Eph. 4, 22-28.
Therefore, according to the former way of life, put away from yourselves the old man, who is corrupted by lusts in error. But renew yourselves in the spirit of your mind; and put on the new man, which is created after God, in righteousness and holiness. Therefore put away falsehood, and speak the truth, every one to his neighbor, as we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger. Neither pray ye room to the blasphemer. Let him that hath stolen steal no more, but work, and with his hands work some good thing, that he may have to give to the needy.
1. This is another admonition to Christians, that they also follow their faith by good works and a new life; for although they have forgiveness of sins through the tariffs, the old Adam still clings to their flesh, which is always stirred up with evil inclinations and lusts, both to worldly vices and to spiritual ones; If they do not resist them, they lose the faith they have received and the forgiveness of their sins, and become worse than they were before; they begin to despise and persecute God's word, if they are punished by it; even those who like to hear it and value it and intend to live by it, still need daily admonishing and admonishing. So strong and tough is the old skin of the sinful flesh, and the sorrowful
Devil so powerful and mischievous; where he gains a little space, where he can use a claw, he penetrates all the way, and does not let up until he sinks man back into the previous old damned nature of unbelief, contempt of God and disobedience.
2 Therefore the ministry of preaching in the church is not only necessary for the ignorant, whom one should teach, as the simple, unintelligent rabble and the young people; but also for those who know well how they should believe and live, to awaken and admonish them, so that they resist daily, and do not become slothful, nor wearied and weary in the battle they must have on earth with the devil, their own flesh and all vices.
3 For this reason St. Paul also so diligently exhorts his Christians, that
It also seems as if he is doing too much for him, that he is so vehemently impressing this on them everywhere, just as if they were so ignorant that they did not know it themselves, or so careless and forgetful that they did not do it unbidden and unpushed. But he also knows that although Christians have begun to believe, and are in the state in which the fruit of faith is to prove itself, it is therefore not immediately done nor completed; that it is not valid here to say and think: Yes, it is enough that the teaching is given; therefore where the spirit and faith is, there the fruits and good works will follow of themselves. For though the Spirit is there, and, as Christ says, is willing, and also works in them that believe; yet against this also is the flesh, which is weak and slothful, whereunto the devil feeleth not, that he may bring down that same weak flesh by temptation and provocation etc.
4 Therefore, one must not let people go as if one should not exhort or urge them to good living through God's word. No, you must not be negligent and lazy here; for the flesh is already too lazy to obey the Spirit, yes, it is too strong to resist it; as St. Paul said elsewhere, Gal. 5, 17: "The flesh lusts against the Spirit etc. that you do not do what you want." Therefore, God must also do here as a good, diligent steward or ruler, where he has a lazy servant or maidservant, or industrious officials (if they are not otherwise evil or unfaithful), who must not think that this is the end, that he has commanded once or twice what they should do, where he himself does not always lie on their backs and drive them.
5. So it has not yet come to pass with us that our flesh and blood go and leap in vain joys and desire for good works and obedience to God, as the spirit would like and faith instructs; but even if it always drifts and blows with it, it can still hardly carry it away; what would happen if one were to leave such exhortation and drifting standing, and yet go and think (as many safe spirits do): Yes, I myself know well what I should do, have done it.
so many years ago and so often heard, yes, also taught others! etc. I think that if one were silent for a year with preaching and exhortation, we would become worse than no Gentiles are.
Now, this exhortation is in itself easy and well to be understood, because he does exactly what he exhorts everywhere else, about the fruits of faith or Christian walk, without speaking of it in different words in one place and not in another. Here he calls "putting off the old man and putting on the new" or "renewing oneself in the spirit" etc.
7. What he calls the "old man" is now well known, namely, the whole man, as he was born of Adam, after his fall in paradise, blinded by the devil and corrupted in his soul, that he does not have God before his eyes nor does he trust in Him, yes, he does not ask anything about God, he goes without all concern before His judgment; Even though he boasts about God's word and gospel with his mouth, but in fact all things remain as before, without so much that is new, that he has heard something about it, but has just as little fear of God, trust and love as before.
8. such life and character shall not be with you, says St. Paul, it must not remain with this old man, but he must be stripped and put away; for this is just as you were before and was born to you from Adam, not respecting God, not fearing nor trusting nor calling on God; item, that the body also does not live according to God's commandments, is full of fornication, pride and unsated avarice, envy and hatred etc. Such a life and character will not be suffered by a Christian, who then shall be called and truly be another man than he was before, as we shall hear, and therefore also lead a different life.
