Brunner Emil Our Faith
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Descripción: Basic Christian Theology as formulated by Emil Brunner...
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OUR FAITH BY
EMIL
BRUNNER \\
Professor of Theology, University of Zurich
TRANSLATED BY JOHN W. RILLING
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1936
NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT, 1936, BY
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Printed in the United States of America
All rights reserved. the
This book, lated
No
fart of this look
be reproduced in
any form without permission of Charles Scribner's Sons
may
into
now
for the first time trans-
English,
was published by
Gotthelf-Verlag, Bern, under Unser Glaube.
LIBRARIES ~ Ov ,
.
the
title
To
MY SONS
FOREWORD "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Worcl that proceedeth out of the simile, but a
literal
mouth of God." That
law of
life.
There
is
no
a pernicious
is
anaemia of the soul) a starvation of the soul as well as
Humanity in our time suffers from chronic
of the body.
under-nourishment of merely to print
and
cient help, even, if
its
sell
soul. It is
not sufficient help
copies of the Bible; not
men read it. The
suffi-
Bible can nourish
us only if it is understood and personally appropriated as God's own Word. But for many whatever the cause
may bethe their need.
Bible
is
indigestible; it does not speak to
Such people
to translate the great,
an
seek, therefore,
difficult,
Bible into the familiar language of daily
formance of
this task, in
of theology,
work
interpreter
strange words of the
my opinion,
is
life.
The
per-
the true service
to think through the message of God's
in Jesus Christ
think
it
through so
long,
and so
thoroughly that it can be spoken simply and intelligibly to every
man
In a time
shaken
as
listen to
in the language of his time.
like ours
when
all
outward
securities are
perhaps never before, many are beginning to is not from man. new hunger
A
Truth which
vu
FOREWORD' for the
Word
of
God
is
passing through! the world
the English-speaking world the East.
The Word
of
God
no is
than Europe and the one thing which is less
and West, the whole dismembered mankind, and to reshape it into one big family of naable to unite East
tions.
book
It is
a special satisfaction to
me
that this
little
having been translated into several continental languages,* can now appear simultaneously in after
both English and Japanese. to our consciousness that as
we
are all created by
we
May
it
help in bringing
are all called to one
one Creator
after
aim
His image.
EMIL BRUNNER Zurich, August, 1936.
*0uf Faith has appeared translations;
a Czech edition
in is
French, Dutch, Danish, and Hungarian in preparation (Translator).
vm
CONTENTS FOREWORD I.
IS
THERE A GOD?
I
1.
IS
THE BIBLE THE WORD OF GOD?
6
3.
THE MYSTERY OF GOD
II
4.
CREATION AND THE CREATOR
16
WORLD
1O
5
.
6.
GOD'S PLAN FOR THE
GOD AND THE DEMONIC ELEMENT IN THE WORLD
15
J.
ETERNAL ELECTION
8.
THE MYSTERY OF
9.
10.
2.9
MAN
ON THE GOODNESS OF MAN THE LAW
34 39
44
11.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THE DOUBLE COMMANDMENT
49
II.
THE ORDINANCES OF GOD
54
13.
THE PROMISE
59
15.
JESUS THE CHRIST THE SON OF MAN
1 6.
THE SON OF GOD
JO
17.
THE KING
75
18.
THE MEDIATOR
80
14.
63
6j
ix
CONTENTS 19.
THE HOLY GHOST
85
10.
FAITH OR DESPAIR
89
11.
BY FAITH ALONE
94
11.
CONVERSION
99
13.
REGENERATION
IO3
14.
ON
Io6
15.
PRAYER
IIO
16.
THE MEANING OF PRAYER
115
17.
FELLOWSHIP
Il8
18.
THE CHURCH
111
19.
THE SACRAMENTS
117
30.
BAPTISM
131
31.
THE LORD'S SUPPER
134
31.
THE FUTURE
138
33.
AFTERWARD?
141
THE LAST JUDGMENT ON LIFE ETERNAL
146
34. 35.
CHRISTIAN FREEDOM
150
X
OUR FAITH
OUR FAITH 1.
IS
The only answer
THERE A GOD?
to such a question is that of the
Greek philosopher, who, when asked about God by an idler,
tive
To
kept a persistent silence.
question,
"Is there a
know whether
God?
or not there
possible answer.
Or
is
I
the merely inquisi-
should be interested to
one," silence
is
the sole
perhaps one should reply to such
a questioner: No, "there is" no God!
Himalaya range, "there
is"
"There
is"
a
a planet Uranus, "there is"
an element radium: in short there are a multitude of things about which the encyclopaedia gives information.
But "there there
is
is"
no God. That means, for the
no God. God
is
neither an object of scientific
we
investigation nor something that
treasure of our knowledge, as one in a
special place in
costliest
of
an album
can insert in the
mounts a rare stamp
there
it is, finest
and
all.
God is not
something in the world, the eternal being,
the divine inhabitant of the world.
world
inquisitive
at all, the
world
is
rather in
God God.
is
not in the
God
is
not
OUR FAITH is
in
God.
your question were answered, "Yes, there
is
a God,"
illusion,
for you
within your knowledge, your knowledge
you would depart with one more
would then suppose
God
that
is
If
in a class with other
objects.
That, precisely,
God.
God
is
other things. things.
is
what God
never in a
He
knowledge.
God
only because of
is
not
if
He
is
really
never something
among named along with other
class,
can never be
Planets, mountains,
is
elements are objects of
not an object of knowledge.
It is
God that anything is to be known at all.
Without God there would be absolutely nothing
at all,
God a man could know nothing. Knowledge is possible only because God is. The question about God
without
is
a possibility only because
God
already stands behind
the question. If you really enquire about God, not with
mere
curiosity, not, as it were, like
collector,
a
spiritual
stamp-
but as an anxious seeker, distressed in heart,
anguished by the possibility that
and hence
all life
you ask in such a "Tell me, will
not exist
be vanity and one great madness
mood as
my
the
man who asks the
wife live or will she die?"
ask thus about God, then you exists; the
God might
know
if
doctor, if
already that
you
God
anguished question bears witness that you
IS
THERE A GOD?
God you Him. You want God because
know. Without knowing
could not so ask
about
without
is
nonsense.
Your own
sense and nonsense;
heart
life
heart distinguishes between
knows
it
Him
that sense is right.
knows something of God
already;
and
Your
it is
that
very knowledge which gives your question existence
and power.
You
wish that there might be a God, for
otherwise everything evil,
good
is
not good.
a God, for you
same
as evil.
is
know
The
ultimately the same
You know that
evil is
not
already that there
is
good cannot possibly be the
observation of the evil in the world,
and anxious questionings about
it
cause you to doubt
God's existence; but the very fact that one sees and questions
God
it
is
belief in
God. Because your heart knows
protests against wrong.
about God,
God
is
makes your question
In the act of asking
already standing behind you and possible.
Not only the heart within, but the world without also testifies
of God.
I
have never known chance to create
order, so that the meaningful
and beautiful
mere chance. To believe that the world
God
is
that the
is
not credulity. Credulous, rather,
human
eye, or the structure of
glory of a spring
meadow -
is
,
an
arise out of
a creation of is
the belief
insect,
or the
a product of chance.
O ,um
The
OUR FAITH rock cairn which the wanderer sees on a mountain peak
not chance, but a hand has laid these rocks one upon the other.
Yet a million times more beautiful than such
a stone heap
is
the retina of the eye.
It is
truly
no
evi-
dence o intelligence to miss anything so obvious.
a sign o
It is really
a God?"
asks, "Is there is
mental disorder when a
One might
man
almost say that this
the question of an insane man,
a
man who
can no
longer see things simply, clearly and calmly as they are.
Something of
this
whole world, and
we
all feel its
call it the distinctive
might indeed our modern
madness however, pervades the
life.
Men
God?" but never
Technical and
all that
son.
we
We
in the
"In what
senses.
way
We
afflicts
as far as shall
before, "Is there a
scientific success
and confused our
madness that
have always asked
history gives us information
think of
consequences; one
we
God?"
has gone to our heads discard as
mere chance
cannot bring under the mastery of our rea-
suppose that
world
we
alone create order and art
missing the obvious suspicion that to
make something ingenious we must
first
have an
in-
geniously created brain and ingeniously created hands.
What we do hands which
create
we
is
but the creation of brain and
very certainly did not create!
4
THERE A GOD?
IS
To
when one
to be morally serious. For
he knows that good
two
God"
ask the question, then, "Is there a
is
not
different things, that
eschew the wrong. There
must bow whether one
evil,
is
is
to fail
morally serious
that right
and wrong are
one should seek the right and is
a divine order to which one
do so or
likes to
Moral
not.
seriousness is respect to the voice of conscience. If there is
no God, conscience is but a complex of
and means nothing.
no God then
If there is
to trouble oneself about right to the
same ultimate
chaos.
residual habits
or wrong.
it is
absurd
It all
comes
Scoundrel and saint are
The man who
only phantoms of the imagination.
can stop here must probably be
left to
go
his
own
way. Still
God really
if
does
exist,
why
then must
we
al-
ways be asking about Him? Our heart cannot escape from God; it knows about God! But our heart does not
know Him
truly.
but does not
Our
God
is,
testifies
of
conscience tells us that
know who He
is.
Our reason
God and yet does not know who He is. The world with a million ringers points toward God, but veal
Him
it
cannot re-
to us.
Who is God? What does He want of us? What purpose does
He
have for the world? . ti.
To
these
questions
OUR FAITH we know no answer
we do
unanswered
and only one
know God. There
not
other, possibility: if
Himself to us
we
exists is testified its
and so long as these questions are
God
know Him
could
is
another,
chose to reveal
truly.
That
God
by reason, conscience, and nature with
wonders. But
who God
is
God Himself must
tell
us in His Revelation.
2.
No
IS
one will dispute the assertion that the Bible
unique Book. in that so
it.
Book
guages?
It is
noteworthy,
many people
people read is this
THE BIBLE THE WORD OF GOD?
if
for
possess this
Book and so few
Why does every one have a Bible? Why many hundreds of lanvenerable Book reprinted again
translated into so
Why
is this
years ago, scoffing Voltaire, probably the
of his time prophesied that
with the Bible. is
The house
today one of the
taire's
name
a
no other reason,
and again in millions of copies annually?
man
is
is
offices
in
all
which
Two hundred most famous
would soon be over this boast
was made
of a great Bible society. Vol-
almost forgotten; the Bible has had, in
the meantime, an incredible career of triumph through-
out the world.
What
is it
about the Bible?
these facts?
-6-
Whence
IS
THE BIBLE THE WORD OF GOD?
The immediate answer
is
quite plain: because the
Christian Church believes the Bible to be the just as the
God,
Mohammedan
is
Word
persuaded that the
Koran, and the Hindu that the Bhagavadgita
Word of God; and because Christians are ficient
propagandists, the Bible
is
of
the
is
the most pro-
the most widely dis-
seminated Book. Quite right. But this
is to
overlook
one thing: the Bible not only comes from the Christians; Christians
come from the
Bible.
One might make
the statement: there are Bibles because there are ChrisPrimarily the reverse
tians.
because of the Bible. all Christian faith
should
The
is true:
Bible
grows. For
know nothing
if
there are Christians
the soil
from which
there were
no Bible we
is
of Jesus Christ, after
are called Christians. Christian faith
and Christ meets us and speaks Christian faith is Bible faith.
is
whom we
faith in Christ,
to us in the Bible.
What
is
meant by
that
statement?
Who is God? What is His purpose for us? What are His plans for the world, for humanity, for you? cannot
know
You
that of yourself; nor can any one tell
you
that. For what you yourself cannot apprehend of God no one else can know either. After all, he is only an-
other
man and no man can answer these questions of his
OUR FAITH own
He
God
accord.
Does
us?
tell
He
it.
But does He? Does
reveal the secret of His world
He make known His purposes for you
plan? Does
me
alone can do
and for
all
mankind?
answers these
Christianity
God
questions with an emphatic Yes,
and
has
made known
the secret of His will through the Prophets and Apostles in
the
who He
Holy
Scriptures.
And what
is.
He
permitted them to say
they all say in different words
is
fundamentally the same thing, just as seven sons of a
good mother speaks each in his own way of her. Each one says the same thing; and yet each says something different. So, too, the
prophets
all
speak of the one God,
not only as eternally enthroned above
all
temporal
change, the invisible spirit above all earthly affairs, but as the
leave
One who
man
who says: they
to his
come
own
devices like
to me.
Not
so
God.
does not
some great nobleman
can get along without them;
I
who
has purposes for man,
I
can wait until
He who
great Lord, does not act as does the
alone
is
the
nobleman who
proudly holds that the poor serf must come to him.
God has mercy on men; He not come to
Him; He
even comes to those who do
troubles himself about them, fol-
lows after them like a good shepherd after his erring sheep.
For
He
wants to gather them, to bring them
-8-
THE BIBLE THE WORD OP GOD?
IS
home;
He does not want them to remain lost; He wants
them with Himself. That
is
now
ple,
heights,
He
God's purpose.
now
coaxing,
now from
He
It is
speaks.
of this
The
lost
In their error, the
Good Shepherd God
His
calls;
Good
life for
that the Bible
is
Word became
God Himself
flesh."
coming.
That means,
in
present that which these Prophets and Apostles
is
not, but of
which they could only speak. They can
only speak of the
Good
Good
The Prophets and Apostles can
Shepherd.
Shepherd. Jesus himself
point like doorkeepers to the
him yonder,
there
is
he
coming one and
whom we
open the door: now he stands the
the
voices of the Prophets are the single voice
In him, "the
were
not only
sheep, gives even
of God, calling. Jesus Christ
him
He
the depths. But
Shepherd seeks His
now from
threatening,
himself comes to them.
them.
therefore calls His peo-
Word
await.
is
only
say: see
They can
there, himself!
He
In him, his life and death,
of God.
the
is
God
proclaims His purpose, His plan, His feelings. "I have revealed to them thy name." in the Bible.
Is the
Yes, insofar as Christ.
it
He
Word of God God's Word then?
is
whole Bible
the
speaks of that which
is
"here" in
OUR FAITH be found in
Is everything true that is to
Let
me draw
Bible?
trie
a somewhat modern analogy by
way of
answering this question. Every one has seen the trade slogan "His Master's Voice," If you buy a phonograph record you are told that you will hear the Master
Of
Caruso. Is that true? Certainly!
And yet
course!
But
really his voice?
some noises made by the
there are
machine which are not the Master's scratching of the steel needle
voice, but the
upon the hard
But do not become impatient with the hard
disk.
disk!
For
*
only by means of the record can you hear "the master's voice." So, too, is
it
with the Bible.
Master's voice audible,
what he wants to
say.
makes the
It
real
really his voice, his words,
But there are incidental noises
accompanying, just because
God
through the voice of man.
Paul, Peter, Isaiah,
speaks His
Word and
Moses are such men. But through them God speaks His Word. God has also come into the world as man, really all
God, but
His
really
man
too.
Therefore the Bible
voice, notwithstanding all the disturbing things,
which, being
human
are unavoidable.
Only a fool
when he might listen to sound of his Master's voice! The importance of the
listens to the incidental noises
the
is
Bible
is
that
God
speaks to us through 10
it.
THE MYSTERY OF GOD How then,
are
we to regard
claim to be God's
you a
said: first, are
be
still
Mohammedan
you only one thing: a
tell
or a Hindu? If if
Bible. It is not the
who comes may be
different voice is
them than that which we hear
to be heard in
so,
There are two things to
want to know how we are to regard those other
books, I can
It
also?
books do not apply to you. Second,
not, then these
you
word
those other books which
same God, not the Good Shepherd
to His sheep. It
somehow
that
in the
is
it is
the voice of a stranger.
God's
But
voice, too.
if
a scarcely recognizable voice, just as a poor photo-
graph may resemble you, but not
at all
Now are there any other questions? that if this is the
way
look as you It is
my opinion
the matter stands, there
one conclusion to be drawn:
Go
are.
is
now, and begin
only
at last
to listen attentively to the Master's voice.
3.
Any one who cousin, about really
THE MYSTERY OF GOD speaks of
whom,
knows nothing
important fact that
naturally,
at all of
as
though
He
were a
one knows everything,
God. The
first
and most
we can know about God is ever this:
we know nothing of Him, revealed to us.
God
except what
He Himself has
God's revelation of Himself always ii
'OUR FAITH occurs in such a inaccessibility to
we
know
can
He
is
is
is
is
not the world.
also exalted above all our knowledge.
eventually be solved,
God
God
the world.
Not
Mystery.
more deeply His
as to manifest
our thought and imagination. All that
is
He
Therefore
way
simply a riddle, for riddles can
some
mystery means that
some
sooner,
we cannot
later.
That
solve the enigma.
"Can'st thou by searching find out
God?" To man's
proud "not yet" the Bible
"not ever."
majesty
is like
becomes
dizzy.
all
there
things
Such
a profound abyss, whoever looks into
"From
can understand that?
when
replies
was
everlasting to everlasting"
He who was
as yet nothing,
who
in the beginning
and through whose will
that are have arisen
of such a thing?
it
who
can ever conceive
To think of the mystery of God makes
us feel vain and petty,
we remember
that
we are
dust.
There is, however, another thought that abases us even more; that
God is the Holy One.
Probably every one re-
members from childhood what impression it made upon him when he was told, "God's eye sees you continually.
He
even sees into your heart, and there
you that
God
does not know." For
even then that
this
simply a spectator,
seeing
God
is
is also
is
we knew quite well
judging.
the Lord. That TO X^w
nothing in
God
is
not
means God
THE MYSTERY OF GOD He
wants something.
wants what he wants without
There are men of great will power about
condition.
whom one perceives that they know what they want. Mysterious influence, something of almost crushing
radiates
from such men. But what
No man wants
much
too weak. Even an iron will can
deflected, paralyzed.
For every
man
conditions under which he simply will not
God's will
power
human will power!
anything absolutely, thereunto even the
strongest will is
be bent,
is
is absolute.
He
there are
go
on, but
wants to be absolutely Lord
He did not want that, He would not be God. But that He does will, that He wants unconditional obe-
of
all.
If
dience to Himself, this thought really humbles us utterly.
"The holy God"
destroys us even
more than "the
When the Prophet Isaiah heard the
mighty God."
of the cherubim, "Holy, Holy, Holy
"Woe
answered,
is
God
is like
ever touches
it dies.
ness of
What
if
we
me
am
song
the Lord," he
undone."
The
holi-
a powerful electric current, who-
refuse to
absolutely desires?
for I
is
al-
do what God wants, what
He
When we will not obey Him, what?
Imagine an automobile driven by a madman.
He
will
not permit a wall to block his way. "I won't stand for that,"
he
says,
and opens the 13
throttle
wide and rushes
.
OUR FAITH That
against the wall.
He
disobedient to God.
The
disobedience of
resists the
natural law of gravity. trustworthiness of
shatters
is
abso-
upon God, God
It is just this
God which
world. For without order.
man
God's holiness
more trustworthy even than the
is
proud
is
must simply dash himself to
pieces aganst God's holiness. lute.
man who
a simile for the
is
it
unconditional
the salvation of the
is
everything
would
fall into dis-
God's righteousness stands like the mountains.
He who
withstands
God must
shatter himself
God. This
is
the meaning of God's wrath.
God's will
is
absolute obedience
disobedience absolutely.
He who
He
upon
Because
therefore hates
persists
in disobedi-
ence falls under the fearful wrath of God. That
the
is
holy God.
But the mystery of
God
is
even greater.
THe
will of
what He absolutely desires, is love. His this holy God infinite love. He wants to feeling toward us is give Himself to is
us, to
the one thing
draw and bind us
He wants
to
absolutely.
world in order to share Himself,
Him. Fellowship
God
created the
He created
us for
fel-
He might have fellowship with us. too, He did not permit the world and
lowship, and that
For that reason,
the humanity which did not want 14
Him
to follow
its
THE MYSTERY OP GOD own
devices, but hastened after
her faithless child into she finds
it.
Though
it
mother follows
as a
the byways of the city until
all
every one showers discouraging
advice "be ashamed for running after the ugly thing,
he never "I
mother can say only,
really deserved it," the
am still his mother."
So, too, is
God.
It is this
He
has shown Himself to be in Jesus Christ.
too
much
human
for
filth,
Him to
Man
is
come
That
is
the
We
it
God
not
descend into the lowest depths of
may
not be
He pur-
"For the Son of
lost.
to seek and to save that which
is lost."
of mercy.
must keep
focus with what
of
It is
to be bespattered and befouled as
sues His child that
which
this endless
we
and merciful pursuit in
said of the majesty
and die holiness
God in order to understand the greatness of His love.
There
is
nothing remarkable in a beggar lending a hand
to a beggar. But whoever heard of a king dismounting
from
his horse to take a beggar's
heavenly King, whose majesty
down
is
hand?
That the
inconceivable,
comes
to seek His unfaithful child in all his squalor,
the love of
God
as the gospel
knows.
And
of King
it is
terrified
by the Holiness of
and only the gospel
we, the beggars, should
who
has come
down
is
know what
to us.
God and
sort
We should be
our
sin,
that
God
OUR FAITH may then make our
God
desires
heart obedient through His love.
one thing
we
absolutely: that
should
know
the greatness and seriousness of his will-to-love, and
permit ourselves to be led by
which
fortress
ture
it
God wants
with His love.
the gate,
it is
stinately close
then
woe
of God,
it.
Our
to capture.
heart
is like
He wants to capwe open
overcome by His love
If,
well with our souls.
a
If,
however,
we
ob-
our hearts to His love. His absolute will
to us! If
we must
we
refuse to surrender to the love
feel the absoluteness of
His will as
wrath.
4.
The
first
CREATION AND THE CREATOR
word of
Creator and creation.
the Bible
is
But that
is
the
word about the
not simply the
first
word with which one begins in order to pass on to greater, more important matters. It is the primeval word, the fundamental word supporting everything else.
Take
it
away and everything
collapses.
Indeed
if
one rightly understands that which the Bible means by the Creator, he has rightly understood the whole Bible.
involved in this one word.
Everything else
is
Do men know
the Creator?
means
to say,
God thou art my
Do
they
Creator?
-16-
But
know what
if! it
CREATION AND THE CREATOR It is
thus.
not because of
For
God
that
we do
know Him
not
is just as in a royal palace everything royally
administered, or as in a great artist's house the
house
testifies
the world Artist.
is
of the
artist,
even
if
he is not seen,
so, too,
King and the Great
die house of the Great
He does not permit himself to be seen;
for
cannot see God, only the world. But this world
and whether conscious of it or not,
creation,
Him who made does not
work of
Yet in
know Him,
man
Every
it.
art
spite
of this testimony
than anything else that
men
human
it,
human
how
window of
visible.
the soul? Yes, even
Who
own and
yet fail to discern God's
astounding a miracle
window; one might even gazing and
ingenuity
creation
miraculous deeds. Every one has two eyes.
eye, the
man
a greater
is
are so obsessed with their
great display over
ever thought of
His
or at least not rightly.
doings that they acclaim every
make a
is
man
speaks of
it
has two hands each of which
has created; but
whole
Have you is
a seeing
more than a
call the eye the soul itself
has so
dred millions of rod and cone
made
cells
it
that the hun-
which together make
sight possible, are so co-ordinated that they can give sight?
