will not desist until he has again sunk man into his former +condemnable unbelief and his old way of despising and disobeying God. + +2. Therefore, the Gospel ministry is necessary in the Church, not +only for instruction of the ignorant--such as the simple, unlettered +people and the children--but also for the purpose of awakening those +who know very well what they are to believe and how they are to live, +and admonishing them to be on their guard daily and not to become +indolent, disheartened or tired in the war they must wage on this +earth with the devil, with their own flesh and with all manner of +evil. + +3. For this reason Paul is so persistent in his admonitions that he +actually seems to be overdoing it. He proceeds as if the Christians +were either too dull to comprehend or so inattentive and forgetful +that they must be reminded and driven. The apostle well knows that +though they have made a beginning in faith and are in that state +which should show the fruits of faith, such result is not so easily +forthcoming. It will not do to think and say: Well, it is sufficient +to have the doctrine, and if we have the Spirit and faith, then +fruits and good works will follow of their own accord. For although +the Spirit truly is present and, as Christ says, willing and +effective in those that believe, on the other hand the flesh is weak +and sluggish. Besides, the devil is not idle, but seeks to seduce our +weak nature by temptations and allurements. + +4. So we must not permit the people to go on in their way, neglecting +to urge and admonish them, through God's Word, to lead a godly life. +Indeed, you dare not be negligent and backward in this duty; for, as +it is, our flesh is all too sluggish to heed the Spirit and all too +able to resist it. Paul says (Gal 5, 17): "For the flesh lusteth +against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh ... that ye may +not do the things that ye would." Therefore, God is constrained to do +as a good and diligent householder or ruler, who, having a slothful +man-servant or maid-servant, or careless officers, who otherwise are +neither wicked nor faithless, will not consider it sufficient once or +twice to direct, but will constantly be supervising and directing. + +5. Nor have we as yet arrived at the point where our flesh and blood +will joyfully and gladly abound in good works and obedience to God as +the spirit is inclined and faith directs. Even with the utmost +efforts the Spirit scarce can compel our old man. What would be the +result if we were no more urged and admonished but could go our way +thinking, as many self-satisfied persons do: I am well acquainted +with my duties, having learned them many years ago and having heard +frequent explanations of them; yea, I have taught others? It might be +that one year's intermission of preaching and admonition would place +us below the level of the heathen. + +6. Now, this exhortation in itself is simple and easy of +comprehension. The apostle is but repeating his exhortations of other +places--on the fruits of faith, or a godly walk--merely in different +terms. Here he speaks of putting away the old man and putting on the +new man, of being "renewed in the spirit of your mind." + + +"THE OLD MAN." + +7. What he calls "the old man" is well known to us; namely, the whole +nature of man as descended from Adam after his fall in paradise, +being blinded by the devil, depraved in soul, not keeping God before +his eyes nor trusting him, yes, utterly regardless of God and the +judgment day. Though with his mouth he may honor God's Word and the +Gospel, yet in reality he is unchanged; if he does have a little +additional knowledge, he has just as little fear, love and trust in +God as heretofore. + +8. Such a life and such conduct should not be found among you, says +the apostle; you are not to continue with "the old man." He must be +put off and laid aside. Your former manner of life, inherited of +Adam, consisted in disobeying God, in neither fearing, trusting nor +calling upon him. Again, in your body you obeyed not God's +commandments, being given to lust, pride, insatiable greed, envy, +hatred, etc. A life and walk of this nature is not becoming a +Christian who is regarded as, and truly is, a different order of +being from his former self, as we shall hear. Necessarily he should +walk differently. + +9. In this respect a Christian must take heed that he does not +deceive himself; the true Christian differs from the hypocrite. True +Christians so live that it is apparent from their lives that they +keep God before their eyes and truly believe the Gospel, while +hypocrites likewise show by their walk that their pretensions of +faith and forgiveness of sin are hollow. No proof is seen in their +lives and works showing that they have in any wise mended their +former ways; they merely deck themselves with a pretense, with the +name of Gospel, of faith, of Christ. + +10. Now, the apostle has two things to say of the old man: that he +corrupts himself in error as to the soul and in lusts as to the body. +Paul portrays the old man--meaning every man without true faith +though he bear the name of a Christian--as in the first place given +to error: coming short of the truth, knowing naught of the true +knowledge of Christ and faith in him, indifferent alike to God's +wrath and God's grace, deceiving himself with his own conceit that +darkness is light. The old man believes that God will not be moved to +vengeance though he do as he pleases, even to decorating vices with +the names of virtues. Haughtiness, greed, oppressing and tormenting +the poor, wrath, envy--all this he would call preserving his dignity, +exercising strict discipline, honestly and economically conducting +his domestic affairs, caring for his wife and children, displaying +Christian zeal and love of justice, etc. In short, he proceeds in the +perfectly empty delusion and self-conceit that he is a Christian. + +11. Out of this error proceeds the other corruption, the lusts of the +body, which are fruits of unbelief. Unbelief causes men to walk in +sinful security and yield to all the appetites of their flesh. Such +have no inclination toward what is good, nor do they aim to promote +orderliness, honor or virtue. They take desperate chances on their +lives, wanting to live according to the lusts of their flesh and yet +not be reprimanded. + +12. This, says the apostle, is the old man's course and nature. He +will do naught but ruin himself. The longer continued, the greater +his debasement. He draws down upon himself his own condemnation and +penalty for body and soul; for in proportion as he becomes +unbelieving and hard-hearted, does he become haughty, hateful and +faithless, and eventually a perfect scoundrel and villain. This was +your former manner of life, when as yet you were heathen and +non-Christians. Therefore you must by all means put off the old man +and cast him far from you; otherwise you cannot remain a Christian. +For glorying in the grace of God and the forgiveness of sin is +inconsistent with following sin--remaining in the former old +un-Christian life and walking in error and deceitful lusts. + + +THE GROWTH OF "THE NEW MAN." + +"And that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the +new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and +holiness of truth." + +13. Having put away the old man, the apostle exhorts us further to +put on the new man, that day by day we may grow as new creatures. +This is effected by first being delivered from error--from the +erroneous thoughts and ideas incident to our corrupt nature with its +false conceptions of God, wherein we do not fear nor believe him--and +then from God's Word receiving the right understanding of him. When +we rightly understand, we shall fear his wrath against sin and rely +on his grace in true faith, believing that he will forgive our sins +for Christ's sake and will hear our prayer for strength and +assistance to withstand and conquer, and to continually grow in +faith. + +14. This change Paul calls being "renewed in the spirit of your +mind"; that is, constantly growing and becoming established in that +true conception and clear knowledge of Christ begun in us, in +opposition to error and idle vaporings. He who is thus received, says +the apostle, is a man "that after God hath been created in +righteousness and holiness of truth." In the old man there is naught +but error, by means of which the devil leads to destruction. But the +new man has the Spirit and the truth, by which the heart is illumined +unto righteousness and holiness, wherein man follows the guidance of +God's Word and feels a desire for a godly walk and good life; just +as, on the other hand, the desire and love for sin and wickedness is +the product of error. This new man is created after God, as an image +of God, and must of necessity differ from such as live in error and +in lusts, without the knowledge of God and disobedient to him. For if +God's image is in man, man must consequently have the right knowledge +of God and right conceptions and ideas, and lead a godly life +consistent with holiness and righteousness as found in God himself. + +15. Such an image of God Adam was when first created. He was, as to +the soul, truthful, free from error, and possessed of true faith and +knowledge of God; and as to the body, holy and pure, that is, without +the impure, unclean desires of avarice, lasciviousness, envy, hatred, +etc. And all his children--all men--would have so remained from their +birth if he had not suffered himself to be led astray by the devil +and to be thus ruined. But since Christians, by the grace and Spirit +of God, now have been renewed to this image of God, they are so to +live that soul and spirit are righteous and pleasing to God through +faith in Christ; and that also the body--meaning the whole external +life--be pure and holy, which is genuine holiness. + +16. Some there are who pretend to great holiness and purity, but it +is mere pretense, deceiving the people in general. Such are the +factious spirits and monastic saints, who base their holiness and +uprightness solely on an external, peculiar life and on self-elected +works. Theirs may be apparently a commendable, holy and pure way of +praying and fasting, of denying self, etc., and the people may call +it so; but inwardly they are and remain haughty, venomous, hateful, +filled with the filth of human lust and evil thoughts, as Christ says +of such. Mt 15, 19; Lk 16, 15. Likewise their righteousness on which +they pride themselves before God has a certain gloss, on the strength +of which they presume to merit the grace of God for themselves and +others; but inwardly they have no true conception of God, being in +rank unbelief, that is, false and vain suppositions, or doubts. Such +righteousness, or holiness, is not true nor honest. It is made up +wholly of hypocrisy and deceit. It is built, not of God nor after +God, but after that lying spirit, the devil. + +17. The true Christian, Paul asserts, has been molded through faith +in Christ into a new man, like unto God, truly justified and holy in +his sight; even as Adam originally was in perfect harmony of heart +with God, showing true, straightforward confidence, love and +willingness. And his body was holy and pure, knowing naught of evil, +impure or improper desire. Thus the whole life of the man was a +beautiful portrait of God, a mirror wherein God himself was +reflected; even as the lives and natures of the holy spirits the +angels are wrapped up in God and represent true knowledge of him, +assurance, and joy in him and utterly pure and holy thoughts and +works according to the will of God. + +18. But since man is now so grievously fallen from this cheerful +confidence, this certainty and joy, into doubts or into presumption +toward God, and from unspotted, noble obedience into the lusts of +iniquity and ungodliness, it follows that not from mankind can come +help or relief. Nor can any one hope for remedy except the +Christians, who through faith in Christ begin again to have a joyful +and confident heart toward God. They thus enter again into their +former relation and into the true paradise of perfect harmony with +God and of justification; they are comforted by his grace. +Accordingly they are disposed to lead a godly life in harmony with +God's commandments and to resist ungodly lusts and ways. These begin +to taste God's goodness and loving kindness, as Paul says, and +realize what they lost in paradise. He, therefore, that would be a +Christian should strive to be found in this new man created after +God; not in blind error and vain conceit, but in the very essence of +righteousness and holiness before God. + + +TWO CLASSES OF SINS. + +"Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his +neighbor: for we are members one of another." + +19. Lest there might be one who failed to understand the meaning of +the old and the new man, or of true and false righteousness and +holiness, the apostle now proceeds to give an example or two, making +it easier for us to grasp the idea. All sin comes under one of two +classes: First, that of the devil's own making, such as murder and +deceit; for by lies he establishes all idolatry, error, false faith +and holiness, and among men he creates faithlessness, deceit, malice, +etc. Secondly, those sins which he instigates man to commit against +man; deeds of wrath, hatred, vengeance and murder. Paul combines +these two classes. + +20. Now, when a man does not deal fairly with his neighbor, but +practices dishonesty and deceit, be it in matters spiritual or +temporal (and the world is ever deceitful in all transactions), then +certainly the old man holds sway and not righteousness nor holiness, +however much the man may effect a good appearance and evade the +courts. For such conduct does not reflect God's image, but the +devil's. For the heart does not rely on God and his truth, otherwise +it would war with fraud and deception; but its object is to clothe +itself with a misleading garb, even assuming the name of God, and +thus to deceive, belie, betray and forsake its neighbor at the +bidding of every fiendish whim, and all for the satisfaction of its +avarice, selfishness and pride. + +21. In contrast thereto you can recognize the new man. He speaks the +truth and hates lies, not only those momentous lies against the first +table of the Ten Commandments, but also those against the second +table; for he deals faithfully and in a brotherly way with others, +doing as he would be done by himself. Thus should Christians live +with each other, as members of one body, according to the apostle, +and as having in Christ all things common and alike. + +"Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." + +22. Half the sins which the world has learned of its lord and master, +the devil, consist in lying and deceiving, and that in the name and +appearance of truth. No one wants to be called a liar, and even the +devil covers his lies with the name of truth. The other half, which +is easier to recognize, consists in wrath and its fruits. And this +class is usually the result of the other. The world, for its own +advantage, lies and deceives; and when it sees mankind acting in +opposition to its wishes, or beholds its lies exposed and its schemes +thwarted, it begins to rage in wrath against God, endeavoring to +avenge itself and inflict harm, but fraudulently disguising its +wicked motive under the plea of having good and abundant reasons for +its action. + +23. Therefore Paul admonishes the Christians as new creatures, to +guard against this vice of wrath, adducing the fourth verse of the +fourth Psalm: "Stand in awe and sin not." The repetition of this +passage sounds, in Paul's rendering, as if permission to be angry +were given; he says: "Be ye angry, and sin not." But Paul is taking +into consideration the way of the world. Men are tempted and moved to +anger. There are no clean records. Under sudden provocation the heart +swells with ire, while the devil busily fans the flame; for he is +ever alert to stamp upon us his seal and image and make us like unto +him, either through error and false doctrine, or through wrath and +murder in conflict with love and patience. These two forms of evil +you will encounter, especially if you make an effort to be a godly +Christian, to defend the truth and to live uprightly in the sight of +all. You will meet with all manner of malice aforethought and deceit, +and with faithlessness and malignity on the part of those you have +benefited; again, with unmasked violence and injustice on the part of +those who should protect you and see to your interests. This will +hurt and move you to wrath. Yea, in your own house and among your +dear Christian brethren you will often meet with that which vexes +you; again, a word of yours may hurt their feelings. And it will not +be otherwise. This life of ours is so constituted that such +conditions must be. Flesh and blood cannot but be stirred at times by +wrath and impatience, especially when it receives evil for good; and +the devil is ever at hand kindling your anger and endeavoring to fan +into a blaze the wrath and ill humor between yourself and your +neighbor. + +24. But right here, says the apostle, you should beware and not sin; +not give rein, nor yield to the impulse and promptings of wrath. That +you may indeed be moved, the apostle would say, I well know, and you +may fancy to have the best of reasons for exhibiting anger and +vengeance; but beware of doing what your wrath would have you do: and +if overcome by wrath and led to rashness, do not continue in it, do +not harbor it, but subdue and restrain it, the sooner the better; do +not suffer it to take root or to remain with you over night. + +25. If followed, wrath will not suffer you to do a single right +thing, as James affirms (ch. 1, 20). It causes man to fall and sin +against God and his neighbor. Even the heathen have seen that wrath +gets the better of reason and is never the source of good counsel. In +line with this, we read that St. Ambrose reproved the emperor +Theodosius for having, while in a rage, caused the execution of many +persons in Thessalonica; and that he succeeded in having the emperor +issue a rescript to the effect that no one should be executed, even +on his imperial order and command, until a full month had passed by, +thus affording an opportunity to rescind the order if given in haste +and wrath. + +26. Therefore the Psalm says: When wrath attacks and moves you, do +not at once give it leave to do its will. Therein you would certainly +commit sin. But go into your chamber, commune and take counsel with +yourself, pray the Lord's Prayer, repeat some good passages from +God's Word, curb yourself and confide in God; he will uphold your +rights. + +27. It is this the apostle has in mind when saying: "Let not the sun +go down upon your wrath." A Christian must not entertain wrath; he +should instantly quench and stifle it. It is the part of the new man +to control anger, that the devil may not move him from his new-found +faith and make him lose what he has received. If he yields to these +instigations of his flesh, he thereby returns to the error and +condemnation in the old man and loses control of himself, following +his own desires. Then he adorns a lie with the appearance of truth, +claiming the right to be angry and take revenge; just as the world +does when it asserts: This fellow has done me infinite violence and +injustice; am I to suffer it? I have a just cause and shall not +recline my head in ease until he is repaid! By such talk it loses its +case before both God and men; as the saying goes: He that strikes +back has the most unjust cause. + +28. Both divine and human justice forbids that a man be judge in his +own case. For this very reason God has established governmental and +judicial authority, in his stead to punish transgressions, +which--when properly administered--is not man's but God's judgment. +He therefore that invades such judgment, invades the authority of God +himself; he commits a double wrong and merits double condemnation. If +you desire to seek and obtain redress in the courts, you are at +liberty to do so, provided