(9) Therefore a Christian must take care that he does not deceive himself, for in this the true Christians are distinguished from the other hypocritical Christians. For the latter live in such a way that one can feel and notice by their conduct that they have God before their eyes and truly believe the gospel: but these, on the other hand, also show by deed that it is nothing which
they pretend to faith and forgiveness of sin, because no sign is seen in their lives and works that they are somewhat improved and become different from what they were before, adorning themselves only with false appearances and names of the gospel, faith and Christ etc.
010 Wherefore he giveth two things unto the old man, saying, That he corrupteth himself in error after the soul, and in lusts after the body. Thus he paints the old man, that is, every unbelieving man, even though he has the name of a Christian, that he is first of all an erring man, lacking the truth, knowing nothing of the right knowledge and faith of Christ, going without care, taking no heed either of his wrath or of his grace, deceiving himself with his own thoughts and making darkness out of light, thinking that God will not punish him, though he does too much, even adorning and covering his vices with the name of virtue: his pride, avarice, pressing and plaguing the poor, anger, envy must be called, kept his position honestly, strictly regimented, honest and well kept house, cared for his wife and children, Christian zeal and love of justice etc. And Summa, always goes in the dream and false conceit, as if he were a Christian, and yet is nothing behind.
(11) From such error follows the other part, which is lust, as the fruit of unbelief, that such are sure to perish, and all live according to the lust of the flesh, having no desire for good, nor seeking to promote or maintain discipline, honor and virtue, but brazenly throwing their lives into the redoubt, wanting only to do what they desire, and yet being unpunished for it.
(12) This is the doings and nature of the old man, says he, who does nothing but corrupt himself, that is, becomes only the longer the worse, and thus brings upon himself his own condemnation and punishment, both to soul and body; for as he becomes the longer the more unbelieving and hardened, so also the longer the more stingy, hopeful, hateful, unfaithful, and even a shameful and harmful man. This was your former way of life, when you were still all heathens and unbelievers: therefore you must
You must put it away completely and put it far from you, or you will not be able to remain Christians, because it is not possible to believe and boast about the grace of Christ and the forgiveness of sins, and yet want to follow sin and remain in the old, unchristian life and walk of error and corrupt lusts.
But renew yourselves in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new man, created after God, in righteousness and holiness.
13. Just as we are to put off the old man, so he wants us to put on the new one, so that we become more and more new men from day to day; This happens so that first of all, having been delivered from error (or the erroneous thoughts and conceits of the corrupt nature, since we do not know or think rightly of God, neither fear nor believe in Him), we now have right thoughts of Him in our hearts through God's Word, that we fear His wrath against sin, and trust in His grace with right faith, that He will forgive us sin for Christ's sake, and if we call upon Him, also strengthen us against it and give us strength to resist and overcome it, and that such faith will increase and grow in us.
14 This is called, first of all, "being renewed in the spirit of the mind," that is, always increasing and being strengthened in the begun right and certain understanding and clear knowledge of Christ against error and false conceit. Whoever is renewed, he says, is now such a man "who is created according to God, in right or true righteousness and holiness. In the old man there is nothing but error, through which the devil leads him to ruin. But the new man, on the other hand, has the spirit and truth, by which the heart is enlightened, which brings with it righteousness and holiness, so that man follows God's word and has a desire for good godly conduct and life; just as, on the other hand, from error follows a desire and love for sins and all unrighteousness. Such a new man is created according to God, as an image of God; this must be a different man than those who live in error and lust.
For if he is to be God's image, his right divine knowledge, understanding and sense, and also divine life of righteousness and holiness, must also follow in him, as it is in God Himself.
(15) Adam was first created in such an image by God, both true in soul, without all error, in the right knowledge of God and faith, and also holy and pure in body, that is, without impure, unrighteous lusts of avarice, fornication, envy and hatred. And also his children, that is all men, would have remained so from birth, if man had not allowed himself to be seduced by the devil and thus had corrupted himself. But now that Christians have been restored to such a divine image by God's grace and spirit, they should also live in such a way that both the soul or spirit be righteous before God and pleasing to Him in the faith of Christ, and also the body or the whole outward life of man be pure and holy, and so that it be true holiness.
For some also pretend to great holiness and purity, but this is only a false appearance, so that the world is deceived; just as the spiritual sects and monkish saints do, who put their holiness and purity only on outward special ways and self-chosen works; which is called and appears to people to have prayed and fasted in a holy and pure way, abstaining etc., but inwardly they are and remain arrogant, poisonous, stingy, hateful, full of the filth of fleshly lust and evil thoughts; as Christ also says of such Matth. 15, 19. Luc. 16, 15. Just as their righteousness, of which they presume before God, has a semblance, so that they pretend to deserve God's grace for themselves and others, and yet inwardly there is no right thought of God, but unbelief, that is, false and vain presumption or doubting; therefore such righteousness and holiness is not true nor righteous, but vain hypocrisy and lies, not of God nor according to God, but formed according to the lying spirit, the devil.