Chance?
What harebrained
superstition! Truly,
you do not behold man alone through the
-17-
eye,
but the
OUR FAITH Creator as well. Yet
we
We behave ourselves in this may
use the clumsy simile) like dogs in a great art gal-
We see the pictures and yet fail to see them,
lery. if
we saw them
Our madness,
rightly
we would
for
see the Creator too.
in short, our
haughtiness, irreverence
the reason for our failure to see the Creator in
sin, is
His
do not perceive Him. God-created world (if one
fools
creation.
And
yet
He
speaks so loudly that
we
cannot
hear His voice. For this reason the peoples of
even when they have not
known
fail to
all
ages,
the Creator, have
had
some presentiments of Him. There is no religion in which there is not some sort of surmise of the Creator. But men have never known
Him
rightly.
The book of
Nature does not suffice to reveal the Creator aright to such unintelligent and obdurate pupils as ourselves.
The more
Creator has therefore given us another, even
clearly written
Bible. In
we must name
it
all
He has
book
also
the Creator for the
is
He
is
He
Him
truly the Creator.
really
is.
the
portrait so that
Jesus Christ. In
first as
know God's purpose
which to know
drawn His own
perceive that
of this picture
in
The
him we know For in him
we
for His creation.
God first revealed Himself to the children of Israel
-18-
as
CREATION AND THE CREATOR the Creator. religions,
At
that time the
world was replete with
but they did not honor the one Lord of
The gods of the heathen are partly of human fantasy, partly surmise of
all
the
world.
construc-
tions
the true
God, a wild combination of both. The great thinkers like Plato
pervaded
God.
It
and all
Aristotle spoke indeed of a divinity that
things.
pleased
But they did not know the living
God to reveal Himself to
the
little
peo-
the
God
ple of Israel as the Lord God. That means
whom we may
not use as one uses a porter
And
heathen use their gods.
as the
God whom one
as the
cannot conceive as the philosophers think of Him, an
He was revealed claims Him as Lord.
"idea of God." But to Israel
who
encounters
man and
the Lord thy God." "I will be your
my
people."
The Lord
wholly, body and soul.
as one "I
am
God and ye shall be
whom one belongs The Lord is He who has an
is
He, to
absolute claim to us, because we, and all that in us -is,
come from Him. The Lord God God, and only when we know
Him
is also
as the
the Creator
Lord God do
we know Him rightly as the Creator. The heathen, their greatest thinkers,
ence between
between
God and
God and
do not
rightly
know
even
the differ-
world, between
God and man,
These are
confused with
nature.
19
all
OUR FAITH God first revealed Himself to
one another.
One who
over
is
all
the world, as
its
Israel as the
Lord} o whom,
whom and to whom it is created. That a divine
through
being created the world
not faith in the Creator, but
is
Ja theory
of the origin of the world, which
'nothing.
That
God is the Creator means:
signifies
thy Creator Is
the Lord of the world, thy Lord, you belong to totally. is
your
Without
Him you are nothing, and in His hand
He wants
life.
you for Himself:
thy God, thou shalt have no other
Me. That is
God with
as
all
Him
much to
say:
Gods
I
am
the Lord
(idols) before
thou shalt love the Lord thy
thy heart and with all thy soul and with all
thy strength. That
is
no
lovely, interesting theory about
the origin of the world;
if
you believe
this,
you are a
"slave of God," your life then has another meaning, then
you are first
really another
time a man.
man. Rather, you are now for the
To believe in God the Creator means to
obey God the Lord.
5.
GOD'S
Looking down
PLAN FOR THE WORLD
at night
from the mountain top upon
Zurich, the traveller sees a broad luminous strip in the
midst of the confusing welter of the twinkling lights of the
city.
It is
lovely and attractive although one does
20
GOD'S PLAN FOR THE
WORLD
not understand the significance of this aggregation of It is the
lights.
park square in front of the railway
one of the hundreds of
station; each
place, but the wayfarer
lights is in its
on the heights above knows
nothing of this perfect order. Only the chief electrician
knows why some other.
this
arrangement has been made and not
He
has the blue-print and can grasp the
whole plan at a glance; it is orders and guides the whole. Just so, too,
whole world.
down
we may
We
think of what takes place in the
poor insignificant humans are
in the midst of the
survey
it all.
his insight, his will that
Here and
set
whole wild world and cannot
there
it
may
be,
we
can catch a
glimpse of the wonderful order in nature, the regularity of the
stars, scattered
over the wide spaces of the uni-
verse yet obedient to one law; the order to be found
even in the microscopic world, as also within visible things concerning which science has given such amazing
information in recent years; the order in the construction of a flower or of
an animal, from the
flea to the
whale, a noteworthy obedience to law even in the life of man.
When, however, we
mean, what
We
is its
purpose,
ask,
we know
what does nothing
all this
definite.
can advance clever theories and make guesses, 21
OUR FAITH and men have been doing so for ages and have
ex-
pressed most curious opinions about the purpose of the
happenings in the world. Each one has made his guess
from the
would want would dare
upon such a foundation? Who it is thus and so? Every one real-
to build say; yes,
izes that these are only
humble opinions concerning
something too sublime for our conception.
all
experiment and experience impenetrable mystery.
profound, heavily
way
upon
us.
in the dark.
know
that,
troubled, like a
it
And
that
weighs
though we were feeling our Whither? Why? What is the mean-
What we
are
is
who
rules the
is
world
despondent,
apprehensive,
we are
One who knows
first
made
to hard labor without
fusion for us
is
dull
and
insight
apathetic.
the destiny of the world,
the sketch,
world according to
we do
the goal? Because
man condemned
into the plan of the
There
spite
remains for us a
knowing the reason why. Because we have no
He,
know
It is as
ing of everything?
not
We
where we nor the world are heading. In
neither
of
But who
center of his tiny circle of experience.
He who
this
What
plan.
order for Him, what
created and
we
call
is
con-
chance
is
designed by Him, thought out from eternity and executed with omnipotence.
It is
22
indeed
much
to
know
WORLD
GOD'S PLAN FOR THE "He
thrones in might and doeth all things well."
Chance? With
this sorry
word we merely admit
we
that
do not know why things happen as they do. But God knows; God wills it. There is no chance, no more than any light in the station below
The
it is.
chief Designer
"chance," "fate."
It is
just
happens to be where
knows why, while we
important to
Indeed, in His great goodness,
He
more.
know
God
has done even
did not want to leave us in the dark, for
not His will that
we
should go plodding through
fearful, troubled,
and
apathetic, but that
though
we
are,
world plans. sels
should
we, mere
know something
it is
life
men
of His great
He has, therefore, revealed to us the coun-
He has not
of His will in His Word.
men would
once
say,
that.
not have understood
long ago, like a wise teacher
He
plans,
it all
at all.
He
revealed
making them ever
at
But,
laid his plans.
Abraham, Moses, and the prophets and more of His
it
done
To
more
clearer, until
"when the time was accomplished" He revealed His heart and let men behold what He had in mind, His at last,
goal.
Then He brought
forth His plan out of the dark-
ness of mystery and revealed Christ, the
Word of God
it
to all the world: Jesus
in person,
God's revelation of
the meaning of universal history so that
we need no
OUR FAITH longer walk in darkness but in the light,
How different
God's plans are than the ruminations of
man upon the great Word of
riddle of the world!
We
God
reconciliation, salvation, forgive-
Jesus Christ
spell out this
ness of sins, promise of eternal things in God's
own
life.
That
life,
is
fulfilment of all
God's plan for the
world.
Perhaps some one expresses himself,
with is
be
me
if it
not the
man who it.
way
we
things happen in God's household.
by the grace of God, through His free
says, "It's all right is
with me," has no part in
something that comes by grace, not
something that comes "of
itself" like
the change in
voice which comes naturally at the age of puberty. refuses to deal with us
He
on these
terms, for
He
God
He wants our
does not hurl his grace at us, like a brick-
layer throwing mortar at a wall. tion.
To
can have a part in His kingdom. But the
God's help
heart.
right
comes out that way." Unfortunately that
sure, it is only
gift that
"It's all
invites us into
God
calls
us to salva-
His kingdom, he wants us to
hear His summons, believe and obey Him.
For
it is
only through such obedience that one understands anything at
all
of God's world plan; only he
call receives light,
who
hears the
he alone "walks no more in dark-
-24-
GOD AND THE DEMONIC ELEMENT ness" but in the light of God.
He alone knows, through
God, the destiny of
or rather where
bring
To
all things.
hear where
all
hear this
God will lead us,
plan for the world 6.
things,
call,
and in
God will
this call to
to have insight into God's
that is faith.
GOD AND THE DEMONIC ELEMENT IN THE WORLD
"And were the world with devour us.
...
"
Who can deny that this is a bedevilled
the world in which
world
newspaper crimes,
suffices to
world
is
we
live?
One glance
establish this fact.
famines,
catastrophes,
war and preparations that this
devils filled, all waiting to
for war.
epidemics,
"And you
at the
Accidents, revolution,
dare to claim
God's creation? ruled by a
God who is
Are you deranged?" What reply shall we make? would propose that we answer frankly, yes, we are
love? I
deranged. ourselves,
That
is
one thing the Bible
and hence,
tells
too, about our world.
us about
Can you
imagine God's creation of the world as a sort of book set in type
by the
printer; everything is in the right place
and makes good sense when one reads ,
while the typesetter type.
Everything
inverted,
is
is
it;
and then
gone, a scoundrel confuses the
"de-ranged," whole sentences are
others are utterly meaningless.
-25-
Will you
OUR FAITH accuse
the
typesetter
of
up a madman's
setting
book? It is
so with our world.
become deranged through
God's "composition" has
evil, sin.
As
it is
the parable, an enemy came and sowed tares
wheat. There
something opposed to
is
creation in this world.
God, a leader of
inimical to it
speaks
still
ing which
\
to the
all diabolical
power powers. But
own
all
experience, concern-
we know quite well that it is opposed to God. is sin,
God's
our
self-will,
"composition." lovelessness action.
As
which means rebellion against
own
stubborn resistance to God's
surely as
ungodly,
God
diabolical,
love, is
my own
resistance
against
is
Whenever an unkmdness
will is not done.
not
God and
the
Bible speaks of a
well out of our
This opposition
God's
among
more of the ungodly power which we
know only too '
The
written in
is
done, God's
Rather that occurs which
God
does
will.
So then
God does not really rule in this world? When
a father merely observes, for a while, the petulant, headstrong actions of his
little
son so that the lad
experience for himself where his that
mean
that the father
control his son?
is
own
will leads
a weak parent,
He will, no doubt,
-26-
who
may does
cannot
take things in hand
GOD AND THE DEMONIC ELEMENT moment, but he prefers not to lecture his but rather to educate him through experience to
at the proper son,
make
own
his
He
could, if
world
all at
dient with a
force us;
is
once;
He
could,
no doubt, make us obe-
wave of His hand. But He
free will.
that
Hence
we
He
want to
doesn't
Him
should turn to
gives us, situated as
and the Promises, that we perceiving the insane of evil and the fixed nature of His love,
Him
in
freedom and gladness. For
may
this
of
we
Law
His Word, namely, the deranged world,
are in this
to
God
no doubt that
so desired, create order in this topsy-turvy
it is His-' desire
own
our
There
decisions.
folly
return
reason
He
has given Himself in Christ Jesus to this deranged world, permitting the world to rage against
madness of men, the
made
He so
much
master, that
to reveal
He
is
that
if
His
love.
we may
He
it
men
there
its
madness
there produced His master-
so humanly, by showing that
even in rebellion against
His hand to be used as
we were
has
perverse world
can even employ
God
express
It is
Lord even of the greatest darkness in
tools in If
how He is master of this
the
He
His son,
the revelation of His ineffable love.
shows us
piece,
crucifixion of
Him
He
Him
still
world,
remain
wills.
compelled to discover
-27-
this
God
simply by
OUR FAITH means of the world
as
it
now
is,
the thought would
probably occur to us that there are two kinds of Gods,
good and
evil,
redemptive and destructive. But in the
cross of Jesus Christ
God's
will,
terly grip sels
we perceive
and that in
spite
of
that destruction is not
it
God
keeps His mas-
upon the world, and accomplishes His coun-
He gives us time to decide for ourselves, Him. And He gives us signs enough of His
of love.
to turn to
steadfast creative loyalty in the midst of this deranged,
bedevilled world, that
how
we
we may be
able to find our way.
the
wrong
and the suffering from the love of God?" Dear
friend,
"Yes, but
who
to
explain all the
evil,
has given you the task of explaining
man who
who wants
is
A
even more ludicrous than the raw recruit
to explain the general's plan or a
criticises
mammoth
all this?
proposes to "explain" God's government of
the world
who
are
the organization and
industrial
management of a
Man,
enterprise.
shophand
v/hat
do you
understand of the government of the world! "Thou art not the regent, creation well to guide" the phrases
it.
rules in a
It is
enough for us to
manner inconceivable
know
hymn rightly God Who
that
to us in this deranged
world yet rules by means of the Cross of His son. Let us give heed to the signals where
-28-
God gives
them, that
ETERNAL ELECTION we may
understand His
will.
God
transmits His will
to us in the darkness of this world. It
the
commandments and
To
salvation.
that
to be found in
the gospel of forgiveness and
we must
cleave, foregoing the desire
to decipher out of the darkness
The
is
His will for
solution of the world riddle will not
ourselves.1
come until
the
day of salvation.
ETERNAL ELECTION
7.
Our
"superficial" without depth or
life is
so long as
it
does not have
has eternal significance or
Temporal sense
is
meaning
its
roots in eternity. Either
it
has no significance at
nonsense.
The
it
all.
Bible permits us to
see this eternal depth: "thine eyes did see yet being imperfect,
and in thy
my substance book all my members
were written, which in continuance were fashioned,
when
as yet there
happen
was none of them."
We
do not
just
Although we were begotten and born we come from eternity, from the eternal
to exist.
of our parents,
thought and will of God. Before anything comes into existence
work of
it
has been thought and willed by God, as the
mind of
art is in the
on canvas or paper, roots of our
life.
the master before
.or in stone.
Far beyond
-29-
it is
put
Deep, deep are the
all
temporal
visibility
I
OUR FAITH it
roots in the divine invisibility, in the eternal "coun-
sels."
was something profound when this God-rooted quality of life was revealed to the author of the 139th It
Psalm. But
we
feel even the Psalmist
had intimations
given of a destiny as deep as his revealed origin. That
God's eye saw us in eternal origin;
When God upon him
it
eternity,
signifies
signifies
an eternal
"beholds" a man,
graciously. His face
whom He
is
ceive that
God
angry. sees
When
happen on earth
is
He
written,
against the
man
him from
nally beholding eyes of
meets God's eternal
a
destiny.
it is
is
not only an
looks
man
with
permitted to per-
eternity,
when
the eter-
God rest upon him and his view
vision, the greatest thing that
A
transpires.
man
can
then knows that
God loves him from eternity and for eternity. God has/chosen me from eternity to eternity. That is the faith, I
the
full,
nity.
whole evangelical faithelection from
Such a
effort,
man knows
he
that
is
saved without his
out of this evil world and age, out of the deof sin and death.
pravity
It is
God's grace alone. His
mercy, His boundless love, His election alone basis of
When
eter-!
my salvation.
That
is
is
the
a Christian's greatest joy.
the disciples returned to Jesus from their
-30-
first
ETERNAL ELECTION independent missionary journey and enthusiastically
how much
ported
they had been able to do by God's
power, the Lord replied: Rejoice not that the subject to you, rejoice rather that your
in heaven! in the
re-
spirits
are
names are written
When a man knows that his name is written
Book of
Life, in the
whence comes the peace
Book of
Election,
-
he knows
that passes all understanding.
He has then climbed the highest mountain of faith,
and
there remains then in this life nothing higher than the
preservation and the operation of this greatest, most glorious discernment.
This discernment, however,
is
not given to any one
for the purpose of constructing theories or speculations
on how
it
now stands with
with you every one elected
who
for Christ. believe."
others.
You
are elected,
and
who
believes; every one is " has truthfully spoken the "yes of decision
The
And
elected
is
m themselves are only "them that
elect
believers are those
"have become obedient to the
who
Word
j
in their hearts
of God." Election
dawns upon no one except in the full, independent, ^ obedient and trustworthy decision of faith. It is to those,
who have
served the Lord by serving the least of -
this world, that the
Lord speaks in the
"come ye blessed of
my
last
Judgment
Father, inherit the
Kingdom
OUR TA1TH prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34).
Election and obedience, election and
^personal decision of faith belong inseparably together
One
in the Bible. sion,
cannot play election oif against deci-
nor personal decision against
though that be to reason.
How
dare not abdicate.
free eternal election of
man
sion of
is
every believer his
own
own
as received him, to
tempting here, yet
we
the responsible deci-
But
cannot understand.
"He came
are compatible.
received
him
not; but as
them gave he power
sons of God, even to
Without
God and
a problem
his
Reason must bow
the two can be reconciled, the
knows they
and
election,
them that
believe
to
many
to
become the
on
his
name."
means nothing to us; without no faith. Which is more important
faith Christ
Christ there is
light or vision? Stupid question!
Vision and light be-
long together. Therefore, believe, and you will perceive that
you are
This
is
elected.
the message of the Scripture. But of double
predestination
that
God
has chosen one from eternity
for eternal life and has rejected the other to eternal damnation, there
the
Holy
Scripture.
One can
is
from
eternity
no word to be found in
scarcely avoid
drawing
this
conclusion from the teachings of the Scripture. Logic
-32-
ETERNAL ELECTION But the Scripture
always misleads in that direction. itself
does not do
the Scripture as
wise
we
it is,
pervert
nor should we.
it,
its
unsystematic, in all
The
message.
divine predestination of election;
judgment of the unbelieving.
me
parts; other-
it
also teaches the
It teaches, too, it
predesdnadwi_oj_rejection.
that noth-
never teaches
even in one single word
it
repeat
its
should leave
Scripture teaches a
ing happens without God's will, but let
We
a divine
This fearful teaching
/
is
eternal Scripture, while the doctrine of
opposed to the
election is not only according to the Scripture, but truly
the center of the
Holy
cannot pel; reason fate with the
Predestination
fathom
Word is
Scripture,
a
this.
the heart of the Gos-
That
is
always reason's
The dogma of Double product of human logic which canof God.
not withstand the a-logical teaching of the Scripture. Let us rejoice in our eternal election, let us be wary of defection!
Let us say with Paul:
saved," and let us be let
him take heed
"We who
warned of him: "He
lest
escape the Judgment.
he
The
fall," life
are
that standeth
for he cannot then
of the Christian, like a;
door hung upon two hinges, must swing upon this! promise
and
or the other
it
this
warning. If
it
ceases to swing true.
slips
out of the one
\
OUR FAITH
What
is
No
man?
As war
this one.
MAN
THE MYSTERY OF
8.
other question
or peace
is
so
important as
may depend upon
of a pen in the hands of a single government your
life
depends upon the answer to
this
the stroke official,
The
question.
man who believes in his heart that man is an animal, live like
What
yourself to be.
you are what you believe
man? One can
is
give various
answers to this question which are not untrue. can, for example, say that
lime, phosphorus,
man
man
That
can say,
is
it
more
but there are other
is true,
man
One
a chemical mixture of
is
and nitrogen. The Bible says
dust.
is
One
judgments. factory
will
an animal. In a certain sense and within certain
limits the statement is true,
simply
so
a machine, or rather a
with an enormous number of complicated
machines,
the
machine. This
stomach for example, a combustion is
not untrue
One can
thing that can be said. animal, and
who would
which we have
in
either,
but
say that
contest the
common!
We
it is
shall
many
not every-
man
is
an
similarities
probably have to
leave the question of our corporal relationship with the
animals to the natural
scientists.
sibly right.
-34-
They
are quite pos-
THE MYSTERY OF MAN Yet men have always somehow known
more than animal, and scientific
it is
man and
It has,
no
culture.
art.
The animal
no doubt, but has no
reason.
doubt, the beginning of a civilization, but no It
things, but
no
is
see the differences
beast and machine.
possesses understanding,
man
verily a peculiar kind of
method which can no longer
that separate
that
It
probably has curiosity and knows
it
has no science,
knows
it
probably plays, but
many it
has
herds, but not fellowship. It probably
fears punishment, but has
no
conscience.
It
probably
knows nothing of
realizes the superiority of
man, but
the Lord of the World.
Man
animal, as the animal
something other than a plant.
But what then
he
is
is
man?
he
something other than
is
he
no animal, perhaps
is
a God. That sounds absurd, yet
is
quite prevalent
many,
among us
man and God
God. Indeed
The
this
madness
Human
soul
is
reason
For
it.
"fundamentally"
is
is
not
"God
is
with
identical
this insane idea is very seductive
one rightly ponders
is
Fundamentally, say
today.
are identical.
the same as divine reason.
man
If
it
when
in us?"
That
God, has been stated not only
by ancient heathen, but also by many modern thinkers, even by many of our German In spite of
all that
idealistic
it still is false.
-35-
philosophers.
Man
is
not
God
OUR FAITH because he
is
God's creature.
He
is
not divine "in his
deepest nature" because in his deepest nature he
How is it possible that two
sinner.
sive concepts of
ancient
man, an animal; man, a God?
The
Bible gives us the answer to this question, for
tells
us what
The the
Bible
is
is
really
God
created
sand of the
man; man,
sea, like the
God's creation. That means that
because
God
has so
like
sun and
man
made him. He has
his life, his existence, his peculiar being cisely as the
it
is.
first tells us,
like the
worm,
moon, he
man
a
such mutually exclu-
man could be championed from
modern times
until
is
what
is
received
from God,
pre-
thousands of animals have their character-
from God. Whether or not God has employed an
istics
evolution of millions of years for the purpose of creat-
ing it is
man
the critical concern of the natural scientist;
is
not a
critical
question for faith.
When
created man, I do not therewith deny that nates
from
earthly parents.
God
uses
I say
man
human
God
origi-
parents to
men.
Man in the first place, then, is a member of
this earthly
world which comes and goes, changes and
create
grows.
Man
is
dust of dust.
ously created of God, even
But like the
dust, glori-
more marvellously than
animals. plants and
- 36-
THE MYSTERY OP MAN In the second place the Bible says that
man m ment
own
his
is
made. That he
makes him somehow expressed by the
some
As
sort?
God. For what
word "image" but
soul."
similarity of
is
What
is,
the share he has in God's
which the animal also
We must now make all creatures
Man
possesses.
God
a third statement,
He
by His Word. But
ceive God's really
If
man
in such
Word. That
are
God
created
man
created
is
reason in
its
the
not
That
a way that he can
re-
true sense.
perceives something
men when we
perceive the divine
a man, for example, had no conscience he;
would not be man but in-human. Conscience
way
can
man when he
becomes
We
of God.
Word.
created
*" 1
infinite.
only by His Word, but for and in His Word.