you proceed in the proper way, at the +proper place and with those to whom God has entrusted authority. To +these authorities you may appeal for redress. If you obtain it +according to law, well and good; if not, you must suffer wrong and +commit your case to God, as we have explained more fully elsewhere. + +29. In short, we find in this unique passage a statement to the +effect that he who curbs not his wrath but retains it longer than a +day, or over night, cannot be a Christian. Where then do they stand +who entertain wrath and hatred indefinitely, for one, two, three, +seven, ten years? Such is no longer human wrath but fiendish wrath +from hell; it will not be satisfied nor extinguished, but when it +once takes possession of a man he would, if able, destroy everything +in a moment with his hellish fire. Even so the arch-fiend is not +satisfied with having cast the whole human race into sin and death, +but will not rest content unless he can drag all human beings into +eternal damnation. + +30. A Christian therefore has ample cause to carefully guard against +this vice. God may have patience with you when wrath wells up in your +heart--although that, too, is sinful--but take heed that wrath does +not overcome you and cause you to fall. Rather take serious counsel +with yourself and extinguish and expel your anger by applying +passages of Holy Writ and calling upon your faith. When alone or +about to retire, repeat the Lord's Prayer, ask for forgiveness and +confess that God daily forgives you much oftener than your neighbor +sins against you. + +"Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: +but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is +good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need." + +31. This thought is brought out also in the next Epistle, namely, +that a Christian should guard against giving offense to anybody by +his life, lest God's name be blasphemed. It is a grand thing to be a +Christian, who, as has been stated, is a new man created after God +and a true image of God, wherein God himself desires to be reflected. +Therefore, whatever of good a Christian does, or whatever of evil he +does, under the name of a Christian, either honors or disgraces God's +name. Now, says Paul, whenever you follow your lusts, in obedience to +your old Adam, you do naught but give occasion to the slanderers--the +devil and his troop--to blaspheme the name of God. For the devil, +even without your assistance, at all times seeks opportunity--nor can +he desist--to befoul our dear Gospel and the name of God with his +slanderous tales, composed, if need be, entirely of lies. But where +he finds the semblance of occasion he knows how to profit by it. He +will then open his mouth wide and cry: Behold, these are your Gospel +people! Here you have the fruits of this new doctrine! Is their +Christ such a one as they honor by their lives? + +32. So then a Christian should be exceedingly careful and cautious +for this reason, if for no other: to protect the name and honor of +his dear God and Saviour and not to do the devil the favor of letting +him whet his slanderous tongue on Christ's name. How shall we stand +and answer in his sight when we cannot deny the fact that our life +gives just cause for complaint and offense? By such a life we +intentionally bring disgrace and shame upon God's name and Word, +which things should be our highest treasures and most valuable +possessions. + +33. When the apostle says, "Let him that stole steal no more: but +rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, +that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need," he indicates +the true fruit of repentance, which consists in abandoning and +utterly abstaining from evil and in doing good. He at the same time +attacks and reproves the sin of theft so common in all walks of life. +And them who idle away their time and neglect their duty of serving +and helping their fellow-beings, he calls--and rightfully--thieves in +God's sight. + +34. For the right interpretation of the commandment, Thou shalt not +steal, is this: Thou shalt live of thine own work, that thou mayest +have to give to the needy. This is your bounden duty, and if you do +not so God will pronounce you not a Christian but a thief and robber. +In the first place, because you are an idler and do not support +yourself, but live by the sweat and toil of others; in the second +place, because you withhold from your neighbor what you plainly owe +him. Where now shall we find those who keep this commandment? Indeed, +where should we dare look for them except where no people live? But +such a class of people should Christians be. Therefore, let each of +us beware lest he deceive himself; for God will not be mocked nor +deceived. Gal 6, 7. + + + + +_Twentieth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 5, 15-21. + +15 Look therefore carefully how ye walk [See then that ye walk +circumspectly], not as unwise, but as wise; 16 redeeming the time, +because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not foolish, but +understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunken with +wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; 19 speaking one +to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and +making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always +for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the +Father; 21 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of +Christ. + + +THE CAREFUL WALK OF THE CHRISTIAN. + +1. Paul's admonition here is designed for those who, having heard the +Gospel and made a fine start in believing, immediately imagine +themselves secure and think they have accomplished all. Forgetful +that they are still flesh and blood, and in the world and in contact +with the devil's kingdom, they live in unconcern, as if delivered +from all danger, and the devil far fled. By the very reason of their +security they are overcome of the devil and their own flesh, and fall +unawares from the Gospel. They have just enough connection with it to +be able to prate of it, boasting themselves Christians but giving no +indication of the fact in their conduct. + +2. Paul would tell them how, in view of these things, vigilance is +essential to the Christian life. To regulate the life by keeping +God's will ever before the eyes, always conforming the conduct to +it--this he calls walking circumspectly and being wise. If you for a +moment lose sight of God's will, the devil immediately possesses you +and works pernicious results, transforming a Christian into an +indolent, self-secure hypocrite; a hypocrite into a heretic and +factionist; and a heretic into an open enemy. So the apostle here +teaches that in all seriousness if we would secure ourselves against +the craft and power of the devil we must be vigilant; we must be +careful how we walk. In Satan we have an enemy bent on hindering us; +on undermining our very foundation. + +3. Consequently they who fail to keep earnest watch over their +Christian life--that is, to have a care for soundness of belief and +to gladly hear and obey the Word of God--are unwise, even foolish, +and have no knowledge of God's will. They have removed the light from +before their eyes to behold instead a thing of their own imagination. +They see as through a painted glass, presuming they do well in +following such phantoms of their reason, until they are misled and +defeated of the devil. + + +THE WORD, THE GUIDE OF THE CHRISTIAN. + +4. Therefore, not without reason does Paul warn Christians to be +always wise and circumspect--to keep the Word of God before them. +Upon so doing depends their wisdom and understanding. Let each one +make it a matter of personal concern, and especially should it be the +general interest of the congregation. Where care is not observed to +retain the Word in the Church, but there are admitted to the pulpit +brawlers who set forth their own fraudulent doctrines, the Church is +injured; the congregation will soon be as the preacher. Again, if the +individual fails to regulate his daily life--the affairs of his +calling--by the Word of God; if he forgets the Word and absorbs +himself in accumulating wealth; if he is tangled with secular +interests, he soon becomes a cold and indolent Christian, then an +erring soul, and finally utterly disregards God's will and his Word. + +It is for these reasons God so frequently commands us in the +Scriptures continually to explain and apply his Word, to hear it +willingly and practice it faithfully, and to meditate upon it day and +night. He would have our lives emanate from the Word in honor to God +and gratitude to him--from the Word wherein we daily look as in a +mirror. But care and diligence are necessary to bring it to pass, and +we should faithfully assist each other by instruction, advice, and in +other ways. + +5. In my admonitions I have often enough urged those who have +influence, to use all diligence in drawing the young to school, where +they may receive proper instruction to become pastors and preachers; +and I have earnestly advised that in cases of necessity ample +financial provision be made for students. But, alas, few communities, +few States, are interested in the matter. In all Germany, look at the +bishops, princes, noblemen, the inhabitants of town and country--how +confidently they go on sleeping and snoring in their indifference to +the question. They presume to think there is no need for action; the +matter will adjust itself; there will always be pastors and +preachers. But assuredly they deceive themselves if they think they +are consulting their best interests in this affair; for they will, as +the text says, become foolish and fail to recognize the will of God. +Therefore they will some day have to experience what they do not now +believe: in a few years after our day they will seek preachers and +find none; they will have to hear rude, illiterate dolts who, lacking +understanding of the Word of God, will, like all stupid Papists, +preach the vile, offensive things of the Pope, about consecrated +water and salt, about gray gowns, new monasteries and the like. + +6. Cry, preach and admonish as we will, no one will hear; foreseeing +which, Paul prophesies that they who observe not God's will, become +unwise, foolish, and consequently waste the day of grace and neglect +their salvation. Now, it is God's will we should sanctify his name, +love and advance his Word, and so aid in building up his kingdom. +When we fulfill his will in these things, he will regard our desires, +providing us with daily bread and granting peace and happiness. + +7. Now, it should be our chief concern to preserve to ourselves the +Word and will of God. That would truly be wisdom, and redeeming the +time. But failing therein, it must be with us as with the unwise and +fools; we will have to hear the declaration: "Since you refuse to +sanctify my name, to advance my kingdom and to do my will, neither +will I provide you daily bread, nor forgive your sins, nor keep from +temptation and deliver from evil." God will then permit us to deplore +the great calamities of the world--its turmoil and wickedness, the +cause whereof the world attributes to the Gospel. But the punishment +just mentioned must be visited upon them who will not recognize the +will of God and submit to it. These, however, desire to justify +themselves and are unwilling to receive censure for having conducted +themselves unwisely, even foolishly. + +8. So much for a general observation upon the expression "walking +wisely and circumspectly"; so much upon unwise conduct in regard to +matters of vital importance to the Church, which have to do with the +office of the ministry and with God's Word. Where the ministry and +the Word of God are preserved, there will always be some among the +masses to attend upon the preaching of the Word and to conform their +lives to it. But when the Bible leaves the pulpit, little good will +be accomplished, even though one here and there be able to read the +Scriptures for themselves and imagine they have no need of the +preached Word. Where will the untaught masses stand? Note how it has +been with the poor people in our time who were misled by Munzer and +Munster, and their prophets and factionists. + + +PUBLIC PREACHING OF THE WORD ENJOINED. + +Then let everyone lend earnest effort to promote public preaching of +the Word everywhere, and public attendance upon that preaching; and +thus rightly to found and build up the Church. Let him also put on +the wedding garment himself (mentioned in the Gospel for today); let +him take care to be found an earnest advocate of the Word of God, +uninfluenced by thoughts common to the secure spirit: "Oh, there are +pastors and preachers enough for me. I can hear or read the Word when +I please; have access to it any day. I must give first attention to +bread-winning and like things. Let others look out for themselves." +Take care, my dear sir; you can easily fail by carelessness here and +be found without the wedding garment, perhaps may die without it, +unaware how you are being deceived. Whose fault will it be but your +own since you would not hear Paul's admonition to walk wisely and +circumspectly? + +9. We should make provision while the opportunity is at our doors, +for, judging from the present course of the world, it will not long +retain what it has. Everywhere men are diligently helping to hunt +down ministers, or at least to so bring to bear upon them hunger and +poverty, to so oppose them with secret fraud, as to drive them from +the land. And little trouble and labor will be required to accomplish +it. We shall only too soon be rid of our ministers and have their +places amply supplied by deceivers. I would much rather suffer in +hell with Judas the Betrayer than to bear the guilt of accomplishing +one minister's death or of being instrumental in offering place to +one deceiver. For it would not be so intolerable to suffer the +anguish of the betrayer of Christ as to endure that of one who, by +his sin in this respect, is responsible for the loss of countless +souls. + + +NECESSITY OF IMPROVING THE TIME. + +10. Paul goes on to elaborate his admonition by explaining what it is +to walk circumspectly and wisely--to "redeem the time, because the +days are evil." In other words: Think not happy days are in store for +you and you may defer duty till better times; better times will never +be. The devil is always in the world to hinder your every effort to +do good, and his opposition increases with time. The longer you +tarry, the less your power to accomplish good; wasted time only makes +matters worse. Then redeem the time; grasp your opportunities as best +you can. Let no interest be so dear to you as the promotion of God's +kingdom and the serving of the public in every good and useful way +possible, whatever befall yourself. + +11. Christ in like manner says to the Jews: "While ye have the light, +believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light." Jn 12, 36. +And Paul, after quoting from Isaiah 49, 8, adds: "Behold, now is the +acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor 6, 2. So +his counsel in our text means: Take heed you receive not the grace of +God in vain. Or, neglect not the matter of your salvation; enjoy +while you may the opportunity of furthering the kingdom of God, for +the sake of your own and others' salvation. Defer not the thing to +another time, lest the opportunity escape you. + +Elsewhere (Gal 6, 10) the apostle says, "As we have opportunity, let +us work that which is good." In other words: Act now, while you may. +Your time passes with astonishing rapidity. Be not deceived, then, by +the thought, "Oh, I can attend to the matter a year from now--two +years--three." That is simply foolish. It is an unwise conclusion of +the thoughtless. Before they are aware, they have lost the salvation +extended them. They defer to consider God's will, putting it off for +a season, until they shall have accomplished their own aims; then +they have deferred too long. + +12. The Lord comes to your door. You do not have to seek him. If you +are grateful he tarries to speak with you. But if you let him pass by +you will have to complain as did the bride in Song of Solomon 5, 6: +"I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and +was gone ... I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, +but he gave me no answer." Think not you will find the Lord when he +has once gone, though you traverse the world. But while he is near +you may seek and find; as Isaiah says (ch. 55, 6), "Seek ye Jehovah +while he may be found." If through your neglect he pass by, all +seeking then will be vain. + +For more than twenty years in my cloister I experienced the meaning +of such disappointment. I sought God with great toil and with severe +mortification of the body, fasting, watching, singing and praying. In +this way I shamefully wasted my time and found not the Lord. The more +I sought and the nearer I thought I was to him, the farther away I +got. No, God does not permit us to find him so. He must first come +and seek us where we are. We may not pursue and overtake him. That is +not his will. + +13. Then be careful to avail yourself of the present opportunity. +Embrace it while he is near, and faithfully consider what he requires +of you. To ascertain this, go to the Creed and the Ten Commandments. +They will tell you. Regulate your life by them. Be helped by the +Lord's Prayer. Begin with yourself; then pray for the Church. Let it +be your desire that God's name be everywhere sanctified and that your +life conform to his will. If you are faithful in these things, +assuredly you will walk wisely; you will avoid sin and do good. For +the study and practice of these precepts will leave you no +opportunity to do evil. God's Word will soon teach you to sanctify +his name, to extend his kingdom, to do your neighbor no injury in +mind, body or estate. + +14. Observe this is "redeeming the time." This is employing it well, +while the golden days last in which we have remission from pain and +sin. Not such remission as the Pope grants in his jubilees, wherein +he deceives the world. Right here let us be careful not to cheat +ourselves with the false idea that salvation cannot escape us. Let it +not be with us as befell the children of Israel, of whom it is said +in Psalms 95, 11 and Hebrews 4, 3 that because of their unbelief they +entered not into the rest of God. They would not accept their +opportunity in the forty years wherein he gave them his Word and +showed them his wonders, daily admonishing them and calling to +repentance and faith. They but tempted and provoked him the more. +Hence another admonition was given the people of God and a certain +day appointed: "Today if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your +hearts." Heb 4, 7. Every day with us is "today" and we are permitted +to hear God's voice still imploring us not to waste the time. + +15. Surely we ought supremely to thank God, as the latter part of our +text enjoins, for the great blessing of his nearness to us. We have +his presence in our homes. He is with us at our board, by our +couch--anywhere we desire him. He offers us all assistance and grants +all we may ask. So gracious a guest should indeed receive our high +esteem. We ought to honor him while he is with us. + +16. Well may we pray, as I have said. There is too much slumbering +everywhere in Germany. We cannot perceive how it is possible to +preserve the Gospel and fill the pulpits for ten years longer. To +such extent does wickedness rage in the world that blindness and +error must sweep it as before. And no one will be to blame but the +stupid bishops and princes, and those of us who esteem not the Word +of God. + + +INGRATITUDE WILL BE PUNISHED. + +Alas, that I am compelled against my will to be a prophet of ill to +Germany. Yet it is not I, but the prayer of my Lord and your Lord; +for according to its teachings he will say: "You neglected my Word. +Unwilling to tolerate it, you persecuted and starved out its +messengers. Therefore I will withhold your daily bread and give +instead famine and war and murder, unto utter desolation; for you +wish