Wednesday, May 18, 2011

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more!-- Horatio Spafford


"... the devil accuses and terrifies our conscience to drive it to desperation. For he is the father of lying, and the enemy of Christian liberty; therefore he torments us every moment with false fears, that when our conscience has lost this Christian liberty, it should always dread, feeling itself accused and terrified. When that great dragon, that old serpent and devil comes and lays to your charge that you have not only done no good, but have also transgressed the law of God, say to him: You trouble me with the remembrance of my sins past; you also put me in mind that I have done no good; but this is nothing to me: for either I trusted in mine own good deeds, or distrusted because I have done none, Christ should both ways profit me nothing at all. Therefore, whether you lay my sins before me, or my good works, I pass not; but removing both far out of my sight, I rest only in that liberty wherein Christ has made me free. I know Him to be profitable to me; therefore, I will not make Him unprofitable, which I should do, if either I should presume to purchase myself favor and everlasting life by my good deeds, or should despair of my salvation because of my sins.

Wherefore let us learn with all diligence to separate Christ far from all works, good as well as evil; from all laws both of God and man, and from all troubled consciences: for with all these Christ has nothing to do. ...if Christ appear in the likeness of an angry judge or lawgiver that requires an account of our life past, then let us assure ourselves that it is not Christ, but a raging fiend. For the Scripture paints out Christ to be our reconciler, out advocate and comforter. Such a one He is and ever shall be; He cannot be unlike Himself.

[So] We must take good heed therefore lest that we, being deceived with the infinite subtleties of Satan, receive an accuser and condemner instead of a Comforter and Savior, and so lose the true Christ and make Him unprofitable unto us." -Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians


"It is Finished!"

Thank You Lord. You are too marvelous for me. I fail You every day; every hour, and yet You made life precious to me, because You died for me. This is what stirs my heart and mind to live for You. Give me grace for grace dear Jesus, my Savior and God. I long to see Your name honored and made famous. Amen.

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