Delivered on the epistle, Revelation 12:7-12, on Michaelmas (29th Sept.) 1544.
The sermon is preceded by the text of the epistle, Revelation 12:7-12, which differs in some verses from Luther's usual translation, namely: v. 9: "And the great dragon, that old serpent, which is called the devil and Satan, was cast out, which deceiveth the whole world." V. 10.: "because he is rejected that accuseth them." V. 11: "of their testimony."
(1) Although this text does not particularly rhyme with the sermon on the holy angels, we will stick to it because it has been read on this day since ancient times, and it is good to speak of it.
(2) But that he may be understood, it must be known above all things that the Scripture uses the word "angels" in two ways, or speaks of two kinds of angels. First, of those who are called holy, heavenly spirits, without flesh and blood, completely pure without all sin and infirmity, with whom there is no strife, discord, or strife, and who, as long as the world has stood, for five thousand and five hundred years, have been beholding God's face in heaven without ceasing. As the Scriptures also call them "spirits", Hebr. 1, 7. and Ps. 104,4.: "You make your angels - or messengers - winds and your servants flames of fire" etc. [Judg. 13,20. Luc. 2, 15. Cap. 24, 4.] As they also appeared to the fathers in the Scriptures, when they went up to heaven as a fire from them. Item, at the birth of Christ and in His resurrection at the tomb with great glorious clarity appeared, and without doubt the angel Gabriel of Mary the Virgin, and the angels who served Christ in the wilderness, when He fasted forty days, are thus seen, Matth. 4, 11; 28, 2.
(3) Just as the devils were created as such spirits and, like the same nature, were also first without sin; without which they did not remain obedient to God, nor blessed, but are His enemies and are condemned to hell, to which they are, as St. Peter, 2 Ep. 2, 4, says, "kept with chains of darkness until the day of judgment.
But this text does not actually talk about these angels.
(4) Secondly, Scripture also calls angels having flesh and blood, and Christ, the Son of God, Himself: for it is about Him that it is chiefly concerned. And to this belongs especially the article, if we believe that Jesus Christ our Lord is both true God and man, which is the only foundation of the whole Christian doctrine and of our salvation, on which all that is said of God, angels, heaven, hell, death and life depends and lies. That whoever does not believe this article, or does not let it go to his heart, is not helped by what he hears or reads about God and divine things; and should neither know nor understand anything about it, even if he reads the Bible. And he is advised to leave the Scriptures and not be sworn to this book, and in the meantime read or study something else for it. For this book alone teaches this Son of God, whom the Father has born from eternity and sent into the world to become our flesh and blood from the seed of David out of the womb of the Virgin Mary.
5 Whoever does not sincerely believe this, I say, and above all things on earth has it pleasing, comforting, joyful and pleasurable, will never be taught in the Scriptures; indeed, he does not understand the whole creature, and it would be better for him if he had not heard of the Scriptures. "I am the light of the world," says Christ, Jn. 8:12. This is the reason for learning and believing in all things, that the Son of God has certainly become man, that is, our blood and flesh, and has so exalted our nature above all other creatures.
6) Here I remember an old story, preserved in the papacy and told - I do not know if it is true - that the devil was once in the church among the multitude at the office of the mass, when in the confession of faith, so called the pa-
When the custom came down from time immemorial that at these words the whole church commonly fell on its knees, and the schoolmaster exhorted the pupils and the congregation with a stick, he (the devil) saw one standing among the crowd, stubborn and gnarled like a tree, and struck him on the neck. If God," he said, "had given us the grace to make him a spirit or a man for our sake, we would be blessed; and you do not honor him with a bend of the knee, because he has so highly honored and graced you? If this had happened, or had been invented by good men, it would have indicated that it is a cursed and more than devilish pride that we are such disgraceful people, and that we have so little regard for this article, which is our highest treasure and honor.
7 Because God the Father has made such a glorious wedding for His only Son, whom He especially loves, as the Gospel Matth. 22, 2. and appointed the kingdom in which he is to be king and lord while the world stands; not that the Father or the Holy Spirit is thereby excluded, but that he, the Son, is to bear the name in the kingdom, and is to be called the kingdom of the Son of God, and the holy church is to be his dear bride; and has arranged such a wedding in his own person by becoming man, turning his blood to us, and having the gospel preached, giving the Holy Spirit etc.