to have it so. Then when you cry for forgiveness of sins and +deliverance from the evils come upon you, I will hear you as you +heard my Word, my entreaties. I will leave you in your misfortunes as +you left me and my Word." + +17. In fact, no one for a moment thinks of how God has signally, +richly and graciously blessed us; how we are in possession of actual +paradise--yes, the entire kingdom of heaven--if we only recognized +the fact: and yet we shamefully, ungratefully and unreasonably reject +the kingdom; as if it were not enough for us to overstep the Ten +Commandments in our disobedience, but must even trample under foot +the mercy God offers in the Gospel. Then why should we be surprised +if he send down wrath upon us? What else is he to do but fulfill our +Gospel passage for today, which threatens every individual rejecter +and persecutor of God's Son and his servants, by whom we are invited +to the marriage--what else is God to do but send out a divine army of +servants to arrest the career of such murderers and to terminate +their existence? We are given a special illustration--an example to +the world--in the instance of the fate of Jerusalem, and in fact of +the entire Jewish nation. They sinned unceasingly against all God's +commandments, and when he proclaimed grace and offered forgiveness of +sins, they trampled upon his mercy. Should Christ not revenge himself +when they shamed and mocked his precious blood? + +18. Unto all the abominable sins mentioned, we must heap blasphemies; +for when wrath and punishment come upon us we make outcry, +complaining that the Gospel--or the new doctrine, as it is now +called--is responsible. The Jews blame us Christians alone for the +fact that they are scattered throughout the world. Their prayers day +and night are directed against us, in blasphemies and reproaches +inexpressible. Nevertheless, it was not the Christians who harassed +and scattered them, but the heathenish Roman emperor. + +But whom other than themselves have the Jews to blame for their +condition? for they would not tolerate Christ, when he brought them +only help and boundless grace. Refusing to accept him whom God gave +and in whom he promised all blessings, they necessarily lost their +daily bread from God, except as they rebelliously extort it by usury +and wickedness. They had also to suffer the loss of their national +life, their priesthood and public worship, forgiveness of sins and +redemption, and so remain eternally captive under the wrath and +condemnation of God. Such is the just and inevitable punishment of +the unwise--the foolish--who refused to recognize their opportunity +when Christ was with them. + +19. With this terrible example before our eyes, we are still +unrepentant, pursuing the same course the Jews followed, not only in +disobedience to the will of God, but in rejecting his grace. For that +grace we should earnestly long and pray, striving to secure to our +children after us baptism, the ministry and the sacrament, in their +purity. In return for our perversity, it will eventually be with us +as with the Jews and other ungrateful persecutors and rejecters. + +20. Then let him who will receive advice and help, faithfully heed +Paul's counsel and redeem the time, not sleeping away the blessed +golden hour of grace; as Christ earnestly admonishes in the parable +of the five foolish virgins. Mt 25, 13. The foolish virgins might +have made their purchases in season, before the bridegroom's arrival; +but failing to attend to the matter until time to meet the +bridegroom, they missed both the market and the wedding. + +21. The ancient poets and sages make use of a similar illustration at +the expense of the cricket or grasshopper. As the fable runs, when +winter came the grasshoppers, having nothing to eat, went to the ants +and asked them to divide their gathered store. "What did you in the +summer time that you gathered nothing?" asked the ants. "We sang," +the grasshoppers replied. "If you sang in the summer, you must dance +for it in the winter," was the response. Similarly should fools +unwilling to learn the will of God be answered. Terrible and alarming +is the wrath of God when with scorn and mockery he turns away a soul. +In Proverbs 1, 24 and 26 he threatens: "Because I have called, and ye +have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath +regarded.... I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will +mock when your fear cometh." + +22. Some may ask what Paul means by adding to the phrase, "Redeeming +the time," the modifier, "because the days are evil"; if we are to +regard the present opportunity golden, why are the days evil? + + +EVIL DOCTRINES EVER OPPOSE THE CHRISTIAN. + +23. I answer: The time is unquestionably good so long as the Gospel +is sounded--is faithfully preached and received. At the same time, +even today the world is filled with evils, factions, false theories +and bad examples of every sort; much of this wickedness is inherent +in ourselves. With these things the Christian must always contend; +the devil pursues, and our own flesh discourages us and allures from +recognition and observance of the divine will. If we strive not +against it, we shall soon lose sight of God's will, to our own +injury, even while listening to the Gospel. For the devil's strongest +fury is exerted to befoul the world with fanaticism, and to draw from +the pure doctrine of faith into that evil even them who possess the +Gospel. Moreover, being still flesh and blood we are always +self-secure, unwilling to be led by the Spirit, and indolent and +unresponsive in relation to the Word of God and to prayer. Again, in +the outward walks of life, in temporal conditions, only obstacles and +evils meet us everywhere, impeding our spiritual progress and +impelling us to suppress the Gospel and to rend the Church. + +24. Let no one, then, expect to enjoy an era of peace and pleasure +here on earth. Although the present time is in itself good, and God +bestows upon us the golden year of his Word and his grace, yet the +devil is here with his factions and followers, and our own flesh +supports him. He corrupts the blessed days of grace at every possible +opportunity, and so oppresses Christians that they must contend +against him with their utmost strength and vigilance if they would +not, through the influence of evils and obstacles, be wrested from +the Gospel they have received, and if they would persevere therein +unto the end. + +Wherefore, we have the best reasons to adapt ourselves to the present +time in the best possible way; to walk wisely and circumspectly, +showing all faithfulness to the will of God; obeying it while we have +opportunity--while still in possession of God's Word, his grace and +his Spirit. Being opposed and obstructed by the devil and our own +flesh, we must, as Paul implies, be wise and careful; we must guard +against following them. If we fail in this respect, it will not avail +us to pretend we did not know our duty, or had not time to perform it +and consequently could not cope with them. So, then, we are to +understand by "evil days" the allurements that lead us away from +God's Word and his will. + +"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess." + +25. The apostle touches upon several evils strongly tending to waste +of time and neglect of the golden opportunity. Especially is +drunkenness one, for drink makes men particularly self-secure, +reckless and disorderly. The evil was formerly common in Greece, and +in Germany today are men who delight in being riotously drunk night +and day. Such individuals are utterly lacking in the faithfulness and +interest essential to following the will of God. They are unable, +even in temporal affairs, to persistently apply themselves, much less +to be opportune. Indeed, so beastly and swinish do they become, they +lose all sense of either shame or honor; they have no modesty nor any +human feeling. Alas, examples are before our eyes plainer and more +numerous than we can depict. + +26. Paul's words of admonition, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and +hymns and spiritual songs," are treated in the epistle passage for +the fifth Sunday after Epiphany, where the text is similar. + + + + +_Twenty First Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Ephesians 6, 10-17. + +10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. +11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand +against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against +flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, +against the worldrulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts +of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Wherefore take up the whole +armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, +having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your +loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, +15 and having shod your foot with the preparation of the gospel of +peace; 16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be +able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 And take the +helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word +of God. + + +THE CHRISTIAN ARMOR AND WEAPONS. + +This epistle text is fully expounded in "The Explanations and Sermons +on Paul's Epistles"--in the sermon on Ephesians 6, 10-17, entitled +"The Christian Armor and Weapons," preached in the year 1533. + + + + +_Twenty Second Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Philippians 1, 3-11. + +3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every +supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with +joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the +first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he +who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus +Christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of +you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my +bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are +partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how I long after +you in all the tender mercies of Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, +that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all +discernment; 10 so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; +that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ; 11 +being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through +Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. + + +PAUL'S THANKS AND PRAYERS FOR CHURCHES. + +1. First, the apostle Paul thanks God, as his custom is in the +beginning of his epistles, for the grace whereby the Philippians came +into the fellowship of the Gospel and were made partakers of it. +Secondly, his desire and prayer to God is for their increase in the +knowledge of the Gospel, and their more abundant fruits. His intent +in extolling the Gospel is to admonish them to remain steadfast in +their faith, continuing as they have begun and as they now stand. +Apparently this is a simple passage, especially to learned and apt +students of the Scriptures. They may not think it holds any great +truth to be discovered. Yet we must explain this and like discourses +for the benefit of some who do not fully understand it, and who +desire to learn. + +2. These words give us an exact delineation of the Christian heart +that sincerely believes in the holy Gospel. Such hearts are rare in +the world. It is especially difficult to find one so beautiful as we +observe here unless it be among the beloved apostles or those who +approached them in Christ-likeness. For in the matter of faith we +today are entirely too indolent and indifferent. + +3. But the Christian heart is such as inspired Paul's words; here its +characteristics are shown. He rejoices in the Gospel with his inmost +soul. He thanks God that others have come into its fellowship. His +confidence is firm regarding certain beginners in the faith, and he +is so interested in their salvation he rejoices in it as much as in +his own, seeming unable to thank God sufficiently for it. He +unceasingly prays that he may live to see many come with him into +such fellowship and be preserved therein until the day of the Lord +Jesus Christ, who shall perfect and complete all the defects of this +earthly life. He prays these beginners may go forth faultlessly in +faith and hope until that joyful day. + +4. Thus the godly apostle expresses himself, pouring out the depths +of his heart--a heart filled with the real fruits of the Spirit and +of faith. It burns with love and joy whenever he sees the Gospel +recognized, accepted and honored, and the Church flourishing. Paul +can conceive for the converts no loftier desire--can offer no greater +petition for them than to implore God they may increase and persevere +in the Gospel faith. Such is the inestimable value he places upon +possessing and holding fast God's Word. And Christ in Luke 11, 28 +pronounces blessed those who keep the Word of God. + + +I. THE DUTY OF GRATITUDE. + +5. Now, the first thing in which Paul is here an example to us is his +gratitude. It behooves the Christian who recognizes the grace and +goodness of God expressed in the Gospel, first of all to manifest his +thankfulness therefor; toward God--his highest duty--and toward men. +As Christians who have abandoned the false services and sacrifices +that in our past heathenish blindness we zealously practiced, let us +remember our obligation henceforth to be the more fervent in offering +true service and right sacrifices to God. We can render him no +better--in fact, none other--service, or outward work, than the +thank-offering, as the Scriptures term it. That is, receiving and +honoring the grace of God and the preaching and hearing of his Word, +and furthering their operation, not only in word, but sincerely in +our hearts and with all our physical and spiritual powers. This is +the truest gratitude. + +6. God calls that a "pure offering" which is rendered to him "among +the gentiles" (Mal 1, 11), where his name is not preached and praised +from avariciousness, not from pride and presumption in the priesthood +and in the holiness of human works. These motives actuated the +boasting Jews, who, as God charges in this reference, presumptuously +thought to receive honor from him for every trivial service like +closing a door or opening a window. But the offering of the gentiles +is joyfully rendered from a sincere, willing heart. This kind of +thanksgiving and sacrifices are acceptable to God, for he says in +Psalms 110, 3, "Thy people shall be willing"; and in Second +Corinthians 9, 7, "God loveth a cheerful giver." The knowledge of the +Gospel should inspire us with gratitude of this order. Let us not be +found unthankful, and forgetful of God's infinite goodness. + + +INGRATITUDE DENOUNCED BY THE HEATHEN. + +7. The heathen everywhere, despite their ignorance of God and his +grace, condemned to the utmost the evil of ingratitude. They regarded +it the mother of evils, than which was none more malevolent and +shameful. Among many examples in this respect is one left us by a +people in Arabia called Nabathians, who had an excellent form of +government. So strict were they in regard to this evil that anyone +found guilty of ingratitude to his fellows was looked upon as a +murderer and punished with death. + +8. No sin is more abominable to human nature, and of none is human +nature less tolerant. It is easier to forgive and to forget the act +of an enemy who commits a bodily injury, or even murders one's +parents, than it is to forget the sin of him who repays simple +kindness and fidelity with ingratitude and faithlessness; who for +love and friendship returns hatred. In the sentiment of the Latin +proverb, to be so rewarded is like rearing a serpent in one's bosom. +God likewise regards this sin with extreme enmity and punishes it. +The Scriptures say: "Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not +depart from his house." Prov 17, 13. + +9. Thus we have the teaching of nature and of reason regarding the +sin of men's ingratitude toward one another. How much greater the +evil, how much more shameful and accursed, when manifested toward God +who, in his infinite and ineffable goodness, conferred upon us while +yet enemies to him and deserving of the fires of hell--conferred upon +us, I say, not ten dollars, not a hundred thousand dollars even, but +redemption from divine wrath and eternal death, and abundantly +comforted us, granting us safety, a good conscience, peace and +salvation! These are inexpressible blessings, incomprehensible in +this life. And they will continue to occupy our minds in yonder +eternal life. How much more awful the sin of ingratitude for these +blessings, as exemplified in the servant mentioned in the Gospel +passage for today, to whom was forgiven the debt of ten thousand +talents and who yet would not forgive the debt of his fellow-servant +who owed him a hundred pence! + +10. Is it not incredible that there are to be found on earth +individuals wicked enough to manifest for the highest and eternal +blessings such unspeakable ingratitude? But alas, we have the +evidence of our own eyes. We know them in their very dwelling-places. +We see how the world abounds with them. Not only are the ingrates to +be found among deliberate rejecters of the acknowledged truth of the +Gospel, concerning God's grace, an assured conscience and the promise +of eternal life, terrible as such malice of the devil is, but they +are present also in our midst, accepting the Gospel and boasting of +it. Such shameful ingratitude prevails among the masses it would not +be strange were God to send upon them the thunders and lightnings of +his wrath, yes, all the Turks and the devils of hell. + +There is a generally prevalent ingratitude like that of the wicked +servant who readily forgot the straits he experienced when, being +called to account for what he could not pay, the wrathful sentence +was pronounced against him that he and all he possessed must be sold, +and he be indefinitely imprisoned. Nor have we less readily forgotten +how we were tortured under the Papacy; how we were overwhelmed, +drowned as in a flood, with numberless strange doctrines, when our +anxious consciences longed for salvation. Now that we are, through +the grace of God, liberated from these distresses, our gratitude is +of a character to increasingly heap to ourselves the wrath of God. So +have others before us done, and consequently have endured terrible +chastisement. + +11. Only calculate the enormity of our wickedness when, God having +infinitely blessed us in forgiving all our sins and making us lords +over heaven and earth, we so little respect him as to be unmindful of +his blessings; to be unwilling for the sake of them sincerely to +forgive our neighbor a single slighting word, not to mention +rendering him service. We conduct ourselves as if God might be +expected to connive at our ingratitude and permit us to continue in +it, at the same time conferring upon us as godly and obedient +children, success and happiness. More than this, we think we have the +privilege and power to live and do as we please. Indeed, the more +learning and power we have and the more exalted our rank, the greater +knaves we are; perpetrating every wicked deed, stirring up strife, +discord, war and murder for the sake of executing our own arbitrary +designs, where the question is the surrender of a penny in +recognition of the hundreds of thousands of dollars daily received +from God notwithstanding our ingratitude. + +12. Two mighty lords clash with each other like powerful battering +rams, and for what? Perhaps for undisputed possession of a city or +two, a matter they must be ashamed of did they but call to mind what +they have received from God. They would be constrained to exclaim: +"What are we doing that we injure one another--we who are all +baptized in one name, the name of Christ, and pledged to one Lord?" +But no, it will not do for them to consider this matter; not even to +think of it. They must turn their eyes away from it, and put it far +from their hearts. Wholly forgetting God's benefits, they must wage +war against each other, involving