Man
man
distinguishes
reason as distinguished from mere per-
think into the eternal and
means,
that
is it
]
thought, that ception,
God
breathed into him the breath of life
of creation
rest
state-
the other creatures and
all
similar to
and he became a living
from the
man that this
a further cause of this similarity the
"God
Bible states
only of
created
created in the image of
is
him from
distinguishes
is
It is
image.
God
perception_pf
so created by
God
the voice of God.
that
he can become
-37-
is
in some'
Man has been man
only by
OUR FAITH Word and
perceiving God, by receiving God's
command
soldier repeating a
God
says, I
Thou
am
repeating God's
True man should
thy God.
like a
Word.
say,
Yea,
my God. God says, Thou art mine. True man say, Yea, I am Thine. When he says that in his
art
should
homo
heart
sapiens becomes humanus.
Previously he
God
created us in His image, as
reflections of his image.
That means we are human
has been inhuman.
in the degree
man
we
permit
to the extent that
God
we
let
Word
God's
We are not simply men as
hearts.
a fox
are
To
the degree that this fails to happen
finished
from the hand of God.
Word, not
m
the
for which
God has
It is
Word. But man
Word, which means
that
man
either
human
no to God
is
we
because
He
to cease speaking to us,
We
us.
are inhu-
a fox comes
created by the created In the
God
has
Then man becomes
The Jr^dornjo_say_ yes
the mystery of man.
either yes or no.
echo in
created him, to that whidi
or in-human.
dom from God
is
a fox. But
can say yes or no to that
destined as the goal of His creation.
God
is
No fox behaves unnaturally because
are
echo in our
men only when God's Word finds an
we
man.
We
to speak to us.
We have
this free-
has addressed us.
we
Were
could answer no more,
would then have ceased
- 38-
or
to be
ON THE GOODNESS men.
It is in this
way God
MAN
OF
have an image.
desires to
Men who love Him who first loved them, who reply to Him who first addressed them, in free acknowledgement, in
The mystery of man
faith.
is
the mvstery of
faith!
9.
ON THE GOODNESS OF MAN
man good? Whoever reads this question will wonder how such a question is possible, for men are Is
There are good and bad, there are very bad
different.
and
less bad,
very good and less good men. Experience
proves the truth of this observation again and again.
There are quite their
own
house,
selfish
profit,
men
ask for nothing but
shysters in business, tyrants in the
with an interest only in what
And
advantage.
men who
there are others
who
is
to their
give themselves
freely, often
making astounding
and only of
others, desiring nothing but to serve others
and to do good. ence
is
A person who
blind to reality.
good and
thinking ever
fails to see this differ-
Between the two extremes of
evil there are as
there are between the red
One can
sacrifices,
many
variations in
men
as
and the blue of a rainbow.
indeed say that there
is
no wholly bad man
each has somewhere some good in him
-39-
like that
OUR FAITH Chinese
atrocious
bandit
leader,
who
relentlessly
slaughtered thousands, but nevertheless played heartily
with children as though he were himself an innocent child.
And one is
wholly good
one must
there
say, there
between, a
little
no one
also compelled to say, there is is
a flaw in each person of which
he
more
But most people are in
fails.
inclined to good, or a little
more
inclined to evil, according to their natures.
This view of the matter necessary.
is
quite correct,
But the Bible speaks
differently.
none that doeth good, no, not one."
indeed
it is
"There
"For
all
is
have
sinned." In that passage Paul does not imply that even
the best have somewhere
other hand, "all"
means
some
little evil flaw.
splendid apple
is
may have
removed with a
the
that fundamentally all are in
the same condition, namely bad.
not signify that there
On
For "a sinner" does
something bad in him, as a a
little
bad speck that can be
twist of the paring knife, so that
you
can scarcely see that anything has been cut out. No,
by a sinner the Bible means "bad with
evil at the core.
at heart," infected
"All are sinners" does not
then that even the best are not quite
saints.
rather that the difference between so-called so-called
It
means
good and
bad no longer comes into consideration.
-40-
mean
ON THE GOODNESS OF MAN How is
this
view to be reconciled with what
That
characterized as correct?
is
not hard to
we first
say.
We
have spoken of what holds true among men, and there it is
human
true so far as
the matter
is
otherwise. It
good and
evil.
God
God did not
How should
sees all things, fail to see that! It is not at all
immaterial to
Him
whether a pupil takes pains with
his writing, or whether it
not as though
is
see the distinction between
He, who
But before
affairs go.
he
scribbles.
be a matter of indifference to
How
Him
belongs to the good sort or the bad? That
then could
whether one it is
a matter
of concern to God, the Bible proclaims loudly enough.
But on that level and within that sphere where Paul writes "all have sinned" these siderations
have
this assertion
Two men
really
no
"good and bad" con-
significance.
Let
me
clarify
by an analogy.
board a
train.
One
of them perhaps does
something sensible, the other something stupid upon entering the coach.
But as they look out, both notice
that they have taken the
the
wrong
direction.
the other stupid it is
is
wrong
train
and are going in
That one man was reasonable and
a difference between these two men;
a difference, however, which has no significance in
relation to the fact that both, whatever their individual
-41-
OUR FAITH going in the wrong direction! This
differences, are
what the Bible means by the word verse direction o
our
In this train
men
He
all
the tendency
life,
the total per-
away from God.
are travelling, says the Apostle.
himself, one of the most blameless, according to
human
opinion almost a
clearly,
"O
would
of himself quite
saint, says
man
wretched
not, that I do; the
To
that I am, the evil
good
that I would, I
which
I
do not."
simplify matters, let us speak of you and me,
instead of all men. So far as I
what the Apostle
me
sin,
is
too.
How
tradict the
am concerned I
says of himself applies absolutely to
is it
with you?
Apostle and
say,
Would you
"My
like to con-
dear man, I don't
understand you, you have disappointed me.
am no
wretched
evil instead."
before Sin
find that
man who
Can you
I at least
wants to do good and does
say that
not before men, but
God? is
a depravity which has laid hold on us
all.
It is
a radical perversion from God, disloyalty to the Creator
who
has given us so
much and remains
so loyal, an
insulting alienation
from Him, in which
without
have
exception,
"shared." For
is it
shared.
not true that
we
I
all
of us,
emphasize
the
are all connected
with one another by hidden roots, like the runners of
-42-
ON THE GOODNESS OF MAN a strawberry patch,
all
from the one parent
of whose plants have developed
stock?
with each other in our
There
precisely evil.
individual
knows
guilt as I will is
finally
"sin fluid"
own
be his
fault.
I
Explain this
guilt.
bad education,
know
am
that I
etc.
my own
that I have I
know,
As
evil.
when
cannot explain
explain
master
I think
this,
I
can remember,
we make
of
God
evil, sin, is
can explain
is
it is
my
I recall
guilt.
still
One
forever inexplicable.
not really evil; for what
ourselves superior to,
we
we become
of.
Am I then in sin? for certain?
know
back as
them
had a bad conscience before God. And
just
What one
far
it
involved in
the evil of others, and at the same time I implicate in
is
whole root system, and yet each
as inheritance,
my own
common
a kind of
to
it
but our connection
life-root
is
that flows through the
We are not only connected
Not
only what
Is this really so?
every one
knows
we first mentioned,
How do we know it.
Most people
that there are
good
and bad people, and of course they count themselves for the most part class.
But what
for ourselves.
His
among
we
We
the
good or even the
said about sin
we do
do not perceive
light like a dazzling
beam
-43-
it
better
not apprehend
until
God
casts
into our dismal gloom.
OUR FAITH
We
know what
sin truly is because
Christ died for man's sin.
and
thinks, it
tries to
won't budge,
comes along; horse
it is
it is
it
push
to
That
isn't so
with the greatest
big,
one
one side of the road, but
too heavy.
Then a
too heavy even for him.
brought and even the horse drags
is
since Jesus
as though a great
It is
boulder lay across the road.
and
strong
And it
man
then a
away only
"We measure the weight of the
effort.
boulder by the effort and power required to remove So, too, is it
God
cost
we
that
guilt.
to
sin.
It is
not until
how
how much
was the weight of sin's shows us how completely the whole move-
life is in
whom God
the
wrong
direction.
It is
primarily
addresses us the most earnestly,
courage to say that
we
see
great
shows us our condition. Not
are
we
remove the stone between us and Him,
understand
Christ
ment of he, in
with
it
it.
man
is
until then
do we
who
lose the
good. Then, and then only
ready to hear the message of forgiveness and
salvation.
10.
THE LAW
Every Swiss knows what a law has as calls
much
is,
but no man,
trouble in understanding
"law" as the Swiss.
I fear,
what the Bible
In Switzerland the law
-44-
is
THE LAW something that the citizen himself has made. For "the people
sovereign," which means, the people is
is
lawgiver.
But in the Bible law means not what comes
from man but what
given to man.
is
of
To
us think
nature.
That a suspended object will
when
first
the string
God
to complete
has
its
made
it so.
to the
fall
law of nature; even the
do nothing about
free Swiss burgher can
because
all
cut is a
is
understand
of the so-called laws of
this, let
floor
own
its
The
that.
It is
so
earth takes 365 days
course about the sun, this
is
a fact which
not even a national election can establish or abolish. It is
so because
God
has made
of thought. That 2 and
it so.
Or, take the laws
2=4 cannot be
altered even
by
a world school congress or the unanimous agreement of nations. It is so because
must submit
to
it.
God has made it so.
Every one knows that too
most inveterate Swiss Democrat. Here there
is
no
Every
choice about
is
even the
compulsion,
it.
But are there laws of God only where there choice to be
made? Many think so
he can do what he wants. to interrupt him?
of
modem
man.
the tale of
as told by
Man
today.
Man is
is
no
free,
Who will have the temerity
You know
man and His Wife"
man
Grimm.
"The It is
Fisher-
the story
has discovered that he can do
-45-
OUR FAITH all
things,
he can convert a waterfall into
and make the
finest
electric
power,
pigments out of coal; he has shaken
off the
Lords of the Middle Ages and become "sover-
eign."
He pierces mountains,
binds seas together, alters
the face of the earth; he can do all things, nothing
daunts him.
He is his own
Lord,
whom shall he permit
He can even be his own God. Can he indeed? He can of course try it, according to
to interfere?
the story of
Adam
and Eve in Paradise, and the end
comes of
ever the same.
Evil
reaches himself.
He can have
Man
it.
always over-
a strong voice, but
he essays to drown out the thunder, his voice
when
cracks,
becomes ludicrous and ugly; and he may even lose account of the strain. So
play God. Great as that will be evident six
man
it is,
too,
he
is,
is
is
when man
it
on
tries to
not the Creator, and
one day when he
is
shut
up between
boards and lowered into a hole in the earth, not so
large as the tiniest hall closet. There he lies and decays,
the would-be Lord God.
Yes
-then there is
no
choice
about that!
No, man cannot do what he wants. For he belongs to Him who created him. As great as man is, he does not in his possess this greatness
rowed, bestowed greatness,
own
it is
- 46-
right.
It is all
bor-
a "gift," and a condi-
THE LAW tion
is
more
attached to the gift.
is
expected of him.
has given the
The more man By whom? By
is
given, the
the one
who
as is to be read in the Parable of
gift,
the Talents (Matt. 25).
Man
is
no
tenant; therefore a reckoning will be
Parable of the Vineyard, Matt. 21).
a proprietor, but
demanded
And
(cf.
the
the account-
ing will be demanded on the basis of what he should
have done with his
The
will of
God
gifts according to the will
is
The law
the law.
is
of God.
what God
desires of us.
Every man, Jew or Christian, believer or
atheist, cul-
tured or uncultured, has some knowledge of this law.
Every
man
has the consciousness of "responsibility";
every one observes that he cannot do what pleases
or seems profitable, that there
"thou shalt not."
And
even
if
is
him
a "thou shalt," and a
he claims to be ignorant
of such things, his conscience gives him the
lie,
his con-
him when he does what he ought or does not do what he ought. There has never
science that accuses not,
been a
man without
though But
it
The law of God
had been engraved in the human
God found
especial way.
rolled
a conscience.
is
as
heart.
it
necessary to reveal his law in an
While
lightning and thunder flashed and
upon the peak of Mount
-47-
Sinai,
Moses received
OUR FAITH the Law, and gave Israel.
God
it
on
tables of stone to the people of
Something of the dread of the holy majesty of
the Lawgiver trembles in the narrative of this
event (Ex. 19:20-32)
,
and
rightly so.
to strike terror into our hearts
That
is
something
when God the Creator, the
Almighty, the Righteous, and Holy says to us, "Thus
and thus not do."
Not
because
we
For
He
fear.
God's law
life;
and thus and thus
shalt thou do,
He
shalt thou
requires something should
what subserves
desires nothing but
not arbitrary. In His law
is
us nothing but the natural laws of true
must do so and so
if
you want
God
human
to live a
tells
life,
human
you
life; as
the physician says, you must live so and so if you wish to remain healthy. This counsel is nothing fearful, but
God
says, / desire that
you should so
live,
human
inhuman, creatively not contrary to nature, and desire" is it,"
what terrifies us. For when God
we know what
God
is at stake.
not mocked; whatsoever a
man
is
not
this "/
says, "I desire
in earnest,
He
is
sows, that shall he also
reap.
God requires an And
that
is
what
accounting,
strikes terror in us, for
bribe the judge in this case? will
wink
at evil?
He holds us responsible.
That
is
Or the
how
can
thinkest thou that (I
must add
it)
we
God
cursed
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS of our generation, that
frivolity
take things seriously,
He
it
thinks
God
does not
one be-
will not cast off any
cause of disobedience. Forgiveness has been misunder-
stood to
mean
indulgence. But the opposite stands in
the Holy Scriptures. for
God
will cast off the disobedient,
what men sow they must
which means,
also reap.
He takes the Law seriously.
as inviolable as the laws of nature.
indulgent father,
He a
is
fit
a
moody
of anger.
to deserts. that
who
cannot punish
or passionate father,
God
And
God
God
is
is
a just
God who
is
Holy,
God's law
God
is
is
not an
just as little as
who
punishes in
repays according
not that cause for terror, dear friend
holds you
strictly
accountable according to
His law?
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THE
11.
DOUBLE COMMANDMENT
What
does
God
desire of us?
things or only a few, or
Doubtless
He
wants many
wants something stern with
is
different
Does He want many
just
things.
from
one thing needful? Every
us: that
we
one man, mild with another;
time we should
not only that
yield, at
we
moment He
that, at
another time be firm.
should not
49
steal,
should be
but that
one
He wants we should
OUR FAITH be neither greedy nor covetous, not only that
when we
generously that
we be
moved
frugal so that
Also that
give.
are
we
we may have wherewith
to
should not slander, judge, gossip,
God
approve of
cowardly silence or tight-lipped selfishness
might give counsel.
give
to compassion, but also
But neither does
or speak unkindly.
we
Who
can put
down
when we
in detail just
what God wants of us? Indeed we cannot think of a
moment in our life when God wants nothing of us, nor of a moment in which He does not want something different than
He wanted
previously or
each particular opportunity
has once let slip; each
wholly claims
modern
unique and will never
Life
us.
factory;
it
moment brings a new duty which
life itself
but
it is
and not that
One
is
like the endless chain in a
passes by us and requires something
particular every passing
many
is
desire later, because
For that reason no one can ever retrieve what he
return.
this
may
moment.
God who
to life as
it
not the nature of
It is
requires
of us that
passes by.
can also say, on the other hand, that
things which
a gives us only everything.
He
God
we do
requires,
it is
not
but only a few; he
few commandments
in
which he says
wants us to be conscientious in our
words (9th Commandment)
.
He wants us to
-50-
deal justly
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS with the (6th
affairs
of other men, and respect the
Commandment) He wants a right
life
attitude
.
of
all
toward
those who are the only support of social order (5th Com-
mandment)
.
We are to respect not only the person but
also the property of others (8th
These fixed principles are the
Commandment) etc. contents of the Ten Com-
mandments. Everything that
we
do according
to the will of
It is also correct to
thing.
the
He who
rest.
first
for thy
God is contained therein. we
that
are simply to
first
God: which means that we should
never forget, whatever
we
do, that
we
are not our
but God's property and must act accordingly. shalt love the
only
really it
Lord thy
when you remember
all
thy heart."
For
that
you are His property, only then
with
all
He is your God. own
more than God. Or,
it is
with
"Thou
God
our desire to be our
for
God
own
love
true for you that
loving falsely.
do one
Commandment keeps all Commandment means; thou shalt
keeps the
For the
God
have
say
should or should not
master,
rather,
it is
your heart do you is
All evil comes from
from loving ourselves not loving more, but
To love oneself well one must love God, God
only through love to
that
we
can achieve
our true destiny.
God wants only
that
we i__
should be that for which
^ j*y
t
_
....
He
OUR FAITH He
created us.
A
a simile.
created us "in his
man
own
image." That
looks in the mirror and beholds his
image, or some one shouts and the
cliff
We have been
we
Him
in the
us into
That
is
therein.
of
God
created by
Word
the
us.
But
is
if
we
God
first
He
has called
first
loved us."
others are contained
of
Commandment
God
is
we
also
know what God wants
loved us, before
He demanded
He demands
nothing more
should accept His love, that
love with love,
is
what God
understand the words concern-
anything of us, and that
we
cry.
should reply to
even more than the
ing the image of God, JOY us. That
echoes his
of Love with which
The Commandment
here.
than that
that
Commandment. All
But there
wants of
God
"Let us love him for he
life.
is
simply what
we call
is,
react to
faith. Faith is the
acceptance of God's grace, God's incomprehensible,
undeserved Love; and whosoever does that will of
fulfils
the
we
can
God.
Evil essentially
is
only the supposition that
get along without God. This idea, "for superfluous: I
am my own
the spring of
human
poisoned.
The
sin of
Gods" does not mean
life;
master,"
from
Adam to
is
my
life
is
the poisoning of
this source all life is
and Eve "ye
shall
have the idea that one
-52-
God
is
be as
God,
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS but to endeavor to be independent of God. Free from
God, away from God this all the
is
to be God-less, evil.
Commandments
Against
are directed.
men
Haven't the Commandments more to do with than with God?
Are
those which
ments
there
tell
two kinds of Command-
us our duty to
God?
It
that all
means, as
we have
we have is from God;
to
previously said, to to
those
man? Loving really mean to love
which inform us of our obligations
God and loving man? What does it
God and
know
know that God's good-
ness alone holds and supports us, and therefore to perceive that
we
belong absolutely to God.
To know
this
banishes not only godlessness but also selfishness; and
one
is
bound through God
God
gives us our life by giving us other
same time; alone.
to his neighbor.
He
has so formed us that
If things are right
we
men
at the
cannot live
between ourselves and God,
they are also right between ourselves and men.
look upon them as those to
man who knows
whom our life belongs. The
himself to be God's property, belongs
thenceforth to hi? brethren.
mandment,
it
We
There
is
reduces at last to this
only one
Love
Com-
God and
thy neighbor as thyself.
And
nowon
what terms are we with these Com-
-53-
OUR FAITH mandments? They are given us
do them. For what
to
other purpose should they be given?
Every
man who
has to do with God, knows that he should keep the
Commandments what man
at the cost of his life, if
Do
them?
fulfils
you
need be. But
really love
God
with
your heart and your neighbor as yourself? Because
all
the
love
first
not true, neither
commit
lie, steal,
the
is
in the
more
and you think that sins,
in the gross sense of the word, but
and
refined
secret sense
not so bad?
is
you do break them
The more
refined
under certain circumstances are much worse than
we do
not keep God's com-
life is really
poisoned, things are
the gross varieties. So then,
mand. The spring of
bad with
us.
This
is
the testimony of conscience and
even more sharply and
word
Judgment! Lost!
New
then are
testimony of Holy
It is
written
more sharply
Testament than in the Old Testament.
we
is
in
What
to do?
12.
Man
clearly, the
Behind God's command stands the fearful
Scripture.
the
and you
Perhaps you do not break
adultery.
Commandments
the other
is
THE ORDINANCES OF GOD
favored above the rest of creation in having
a free will.
"God
created
man
-54-
in his
own image"; he
THE ORDINANCES OF GOD man
created
as a personal being, that
does not simply develop of
God
created
it,
itself into that for
destiny only by saying his "yes" to
when one
no by
own
their
must continually decide how he capacity of deciding
is
achieves his
Children have
it.
right spot; they can say
Man is no
are automatons.
which
But they can say "yes" only
them on the
presses
neither yes nor
They
who
but rather as a being
dolls that say "yes," too.
as a being that
is,
decision or insight.
automaton, he can and
going to
is
This
live.
the personal element in us, the
free will.
Therein also our
selves,
wrong;
it
lies,
since
ability to
acts as
it
do
must,
we
evil. it
They
all
do more or
therefore neither a
do not
all act
is
less the same,
good nor a bad
as the other.
is
is
And
no
conscience.
own
and have But
men
way than
yet the Apostle is right
when
have sinned."
one chooses his own way,
stead of God's way. There are as
men, but there
is
the
way. Therefore no
difference, for all
so because every
as there are
no good and bad
the same; each goes another
he says "there This
animal can do no
rabbits,
other, because each chooses his
one
An
has no freedom of choice.
There are no good and bad foxes.
can freely decide for our-
many
only one
in-
individual ways
way
that
is
right,
OUR FAITH and
that is
God's way.
we do not follow
which
And
precisely this
way
or are you perhaps the excep-
tion the Apostle overlooked,
But God in His
it is
do you follow God's way?
creative goodness, having given
man
freedom to choose for himself, gave him something
more
in that
when he
sinned he might not wholly cor-
the life of others, might not wholly rupt his life and deviate
from God's way. This
God. There are many wilfulness that
it
Ordinances of
and
things, despite our disloyalty,
come out
Himself has made
gift is the
right in our life, because
right.
God
Thank God, we have no
power over the change of seasons from summer to winter, over the course of the stars, no power over the laws of nature at work in our bodies. There are limits
drawn about our which
we
lives
cannot trespass and within which, therefore,
God's order prevails in
There
by God's creative ordinance
are,
spite
of our
sin.
however, certain areas of God's creation
where we can go out of bounds, but which
know ought not be
transgressed.
limits
It is this I
we
have in
mind by the term, the Ordinances of God. Because they have been implanted in our nature by the Creator, every
normal man has a kind of
instinct for
them, and yet they
are ordinances lying within the realm of the will.
The
THE ORDINANCES OF GOD most important of these ordinances has so organized
He
himself.
human
is
the fact that
no man can
life that
cannot live without the other.
God
live for
Man
needs
woman, woman needs man. The producer needs the consumer, the consumer the producer. The people need the leaders, the leaders need the people.
has created
man
for
something voluntary, not even
God
can
God
so ordered by love.
Love
is
or will force direction.
Human life is
He
But
it.
And
because
so
God
does want to lead us in that
He has ordered life,
that the individ-
ual can never take this direction without the aid of others.
We are to be
for love. It there
is
because of the Ordinances of
is
fellowship
self-will
"exercised" so to speak, thereby,
among men
just because
us.
man is intended to learn some-
thing by them, these Ordinances are
no
inviolable laws
of nature, but can be disregarded by man.
man thinks so
much
ruin.
that
despite the dominating
which would wholly separate
However,
God
The more a
of himself alone, and purposes for himself,
the
more
The more
to shape his
are these Ordinances threatened with
conscious
own
life,
so
man becomes much
the
And
of his
more
ability
are these
Ordinances of
God
history has that
been more so than today. Every natural
endangered.
