Two Graphics

Our artist-in-residence created this, and we are happy that Norma Boeckler reaches thousands on Facebook.

Gary Allen, Moline Class 1968, Photoshopped this graphic. Everything is true to life, except running, well perhaps running for a donut.

Centenniel of Apostasy - Karl Barth's Triumph, Charlotte's Revenge

Charlotte Kirschbaum and Karl Barth worked together and traveled together.

This photo of Charlotte and Karl was taken many years later.

We can safely claim that Calvinist Karl Barth and his mistress Charlotte Kirschbaum were able to undermine Western Christianity with a two-fold attack. He appealed to the professors with his double-talking Dogmatics, and became the official theologian of Fuller Seminary, thanks to faculty studies at Basel, Switzerland. His commentary on Romans in 1919 created a sensation, and he soon became a professor rather than a parish pastor. Thus the Centennial of Apostasy.

Before taking Barth (Kirschbaum) seriously, read this book.

When various people express their awe of Barth, they either do not know or want to know about his Marxist thought or his live-in mistress, Charlotte Kirschbaum. That has been thoroughly discussed by George Hunsinger, head of the Barth Institute (Temple) at Princeton. I met Hunsinger at Yale, worked at the Yale Medical Library with his first wife, and met him again at Notre Dame. 

"As his unique student, critic, researcher, adviser, collaborator, companion, assistant, spokesperson, and confidante, Charlotte von Kirschbaum was indispensable to him. He could not have been what he was, or have done what he did, without her." Hunsinger, review of the S. Seliger book, Charlotte von Kirschbaum and Karl Barth: A Study in Biography and the History of Theology.

Barth was not trained to be an academic, and he was swamped. The mysterious Charlotte Kirschbaum showed up to be his assistant and his mistress. He tried to divorce his wife Nelly, but she said "Nein! mein Schnutschi-Putschi." He lived with Charlotte during the summer and moved her into his home a bit later.

We know next to nothing about Charlotte, who was willing to work for almost nothing her entire life. She was clearly the researcher and likely the one who wrote the small print in the Dogmatics. She went with him on his trips and shared the same room when he stayed at faculty homes on his trip to America. She represented him at a major Marxist confab.

In Academics

Schleiermacher, educated at Halle University, had a major struggle with the Christian Faith, so his father's urging him to study made him a highly educated sceptic. The result was a theologian who established "faith without belief," the theologians characterized by my friend as "people with a sentimental attachment to Christianity."

Schleiermacher was ideal for those who were really rationalists but chose to remain within the Church by using their God-talk, their faith-words, to express their ideas.

Barth and Kirschbaum built upon this by created a system where the radicals could exploit their double-talk from within the institution, a far more effective position than outside of it.

Barth was the dominant theologian at Notre Dame in the 1980s. Frank Fiorenza, now at Harvard, was the president of the Barth Society at one point. He shared Barth's co-writing tactics with us. As he said, "Most of us in the Barth Society thought Charlotte wrote the fine print and he wrote the large print." For those uninitiated in Barthology, the large print was the outline of each section, written in complete sentences in a larger font. Many people extolled the fine print and the special essays in the volumes. Some of the large print sections or markers were laughable.

My main advisor for the dissertation was John Howard Yoder, who studied under Barth at Basel. This made Yoder a rock star among Mennonites. Hauerwas encouraged Notre Dame to share Yoder with Goshen College, which was not far away. Hauerwas was another advisor.

Various names are mentioned among the famous modern theologians, but Barth's was always on the list, just as much for Catholics as for Protestants. Having a major work, with 12 fat volumes, was a great way to dominate in publishing and influence. 

In Church Growth

Two key figures at Fuller Seminary studied with Barth in Basel. One was the founder's son. The Battle for the Bible and its sequel deal with this. The anti-inerrancy people won, and the credit for this back-sliding was given to Barth's influence.

Fuller is not only the most influential school for Evangelicals, but also the finishing school for LCMS-WELS leaders. Those WELS-LCMS leaders who have studied there would make a glorious Wall of Shame for anyone curious about their decline. David Valleskey and Frosty Bivens are so devious that they brag about their Fuller studies to some and deny it (calling me a liar) to others.

One step removed, C. Peter Wagner earned his doctorate at Princeton, a very liberal Calvinist school, home of the Barth Society (Temple).