17) But those who are true Christians were created by God, says St. Paul, through faith in Christ to a new life.
Man, who is like God, truly righteous and holy before Him; as first Adam was finely erected in his heart towards God, and in right joyful confidence, love and desire, and also the body holy and pure, knowing nothing of any evil, unclean or disorderly air, and thus the whole life of man was a beautiful image and mirror in which God Himself shone; Just as the life and being of the holy spirits, the angels, is a divine thing, true knowledge of God, certainty, joy in God, and pure holy thoughts and works according to God's will.
18. But now man has fallen so terribly from such cheerful confidence, security and joy into doubt or false presumption before God, and from pure beautiful obedience into the impure ungodly airs: so we ourselves cannot save nor help ourselves from this, nor will anyone be helped, neither the Christians, who through the faith of Christ begin again to have a cheerful, secure heart towards God, and thus are set in the former state and in the right paradise, since they are one with God, and thus are righteous, that they comfort themselves with His grace, and thus also gain desire and love to live holy according to God's commandment and to resist the ungodly nature and lusts; who begin to taste a little how St. Peter says, God's goodness and kindness, and feel and understand in it what they had in Paradise. Therefore, whoever wants to be a Christian should also strive to be found in such a new man, created according to God, not in blind error and false conceit, but in the true nature of righteousness and holiness before God.
Therefore, put away lies and speak the truth, each one with his neighbor, since we are members one of another etc.
(19) If any man understand not what is the old man, or what is the new man, or what is true righteousness, and what is false righteousness, and what is holiness, let him give an example in one or two pieces, that they may be seen and taken hold of. If all sin is taken in one heap, it is divided into the two pieces,
which are the devil's own work, namely, lying and murder; for by lying he sets up all idolatry, error, false faith and holiness, and among the people unfaithfulness, mischievousness, wickedness etc. And so that after that people are driven against each other to anger, hatred, revenge and murderousness; therefore St. Paul also puts these two pieces together here.
20. Now where one does not deal with another in truth, but falsely and deceives, whether in spiritual or worldly matters (as the world in all its essence does nothing but lie and deceive), there is certainly the old man, and neither righteousness nor holiness, although he adorns himself with great appearances, and cannot be punished by the world; For there one sees no image of God, but only of the devil, that the heart does not trust God nor hold to His truth (otherwise it would also be hostile to lies and falsehood); but considers it delicious that it can cover itself with false appearances, even under God's name, and for the sake of its lust of avarice or self-interest and honor deceives, lies to, deceives and ropes its neighbor, as such devilish lust carries and hounds him.
21 Again, you can see by the contradiction, where there is a new man who speaks the truth and is hostile to lies, not only those high lies against the first table of the Ten Commandments, but also in the other, dealing deceitfully and falsely with no one. 2c, but to mean and act faithfully and brotherly with everyone, as he would have acted with himself, as Christians ought to live among themselves, as members of one body among themselves, as he says here, and having all goods in Christ one and the same etc.
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.
22. half of the sins that the world has learned from the devil, its lord and master, is lying and deceiving, but under the name and appearance of truth; for no one wants to be called a liar, and the devil himself covers all his lies with the name of truth. The other pieces, so now open
More visible and knowable is anger, and the fruits of it. The two are commonly with each other. For as the world lies and deceives for its own profit, so when it sees that one does not do or speak what it would like, or wants its lies to be punished or its profit and desire to be increased, then it begins to rage with anger against God and its neighbor, and seeks to avenge itself and to do harm, but also covers and adorns such things with lies and deceit, claiming that it has great and just cause and right to do so etc.
For this reason St. Paul admonishes the Christians that they, as new men, should also beware of this vice; and to this end he cites a saying from the 4th Psalm, v. 5: "If ye be angry, sin not; speak with your heart upon your couch, and be still". etc. This reads the same as if he allowed to be angry, as St. Paul also repeats to him: "Be angry and do not sin." But he says of it, how it happens in this life, that they are challenged and moved with anger, and so purely does not go away, something runs under at times, as the heart begins to swell; so also the devil hurries and drives to it; for he does not stop, he always wants to press his seal and image into us and make us like him, either by error and lies against faith, or by anger and murder against love and patience. You will feel both of these, especially where you want to be a devout Christian, hold fast to the truth and live rightly toward everyone; there you will experience all kinds of evil deceit and fraud, unfaithfulness, backbiting from those to whom you have done all good; item, obvious violence and injustice from those who should protect you and help you rightly; this will hurt you and move you to anger. Yea, in thine own house, and among thy dear brethren and Christians, thou shalt often see and hear things that vex thee; or again, a word shall escape thee that shall not please them. Nothing else will come of it, it suffers no other way in this life, flesh and blood cannot help it, that it should not feel such movement to anger and impatience, especially when it receives evil for good, so the devil brings it too close to the man, and
deals with it, to light a fire of anger and displeasure between you and your neighbor.