(8) Now this is also called the kingdom of heaven, as Christ himself calls it, not only in it are the blessed spirits and angels who do not have flesh and blood, to which we also shall finally come and rejoice with them forever; but also in this life and among the
*) The Nicene Creed was sung in the old church in every Sunday liturgy. The priest intoned: Credo in unum Deum (I believe in One God) and the congregation or choir continued: Patrem omnipotentem (the Father Almighty) and so on to the end; hence the name Untrem.
D. Red.
people. For this distinction is made between the two kingdoms, the Father's and the Son's, as St. Paul, 1 Cor. 15, 25, says that Christ, the Son of God, must rule and reign until His future, putting all His enemies under His feet; after which the end, says St. Paul, v. 27, 28, when He will hand over the kingdom of God to the Father. Here he calls it two different kingdoms, and yet it is one kingdom. One, by which he reigns in this life, since he pulls a cover over our eyes, so that we do not see him, but must believe. The other, because we no longer believe, but will see before our eyes; otherwise it is and will be entirely one thing: what we now preach and believe, we will then presently see.
(9) For preaching and believing must cease, and the covering be taken off; so that then we may be eternally blessed with the dear angels of the divine sight, which we have here in hearing and believing alone. Therefore, out of this kingdom, which is a kingdom of word and faith, there will be another kingdom, when we will no longer hear and believe, but will see God the Father and Christ before our eyes, as Christ, Matth. 18, 10, says that now "the dear angels always behold the face of His Father in heaven. But now we must let our eyes be blinded, and by faith and word alone lead and guide us; and yet all who are baptized and believe that the Son of God is like us and became man are ready for the same kingdom of heaven.
(10) So both are one kingdom, and yet are called two kingdoms, because in this life they are not yet clearly and brightly revealed to the eyes, but are only heard with the ears and believed in the heart. And so Christ's kingdom, which the Father commanded him to rule in his humanity on earth through the gospel, is called the kingdom of heaven or God's kingdom; as he commands his apostles and disciples when he sends them out and says: "Go and preach" that they repent, "for the kingdom of heaven is at the door" etc., Matth. 10, 7; and thus the apostles bring such a kingdom to us.
11. how do they bring it? I don't see any of it. And how should I grasp it? Well, how
You hear them preach that you should be baptized and believe in the Son of God, who became man and died for you. Then you are already undoubtedly in the kingdom of heaven, and there is no lack of it, unless you wait until he visibly comes to you. Then you will have to say: "Behold, I have been in heaven so long since I was baptized, and I did not know it without hearing it preached and having a little faith; now I see that it has already happened and been accomplished.
12. Just as both are one kingdom, here of faith and there of seeing; just as both the Father and Christ the Son are one God and Lord, without the Father but the Son having taken on human nature, born of a virgin: So also the holy angels are both in heaven before the face of God, and also with us in the kingdom of Christ his Son, who is also their Lord and Creator, and they his servant creatures; knowing that Christianity is the dear bride of their Lord, who, together with them, shall have eternal joy and glory with God the Father and Son. That is why St. Peter says here, 1 Ep. 1, 12, that such a thing is preached to us, "which even the angels desire to behold." This is the very thing, he says, that you hear and believe, which the angels delight to behold. And again, what they behold without ceasing, this you hear and believe. What is this? Nothing else, but that in the eternal heavenly being there is one true God, and yet three persons; among whom God's Son became man and died for us, and now reigns at the right hand of the Father, sanctifying and sanctifying His Christians through the Holy Spirit etc. That therefore there is no difference between us and them, without the cover which they do not have, which, when it is taken away, we also will be like them; as Christ, Matth. 22, 30, says: "in the resurrection they will not - as in this life - be free nor let themselves be free etc., but will be like the angels of God." For they will also see the very things that the angels now see; but here we still remain in concealment, that is, in the kingdom of heaven of His Son, or in the kingdom of faith.
This text also speaks of this kingdom of Christ on earth when it says: "There was a great controversy in heaven" etc. Just as the whole book of the Revelation of John speaks of the church of Christ on earth and its servants. Therefore, what is said here of the strife in heaven must also take place here on earth with the visible church, and such strife must not be understood of the spirits in heaven, but of the strife of Christians who are in Christ's kingdom by faith. For you must not believe that the devil is in heaven among the blessed angels, for he fell out soon after the beginning of the world, and after him also the human race fell from paradise. Therefore, in the invisible heavenly being there can be no devil, no serpent, and no strife. Although some teachers, perhaps from this text, have said that in the beginning, before the devil was cast out of heaven and Adam was brought into sin, the holy angels had a battle with the others, because the highest spirit, Satan, sat down against the Son of God, stood for his glory and wanted to be like him and make an addition to him; but just above him he was cast out of heaven, so that he never came there again. But here it is said that a controversy arose in heaven, where we Christians are, in the realm of faith and word. For there can be no strife nor strife, but there is joy and blessedness in the sight and sight of that which is preached among us and believed by us.