For WELS, LCMS, and ELCA, union with Calvinism is a nostalgic trip back to their roots. They make up 99% of registered but confused Lutherans in America. The three denominations began with a heavy dose of unionism with the Calvinists, struggled to pull away, but ran back, just like the abused children who defend their moms in court and deny the broken bones and bruises.

Fuller argues that they can turn up the heat slowly for the frog in the kettle, and it will not jump out - it will stay in until thoroughly cooked. Then why have so many Lutherans jumped out?

Valleskey borrowed "spoiling the Egyptians" from Barna, who borrowed it from Augustine. Notice how fast an analogy goes downhill? I had various Mordor graduates warming, "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!" I responded, "Don't wash the baby in sewage."

The Fortune Cookie Theologian

The Last Section of the Walther Book - Election without Faith

The Missouri Synod's only humor book can fill the parsonage with laughter, if only by comparing the solemn declarations of the Great Walther to his behavior. 

Walther the American Calvin - 

A Synod Built on Felonies and False Doctrine

I appreciate the interest being shown as the rough drafts are being published. The last section of the book will deal with Walther's Election without Faith, which he used to break up the Olde Synodical Conference. Not to worry, the genius leaders today have stitched together a new union, based by Walther's confused and anti-Biblical Objective Justification.

In brief, Walther could not convince his own sect to make OJ official, so his gambit included two assaults on the truth. One was to manipulate Missouri into hiring Francis Pieper as his successor, to parrot his OJ just as he parroted Stephan's - and that worked well, albeit slowly. The second assault was his promotion of Calvin's double-predestination, Election without Faith, to drive out anyone who disagreed with his Easter absolution of the World (OJ) nonsense.

These three are more difficult to remove than a grease spot after a McDonalds meal in the car. The most alarming fact is that the next bunch of SPs will be even worse, just as these false prophets have shown themselves to be even more determined than their predecessors. 

Walther - The American Calvin. Objective Justification Belongs to Calvin, Not St. Paul or Luther

 

LCMS-ELCA Book of Concord - Why?

 

Objective Justification Belongs to Calvin, Not St. Paul or Luther

The Scriptures do not use the shorthand label of the Means of Grace, but the term is useful for expressing what is taught –

1.      All of God’s actions come through the Holy Spirit in the Word. Isaiah 55:8ff.

2.      Therefore, God’s grace can only come to us through the Word, whether the invisible Word of preaching and teaching, or the visible Word of baptism and communion.

3.      The Gospel alone creates faith, Genesis 15:3 and Romans 1:17.

4.      Faith comes from hearing the report of the Atonement (Romans 10) and we are declared righteous by faith. Romans 4 and 5.

Luther did not invent some new concept of the Scriptures but taught the Bible as one unified truth, not a series of passages where one verse could be emphasized at the expense of all others or one theme matched up with other verses to prove a dogmatic assertion. Just as important, he carried on the rabbinic concept of God’s Word being identical to God’s will.

In contrast, Calvin teaches against the Holy Spirit always working through the Word. For good reason, Calvinism leads to Unitarianism and all kinds of quasi-Christian sects. Calvinism, far from being similar to Lutheran principles, is a deviously clever way of taking over the Reformation while opposing the essence of the Christian Faith, the Chief Article of Christianity, Justification by Faith – and rejecting the Sacraments. Worst of all, Lutherans have been suckers in giving up the Means of Grace to enjoy the favor of the Calvinists – in ecumenical talks, in union congregations, and hybrid denominations like the ELCA, the Missouri Synod, WELS, and ELS, where the label is Lutheran but the doctrine is Calvinistic Pietism.

Pietism and Calvinism share the misconception of the Church. The real church for them is not defined by the Means of Grace. Stephan’s entire group came over bearing the name Lutheran but considering themselves as an association of Pietistic cell groups. The cell groups continued in America until they were conveniently forgotten. Therefore, as separatists, they were holier than anyone else, even if they allowed the most outrageous behavior in Stephan and then responded to him with many criminal actions that enriched their colony. They transferred leadership from Stephan to Walther, and the mantle of Pietism’s guru passed to him as well.

