9/18/2024 2:04:17 PM
Know Who You Really Are
To know who you really are, you have to look at yourself by faith. In the following quote, Martin Luther reminds us of our new nature through faith in Christ Jesus.
"This is our comfort and confidence. For a good reason we are able to boast with assurance and to say: We are holy people and holy brethren at Wittenberg, Rome, Jerusalem, etc., and wherever Holy Baptism and the Gospel are; and we regard one another in no other light than that of God’s saints. Although we still are sinners and many frailties permanently stay in our flesh and blood, yet if we continue to cling to Christ, remain loyal to His Baptism, and rely on His blood, He covers our sin and impurity and moves God to consider us entirely pure and holy. . . . If we are to confess the Creed aright: “A holy Christian Church,” we must not doubt that we are holy; just as you must not doubt that you are baptized and that Christ shed His blood for you. If you believe this, you must also confess that you are holy; for it is certainly the Holy Spirit who gives you Christ and His holiness and works faith in you. It is true, the Holy Spirit at times allows Christians to err and stumble and allows sin to remain in them. And He does so for the very purpose of keeping us from taking pleasure in ourselves, as if we were holy on our own account. Rather we are to learn what we are and from whom we have our holiness; otherwise we could become too arrogant and presumptuous." (What Luther Says, p. 237)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" -2 Corinthians 5:17
Pastor Aufdemberge
Pastor Kneser
Pastor Wempner
Pastor Zarling