nations, and subjecting people to +the Turk. And all for sake of the insignificant farthing each refused +to yield to the other. + +13. The world permits the very devil to saddle and ride it as he +pleases. It seems to be characteristic of every phase of life that +one will not yield to another--will not submit to any demand. +Everyone is disposed to force his arrogant authority. The presumption +is that supreme honor and final success depend upon an unyielding, +unforgiving disposition, and that to seek to retain our possessions +by peaceable means will prove our ruin. Even the two remaining cows +in the stall must be brought into requisition, and war waged to the +last stick, until when the mutineer comes and we have neither cow nor +stall, nor house nor stick, we are obliged to cease. + + +RETRIBUTION FOLLOWS INGRATITUDE. + +Oh, had we but grace enough to reflect on how it would be with us did +God require us, as he has a perfect right to do, to pay our whole +indebtedness, none being forgiven! grace enough to think whether we +would not this very moment be in the abyss of hell! But so must it +finally be with those who disregard the question and continually heap +to themselves the wrath of God, being at the same time unwilling for +him to deal otherwise with them than he did with the servant he +forgave. But against that servant was finally passed the irrevocable +sentence which, without mercy, delivered him to the tormentor till he +should pay the debt, something he could never do. + +14. Nor is there any wrong or injustice in this ruling. For, as St. +Bernhard says, ingratitude is an evil damnable and pernicious enough +to quench all the springs of grace and blessing known to God and men; +it is like a poison-laden, burning, destructive wind. Human nature +will not tolerate it. Nor can God permit you, upon whom he has +bestowed all grace and goodness, all spiritual and temporal blessing, +to go on continually in wickedness, defiantly abusing his benevolence +and dishonoring him; you thus recklessly bring upon yourself his +wrath. For God cannot bless you if you are ungrateful, if you reject +his goodness and give it no place in your heart. + +In such case the fountain of grace and mercy that continually springs +for all who sincerely desire it, must be quenched for you. You cannot +enjoy it. It would afford you an abundant and unceasing supply of +water did you not yourself dry it up by the deadly wind of your +ingratitude; by shamefully forgetting the ineffable goodness God +bestows upon you; and by failing to honor the blood of Christ the +Lord, wherewith he purchased us and reconciled us to God--failing to +honor it enough to forgive your neighbor, for Christ's sake, a single +wrong word. + +15. What heavy burden is there for the individual who, in submission +and gratitude to his God, and in honor to Christ, would conduct +himself something like a Christian? It will cost him no great effort +nor trouble. It will not break any bones nor injure him in property +or honor. Even were it to affect him to some trifling extent, to +incur for him some slight injustice, he should remember what God has +given him, and will still give, of his grace and goodness. + +Yes, why complain even were you, in some measure, to endanger body +and life? What did not the Son of God incur for you? It was not +pleasure for him to take upon himself the wrath of God, to bear the +curse for you. It cost him bloody sweat and unspeakable anguish of +heart, as well as the sacrifice of his body, the shedding of his +blood, when he bore for you the wrath and curse of God, which would +have rested upon you forever. Yet he did it cheerfully and with +fervent love. Should you not, then, be ashamed in your own heart, and +humiliated before all creatures, to be so slow and dull, so +stock-and-stone-hardened, about enduring and forgiving an occasional +unkind word--something to be suffered in token of honor and gratitude +to him? What more noble than, for the sake of Christ, to incur +danger, to suffer injury, to aid the poor and needy? in particular to +further the Word of God and to support the ministry, the pulpit and +the schools? + +16. It would be no marvel had Germany long ago sunk to ruin, or had +it been razed to its very foundations by Turks and Tartars, because +of its diabolical forgetfulness, its damnable rejection, of God's +unspeakable grace. Indeed, it is a wonder the earth continues to +support us and the sun still gives us light. Because of our +ingratitude, well might the heavens become dark and the earth be +perverted--as the Scriptures teach (Ps 106)--and suffer the fate of +Sodom and Gomorrah, no longer yielding a leaf nor a blade of grass, +but completely turned from its course--well might it be so did not +God, for the sake of the few godly Christians known and acknowledged +of him, forbear and still delay. + + +EXAMPLES OF INGRATITUDE FOR THE GOSPEL. + +17. Wherever we turn our eyes we see, in all conditions of life, a +deluge of terrible examples of ingratitude for the precious Gospel. +We see how kings, princes and lords scratch and bite; how they envy +and hate one another, oppressing their own people and destroying +their own countries; how they tax themselves with not so much as a +single Christian thought about ameliorating the wretchedness of +Germany and securing for the oppressed Church somewhere a shelter of +defense against the murderous attacks of devil, Pope and Turks. The +noblemen rake and rend, robbing whomever they can, prince or +otherwise, and especially the poor Church; like actual devils, they +trample under foot pastors and preachers. Townsmen and farmers, too, +are extremely avaricious, extortionate and treacherous; they +fearlessly perpetrate every sort of insolence and wickedness, and +without shame and unpunished. The earth cries to heaven, unable +longer to tolerate its oppression. + +18. But why multiply words? It is in vain so far as the world is +concerned; no admonition will avail. The world remains the devil's +own. We must remember we shall not by any means find with the world +that Christian heart pictured by the apostle; on the contrary we +shall find what might be represented by a picture of the very +opposite type--the most shameless ingratitude. But let the still +existing God-fearing Christians be careful to imitate in their +gratitude the spirit of the apostle's beautiful picture. Let them +give evidence of their willingness to hear the Word of God, of +pleasure and delight in it and grief where it is rejected. Let them +show by their lives a consciousness of the great blessing conferred +by those from whom they received the Gospel. As recipients of such +goodness, let their hearts and lips ever be ready with the happy +declaration: "God be praised!" For thereunto are we called. As before +said, praise should be the constant service and daily sacrifice of +Christians; and according to Paul's teaching here, the Christian's +works, his fruits of righteousness, should shine before men. Such +manifestation of gratitude assuredly must result when we comprehend +what God has given us. + +19. Notwithstanding the world's refusal to be influenced by the +recognition of God's goodness, and in spite of the fact that we are +obliged daily to see, hear and suffer the world's increasing +ungratefulness the longer it stands, we must not allow ourselves to +be led into error; for we will be unable to change it. We must preach +against the evil of ingratitude wherever possible, severely censuring +it, and faithfully admonish all men to guard against it. At the same +time we have to remember the world will not submit. Although +compelled to live among the ungrateful, we are not for that reason to +fall into error nor to cease from doing good. Let our springs be +dispersed abroad, as Solomon says in Proverbs 5, 16. Let us +continually do good, not faltering when others receive our good as +evil. Just as God causes his sun to rise on the thankful and the +unthankful. Mt 5, 45. + +20. But if your good works are wrought with the object of securing +the thanks and applause of the world, you will meet with a reception +quite the reverse. Your reward will justly be that of him who crushes +with his teeth the hollow nut only to defile his mouth. Now, if when +ingratitude is met with, you angrily wish to pull down mountains, and +resolve to give up doing good, you are no longer a Christian. You +injure yourself and accomplish nothing. Can you not be mindful of +your environment--that you are still in the world where vice and +ingratitude hold sway? that you are, as the phrase goes, with "those +who return evil for good"? He who would escape this fact must flee +the boundaries of the world. It requires no great wisdom to live only +among the godly and do good, but the keenest judgment is necessary to +live with the wicked and not do evil. + +21. Christianity should be begun in youth, to give practice in the +endurance that will enable one to do good to all men while expecting +evil in return. Not that the Christian is to commend and approve evil +conduct; he is to censure and restrain wickedness to the limit of the +authority his position in life affords. It is the best testimony to +the real merit of a work when its beneficiaries are not only +ungrateful but return evil. For its results tend to restrain the doer +from a too high opinion of himself, and the character of the work is +too precious in God's sight for the world to be worthy of rewarding +it. + + +II. THE DUTY OF PRAYER. + +22. The other Christian duty named by Paul in this passage is that of +prayer. The two obligations--gratitude for benefits received, and +prayer for the preservation and growth of God's work begun in us--are +properly related. Prayer is of supreme importance, for the devil and +the world assail us and delight in turning us aside; we have +continually to resist wickedness. So the conflict is a sore one for +our feeble flesh and blood, and we cannot stand unvanquished unless +there be constant, earnest invocation of divine aid. Gratitude and +prayer are essential and must accompany each other, according to the +requirements of the daily sacrifice of the Old Testament: the +offering of praise, or thank-offering, thanks to God for blessings +received; and the sacrifice of prayer, or the Lord's Prayer--the +petition against the wickedness and evil from which we would be +released. + +23. Our life has not yet reached the heights it is destined to +attain. We know here only its incipient first-fruits. Desire is not +satisfied; we have but a foretaste. As yet we only realize by faith +what is bestowed upon us; full and tangible occupancy is to come. +Therefore, we need to pray because of the limitations that bind our +earthly life, until we go yonder where prayer is unnecessary, and all +is happiness, purity of life and one eternal song of thanks and +praise to God. + +But heavenly praise and joy is to have its inception and a measure of +growth here on earth through the encouragement of prayer--prayer for +ourselves and the Church as a whole; that is, for them who have +accepted and believe the Gospel and are thus mutually helpful. For +the Gospel will receive greater exaltation and will inspire more joy +with the individual because of its acceptance by the many. So Paul +says he thanks God for the fellowship of the Philippians in the +Gospel, and offers prayer in their behalf. + + +PRAYER FOR OTHERS. + +24. Yes, it should be the joy of a Christian heart to see multitudes +accept the offer of mercy, and praise and thank God with him. This +desire for the participation of others in the Gospel promotes the +spirit of prayer. The Christian cannot be a misanthrope, wholly +unconcerned whether his fellows believe or not. He should be +interested in all men and unceasingly long and pray for their +salvation; for the sanctification of God's name, the coming of his +kingdom, the fulfilment of his will; and for the exposure everywhere +of the devil's deceptions, the suppression of his murderous power +over poor souls and the restraint of his authority. + +25. This prayer should be the sincere, earnest outflow of the true +Christian's heart. Note, Paul's words here indicate that his praise +and prayer were inspired by a fervent spirit. It is impossible that +the words "I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, always in +every supplication" be the expression of any but a heart full of such +sentiments. + +Truly, Paul speaks in a way worthy of an apostle--saying he renders +praise and prayer with keenest pleasure. He rejoices in his heart +that he has somewhere a little band of Christians who love the Gospel +and with whom he may rejoice; that he may thank God for them and pray +in their behalf. Was there not much more reason that all they who had +heard the Gospel should rejoice, and thank Paul in heart and in +expression for it, praying God in his behalf? should rejoice that +they became worthy of the apostle's favor, were delivered from their +blindness and had now received from him the light transferring from +sin and death into the grace of God and eternal life? + +26. But Paul does not wait for them to take the initiative, as they +ought to have done to declare their joy and their gratitude to him. +In his first utterance he pours out the joy of his heart, fervently +thanking God for them, etc. Well might they have blushed, and +reproached themselves, when they received the epistle beginning with +these words. Well might they have said, "We should not have permitted +him to speak in this way; it was our place first to show him +gratitude and joy." + + +FEW BELIEVERS NO REASON FOR DISCOURAGEMENT. + +27. We shall not soon be able to boast the attainment of that +beautiful, perfect Christian spirit the apostle's words portray. +Seeing how the apostle rejoices over finding a few believers in the +Gospel, why should we complain because of the smaller number who +accord us a hearing and seriously accept the Word of God? We have no +great reason to complain nor to be discouraged since Christ and the +prophets and apostles, meeting with the same backwardness on the part +of the people, still were gratified over the occasional few who +accepted the faith. We note how Christ rejoiced when now and then he +found one who had true faith, and on the other hand was depressed +when his own people refused to hear him, and reluctantly censured +them. And Paul did not meet with more encouragement. In all the Roman +Empire--and through the greater part of it he had traveled with the +Gospel--he only occasionally found a place where was even a small +band of earnest Christians; but over them he peculiarly rejoices, +finding in them greater consolation than in all the treasures on +earth. + +28. But it is a prophecy of good to the world, a portent of ultimate +success, that Christ and his apostles and ministers must rejoice over +an occasional reception of the beloved Word. Such acceptance will +tell in time. One would think all men might eagerly have hastened to +the ends of the earth to be afforded an opportunity of hearing an +apostle. But Paul had to go through the world himself upon his +ministry, enduring great fatigue and encountering privations and +grave dangers, being rejected and trampled upon by all men. However, +disregarding it all, he rejoiced to be able now and then to see some +soul accept the Gospel. In time past it was not necessary for the +Pope and his officials to run after anyone. They sat in lordly +authority in their kingdom, and all men had to obey their summons, +wherever wanted, and that without thanks. + +29. What running on the part of our fathers, even of many of us, as +if we were foolish--running from all countries, hundreds of miles, to +Jerusalem, to the holy sepulcher, to Compostella, St. James, Rome, to +the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul; some barefooted and others in +complete armor--all this, to say nothing of innumerable other +pilgrimages! We thus expended large sums of money, and thanked God, +and rejoiced to be able thereby to purchase the wicked indulgences of +the Pope and to be worthy to look upon or to kiss the bones of the +dead exhibited as holy relics, but preferably to kiss the feet of His +Most Holy Holiness, the Pope. This condition of things the world +desires again, and it shall have nothing better. + + + + +_Twenty Third Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Philippians 3, 17-21. + +17 Brethren, be ye imitators [followers] together of me, and mark +them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample. 18 For many +walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that +they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is +perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, +who mind earthly things. 20 For our citizenship [conversation] is in +heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 +who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation [change our vile +body], that it may be conformed [fashioned] to the body of his glory, +according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all +things unto himself. + + +ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST AND THE CHRISTIAN'S CITIZENSHIP IN +HEAVEN. + +1. Paul immeasurably extols the Philippians for having made a good +beginning in the holy Gospel and for having acquitted themselves +commendably, like men in earnest, as manifest by their fruits of +faith. The reason he shows this sincere and strong concern for them +is his desire that they remain steadfast, not being led astray by +false teachers among the roaming Jews. For at that time many Jews +went about with the intent of perverting Paul's converts, pretending +they taught something far better; while they drew the people away +from Christ and back to the Law, for the purpose of establishing and +extending their Jewish doctrines. + +Paul, contemplating with special interest and pleasure his Church of +the Philippians, is moved by parental care to admonish them--lest +they sometime be misled by such teachers--to hold steadily to what +they have received, not seeking anything else and not imagining, like +self-secure, besotted souls who allow themselves to be deceived by +the devil--not imagining themselves perfect and with complete +understanding in all things. In the verses just preceding our text he +speaks of himself as having not yet attained to full knowledge. + + +PURITY OF DOCTRINE ENJOINED. + +2. He particularly admonishes them to follow him and to mark those +ministers who walk as he does; also to shape their belief and conduct +by the pattern they have received from him. Not only of himself does +he make an example, but introduces them who similarly walk, several +of whom he mentions in this letter to the Philippians. The +individuals whom he bids them observe and follow must have been +persons of special eminence. But it is particularly the doctrine the +apostle would have the Philippians pattern after. Therefore we should +be chiefly concerned about preserving the purity of the office of the +ministry and the genuineness of faith. When these are kept unsullied, +doctrine will be right, and good works spontaneous. Later on, in +chapter 4, verse 8, Paul admonishes, with reference to the same +subject: "If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think +on these things." + +3. Apparently Paul is a rash man to dare boast himself a pattern for +all. Other ministers might well accuse him of desiring to exalt his +individual self above others. "Think you," our wise ones would say to +him, "that you alone have the Holy Spirit, or that no one else is as +eager for honor as yourself?" Just so did Miriam and Aaron murmur +against Moses, their own brother, saying: "Hath Jehovah indeed spoken +only with Moses? hath he not spoken also with us?" Num 12, 2. And it +would seem as if Paul had too high an appreciation of his own +character did he hold up his individual self as a pattern, intimating +that no one was to be noted as worthy unless he walked as he did; +though there might be some who apparently gave greater evidence of +the Spirit, of holiness, humility and other graces, than himself, and +yet walked not in his way. + +4. But he does not say "I, Paul, alone." He says, "as ye have us for +an example", that does not exclude other true apostles and teachers. +He is admonishing his Church, as he everywhere does, to hold fast to +the one true doctrine received from him in the beginning. They are +not to be too confident of their own wisdom in the matter, or to +presume they have independent authority; but rather to guard against +pretenders to a superior doctrine, for so had some been misled. + + +RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW IS VAIN. + +5. In what respect he was a pattern or example to them, he has made +plain; for instance, in the beginning of this chapter, in the third +verse and following, he says: "For we are the circumcision, who +worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no +confidence in the flesh: though I myself might have confidence even +in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the +flesh, I yet more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of +Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews." That is, he +commands the highest honor a Jew can boast. "As touching the law," he +goes on, "a Pharisee; as touching zeal, persecuting the Church; as +touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. +Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for +Christ. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the +excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I +suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I +may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of +mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through +faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." + +6. "Behold, this is the picture or pattern," he would say, "which we +hold up for you to follow, that remembering how you obtained +righteousness you may hold to it--a righteousness not of the Law." So +far as the righteousness of the Law is concerned, Paul dares to say +he regards it as filth and refuse (that proceeds from the human +body); notwithstanding in its beautiful and blameless form it may be +unsurpassed by anything in the world--such righteousness as was +manifest in sincere Jews, and in Paul himself before his conversion; +for these in their great holiness, regarded Christians as knaves and +meriting damnation, and consequently took delight in being party to +the persecution and murder of Christians. + +7. "Yet," Paul would say, "I who am a Jew by birth have counted all +this merit as simply loss that I might be found in 'the righteousness +which is from God by faith'." Only the righteousness of faith teaches +us how to apprehend God--how to confidently console ourselves with +his grace and await a future life, expecting to approach Christ in +the resurrection. By "approaching" him we mean to meet him in death +and at the judgment day without terror, not fleeing but gladly +drawing near and hailing him with joy as one waited for with intense +longing. + +Now, the righteousness of the Law cannot effect such confidence of +mind. Hence, for me it avails nothing before God; rather it is a +detriment. What does avail is God's imputation of righteousness for +Christ's sake, through faith. God declares to us in his Word that the +believer in his Son shall, for Christ's own sake, have God's grace +and eternal life. He who knows this is able to wait in hope for the +last day, having no fear, no disposition to flee. + +8. But is it not treating the righteousness of the Law with +irreverence and contempt to regard it--and so teach--as something not +only useless and even obstructive, but injurious, loathsome and +abominable? Who would have been able to make such a bold statement, +and to censure a life so faultless and conforming so closely to the +Law as Paul's, without being pronounced by all men a minion of the +devil, had not the apostle made that estimation of it himself? And +who is to have any more respect for the righteousness of the Law if +we are to preach in that strain? + +9. Had Paul confined his denunciations to the righteousness of the +world or of the heathen--the righteousness dependent upon reason and +controlled by secular government, by laws and regulations--his +teaching would not have seemed so irreverent. But he distinctly +specifies the righteousness of God's Law, or the Ten Commandments, to +which we owe an obligation far above what is due temporal powers, for +they teach how to live before God--something no heathenish court of +justice, no temporal authority, knows anything about. Should we not +condemn as a heretic this preacher who goes beyond his prerogative +and dares find fault with the Law of God? who also warns us to shun +such as observe it, such as trust in its righteousness, and exalts to +sainthood "enemies of the cross of Christ ... whose God is the +belly"--who serve the appetites instead of God? + +10. Paul would say of himself: I, too, was such a one. In my most +perfect righteousness of the Law I was an enemy to and persecutor of +the congregation, or Church, of Christ. It was the legitimate fruit +of my righteousness that I thought I must be party to the most +horrible persecution of Christ and his Christians. Thus my holiness +made me an actual enemy of Christ and a murderer of his followers. +The disposition to injure is a natural result of the righteousness of +the Law, as all Scripture history from Cain down testifies, and as we +see even in the best of the world who have not come to the knowledge +of Christ. Princes, civil authorities in proportion to their wisdom, +their godliness and honor are the bitter and intolerant enemies of +the Gospel. + +11. Of the sensual papistical dolts at Rome, cardinals, bishops, +priests and the like, it is not necessary to speak here. Their works +are manifest. All honorable secular authorities must confess they are +simply abandoned knaves, living shameless lives of open scandal, +avarice, arrogance, unchastity, vanity, robbery and wickedness of +every kind. Not only are they guilty of such living, but shamelessly +endeavor to defend their conduct. They must, then, be regarded +enemies of Christ and of all honesty and virtue. Hence every +respectable man is justly antagonistic toward them. But, as before +said, Paul is not here referring to this class, but to eminent, godly +individuals, whose lives are beyond reproach. These very ones, when +Christians are encountered, are hostile and heinous enough to be able +to forget all their own faults in the sight of God, and to magnify to +huge beams the motes we Christians have. In fact, they must style the +Gospel heresy and satanic doctrine for the purpose of exalting their +own holiness and zeal for God. + + +RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW OPPOSES THE CROSS. + +12. The thing seems incredible, and I would not have believed it +myself, nor have understood Paul's words here, had I not witnessed it +with my own eyes and experienced it. Were the apostle to repeat the +charge today, who could conceive that our first, noblest, most +respectable, godly and holy people, those whom we might expect, above +all others, to accept the Word of God--that they, I say, should be +enemies to the Christian doctrine? But the examples before us testify +very plainly that the "enemies" the apostle refers to must be the +individuals styled godly and worthy princes and noblemen, honorable +citizens, learned, wise, intelligent individuals. Yet if these could +devour at one bite the "Evangelicals," as they are now called, they +would do it. + +13. If you ask, Whence such a disposition? I answer, it naturally +springs from human righteousness. For every individual who professes +human righteousness, and knows nothing of Christ, holds that +efficacious before God. He relies upon it and gratifies himself with +it, presuming thereby to present a flattering appearance in God's +sight and to render himself peculiarly acceptable to him. From being +proud and arrogant toward God, he comes to reject them who are not +righteous according to the Law; as illustrated in the instance of the +Pharisee. Lk 18, 11-12. But greater is his enmity and more bitter his +hatred toward the preaching that dares to censure such righteousness +and assert its futility to merit God's grace and eternal life. + +14. I myself, and others with me, were dominated by such feelings +when, under popery, we claimed to be holy and pious; we must confess +the fact. If thirty years ago, when I was a devout, holy monk, +holding mass every day and having no thought but that I was in the +road leading directly to heaven--if then anyone had accused me--had +preached to me the things of this text and pronounced our +righteousness--which accorded not strictly with the Law of God, but +conformed to human doctrine and was manifestly idolatrous--pronounced +it without efficacy and said I was an enemy to the cross of Christ, +serving my own sensual appetites, I would immediately have at least +helped to find stones for putting to death such a Stephen, or to +gather wood for the burning of this worst of heretics. + +15. So human nature ever does. The world cannot conduct itself in any +other way, when the declaration comes from heaven saying: "True you +are a holy man, a great and learned jurist, a conscientious regent, a +worthy prince, an honorable citizen, and so on, but with all your +authority and your upright character you are going to hell; your +every act is offensive and condemned in God's sight. If you would be +saved you must become an altogether different man; your mind and +heart must be changed." Let this be announced and the fire rises, the +Rhine is all ablaze; for the self-righteous regard it an intolerable +idea that lives so beautiful, lives devoted to praiseworthy callings, +should be publicly censured and condemned by the objectionable +preaching of a few insignificant individuals regarded as even +pernicious, and according to Paul, as filthy refuse, actual obstacles +to eternal life. + +16. But you may say: "What? Do you forbid good works? Is it not right +to lead an honorable, virtuous life? Do you not acknowledge the +necessity of political laws, of civil governments? that upon +obedience to them depends the maintenance of discipline, peace and +honor? Indeed, do you not admit that God himself commands such +institutions and wills their observance, punishing where they are +disregarded? Much more would he have his own Law and the Ten +Commandments honored, not rejected. How dare you then assert that +such righteousness is misleading, and obstructive to eternal life? +What consistence is there in teaching people to observe the things of +the Law, to be righteous in that respect, and at the same time +censuring those things as condemned before God? How can the works of +the Law be good and precious, and yet repulsive and productive of +evil?" + +17. I answer, Paul well knows the world takes its stand on this point +of righteousness by the Law, and hence would contradict him. But let +him who will, consult the apostle as to why he makes such bold +assertions here. For indeed the words of the text are not our words, +but his. True, law and government are essential in temporal life, as +Paul himself confesses, and God would have everyone honor and obey +them. Indeed, he has ordained their observance among Turks and +heathen. Yet it is a fact that these people, even the best and most +upright of them, they who lead honorable lives, are naturally in +their hearts enemies to Christ, and devote their intellectual powers +to exterminating God's people. + +It must be universally admitted that the Turks, with all the +restrictions and austerity of life imposed upon them by the Koran, a +life more rigorous even than that of Christians--it must be admitted +they belong to the devil. In other words, we adjudge them condemned +with all their righteousness, but at the same time say they do right +in punishing thieves, robbers, murderers, drunkards and other +offenders; more, that Christians living within their jurisdiction are +under obligation to pay tribute, and to serve them with person and +property. Precisely the same thing is true respecting our princes who +persecute the Gospel and are open enemies to Christ: we must be +obedient to them, paying the tribute and rendering the service +imposed; yet they, and all obedient followers willingly consenting to +the persecution of the Gospel, must be looked upon as condemned +before God. + +18. Similarly does Paul speak concerning the righteousness of all the +Jews and pious saints who are not Christians. His utterance is bold +and of certain sound. He censures them and, weeping, deprecatingly +refers to certain who direct the people to the righteousness of the +law with the sole result of making "enemies to the cross of Christ." + +19. Again, all the praise he has for them is to say that their "end +is perdition"; they are condemned in spite of strenuous efforts all +their lives to teach and enforce the righteousness of works. Here on +earth it is truly a priceless distinction, an admirable and noble +treasure, a praiseworthy honor, to have the name of being a godly and +upright prince, ruler or citizen; a pious, virtuous wife or virgin. +Who would not praise and exalt such virtue? It is indeed a rare and +valuable thing in the world. But however beautiful, priceless and +admirable an honor it is, Paul tells us, it is ultimately condemned +and pertains not to heaven. + + +HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS IDOLATROUS. + +20. The apostle makes his accusation yet more galling with the words +"whose god is their belly." Thus you hear how human righteousness, +even at its best, extends no higher than to service of the sensual +appetites. Take all the wisdom, justice, jurisprudence, artifice, +even the highest virtues the world affords, and what are they? They +minister only to that god, carnal appetite. They can go no farther +than the needs of this life, their whole purpose being to satisfy +physical cravings. When the physical appetites of the worldly pass, +they pass likewise, and the gifts and virtues we have mentioned can +no longer serve them. All perish and go to destruction +together--righteousness, virtues, laws and physical appetites which +they have served as their god. For they are wholly ignorant of the +true and eternal God; they know not how to serve him and receive +eternal life. So then in its essential features such a life is merely +idolatrous, having no greater object than the preservation of this +perishable body and its enjoyment of peace and honor. + +21. The fourth accusation is, "whose glory is in their shame." That +is all their glory amounts to. Let wise philosophers, scrupulous +heathen, keen jurists, receive the acme of praise and honor--it is +yet but shame. True, their motto is "Love of Virtue"; they boast +strong love of virtue and righteousness and may even think themselves +sincere. But judged by final results, their boast is without +foundation and ends in shame. For the utmost their righteousness can +effect is the applause of the world--here on earth. Before God it +avails nothing. It cannot touch the life to come. Ultimately it +leaves its possessor a captive in shame. Death devours and hell +clutches him. + +22. You may again object, "If what you say is true, why observe +temporal restrictions? Let us live in indulgent carelessness +following our inclinations. Let pass the godly, honorable man; the +virtuous, upright wife or virgin." I answer, By no means; that is not +the design. You have heard it is God's command and will that there be +temporal righteousness even among Turks and heathen. And later on +(ch. 4, 8) Paul admonishes Christians to "think on these things," +that is, on what is true. He says: "Whatsoever things are honorable, +whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever +things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be +any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." And +continuing, in verse 9, he refers them to his own example, saying, +"which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me." + + +FRUITS OF FAITH. + +23. With the believers in Christ, them who have their righteousness +in him, there should follow in this life on earth the fruits of +upright living, in obedience to God. These fruits constitute the good +works acceptable to God, which, being works of faith and wrought in +Christ, will be rewarded in the life to come. But Paul has in mind +the individuals who, rejecting faith in Christ, regard their +self-directed lives, their humanly-wrought works, which conform to +the Law, as righteousness availing in the sight of God. His reference +is to them who so trust, though wholly ignorant of Christ, for whose +sake, without any merit on our part, righteousness is imputed to us +by God. The only condition is we must believe in Christ; for he +became man, died for our sins and rose from the dead, for the very +purpose of liberating us from our sins and granting us his +resurrection and life. Toward the heavenly life we should tend, in +our life here walking in harmony with it; as Paul says in conclusion: +"Our citizenship is in heaven [not earthly and not confined to this +temporal life only]; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord +Jesus Christ." + +If we have no knowledge, no consciousness, of this fact, it matters +not how beautiful and praiseworthy our human, earthly righteousness +may be, it is merely a hindrance and an injury. For flesh and blood +cannot help relying on its own righteousness and arrogantly boasting +in this strain: "We are better, more honorable, more godly, than +others. We Jews are the people of God and keep his Law." Even +Christians are not wholly free from the pernicious influence of human +holiness. They ever seek to bring their own works and merits before +God. I know for myself what pains are inflicted by this godless +wisdom, this figment of righteousness, and what effort must be made +before the serpent's head is bruised. + +24. Now, this is the situation and there is no alternative: Either +suffer hell or regard your human righteousness as loss and filth and +endeavor not to be found relying on it at your last hour, in the +presence of God and judgment, but rather stand in the righteousness +of Christ. In the garment of Christ's righteousness and reared in him +you may, in the resurrection from sin and death, meet Christ and +exclaim: "Hail, beloved Lord and Saviour, thou who hast redeemed me +from the wretched body of sin and death, and fashioned me like unto +thy holy, pure and glorious body!" + + +GOD'S PATIENCE WITH HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS. + +25. Meantime, while we walk in the faith of his righteousness, he has +patience with the poor, frail righteousness of this earthly life, +which otherwise is but filth in his sight. He honors our human +holiness by supporting and protecting it during the time we live on +earth; just as we honor our corrupt, filthy bodies, adorning them +with beautiful, costly garments and golden ornaments, and reposing +them on cushions and beds of luxury. Though but stench and filth +encased in flesh, they are honored above everything else on earth. +For their sake are all things performed--the ordering and ruling, +building and laboring; and God himself permits sun and moon to shine +that they may receive light and heat, and everything to grow on earth +for their benefit. What is the human body but a beautiful pyx +containing that filthy, repulsive object of reverence, the digestive +organs, which the body must always patiently carry about; yes, which +we must even nourish and minister to, glad if only they perform their +functions properly? + +26. Similarly God deals with us. Because he would confer eternal life +upon man, he patiently endures the filthy righteousness of this life +wherein we must dwell until the last day, for the sake of his chosen +people and until the number is complete. For so long as the final day +is deferred, not all to have eternal life are yet born. When the time +shall be fulfilled, the number completed, God will suddenly bring to +an end the world with its governments, its jurists and authorities, +its conditions of life; in short, he will utterly abolish earthly +righteousness, destroying physical appetites and all else together. +For every form of human holiness is condemned to destruction; yet for +the sake of Christians, to whom eternal life is appointed, and for +their sake only, all these must be perpetuated until the last saint +is born and has attained life everlasting. Were there but one saint +yet to be born, for the sake of that one the world must remain. For +God regards not the world nor has he need for it, except for the sake +of his Christians. + +27. Therefore, when God enjoins upon us obedience to the emperor, and +godly, honest lives on earth, it is no warrant that our subjection to +temporal authority is to continue forever. Instead, God necessarily +will minister to, adorn and honor this wretched body--vile body, as +Paul here has it--with power and dominion. Yet the apostle terms +human righteousness "filth," and says it is not necessary to God's +kingdom; indeed, that it is condemned in the sight of God with all +its honor and glory, and all the world must be ashamed of it in his +presence, confessing themselves guilty. Paul in Romans 3, 27 and 4, 2 +testifies to this fact when he tells how even the exalted, holy +fathers--Abraham, and others--though having glory before the world +because of their righteous works, could not make them serve to obtain +honor before God. Much less will worldly honor avail with God in the +case of individuals who, being called honorable, pious, honest, +virtuous--lords and princes, wives and husbands--boast of such +righteousness. + +28. Outwardly, then, though your righteousness may appear dazzlingly +beautiful before the world, inwardly you are but filth. Illustrative +of this point is the story told of a certain nun regarded holy above +all others. She would not fellowship with anyone else, but sat alone +in her cell in rapt devotion, praying unceasingly. She boasted +special revelations and visions and had no consciousness of anything +but that beloved angels hovered about and adorned her with a golden +crown. But some outside, ardently desiring to behold such sights, +peeped through holes and crevices, and seeing her head but defiled +with filth, laughed at her. + +29. Notice, the reason Paul calls the righteousness of the Law filth +and pollution, is his desire to denounce the honor and glory claimed +for it in God's sight; notwithstanding he honors before the world the +observance of the Law by styling it "righteousness." But if you +ostentatiously boast of such righteousness to him, he pronounces his +sentence of judgment making you an abomination, an enemy of the cross +of Christ, and shaming your boasted honor and finally casting you +into hell. Concerning the righteousness of faith, however, which in +Christ avails before God, he says: + +"Our citizenship [conversation] is in heaven, from whence also we +look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our +vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." + +30. We who are baptized and believe in Christ, Paul's thought is, do +not base our works and our hope on the righteousness of this temporal +life. Through faith in Christ, we have a righteousness that holds in +heaven. It abides in Christ alone; otherwise it would avail naught +before God. And our whole concern is to be eternally in Christ; to +have our earthly existence culminate in yonder life when Christ shall +come and change this life into another, altogether new, pure, holy +and like unto his own, with a life and a body having the nature of +his. + + +THE CHRISTIAN A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN. + +31. Therefore we are no longer citizens of earth. The baptized +Christian is born a citizen of heaven through baptism. We should be +mindful of this fact and walk here as if native there. We are to +console ourselves with the fact that God thus accepts us and will +transplant us there. Meantime we must await the coming again of the +Saviour, who is to bring from heaven to us eternal righteousness, +life, honor and glory. + +32. We are baptized and made Christians, not to the end that we may +have great honor, or renown of righteousness, or earthly dominion, +power and possessions. Notwithstanding we do have these because they +are requisite to our physical life, yet we are to regard them as mere +filth, wherewith we minister to our bodily welfare as best we can for +the benefit of posterity. We Christians, however, are expectantly to +await the coming of the Saviour. His coming will not be to our injury +or shame as it may be in the case of others. He comes for the +salvation of our unprofitable, impotent bodies. Wretchedly worthless +as they are in this life, they are much more unprofitable when +lifeless and perishing in the earth. + +33. But, however miserable, powerless and contemptible in life and +death, Christ will at his coming render our bodies beautiful, pure, +shining and worthy of honor, until they correspond to his own +immortal, glorious body. Not like it as it hung on the cross or lay +in the grave, blood-stained, livid and disgraced; but as it is now, +glorified at the Father's right hand. We need not, then, be alarmed +at the necessity of laying aside our earthly bodies; at being +despoiled of the honor, righteousness and life adhering in them, to +deliver it to the devouring power of death and the grave--something +well calculated to terrify the enemies of Christ: but we may joyfully +hope for and await his speedy coming to deliver us from this +miserable, filthy pollution. + +"According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all +things unto himself." + + +THE GLORIFIED BODY OF THE CHRISTIAN. + +34. Think of the honor and the glory Christ's righteousness brings +even to our bodies! How can this poor, sinful, miserable, filthy, +polluted body become like unto that of the Son of God, the Lord of +Glory? What are you--your powers and abilities, or those of all men, +to effect this glorious thing? But Paul says human righteousness, +merit, glory and power have nothing to do with it. They are mere +filth and pollution, and condemned as well. Another force intervenes, +the power of Christ the Lord, who is able to bring all things into +subjection to himself. Now, if he has power to subject all things +unto himself at will, he is also able to glorify the pollution and +filth of this wretched body, even when it has become worms and dust. +In his hands it is as clay in the hands of the potter, and from the +polluted lump of clay he can make a vessel that shall be a beautiful, +new, pure, glorious body, surpassing the sun in its brilliance and +beauty. + +35. Through baptism Christ has taken us into his hands, actually that +he may exchange our sinful, condemned, perishable, physical lives for +the new, imperishable righteousness and life he prepares for body and +soul. Such is the power and the agency exalting us to marvelous +glory--something no earthly righteousness of the Law could +accomplish. The righteousness of the Law leaves our bodies to shame +and destruction; it reaches not beyond physical existence. But the +righteousness of Christ inspires with power, making evident that we +worship not the body but the true and living God, who does not leave +us to shame and destruction, but delivers from sin, death and +condemnation, and exalts this perishable body to eternal honor and +glory. + + + + +_Twenty Fourth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: Colossians 1, 3-14. + +3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying +always for you, 4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of +the love which ye have toward all the saints, 5 because of the hope +which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in +the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which is come unto you; even +as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it +doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in +truth; 7 even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, +who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 who also +declared unto us your love in the Spirit. + +9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to +pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the +knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 +to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in +every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 +strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, +unto all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks unto +the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of +the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of +darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; +14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. + + +PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE. + +1. In this short epistle to the Colossians Paul treats of many +things, but particularly of faith, love, patience and gratitude. Upon +these topics he is remarkably eloquent, for as God himself declares +in Acts 9, 15, Paul is a chosen vessel, or instrument, of God--his +best preacher on earth. He is particularly strong in his discussion +of the main principle of the Gospel, faith in Christ. And he exalts +Christ supremely, in person and kingdom, making him all in all in his +Church--God, Lord, Master, Head and Example, and everything +mentionable in goodness and divinity. + +2. The apostle's first words are praise for the Colossians. He +remarks upon the good report he has heard of them, how they have +faith in Christ and love for all saints, and hold fast the hope of +eternal life reserved for them in heaven: in other words, that they +are true Christians, who have not allowed themselves to be led away +from the pure Word of God but who earnestly cling to it, proving +their faith by their fruits; for they love the poor Christians, and +for Christ's sake have endured much in the hope of the promised +salvation. So he exalts them as model Christians, a mirror of the +entire Christian life. + +3. "Hearing these things of you," Paul would say, "I heartily rejoice +in your good beginning." Apparently he was not the one who first +preached to them. In the first verse of the second chapter he speaks +of his care for them and others who have not seen his face, and he +also intimates here that the Colossians learned of Christ and the +Gospel from Epaphras, Paul's fellow-servant. + +4. "And therefore I always pray for you," he writes, "that you may +continue in this way; may increase and be steadfast." He is aware of +the necessity for such prayer and exhortation in behalf of Christians +if they are to abide firm and unchangeable in their new-found faith, +against the ceaseless assaults of the devil, the wickedness of the +world, and the weakness of the flesh in tribulation and affliction. + +"That ye may be filled," Paul continues, "with the knowledge of his +will." + +5. This is his chief prayer and desire for them and if it is +fulfilled there can be no lack. The words are, "be filled"; that is, +not only hear and understand God's will, but become rich in the +knowledge of it, with ever-increasing fullness. "You have begun well; +you are promising shoots." But something more than a good beginning +is required, and the knowledge of God's will is not to be +exhaustively learned immediately on hearing the Word. On the contrary +it must be constantly pursued and practiced as long as we live if it +is ever to be rounded and perfected in us. + + +KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL IMPOSES OBLIGATION. + +6. "Knowing the will of God" means more than simply knowing about +God, that he created heaven and earth and gave the Law, and so on, a +knowledge even the Jews and Turks possess. For doubtless to them has +been revealed that knowledge of God and of his will concerning our +conduct which nature--the works of creation--can teach. Rom 1, 20. +But if we fail to do God's revealed will, the knowledge of it does +not benefit us. Such mere mental consciousness is a vain, empty +thing; it does not fulfil God's will in us. Indeed, it eventually +becomes a condemnatory knowledge of our own eternal destruction. When +this point has been reached, further enlightenment is necessary if +man is to be saved. He must know the meaning of Christ's words in +John 6, 40: "This is the will of my Father, that every one that +beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life"; +and in Matthew 18, 14: "It is not the will of your Father, that one +of these should perish, which believe on me." + +7. Since we have not done God's will according to the first +revelation and must be rejected and condemned by his eternal, +unendurable wrath, in his divine wisdom and mercy he has determined, +or willed, to permit his only Son to take upon himself our sin and +wrath; to give Christ as a sacrifice for our ransom, whereby the +unendurable wrath and condemnation might be turned from us; to grant +us forgiveness of sins and to send the Holy Spirit into our hearts, +thus enabling us to love God's commandments and delight in them. This +determination or will he reveals through the Son, and commands him to +declare it to the world. And in Matthew 3, 17 he directs us to Christ +as the source of all these blessings, saying: "This is my beloved +Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." + + +SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE ENJOINED. + +8. Paul would gladly have a spiritual knowledge of these things +increase in us until we are enriched and filled--wholly assured of +their truth. Sublime and glorious knowledge this, the experience of a +human heart which, born in sins, boldly and confidently believes that +God, in his unfathomable majesty, in his divine heart, has +irrevocably purposed--and wills for all men to accept and believe +it--that he will not impute sin, but will forgive it and be gracious, +and grant eternal life, for the sake of his beloved Son. + +9. This spiritual knowledge or confidence, is not so easily learned +as are other things. It is not so readily apprehended as the +knowledge of the law written in nature, which when duly recognized by +the heart overpowers with the conviction of God's wrath. Indeed, that +more than anything else hinders Christians and saints from obtaining +the knowledge of God's will in Christ, for it compels heart and +conscience to plead guilty in every respect and to confess having +merited the wrath of God; therefore the soul naturally fears and +flees from God. Then, too, the devil fans the flame of fear and sends +his wicked, fiery arrows of dismay into the heart, presenting only +frightful pictures and examples of God's anger, filling the heart +with this kind of knowledge to the exclusion of every other thought +or perception. Thus recognition of God's wrath is learned only too +well, for it becomes bitterly hard for man to unlearn it, to forget +it in the knowledge of Christ. Again, the wicked world eagerly +contributes its share of hindrance, its bitter hatred and venomous +outcry against Christians as people of the worst type, outcast, +condemned enemies of God. Moreover, by its example it causes the weak +to stumble. Our flesh and blood also is a drawback, being waywardly +inclined, making much of its own wisdom and holiness and seeking +thereby to gain honor and glory or to live in security a life of +wealth, pleasure and covetousness. Hence on every side a Christian +must be in severe conflict, and fight against the world and the +devil, and against himself also, if he is to succeed in preserving +the knowledge of God's will. + + +WE MUST PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL LIGHT. + +10. Now, since this knowledge of the Gospel is so difficult to attain +and so foreign to nature, it is necessary that we pray for it with +all earnestness and labor to be increasingly filled with it, and to +learn well the will of God. Our own experience testifies that if it +be but superficially and improperly learned, when one is overtaken by +a trifling misfortune or alarmed by a slight danger or affliction, +his heart is easily overwhelmed with the thunderbolts of God's wrath +as he reflects: "Wo to me! God is against me and hates me." Why +should this miserable "Wo!" enter the heart of a Christian upon the +occasion of a little trouble? If he were filled with the knowledge of +God as he should be, and as many secure, self-complacent spirits +imagine themselves to be, he would not thus fear and make outcry. His +agitation and his complaint, "O Lord God! why dost thou permit me to +suffer this?" are evidence that he as yet knows not God's will, or at +least has but a faint conception of it; the wo exceeds the joy. But +full knowledge of God's will brings with it a joy that far +overbalances all fear and terror, ay, removes and abolishes them +altogether. + +11. Therefore let us learn this truth and with Paul pray for what we +and all Christians supremely need--full knowledge of God's will, not +a mere beginning; for we are not to imagine a beginning will suffice +and to stop there as if we had comprehended it all. Everything is not +accomplished in the mere planting; watering and cultivation must +follow. In this case the watering and cultivating are the Word of +God, and prayer against the devil, who day and night labors to +suppress spiritual knowledge, to beat down the tender plants wherever +he sees them springing up; and also against the world, which promotes +only opposition and directs its wisdom and reason to conflicting +ends. Did not God protect us and strengthen the knowledge of his +will, we would soon see the devil's power and the extent of our +spiritual understanding. + +12. We have a verification of this assertion in that poetical work, +the book of Job. Satan appears before God, who asks (ch. 1, 8): "Hast +thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the +earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God." And Satan +answers on this wise: "Yea, thou hast surrounded him with thy +protection and kept me at bay; but only withdraw thy hand and I +venture I will soon bring him around to curse thee to thy face"; as +he afterward did when he afflicted Job with ugly boils and in +addition filled him with his fiery arrows--terrifying thoughts of +God. Further, Christ said to Peter and the other apostles: "Satan +asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: but I made +supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not." Lk 22, 31-32. In +short, if God hinders him not, Satan dares to overthrow even the +greatest and strongest saints. + +13. Therefore, although we have become Christians and have made a +beginning in the knowledge of God's will, we ought nevertheless to +walk in fear and humility, and not to be presumptuous like the +soon-wearied, secure spirits, who imagine they exhausted that +knowledge in an instant, and know not the measure and limit of their +skill. Such people are particularly pleasing to the devil, for he has +them completely in his power and makes use of their teaching and +example to harm others and make them likewise secure, and unmindful +of his presence and of the fact that God may suffer them to be +overwhelmed. Verily, there is need of earnest and diligent use of the +Word of God and prayer, that Christians may not only learn to know +the will of God, but also to be filled with it. Only so can the +individual walk always according to God's will and make constant +progress, straining toward the goal of an ever-increasing comfort and +strength that shall enable him to face fears and terrors and not +allow the devil, the world, and flesh and blood to hinder him. + + +SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE BRINGS INCREASING JOY. + +14. Such is the nature of this fullness of knowledge that the +possessor never becomes satiated with it or tired of it, but it +yields him ever-increasing pleasure and joy, and he is ever more +eager, more thirsty, for it. As the Scriptures declare, "They that +drink me shall yet be thirsty." Ecclus 24, 21. For even the dear +angels in heaven never become sated with fullness of knowledge, but +as Peter says, they find an everlasting joy and pleasure in the +ability to behold what is revealed and preached to us. 1 Peter 