Francis Pieper wrote correctly that Calvinism creates the monster of uncertainty. All the Lutheran leaders have taken the pilgrimages to Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek because they were no longer successful and feared for the future. The simplicity of trusting God’s Word - and sowing it with abandon - has been traded for business methods, schemes, entertainment, and snack food to fill the theater seats. How low have modern Lutherans sunk to draw people to church with -

·        Popcorn instead of the Bread of Life,

·        Pop music instead of hymns

·        Tavern Bible study groups instead of pastors teaching the Word

·        Me-centered chats instead of Scriptural sermons.

By making common cause with Calvinism through union congregations - or the hybrid called Pietism - Lutherans have denied their birthright just as Esau did his, and for much less than a bowl of lentil soup.

Simply put, denying the efficacy of the Word and the Means of Grace will always confuse the individual and place an undue emphasis on one’s emotions and various forms of legalism. Some of the more ridiculous methods of feeling successful, rather than trusting the power of the Gospel, are –

1.      Building. A large, new building will draw people.

2.      Activity. If all the members have an activity, they will be happy campers. There is even a mathematical relationship between groups and members to achieve for max results.

3.      Friendliness. “If the ushers are not friendly, the best sermon will not do any good.” That sounds so much like Calvin’s Holy Spirit visiting – or not appearing at all.

4.      Cell groups. “I don’t care what they are using in their cell group, as long as they are in one.”

5.      Theater seats. Since Willow Creek began in a movie theater, a rented cinema will be efficacious.

6.      Snacks and soda. Handing sodas and snacks to incoming visitors may seem odd. But it is even stranger to hear people munching popcorn during the prayers.

7.      Pool time. One pastor had young women invite visitors to a pool party Sunday afternoon.

8.      Cloning Groeschel material. Rev. Craig Groeschel allows people to use his sermons and graphics.

The list is a reminder of how many ways the clergy and laity can avoid the substance of Christianity.

Sassy Visits Alaska

A short time ago, Sassy met Alaska, who is part Grand Pyranees, (aka Great Pyranees). Alaska is just a puppy but will some day weigh as much as a sports car. 

Sassy always alerts when Alaska is in the front yard. This morning we were surprised to find Alaska romping around the front yard and loping over to see us. Sassy was irritated by Alaska getting some attention and then wanting to play with her.

I looked and saw the backyard gate wide open. I walked over to it and ordered Alaska back inside. He ran toward me, ran back to Sassy, and then ran back into the yard. I held the gate and gestured sternly.

One owner emerged and wondered where her dog was. I replayed the script, but wondered why they thought a king-sized puppy would stay inside an unlocked backyard.

The Real Dirt - A Revived Garden

Yesterday I had four Veterans Honor roses on the altar; Ranger Bob is taking them for his cemetary visit today. They bloomed abundantly once I took away the shade cast by the bully plants, Joe Pye in particular. 

 Not long ago, I cut all the Joe Pye Weeds off at ground level. I knew from a previous mistake (not my own, this time) that Joe Pye will come back, once established. Weed is an honorific title since it throws enough shade to dominate all smaller plants. Everything cut back began growing again. I even saw some tiny Joe Pye flowers on the new sprouts. Bee Balm and Cat Mint also came back to life, more content to grow than to retire peacefully. 

That reminded me of the quotation about persecution, "The more you mow us down, the faster we grow." That is the frank translation of "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." The first translation is much closer to gardening. The second version, best known, sounds like it came from a bishop's public relations officer.

This photo is misleading. Veterans Honor looks much better in real life.

The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2021. How Is David's Son His Lord?

The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2021

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

https://video.ibm.com/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight Time

The Hymn # 239                 Come Thou Almighty King                         

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

O God, forasmuch as without Thee we are not able to please Thee, mercifully grant that Thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #269            O Lord Our Father                      

Jesus' Question - From God Himself  

Communion Hymn # 313   O Lord We Praise Thee - Luther          

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #651             Be Still My Soul    

        

Announcements and Prayers

• Cancer therapy - Mary Howell,
• Therapy, diagnosis - Kermit Way, Maria Way.
• Pastor K and Doc Lito Cruz - dealing with diabetes.
• Birthday - a Deere friend, plus Ed Buck's birthday on October 6th.
• Brett and Amy Meyer's anniversary. 
• +Our friend Dr. Eric Rachut died this week. He enjoyed every service and we often exchanged emails on various topics. His latest book - The Bible Book: The KJV Reborn for Those Who Love the Word of God.
• Lutheran Christina should be finished, d.v., tonight - for editing.

 Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

    

KJV 1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in 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 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

KJV Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

 Graphic based on Norma Boeckler's Art

Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity

Lord God, heavenly Father: We are poor, miserable sinners; we know Thy will, but cannot fulfill it because of the weakness of our flesh and blood, and because our enemy, the devil, will not leave us in peace. Therefore we beseech Thee, shed Thy Holy Spirit in our hearts, that, in steadfast faith, we may cling to Thy Son Jesus Christ, find comfort in His passion and death, believe the forgiveness of sin through Him, and in willing obedience to Thy will lead holy lives on earth, until by Thy grace, through a blessed death, we depart from this world of sorrow, and obtain eternal life, through Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Background for the Gospel Lesson, Matthew 22:24-46

Luther is well known for distinguishing between Law and Gospel. That is one of the articles in the Formula of Concord, 1580, because of people causing confusion about each topic. George Major taught that good works are necessary for salvation. Another leader taught that good works were injurious to salvation. Lest we act startled at both extremes, the Reformation would not recognize the "conservative" Lutherans of today, serving soft drinks and snacks for "worship," singing warmed over bar music, acting as if the Gospel relieves us of following God's Law. The Small Catechism has the best expression of Law and Gospel in the Ten Commandments. Fear of God represents respect for His Law, which is part of His Creation. The Gospel is represented by going beyond what is required, out of love for God and our neighbors.

Jesus' Question - From God Himself

KJV Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

This week I was discussing how to study the Bible. Someone had a subjective approach which was described. I was thinking - a unified approach would be based upon the Scriptures being God's declaration. 

For example, Mormons lead the discussion by saying, "There are 100 ways to interpret each verse of the Bible." I agreed, which made them smile. I added, "Ninety-nine wrong ways and one right way." When their wrath began to kindle, I asked, "Is God so weak that He cannot send His Son, born of the Virgin Mary, performing miracles, dying on the cross for our sins, and rising from the dead - only to transmit this message so poorly we cannot grasp it?"

Jesus, being God's Word at the Creation, and knowing the hearts and minds of his opponents, wanted to get them to speak or at least hear the Truth. When the lawyer asked Him this question, he was asking yet laying a trap - What is the great commandment of the Law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

This is a great, foundational statement - and who can deny or deride it? The great commandment is to love God, and everything comes from that love. Jesus - as the Word in the flesh - "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by Me." John 14:6

Religious people speak of many ways, many paths to God - and they are all good and successful paths - sounds wonderful to a Universalist. But Jesus said "the" Way, and not "a" way. Why did the Holy Spirit pick the Greek language for the Gospel? Because it is both expressive and precise.

Jesus is not a truth but The Truth. All truth is measured through Him. If someone's truth is not in harmony with Christ, it is not valid or true. No one can harmonize many different truths, so one must prevail. People object to this, but they often carry this out to disparaging Christ in every possible way, so their truth comes from the Father Below. The worst are those who wear the robes of clergy (wrinkled plaid shirt, faded blue jeans, dirty tennis shoes) and yet preach against the Gospel of Christ in every possible way. To be fair, many wave around pots of burning incense, spend a fortune on priestly clothes, and beg for money - for the poor - those who who not have new pink chasubles.

The Light is distinguished from the light generated from the stars. The Light existed, was brought into being first, before the stars and the reflective moons. 

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

This double-negative excludes exceptions - No one comes to the Father, except by Me. America has had 100 years to make this clear, but the poorly educated but overly degreed clergy have given consent to Jesus being one Light among many, just as they deny the efficacy of the Word (Jesus) in everything.

 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus taught this clearly in Luke 24, before His Ascension, - Luke 24 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Verse 27.

Loving God, loving Christ, following the Holy Spirit in the Word - these are one cake with the ingredients mixed together beyond our comprehension, yet they teach us to believe in the unity of the message.

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

This is easy to explain - "The LORD said unto Jesus Christ - David's Lord, Sit down at My right hand until I make Your (Jesus') enemies into a footstool."

The real breaking point is the knowledge of the opponents, realizing that Jesus is David's Lord and they will be footstools. It is not that they could understand but that they understood all too well.

That is what we must listen to today, quasi-faith in a non-threatening Lord. Faith, which is generated by the Gospel Word, makes us bold and we dare not back down from the Way, the Truth, and the Light, which means the Bible as written and revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Luther's Classic Law and Gospel Sermon

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.   

