Five Minutes a Day with Luther - 05-10-2017

[Five Minutes with Luther]

FIVE MINUTES A DAY WITH LUTHER

** Now available in book form: http://lcmssermons.com/about5mins.php **


May 10

Gal 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the
statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF".

* * *

Paul, after he has once laid the foundation of Christian
doctrine, typically builds with gold, silver, and precious
stones upon it. Now there is no other foundation, as he himself
says to the Corinthians, than Jesus Christ, or the righteousness
of Christ (1 Cor 3:11). Upon this foundation he now builds good
works, yes, very good works indeed; all of which he presents in
one precept: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Paul
would here say: Up to now, I have taught you about the true
spiritual life, and now I will also teach you what are true good
works, to the end that you may know that the vain and foolish
work of ceremonies which the false apostles only urge, is far
inferior to the works of love. For such is the foolishness and
madness of all wicked teachers and fantastical spirits, that not
only do they depart from the true foundation and pure doctrine,
but they then continue in superstition; and they never attain to
truly good works. Therefore, as Paul says (1 Cor 3:12-13), they
build with nothing but wood, hay, and stubble upon the
foundation. So the false apostles, who were the most earnest
defenders of works, never taught or required the works of
Christian love, such as, that Christians should love one
another, that they should be ready to help their neighbors in
every need, not only with their material possessions, but also
with their body; that is to say, with tongue, hand, heart, and
with their whole strength; they only required that circumcision
should be kept, that holy days, months, years, and times should
be observed. After they had destroyed the foundation, which is
Christ, and darkened the doctrine of faith, it was impossible
that there could remain any true use, exercise, or opinion of
good works.

We share our mutual woes;
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

---
Cuda.
aka Pastor Robin Fish
Lutheran to the core -- and just a little beyond.

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