The Gospel Seminar

"Luther Quotation": #3A


"...Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself on behalf of our sins." (1: 4)

There are three strategies the Devil will use to deceive and mislead you regarding your ongoing sin.
One, He will deceive you into thinking your sins are inconsequential, small, slight, insignificant, and few.
Two, He will allow you to see some sin but convince you your goodness over shadows your sins.
Three, He will overwhelm you with the magnitude of your sin and seek to distract  you from seeing    Christ "...who gave himself on behalf of your sins."

Observe (and learn from) Luther here as he preaches the gospel ("..who gave himself on behalf of our sins") to the Devil and himself as a means of defeating Satan and deriving comfort for himself through the truths of the gospel over and above the weight of his sins;

"“Let us equip ourselves against the accusations of Satan with this ('...WHO GAVE HIMSELF ON BEHALF OF OUR SINS...') and similar passages of Holy Scripture. If Satan says, 'Thou shalt be damned,' you tell him: 'No, for I fly to Christ who 'gave Himself for my sins.' In accusing me of being a damnable sinner,Satan, you are cutting your own throat, you are reminding me of God's fatherly goodness toward me, that 'He so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' In calling me a 'sinner', Satan, you really comfort me above measure. (FOR THE TRUTH OF MY SIN CAUSES ME TO FLEE TO JESUS WHO HAS GIVEN HIMSELF SUCCESSFULLY FOR ALL MY SIN)...
With such heavenly cunning we are to meet the devil's craft and put from us the 
memory of sin." (p. 40, 41)

Do you see how Luther was able to turn his discouragement over his sins (and Satan's often accurate accusations) and, through the gospel preached ("...WHO GAVE HIMSELF ON BEHALF OF MY SINS...") and believed in his heart, was able to replace his discouragement with comfort?
Have you learned the skill of preaching the gospel to yourself (and against Satan) at times when you are discouraged and defeated by the magnitude and weight of your sin?

*Christ gave himself in order to take away your sin and judgement forever because you were unable to do it for yourself.
*Christ utterly and completely gave himself for the forgiveness of your sins because you were utterly and completely unable remove but one of your sins.
* You will never ever be worthy. Christ came on your behalf and by "himself" alone has taken away the eternal penalty for your sin.