Friday, May 6, 2011

Five Minutes Daily with Luther - May 6

(Reprinted with permission from Five Minutes Daily with Luther: Daily Lessons from the Writings of Martin Luther, by John Theodore Mueller.)

I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. Galatians 5:10.

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This is as if he would say, I have taught, admonished, and reproved you enough so that you should listen to me: nevertheless, I hope well for you in the Lord. Here some raise a question, whether Paul does well when he says he has a good hope or trust in the Galatians, seeing the Holy Scripture forbids any trust to be put in men. Both faith and love have their trust and belief, but different sorts, on account of the difference between their objects. Faith trusts in God, and therefore it cannot be deceived; love believes men, and therefore is often deceived. Now this faith that springs from love is necessary to this present life, for if one man would not believe and trust another, what sort of life would we live upon earth? The true Christians do sooner believe and give credit through love, than the children of this world do. For faith towards men is a fruit of the Spirit, or of Christian Faith in the godly. In this sense, Paul had a trust in the Galatians, yes, even though they were fallen from his doctrine: but were still in the Lord. That is, so far as the Lord was in them and they in the Lord; in other words, as long as they abode in the truth. But, if they fell away from the truth, seduced by the ministers of Satan, he would trust them no more. Paul has a good hope that they will not receive any other doctrine which shall be contrary to his. But those who were troubling the Galatians would bear their condemnation, no matter how important they were in the eyes of men, for one little point of doctrine is of more value than heaven and earth.
Courage then, for all things must
Work for good, and bless us,
If we but in prayerful trust
To His Son address us.

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