-57-
never in world
OUR FAITH "what
instinct for
is fair,"
hold mankind together,
man
is
for those Ordinances that
almost
The
lost.
fellowship
consequently more and more dispersed. This can be most clearly noted in the marriage question. In
of
is
earlier days
people
that
man and
that
is
even
knew
wife belonged together for
no longer custom.
knew
even the heathen life.
Today
Self-will begins to shatter
most elemental Life Ordinance. In
this
days every one
and parents
knew
earlier
that children belonged to parents
homogeniety of the
to their children, the
family was taken for granted, but today
it is
threatened
with collapse by the thought of self-sufficiency. In earlier days every one
knew that there must be rulers and ruled,
both needing each other but today every one wants to rule himself
Evil
is
and take no
advice.
present in every age, but
it is
not as predom-
Our day
is
than earlier generations. But respects better
its
inant in one age as in another.
in
many
difficulty
no longer knowing the Ordinances of God, because every one wants to be "indeand
its evil
consists in our
pendent."
There has been ness
is
selfishness in every age,
today the recognized
longer knows that
spirit
because
God and how God
- 58-
but
selfish-
man no
created
human
THE PROMISE beings for each other. Even the intellectual leaders of
pur time know achievement
formed
it
no more, for they think the highest be a personality. But
is to
life that
when he knows
he
is
human
then
pearls
when
his
soj
he belongs to others and serves
that
recognizes nothing higher than
reason becomes "independent" others,
has
one can become a personality only!
The man who
them.
God
own
master
the cord
even his
own God. And
dissipated like a string of
is
fellowship
he no longer needs
is cut.
What
binds us together
is
the Ordinances of God, behind which stands God's love.
He alone, who is bound to God and through God to his neighbor, can really become a man.
13.
THE PROMISE
Every one has a bad conscience whenever he thinks about God, for
of
us,
know that
we know
what God wants
and our own failure to do what He demands. "We that
we do
we all
are disobedient.
the
the Fall.
Him like Adam
The Law of God
we know not we flee
But because
more what we ought
from God, we hide from
more
quite well
drives us
and Eve
away from God,
correctly, our bad conscience drives us away.
do not
fear God, but
we
after or,
We,
are afraid before God. There-
-59-
OUR FAITH fore the bad conscience, despite the fact that the truth,
us
it tells
enemy of God. It is prewhich stands between us and God. It does
is,
cisely this
so to speak, an
A bad conscience and the law together. We have a bad conscience
not let us come to God. of
God
because
known
belong
we know
from the law
to us solely
God. The true God does not say "I am."
How
God who
the law of God. But the is
not at
first,
is
the true
all
"thou shalt," but
do the Ten Commandments begin? Not
with "thou shalt have no other Gods before me," but with "I
am
the Lord thy God, which brought thee out
of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage."
God The
not primarily the lawgiver, but the lifegiver.
what
essential is not
As
gives. its
is
Creator
He
He demands
gives us
life,
goods, his Ordinances are His
man and woman other, that the
the other.
God
but what
He
the world with all
gift.
It is
His
gift that
are created so wonderfully for each
one can be happy only in the devotion to
Marriage
does not give
is
holy because
commands
to
show
it
is
that
God's
gift.
He can give
His Commandments are nothing but explanaof his Ordinances which are gifts.
orders.
tions
The meaning
of
destroy that which
all
the
God
Commandments
is
not to
has so wondrously bestowed
-60-
THE PROMISE this life
upon you
which
is
holy because
God's
it is
God's commandments are given to protect
gift;
from gross infringement,
like a wall
thrown about a
The Commandments of God
glorious garden.
life
are gifts
of God.
God wants
to
bestow more than
Even the heathen know is
God
a gift of
God wants than
life.
to
faintly that this life
the Creator. But they do not
upon us. on earth
know
is
all at
the message of the Bible only.
once what
He
blessing of
but
What
of the earth be blessed."
it is
Abraham
really
promised, and
is,
this
all
fami-
world-wide
Abraham does not know,
Abraham
promise. Later the Promise
God
proposed to give. His
speaking begins with Abraham, "in thee shall lies
that
bestow something upon us much greater
This
did not say
this life
is
believed the
word of
of that wonderful King
of righteousness and the kingdom of peace of which Isaiah prophesies:
when
of unrighteousness,
among
righteousness will rule instead
life instead
of destruction, peace
the nations instead of war, peace even
the animals.
The dawn becomes
There comes Jeremiah with promise concerning a
his
ever
more
among bright.
God-given word of
new covenant
in which there will
be not only righteousness and peace in the external
-61-
OUR FAITH sense of the word, but forgiveness of sin and peace with
God, wherein the law of
God
will not have to be
com-
manded, but goodness will be inscribed in the heart of
And
man.
above
God Himself
all,
will be graciously
present with His people, and they shall really
Then
themselves to be His people.
finally,
ness of morning before the sunrise, the
the clear-
New Testament
in the midst of the Old, the promise of the
who
servant of God,
His people, bears
That us,
and through his suffering
(Isaiah 53).
the biblical message, not what
is
but what
but what
man
He
God
desires for us; not
does and gives.
where, the Promise of
God
God
wants of
what we should do,
The Law of God is
is
every:
only in the Bible
God comes
promise, namely, that
coming
upon himself the guilt of
takes
their grief
atones for the sin of
know
to
His
the
sick, rebellious
the message of the "Saviour," the people, to heal them, healing, saving, forgiving,
promise
really the
is
Word
and redeeming God. This of God.
Only so can one understand the Commandment of
God allow
aright.
Him
to
God
desires nothing of us save that
bestow
life
upon
that ends with death, but His
To
allow
Him
us,
life,
not merely
that
we
this life
knows no
death.
to give us life is nothing different than
-62-
THE
JESUS believing in
Him, the
saving, healing
CHRIST,
God. The begin-
ning of the Ten Commandments can be rightly understood only from the fulfilment of the Promise: "I the Lord thy
God which
brought thee out of the land
of Egypt, from the house of bondage"
house of bondage it,
is
is
am
and how
for
God has led us
what
this
forth from
revealed in the message of Jesus the Saviour-King,
"Christ," the Saviour.
14.
We year
1,
JESUS THE CHRIST
speak of this age as the twentieth century.
The
the birth year of Jesus, divides world history in
two parts
before Christ and after Christ.
world acknowledges, externally Jesus as the world epoch.
at least, the
Thus the coming of
One may well be amazed that
humble an event has had such tremendous universal
so
consequences.
And
still
nothing, for
all this is
possible that the calendar
may be
altered,
it is
and a new
year accepted. Jesus as an epoch-making personality like all other
Who all
was
world history
Jesus?
A
is
dust, mortality.
great, saintly
man, greater than
other saints? Founder of a religion, the greatest of
all?
The supreme example?
like every other great
man,
If Jesus is that, then
dust.
-63 -
he
is,
There will come a
OUR FAITH time
when he
Who
was
more
will have nothing
As long
Jesus?
as
to say to any one.
you ask in
this
way, you
remain in a cool historical detachment from your question, quite interesting
quence. Ask,
man who
but fundamentally of no conse-
Who is Jesus? What is he to me?
2000 years ago mean anything to
lived nearly
me? No! What was recollection.
What
is
past,
and
is
called Jesus for all If
history.
His
Jesus the
own
name
called only for
him. If
is
secret.
names
so,
only through
he means nothing to
called for those to
Of
ourselves
we
Christ, Christ, Saviour,
to read in the paper
whom God
cannot give to
Redeemer, he
him whom God Himself
we were
through
Jesus Christ.
who know him
you know him only
you. Jesus Christ he reveals
lives only
was, does not, ultimately, concern
you. For this reason he has two
He
Can a
saves,
is
through
tomorrow that a
spring of quite wonderful properties had broken forth at Bethlehem, Palestine,
and that whoever drank of
this
water would become healthy, what sort of a pilgrimage there
would be
"There alone healing
to Bethlehem!
to be had," people
would
say.
Yes, more than that has
has broken forth there, transpired, the divine spring
whoever drinks of is
that possible?
it
"will never die
What
is
in eternity."
does that mean?
-64 -
and
How
JESUS
that never
happened will,
human
a man, but in that
is
Jesus
God
life
before.
happened
God's world plan,
THE CHRIST
Himself,
something
In him God's
whom we do not
apprehend, but can merely surmise, became manifest.
"He who
sees
me, sees the father." Jesus Christ
sole "place" in the worlc!
we
because
in truth.
see
God
Of
ourselves
we do
not rightly
"God
created
rightly
know
we
there,
also see ourselves
we do
not
anew
know who we
the Bible
own
in his
we
that
the
where one can see God, and
know what
man
is
means
are;
in saying
Nor do we
image."
are sinners and lost creatures.
Both can be known only when one knows God, but we do not know God.
Who God
revealed to us in Jesus Christ by to
come
creation,
to us as
man
and our own
to
show us But
sin.
from damnation
death to
God a
life
and
are, is
ourselves, our
own
He came and showed from the
to salvation,
lie
us
unto the
from perdition and
blessedness.
did not do this by setting up a picture, a mirage,
window
through which
we
of things, into the mystery of tery.
we
God Himself. God had
ourselves and Himself, to lead us truth,
and who
is,
It is
could see into the heart
God and
not as spectators that
Jesus, but only
when we
we
our
own mys-
can see Christ in
are challenged, called to an
-65 -
OUR FAITH accounting,
pressed
make
to
He
pressed for a decision. the Christ
who
allows
one answers yes to
is
one
response,
Before
one "sees" nothing
noth-
this call,
man Jesus
the Saviour, the
significance to you,
personal
alone apprehends Jesus as
God to call him in Christ.
ing but this remarkable others say, he
a
When
of Nazareth.
Redeemer that
of no
is
no more than a picture which some should give you pleasure.
else thinks beautiful
must know him
yourself,
is faith.
Jesus
is
thinker,
the scholar, the historically informed,
be able to say yes to him. That
not the Christ for the onlooker, the
simply and solely for the believer.
"He
me, though he were dead, yet
he
in
drinks from the spring of It is is
proclaimed to
with men!
all,
reveals your godlessness,
message, or whether
self
come
it
that believeth live,"
he alone
life.
behold the tabernacle of
Lamb
it
as the truth,
is,
spite
of that,
whether
we
finds the heart,
whether
we
calls
is
you
simply hear
whether
hear
we
God Him-
to us in Jesus calling us to Himself.
that happens Jesus
God
of
and in
His child! But the question
apprehend
shall
but
God that taketh away Behold there, he, in whom God
Behold the
the sin of the world.
this
You
When
not simply Jesus of Nazareth, the
great saint, but something happens to us as to Peter
-66-
THE SON OF MAN Verily thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
Then
God!
will he also to us, "blessed art thou, for flesh say
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father in
When
heaven."
Christmas has truly
that happens
come.
15.
Do
THE SON OF
man
you know what a
riddle?
What
dorf in
common with
is?
MAN he not an abysmal
Is
has the wholesale murderer of DiisselFather Bodelschwingh, or with
Which
Elizabeth Fry, the angel of the imprisoned?
those
is
of
"man," true man? One can say what a true fox, is
but what
man?
Really?
dog or eagle haps a true
This question riddle of
man.
itself
It
is
a true
shows us
at
comes from our
man? Are you
per-
once the source of the failure to
be what
should be. Such a thing can be said only of man.
we
He
alone has freedom to be different than he ought to be.
And
indeed
What true, all
is
we
are all different than
we ought
written in the story of creation
"God
created
man
in his
seen pictures taken in the
own
is
image."
World War,
a
to be.
no longer
We
have
man
with
helmet and gas mask, half erect and charging with fixed bayonet
the image of
God? or
-67 -
the devil?
Which
OUR FAITH You
does he most resemble?
could be this man! It
is
only "chance" that you or your husband, brother or
son do not look like
God's image?
that.
We recall the
starving thousands in China, the pitiable folk in insane
asylums, prisons, hospitals, the drunkard
who
violent
is
in his home, the prodigal son, wasting his substance in
the far country, remembering that we, too, are this prodi-
gal son
who
"Father, I
can say nothing more to his father than,
am no more worthy to be called thy son.
What has happened a fairy story?
God?
to the image of
"You know what men
Is it
.
.
perhaps "
are like.
know something about men and know. ..."
.
."
.
.
"I
Who can
believe that fabulously great statement of the divine creation of
man?
A
true
occurs in reality. But
such an ideal?
knows
with me? "really"
how
How
quite well, I
Whence
this
it
true
an "ideal" that never
is
does
does
am no
ought to be?
man
it
happen that we have
happen
that every
man
man, things are not right
measure, this image of what
And whence
concern over our failure.
When
we
the anxiety and the
the Prodigal Son
came
to the extremity of his misery, keeping the swine, there
awoke
in
him
the
memory of
with homesickness. is
his
home, and he sobbed
How different it was at home! That
the secret experience of all of us. That "ideal"
-68-
is like
THE SON we
a yellowed photograph of us, "as
used to be."
we
faded picture scarcely visible any more; believe that there is a "true
Here he stands before true
man
to be
when He
is
us,
Jesus,
in the things of his Father.
it
only says
but
me
is it
and
whom
him whom
"Behold the man," the
man
God wanted him
man who
"My meat
is
lives
to
The "Son
do the will
He
Man
of
say, yes, I
have been seeking
wholly
not
and words that
in all the narratives
one must halt and
I
as
to finish his work."
the Gospels report of him.
before
can hardly
not a fantastic ideal, but a
created him, the
of him that sent
A
man."
of flesh and blood.
image of God. That
'MAN
OF,
" he,
have found
the man, the true
Man.
What For
all
does
it
of that
profit
us that he lived 1900 years ago?
we are not what we ought to
man Jesus has something to by
my father
to
make you
by your like
me.
say to us. "I
father, to tell
You
are to
be.
But
this
am sent to you
you that
become
He wants
as truly
man
as I am."
"Who, me?" "Yes, you!"
"But that
is
impossible
I'm a poor sort of man; no
one can make anything much out of me."
-69-
OUR FAITH "You
No
are right.
one can do
it
but God. But
He
will."
Jesus Christ
man, but to
That you
when he
That
is
we
be
again," or
is
when
told,
become
Ponder
"You
a cripple
and strong again!"
fine
eternity.
we know
like him."
We
when we do not
the greatest message that
when he
joy."
shall
ourselves are not right.
will be right with you.
and
we
shall be: but
from without. The deepest cause of
is
feel
we
And
we
how
suffer
realize
we suppose the cause of our grief and
that right, is that
shall appear,
ourselves, even
even when
true
Moreover, you
has gone into
the glad message of the Gospel.
is
most from
to
who
doth not yet appear what
that,
show us the
to
shall become.
be like Jesus Christ,
shall
ing
come not only
us God's purposes to remake us in our
tell
lost image.
"It
is
suffer-
all that is
And
it,
not
therefore
can hear
things
man must
a blind
will receive your sight
is told,
this is
"You
will be straight
only external!
internally right again, straight
We are
and strong
through God's grace. "Rejoice with exceeding
That
is
the message of the Son of
16.
Man.
THE SON OF GOD
No man can know who God is. The cleverest scholar
-70-
THE SON OP GOD knows nothing more concerning God than the
simplest
man. There dwells of course within every human heart a dim appre-
a feeling of something higher than
itself,
hension of a Power ruling
and giving His
how
to all that lives. But
sentiment
is, is
everyday
life.
all that is,
dark and confused this pre-
shown by the
What
"God" and "the
history of
and
know who God
This much
we know
And we know
I
is.
Who
of God;
something
else,
He
is
of
con-
dare to say,
know His plans and
purposes?"
the great mystery.
even though obscurely
that things are not well between
We
men have
how many have no
ception of the matter whatsoever. "I
mankind and by
variety of ideas
divine"
Law
God and
ourselves.
cannot dismiss either one, the darkness surround-
ing God, and the darkness in ourselves.
Can
be that
it
both are the same?
"No man hath ten Son, which
declared
is
Him."
seen
God
in the
Why
any time; the only begot-
bosom of the
Father,
he hath
did the Apostles and the
Christians call Jesus the
they discovered
at
first
Son of God? Because in him
who God
is.
Jesus
is like
God.
To
be
enabled to perceive that Jesus was not simply a noble,
engaging
man
God was
the
but the manifestation of the nature of
crisis
and
creative
moment of
their faith;
OUR FAITH and that perception was the glad news. In him speaks to us. Therefore the
him
the
Word
God and
of God.
first
Christians also called
The Prophets were
commissioned to proclaim the
self.
called of
Word
But what they spoke was not yet the real
God.
God
of God.
Word
of
was but the Prophet who spoke, not God HimThey were His tools, mouthpieces, but He Himself It
No
remained hidden and far away.
prophet had the
temerity to say, look at me, and then you will
who God Still
know
is.
the Prophets
had something which no one
in all the history of the
world possessed
else
neither the
great Chinese sages, nor the Greek philosophers, nor
the saints of India.
Himself.
They had a message from God
The Prophets had indeed
the
Word
of God;
but they themselves were not the Word. Hence they
knew
pointed to the future, to the last
yet to
come; they
coming Messiah. Even the
of the Prophets, John the Baptist, spoke
One mightier I
was
that something greater
am
so.
"But
than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes
not worthy to unloose,
,
;
;
.
."
He,
who
is
more
than a prophet!
Who
more than a prophet? One who not only has the Word, but h the Word! He who does not is
THE SON OP GOD merely proclaim and promise salvation, but gives
He who of
unlike the Prophets does not need to be told
God what to
self,
who
of the
it.
but
say,
who
God
speaks o
as of
Him-
the fountainhead possesses within himself
Word
of God,
who
does not stand awe-stricken
before the mystery of God, but who, himself, reveals
No man
the mystery of God.
can be
that.
Man
can
never be more than a prophet. Above the prophet stands only the
One who Himself
gives the
Word
and no one can
God.
simply a
That
man
is
is
God
alone possesses the
Word He who says,
say,
me, except God. prophet, Jesus
equips the prophet,
the
Word
the
like us, but
he
the inconceivable
is
Jesus
is
more than a
says, Jesus is
God
and
Word,
God comes from
of
God
of
who
not
Himself.
inprecisely in this
conceivable subsists the Christian faith. Non-Christians
have everything but
this,
they have the
commandments
of God, even the commandment to love one's neighbor, the omnipotence and
not have
wisdom of God. But
this they
do
God, who Himself comes to us and shows
Himself to us as God-man, longs for fellowship with us,
and that
He
in spite of all
is
not ashamed of us,
but loves us and desires to bring us to glory.
This God,
who
condescends to
-73-
man and comes
so
OUR FAITH near the humankind as though this
God
the heathen
He were
one of them
do not have. And we know
God only because of what has happened. descension, this humiliation, this
this
This self-con-
God we have
in Jesus
Christ.
To be
sure not every one has
God
in Jesus Christ.
All depends on what Jesus means to a man.
whom
Jesus
is
only a
man were he
He
to
ever so exalted,
pious, noble, wise, the greatest of all religious founders
and
does not have this God.
saints
hath not the Son, hath not the Father." as with a
man who
"He who with him
It is
has a banknote on which
1000 dollars; the belief that the note
is
printed
is counterfeit
makes it worthless to such an one, a mere scrap of paper.
He
does not have the 1000 dollars.
believe that in Jesus
apprehend the
cious will of
God Himself comes
God who
coming of Jesus
Christ.
He
secret,
the divine plans for
The atonement
not take place for him; Jesus Christ
man
if
is
did
not God's word
not that man's Saviour. For a
cannot save us. Only
Christ can do that
does not
does not perceive the gra-
the world are not unveiled for him.
He is
to us,
does not
reveals Himself to us in the
God; God's
and deed for him.
He who
God
God is
in
can do
him
that,
only Jesus
as the Saviour.
THE KING'
We
men
should honor great men, saintly
examples for
us, but
no great or
are noble
man can reveal
saintly
God's mystery to us and bind us with God; no take
away our guilt and make us
tion of life in eternal life. This
He is
man
can
certain of the comple-
God
alone can do, and
does just that in Jesus Christ, who, for that reason
How
not merely a great man, but the Son of God.
happen that God comes to us as man? I do not know, I do not even know how it happens that somedoes
it
man
thing becomes alive, that a secret as Creator.
How much
God
secret.
remains His
it
to all
who
It is
that
especially
and we
one half of the second word.
man
in
Son, and that
God
He will
for Swiss people to believe
it.
cradle. It is a beautiful
But
this
honor of
truth, liberty is
The
can know, and
have a king. The word Liberty
was sung to us even in the rightly exalt
incarnation of
THE KING
difficult
we must and do
God's
on him, the Son of God.
believe
17.
I
is
as a Christian is that
me in His
bestows His love upon give
more the
But what
what I can rejoice in every day
That
born.
is
first
word
His own image
is
liberty is only
not the
obedience.
first,
God
which means that
-75~
word,
but the created
we
are
OUR FAITH But
created for liberty.
we
have overlooked the
first
God created man. Therefore God is master. As long as men keep that firmly in mind, that God is Lord,
word:
may and should
they
strive for liberty;
have forgotten the primary truth license
and arrogance.
also of adults. ence.
A
child
We who
What
is
become
but
when
their liberty
they
becomes
true of the child is true
free only through obedi-
has never been obliged to follow,
remains a weak creature
all his life,
the football of his
moods, a slave of his desires and passions.
A man who
T
t,
holds aloft only the one first
word
Liberty without
unquestioningly obey, poor,
silly
language
child.
is
fanely used
is
and remains a
a spoiled, in our
the one so often thoughtlessly and pro-
Lord God. The fear of the Lord is
is
weak
the
or decayed
constantly threatened with collapse.
much more important is
is
the undergirding of a
sound house. Where the foundation is
child,
The most important word
beginning of wisdom. That
the house
knowing
whom man must
and foremost that God is the Lord,
this solid base
How
than a good coat
of paint on the weather boarding outside.
God, the Creator of
all things,
your Creator and
mine, desires to rule, to be king. But
pose to be a tyrant.
He
He
does not pro-
could do with us what
He
THE KING would;
He could
make us
so
we were unable to do
that
wrong, like a machine that performs what
do and nothing
to
do His
to
will.
will,
And
we might do God, of
obeys; all other obedience
it
o our
own
free
is
accord, really
pretense for
God wants
heart.
own
his
it
us to obey
does not
Him
with
He
our heart, in reverence and love. Such a king
For
desires to be.
for this reason is
He does not want
means obedience, for only he who
that
freely does the will of
all
that!
He does not want us to be compelled
but that
come from the
was made
else.
God, however, does not want us to be machines,
it
this cause
He has sent us Jesus Christ,
He has given us the Gospel. The Gospel
the message of the
rectly the "reign" of
"Kingdom" of God,
more
cor-
God.
Who is God, where is God? God is in heaven, people say,
and that
is
far away.
and so obedience
God
the Lord
who
built
himself, the King,
we want His very
to
it
we
and to
we do
unknown
No doubt the great house
is difficult.
of God, the world in which
is invisible,
live is full of traces of
whom
it
belongs, but
not meet in His house.
meet Him, not His works only but
self.
