Five Minutes a Day with Luther - 05-11-2017

[Five Minutes with Luther]

FIVE MINUTES A DAY WITH LUTHER

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


May 11

Gal 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest
you be consumed by one another.

* * *

By these words Paul witnesses, that if the foundation, that is to
say, if faith in Christ be overthrown by wicked teachers, no
peace or concord can remain in the church, either in doctrine or
life; but there must needs be diverse opinions and dissensions
from time to time both in doctrine and life, whereby it comes to
pass that one bites and devours another (one judges and condemns
another), until at length they are consumed. Concerning this
not only the Scriptures, but also the examples of all times,
bear witness. How many sects have we at this day springing up
one after another? Thus when the unity of the spirit is broken,
it is impossible that there should be any concord either in
doctrine or life, but daily new errors must needs spring up
without measure and without end. Paul therefore teaches that
such occasions of discord are to be avoided, and he shows how
they may be avoided. This, says he, is the way to unity and
concord: Let every man do his duty in that kind of life into
which God has called him; let him not lift himself up above
others, nor find fault with other men's works, and commend his
own, but let every one serve one another through love. It is a
hard and a dangerous matter to teach that we are made righteous
by faith without works, and yet to require works withal. Here,
except the ministers of Christ be faithful and wise disposers of
the mysteries of God, rightly dividing the word of truth, faith
and works are by and by confounded. Both these doctrines, as
well of faith as of works, must be diligently taught and urged,
and yet so that both may remain within their bounds.

Teach us the lesson Thou hast taught,
To feel for those Thy blood bath bought;
That every word, and deed, and thought,
May work a work for Thee.

---
Cuda.
aka Pastor Robin Fish
It isn't whether we win or lose, it is "Do we stand faithfully?"

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