We should learn from the Gospels the two teachings concerning faith and love, or maybe should call them accepting and giving good works. Faith receives the good works of Christ, love is us giving good works to our neighbor.
First, our faith is strengthened and increased when look at Christ for who he really is when he does his works. He associates only with the blind, the deaf, the lame, the lepers, the dead and the poor. In pure love and kindness he associates with all those who are in need and in misery. We see that Christ is nothing more than consolation and a refuge for all the distressed and troubled in conscience. To trust in the Gospel and rely upon the teachings we see there to define who Christ is, to not doubt that Christ is the person presented to us in the Gospel, and to stand firm when others try to persuade us that Jesus was different than what is presented here – This is necessary faith, a faith that allows us to learn about Christ as we believe with the framework of what the Gospel says about him. Blessed is the one who finds no reason of stumbling in Christ here.
Now you must with all diligence beware of taking offense. Let us examine who are the people that stumble in Christ. Those who teach us to do works, instead of teaching us to believe. Those who declare Christ to be a lawmaker and a judge while refusing to let Christ be a helper and a comforter. They torment us by putting works before and in the way of God causing us to falsely believe we can atone for our sins and deserve grace. Such are the teachings of the pope, priests, monks and their monasteries. They use their worship gatherings and other religious programs to cause us to open our eyes and mouths in astonishment – only to lead us to another Christ and withhold from us the real Christ. If we truly desire to believe rightly and to possess Christ truly, then we must reject all of our works that we intend to place before, and if we’re honest, in the way of God. These works are only stumbling blocks that lead away from Christ and from God. Before God no works are acceptable but Christ’s own works. Let those works plead for you before God and do not other work before him than to believe that Christ is doing his works for you and is placing them before God on our behalf.
**
An excerpt in modern language from Martin Luther's Third Sunday in Advent Sermon which appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,83; W. 11,99; St. L. 11,72 and vl. 1.1 of The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther.
Genuine Worship, False Followers, And The Failure Of Reason
The truth is worthless to those who hold to obstinate reason. Reason ignores the words of God, the writings of God, and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, which God uses to try to convert her. Reason suppresses and burns the writings of God similar to the way King Jehoiakim burned the writings of Jeremiah that were given to him by God (Jeremiah 36). Reason eventually forbids, silences and condemns the words of the Lord. Worldy enlightenment banishes and slays those who stand up and speak what the Lord inspires.
**
An excerpt in modern language from Martin Luther's St. Stephen's Day sermon which appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,228; W. 11,280; St. L. 11,204 and vl. 1.1 of The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther.
It is remarkable that we don't see more people slain, banished, or persecuted because they stand up and speak against the sins of the people. I'm surprised there aren't more more people that are forced to follow in the footsteps of John the Baptist. Herodias' daughter, after winning the favor of her uncle and step-father (see the problem) by erotically dancing for him (see another problem), asked for John to be put to death because he had stood up and spoke out against her mother's sin of adultery (Mark 6:14-29). Such a great man had to die for a most disgraceful reason. And Herodias wasn't alone in her hatred of John. The Jews also joined in for a similar reason. John also stood up and spoke against the sins of the Jews; therefore, they said that John had a devil. Everyone except those willing to listen to the voice of God hated John because he stood up and spoke against their sin.
In a similar manner, there have been numberless disputes about true and false worship. Abel was slain by Cain because Cain he was angered by his brother's exalted worship. The wise and educated treat the worship of modern-day prophets in the same manner that Cain treated the worship of Abel, but the wise and educated's worship is just another form of idolatry. It springs from reason and human works, not from faith. Natural reason came to the wise and educated and tells them that the way they worship is done for the honor of God and is right. They have fallen into the path spoken by Jesus: "They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God" (John 16:2).