The Prophets of
brought indeed messages of
the
He
And Him,
Old Testament
this royal Lord, like heralds
-77-
OUR FAITH whom
And
the king sends to proclaim his will.
were permitted
to
claimed that
He
no longer be
distant,
say something more.
they
They pro-
Himself was coming soon and would but would dwell with His people.
He comes, He comes, He Himself! So could they speak because they saw Him coming, He in whom the invisible
God was
was near and But
earth.
and inconceivable one
visible, the distant
saw
Him upon
who announces
the king's
conceivable, yet they never
like the servant
coming, they draw back the curtain and so
John the
Baptist,
say, this is
He
the last Prophet, proclaimed at
the coming of the Lord,
The Lord! Here He
He
is
Himself.
That
God
is
our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence the kingdom of
begins with him, the time of the reign of God.
"He came
unto his own."
The will
of God, the mystery
of God, the heart of God, the hidden counsels of are revealed in Jesus Christ.
the sons of
men
God in heaven nite that
He
causes us earth
is
God comes
for only so could is
something so
men
as a
man
to
understand Him.
distant, pale
scarcely concerns us at
God
all.
God
and in
indefi-
heaven
no concern. But the conception of God on
something serious for
it
brings the will of
God
near and unavoidable, as clear and perceptible as the
- 78-
THE KING will of a
man we meet. The Jews
and that
is
why
felt
indeed this
crisis
they wanted to have nothing to do with
him. They killed him.
It
transpired exactly as the Lord
prophesied in his Parable of the Vineyard (Matt. 21)
The husbandmen
.
themselves crave Lordship, so they
murder the messengers who come they murder the Lord's son
to collect the rent;
who comes
to restore the
property to his Father.
do we.
So, too,
We want to be our own Lords.
came unto his own and Christ
is
we want
come but we
his
own received him not."
to remain "free."
want to remain reign in us,
him
will not have
"He Jesus
for our king,
But that simply means we
slaves of evil, for if Christ does not
some one
else does.
Evil desire, greed,
covetousness, thirst for honor, thirst for power, ego-
One
tism.
dom. In strated
can believe that these things comprise free-
reality they are slavery,
by the
unhappiness. evil,
and
There
God
is
society
this
can be demon-
unhappiness and the creation of
results
Men
and
thus enslaved
becomes a
strife
become in-human,
of
man
against man.,
neither peace within nor with other men, foi
has ordained that
joyless, in
man
shall
be forever peaceless.
bondage, except in obedience to the Creator.
"But as many as received him to them gave he power
-79-
OUR FAITH to
become the sons of God." Thank God the
the husbandmen need not be repeated. that a
man
It
story of
can happen
accepts Jesus as his king. Just that is faith.
Faith does not consist in self-made opinions about the Bible and God, nor in accepting the opinions of other people. Faith
him. That
is
Jesus, the
means to accept Jesus as King and obey the oldest creed of the Christian Church
Lord! This confession, of course,
a mere phrase, a surface opinion. But then
Lord" means him
whom
obedience, and the Christian
life, is,
For
"My
tary service:
I
it is
obey.
is
marching under the command of
killed
on a
the will of
we might
lie.
Faith
is
Jesus, the
The com-
him who allowed himself
cross, that
a
so to speak, mili-
Lord. But quite different from the army, too!
mand
may be
learn the
to be
meaning of
obedience, of sacrifice in service to one's neighbor.
18.
THE MEDIATOR
The power of evil is in our guilt. Having erred we cannot make our wrong good, henceforth we have no power over
now
it.
Our
evil
now
belongs to the past,
written yonder in eternity.
As
every mile a
drives in his car is automatically registered
-80-
it is
man
upon the
THE MEDIATOR speedometer, so everything
we do
somehow
is
tered" in eternity, to appear for the
first
Judgment Day. As soon as a thing
is
corded, and
no repentance can
slightest degree.
It
"regis-
time on the
done,
it is re-
alter the record in the
stands there and testifies against us
guilty!
This "register" in the realm of eternity has, moreover, another uncomfortable feature. ters
what men
see in
me, but what
It
not only regis-
God sees in me.
Like
the X-ray that reveals the inner parts that otherwise re-
main invisible, God looks upon the
heart.
man! Does
Does
that not frighten you?
justified." is
mistake about
written our death sentence.
the account, there can be
on
it,
O
that not cause
no man
despair? "For in thy sight, Lord, shall
Make no
Thy heart,
living^be
that register
When God
makes up
no other statement than
unfaithful! unfaithful! cast out!
That
is
what conscience
tells us.
In these days con-
science seems to judge less severely.
Who
in our time
ever thinks of Hell, or of being lost?
Old
wives' tales!
We understand how to manipulate the register
so that
nothing causes us alarm. But such manipulation with the conscience really profits nothing. eternity
still
shows the judgment
-81-
lost.
The
register in
Conscience
still
OUR FAITH thou hast not taken God's will in
informs us secretly earnest.
Thou
secretly every
one
feels this.
not fear
God
faith in
God. Beneath
it is
God
The
He tells
conscience that accuses guilt
God's
"Yes, but.
.
In God's chancery the death sen-
says.
tence against us
it
such
We said that conscience registers what God
what God
but"? Is
;
That meter, upon which our
lie.
once,
us that the
like the mileage of the automobile, is
instrument. sees,
it
Our
guilt.
say to all this?
voice within speaks truly.
mounts
as Paul expressed
against us" (Col. 2:14)
word
the meaning of the
us does not
no one who does
of God, the fear of being lost.
...
"the handwriting
does
is
who deny God and laugh at the surface, deep down in the
conscience tells us that;
What
There
even those
soul, dwells the fear
is
And
canst not stand in His judgment.
is
;.
made .."
up.
Have we any
God "may
possible that
and, as the saying
The judgment,
is,
right to say "Yes,
"may
stretch a
not be so
strict,"
point in our favor"?
"the handwriting against us"
is finished
...
and signed by God. But.
But, Jesus Christ, the crucified hath "forgiven you all
out the handwriting of ordinances trespasses; blotting that
was
against us
.-
.
.
and took
-82-
it
out of the way,
THE MEDIATOR it
nailing
Not
to his cross."
though the sentence of
as
death were meaningless. Registered means surely that
from our point of view we are this is
what God wants
God
Son.
seriously.
He
wink
Even for
Him
we
sires to
.
.
show us
He
over
He
up
the "manuscript."
but for our sakes
what
that
takes our guilt
is
lightly,
written
He
all stands
He
will not.
and
God
de-
on the manuscript
will even carry out the judgment.
But
His forgiving father love.
will not destroy the manuscript that testifies
against us, but
power.
so,
He
nothing inconsiderable.
should then take guilt too
is correct. .
it is
Precisely
by the cross of His
at evil,
cannot and will not tear
could no doubt do
For
to tell us
will not
and lost.
guilty
He
He
will destroy its
has "nailed
see both our guilt
it
power by a higher
to the cross" that
we might
and His even greater mercy; the
earnestness of His holy will and the even greater earnestness of
His fatherly
love.
That
is
the message of
Jesus Christ, the Mediator.
Suppose a farmhand
The man
is liable
for the
The master could shoes, clothing,
set fire to his master's barn.
damages with
he
has.
take everything the servant has
money, and
small part of what
all that
say,
"All of this
servant really
my
-83 -
is
only a
owes me. And
OUR FAITH now
out of
let the scoundrel get
master does nothing of the
He
sort,
my
sight!"
But the
takes nothing away.
rather says to his faithless servant, "I will take
everything
upon myself;
I will
pay everything."
And
then the servant opens his eyes in amazement; for he sees
what a good master he
God
has.
dealt with us in this
way through
Jesus Christ.
He has taken everything upon Himself; He has Himself borne the curse of sin that we should have carried/ Jesus
went
to the cross, because
man
could not have endured
the presence of God. In permitting himself to be cruci-
both brought
fied Jesus
man more script
to
clearly his distance
God loves you in
go through
this
ourselves, Jessness.
God
in
spite
at the
of
all.
same time
it is
God's son had
shambles really to come near to us.
All this was necessary that
His
we men might
love,
see
God and
and ourselves in our god-
Apart from the cross on Golgotha
we
should
neither our condition nor the boundlessness of
God's love.
human and
And
our death sentence.
all,
know
from God. The manu-
that testifies against us, is there displayed, legible
destroyed, to
God nearer, and himself showed
God and man can there be
misery
and
ineffable love.
perdition,
seen together
and God's presence
Jesus reveals both us and
God
THE HOLY GHOST on the
Cross.
And by
that act
he accomplishes the
he brings
greatest thing possible:
man
back again to
God.
He accomplishes As
"the atonement through his blood."
a mother follows her lost child in
and shame,
God
so, too,
in Jesus Christ
Thus
condition to be wholly with us.
"God with
the promised
fied, is
all its misery, filth
Golgotha the one place in
all
came
into our
Jesus, the cruci-
us" or "Immanuel" and
we may
the world where
behold the mystery of divine Love. Who-r-we? say
more
it
by name
that this
God
because
you,
correctly
heart.
it,
you
and
THE HOLY GHOST
few pages, read
aside again, saying,
Perhaps a few years
every
tell
loves you.
other, turned over a
to him,
God to
a person has opened the Bible at some time or
Many it
you permit
was done because you need
19.
laid
if
I will
this
and
that,
and
"Nothing there for me."
later, after
something has happened
he has read the same passages again. But now
word
Why this
ways, from the
One can
hammer blow of God upon his difference? One can express it in two
is like
a
human
side
and from the divine
say that the Lord opened the heart as
-85 -
was
side.
said
OUR FAITH of that
God's
seller
spirit
of purple (Acts 16)
we
or one can say that
spoke directly through the Bible.
Without the work of God's hearts,
;
spirit
in opening our
The
cannot really understand the Bible.
book may appear
interesting, or instructive, or touch-
ingly beautiful to us; but to
move
the heart so that
we
know that God is now speaking to us, Himself to myself, this the Bible
So too
is it
can do only when the Holy Spirit
is
added.
with the message of the preacher on Sunday:
we can hear a fine sermon without the Holy Spirit, but we then do not hear the Word of God in the sermon. Even a
man on
simple
Word
of God to us
God ets
the street or at
and Apostles.
claims to be.
what
is
measure
He
speaks today. But not everything
Word of the Holy
is
Spirit
is
what
We need a measure by which to know
of the Spirit of
God and what
is not.
This
the Bible, the document, the original
word
of the Holy
Spirit,
that claims to
the normal meter upon which
be God's
ever fails to agree with
The Holy
Spirit
Word it,
all
must be gauged. What-
cannot be God's Word.
does not only speak.
really speaks there occurs not
God's
the
has not spoken only in past times by the Proph-
that pretends to be the it
home can speak
through the Holy Spirit.
When God
empty words but
action.
Word is ever the Word of the Creator. The Holy
-86-
THE HOLY GHOST creative power,
is
Spirit
Spirit enters
a
life,
wonder
When
might.
something miraculous always takes
The
All becomes different than before.
place.
God's
letters
of the Apostle are full of the miraculous workings of the Spirit of God. tant
The
first
the fact that the
is
human and
quieted, divided, rebellious, spairing,
and perhaps most imporheart formerly dis-
at the
same time de-
becomes peaceful. "Peace with God," "recon-
ciled" is the apostolic description.
war with God and consequently
We are by nature at
at war, too, with
man.
We are not in a position to bring peace out of this conflict.
man
The most wonderful
thing that can happen to a
in this earthly life
to
The immediate lieve in
is
become right with God.
Many men
result is joy.
God, but they go through
peace as those
who
life
claim they be-
with as
believe nothing. So to
little
live is to
manifest a misunderstanding of what belief means.
man who
has really found God, so that
has spoken to him and
said,
"You
are
A
God Himself
my child," cannot
be disquieted any more; a great never-ceasing joy has been kindled in him. This joy can almost be smothered
by
life's ashes,
but
it
to break forth again
that
is
The
the
cannot be quenched.
and again
work of the Holy
greatest fruit
It
continues
in spite of the ashes,
and
Spirit.
and the most
-87-
.glorious miracle is
OUR FAITH Love is an inward openness to the needs of others. As long as we do not love, the "other" remains on the
love.
locked out, a stranger.
We are for our-
and the "other's" existence has
significance only
He
outside. selves,
as
is
pertains to ourselves.
it
of the "other" no stranger;
is
a miracle that makes
we are
created for him, here
Love
for him, ready for him, eyes and ears for him; our -
whole being speaks
An open door
here!
est miracle
The I
am
for
of the Holy
am;
come
my neighbor
God
and
We
ment.
But
man
is
He who made
he
is
the miracle of the
cial
endow-
a person's nature unalter-
the apples and pears, the
and
He
does
it,
too.
The
of the message of transformation. "If any
in Christ
In the
or that nature from his
lives his life true to his received
passed away, behold, is
this
say that as surely as an apple cannot be
is full is
love, the great-
is.
Creator, can alter anything
Bible
is
Spirit.
changed to a pear, so surely able.
you are welcome
renews men.
mean that each man receives parents,
in,
We say of ourselves, as we say of another, he is as he We
of Spirit
as I
him
to
a new creature; old things are
all
things are
Holy
become new." That
Spirit.
New Testament the Holy Spirit is In
manner the
Spirit
an espe-
of the "community" of Jesus, the
FAITH OR DESPAIR "Church." For the Holy Spirit
a
is
spirit
of fellowship,
bringing individuals out of their isolation, making "one
To be
body" of them.
sure there is for the most part
little
evidence of this in our churches, a sign of
little
the
is
known by
to be
Spirit
God
of
And
duces.
Spirit is alive within
Holy
is
its
to be
the fire
and warmth, so the
brightness
known by
As
them.
how
the fellowship
it
pro-
as fire kindles fire (what looks like fire but
does not spread
is
probably only pyrotechnical display) ,
so life kindled by the Holy Spirit must spread and ignite
all
with
its
burning.
It
was in
Church of Jesus Christ spread,
it
the Reformation set all Europe years. It is the Spirit's is
God
at
this
was on
in this
fire
20.
that the
way
that
within a few
way of working. TheJIolyjigi
work now, redeeming, coming
word concerning His
way
to us in the
Son, the "triune" God.
FAITH OR DESPAIR -****,
"It is
enough to drive one to despair!"
uttered these words
when we have waited vainly
success of a cherished project,
exertions
We have all
when great and
have not caused our work
for the
repeated
to prosper,
when
our high expectations of another person have not been fulfilled.
Fortunately these dismal
moods do not come
OUR FAITH we should indeed be driven to
every day, for if they did despair.
There are people, however, who have the feeling of despair, not now and then but constantly, and when we
we
observe carefully folk than
we
realize that there are
are apt at
first
desperate without noting
we
there
we
is
apparently
see the death.
see
way
We
out,
to drive us to despair?
do
Why
when
no goal in view. But do
out, the goal? all
are often
are driven to despair
no way
must
We
or knowing why.
it
We
despair, really?
to think.
more such
One
go hence,
goal is
we
certainly
that not
enough
If death terminates all
can
more desperate than that? No other no way out, no sense to anything, everything in
there be anything goal,
one vast
vain, if the close of all things is always the
empty nothing. Death
must eventually solute, the
fall,
the great
chasm
into
which
all
the beautiful along with the dis-
good along with the bad, the valuable and
the valueless alike.
When
a lad in the
first
grade has
taken great pains with his drawing only to have the teacher snatch
it
roughly out of his hand, tear
and throw the pieces into the wastebasket
enough to drive the poor
we
not
all
such poor
little
little
to bits
isn't that
lad to 'despair? But are
fellows,
-90-
it
whose teacher
is
FAITH OR DESPAIR death, casting into the great all that
built
we have
created, all that
up with loving
his
rough hand
we have
tended and
chasm with
care?
Does
that not
make us
desperate?
There is only one thing more fearful than the thought that death ends all: that
one
is
in such dreadful condi-
he hopes that death ends
tion that
what
fearful of
is
to
conscience troubles a
day when
all
come afterward.
man
be punished for what
I
so that
When
he must
is
a bad
think: I will
things will appear in the light of day,
perate that death
way
because he
have done; there will come a
the great unavoidable reckoning.
a
all,
I
mean death
out, a goal to
When
one
is
as the ultimate
be desired
so des-
seems
that is the ultimate
Whether or not we give this most fearful thing the name Hell is of no significance; the name does desolation.
not matter. This thought, in any spair.
And who
who
it
does not await you?
certain this is not your goal?
as a goal
is
one to de-
has never had such a thought? Have
you so lived that you can be sure
Are you
case, leads
Death and Hell
indeed enough to drive one to despair, and
or what can free us from utter dejection?
one, nothing can do
it.
No
For no one can avert death, and
no one can take away my guilt. All the lovely, charming, 91
OUR FAITH and powerful things of
Who
is
life
cannot master this despair.
master over death and the fear of Hell?
can determine not to think about
You
of your soul.
draw the
it
You
curtains
can plunge into work, to forget
you can drown your sorrow in drink, plunge into
it,
society
and gossip in order to drown out these voices of despair but
it is
useless.
When
children at play try to stop
the flow of a spring by placing their hands over the
overflow pipe, the water spurts out from under their So, too, with the resolution not to think about
fingers.
our despair.
We
discover desires
become
ill
unknown
and nervous, sleep badly,
before, in short our despair
works within the deep and dark places of our being a
sinister
and destructive
thoughts of our despair
we come to
shall
/There
believe.
dismiss conscious
not to cure
it.
How, how
but one word strong enough to conquer deis
faith.
Nothing but
there
is
come out
Either
we
faith is able to
no other
either-or in life,
will
is
To
terms with this thing?
and that
/spair
spair,
is
spirit.
like
alternative.
despair
or
we
swallow up de-
That
is
the great
more important than any other.v That means that either everything
all
right,
or everything will
come out
all
wrong. Either death and Hell in the end, or the end 92
is
FAITH OR DESPAIR God. Faith rheans with is
swallowed up in
all
things end in God. "Death
O death, where is thy sting,
victory.
O grave, where is thy victory? giveth us the victory
Only he who
faith.
" .
.
.
Thanks be
So to speak
God
believes in
to
is
God who
the
work of
wins the victory
over despair.
Who can the victory?"
"
speak that way:
Who is able to
.
.
.
say,
who
We have the victory?
Death and Hell are overcome for us? this glorious
hath given us
Who has spoken
word and how could he do
Listen to
it?
the rest of the quotation: "Thanks be to
God who
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
That the
is
the victory; Jesus Christ
Word with which God robs
is
the
Word
of God,
death and Hell of their
power to make us despair. God in Christ has closed the chasm of death and quenched the flames of Hell for every one that believes on Him. For: "he that believeth
on me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live."
"For
I
am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor principalities,
nor powers
rate us
.
.
.
(nothing) shall be able to sepa-
from the love of God which
Lord." Hence
we must
fore us. Because he forgives our guilt,
is
is
in Christ Jesus our
constantly keep Jesus Christ be-
the Victory, because in
him God
and because in him God promises us
-93~
OUR FAITH eternal life. Faith,eaD^j3^ear,Je5ji!5 as
jnj.4e^
to us^
means the en
BY FAITH ALONE
21.
"By
Can
tion. is it
faith alone" it,
must
it
was the retain
battle cry of the
its
Moreover,
priority today?
not a dangerous, even a false slogan?
Reforma-
Has not
Has
it
Christians the false idea that
it
slogan become a challenge to polemical battle?
not produced
among
this
depends "only" on the correctness of one's minimizes the correctness of one's
faith,
life? If this is
and
what
one understands by "faith" the taking for granted of certain
dogmas, the simple acceptance of what there
Bible as true
is
is
indeed no more fatal error in
Christianity than the saying "by faith alone."
then
is
Faith
a certain viewpoint, a Weltanschauung, side by
side with other theories
world-view, be
it
and
ideas.
But a theory or a
Christian or another, can never be es-
What does God ask about our theories or ideas?
sential.
What
in the
does
God
care whether
world-view" or another!
through
life,
the battle.
we
The
have the "Christian
spectator
who
strolls
has a viewpoint for he does not engage in
God forbids us to be idlers, he wants fighters. 94
BY FAITH ALONE It is
only from the thick of the fight that one can under-
stand what the Reformers and the Apostles meant by the
word
"faith."
stood means,
What do you "believe"
whom do
you
pledged your loyalty? Or
it
trust, to
rightly under-
whom
have you
means what we were
per-
haps asked as children, whose child are you? That I belong wholly to God, that
chism so beautifully expresses both in
my
life
and in death,
as the Heidelberg cate-
I,
it,
am not my own, but belong to
faithful Saviour Jesus Christ
heartily willing
"with body and soul,
.
.
.
and makes
and ready henceforth to
me
unto
live
Him." Just as
it is
false to confuse faith with a viewpoint, a
mere acceptance of certain "dogmas,"
so, too, it is
only a vague "trust in
wrong God"
which even the pious heathen have also possessed.
Why
to suppose that faith
then would
we need
is
the Bible, the Revelation of
in Jesus Christ, the Cross tainly
and
his Resurrection?
depends upon trusting the true
sort of
chimera of the divine; that
to the
God who
nowhere
we
God and
God
It cer-
not any
entrust ourselves
revealed Himself in Jesus Christ and
else as our true, real
a product of our fantasy. "faith" seriously, as
it is
God, and not simply
When meant
-95-
to
one takes the word in the Bible, a
man
OUR FAITH cannot truly believe in any other Jesus Christ has
One
Himself.
faith alone" that.
The
Why is
shown Himself
to us
and called us to
when one knows "by heathen know nothing of
and the pious
Bible alone speaks of this "by faith alone."
that?
come to God
by stern
modem
discipline,
are true to
by a holy
God, and
heathenism
times all want
themselves, by prayer, by a virtuous life.
even
all
He
life,
will accept them.
that they
All pious
pious "Christian" heathenism
"righteousness by the works of the law," trust in
But in contrast to
does.
life,
think, that if
They
they are earnest enough about this pious
man
in
believes truly only
Pious heathen of ancient and to
God than Him who
is
what
this the Bible says that
you
cannot be "good enough." If you choose to go this way, there are only self
two
possibilities: either
you deceive your-
about yourself, forgetting that you are a sinful man,
confusing the demands of
God
with the standards of
middle-class integrity and thus satisfying yourself; or
you
really take
when you
God's will seriously and
see that
Frequently
it
you can never be
despair
just before that will.
happens then that the pendulum swings
back and forth between false
That is
fall into
self-trust
and
despair.
the religion of the pagan. In the Bible, however,
-96-
BY FAITH ALONE you cannot
said that
it is
Himself and you. but
You
more than
You
that.
"God" means
until
God, but God
are not to rely
alone on what
solely,
satisfy
God does.
cannot
you are
on what you do,
We must say even
know what
at the
satisfies
word
the
end of your strength,
and can hope only in God. The man who has not yet discovered this
"God
only" has not yet discovered God.
The gods of
the heathen are not truly God.