SECOND SERMON:

MATTHEW 22:34-46.


KJV Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.



1. In this Gospel Christ answers the question the Pharisees put to him:

Which is the greatest commandment in the Law ? and in turn asks them the question: What think ye of the Christ, whose son is he ? Thus this Gospel presents to us that which we continually hear and should hear, so that these two sermons must continue to be preached in Christendom, namely: the first, the teaching of the Law or of the ten commandments, and the second, the doctrine concerning the grace of Christ. For if either of these fall it pulls the other with it; while on the other hand, wherever the one remains steadfast and is faithfully put into practice, it brings the other with it.

2. And God has ordained that these two themes shall be preached forever in the Christian Church, yea, they have always since the beginning of the world accompanied one another; they were given to our father Adam, while he was still in Paradise, and were later confirmed through Abraham, Moses and the Prophets.

For they are required by the needs of humanity, fallen as it is under the power of satan, so that we live and move in sin and are worthy of eternal death. Adam felt and lamented sin and its injuries; but later the sense of sin soon weakened and was disregarded, so that the heathen did not consider it sin although they indeed felt evil lust and desire in their bodies; but they imagined all that belonged to the character and nature of man. Yet they taught man should restrain such lust and desires and not allow them to go too far; but this nature in itself they did not condemn.

3. Therefore God gave this one simple teaching that reveals what man is, what he has been, and what he should again become. This is the doctrine of the Law, which Christ here cites: “Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, etc.” As if to say: Thus thou hast been, and thus thou shalt still be and become. In Paradise you were in possession of the treasure, and were thus created that you loved God with all your heart; this you have lost; but now you must again become as you were, or you will never enter the Kingdom of God. In like manner he speaks clearly and plainly in other places, Matthew 19:17: “If thou wouldst enter into life, keep the commandments.” Likewise, Luke 10:28: “This do and thou shalt live, etc.” This must in short be kept; and that we wish to dispute so much about it amounts to nothing, as if one might be saved without it, namely, without that which is called loving God with the whole heart and your neighbor as yourself. This divine law must be fulfilled by you as purely and completely as the angels in heaven fulfill it.

4. Therefore it is wrong and not to be allowed, as some in ancient times said and as some stupid spirits now say: Although you do not keep the commandment, and do not love God and your neighbor, yea, although you are even an adulterer, that makes no difference, if you only believe, then you will be saved. No, dear mortal, that amounts to nothing; you will never thus gain heaven; it must come to the point that you keep the commandments, and abide in love toward God and your neighbor. For there it stands briefly determined; “If thou wouldst enter into life, keep the commandments.” Again, to the Galatians, 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that those who practice such things, shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, etc.”

5. And Christ wishes this doctrine to be observed by the Christians so that they may know what they have been, what they are still lacking and what they should again become, that they continue not in the misery and filth in which they find themselves now; for if they do, they must be lost.

Christ speaks right out plainly in Matthew 5:17-18: “Think not that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, the Law must be so taught and observed that not the smallest letter or one tittle of it shall in any wise pass away, till all things be accomplished.” Again, Christ says further in Matthew 12:36: “And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof on the day of judgment.” And St. Paul in Romans 8:4: “God sent his Son in the flesh that the righteousness, required by the Law, might be fulfilled in us.” And in Romans 3:31: “Do we then make the Law of none effect if we teach man is justified through faith, and not through works. That is far from us; nay, we establish the Law.” That is, for this very reason we teach faith, by which the law is fulfilled.

6. For this is indeed a glorious doctrine that teaches what we are to become; but that it may also be realized and not continue to be preached in vain, the other doctrine must be added, namely, how and through what means we may again return to our former state. We return when we hear what we lost in Paradise; when Adam lived in full love to God, and in pure love to his neighbor, and in perfect obedience without evil lust, and that had he remained thus we would still be so; but now, since through sin he fell from this command, we also lie in the same misery, full of sin and disobedience, under God’s wrath and curse, and fall from one sin to another, and the Law stands there, holds us guilty, urges and requires us to be pious and obedient to God.

7. What shall we then do here, since the Law continually commands and drives us, and we are powerless? For here my own conscience argues ever against me: Since I am to love God with my whole heart and my neighbor as myself, and I do not do it, I must therefore be condemned and God approves and confirms the sentence of condemnation. Who will counsel me in this instance? I do not know what to counsel you, says the Law; but it decrees and demands plainly that you be obedient.