But how do you come here, you wretched devil, into the heaven of the Son of God - for you can no longer come to the blessed angels - which he has established through the word of the gospel and the Holy Spirit, so that we may also come into that eternal, to see and possess. What controversy arises here, that he must still defend himself against the evil spirit, who has already been eternally cast out of heaven and the company of the holy angels? Because there one may not look for him any more. But here on earth one finds him unfortunately all too much, since anyway his hostel, yes, his kingdom and his kingdom are already gone.
Christ himself calls him a "prince of the world", John 14:30. And yet God's Son, as the Lord and Creator, among the great multitude of the human race, whom the devil has fallen into sin and imprisoned therein, has also gathered a little company for him from the foundation of the world, which is to be his own kingdom, given to him by the Father; and for this reason he has come from heaven into our flesh and blood, that he might bring us into that eternal kingdom of his Father. For this reason war and strife have begun and have continued from the beginning, as the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and the entire history of the church show, and never cease, without at one time being greater and fiercer, at another smaller, between pure and false teachers and preachers.
15 Now in this battle are two great warlords, and the rulers of the field, saith the text, whose names are Michael and the great dragon, Revelation 12:3, whom he also before called the red dragon. And each of them has an army called his angels. They do battle and meet with each other, but in such a way that the dragon and his angels are not victorious, but are defeated and thrown out. He interprets this himself, that the dragon is called "the old serpent, the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world". Of this he said that he fights in heaven against this Michael and his angels. And now he says that he deceives the whole world on earth. How does that rhyme together? Yes, soon after he says how this same warlord, Michael, "angels have overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and have not loved their lives unto death" etc. These cannot be the heavenly spirits, who have no blood, nor can they die, nor do they testify and preach verbally in the congregation, nor are they redeemed by the Lamb etc., but these are the angels who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Christ, and believe in him. These are only we humans.
16 These contend with the devil, who deceives the world; and here is no other war, but against his deceiving men.
on earth. Therefore also this battle is not done with armor, sword, spear, guns and bodily or human power; but only by the word: as he also says that they keep the victory "by the word of their testimony" etc. By this testimony, that is, by preaching and confessing the word, they beat the devil out of heaven, since the devil wants to mingle with them and overthrow them again from their blessedness, there of seeing and here of believing.
17 The prince of this war, whom he calls Michael, is and can be no other, neither our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. For although Michael is otherwise also the name of an angel, Dan. 10, 21, which he calls "one of the noblest princes," here it is not such a personal name, as each man is distinguished from the other by his name, nor a creaturely name, but of the Lord and Creator Himself, who alone bears this name. For it is actually called, and if it is to be properly understood, nothing else than "like God". This is a name that belongs to no one without the Majesty, as the Scripture often says: Quis sicut Dominus? Quis similis Domino inter filios Dei?. (Who is like the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the children of God?) and yet is a person's name, which is called "like God", not as the angels and men are also called children of God, but, quidam sicut Deus, so the Hebrew Michael actually reads, "a special one who is like God", or perfectly like God; as the Scriptures otherwise call him a unified divine image, Col. 1, 15: "Who is the image of the invisible God," that is, like God the Father in all things, and yet invisible to us; and Heb. 1, 3: "He is the brightness of His glory and the image of His being," etc.; as Daniel, Cap. 3, 25, when King Nebuchadnezzar saw one of the three men in the fiery furnace as if he were the Son of God.
18. for he also showed himself to the holy fathers and let himself be seen as an angel, especially to Abraham and Jacob, Gen. 18, 2. 33, 24. 28. and therefore now and then also bears the name of the angel of God, namely because he is sent by God; but
But such an angel, who is like God, that is, the Lord of all creatures and creator himself. Such is none of the others, who are therefore called angels, because they, like us humans, were created by God from nothing. It is he, says John here, who contends with the dragon, the devil and Satan, in his kingdom of heaven, that is, in his Christianity.
19 Therefore, behold what we have to learn and comfort ourselves here, that we may know that we who are baptized are truly blessed and seated in the kingdom of heaven, where the Son of God Himself reigns; except that here, because we live by faith and not by sight, there is still strife, and the devil is among God's children, as he was in Paradise at first, and there he starts a war against the Word, Sacrament, baptism, and everything that is Christ.