God
God one
the
is
when he can no
finds
help himself, and he puts his hope in in
hope
God
alone, not in the
knowledge, means
ability or
The
Him
longer
alone.
power of
faith,
true
self,
To
one's/
means being God'd
own. This
is
harder than
all
penances, prayers, and the
good works of the pious heathen. For there in all the world so humiliating as no longer one's self.
And
as to trust in sible!
cept
nothing
God
We cannot
is
alone.
is
nothing
to trust in
so difficult in all the world Difficult?
Indeed
Impos-
force our being's abdication and ac-
God alone. Only God can do
l
has done that for us
that for us.
on the Saviour's
And he
cross. It is there
that a double action is accomplished, for our pride
broken and buriedand there
He who alone
can help.
To
God comes
to
meet
is
us,
believe aright means, then
-97-
i
OUR FAITH to receive the crucified Christ, to apprehend in his cross
the end of all our self-redeeming activity, and the begin-
ning of God's creative redemption. That
and does help cessible to
this is closed to
our knowledge, inac-
our trust except through the cross of Christ.
faith alone" then,
TBy
God alone can
means not
God
but
I,
alone
my redemption, my salvation, the saving and redeeming of the world; He alone is good, He alone
jcreates
"with might of ours can
brings to the desired goal
naught be done;" to
that
make God our whole Does not
means
Zwingli, a Calvin whether this
them
lazy!
Examine the
received this
"God
Ask a
"God
alone" faith
made
who have
really
of others
lives
alone" faith in
all it
morally indifferent or ethically lazy.
icy ic
of
know
God
that
men do
work of God, and not those
and only when a
depth and
its
made them
has
It is
the great
all
things
from
strong, the real "doers" in
iristendom have been those
For God's power
of
Luther, a
not become strong until
and expect
their weakness,
power of God. The
activity.
alone,
lazy?
magnificence, and inquire whether
|mystery
on God
defense.
make man
that
to rely
who
relied solely
on the
who trusted much in human
is
made
perfect in weakness,
man knows how weak he
is
can
God
CONVERSION become mighty in him. that
is
done "by
know
all
upon
-^
has done and
still
dislike of the
does
much
amazed fellow men
at
word Con-
mischief.
of particularly devout persons
their
r
CONVERSION
There are reasons for our it
good
faith alone."
22.
version;
precisely the truly
It is
We
who pounce
work, on the
street, in
the street-car with the sudden question, Tell me, are
you converted? This the
New
is
Testament. Jesus went through the villages
and towns of
Galilee,
dom
is at
of
not the manner and method of
God
and
cried,
"Repent, for the King-
hand." That the Christian
life
be a daily repentance or conversion, was the
must
first
of
Luther's Ninety-five Theses, with which the Reformation began. is,
does not
A man who does not know what repentance know
Jesus Christ.
A
the meaning of faith, forgiveness, or
What,
then,
right about face
is
repentance?
something as astonishing as
though the water of the Rhine River should suddenly start
flowing upstream instead of downstream.
natural "inclination" of our heart and will ourselves.
Like the rapacious spider that
center of his web,
we
sit
is sits
in the midst of our
99
The
to seek
in the
world in
OUR FAITH a
spirit
We want men and what men
of acquisitiveness.
have, their happiness, their possessions, their honor, ir
power. All this
their
from men
my
dren,
we want
Our Ego that the school,
to serve "me." I
sits
their
like a king enthroned
and
world serve
and
am
also
and
their love, their respect, their time,
sympathy.
demands
our booty. But
is
even
yes,
the Lord
My
it.
my
my
wife,
my
chil-
dear God, are
all
God. Some maintain
this
primacy of the ego with delicacy, others coarsely;
but
all
maintain
So
it.
the natural man, the uncon-
is
verted man, the godless, loveless man. If any believes that I
have made too harsh a judgment
for himself. I confess in any case that 7
and those
I
know
are such
Something can happen
let
am
him speak
such a man,
people.
in this sphere, however, that
The water of
never happens in nature.
a stream never
flows uphill, a goose never becomes a fox, or a fox a goose.
But
it
can,
moreover
natural "inclination" of the
can be reversed so that
That
it
does happen, that this
human
heart to say "I, I"
says instead
"Thou, Thou."
the great miracle, the miracle that
is
with the word Love. Love longer
it
sits,
like the
is
we
designate
simply this, that
like the spider, in the midst of its
King Ego upon
his throne,
ioo
demanding
one no web, or service,
CONVERSION but that one instead of living for himself, lives for
There was one
others, instead of ruling, serves.
could say of himself, "I
am
who
not come to be ministered
unto but to minister." That was the decisive event in all
human
som
history: Jesus Christ
who gave
his life a ran-
many and his blood for the forgiveness of sin. Hence we know and the world knows because he came, for
what Love
is.
Through him it is possible for the first time that this so new and totally different spirit becomes effective in the lives of others, for through Christ,
God becomes
the
He who
the
center about which everything revolves. sole legitimate king of our life, reality.
He
now becomes King
this revolution,
(Umwalzung),
conversion. repentance, return, it
in
ascends the throne previously occupied by
the pretender king, Ego, a violent revolution. truly
King,
is
happens that instead of
Thou." This "thou" primarily to God. ever comes to
called in the Bible,
When God "I, I"
art
my
becomes
one says "Thou,
addressed in the
"Thou God
Gbd
At His door one
is
is
And
first
place and
Lord." But who-
experiences something noteworthy.
hears the words,
where "thy neighbor"
lives.
your love to your neighbor. 101
God
You
Go
forth yonder
directs
you with
are to serve him.
OUR FAITH That
is
You
your reasonable worship.
are to
show by
your love to your neighbor whether you really love
God. This, then,
dom
is
conversion: that
we seek first the King-
of God; that God's desire, namely, service to our
neighbor, becomes our chief concern.
convert yourself;
God
alone can do
But you cannot
it.
He
does
it
by
addressing you both as your Judge and as your Re-
deemer, as
He who
"forgiveth all thine iniquities and
And
healeth all thy diseases."
this conversion takes
place within you whenever you permit
you what
He wants
God
to say to
to say to you.
This reception of God's earnest voice happens, deed, for a
of
"my
first
time; and in that sense one
conversion." But
it is
must be converted anew each
memory
the time
when
more deeply
speak
true that
day. Perhaps
it first
may
in-
one
you bear in
happened; but there are
many who cannot be definite about the "first time" who nevertheless know that it has happened, and happens every day.
But there
is
another possibility, perhaps
it
has never happened to you! In that event that seemingly arrogant question,
"Are you converted?"
deed, not so improper after really converted, that
is,
in
all.
whom
102
But the
is,
man who
conversion
is
inis
a daily
REGENERATION happening, and not an isolated moment, will not arrogantly parade his conversion. But he will long for every
neighbor of
he has
his, that
the other
share the life that
received.
REGENERATION
23.
None sician
may
The phy-
can understand the mystery of birth.
can "explain"
how
it
comes about, and
follow his "explanation." But as soon as
we
we
can
cease talk-
ing about the "something that originates in this way"
and halt to think of ourselves as we know
what appeared
as
ourselves,
an explanation shows the face of a
"My life what does it really mean? exist, I was born, now I am here, alive!"
yet deeper mystery.
Once
I
did not
Such thoughts quiet that
we marvel and
all
"explanations" and permit only
say, "I
cannot understand
it
at all."
And yet, our quietness brings us before the fundamental question of existence.
Our
life is lived
darknesses, the mystery of birth death. Birth means,
am what am
as I
I
am,
I
"Here I am,
I
and the mystery of do not know why.
do not know why."
am" cannot be spoken
the words of the
little
lad
this,
"Here
I I
same manner as
runs happily into the
room, up to his mother, crying "Here 103
And
in the
who
between two
I
am!" Our words
-OUR FAITH cannot be spoken thus, so happily, so simply, in so
We
matter of fact a manner.
cannot say this "Here
am" without hearing something sigh something of the feeling of a man who is
am" and "As within us,
I
who
hailed into police court or thrown into prison, and
now
examines his
"Here
I
am
why, really?" This question
we
Now, however, our "Here
I
life,
how
am"
I
God's
God
from God hast thou,
is
Word
tells
art thou, in
into sin!
God's creation and our
as far
present: that
sin.
this as
back as
concealed
troubles us.
we
we
and
us the secret of
His image, fallen
The Word
of God, Jesus
meaning both of
When? How?
long as
are told
so sad, anxious,
Christ gives you understanding of the
know is,
is
it.
am, as
created of
never understand
it
the cell door opens and
incomprehensible.
our
scarcely note
do not understand
why
sad, anxious.
cell, hurt, rebellious,
in every heart, but
We
I
we
We
live, all
shall
we now
can remember both have been
which comes from
God and
that
which
is
against
God, creation and
child
born both have had their share; they reach far
is
sin.
back into the ancestry of the
human
Already at the time a
child,
and
all
who
are
beings have this double ancestry. Furthermore,
the Gospel
tells
us that
we
are not only
104
unhappy in
this
REGENERATION state but that in
and from the
we
it
are cut off
and
lost
from
real life
truly good.
The Word
of
God
God pities us,
says, secondly, that
He saves us, the lost creation. He, against whom we live, is for us; he, without whom we live, comes to us. that
In Jesus Christ
is
given the double
ceivable forgiveness
He
newal.
what we and
shows us a picture
see in ourselves.
Your
God's grace. to
draw you really
and
It is
trust
When
Him
from
man
truly,
a picture of
Whose picture
it is
you, through
when you permit Him and wholly to Him, when you believe you
gives
with
all
this
your heart.
that happens,
God Himself,
when
to Jesus Christ
a
man
Himself
really listens to
what then? The
Bible replies to this "what then?" with the eration.
ful I is
a
Something has then taken place
and inconceivable as
am"
finds a
"If any
word regen-
just as
power-
"Here
I
am
as
man is in Christ he
old things are passed away, behold
become new." The old man
all
still
remains
but under the husk of the old, lives the
new and
things are visible,
birth, the saying
new meaning.
new creature,
re-
totally different
picture, says Christ
God
incon-
and His promise of complete
perfectly undistorted, God's image.
that?
is
wordGod's
begins to discard the old. Something visible begins to 105
OUR FAITH break forth from the invisible
manner of
life,
faith.
thought and speech, a
ing with one's neighbor.
It is
new way
transformations that give those,
new
life
who know
new
of deal-
not as though the old
simply disappeared, yet however a
man
appears in
nothing of
something to think about and perhaps to ask
faith,
about.
Do
a
It is love,
Why has he changed so? such things really happen?
tiful fantasy?
No,
Or
is this just
a beau-
says the Bible, there are such
new
men, whether they have names like Paul 01 Timothy, whether like the Philippian
known. Such renewal
New
is
jailor, their
to be
names
or,
are un-
found not only in the
Testament, but ever since then in every place
where the
Word
of
God
concerning Jesus Christ
is
really believed
"with the heart, not merely with the
head" as Calvin
says,
wherever a son of
man
is
bound
anew with the heavenly Father by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
24.
When we
ON CHRISTIAN FREEDOM
speak about freedom
the mistake of asking
what we are
what we
we
are free
generally
from rather than
free for. Protestants are often very
that the Reformation freed
106
make
proud
them from the Roman
ON Catholic Church and tions
CHRISTIAN FREEDOM
its
regulations,
its
supersti*
and from the authority of the Pope. All
true, they
from a
this is
must be answered, but what king or master
do you now acknowledge?
is
from
false master only
It is
possible to get free
by accepting a good one; one
freed from superstition only by true faith, from the
false
law only by the
gotten "free"
true law.
For there
is
no
slavery comparable to
the slavery of -masterlessness. For then a his
own passions,
sin are exactly the
One
man is
slave to
or to that worst of all tyrants, the Ego,
or as the Bible expresses
recognizes
simply
without a master and therefore more
is
deeply a slave.
The man who has
same
it
to sin.
the sinful
For Master-Ego and
man is the man who
no Lord but himself.
can get free only by getting free from this Ego-
tyrant, sin.
ance of
This liberation can occur only by the accept-
God
as our Lord.
And we
accept
God
as our
Lord only by being saved through Christ from our
Freedom comes
at
no
lesser price,
one cannot underbid
Jesus Christ.
"God saw with His
My
eternal grace
sorrow out of measure:
He thought upon His tenderness To
save was His good pleasure.
107
sin.
OUR FAITH He turned to me Not
To
a Father's heart;
small the cost
heal
smart:
my
He gave His best and dearest." Luther knows what he Christ
is
the price that
is
had
to
Not even God could "make "Ye
Apostle Paul says,
And in that God
That
that
we
is
his freedom.
cannot be
men
free, true
without
Him
of Jesus Christ.
We are so created men, happy, glad,
only through Him.
Fellow-
created us for fellowship with Himself.
ship with
God
is,
so to speak, the substance of
human
When we part with God and essay to stand on our
life.
own
feet,
we know
son in the parable
me my and
the freedom of a
is
calls himself a servant
servitude
strong manly
God
cheaper." Therefore the
man.
Paul always
of
it
be paid for our freedom.
are bought with a price; be not
ye the servants of men." Christian
the cross of Jesus
saying
our situation to be like that of the
who
inheritance"
fell into misery.
said to his father; "Father, give
then went into the far country
Without God we get
country and into misery.
We waste
that
into the far
"human
stance" which consists of fellowship with love.
The redeeming work
sub-
God and
of Christ consists in bring-
108
ON CHRISTIAN FREEDOM ing us, the
lost,
back home to the Father, and thus to
liberty.
Only he who has become a "servant of Jesus Christ" y "a free Lord of
is^-as Luther says
none, through the faith/'
God
for us
is
human of the
is
fear of death
He is
and Ldrds, from
legalistic
all
for
he
sin,
free
free
"If
from
service
from the
has, through Christ, the forgive-
ness of sins and the promise of eternal
longer needs to observe so and so like the
subject to
from worry
free
Free from the guilt of
letter.
and
can be against us?"
who
authorities
He
all
life.
He no
many hundred laws
pious Jew or Catholic, but only this one
to
remain by
God his
tie to this
Lord and Father except the bond of childlike
respect
Father and Lord, bound by no other
and grateful
love.
"Love God and do what you
want!" was the way the great Augustine phrased Just
when one has become
it.
free by his reverence
and
love of God, and by his grateful faith in redemption
through Jesus Christ, he
is
bound
to
men in
So Luther adds a second statement to his
"A
Christian
man is
subject to every
slave of his
own
a
new way.
first
sentence:
the most dutiful servant of all and
one through love." The slave of self is separated
to dominate them.
He
from men and wants
must seek his own. 109
sin,
He
is
pos-
OUR FAITH But he
sessed by selfishness.
Christ
from
this
worst of
the love of God,
The
others. once,
is
who
has been freed by
all sicknesses
free
and
is
from himself and
misery and the welfare of other
become important for him.
He
placed in free for
men
all at
sympathizes with
them, rejoices with them, as though he were one with them.
He would
life for
be ready to give
the sake of others.
That
now
when
element which
appears
sinful has disappeared.
of
man
all things,
as Jesus
He
is just
the
home.
has become a true servant
was a servant of man.
grows the
It
with God:
from God.
it
subsides
It is
human
the inhuman, the
This freedom, the most glorious thing there at
even his
is,
begins
more we grow into communion the more we separate ourselves
the fruit of faith alone. For faith
simply belonging wholly and completely to God. desires to
make us such glad
free
men
is
God
through the
Gospel. 25.
The world
PRAYER
often seems like a monstrously sinister
machine, blind, insensible, destroying everything that
man
builds,
fosters,
world concern
itself
loves,
hopes.
Why
about your wishes,
no
should the little
stupid
PRAYER man? What does your
sigh
mean
in the midst
o
a
grow and age in billions of years? Such a thought makes prayer die upon the lips. Is there
universe where suns
any sense in praying the roaring avalanche to spare the
babe yonder in the path of
its
downward
rush?
O
fate,
blind, awful, senseless fate!
When we look
beyond ourselves out into the world,
prayer fades away.
Man's
tragic lot robs
one of the
courage to pray. Everything appears to be senseless, order, chance, confusion.
The world can
pray?
at
Who
then has a mind to
most permit us dimly
ceive a mysterious Power; but to
make us
selves to this Power, calling
as children
father:
we
upon
"Help us!" the world
pray?
What
is
dis-
it
unable.
to
per-
trust our-
do
their
How then
can
gives us the courage, the confidence,
the assurance?
As
children lost in a woods, are fearful of the sinister
darkness
and
then, suddenly, hearing a
sound from
the sombre blackness, a familiar voice, a loving, seektheir mother's voice ing, helping voice,
our reply to the voice from the
Word
so prayer
of
God
is
in Jesus
Christ which suddenly cries out to us in the mysterious,
dark universe.
It is
world's darkness.
the Father calling us out of the
He
calls us, seeks us,
wants to bring
OUR FAITH us to Himself.
"Where
mean "Here
am, Father.
I
are you,
Since you have spoken,
am
was
I
am
I
my child?" Our prayers afraid until
called.
you
no longer. Come,
afraid
me
waiting for you, take me, lead
I
by the hand
through the dark terrifying world." It is
a tremendous
voice and is
knows he
hears. I
echo of is
at
hand! The world
There is a Lord of this world,
one can
call
upon
Him
and
it is
say "thou" to
Him
for
in prayer.
Indeed
if
He
not merely an
what has been
There said
is
not only has prayer meaning but in that meaning
is life's
most wonderful
mured upon the
gift.
How
floating arctic ice
a lost explorer, im-
must be encouraged
when, thanks to the radio he has with
and
hears this
my cry that returns to me, but an answer.
meaning
true,
all.
all things;
may
God is
is safe.
not the ultimate, not
a ruler over
moment when a man
set up,
difficulty
rescued
he not only sends out the S.O.S. but sud-
New
denly hears an answer!
mount within him. All can
courage and joyful hope
yet
come out
right.
So too
of prayer. In the midst of this dark incomprehensible
world of
fate,
Him who fear, I
is
am
I will yet
of death,
above
all,
it is
the invisible contact with
and who
calls to us:
here, thy Father, thy Creator
make
all
things
come out 112
"Have no
and Redeemer.
right."
PRAYER Faith lives on prayer, indeed, faith
The moment we
prayer.
when we
praying, and
The
lieving.
really believe,
cease praying
philosopher Kant
made
is
nothing but
we
we
are already
also cease be-
the statement that
prayer obviously has no other effect than that of lifting the spirits of
him who
effect outside the
other judgment
know
the
and that
prays,
to
assume an
praying person was unreasonable.
is
possible for the
God who
feelings, perhaps,
speaks to us,
man who
No
does not
in the sphere of our
but utterly apart from our feelings,
in Jesus Christ.
Because they do not
many men of our
tion so
prayer tion.
is
believes
prayer, that
God and
this revela-
time no longer pray.
prayer in which a
is,
he will be heard,
believes in the living
ing God"?
because
this
True
possible only as an answer to God's real revela-
True
He
The God
God. to
is
possible only
What
is
man really when one
meant by the
is
"liv-
Whom you can pray trustfully,
has previously revealed to you His
worthiness. That Is it
know
trust-
the living God.
for a possible, then,
modern man
to pray? There
can be no doubt that even the most cultured modern
man who
has at his disposal
all
the technical art of our
day, needs to pray; indeed, deep in his heart wants to
113
OUR FAITH man
But can such a
pray.
pray after learning
all that
he has about the mysterious world-machine, natural
and infinity? The modern man, no
laws,
ham who
less
than Abra-
looked up and beheld the starry Palestinian
heavens 4000 years ago,
is
of earth, but an "I." Because of his to this
whole world of matter.
world,
my personality
is
He is no
a living soul. spirit
My body
he is
is
clod
superior
a bit of the
Even the modern man can
not.
know that, and many of the clever and learned do know it. Then the question arises, has this personality a Lord, or
is it its
that
is,
what
it
own master?
must
it
Is this
personality responsible
Him who
answer
pleases? Responsible
by God: "Adam, where
art
calls
man
thou?"
it,
or can
it
do
already addressed
is
We are all afraid of
this voice, for
we know
cate ourselves.
But the voice which comes thus challeng-
ing carries within for I
am
it
that before
man is
a sinful
his guilt, so surely the
As
hear
praise,
it
cannot vindi-
surely as even the
man who cannot
atone for
Gospel of the Grace of
proclaimed to him. Thanks be to
who
we
that which also cheers: fear not,
thy God, thy Father.
most modern
it
and henceforth answer
thanks and supplication.
-114-
God God
God
for the
is
many
in prayer, with
THE MEANING OF PRAYER THE MEANING OF PRAYER
26.
There
is
nothing more daring or more humiliating
than prayer. speak with
It is
daring because in prayer
Him whom
The man who prays
trusts that his
speaking with
"The
otherwise would not occur.
man
availeth much."
when it imagines
this
dare to
the heavens cannot contain.
all
not in vain, that something happens
righteous
I
God
when he prays
is
that
fervent prayer of a
The
brain almost reels
it is foolish possibility, surely pre-
sumption, or simply a remnant of primitive superstition.
Are we to believe
that the
siders the petitions
The
in
of these questions, and the
all
Biblical revelation creates
God's hearing of prayer.
means precisely
really con-
brought before him by a mere man?
Bible answers yes to
whole of
Lord of the world
that
God
and nurtures
is
faith
our Father
that
He hears. He stands in a reciprocal
relationship with us, there
is
communication between us
and Him. God awaits our prayer, and because He longs to extend
men and when
with men,
God
men
but through
accomplishes some things only
they are asked for;
prayer.
for us
His kingdom not only over
God
earnestly awaits our
We dare believe that our prayers make possible some
action of
God
not otherwise possible.
-115-
To
OUR FAITH and
believe this,
actually to pray in such trust is surely
the most daring thing a
To
also
is
pray
how small
matter
are responsible,
man
can do.
most humbling. Every other or humble,
it is
is
act,
no
nevertheless our act,
we
our work, and
insignificance, a certain pride in
But when
we
pray
we
we have,
fold our hands in silent gesture
we now do nothing more, we now
our
efforts
Thee! Prayer
is
we now
are at the end of
leave all things, Father, to
a declaration of impotency,
"I surrender the
its
what we have done.
that
that
for all
helm of
my
life;
take
it,
it is
I
to say,
can do no
more."
Hence prayer so
prayer
In prayer
much
And
really nothing but faith.
So
faith.
little
appears whether a
it
God
believe that
God.
is
is
really
in prayer
it
prayer
man is
so little faith.
daring enough to
our Father. That
also
So much
is trust
in
man
is
appears whether a
humble enough to surrender all to God and to look for Him. To me it always seems that if we all things from could pray aright great things would have to happen. Christianity
know
the
is
so poverty-stricken because so
still
really
meaning of prayer and only he knows who
able to pray. Perhaps none of us yet are
few
too lacking in
trust,
know rightly.
is
We
and not humble enough in
-116-
THE MEANING OF PRAYER
We
resignation. reality of
do not
God. Wherever men today take
real seriousness miracles
ago.
yet reckon sufficiently
The man who
cannot pray.
happen
on the
God
with
2000 years
as they did
does not believe in such miracles,
We fail to take the promises of God seri-
ously enough.
We have
to learn
how
to
pray again.