Here the Prophets come now, and preach Christ, and say: One is coming who will give counsel how man may regain what he lost and again enter the state from which he fell, to which the Law points him. This is the other sermon that should and must be preached until the day of judgment, namely, the help from sin, death and satan, and restoration of our bodies and souls, so that we may come into the state that we love God and our neighbor from our hearts. This is to be done fully and perfectly in the future life, but here in this life it should be commenced.

8. For in the life beyond there will be no longer any faith, but perfect love, and all the Law demands we will do with our whole heart. Therefore we must now preach what we should become and should forever continue to be, namely, that we are to love God and our neighbor with our whole heart. This I will commence, says Christ, and complete, not alone as to my own person, but I will aid you to make a beginning, and to continue ever in it, until you come where you will also fulfill it perfectly.

9. Now this will come to pass thus. Since we are unable to keep the Law and it is impossible for the natural man to do so, Christ came and stepped between the Father and us, and prays for us: Beloved Father, be gracious unto them and forgive them their sins. I will take upon me their transgressions and bear them; I love thee with my whole heart, and in addition the entire human race, and this I will prove by shedding my blood for mankind. Moreover, I have fulfilled the Law and I did it for their welfare in order that they may partake of my fulfilling the Law and thereby come to grace.

10. Thus there is first given us through Christ the sense that we do not fulfill the Law and that sin is fully and completely forgiven: however, this is not bestowed in a way or to the end, that we in the future need not keep the Law, and may forever continue to sin, or that we should teach, if we have faith then we need no longer to love God and our neighbor. But there is bestowed upon us the sense that the fulfilling of the Law may now for the first time be successfully attempted and perfectly realized, and this is the eternal, fixed and unchangeable will of God. To this end it is necessary to preach grace, that man may find counsel and help to come to a perfect life.

11. But the help offered us is, that Christ prays the Father to forgive us our sins against this Law, and not to impute what we are still indebted. Then he promises also to give the Holy Spirit, by whose aid the heart begins to love God and to keep his commandments. For God is not gracious and merciful to sinners to the end that they might not keep his Law, nor that they should remain as they were before they received grace and mercy; but he condones and forgives both sin and death for the sake of Christ, who has fulfilled the whole Law in order thereby to make the heart sweet and through the Holy Spirit to kindle and move the heart to begin again to love from day to day more and more.

12. Thus begins in us not only love, but also truth, that is, a true character, as the Law requires; like St. John says in 1:17, that Christ is full of grace and truth, and through him grace and truth grow in us, which neither Moses nor the law can give us. For the Law is not abolished thus by grace, that the truth is to be overlooked, and that we should not love God; but through him we experience that we do not as perfectly keep the Law as we ought in the kingdom of forgiveness or of grace. But besides the Holy Spirit is given us, who kindles a new flame or fire in us, namely, love and desire to do God’s commandments. In the kingdom of grace this should begin and ever grow until the day of judgment, when it shall no longer be called grace or forgiveness, but pure truth and perfect obedience. In the meantime he continues to give, forgive, to bear and forbear, until we are laid in our graves.

13. Now if we thus continue in faith, that is, in what the Holy Spirit gives and forgives, in what he begins and ends, then the fire on the judgment day, by which the whole world is to be consumed, will cleanse and purify us, so that we will no longer need this giving and forgiving, as if there were something unclean and sinful in us, as there really is at present; we will certainly be as the brightness of the dear sun, without spot and defect, full of love, as Adam was at the beginning in Paradise.

Thus will it then be truly said, the Law is established and fulfilled, Romans 3:31. For it will then no longer blame and rebuke us; but the Law shall be considered satisfied, and the debt paid, even by ourselves; since all is now fulfilled, not through us, and yet by it we are freed and saved, so that we creep under Christ’s mantle and wings, that he makes satisfaction for us until we lie under the earth and then come again out of the grave with a beautiful, glorified body that will be nothing but holiness and purity, with a cleansed soul full of the love of God. Then we will no longer be in need of his mantle and of his prayers, but we will all be there perfect and complete, as we should be. Now, since I believe in him, my sins are forgiven and I am called a child of grace. And moreover, the truth also should arise in me, that is, a new righteous character, that shall continue until it perfects me; since Christ, the truth, has come, not to destroy the Law, but to establish it, not only in himself, which was done long ago. but in me and in all Christians.