1, 12. +Therefore, if we have not a constant hunger and thirst after the full +and abundant comprehension of God's will--and certainly we ought to +have it in greater degree than the angels--until we, too, shall be +able to behold it eternally in the life everlasting, then we have but +a taste of that knowledge, a mere empty froth, which can neither +refresh nor satisfy us, cannot comfort us nor make us better. + + +WHY AFFLICTIONS ARE SENT. + +15. To create and stimulate this hunger and thirst in us, and to +bring us to the attainment of full knowledge, God kindly sends upon +his Christians temptation, sorrow and affliction. These preserve them +from carnal satiety and teach them to seek comfort and help. So God +did also in former ages, in the time of the martyrs, when he daily +suffered them to be violently seized in person and put to death by +sword, fire, blood and wild beasts. In this way he truly led his +people to school, where they were obliged to learn to know his will +and to be able defiantly to say: "No, O tyrant, O world, devil and +flesh, though you may injure me bodily, may beat or torment me, +banish me or even take my life, you shall not deprive me of my Lord +Jesus Christ--of God's grace and mercy." So faith taught them and +confirmed to them that such suffering was God's purpose and immutable +will concerning themselves, which, whatever attitude towards them he +might assume, he could not alter, even as he could not in the case of +Christ himself. This discipline and experience of faith strengthened +the martyrs and soon accustomed them to suffering, enabling them to +go to their death with pleasure and joy. Whence came, even to young +girls thirteen and fourteen years old, like Agnes and Agatha, the +courage and confidence to stand boldly before the Roman judge, and, +when led to death, to go as joyfully as to a festivity, whence unless +their hearts were filled with a sublime and steadfast faith, a +positive assurance that God was not angry with them, but that all was +his gracious and merciful will and for their highest salvation and +bliss? + +16. Behold, what noble and enlightened, what strong and courageous, +people God produced by the discipline of cross and affliction! We, in +contrast, because unwilling to experience such suffering, are weak +and enervated. If but a little smoke gets into our eyes, our joy and +courage are gone, likewise our perception of God's will, and we can +only raise a loud lamentation and cry of woe. As I said, this is the +inevitable condition of a heart to which the experience of affliction +is unknown. Just so Christ's disciples in the ship, when they saw the +tempest approach and the waves beat over the vessel, quite forgot, in +their trembling and terror, the divine will, although Christ was +present with them. They only made anxious lamentation, yet withal +cried for help: "Save, Lord; we perish!" Mt 8, 25. So also in the +time of the martyrs, many Christians became timid and at first denied +Christ from fear of torture or of long confinement in prison. + +17. It is God's will that we, too, should learn to accustom ourselves +to these things through temptation and affliction, though these be +hard to bear and the heart is prone to become agitated and utter its +cry of woe. We can quiet our disturbed hearts, saying: "I know what +is God's thought, his counsel and will, in Christ, which he will not +alter: he has promised to me through his Son, and confirmed it +through my baptism, that he who hears and sees the Son shall be +delivered from sin and death, and live eternally." + +18. Now, what Paul calls being filled with the knowledge of the +divine will in Christ through the faith of the Gospel, means faith in +and the comfort of the forgiveness of sins, since we have not in +ourselves the ability to fulfil his will in the ten commandments. +This knowledge is not a passive consciousness, but a living, active +conviction, which will stand before the judgment of God, contend with +the devil and prevail over sin, death and life. + +19. Now, the heart possessing such knowledge or faith is kindled by +the Holy Spirit and acquires a love for and delight in God's +commandments. It becomes obedient to them, patient, chaste, modest, +gentle, given to brotherly kindness, and honors God in confession and +life. Thus it is increasingly filled with the knowledge of God's +will; it is armed and fortified on all sides to withstand and defeat +the flesh and the world, the devil and hell. + + +"SPIRITUAL WISDOM" DEFINED. + +20. By way of explanation Paul adds the words, "all spiritual wisdom +and understanding." This is not the wisdom of the world. There is no +necessity to strive and to endure persecution for that which concerns +itself with other than spiritual matters. Nor is it the wisdom of +reason, which indeed presumes to judge of divine things, but yet can +never understand them; on the contrary, although it accepts them, it +quickly falls away into doubt and despair. + +21. "Wisdom" signifies with Paul, when he places it in apposition +with "spiritual understanding," the sublime and secret doctrine of +the Gospel of Christ, which teaches us to know the will of God. And a +"wise man" is a Christian, who knows himself and can intelligently +interpret God's will toward us and how we perceive his will by +faith--growing and obediently living in harmony with it. This wisdom +is not devised of reason; it has not entered into the heart of man +nor is it known to any of the princes of this world, as Paul says in +1 Corinthians 2, 8-10. But it is revealed from Heaven by the Holy +Spirit to those who believe the Gospel. + +22. But there is necessary to the full completion of wisdom something +which the apostle calls "understanding"; that is, a careful retention +of what has been received. It is possible for one having the +spiritual wisdom to be overtaken by the devil through a momentary +intellectual inspiration, or through anger and impatience, or even +through greed and similar deceitful allurements. Therefore it is +necessary here to be cautious, alert and watchful in an effort to +guard against the devil's cunning attacks and always to oppose him +with his own spiritual wisdom, that he may not be undeceived. The +Pauline and scriptural use of the word "understanding" signifies the +ability to make good use of one's wisdom; to make it effective as a +test whereby to prove all things, to judge with keen discernment +whatever presents itself in the name and appearance of wisdom. Thus +armed, the soul defends itself and does not in any case violate its +own discretion. To furnish himself with understanding, the Christian +must ever have regard to the Word of God, must put it into practice, +lest the devil dazzle his mind with some palaver and error and +deceive him before he is aware of it. This Satan is well able to do; +indeed, he uses every art to accomplish it if a man be not on his +guard and seek not counsel in God's Word. Such is the teaching of +David's example, who says in Psalm 119, 11: "Thy word have I laid up +in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." And again in verse +24: "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." + +23. A man may be familiar with God's Word, yet if he walks in +self-security, concerned about other matters, or if perhaps being +tempted he loses sight of God's Word, it may easily come to pass that +he is seduced and deceived by the secret craft and cunning of the +devil; or of himself he may become bewildered, losing his wisdom and +being unable to find counsel or help even in the most trivial +temptations. For the devil and reason, or human wisdom, can dispute +and syllogize with extraordinary subtlety in these things until one +imagines to be true wisdom that which is not. A wise man soon becomes +a fool; men readily err and make false steps; a Christian likewise is +prone to stumble; ay, even a good teacher and prophet can easily be +deceived by reason's brilliant logic. Essentially, then, Christians +must take warning and study, with careful meditation, the Word of +God. + +24. We read of St. Martin how he would not undertake to dispute with +heretics for the simple reason that he was unwilling to fall into +wrangling, to rationalize with them or to attempt to defeat them by +the weapon of reason, the sole means whereby they pointed and adorned +all their arguments, as the world always does when opposing the Word +of God. The shrewd Papists today pretend, as they think, very acutely +to confirm and support all their antichristian abominations by the +name of the Church, making the idiotic claim that one must not effect +nor suffer any change in the religious teaching commonly accepted by +Christendom. They say we must believe the Christian Church is always +guided by the Holy Spirit and therefore demands our obedience. Notice +here the name of the Church, concerning which your spiritual wisdom +teaches according to the article: "I believe in a holy Christian +Church." But that name is distorted to confirm the lies and idolatry +of the Papacy, just as is true of the name of God. So there is need +of understanding, of careful, keen discernment, that wisdom be not +perverted and falsified, and man be deceived with its counterfeit. + +25. By close examination and comparison with God's Word, the standard +and test, you may clearly prove the Papacy to be not the Church of +Christ, but a sect of Satan; it is filled with open idolatry, lies +and murder, which its adherents fain would defend. These things the +Church of Christ does not endorse, and to tax it with resolving, +appointing, ordering and demanding obedience to that which is at +variance with the Word of God, is to do the Church wrong and +violence. + + +CHURCH NOT TO COMPROMISE WITH PAPISTS. + +26. The world at the present time is sagaciously discussing how to +quell the controversy and strife over doctrine and faith, and how to +effect a compromise between the Church and the Papacy. Let the +learned, the wise, it is said, bishops, emperor and princes, +arbitrate. Each side can easily yield something, and it is better to +concede some things which can be construed according to individual +interpretation, than that so much persecution, bloodshed, war, and +terrible, endless dissension and destruction be permitted. Here is +lack of understanding, for understanding proves by the Word that such +patchwork is not according to God's will, but that doctrine, faith +and worship must be preserved pure and unadulterated; there must be +no mingling with human nonsense, human opinions or wisdom. The +Scriptures give us this rule: "We must obey God rather than men." +Acts 5, 29. + +27. We must not, then, regard nor follow the counsels of human +wisdom, but must keep ever before us God's will as revealed by his +Word; we are to abide by that for death or life, for evil or good. If +war or other calamity results complain to him who wills and commands +us to teach and believe our doctrine. The calamity is not of our +effecting; we have not originated it. And we are not required to +prove by argument whether or no God's will is right and to be obeyed. +If he wills to permit persecution and other evils to arise in +consequence of our teaching, for the trial and experience of true +Christians and for the punishment of the ungrateful, let them come; +and if not, his hand is doubtless strong enough to defend and +preserve his cause from destruction, that man may know the events to +be of his ordering. And so, praise his name, he has done in our case. +He has supported us against the strong desires of our adversaries. +Had we yielded and obeyed them, we would have been drawn into their +falsehood and destruction. And God will still support us if we deal +uprightly and faithfully in these requirements, if we further and +honor the Word of God, and be not unthankful nor seek things that +counterfeit God's Word. + +28. So much by way of explaining what Paul means by wisdom and +understanding to know the will of God, and by way of teaching the +necessity of having both wisdom and understanding. For not only must +the doctrine whereby wisdom is imparted be inculcated in Christendom, +but there is also need for admonition and exhortation concerning that +understanding necessary to preserve wisdom, and for defense in strife +and conflict. Were not these principles exercised and inculcated in +us, we would be deceived by false wisdom and vain imaginations, and +would accept their gloss and glitter for pure gold, as many in the +Church have ever done. + +29. The Galatians had received from Paul the wisdom of justification +before God by faith in Christ alone. Nevertheless, in spite of that +knowledge, they were deceived and would have lost their wisdom +altogether through the claim of the false prophets that the God-given +Law must be observed, had not Paul aroused their understanding at +this point and brought them back from error. The Corinthians were +taught by their spiritual wisdom the article of Christian liberty; +they knew that sacrifices to idols are nothing. But they failed in +this respect: they proceeded without understanding, and made carnal +use of their liberty, contrary to wisdom and offending others. +Therefore Paul had to remind them of their departure from his +doctrine and wisdom. + +30. The Scriptures record many instances of failure in this matter of +understanding. A notable one is found in the thirteenth chapter of +First Kings. A man of God from the kingdom of Judah, who had in the +presence of King Jeroboam openly denounced the idolatry instituted by +the king, and had confirmed his preaching and prophecy by a miracle, +was commanded by God not under any circumstances to abide in the +place whither he had gone to prophesy, nor to eat and drink there. He +was to go straight home by another way than the route he had come. +Yet on the way homeward he allowed himself to be persuaded by another +prophet, one who falsely claimed to have a revelation from God, by an +angel, commanding him to take the man of God to his home and give him +to eat and drink. While they sat together at the table the Word of +the Lord came to the inviting prophet and under its inspiration he +told the other that he should not reach home alive. The latter, +departing on his journey, was killed on the way by a lion, which +remained standing by the body and the ass the man of God had ridden, +not touching them further, until the old prophet came and found them. +He brought the body home on the ass and buried it, commanding that +after his own death he should be laid in the same grave. Such was +God's punishment of the prophet who allowed himself to be deceived +and obeyed not God's express command. However, his soul suffered not +harm, as God testified by the fact the lion did not devour his body +but defended it. Now, in what was the prophet lacking? Not in wisdom, +for he had the Word of God. He lacked in understanding, allowing +himself to be deceived when the other man declared himself a prophet +whom the angel of the Lord had instructed. The man of God should have +abided by the word given to him, and have said to the other: "You may +be a prophet, indeed, but God has commanded me to do this thing. Of +that I am certain and I will be governed by it. I will regard no +conflicting order, be it in the name of an angel or of God." + + +NEITHER REASON NOR FEELINGS A RIGHT JUDGE. + +31. So it is often with man today, not only in doctrinal controversy +but in private affairs and in official capacity. He is prone to +stumble and to fail in understanding when not watchful of his +purposes and motives, to see how they accord with the wisdom of God's +Word. Particularly is his understanding unreliable when the devil +moves him to wrath, impatience, dejection, melancholy, or when he is +otherwise tempted. Often they who have been well exercised with +trials become bewildered in small temptations and uncertain what +course to take. Here must one be watchful and not go by his reason or +his feelings, but remember God's Word--or ascertain if he does not +know what it is--and be guided thereby. When tempted man cannot judge +aright by the dictates of reason. Therefore he ought not to follow +his own natural intelligence nor to act from hasty conclusions. Let +him be suspicious of all his reasoning and beware the cunning of the +devil, who seeks either to allure or to intimidate us by his specious +arguments. First of all let man call upon the understanding born of +his wisdom in the Gospel, what his faith, love, hope and patience +counsel, in fact, what God's will eloquently teaches everywhere and +in all circumstances if only one strive, labor and pray to be filled +with such knowledge. + +32. Paul uses the expression, "spiritual wisdom and understanding," +because it represents that which makes us wise and prudent to oppose +the devil and his assaults and temptations, or wiles as Paul calls +them in Ephesians 6, 11; which governs and guides, shepherds and +leads, teaches and keeps us, and enables us to fare well +spiritually--in faith and a good conscience toward God--and also in +the temporal affairs of life when reason fails as a counselor or +teacher. Paul further says: + +"To walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in +every good work; and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened +with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all +patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks unto the Father, +who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in +light." + +33. What is meant by "walking worthily of the Lord" we have heard in +other epistles, namely to believe, and to confess the faith by +doctrine and life, as people worthy of the Lord and of whom the Lord +can triumphantly say: "These are my people--Christians who live and +abide in what they have been taught by the Word, who know my will and +obediently do and suffer for it." + +34. Our wisdom and understanding of the knowledge of God should serve +to make us characters that are an honor and praise to God, in whom he +may be glorified, and who live to God unto all pleasing, that is, +please him in every way, according to his Word. And because of such +wisdom and knowledge, we should, in our lives, in our stations and +appointed work, not be unfruitful nor harmful hypocrites and +unbelievers, as false Christians are, but doers of much good, useful +characters to the honor of God's kingdom. All the time we are to make +constant growth and progress in the knowledge of God, that we may not +be seduced or driven from it by the cunning of the devil, who at all +times and in all places assails Christians and strenuously seeks to +effect their fall from the Word and from God's will, even as in the +beginning he did with Adam and Eve in paradise. + + +ONLY GOD'S POWER CAN OVERCOME THE DEVIL. + +35. The apostle continues: "strengthened with all power, according to +the might of his glory." Here is preparation to sustain the conflict +against the devil, the world and the flesh, and to overcome. Not our +own power, nor the combined power of all mankind, can effect it. Only +God's own divine, glorious power and might can overcome the devil and +win honor and praise in the contest with the gates of hell. Christ in +himself proved such efficacy of the divine strength when he overcame +all the devil's superlative assaults. + +36. By this power and might of God must we be strengthened in faith. +We must strive after such divine agency and by the help of the Word +persevere and pray, that there may be not only a beginning, but a +continuation and a victorious end. So shall we become ever stronger +and stronger in God's might. Whatever we do, it must not be +undertaken in and by our own strength. We must not boast as if we had +ourselves accomplished it, but must rely upon God, upon his strength +and support. Certainly it is not due to our ability but to his own +omnipotent agency if one remains a Christian, steadfast in the +knowledge of God and not deceived nor conquered by the devil. + + +PATIENCE ESSENTIAL TO ENDURANCE. + +37. But, the writer tells us, the attainment of strength and victory +calls for "all patience." We must have patience to endure the +persistent persecution of the