It is
only in quiet and composure. Prayer means
learned
of
first
all
the assurance of the presence of God, or as those of old
well said "coming before God," "standing before His face." will,
That is not
God
tell
more than
"I will arise
effort of the
and go
to
my
That resolution requires the courage to
let
^-and
Father."
an
so simple. It requires
you the
that.
truth, the humiliating
you can no longer help
God, for whom
all
yourself.
knowledge that
Only he
other doors are bolted.
meets us only when
we are
at the
really seeks
God Himself
end of our knowledge
and power.
Hence prayer
is
so
much
exhausting. For a hundred
harder than work, more
men who
are not afraid of
the exertion of labor, there are only a
upon themselves the it,
are afraid of
alone with
it,
strain of prayer.
for
who would
Most
flee
from
not be afraid to be
God? To babble little prayers
-117-
few who take
is
not to pray.
OUR FAITH who
The
Publican
who
could only sigh
did not dare to
"God be
prayed. But the Pharisee
lift
up
his eyes,
and
merciful to me, a sinner"
who
used the machinery of
prayer so fluently did not pray; he was too full of himself for that.
Prayer, as all worth-while deeds, requires time.
takes
no time for the
how to pray,
or, if
He who
practice will either fail to learn
he once knew will soon
forget.
Only
he who takes much time for prayer can then understand
what the Apostle means by the word "pray without
And
ceasing." it
words,
When joices
means seeking God and
the Psalmist says that he in
prayer.
praise
prayer does not
God, he
mean letting
is still
indicates the content
saying
God
many
seek us.
before God, re-
and the mood of
Prayer proceeds from petition to praise, from
to thanks;
and from praise and thanks onward to
enlarged petition.
But
all real
prayer, I think, will
begin with the petition of the disciples, "Lord, teach us to pray!"
FELLOWSHIP
27.
Many do
not
know
loneliness of others.
people are alone.
either their
own
loneliness or the
do not mean simply that some
I
One
can be alone and
-118-
still
not be
FELLOWSHIP lonely.
One
can be in a teeming crowd of people and
yet be quite lonely. Loneliness
is
solitude of soul.
who
are even quite garrulous people
have
on
their hearts
live quite alone.
their tongues,
There
is
it is
said
and who nevertheless
Every person whose
has an isolated soul.
as
There
life is self-centered
Such a person
is like
a
castle.
a gate through which one sallies forth to take
booty. There are embrasures through which one shoots
poisoned arrows; there are battlements, to be sure, from
which one looks down upon those below. But the whole
and over the gate stands "mine" in
castle is isolated,
The
large letters.
And
is
is
between
is
called "I."
operated according to the will of this
and the laws are
"/," life
everything
possessor of this castle
my laws. There is
this feudal lord, the self,
a kind of social
and others; there
intercourse, but the spirit of the castle regulates every-
thing. suit
Things must go as / want them
me. Such a
life is isolated,
midst of the greatest
activity.
The
who
is
For
all
castles of mediaeval times
castle.
people
sake.
who go
No
in
one ever
called thou.
tured by another lord, so
your
and as they
lonesome, even in the
and out are present simply for my enters
to,
There
is
were sometimes cap-
perhaps
only one 119
who
it
is
may happen
to
strong enough to
OUR FAITH capture law.
banish
it,
named
this tyrant
1,
and revoke
my
This one, the only conqueror, conquers not by
power or might, blow
for blow, by the opposition of his
will to the will of the individual.
He would
accomplish
The Ego has made sufficient proof this sort. The sole conqueror
nothing in that way. vision for assault
breaks into the citadel by quite different means.
He
vanquishes the self through love, by blasting the great gate with forgiveness, by overthrowing the self from
the throne by sacrificing, yes even by giving his life for
This conqueror
it.
is
when
quest comes about
Through
man
is
my
"opened"; the law "for me"
moment
is
is
abrogated, and
"for you." Solitude ceases the
replaced by fellowship.
and "thou"
the same as love.
or,
called faith.
is
Fellowship
that the self really dis-closes itself to another, so
that "I" is
now
the law "for you" takes the place of the other
Solitude
means
thou art
or rather through Jesus Christ,
this event
another law introduced
law.
says, "Enter,
This abdication
life."
this con-
the self surrenders like a con-
quered fort-commander and the Lord of
And
called Jesus Christ.
what
is
really
come
together.
Fellowship
And this love comes by faith alone,
the same,
from Christ
Love thy neighbor as
thyself!
120
alone. It is that
which Christ
FELLOWSHIP fulfilled,
he alone. But by
now be overcome by
him,
we
fulfilling it for us,
we
too can begin
can
its fulfil-
ment. "Faith working by love." Only in this way can
Such a new
solitude be overcome.
life
x
man whom
Jesus has overcome.
begins in every
Fellowship
now
places loneliness, life is directed toward a thou
toward the
The
lowship.
and not
self.
It is not,
ship.
dis-
however, only faith that produces fellow-
reverse
We
is
also true. Faith
grows out of
fel-
need others to be able to believe. One
cannot be a Christian by himself. All sorts of things
can be done alone; but one cannot be a Christian alone.
My own
weak
faith
must constantly be awakened,
re-
newed, strengthened, purified by the faith of others.
We must come together really to believe. or three are gathered together in the midst of them."
"Where two
my name, there am I
We must learn that again.
in
Every-
thing today has become a matter of private property and private affairs, even faith. But faith it is
alone. It can thrive only in fellowship.
Our Church
What
is
only a remnant of such fellowship.
the Church offers today in the
cannot is
must perish when
satisfy.
It is
way of
not enough that the
proclaimed to you on Sunday, 121
if
fellowship
Word
you are
of
God
left alone
OUR FAITH for the remainder of the week. faith
all
need that our
and prayer should grow strong with the
others;
and that our own
and with the tians
We
faith
faith
faith of
and love be increased by
and love of
The
others.
first
Chris-
remained daily with one another in prayer and
breaking of bread. Something of that must come again into our Church. If
For otherwise
all
what has been sown on Sunday
lowship
it is
soon
lost.
and weak. "One may
We
The
fall,
preaching is
is
not tended in
lord,
but two can stand together."
and "for me" the law of
life.
not share our faith with one another lated, selfish people.
fel-
individual is too negligent
must open ourselves mutually, otherwise
mains
in vain.
self re-
When we do
we
remain
iso-
Let us seek the fellowship of faith,
according as Christ has opened our hearts. 28.
THE CHURCH
"I believe one holy Catholic so reads the
common
and Apostolic Church"
Christian confession of faith.
Almost every word of the sentence
is
incomprehensible
for the present-day man, and even for the average Christian.
Luther called the word Church a "blank"
and would have preferred the term "the Christian
folk."
"Church" means for most people the great building 122
THE CHURCH with the tower and chimes where every Sunday services of worship are conducted. All of that, to be sure,
is
used by the Church and reminds us that the matter of greatest significance in the
As
truly a
Church! is
As though
a clergyman.
Testament by the word is
the proclamation is
just as
the modest chapel near by were not just as
if
where there
is
But the misunderstanding
of the Gospel. great.
Church
we
there were Church only
What is meant in translate
the
"Church"?
New
What
the Church of which the creed speaks?
Church; in Greek
is
called "ekklesia,"
which means,
the chosen band. Just as the herald in former times
read the royal proclamations in the market-place, and
men poured
forth
from the houses
into the
square
in
obedience to his voice and listened to his message; or as the recruiting officer came into a village and with attractive speech
great
lord,
won in
among us God's
the young similar
into the
army of some
manner there sounds forth
call to salvation, the
ye!" of the world's Saviour.
hear and heed
men
"come unto me
The Company of them
this call constitute the
all
that
"army" of God.
The army he has won, "bought with a price," is the Church. Every one who heeds the call of Christ belongs to
it,
be he Catholic, Quaker, Methodist, or Reformed.
-123-
OUR FAITH One
thing only
really
heeded the
gesture o cisive
is decisive:
call,
have you really heard, and
or have you
made but an
And
joining this or that?
exterior
because this de-
matter can never be seen, judged, or evaluated
from the
outside, because unlike the military forces of
a great king, no one can see or enumerate those
who
have become part of the "church army" of God, because this
hearing and heeding of God's call
ter,
known
God
only to
Himself,
we
is
a hidden mat-
speak also of the
invisible Church.
To be sure Christ desires no invisible army. He wants a host of such a kind that even the children of world,
who know
nothing of faith nor want to know,
will be able to note that there
work within
recruits this
his "heralds."
their
band through
The
first
rests
something mightily at
on them;
;
that they obey a
own wills. And
Christ
his "recruiting officers"
heralds were the Apostles and
for that reason the Church
Church
is
these "called-soldiers"
mighty Other and no longer
now
this
that
is
is
called Apostolic,
to say,
The
upon the message
which they proclaimed, upon the message of Jesus the
Son of God,
crucified
and
arisen, the
message of the
Kingdom and the Reign of God. One belongs Church when one is recruited by this message for
-124-
to the
Christ
THE CHURCH the
King and Lord; and
Kingdom of God, now
that
means belonging
hidden, until
it
to the
one day be
shall
revealed at the time of the end of all things.
Church
This
not
is
only
Formerly
it
was
it
something quite
Roman
man under-
Catholic Church, which
One army
whether in Switzerland
or in America or in Japan, wherever
men
"call
upon the
the Lord Jesus" at all times and in all places.
Universal, too, in the sense that churches, confessions,
and
sects.
it
cuts across all state
Christ does not have
people in one body; they are not only scattered
all his
about through
all lands,
but are
among
all
church or-
ganizations.
The Roman
latter fact.
There should be but one Church.
much more
driving
greater
the
its
Catholics rightly lament this
power
it
Jesus
is
And
conversely:
how
blasphemed because there are so
churches, sects, and confessions!
Why
is it
Because people did not remain in the truth, that say, the truth the
How
would have, how much
impact on the world!
name of
many
is
Universal means spread over
different.
the whole world.
name of
also universal.
is
called "Catholic," but every
stands by that the
meaning
"Apostolic,"
"founded by the Apostles" but
Apostles proclaimed.
And
so?
is
to
also be-
cause pride, contentiousness, and pomposity supposed
-125-
OUR FAITH something additional was necessary, something beyond the hearing and the heeding of God's
been formed for
all sorts
call.
have
Sects
of insignificant reasons; for
the most part, to be sure, because
some
established
"church" had gone spiritually to sleep or had languished.
There should be only one Church, but
unity can
come only from a powerful renewal of
this
faith,
a new Reformation created out of the depths of the Gospel.
The most important and difficult word is the Holy Church. Holy doesn't mean what one usually understands
That
it
is
to signify, but
definitive not only for the Church,
eternal life also.
who
means "belonging to God."
He who
does not belong to
but for
God and
has not really been enlisted, cannot be saved and
must be
lost.
A man belongs to God and becomes holy
by accepting the divine promise of forgiveness in pentance and is
faith.
When
that occurs another person
received into the Church, a
the body "whose head
is
new member grows upon
Christ."
How
does one get
into the Church?
Solely
and simply by a hearty
and obedience
to the
Word
in
"obedience to the faith
re-
among
all
pose of Paul in setting forth, and 126
of God. nations" it
was
To
trust
establish
was the pur-
in this
way
that
THE SACRAMENTS he .enlisted the Church, the Army of God. Obedience to the faith
is
the touchstone of true Church membership. / /
THE SACRAMENTS
29.
Even most good Christians do not know what to
make of per.
the Sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Sup-
They
are venerable customs which have always
been performed by the Church, in which one takes part out of respect, or because they are here and are observed or perhaps simply out of habit, or "because things better."
Supper of the
is
In the
cities,
no more than a fourth on high festivals Are the Sacraments
the church
remain for the Lord's Supper.
dying branches on the tree of the Church that once
makes
the neglect of the Lord's
Often quite general.
many who throng
it
was customary, but
is
now
like so
much
sacrificed to the
times?
The Lord
surely
knew what he was doing when, on
that last night, he said to his Disciples, "This
remembrance of me."
do in
Without the Sacraments the
Church would long ago have disappeared, and with the passing of the Church would have gone also Christian faith
and the
Bible.
The Sacraments
127-
are the divinely
OUR FAITH given flying buttresses which save the Church from collapse.
In
how many
of the Churches of today do
we
not find the Sacraments almost the sole biblical footing the only biblical element that has been able to with-
stand the caprices of the gifted minister his
own wisdom
rather than
from the
who
lives
Scriptures.
by
Even
the most audacious minister has not dared to lay hands
on the Sacraments. And they
may
so interpret the
are
what they
are!
One
words of Scripture that the words
speak the opposite of their intent; but the Sacraments,
thank God, speak a language independent of the lan-
guage of the Pastor. They are a part of the message of the Church least affected by theological or other tendencies;
and that
is their
especial blessing.
Yes, the Sacraments have a message for us.
God
wants to speak to us in them. For once, however,
He
addresses us through the eye, instead of through the ear as in preaching, through
through speech. Thus
we
cannot have the excuse that
since the concrete appeals to us
we
an action instead of
more than the
abstract
cannot understand the message of the Church.
The Sacraments the whole body.
are God's message for the eye, for
One
eats
partakes of the Sacrament.
and
drinks, the
It is,
128
whole man
however, not eating
THE SACRAMENTS and drinking mitting
God
which
just
is
alone, but surely solely
to say
He
what
and simply per-
wants to impart to
nothing but the Gospel, laid hold upon at
heart in the message of the Cross.
its
Word
embrace God's ters.
God
receive
His grace.
whether the Pastor therein in such a
is
and
in the Sacrament, this alone mat-
upon us
acts
To
He
is
the
God
dis-
present in this action
a believer or not as to
way
As
in the Lord's Supper.
Pastor distributes the bread and wine to you, tributes
us,
God
is
present
be able to touch your heart,
humbling and exalting you, bringing you to repentance and
faith.
Why is it necessary to have this special way of speaking God's Word,
if it still
says nothing
sermon? Because in the Sacrament the in
more than the
Word
seeks us
a different mode, and through a different channel,
not with all,
many words, but
the consideration
spoken
Word
of
since even the
own home" venience evil
as
is
God
sermon is
Above
in an intelligible act.
important that you can have the at is
home, not only in the
now
Bible,
being "delivered to your
everything else, by radio. This con-
may have many
advantages. But one inherent
develops almost of necessity; people do not come
together to hear God's
Word and to 129--
thank
God
for
it
in
OUR FAITH prayer and song.
One becomes
a private Christian, one
know any more the meaning fellowship of faith. The fellowship
does not
ever,
an integral part of
work of
art,
faith.
It is
of Church, or the
of faith
is,
how-
possible to enjoy a
a concert or a lecture, and be edified by
it
without the presence of any other person. Enjoyment
and
do not require the presOne cannot have faith alone. Indeed
edification in these spheres
ence of others. the aim of the
Word
God is
of
to conquer this solitude
by leading us out of our isolation into fellowship with
one another. God's rable.
Word and
fellowship are insepa-
Therefore our Lord instituted the Sacraments that
we might
not
make a
private concern of His
come together actually, not simply
The Sacraments bind
Word, but
"in spirit."
us to the Church.
They
are acts
requiring the presence of several; acts in which
comes
clear that
receives
one receives God's
to give us the highest gifts
coming
salvation, yes, truly
through the mediation of a man.
it
to
Him, might
draw us out of our
also
isolation
God wants
through men, that
come
felt their
Christians are
need of others. So often 130
in
men.
wants to lead us to others in such a way that ceive our need of them.
we
He wants to self-satisfaction. He
to
and
be-
it
it is
we
per-
men who have just the
"good"
BAPTISM and "able" people who
It is just that
by myself."
God
lessness.
which
is sin,
pride,
and love-
did not create us to be able to get along
by ourselves, but that
we
"should bear one another's
The Sacraments
burdens."
"I can get along
fail to see this.
are the buttresses which
keep the Church from falling asunder because they do not permit a
Only other
man to
receive the salvation of
alone.
in the congregation, only in confessing "I need the
man"
shall
you receive God's
wise you remain self-contained
30.
Few
salvation.
Other-
and unsaved.
BAPTISM
of the readers of this book are not baptized, but
there are not very baptized.
that
God
is
many who know what
it
means
to
be
"Well, a person has to have a name," and
what one
"christened"
when
gets in baptism!
Aren't warships
they get their names? No.
You
re-
name when a county official entered you in the Register; no baptism was necessary for such a
ceived a Birth
purpose.
In former times slaves were branded on the back with their master's
upon you,
name. In your baptism
called you by your
131
God
laid hold
name and stamped you
as
OUR FAITH His own. Through the word and
ever after
man in
your baptism, the brand, "property of
act
o
God" was
The words "God's own" were
stamped upon you.
spoken over you by the Church, the Church of Jesus Christ;
God
has laid claim upon you through the act
of the Church.
Do we not belong to God without Baptism, To be
of being His creatures?
know this if God had
sure.
We
not said so in His
by virtue
should not
Word; without
Word we know neither Him nor ourselves. WithGod's Word we do not know we are His property
God's out
and
ownership means for our
all that this
Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
means
to
toward
us.
Christ to
God
show
how He
does not
that
He
is
disposed
make us His property
can do with us what
it
in Jesus
He
His name upon His
wills,
slaves.
He wills; He is the He does not want us
can to be sure, do with us what
Creator and to
has shown us what
be His property and
as the slaveholder stamps
He
God
In His
lives.
we
are His creatures.
have to be afraid of
Him
master, but rather to love
loved
us.
"God
Him
as slaves before their
as the
one
so loved the world that
He
who
gave his
only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in
should not perish but have everlasting 132
life."
first
Him
That
is
BAPTISM way God
the Gospel, in this
means to proclaim
"Thou
to us by the Church the words,
art mine." is
Baptism any human
the prevenient love of
effort.
What
He
of Him." Register
His
gift;
God
antecedent to
we know when
did
sors held us, crying infants,
tism!
way He
claims us, in this
our spon-
to the Pastor for Bap-
up
"received us in love before
we
ever thought
He gave us a name that is written in no Civil child of God! He has been before-hand with He loved us even before we were as yet con-
scious of our identity.
Are we then Is it so
children of
God by
Yes
simple and so cheap?
"Whosoever believeth
in
virtue of Baptism? if
..."
Him.
you
believe.
Indeed faith
is
not so simple and cheap. Baptism wants to point out just that.
Baptize comes from "baptize" to dip. Chil-
dren formerly were not simply sprinkled with water, but immersed, and adults baptized.
must die
so,
too,
were the
Why was this done?
really to belong to
God.
first
As a
We
Christian
sign that
we
are baptized
We must share in his death if we desire to share in his life. We are by nature men into the death of our Lord.
who do not at selves.
all desire to
The "Lord" of our
belong to God, but to themlife
says
-133-
first, I
am
the Lord
OUR FAITH my God! /
This
self-willed, self-seeking, self-glorifying
And
must be drowned. It costs
easy."
"To believe" to
much.
that
that is not so "cheap
and
the Lord Jesus his
life.
It cost
we belong to God, means no less than
be crucified with Jesus Christ, knowing that he had
to die for us, trusting that
for you
and therewith
us from God.
he
really died for us
really
setting aside all that separates
"The old Adam
in us should,
by daily
sorrow and repentance be drowned and die," says Luther.
Every day
divine forgiveness,
us from God.
we must be immersed anew and
Baptism
in the
what separates happens just once. But
repent, put off itself
we must believe constantly anew,
for only through faith
"That whosoever believeth in
does Baptism save us.
Him.
..." Hence we
name
of the Father and of the Son, but also of the Holy
Ghost.
he
is
"Now
if
any
are not baptized merely in the
man have not
the Spirit of Christ,
none of His."
31.
THE LORD'S SUPPER
Concerning nothing in the Christian Church has there
been more dispute than over the Lord's Supper, which
was
surely intended solely as a
means of fellowship.
Concerning few things have so abstruse theological dog-
-134-
THE LORD'S SUPPER mas been formulated
as there have been concerning the
Lord's Supper, which was surely intended solely as a divine help in understanding the message of reconciliation,
a perceptual picture of the heart of the Gospel, the
God
superb gift with which
longs to draw us to
Him-
self.
The is
and
Lord's Supper
this
must be
said first of all
not magic but, so to speak, an "illustrated word of
God," given in order that we might not merely hear the message of divine grace, but also see the
more
clearly.
This
is all
and perceive
it
it
that happens; but of course
this "all" is the inexhaustible miracle of divine reconciliation.
Bread and wine are distributed in the Lord's Supper.
We
are to eat and drink, which
receive that
wine are
by which
we
signs, symbols.
The
the spiritual drink of life
Bread of thirst."
Life.
He
live.
is
means
But
this
spiritual
that
we
bread and
bread of
life
Christ himself. "I
that believeth
on
are to
me
am
this
and the
shall never
This "he that believeth" in the utterance of
Jesus is a great mystery;
it is
likewise the great mystery
of the Lord's act in giving us the Sacrament of his Supper. This holy act give us His
Word,
is
a means which
God employs
to
Jesus Christ; to strengthen and.
OUR FAITH nourish that faith with which alone
God
we
receive Christ.
and the deacons, does
then, not simply the pastor
something in the Lord's Supper. Not simply bread and
wine but Christ himself
present in the Sacrament.
is
Indeed, Christ the Bread of Life, and not simply natural is
bread,
to be eaten.
speak His eat
it
Word
eaten,
and
to us,
As
in faith.
It is
a miracle that
physically,
should
and that we should receive and
surely as simple natural bread is
this natural
bread
is
and remains bread, so the
surely something else is also eaten Christ, the
God
Bread of
Life.
Both
the other spiritually.
Word
of God,
really eaten, the
The
one
soul is just as real
body and must, with equal reality, be nourished. But as the soul is invisible, it must be nourished with
as the
Christ
invisible bread.
wheat bread It is
is
is
the Bread of the soul, just as
the nourishment of the body.
no mere chance that we use bread and wine
m
Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper the
the Sacrament.
night before his crucifixion.
He
broke the bread as a
symbol for his body which was to be broken on the following morning. blood. death."
The It is
So, too, the
wine to
signify his
Lord's Supper "proclaims" the "Lord's
a narrative, but more than that, for
transmits at the
same time the
it
significance of this death.
-136-
THE LORD'S SUPPER When
a
and for
man
his loved ones is that
Jesus' death
he
is
God
something that
whole world. The death of Jesus It is this
faith
your
God would
life, if
by faith you, the
Christ's
does to help the
the atoning act of
life.
say to us that this
you in faith partake of him. By
you are united with the
eternal life
The
whereby we receive eternal
In the Lord's Supper is
is
present.
death.
death which the Lord's Supper pro-
claims, this perishing
death
no longer
is
however, no such human
is,
death of Jesus
God.
o his death for him
dies, the significance
sinner,
crucified
come
comes to you. By
and
to the Cross
faith
is
and
this
you receive what
and he takes upon himself what
inconceivable exchange
risen Christ;
is
the grace of
is
yours. This
God
in Jesus
Christ.
You
receive this grace through God's
Word, be
it
through the word the preacher proclaims from the pulpit,
or by what the Lord's Supper says to you of God's
grace.