In a similar manner, all of the idolatry of the Old Testament was started by the wise and educated, not because they wished to bow down to wood and stones, but because they wished to worship the true God. They ignored that God had forbidden that way of worshipping him because it was the conclusion that reason brought to them when contemplating how to worship God. God had forbidden worship in that way, yet they still did it; therefore, we can be assured that this worship was a creation of their own fancy, independent of faith. It was of Satan, not of God. The prophets then declared that the worship of the wise and educated was not a service of God but one of idols; however, they would would not endure or listen to the teachings of God's prophets. They eventually turned to killing the prophets. But the prophets, following God and not the reason of man, continued to march towards their deaths, banishments, and persecutions because that is what God would have them do.
The whole dispute consists in this: The false saints quarrelled with the true saints about the worship of God and the role good works. The false saints declared that their acts of worship and good works were divine worship. The true saints declared that what the false saints were doing was an act of idolatry and unbelief. This has been the way it has been since the beginning; it will continue this way until the end.
We can see it in our day. Many have devised good works and divine worship with their outward deeds and laws. But they are faithless things when they are founded only upon works and are inititiated without God's commands. It is spiritual drivel. So we say that they do not serve God; they serve themselves and Satan, as is the case with all idolatry. They mislead people from the Christian faith and loving community. The false saints do not appreciate us calling a spade a spade, so the misery begins again.
Both, the false saints and true saints, agree that we are to serve God and do good works. We disagree on the what that means. What is the service of God and good works? It appears that we will never come to agreement. For false saints say faith amounts to nothing; only natural reasoning shows us what works are good and right.
We will find agreement with the false saints concerning the sinfulness of the obvious sins of murder, adultery, and robbery. But when it comes down to the way in which we live out our Christian lives we are as far from each other as the winter is from the summer. The true saints fear God and hold to him and his mercy. The false saints run to wood and stones, food and clothing, holidays and times of celebration. They wish to win the favor of God by building, by fasting, by their great singing, and by the way they look. They fear nothing, are shameless and full of every kind of presumption. Oh! What a holy, wise, learned people, for whom God's prophets, wise men, and scribes are neither sufficiently holy, wise, nor learned.
**
An excerpt in modern language from Martin Luther's St. Stephen's Day sermon which appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,228; W. 11,280; St. L. 11,204 and vl. 1.1 of The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther.
The Primary Role Of The Gospel And An Examination Of What It Truly Is
In church we should only preach about one thing, the Gospel. If we were to sit down and examine the Gospel, we would see that it contains two major themes. First is Christ and his example. Second, that there are two kind of good works. One is is completely done, that of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Through it we are saved through faith. But good works don't just stop with Jesus on the cross. They are to continue through us. The second good work described in the gospel is us bringing our neighor the help they need.
If we are teaching anything different from the Gospel, we are leading people astray. But the most dangerous person isn't the one who just teaches things outside of the Gospel. The most dangerous person is the one who only partially teaches the Gospel. He is the one who teaches only the example of Christ without the death of Jesus on the cross. He is the one who teaches Jesus on the cross without the call for us to follow Christ's example. This person is worse than one who teaches without the Gospel because he abuses and corrupts God's word. Paul wrote, "For we are not peddlers of God's word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence" (2 Corinthians 2:17)
The one thing we can be sure of is that this Gospel couldn't be revealed to those who just contemplated nature, nor could all the ingenuity, reason and wisdom of this world have thought it out. The Gospel is supernatural. Who would be able to discover by means of his own efforts that faith in Christ makes us one with Christ and gives us for our own all that is Christ's? Who would be able to discover that no works are of any value except those intended to benefit our neighbor? Nature teaches no more than that which is worked out in the law. Nature will always fall back upon its own work. Then, naturally, a person will think that he fulfills the commandment by founding some institution or organization. Another person will think he fulfills the commandment by fasting. Another by the kind of clothes he wears. Another by going on pilgrimages. People will try to fulfill the commandment with all sorts of methods. Yet all their methods are useless, for nobody is helped by them. That is the way the world is today. The whole world is blinded and veering off course due to the doctrines and works of men. Faith and love, along with the Gospel, have perished.