(20) Read, if you will, the history of the war that has been waged in the church from the beginning against all kinds of heresy, and now, in our time, for more than twenty years against our mobs who blaspheme baptism and the sacrament and throw away the oral word, and especially against the great mighty dragon and great angel of the devil, the pope. This is not our war, but Michael's war and strife. Satan, the old serpent, is murderously hostile to him and his whole kingdom, and he is subordinate to destroy it; therefore he must always be at war against him with his little group, but one time harder than the other. As they are now coming together harshly over the faith of Christ, baptism, the sacrament and the gospel. For the devil, especially in these last days, is strangely stirring up new heresies and mobs, for he always wants to possess the kingdom of heaven and be master in Christendom. For he does not ask much about the Turk and the papacy, because they are his beforehand, without him fighting against the church through them; there he wants to sit and rule in the pure, holy temple of God.
(21) Now how shall we do to him? We, especially those who carry God's word, may dare to do so cheerfully and hope for no peace here, but think that we are his men of war who must lie in the field, yes,
We must always be ready for battle, so that where one war ends, another begins quickly. For we are called through Christ and already inscribed - in baptism - among the army that is to fight against the devil under Christ. Therefore Psalm 68:21 calls the apostles and preachers "kings of hosts" and says, "God gives His word with great hosts. That is why he himself is called - Christ-everywhere in the Scriptures the HErr or "God of hosts". And where one finds the name, one may boldly point it to the kingdom of the Son of God; for he is the God who is a prince of war or a right duke, and leads his regiment in battle, not up in heaven among the holy spirits, where there is no need of battle; but here on earth in his church. Yes, he himself is at the head of his warriors, even though he sits at the right hand of the Father, against the enemy, whom no human power or weapons can resist, and he defends them by the word he has given them.
(22) For this alone raises such a controversy that the Christians hear, believe and preach the word of the Lord. The devil cannot and will not suffer this in the world; therefore he opposes it with all his might, both by lies and murder. That is why Christ and his church must resist and fight against the infernal dragon's army, the pope, the Turks, the Jews, and the mobs, so that the faith and confession of Christ may remain pure: that he is the Son of God, born of the Virgin, our Lord and Savior, who redeems and saves us through his blood, as our symbolism and confession says. Satan would like to tear this out of everyone's mouth and heart and seeks it in all kinds of ways, now in baptism, now in the sacrament, now in the text of the Gospel etc., so that he can falsify the faith and deceive people.
(23) Now the angels of the Lord Christ must not feast, nor be slothful, but confidently smite the devil and his host, and win him away by the word of their testimony. For they cannot thrust a spear nor a sword through him; but as he assaults them without weapons and sword by his seduction, otherwise he could not do anything to them.
If you want to be a good warrior of Christ, you must defend yourself freshly and confidently and strike and shoot at the devil again, so that his lies and deceptions are nullified and his kingdom is weakened.
(24) Although the heavenly angels are with us in such a conflict, and are subject to this warlord Christ, where he is and lies in the field; as they also served him when he was born and still lay in the manger and the virgin, his mother, at his arms, and even proclaimed the first sermon from heaven - because no one else could preach this - "To you is born the Savior, Christ the Lord" (Luc. 2:11.).), with which word they also recognize and worship him as their Lord: This work of the battle against the devil and his seduction is said by the people who are Christians, who must themselves stand under the ensign of this Lord by their faith and confession, and are also called his angels, Especially those who stand at the head and teach and instruct others through the word, and so that all, like the dear angels, serve the same Lord and also come to the same blessedness and glory, fight with him and under his name, protection and help, so that they hold fast to the word and testimony.
(25) For here also especially the preachers must do the hardest fighting; as the devil also especially means and attacks them; for he knows, where he takes them away, that the sermon is not heard and the sacraments do not go in the right sense and usage, there also the multitude must soon fall away. But because Christ is at war with us, waging war and keeping order by his word, these angels of his fight well against the devil and his angels: not only those who are devils themselves, of whom he has many with him, as well as Christ has his own, but also false bishops, heretics and mobs. They are also called of the devil
Angels, because he is also their Lord and they are obedient to him and firmly cling to him, as Christ is to his own. As the book of Revelation, or the visions of John, calls both the good bishops and preachers of the gospel, as well as the false deceivers and the beginners of heresies and perversions, angels everywhere.
