To the community of Penza. 1546.
To the small group of the Christian community in Penza, my beloved brothers, grace and peace in God and our Lord Christ.
If I look at your fall and affliction according to the human way, dearest lords and brethren, I do not know how greater sorrow could befall me, if I have also loved you greatly according to the flesh; But again, if I judge according to the Spirit, I must rejoice greatly that I see the fruit of the gospel follow, as the holy cross or persecution, which is truly the right testimony that you have heard and accepted the true word of God; for "for my name's sake," says Christ, "they will persecute you." Therefore rejoice with me, dearest brethren, who am worthy to know that you have become the true apostles or disciples of Christ, for here is the true testimony, as your Master says, John 16:20: "The world will rejoice, but you will be sorrowful." Behold, my brethren, how they rave, how they rage, and how they walk on their heads for joy, the poor, miserable, blind people; that God should hide a little from you for eternal praise, but from them for destruction, and that they should feast on you for their courage, that ye should abhor the ministry, after which also many of the unbelievers, let alone
of Christians, do not long for anything, "for your sorrow shall be turned into joy, and your joy no one shall take from you. Behold, sorrow is short, joy is long; they rejoice over you with the devil, but with you the angels rejoice with Christ, whom you are being conformed to through the cross. Stand firm and do not grow weary, for your God is with you; now He says in the 91st Psalm, v. 15: Cum ipso sum in tribulatione: "I will be with Him in tribulation"; He carries you in His bosom, as a father carries his child; he who harms you injures the apple of His eye, Zach. 2, 8; he looks after you and cares for you always. Yea, he saith, Isa. 49:15: "Though a mother forget her own child, that she take not heed to him; yet if she forget him, I will not forget thee: for, behold, into mine own hands have I written thee." Such and such abundant promises you have in the Scriptures enough from God, who cannot lie to you, what do you fear the fires of hell, your enemies, who want to ascend heaven at the same time, like smoke, are nevertheless so soon refused by a small wind of divine spirit; can be pressed finely hard, like wax, but must soon melt by the heat of divine sun. Therefore be bold, do not fear them, your life is a knighthood, fight joyfully against them,
1922 L.M, 165TH; 54,236. III. Main st. - 0. of the Father-Our esp. 7. petition. W. X, 2210-2212. 1923
I do not say with loaches and spears, for so some supposed false Christians have now fought, and some hundred thousand of them are slain, but as St. Paul teaches, Eph. 6:14-17.: "Stand, girding your loins with truth, and clothed with the cancer of righteousness, and shod on your feet with the armor of the gospel of peace; but above all, take hold of the shield of faith, with which ye may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one, and take unto you the 'helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." This will teach you patience, which is necessary in all things, as it is written, meekness, kindness toward everyone; "for this is the will of God," says Peter, "that with benevolence you may plug the ignorance of foolish men." Therefore, "do not avenge yourselves," begs and pleads St. Paul, "my beloved, but give place to the wrath of God." For it is written, "vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." "If therefore thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: if thou do this, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." "Let not evil overcome thee, but overcome evil with good." So, dear brothers, Christ our commander and the apostles teach us to fight and defeat our enemies, that is, with patience and benevolence, for we do not know which still belong to them.
For this reason, my dearest children, I ask you to lead a good life, so that your frivolous life will not cause the
The word of God is reviled; which St. Paul also complains of, and St. Peter, 1 Ep. 2, 11, 12: "Dear brethren," he says, "I exhort you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, and lead a good walk among the Gentiles, that they who speak evil of you, as of evildoers, may see your good works and praise God, when the day comes. And soon after: "Be as free men, and not as if you had the liberty to cover wickedness, but as servants of God. Be respectful to everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the King" etc. I worry that many cannot recognize the Gospel as right because of the frivolous life of the evangelicals. Since those who are to be saved are known to God alone, and since among those who persecute you there are many who belong to the word of truth, beware diligently of trouble, and exhort one another to the best.
Dear brethren, you asked me to be diligent for a preacher; so the letters came to me slowly, I would like you to be provided with a righteous, good, faithful shepherd, who would feed you well with Christian food, so that you might be born to eternal life through the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, Rom. 1:16, amen.
Greet all your wives, my beloved sisters in Christ. May the peace of God be with you. Write me again how your Christian community is still doing.