The Gospel if preached properly, is a supernatural sermon and light that will focus on making only Christ known. It will awaken this blinded world. The Gospel is a heavenly light that teaches nothing more than Christ. In Christ we completely receive God's grace and of our human achievements are completely cast aside. The Gospel exalts only God making it foolish for man to boast of his own strength. The preaching of the Gospel should give God all the glory, for it is through his love and goodness alone that we are saved through Christ.
The Gospel can tolerate nothing but the truth. The teachings of men are just earthly light and human glory. The teachings exalt being of good reputation and receiving fame. It makes souls be prideful in their own works. The Gospel glories in Christ, in God's grace and goodness, and teaches us to boast and live in Christ.
The human teachings of men will try to satisfy, but they cannot. They will leave a barren land and deadly hunger. The only complete satisfaction our heart will ever find is when it hears Christ rightly proclaimed in the Gospel. The angel said to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid; for see - I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).
Just in this little verse we can see what the Gospel is, a joyful sermon concerning Christ our savior. Whoever preaches rightly will preach a Gospel of pure joy. How is it possible for anyone to hear of greater joy than that Christ is given to us as our own? The angel does not only say that Christ is born, but he makes the savior personal by saying "to you is born..a Savior."
The Gospel is not just a history of the life of Christ. It is a powerful story that enables all who believe it to receive it as their own. It wouldn't be any benefit to us if Christ had been born a thousand times, and people would daily sing and preach the story of him to me in a most beautiful and eloquent manner. What would any of it if I never heard that Christ was born for me and was to be my very own? If any voice tells me that Christ was born for me and he is to be my very own, even if they do it in a poor untrained manner, my heart listens with joy for it is always a lovely sound which penetrates my soul. There is nothing else to be preached.
The Reformation Has Just Begun.
**
An excerpt in modern language from Martin Luther's Christmas Day sermon that appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,133; W. 11,162; St. L. 11,118 and vl. 1.1 of The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther.
If we are teaching anything different from the Gospel, we are leading people astray. But the most dangerous person isn't the one who just teaches things outside of the Gospel. The most dangerous person is the one who only partially teaches the Gospel. He is the one who teaches only the example of Christ without the death of Jesus on the cross. He is the one who teaches Jesus on the cross without the call for us to follow Christ's example. This person is worse than one who teaches without the Gospel because he abuses and corrupts God's word. Paul wrote, "For we are not peddlers of God's word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence" (2 Corinthians 2:17)
The one thing we can be sure of is that this Gospel couldn't be revealed to those who just contemplated nature, nor could all the ingenuity, reason and wisdom of this world have thought it out. The Gospel is supernatural. Who would be able to discover by means of his own efforts that faith in Christ makes us one with Christ and gives us for our own all that is Christ's? Who would be able to discover that no works are of any value except those intended to benefit our neighbor? Nature teaches no more than that which is worked out in the law. Nature will always fall back upon its own work. Then, naturally, a person will think that he fulfills the commandment by founding some institution or organization. Another person will think he fulfills the commandment by fasting. Another by the kind of clothes he wears. Another by going on pilgrimages. People will try to fulfill the commandment with all sorts of methods. Yet all their methods are useless, for nobody is helped by them. That is the way the world is today. The whole world is blinded and veering off course due to the doctrines and works of men. Faith and love, along with the Gospel, have perished.
The Gospel if preached properly, is a supernatural sermon and light that will focus on making only Christ known. It will awaken this blinded world. The Gospel is a heavenly light that teaches nothing more than Christ. In Christ we completely receive God's grace and of our human achievements are completely cast aside. The Gospel exalts only God making it foolish for man to boast of his own strength. The preaching of the Gospel should give God all the glory, for it is through his love and goodness alone that we are saved through Christ.
The Gospel can tolerate nothing but the truth. The teachings of men are just earthly light and human glory. The teachings exalt being of good reputation and receiving fame. It makes souls be prideful in their own works. The Gospel glories in Christ, in God's grace and goodness, and teaches us to boast and live in Christ.