14. These are the two doctrines that should accompany one another, since they belong together or the one is in the other, and they must always go together as long as we live here, by which the Law or God’s commandment may begin to work in Christians, so that the wicked, disobedient persons of the world may be restrained and punished. Since they will not fear and love God like Christians and believers, they are obliged to fear eternal fire, perdition and other punishments. Others, however, will be taught by it from what they have fallen and how sorely and fully they have inherited sin.

15. For when I compare my life with the Law I see and experience always the contrary of what the Law enjoins. I shall entrust to God my body and soul, and love him with my whole heart; yet, I would rather have a dollar in my chest than ten gods in my heart, and I am happier when I know how to make ten dollars, than when I hear the whole Gospel. Let a prince give a person a castle or several thousand dollars, what a jumping and rejoicing it creates! On the other hand, let a person be baptized or receive the communion which is a heavenly, eternal treasure, there is not one-tenth as much rejoicing. Thus we are by nature; there is none who so heartily rejoices over God’s gifts and grace as over money and earthly possessions; what does that mean but that we do not love God as we ought? For if we trusted and loved him, we would rejoice more that he gave us the sense of sight than if we possessed the whole world. And the word of consolation he speaks to me through the Gospel ought to give me higher joy than the favor, money, wealth and honor of the whole world. But that it is not so and ten thousand dollars can make people happier than all the grace and possessions of God, proves what kind of fruit we are, and what a distressing and horrible fall it is in which we lie. And yet we would not see nor realize it, if it were not revealed to us through the Law, and we would have to remain forever in it and be lost, if we were not again helped out of it through Christ. Therefore the Law and the Gospel are given to the end that we may learn to know both how guilty we are and to what we should again return.

16. This now is the Christian teaching and preaching, which, God be praised, we know and possess, and it is not necessary at present to develop it further, but only to offer the admonition that it be maintained in Christendom with all diligence. For satan has continually attacked it hard and strong from the beginning until the present, and gladly would he completely extinguish it and tread it under foot. For he cannot endure that the people continue in it and conduct themselves uprightly and he seeks a hundred thousand arts and wiles only to crush it. Therefore I so gladly preach it, as it is greatly needed; for until the present it has never been heard nor known in the Papacy.

17. For I myself was a learned doctor of theology and yet I never understood the ten commandments rightly. Yea, there were many highly celebrated doctors who did not know whether there were nine, ten or eleven commandments, and much less did we know the Gospel and Christ.

But the only thing that was taught and advocated was: Invoke the Virgin Mary and other saints as your mediators and intercessors; fast often and pray much; make pilgrimages, enter cloisters and become monks, or pay for the saying of many masses and like works. And thus we imagined when we did these things we had merited heaven.

18. That was the time of blindness when we knew nothing of God’s Word, but led ourselves and others into misery by our own idle talk and dreams.

And I was one of those who indeed bathed in this sweat or in this bath of anxiety. Therefore let us give heed that we may thoroughly grasp and retain this doctrine, if other fanatics and false spirits wish to attack it, so that we may be fore-armed and learn, while we have the time and the beloved sun again enlightens us, and buy while the market is at our door.

For it will come to this when once these lights, which God now gives, have departed, satan will not take a furlough until he raises up other fanatical spirits to do harm; as he has already commenced to do in many places during our generation. What will take place after we are gone?

19. Therefore learn, who can learn, and learn well, so that we may know, first the ten commandments, what we owe to God. For if we do not know this, then we know nothing and we will not inquire about Christ in the least. Just like we monks did who either held Christ to be an angry judge or despised him entirely in the face of our imaginary holiness. We fancied we were not in sin, which the ten commandments show and punish; but we had the natural light of reason and free will, and if we lived according to that, as much as we were able, then God would have to bestow upon us his grace, etc. But now, if we are to know Christ as our helper and Savior, then we must first know, out of what he can help us, not out of fire or water, or other bodily need and danger, but out of sin and the hatred of God. But whence do I know that I lie drowned in misery? From no other source than from the Law, that must show me what my loss and disease are, or I will never inquire for the physician and his help.

