"Luther Quotations": #14
"But when God...who was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach Christ among the Gentiles..." (1;16)
It is a very, very common experience for Christians to consistently
leave church feeling guilty, discouraged and overwhelmed by their sins because of the word
that was preached that morning.
What kind of sermon would you have heard
from Paul each week should you be attending his church?
Here Luther paraphrases Paul's comments to the Galatians:
"This is like (PAUL) saying, 'I will not burden the Gentiles
with the Law (THEIR OBLIGATION TO
OBEDIENCE FOR JUSTIFICATION) because I am their apostle and not their lawgiver.
Not once did you Galatians hear me speak of the righteousness of the Law (MERIT) or of
works. My job was to bring you the Gospel. Therefore, you ought to listen to no
teachers of the Law, but the Gospel: not Moses, but the Son of God; not the
righteousness of works (MERIT), but the righteousness of faith (GRACE) must be proclaimed to the
Gentiles. That is the right kind of preaching for Gentiles....
The churches
witness, not only in Damascus, Arabia, Syria, but also in Judea, that I have
preached the same faith (JUSTIFICATION BY CHRIST ALONE) that I once withstood
and persecuted. And they glorified God in me, not because I taught that
circumcision (MERIT) and the Law of Moses (MERIT) should be kept, but for
preaching of faith (CHRIST ALONE) ...' "
This is the gospel!
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