The human teachings of men will try to satisfy, but they cannot. They will leave a barren land and deadly hunger. The only complete satisfaction our heart will ever find is when it hears Christ rightly proclaimed in the Gospel. The angel said to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid; for see - I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).
Just in this little verse we can see what the Gospel is, a joyful sermon concerning Christ our savior. Whoever preaches rightly will preach a Gospel of pure joy. How is it possible for anyone to hear of greater joy than that Christ is given to us as our own? The angel does not only say that Christ is born, but he makes the savior personal by saying "to you is born..a Savior."
The Gospel is not just a history of the life of Christ. It is a powerful story that enables all who believe it to receive it as their own. It wouldn't be any benefit to us if Christ had been born a thousand times, and people would daily sing and preach the story of him to me in a most beautiful and eloquent manner. What would any of it if I never heard that Christ was born for me and was to be my very own? If any voice tells me that Christ was born for me and he is to be my very own, even if they do it in a poor untrained manner, my heart listens with joy for it is always a lovely sound which penetrates my soul. There is nothing else to be preached.
The Reformation Has Just Begun.
**
An excerpt in modern language from Martin Luther's Christmas Day sermon that appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,133; W. 11,162; St. L. 11,118 and vl. 1.1 of The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther.
Reason and an Unreasonable Grace
***
Our flesh, despite its creation by God, does not find itself naturally pure but filled with impure desires. Our heart, despite its creation by God, does not find itself naturally humble or filled with the passion to love our neighbors. We find our hearts filled with pride and selfishness. Unless our flesh or our hearts are forcibly restrained, they will act according to these naturally tainted inclinations.
People of reason are similar. Through reason, these people know that we should only do good. Sadly, reason is so perverted that through it we cannot decipher what is good. Reason calls whatever is pleasing to itself good. It then takes its good to an extreme and concludes that we should only do that which it has defined as good. The end result is that through reason we find ourselves pursuing evil rather than good.
Through reason, we know that we should be pious and serve God. People of reason know how to talk the talk when it comes to piety and service. And through their reasoning, they think they can show the whole world how they should be pious and serve God. But in the end, these people cannot, through reason, show us how we should be pious and in what ways we are to serve God. Of true piety and service, these people know nothing. They are almost blind, if not completely blind. They say we must fast, pray, sing, and do the works of the law. People of reason continue to act the fool with works untl it has gone so far astray as to imagine that people are serving God in building churches, ringing bells, burning incense, whining, singing, wearing hoods, shaving their heads, burning candles, and other innumerable trivial acts. We continue to clutter our lives with acts that we consider worship and service to God. In this clutter we continue to wallow while the bright light of Truth that would free us from this vicious cycle or reason remains shining for all that are willing to seek it.
Jesus, the light of grace, came and taught us to be pious and serve God. In doing this, he was not focused on extinguishing reason but opposed to the way and manner that people of reason teach us how we are to become pious and serve God. He said, "To become pious is not to do works. No works are good without faith."
Then begins the fight. People of reason rise up against grace and cry out against the teaching of Jesus. Although they will not claim they are against Jesus, they accuse his teachings of forbidding good works. These people claim to have the right way of becoming pious and continually argue that we need to be pious and serve God only in their way. Through their teachings, they attempt to make the teachings of Jesus foolishness. They relegate His teaching of grace to the realm of error and heresy. The person of reason believes the teaching of grace needs to be persecuted and banished. This is as far as a person of reason can go. He will find himself raving against the teachings of Jesus while constantly boasting of his piety and good works. People of reason will not be taught what piety is and what good works really are. People of reason insist that what they think and propose are right and good.
In teaching and living to what is reasonable, we have the cause and origin of all idolatry, of all heresy, of all hypocrisy, and of all error that the prophets of old have spoken about and the Scriptures protest. Many of the prophets were even killed for speaking out against people of reason.