(26) That there is evil on earth, as the complaint is, also in the church through various troubles, discord and seduction, is no one's fault but that of the wicked devil, who is still in the world; he must have his angels also, who hinder and destroy the gospel, the faith and everything. Such a harmful devil-angel was the heretic Arius in the church at Alexandria, when he shot out his poison and lies, thereby deceiving many from Christ and poisoning almost the whole world by denying this prince Michael and saying that he was not the Son of God by nature or of the same stock and nature as the Father is. Then Christ pretended to be weak and the devil became so strong through this angel of his that almost all bishops and churches were attached to him, except for a few holy bishops, such as Hilarius and Athanasius, who resisted and resisted him, so that this article was nevertheless believed and some pure churches were preserved.
27 Thus this text, as I have said, gives us both the teaching and comfort that Christ, the Son of God, is truly with His church, which has and believes His word, and through it wants to prove His power against the devil, so that it will prevail over the devil and be preserved through its faith and confession, as He says in Matth. 16, 18, "that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church", which stands on this foundation, believes and confesses that He is the Son of the living God. etc. As he has proved so far, that nevertheless the faith and confession of this article remained against all cruel ravings of the devil, both by heretics, Mahomet, Jews and the pope, who also led the people from this article to the devil's obedience, even though he calls Christ the Son of God with his mouth; that nevertheless those who want to hold on to God's word have been preserved by it until now.
28. because besides this comfort we also have
The warning that we do not become safe, as if the devil is far from us. For since we still live in the flesh and blood and have only the Word, and are not yet angels of sight, but only of faith, we must also watch and be warned against this dragon and his heretics and the spirits of the rotten ones. They grow just where we are; yes, they are among us and with us, as St. John's epistle says, "they go out from us," and bring disaster against us, 1 John 2:19. Therefore, do not think that the devil is in hell or beyond Babylon or alone in Turkey and in Rome with the pope and his cardinals and bishops. These he must not contest with doctrine, for he has already caught them by his lies, without plaguing them bodily with war and murder among themselves. But here he wars and contends that he may also pluck out us who are in heaven in Christ.
029 Wherefore he also hath herewith warned and mustered his warriors, saying, Ye are in my host, and under my ensign: but watch and wait for the enemy, and resist his angels: for he is not far from you. If ye do this, there is no need. For we have a Lord, who also has angels and power enough, and is called the Lord of hosts, and the right victor over the dragon, who helps us, yes, fights for us, so that the devil with all his angels must lie down and be cast out. For God's word remains eternal. It may suffer temptation, and the church may have no rest from the enemy; and some may also fall, who let the word be taken from their hearts; but it must still remain, as Christ says, Matth. 16, 18: "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." For it is said, John 16:33, "I have overcome the world." This Ego vici (I have overcome) will and must also remain Lord; for he has the divine power and authority of God and has accepted us as his angels in his kingdom, which is the kingdom of power and authority, of salvation and victory; as this text also says.
30 For as I have said, whosoever can believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is like unto God the Father, and is His eternal essential image, is truly man
and has become like us and has come so close to us that he makes us his angels, and is himself the right archangel and supreme prince who presides over me and contends with me, yes, who baptizes me himself, absolves me, gives his body and blood through the priest's hand and mouth, and adds the Holy Spirit to it; whoever can believe this, what will the devil with his angels and the whole of hell harm or gain from him? For what do I need, if I have the Son of God? and what more shall he do to me, or how can he come nearer to me, but that he has not only become my flesh and blood, but is also now so near to me that he dwells with me, feeds me, baptizes me, teaches me, comforts me, admonishes me, punishes me etc. ? For though we do not see one another, yet I hear these things from him through his word, that he is true God and man, who cleanses me from sins through his baptism, feeds me with his body and blood, absolves me from sins through his absolution. I hear this and it comes into my ears and through my ears into my heart, so that it could not come closer to me.
31 O, whoever could believe this, I say again, and certainly conclude in his heart that our word is not ours, but Christ's; our baptizing Christ's baptism; our absolving and sacramental Christ; he would have to rejoice for at least a day or two. I would gladly believe it myself and preach it in such a way that others would also believe it; but the fact that we do not feel heartfelt joy and pleasure from it is a sign that it does not go to our hearts as it should. This is what the wicked dragon, the old serpent, does, that he resists with all his might, so that it is either not preached or not believed, and people act so shamefully against the holy gospel that the more it is preached, the angrier they become and the weaker our faith is.