20. Thus we have both parts of the help of Christ: the one, that he must represent us over against God and be a cloak to cover our shame, as the one who takes upon himself our sins and disgrace; a cloak, I say, for us, as the one who takes our sins and shame upon himself, but before God a throne of grace in whom there is no sin or shame; but only virtue and honor. And like a hen he spreads out his wings against the buzzard, the devil with his sin and death, so that God for his sake forgives all, and to us he can do no harm. But on the condition that you only remain under these wings. For while you are under his mantle and protection and do not come out from under it, sin that is still in you must not be sin for the sake of him who covers you with his righteousness.

21. Then in the second place Christ does not only thus cover and protect us, but he will also nourish and feed us as the hen does her little chickens, that is, he gives us the Holy Spirit and strength, to begin to love God and to keep his commandments. And this shall continue to the last day when faith and this cloak of shame will cease, so that we will behold the Father without any medium or covering, and we ourselves stand before him, and there will be no longer any sin in us to be forgiven; but all will be again restored and brought back or perfected, as St. Paul says in Acts 3:21, purified and perfect, what satan from the beginning disturbed and ruined.

22. Now Christ wishes to teach this by his answer and the question, with which he in reply upbraided the Pharisees. As if he should say, you know nothing more than to speak of the Law, which teaches you that you should love God and your neighbor and yet you do not understand it; for you imagine you have fulfilled it, though you are still far from doing so. Just like the one in Matthew 19:20-21, who boasts he had kept all the commandments from his youth; but Christ says to him: “If thou wouldst be perfect, go sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor.” This is as much as to say: Whoever will love God aright and keep his commandments, must be able to sacrifice his possessions, body and life. Therefore another thing is necessary, Christ will say, for you to know, namely, that you know and possess the man called Christ, who helps us to the end that this doctrine of the Law may be established and perfected in you.

23. But what does it mean to know Christ aright? This the Pharisees and scribes do not know; for they do not consider him more than David’s son, that is, he who is to sit on David’s throne (as born from his flesh and blood) and is lord and king, also greater and mightier than David was, and yet only to be a temporal ruler to make his people the lords of the world and bring all heathen under his rule, etc. But that they should need him in their lost state, to help them out of sin and death, of that they knew nothing. Therefore the Holy Spirit must teach that he was not only David’s son, but also God’s Son, as was taught after his resurrection.

24. Now here Christ does not explain this, but he only broaches that David in Psalm 110:1, called Christ his Lord: “How then,” he says, “doth David in the Spirit call him Lord?” It does not sound right and it is against nature for a father to call his son lord, and to be subject to him and serve him. Now David calls Christ his Lord, and a Lord, to whom Jehovah himself says: “Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool,” that is, be like me, acknowledge and worshipped as the right and true God; for it becometh none other to sit at his right hand; he is indeed so jealous that he allows no one aside from himself to sit equal to him, as he says in the prophesy of Isaiah 48:11, “My glory will I not give to another.” Since Jehovah now places Christ equal with himself, he must be more than all creatures. Therefore he proposes to them a great question, but lets them thus stick; for they did not understand it and it was not yet the time to make this known public. But the meaning is as our articles of faith teach us to believe; that Christ was both David’s true natural son of his blood and flesh and also David’s Lord, whom David himself must worship and hold as God. However it was impossible to make these statements harmonize, as it is still impossible for human reason, where the Holy Spirit does not reveal it, how the two should be at the same time in the one Christ, both that he was truly David’s seed and God’s Son by nature.

25. Now Christ propounded this question to teach it is not enough to have the Law which is the only thing that shows from what state we have fallen; but whoever will return again to it and become renewed, that Christ must do through a knowledge of him, who is indeed born of David and is his flesh and blood, but not born in sin, as David and all men are born, but had to be born without man of a drop of the pure blood of a virgin, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, that he was born a real and true man without any sin.

26. He is the only man that has been able to keep and fulfill the Law; like all other men by nature, and yet not in the same guilt, but reared without sin and God’s wrath. This one had to intercede in our behalf before God and be our right hand and protection, be to us what the hen is to her little chickens, in whom we have forgiveness of sins and deliverance from God’s anger and hell. And not only this, but he also gives us the Holy Ghost to follow him, and here begins to extinguish and slay sin, until we come to him and be like him without any sin and in perfect righteousness; for he was raised from the dead to the right hand of the Father to totally abolish sin, death and hell and bring us to the new eternal righteousness and eternal life. Amen.