Epistle Sermons Volume III Part 26

30. A Christian therefore has ample cause to carefully guard against this vice. G.o.d 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 pa.s.sages 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d's name be blasphemed. It is a grand thing to be a Christian, who, as has been stated, is a new man created after G.o.d and a true image of G.o.d, wherein G.o.d 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 G.o.d's name. Now, says Paul, whenever you follow your l.u.s.ts, 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 G.o.d. For the devil, even without your a.s.sistance, at all times seeks opportunity--nor can he desist--to befoul our dear Gospel and the name of G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d will p.r.o.nounce 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 cla.s.s of people should Christians be. Therefore, let each of us beware lest he deceive himself; for G.o.d 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 circ.u.mspectly], 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d's will ever before the eyes, always conforming the conduct to it--this he calls walking circ.u.mspectly and being wise. If you for a moment lose sight of G.o.d'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 G.o.d--are unwise, even foolish, and have no knowledge of G.o.d'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 gla.s.s, 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 circ.u.mspect--to keep the Word of G.o.d 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 G.o.d; if he forgets the Word and absorbs himself in acc.u.mulating wealth; if he is tangled with secular interests, he soon becomes a cold and indolent Christian, then an erring soul, and finally utterly disregards G.o.d's will and his Word.

It is for these reasons G.o.d 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 G.o.d and grat.i.tude to him--from the Word wherein we daily look as in a mirror. But care and diligence are necessary to bring it to pa.s.s, and we should faithfully a.s.sist 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, n.o.blemen, 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 a.s.suredly 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 G.o.d.

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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d's will, become unwise, foolish, and consequently waste the day of grace and neglect their salvation. Now, it is G.o.d'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 G.o.d. 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." G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 circ.u.mspectly"; 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 G.o.d's Word. Where the ministry and the Word of G.o.d are preserved, there will always be some among the ma.s.ses 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 ma.s.ses 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 G.o.d, 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 circ.u.mspectly?

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 h.e.l.l with Judas the Betrayer than to bear the guilt of accomplis.h.i.+ng 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 circ.u.mspectly 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.d in vain. Or, neglect not the matter of your salvation; enjoy while you may the opportunity of furthering the kingdom of G.o.d, 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 pa.s.ses with astonis.h.i.+ng 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 G.o.d'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 pa.s.s 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 pa.s.s by, all seeking then will be vain.

For more than twenty years in my cloister I experienced the meaning of such disappointment. I sought G.o.d 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, G.o.d 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 G.o.d's name be everywhere sanctified and that your life conform to his will. If you are faithful in these things, a.s.suredly 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. G.o.d'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 G.o.d. They would not accept their opportunity in the forty years wherein he gave them his Word and showed them his wonders, daily admonis.h.i.+ng them and calling to repentance and faith. They but tempted and provoked him the more.

Hence another admonition was given the people of G.o.d 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 G.o.d's voice still imploring us not to waste the time.

15. Surely we ought supremely to thank G.o.d, 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 a.s.sistance 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 G.o.d.

INGRAt.i.tUDE 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 pa.s.sage for today, which threatens every individual rejecter and persecutor of G.o.d's Son and his servants, by whom we are invited to the marriage--what else is G.o.d 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 ill.u.s.tration--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 G.o.d'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 hara.s.sed 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 G.o.d gave and in whom he promised all blessings, they necessarily lost their daily bread from G.o.d, 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 wors.h.i.+p, forgiveness of sins and redemption, and so remain eternally captive under the wrath and condemnation of G.o.d. 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 G.o.d, 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.