(32) Now this is the old devil, who always wars from the beginning to hinder and suppress God's word and kingdom; because he cannot prevent public preaching, he makes people disbelieve or despise it, and brings such trouble and evil examples of one or two among the whole multitude: these are his spears and his pikes.
Guns. Therefore it is called "not with flesh and blood" or human weapons, "but fought with the evil spirits under heaven", as St. Paul says to the Ephesians, Cap. 6, 12. Therefore, whoever wants to be a Christian, let him prepare himself to beware of such devilish arrows and stings, and fight and strike against him manfully and confidently under this great Michael, the Lord Christ.
But when it comes to this, this text says, that Satan is overcome by the Christians' strife and is cast out of the heaven of Christ's kingdom, so often does the joy begin that one gives thanks to God and sings joyfully, "Now salvation, and power, and the kingdom, and the might of our God, his Christ, have become. There he himself puts both together, that the kingdom, the power and the might of God is his Christ, that is, one and the same kingdom, power and might of the Father and of Christ, the Son. But here on earth it becomes Christ's kingdom, when the devil is cast out, that Christ's word is preached and believed purely, and the sacraments are used rightly. Yes, this is the kingdom of His Son in faith, not before God and Christ, for He sees us, and nothing is hidden from Him, but covered from our eyes; but therefore believed, that we also may come to eternal sight, when the time comes for Him to be publicly seen by all creatures.
34 Such joy and singing go on forever in the church, praising and thanking God! Arius lies; Pelagius lies; likewise other devil spirits and mobs, who wanted to push Christ out of heaven and have saddened and disrupted poor Christendom. This praise certainly follows after the strife and battle, where Christianity is purified and the devil's lie is put to shame: as, Praise God! now also goes and is heard; without that, unfortunately, few of them mend and are grateful for it.
35 But let such praise and thanksgiving be to them that overcome by the blood of this Lamb, and love not their lives therefore. Therefore he exhorts to such praise and thanksgiving: Rejoice, you heavens," that is, you Christians who love this Lord.
Kingdom and dwell in His heaven, you have now passed through and gained the victory over the aite dragon; yet not by yourselves, but "by the blood of this Lamb"; that is it and does it.
(36) But by what is it proved that ye have obtained such salvation? "By the word of testimony, that is, by the preaching and confession of Christians, the devil is beaten from heaven. For it is not possible to overcome him, nor to beat him with work sanctity, sour eyes and a good, strict life, as the monks have undertaken; but this lamb of God's blood must rule in the heart, you must believe in him who became man for you and sacrificed himself, and confess this with the mouth and also teach others, that is, to hold firmly to this word and faith. These are the swords and spears that go through the heart of the devil, from which he must flee and give way when the word and faith of the Son of God comes before his eyes. For human power and strength, wisdom and holiness he respects nothing; with these he can also fight through his angels and spirits.
37 There is also an example of a nun who recognized Christ; who, when she was severely challenged by the devil, and he would not leave her, she spoke no more than these words: Christiana sum (I am a Christian); do you hear, devil? I am a Christian. When the devil heard this, he immediately fled from her. If you say such words from your heart, I will be your guarantor; the devil will flee from you as far as he can. For he understands well what is said and what your heart means by it. For to be a Christian means nothing else, neither to be baptized in the blood of the Son of God, to be redeemed from sin and the power of hell by his death and resurrection. And whoever confesses to be a Christian confesses that he certainly believes that the devil has been overcome by this Son of God and must lie under his feet. Why should he be afraid and terrified of him? Yes, he knows and has experienced what murderous spears and weapons these are for him, where faith meets him with the name of Christ and defies him; therefore he cannot remain before it.
38 But it is written that Christians must put their lives on the line over such a victory, as he says, "they have not loved their lives to the point of death. For the faith, preaching and confession of this article must suffer persecution on earth; as Christianity has always suffered from the devil; and still from our enemies, now longer than twenty years, much plague has been inflicted on the poor church, that many have been killed because of it, and the devil would gladly have done much more. Therefore, we must stand firm here and persevere in faith and confession through life and death, until the devil is completely destroyed.
be cast out by the power and victory of this Savior Christ, of whom God promised from the beginning of the Church, Genesis 3:15, that he would crush the serpent's head until he also stopped pricking his heel. This is the purpose of the whole Scripture, and all is to be done for this Son of God, who became man for us and shed his blood, so that he might trample the devil with his infernal army and weapons, sin, death, hell, under our feet, and through his joyful future bring us out of this conflict of faith to eternal security and glory of sight, amen.