All this comes from the stubborn, self-willed arrogance and delusion that people of natural reason find themselves in. They are self-confident and puffed up because they know that we ought to be pious and serve God. They will not listen to or suffer a teacher to teach them. They think they know enough and would find out for themselves what it means to be pious and serve God. They will reason for themselves how they should be pious and serve God.
Divine truth cannot and must not ever submit to reason or the thoughts of the people of reason. This would be the greatest mistake and be contrary to God's honor and glory. Through conceding to people of reason, contentions and tribulations arise.
The Reformation has just begun.
**
An excerpt in modern language from Martin Luther's Third Christmas Sermon which appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,172; W. 11,211; St. L. 11,154 and vl. 1.1 of The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther.
Our flesh, despite its creation by God, does not find itself naturally pure but filled with impure desires. Our heart, despite its creation by God, does not find itself naturally humble or filled with the passion to love our neighbors. We find our hearts filled with pride and selfishness. Unless our flesh or our hearts are forcibly restrained, they will act according to these naturally tainted inclinations.
People of reason are similar. Through reason, these people know that we should only do good. Sadly, reason is so perverted that through it we cannot decipher what is good. Reason calls whatever is pleasing to itself good. It then takes its good to an extreme and concludes that we should only do that which it has defined as good. The end result is that through reason we find ourselves pursuing evil rather than good.
Through reason, we know that we should be pious and serve God. People of reason know how to talk the talk when it comes to piety and service. And through their reasoning, they think they can show the whole world how they should be pious and serve God. But in the end, these people cannot, through reason, show us how we should be pious and in what ways we are to serve God. Of true piety and service, these people know nothing. They are almost blind, if not completely blind. They say we must fast, pray, sing, and do the works of the law. People of reason continue to act the fool with works untl it has gone so far astray as to imagine that people are serving God in building churches, ringing bells, burning incense, whining, singing, wearing hoods, shaving their heads, burning candles, and other innumerable trivial acts. We continue to clutter our lives with acts that we consider worship and service to God. In this clutter we continue to wallow while the bright light of Truth that would free us from this vicious cycle or reason remains shining for all that are willing to seek it.
Jesus, the light of grace, came and taught us to be pious and serve God. In doing this, he was not focused on extinguishing reason but opposed to the way and manner that people of reason teach us how we are to become pious and serve God. He said, "To become pious is not to do works. No works are good without faith."
Then begins the fight. People of reason rise up against grace and cry out against the teaching of Jesus. Although they will not claim they are against Jesus, they accuse his teachings of forbidding good works. These people claim to have the right way of becoming pious and continually argue that we need to be pious and serve God only in their way. Through their teachings, they attempt to make the teachings of Jesus foolishness. They relegate His teaching of grace to the realm of error and heresy. The person of reason believes the teaching of grace needs to be persecuted and banished. This is as far as a person of reason can go. He will find himself raving against the teachings of Jesus while constantly boasting of his piety and good works. People of reason will not be taught what piety is and what good works really are. People of reason insist that what they think and propose are right and good.
In teaching and living to what is reasonable, we have the cause and origin of all idolatry, of all heresy, of all hypocrisy, and of all error that the prophets of old have spoken about and the Scriptures protest. Many of the prophets were even killed for speaking out against people of reason.
All this comes from the stubborn, self-willed arrogance and delusion that people of natural reason find themselves in. They are self-confident and puffed up because they know that we ought to be pious and serve God. They will not listen to or suffer a teacher to teach them. They think they know enough and would find out for themselves what it means to be pious and serve God. They will reason for themselves how they should be pious and serve God.
Divine truth cannot and must not ever submit to reason or the thoughts of the people of reason. This would be the greatest mistake and be contrary to God's honor and glory. Through conceding to people of reason, contentions and tribulations arise.
The Reformation has just begun.
**
An excerpt in modern language from Martin Luther's Third Christmas Sermon which appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,172; W. 11,211; St. L. 11,154 and vl. 1.1 of The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther.
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