devil, the world and the flesh. Not +only patience is required here, but "longsuffering." The apostle +makes a distinction between the two words, regarding the latter as +something more heroic. It is the devil's way, when he fails to defeat +by affliction and trouble, to try the heart with endurance. He makes +the ordeal unbearably hard and long to patience, even apparently +without end. His scheme is to accomplish by unceasing persistence +what he cannot attain by the severity and multitude of his +temptations; he aims to wear out one's patience and to discourage his +hope of conquering. To meet these conditions there is necessary, in +addition to patience, longsuffering, which holds out firmly and +steadfastly in suffering, with the determination: "Indeed, you cannot +try me too severely or too long, even though the trial continue to +the end of the world." True, knightly, Christian strength is that +which in conflict and suffering is able to endure not only severe and +manifold assaults of the devil, but to hold out indefinitely. More +than anything else do we need to be strengthened, through prayer, +with the power of God, that we may not succumb in such grievous +warfare, but achieve the end. + + +CHRISTIANS SHOULD REJOICE AND BE THANKFUL. + +38. And your patience and longsuffering, Paul says, must be exercised +"with joy." In these severe, multiplied and long temptations you must +not allow yourselves to be filled with sad and depressing thoughts. +You are to be hopeful and joyous, despising the devil and the +troubles and tumults of the world and himself. Rejoice because you +have on your side the knowledge of the divine will in Christ, and his +power and glorious might, and doubt not that his omnipotence will +help you through. + +39. Finally the apostle enjoins us to give thanks, or to be thankful. +Forget not, he would say, the unspeakable benefits and gifts God has +bestowed upon you above all men on earth. He has richly blessed you, +and liberated you from the power and might of sin, death, hell and +the devil, wherein you would, for all you could help yourselves, have +had to remain eternally captive; he has appointed you for eternal +glory, making you co-heirs with the saints elected for his eternal +kingdom; and he has made you partakers of all eternal, divine, +heavenly blessings. In your sufferings and conflicts, remember these +glories ordained for and given to you, and remembering rejoice the +more and willingly fight and suffer to obtain possession, to enjoy +the fruition, of what is certainly appropriated to you in the Word +and in faith. + +40. The writer of the epistle calls it "the inheritance of the saints +in light," or of the "light" saints, that is, the true saints. Thus +he distinguishes from false saints, intimating that there are two +classes of saints. To one class belong the many in the world who have +only their own claim to sainthood: the Jews, for instance, with their +holiness of the Law; and the world generally, the philosophers, +jurists and their kind, with their self-righteousness. These are not +saints of light; they are saints of darkness, unclean, even defiled. +In Philippians 3, 8 Paul counts such righteousness loss and refuse. +To this class belong also many false, hypocritical saints in the +company of Christians who have the Gospel; they, too, hear the Gospel +and attend upon the Holy Supper, but they remain in darkness, without +the least experience of the wisdom and understanding that knows the +divine will. But they who exercise themselves in these spiritual +graces by faith, love and patience in temptation, and perceive the +wonderful grace and blessing God imparts through the Gospel--these +honorably may be called the saints, destined, even appointed, to +eternal light and joy in God's kingdom. + +"Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us +into the kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have our +redemption, the forgiveness of our sins." + +41. Paul now expatiates on the things that call for our gratitude to +God the Father. He sums up the whole teaching of the Gospel, showing +us what is ours in Christ and giving a glorious and comforting +description of his person and the blessing he brings. But first, he +says, we ought, above all, to thank God unceasingly for the knowledge +of his revealed Gospel. In it we have no small treasure. Rather, it +is a possession with which all the gold, silver and other riches of +this world, all the earthly joy and comfort of this life, are not to +be compared. For it means redemption from eternal, irreparable loss +and ruin under God's eternal, unbearable wrath and condemnation. And +this wretchedness was the result of our sin. We were committed to sin +and without help, without deliverance, ay, we were captive in such +blindness and darkness that we did not recognize our misery; much +less could we devise and effect our escape. Now, in place of this +misery, we have, without any merit on our part, any preparation, any +deed or design, ay, without even a thought, assuredly received, +through God's unfathomable grace and mercy, redemption, or the +forgiveness of sins. + + +GOD'S GRACE INCOMPREHENSIBLE. + +42. The measure of such graciousness and blessing no tongue can +express; indeed, in this life no man can understand it. In hell the +wicked shall become sensible of it by the realization of their +condemnation and the never-ending wrath of the eternal, divine +Majesty and of all creatures. No created thing shall they be able to +behold with joy, because in these ever shall be reflected the +condemned one's own unceasing, lamentable sorrow, terror and despair. +Nor, on the other hand, can the creature behold the condemned with +pleasure, but must abhor them; it must be an object of further terror +and condemnation to the damned. However, in this life God in his +unspeakable goodness has subjected the creature to vanity, as Paul +says in Romans 8, 20, and to the service of the wicked. Yet it serves +against its will, travailing as a woman in pain, with the supreme +desire to be liberated from this service of the wicked, condemned +world. It must, however, have patience in its hope of redemption, for +the sake of those children of God yet to come to Christ and finally +to be brought to glory; otherwise it is as hostile to sin as God +himself. + +43. But because an eternal, unchangeable sentence of condemnation has +passed upon sin--for God cannot and will not regard sin with favor, +but his wrath abides upon it eternally and irrevocably--redemption +was not possible without a ransom of such precious worth as to atone +for sin, to assume the guilt, pay the price of wrath and thus abolish +sin. + +44. This no creature was able to do. There was no remedy except for +God's only Son to step into our distress and himself become man, to +take upon himself the load of awful and eternal wrath and make his +own body and blood a sacrifice for the sin. And so he did, out of his +immeasurably great mercy and love towards us, giving himself up and +bearing the sentence of unending wrath and death. + +45. So infinitely precious to God is this sacrifice and atonement of +his only beloved Son who is one with him in divinity and majesty, +that God is reconciled thereby and receives into grace and +forgiveness of sins all who believe in this Son. Only by believing +may we enjoy the precious atonement of Christ, the forgiveness +obtained for us and given us out of profound, inexpressible love. We +have nothing to boast of for ourselves, but must ever joyfully thank +and praise him who at such priceless cost redeemed us condemned and +lost sinners. + +46. The essential feature of redemption--forgiveness of sins--being +once obtained, everything belonging to its completion immediately +follows. Eternal death, the wages of sin, is abolished, and eternal +righteousness and life are given; as Paul says in Romans 6, 23, the +grace, or gift, of God is eternal life. And now that we are +reconciled to God and washed in the blood of Christ, everything in +heaven and earth, as Paul again declares (Eph 1, 10), is in turn +reconciled to us. The creatures are no longer opposed, but at peace +with us and friendly; they smile upon us and we have only joy and +life in God and his creation. + +47. Such is the doctrine of the Gospel, and so is it to be declared. +It shows us sin and forgiveness, wrath and grace, death and life; how +we were in darkness and how we are redeemed from it. It does not, +like the Law, make us sinners, nor is its mission to teach us how to +merit and earn grace. But it declares how we, condemned and under the +power of sin, death and the devil, as we are, receive by faith the +freely-given redemption and in return show our gratitude. + +48. Paul also explains who it is that has shed his blood for us. He +would have us understand the priceless cost of our redemption, +namely, the blood of the Son of God, who is the image of the +invisible God. The apostle declares that he existed before creation, +and by him were all things created, and that therefore he is true, +eternal God with the Father. Hence, Paul says, the shed blood truly +is God's own blood. And so the writer of this epistle clearly and +mightily establishes the article of the divinity of Christ. But this +requires a special and separate sermon. + + + + +_Twenty Fifth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-18. + +13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that +fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. +14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them +also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For +this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, +that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede +them that are fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend +from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with +the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; 17 then we +that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up +in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be +with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. + + +LIVING AND DEAD WHEN CHRIST RETURNS. + +Paul writes these words to comfort Christians who were troubled about +what would take place at the resurrection of the dead. Shall all rise +together? Shall those living on the earth at the last day meet Christ +before others? These and like thoughts worried them. Here Paul +answers them by saying that Christ would take all his believers to +himself at the same time, etc. + +This epistle text you will find richly expounded in "The Explanation +of Certain Epistles," which appeared on special occasions. [The +Miscellaneous Sermons of the Year 1532.] + + + + +_Twenty Sixth Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 2 Thessalonians 1, 3-10. + +3 We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even +as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love +of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; 4 so that we +ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and +faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye +endure; 5 which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; +to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for +which ye also suffer: 6 if so be that it is a righteous thing with +God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, 7 and to you +that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus +from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, 8 rendering +vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the +gospel of our Lord Jesus: 9 who shall suffer punishment, even eternal +destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his +might, 10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be +marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto +you was believed) in that day. + + +GOD'S JUDGMENT WHEN CHRIST RETURNS. + +1. First, Paul has words of praise for his Church at Thessalonica. In +view of its faith and its love it was one of the first rank. +Patiently it stood firm, and even increased, under crosses of +affliction. The apostle's intent in commending these people is to +incite to perseverance. He would hold them up to others as an +example--an illustration--of the fruits resulting when the Gospel is +preached and received. He also points out in what the edification and +success of the true Church of Christ consist. Then he consoles them +for their patient sufferings with the mention of the glorious coming +of Christ the Lord, which shall mean their final redemption, the +recompense of peace and joy for their tribulations, and the bringing +of eternal wrath upon their persecutors. + +2. This consolation Paul draws from their sufferings and God's +righteous judgment, by which he makes plain why God lets them suffer +here on earth--what is his purpose in it. Looking at the Christian +community with the eye of human reason and reflection, no more +wretched, tormented, persecuted, unhappy people are in evidence on +earth than those who confess and glory in Christ the crucified. In +the world they are continually persecuted, tormented and assailed by +the devil with all manner of wretchedness, misfortune, distress and +death. Even to their own perceptions, it seems as if they surely are +forgotten and forsaken by God in the sight of mankind. For he allows +them to remain prostrate under the weight of the cross, while others +in the world, particularly their persecutors, live in the enjoyment +of honor and fortune, of happiness, power and riches, with everything +moving to the fulfilment of their desires. The Scriptures frequently +deplore this condition of things, especially the Psalms, and Paul in +First Corinthians 15, 19 confesses: "If we have only hoped in Christ +in this life, we are of all men most pitiable." + + +CHRISTIAN'S SUFFERINGS LEAD TO HAPPINESS. + +3. Now, assuredly this state of affairs cannot continue without end; +it cannot be God's intention to permit Christians thus to suffer +continually while they live, to die because of it and remain dead. It +would be incompatible with his eternal, divine truth and honor +manifest in his Word. For there he declares he will be the God of the +pious, of them who fear and trust him, and gives them unspeakable +promises. Necessarily, then, he has planned a future state for +Christians and for non-Christians, in either instance unlike what +they know on earth. Possibly one of the chief reasons why God permits +Christians to suffer on earth is to make plain the distinction +between their reward and that of the ungodly. In the sufferings of +believing Christians, and in the wickedness, tyranny, rage, and +persecution directed by the unrighteous against the godly, is certain +indication of a future life unlike this and a final judgment of God +in which all men, godly and wicked, shall be forever recompensed. + +4. Notice, Paul means to say here when he speaks of the tribulations +and sufferings of Christians: "These afflictions are the indication +of God's righteous judgment, and a sign you are worthy of the kingdom +of God for which you suffer." In other words: "O beloved Christians, +regard your sufferings as dear and precious. Think not God is angry +with you, or has forgotten you, because he allows you to endure these +things. They are your great help and comfort, for they show God will +be a righteous judge, will richly bless you and avenge you upon your +persecutors. Yes, therein you have unfailing assurance. You may +rejoice, and console yourselves, believing without the shadow of a +doubt that you belong to the kingdom of God, and have been made +worthy of it, because you suffer for its sake." + +5. Whatever the Christian suffers here on earth at the hands of the +devil and the world, befalls him simply for the sake of the name of +God and for his Word. True, as a baptized child of God the Christian +should justly enjoy unalloyed goodness, comfort and peace on earth; +but since he must still dwell in the kingdom of the devil, who +infuses sin and death into human flesh, he must endure the devil. Yet +all Satan's inflictions and the world's plagues, persecutions, +terrors, tortures, even the taking of the Christian's life, and all +its abuse, is wrought in violence and injustice. But to offset this, +the Christian has the comforting assurance of God's Word that because +he suffers for the sake of the kingdom of Christ and of God he shall +surely be eternally partaker of that kingdom. Certain it is, no one +will be worthy of it unless he suffers for it. + +6. "If so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense +affliction to them that afflict you," continues the apostle. It is +impossible it should continue to be, as now, well with the world and +evil with you. God's righteousness will not admit of it. Just because +he is a righteous judge, things must be eventually different: the +godly must have eternal good, and the wicked, on the other hand, must +be punished forever. Otherwise God's judgment would not be righteous; +in other words, he would not be God. Now, since this is an impossible +proposition, since God's righteousness and truth are immutable, in +his capacity of judge he must perforce, in due time, come from +heaven, when he shall have assembled his Christians, and avenge them +of their enemies, recompense the latter according to their merits, +and confer eternal rest and peace upon his followers for the temporal +sufferings they have endured here. + + +GOD DOES NOT FORGET HIS CHILDREN. + +7. Christians should certainly expect this and comfort themselves in +the confidence that God will not permit the wrongs of his people to +continue unpunished and unavenged. We might think he had forgotten +were we to judge from the facts that godly Abel was shamefully +murdered by his brother, that God's prophets and martyrs--John the +Baptist, Jeremiah, Paul and others--suffered death at the hands of +bloodhounds like the Herods, Neros and other shameless, sanguinary +tyrants of the sort, and this when God had, even in this life, given +glorious testimony to their being his beloved children. A judgment +must be forthcoming that tyrants may suffer pains and punishments, +and that the godly, delivered from sufferings, may have eternal rest +and joy. Let all the world know God does not forget, even after +death. + +8. This is the consolation the future judgment at the resurrection of +the dead holds, that, as God's righteousness requires, the saints +shall receive for their sufferings a supremely rich and glorious +recompense. Paul seems to present as the principal reason why God +must punish the world with everlasting pain, the fact that the world +has inflicted tribulations on Christians. Apparently his words imply +that the perpetrations of the devil and the world--their supreme +contempt and hatred of God's name and Word, their blasphemies of +these, their wickedness and disobedience in other respects, whereby +they bring upon themselves everlasting pain and damnation--that for +these sins against himself God is not so ready to punish as for their +persecution and torment of his poor, believing Christians. This truth +is indicated where we read that Christ on the last day shall say: +"Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared +for the devil and his angels ... inasmuch as ye did it not unto one +of these least, ye did it not unto me." Mt 25, 41 and 45. + +9. Paul's further observations, concerning the manner of the judgment +to come and the painful punishment of the ungodly, is sufficiently +clear as rendered, and is also explained in the sermon on the Gospel +text. Further explanation here is unnecessary. + + + + +_Twenty Seventh Sunday After Trinity_ + +Text: 2 Peter 3, 3-7. + + +TO THE READER. + +When the year has twenty-seven Sundays after Trinity, which seldom +occurs, substitute the text of 2 Peter 3, 3-7 for the twenty-sixth +Sunday and use the text of the twenty-sixth Sunday for the +twenty-seventh Sunday. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Epistle Sermons, Vol. III, by Martin Luther + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EPISTLE SERMONS, VOL. 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