It
wants to
can also see believe
One
it,
tell
you that! So to
better understand
it,
tell it that
and more
you
certainly
it.
thing more. It
Supper that
we
is just
by
this act of the Lord's
are told clearly that
we
can have God's
salvation only in fellowship; not each one for himself
-137-
X OUR FAITH The
alone.
Lord's Supper
is
We
an act of fellowship.
are not only to be united with Christ, but also with our
"One body whose head is Christ." When one body, each member thinks and suffers for
fellow men. there
is
the other.
Whoever goes away from
the Lord's Supper
without the love of the brethren being awakened in him, has received nothing; he was present in vain, for is
we
by our love to the brethren that
prove
it
we have
fellowship with Christ.
32.
The
Christian faith
faiths in that it shall
come
knows
THE FUTURE is
that
His people
to
distinguished
is
first
hails
for the
hand."
The whole long
prayer,
"Even
so,
is
all
other
coming. That
the great theme of the
word of the
Testament; and the
Him, "Repent
God
from
New
God Old
Testament
Kingdom of Heaven
is at
record closes with the beautiful
Come, Lord Jesus!" The proclama-
coming reign of God is the Gospel, and the assurance of future salvation and eternal completion is
tion of the
the Christian faith.
The
great
human sorrow
lessness reigns
wherever
is
hopelessness,
men do
not
know
and hope-
that
God
is
coming, for hopelessness muses, the world cannot be
-138-
THE FUTURE To be
helped and I cannot be helped.
do
sure people
hope, but they hope only for the "improvement" which
comes with development. One hopes
in the "healthy
kernel" the "good forces operative in us" and the
Such hope
own
our
is
no
real
potencies,
hope. If
we must rely
on the powers
solely
like.
upon
latent in the world,
Development of our own strength or release of the energies of the universe cannot redeem us
we
are lost.
from the corruption are to rely solely
and
that death
upon
ourselves,
the world, then everything
still
sin signify.
what
is
in us
we
If
and in
ends in one great bank-
ruptcy.
The
Bible tells us
The world
resources.
You
we is
are not thrown
upon our own
not "closed" but open to God.
are not isolated, but open in God's direction; or
rather,
world.
God relieves your isolation. God breaks into
He
the
breaks open the dungeon to release the
them to the light of languishing prisoners and bring day.
He
comes to His corrupt creation to restore
original goodness
and
to perfect
When we hear arise, How does this
it.
God comes
to
its
you
to save you!
that proclamation
two
questions
happen, and
how
does
one know
it is
so?
Both questions have one answer,
Jesus Christ. Because
we know
-139-
Jesus Christ,
we know
OUR FAITH meant by the coming o God, the new redemp-
what
is
tion.
And
this
because
redemption
is
we know
Jesus Christ
really true.
We
"The
have seen
of something
was manifested and we
and bear witness, and shew unto you that
it,
eternal life,
life
that
are 'not speaking of
theories or of heartening thoughts, but
that has occurred.
we know
which was with the Father, and was mani-
fested unto us."
God we
has already come. "The
beheld His glory."
Word
became
Jesus Christ has
flesh
become
and real
and in him the great new thing has come, a
history,
thing that the world does not have, and that you do not
from God,
life
possess
forgives us our sin
With
new
is
Jesus
now
all
and heals our
in the
diseases.
God by
faith, the
life in
the
Holy
peace of
are the members,
Spirit.
There is
is
now
a
the head and
men
not holy
and by themselves, but made holy by
lowship with him.
that
head and members united with
one another, a "communion of saints" in themselves
God
communion with God
Church of Christ in which he himself
men
that
world that was not previously here,
understanding, life in
and man, a
God
came the Kingdom of God. Something
fellowship with passes
love, the love of
The Kingdom 140
of
fel-
God actually exists
THE FUTURE wherever living faith and living love grows out of com-
munion with God. This
and
new
man
God
life in
precious,
power,
any
new
new
this
will,
new
is
something
is
a
new
creature, old things
are passed away; behold all things are
new
the old
life.
glory of
life
new
fellowship with one another. "If
be in Christ, he
This
infinitely great
joy, certainly of God, this
become new."
does not obliterate, but must abide in
Hence
God and
it is
new
a hidden
the reign of
God
life, just
as the
in Jesus Christ
were
concealed under the humiliation of a Cross and the
form of a it
The new
servant.
struggles out of the old.
light is
in process of becoming,
As a
new
Christ-life, itself so clear
yet shine through "the old
yet appear
remain
clear strong shaft of
broken and diffused in passing through a dark
glass, so the
must
is
what we
shall be."
sinners, those
Adam."
We
who have
and
"It
all are,
strong,
doth not
and indeed
fellowship with God.
We sigh under the burden of our own imperfection, we shamed again and again by the corruption the old Adam ever holds between us and the new life. We long are
for perfection, but also that death
Adam,
is
we know that we must die, and know simply the judgment upon the old
the old nature
we
ever carry about with us,
-141-
The
OUR FAITH Kingdom of God has not
yet
come
in
its
fulness.
What we
therefore look into the future, God's future.
already have
just the
is
what will come
pledge of what
to come.
is
not "something" but
is
We
He
But
Himself.
Without the prospect of the future there remains only Illusions that delude us about the
illusion or despair. frailty
of our present possessions, despair that shuts out
the hope for the future.
Faith
not merely an uncer-
is
tain longing,
an
open window
to the future, the glad assurance of that
which
is
indefinite expectation,
promised us in
tian nature
which
is
born of God;
33.
What
is
own little
coming?
lives
we
Such
Christ.
it
is
but the soul's
the true Chris-
"waits
upon God."
AFTERWARD?
We are not prophets.
Even for our
cannot, with any degree of certainty,
prognosticate one day ahead. It
is
probable that so and
so will occur tomorrow, but all
out quite
differently.
we
On
one matter only
may turn are we real
can predict with utter certainty that death
And die,
in spite of our certain yet,
prophets, is
knowledge that we must
the thought plays a very small role in our
avoid this thought,
it is
coming.
life.
We
painful, indeed, fearful to us.
142
'AFTERWARD? For death means
all is over; if there is
then every column zero.
in this life adds
Death means
we
we
we make
for which
nothing.
Death
destruction.
same result
we
create, the
that everything
purposes for which strive,
up
nothing more,
to the
struggle, the ends after
all that finally destroys all;
Do
not say that
men who That
is
wonder
To
follow us.
that
we is
for
who
follow.
die with those dying
All paths lead into
the fearful geography of this
evade
swifter
all will ultimately
is, is fit
high purposes and
all
noble ends will continue to live in those
Say rather that
are at last
all
sacrifices
which
the grave. It is
life.
no
avoid this thought.
not finally to escape, for
and stronger than our
this
evasion.
thought
The
death accompanies us secretly in everything leave undone, everything
we
think or say.
quiet undertone that penetrates all says is true of every one
life.
is
fear of
we do It is
What
or
the
Christ
the courageous and the un-
concerned, the cowardly and the careful, "In the world
ye shall have tribulation." different form.
To
each one
it
comes in a
We live like business men, who
certain bankruptcy but
do not dare think of
it,
foresee
do not
any longer balance books, make no attempt to save themselves. Fate must ultimately overtake us; so let us
-143-
OUR FAITH make
we
of our days well as
shift
Afterward
can!
comes the end! Is
death really the end? Is
Death, nothingness,
And
imagine.
know
is
this is
then really senseless?
life
the most senseless thing
we
can
indeed the final
But
we
result.
that in a religious, assuredly in a Christian book,
we must power of
expect to read a denial of the total destructive death,
But do we
and that there
really believe it?
indeed an eternal
is
And is it so
life.
Can one
sure?
know something certain about the matter? Death is that "undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveller returns." So, then,
what we have
are not certainties but
may be way we
only beautiful comforting auto-suggestions that true, that
may be
naturally think?
doubt. life
Isn't this the
quite false.
That we do so think
And many
because
is
we
have the idea that doubt belongs to
and cannot be helped, that
it
belongs even to the
Christian life.
But the truth this
doubt
we
is
that so long as
we
are in
are not yet Christians.
eternal life is to dismiss the promises of
obedient to the
Word
own understanding and cient guarantee,
bondage
to
For to doubt
God,
to
be
dis-
of God, to put our trust in our senses.
we want
God's Word
something more
-144-
not
suffi-
certain.
But
is
AFTERWARD? this desire for is
Word
doubt, crass, naked doubt; crass, naked paganism;
crass,
naked Godlessness.
The Word Jesus Christ it
something more certain than God's
upon
God
of
came
us. "I
to
is
the message of eternal
show us
eternal life
and
to
life.
bestow
am the resurrection and the Life. He that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
and whosoever
That
liveth
and believeth in
me
shall never
message. Whosoever
is
not sure
of this in his faith should not think that he
is
a Chris-
die."
is Christ's
tian.
Can one
"believe" such a thing?
One
can, of course,
mere words give no help. Doubt under the same roof with this "faith";
say the words, but the
continues to live this "faith"
has no power, for
terror of death.
Hence the Lord
in me, hath eternal life." is
it
does not overcome our
says,
"He that believeth
So believing in
not merely "believing" but
life itself!
Christ, then,
Eternal life!
Eternal life begins where fellowship with Christ begins,
and when
this begins,
doubt disappears. Because Christ doubt must disappear. Christ
comes into a man's
life,
and doubt cannot
exist together.
overcome doubt, Christ alone can the fear of death.
And by
Christ alone can really free us
from
doing that he makes us
-145-
joy-
OUR FAITH men. "In the world ye
ful
be of good cheer, for as
shall
have
have overcome the world."
I
but
tribulation,
It is
though he said to you, "If you are alone you are
But
afraid.
beside you."
one this
solitary
I
have overcome your fear by standing
Upon some mountain peaks there is only path and he who will not climb through
narrow place cannot reach the summit and must fall
to his death. Christ.
life
So, too, there is only
He who
falls into the abyss.
from doubt, from
But he who
world," says Schiller. test this statement,
life
God
finds this
way
and from death
is
saved,
itself.
THE LAST JUDGMENT
history of the
judgment of
him by misses the goal and
tribulation
34.
"The
passes
one way to eternal
world
The
is
the judgment of the
Bible not only does not con-
but repeatedly confirms
it.
That the
prevails in history, as well as in the
of the individual,
is
the meaning of the stories of
the Flood and the tower of Babel, in which
God judges
in catastrophe the blasphemous deeds of
men. They
how God
steps into history with
His storms and
those moments of upheavals to shatter
human madness
relate
in
which self-drunken
The
men
raise their towers to heaven.
Bible teaches us to observe
146
how "he
that soweth to
THE LAST JUDGMENT the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption."
us
how
shows
"righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin
reproach to any people," and that this
and
It
is
is
a
true of great
small, of the life of the Nations as of individuals.
These are indeed judgments, but they are not "The Judgment." These judgments have been or are being completed in
history, they are
but preludes to "The
Judgment," which has not yet come. These judgments give us a preview, as
"We
must
all
Christ; that every
it
were of the Last Judgment.
appear before the Judgment seat of
one may receive the things done in
his body, according to that
good or bad." "God
he hath done, whether
will render to every
ing to his deeds: to them
who by patient
man
it
be
accord-
continuance in
well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: but unto
them
that are contentious,
and do
not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation
and wrath."
It is
no Jewish
but the Apostle through fully proclaimed the
One
moralist
whom God
who
tells
us that,
has most power-
message of His forgiving love.
scarcely hears a
sermon any more about The
Judgment. Perhaps in former times there was too much
and too rash preaching on desire to drive
men
this subject,
into the
147
motivated by a
Kingdom of Heaven by
OUR FAITH fear.
fear,
No
one enters into the Kingdom of Heaven by
and the man who
do God's will out of fear
tries to
He
simply does not do God's will. will
who
and
relies
loves
God
with
and
all his heart,
wholly upon His mercy, but
must constantly take refuge
We need
we
and not go
the message of the
just because
it,
Him
trusts
just because
in God's mercy,
we need
our independent way,
Judgment.
alone can do God's
we
learn
from
it
to
"bring forth fruits meet for repentance." Every man, believer or unbeliever ought to
the Judgment
when
rate the sheep
say unto
that at last
comes
the Shepherd of Nations will sepa-
from the
them on His
Father, inherit the
my
know
"Then
goats.
right hand,
shall the
Come, ye blessed of
Kingdom prepared
the foundation of the world."
King
"Then
for
shall
you from
He
say also
unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting
angels." These
fire,
prepared for the devil and his
words are not an opinion, they are the
Lord's words (Matt. 25) us,
.
So
God
speaks to each one of
and whether or not we want to hear
Him
is
not a
matter of choice or speculation.
The message of is
the
Judgment informs us that Gpd
to be taken seriously, that
It tells
us that
God
is
God
will not be mocked.
not only the loving Father, but 148
THE LAST JUDGMENT also the righteous Lord,
who
desires that
His command-
ments find obedience.
"We ment
must
all," says Paul,
seat of Christ
and must
be saved?" the troubled
"With men
"appear before the Judgtestify."
then can
asked their Lord.
disciples
impossible, but with
it is
"Who
God
all
things are
he gave answer.
possible,"
Therefore the message of the Cross of Christ us, that
it
might show us
all things are possible.
mean, as
the mercy of
is
given
God with whom
This message, however, does not
has often been interpreted, that the Judg-
it
ment no longer means anything Christ, but rather that
to
him who
believes in
he alone survives the Judgment
new man through
who
has become a
who
has "passed from death to life" and hence belongs
among
those
who
"by patient continuance in well-doing
seek for eternal life."
good
trees, that
We
ourselves.
that
no one
is
faith in Christ,
God
bear good
know
this
alone knows which are the fruit.
much
We men can
deceive
for certain, however,
a "good tree" that rests upon his
own
righteousness.
We understand what the Bible tells us about forgiveness only
when we
Judgment.
take seriously what
Only then do we
really
it
says about the
know what
the
OUR FAITH Scriptures
mean by
"repent and be baptized in the
of the Lord Jesus," for tains us
on
then only
that day.
this
it is
say, "I
that saith unto
alone that sus-
But the Lord Jesus can help us
when he knows us
not have to
name
know ye
to be his own, and does
not."
"For not every one
me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom
of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of
which
in heaven."
is
remain."
make us
It
This word, too,
my
Father
we must
"let
belongs to the word of Judgment, not to
afraid, but to drive us to repentance, that
might really become those who "are His" by
and
name
faith,
we
hope,
love.
35.
ON
LIFE
ETERNAL
Of ourselves we know only that all things die! What our eyes see and experience daily perfect.
we
When we
shudder.
is
that there is nothing
look about on this great universe,
In the midst of infinite space, with
millions of suns that arise
and grow old in millions
upon millions of years, what does this little mean? In the midst of the
its
earth-history
history of man, where races
stream forth as from an inexhaustible spring into visible life
and then disappear again
of stardom
what
is
after a
few
short centuries
the meaning of your insignificant
150
ON life
with
meaning to
universe to us. Yes, says the all these
ETERNAL
seventy, or "by reason of strength" eighty
its
years? Is there any
of
LIFE
suns and races
is
at all?
it
Word of God, thy Creator.
dous starry world that frightens you world. This racial
with
life
not real
life, this is all
another
life,
No,
its
is
says the
the Creator
The
tremen-
not the real
waxing and waning
only on the surface. Beyond
that longs to break forth.
It
all in
Eternal life
that
lif e
dane, perfect, not earthly, true
not an unending con-
life, divine,
life,
imagine
is
but
not mun-
not corrupt half-life.
We cannot form a conception of eternal life. we
will
would perhaps be Hell
a quite different
is
it
the Resurrection. This other
life is Eternal life. Eternal life is
tinuance of this
it is
has broken
forth once in Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, and
break forth for us
is
What
ever simply of the earth, temporal,
worldly.
Nor could we know anything about our eternal
life if it
had not appeared
realize that
ask what
we were
is,
created for the eternal
is this eternal life?
thinking about
answer
in Jesus Christ. In
it if
What
we can have no
"It is life with
God,
love
itself.
It is
a
life
life. is
If
we
there in
conception of
it?
the
m God, -from God; life
in perfect fellowship." Therefore is
sense
him we
it is
a life in love,
it
without the nature of death and
-151-
OUR FAITH No
fear.
fear,
one enters into the Kingdom of Heaven by
and the man who
tries to
do God's will out of fear
He
simply does not do God's will. will
who
and
relies
loves
God
with
and
all his heart,
wholly upon His mercy, but
must constantly take refuge
We need
in
it,
just
trusts
Him
just because
we
God's mercy, and not go
we need
our independent way,
Judgment.
alone can do God's
the message of the
because
we
learn
from
it
to
"bring forth fruits meet for repentance." Every man, believer or unbeliever ought to
the Judgment
when
rate the sheep
know
that at last
comes
the Shepherd of Nations will sepa-
from the
"Then
goats.
shall the
King
say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of Father, inherit the
my
Kingdom prepared
the foundation of the world."
unto them on the into everlasting
"Then
for you
shall
He
from
say also
left
hand, Depart from me, ye cursed,
fire,
prepared for the devil and his
words are not an opinion, they are the Lord's words (Matt. 25) So God speaks to each one of
angels." These
.
and whether or not
us,
we want
to hear
Him
is
not a
matter of choice or speculation.
The message of is
the
Judgment informs us that God
to be taken seriously, that
It tells
us that
God
is
God
will not be mocked.
not only the loving Father, but 148
THE L4ST JUDGMENT also the righteous Lord,
who
desires that
His command-
ments find obedience,
"We must ment
all," says Paul,
seat of Christ
and must
be saved?" the troubled
"With men
it is
"appear before the Judgtestify."
disciples
impossible, but with
"Who
then can
asked their Lord.
God
all
things are
he gave answer.
possible,"
Therefore the message of the Cross of Christ us, that it
might show us
all things are possible.
mean, as
the mercy of
is
given
God with whom
This message, however, does not
has often been interpreted, that the Judg-
it
ment no longer means anything Christ, but rather that
to
him who
believes in
he alone survives the Judgment
who
has become a
who
has "passed from death to life" and hence belongs
among
those
who
new man through
"by patient continuance in well-doing
seek for eternal life."
good
trees, that
We
ourselves.
that
no one
is
faith in Christ,
God
bear good
know
this
alone knows which are the fruit.
much
We men can
deceive
for certain, however,
a "good tree" that rests upon his
own
righteousness.
We understand what the Bible tells us about forgiveness only
when we
Judgment.
take seriously
Only then do we
-149-
what
really
it
says about the
know what
the
OUR FAITH Scriptures
mean by
"repent and be baptized in the
of the Lord Jesus," for tains us
on
then only
that day.
alone that sus-
But the Lord Jesus can help us
when he knows us
not have to say, "I
name
this
it is
know
to be his own, and does
ye not." "For not every one
that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, will enter the
of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of
which
in heaven."
is
remain."
make us
It
This word, too,
Kingdom
my
Father
we must
"let
belongs to the word of Judgment, not to
afraid, but to drive us to repentance, that
might really become those who "are His" by
and
name
faith,
we
hope,
love.
35.
ON
LIFE
ETERNAL
Of ourselves we know only that all things die! What our eyes see and experience daily perfect.
we
When we
shudder.
is
that there is nothing
look about on this great universe,
In the midst of infinite space, with
millions of suns that arise
its
and grow old in millions
upon millions of years, what does this little earth-history mean? In the midst of the history of man, where races stream forth as from an inexhaustible spring into visible life
and then disappear again
of stardom
what
is
after a
few
short centuries
the meaning of your insignificant
-150-
ON life
with
meaning to
universe to us. Yes, says the all these
ETERNAL
seventy, or "by reason of strength" eighty
its
years? Is there any
of
LIFE
suns and races
is
at all?
it
Word of God, thy Creator.
dous starry world that frightens you world. This racial life with
not real
life, this is all
another
life,
is
says the
No,
the Creator
The
tremen-
not the real
waxing and waning
its
only on the surface. Beyond
that longs to break forth.
It
all in
life is Eternal life.
Eternal life
Eternal life
is
dane, perfect, not earthly, true
not an unending con-
divine, not
life,
life,
not corrupt
imagine
worldly.
is
but
mun-
half-life.
We cannot form a conception of eternal life. we
will
would perhaps be Hell
a quite different
is
it
the Resurrection. This other
break forth for us
that
it is
has broken
forth once in Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, and
tinuance of this life
is
What
ever simply of the earth, temporal,
Nor could we know anything about our eternal
life if it
Christ.
In him
we
realize
eternal life. If
we
had not appeared in Jesus that we were created for the
ask what
is this eternal life?
thinking about
answer
is,
it if
What
we can have no
"It is life with
God,
m
in perfect fellowship." Therefore is
love
itself.
It is
sense
is
there in
conception of
it?
the
God, -from God;
life
it is
a life in love,
it
a life without the nature of death and
-151-
OUR FAITH of
hence without sorrow, pain, anxiety,
sin,
care, misery.
To know this suffices to make one rejoice in eternal If there
were no eternal
life, this life
of time would
be without meaning, goal, or purpose, without cance, without seriousness
and without
life.
signifi-
joy. It
would be
itself
nothing.
nothing, for
what ends
That our
does not end in nothing, but that eternal
life
life
awaits us
came
is
in nothing,
is
the glad message of Jesus Christ.
He
to give us this promise as a light in this dark
world.
A Christian is a man who has become certain of
eternal life through Jesus Christ.
What
is
the meaning of life? There are
swers to this question. honor, progress, culture, swer.
If that is all life
answer at nothing.
all,
The
means power, possessions, etc. That is not the true an-
means then our answer
true answer
Such
is
that the
is its
you win eternal
win
life,
eternal life?
eternal life?"
meaning of
seriousness.
how have
is
life.
The
The
it?
"Master, what must
How I
this
stakes
dice are
your dice fallen?
or do you lose
no
things end in
all these
are high, the loss or gain of eternal cast for a great prize
an-
It
because surely
life is eternal life.
many
Do
does one
do to
inherit
That question was answered, "Keep the
commandments!" ".What must
I
-152-
do to be saved?" That
ON
ETERNAL
LIFE
question
was answered, "Believe on the Lord
Christ!"
Which answer is correct? Both mean
a child of
A
How a man can become
become a child of God!
thing
God
has been the theme of this whole book.
God
child of
Jesus
the same
is,
as the Scripture says, an heir of
eternal life.
Death ends day.
ence.
Some
the
end
year? It
means
all is over.
so certainly? In the last analysis
When this question arises find out whether
the assurance that
makes no
But
differ-
faith says:
and
realize his will
we do
tant for us.
Our
and to
we
even
no more dominion over
it
not arise?
can really believe. Faith truly revealed
is
His will to us
in this love
life. it
is
How he will is
unimpor-
to live in this faith, to be
now
and when
that
not a supposition?
not know, the "how"
inner meaning of eternal faith in Christ,
is it
this will is eternal life.
business
live
Can one know
and why should
God has
in Jesus Christ,
joyful,
shall all die
eternal life.
Is it certain that faith is right?
we
We
this earth.
day! Even the whole race will one day die.
faith that
is
on
Tomorrow? Next
some
Without
all life
which
is
the
Eternal life begins by
has begun death can have
us.
-153-
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
8 854 950
BT83 .B853
Our faith
1166019
I
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