(24) But now is the time, saith he, that thou take heed, and sin not; that is, that thou leave not the bridle to the offence, nor follow the movement of wrath. I know that you may be moved and think that you have just cause to be angry and to take revenge. But beware that you do not do what anger wants. Even if you are hasty and have gone too far, do not continue and do not keep the anger with you, but curb and ward it off, the sooner the better, so that you do not let it take root and carry it with you overnight.
For where he is followed, he does not allow anything right to be done, as St. James Cap. 1, 20 also says; he causes man to fall, so that he sins against God and his neighbor. As the pagans have seen, anger also overtakes reason and never gives good advice. Therefore, the Emperor Theodosio was punished by St. Ambrose after he had had many people killed in Thessalonica out of anger, and he obtained from him that he himself issued a decree that no one should be judged by his order or command until a whole moon had passed since then, so that in the meantime the judgment could be revoked if it had been hasty out of anger.
26] Therefore the Psalm says here: If the wrath stirs you and moves you, do not give it room to proceed and do its will, for in doing so you would surely sin: but go into your closet, discuss and consult with yourselves first, pray an Our Father for it, or speak something good to yourselves from God's Word etc. and suffer yourselves, and trust in God, who will establish your right.
27 This is also what St. Paul means: "Do not let the sun go down on your wrath"; for a Christian does not have to bear wrath, but to quench and subdue it in the first tinder. This belongs to a new man, that he may overcome wrath, lest the devil repel him from the faith he has begun, nor lose what he has received.
For where he follows such irritation of his flesh, he is already again led by error into condemnation of the old man and is no longer powerful himself, follows his own lusts, and yet the lie adorns, and still wants to have the right to be angry and avenge; as the world does, which therefore says: This one does me such great violence and injustice, should I suffer this? I have a right cause, I will not lay my head gently, unless it be paid again; even thereby make their cause unjust both before God and men; as also the proverb saith, He that smiteth again is unjust.
For it is forbidden in both divine and human law that no one should be his own judge; and for this very reason God has appointed authorities and judges to punish injustice on his behalf, which is called (where it is used correctly) not man's, but God's judgment, wrath and punishment. Therefore, whoever reaches into such judgment himself reaches into the mouth of God himself, and does two wrongs and thus deserves double condemnation. But if you want to have justice and seek it, you will not be rewarded if you do it properly, namely, in the place or with those whom God has commanded, you may call upon them and ask for protection: if you are helped, as the judge and the authorities are obliged to do, use it; if not, you must suffer it and command God; as is said elsewhere.
29. summa, it is decided here and set a strange sentence, that whoever does not want to control his anger, and can hold anger longer than one day or overnight, he is not a Christian. Where then will those remain who bear anger and hatred forever, one, two, three, seven, ten years? This is no longer human wrath, but the devil's wrath from hell, which cannot be satisfied nor quenched; but when it flares up, if it could, it would gladly destroy everything in a moment with hellish fire; just as it is not satisfied that it has brought the whole human race to ruin and death, but cannot be satisfied unless it brings all men with it to eternal damnation.
(30) Therefore, a Christian should diligently guard against such vice. God can still be patient with you if your heart swells and anger stirs within you, even though this is also sinful; only that it does not overcome you and overthrow you, but that you strike within yourself and, by remembering God's word and your faith, quench it and let it sink; When thou art alone, or goest to bed, thou shalt say the Lord's Prayer, and ask forgiveness, and confess that God hath forgiven thee much more, and forgiveth thee daily, neither can thy neighbor sin against thee.
Do not pray to the blasphemer. He who has stolen, let him steal no longer, but let him labor, and let him make something good with his hands, that he may have something to give to the needy.
This is what we heard in the next epistle, that a Christian should be careful not to offend anyone with his life, lest God's name be blasphemed. It is a great thing for a Christian to be, as he said, a new man, created after God, and a righteous image of God, in whom God Himself wants to shine and shine. Therefore, whatever a Christian does good, or again, does evil (under the name of a Christian), that is enough to honor or disgrace God's name. Wherefore, saith St. Paul, you follow your lusts and do what your old Adam wants, you do nothing but give the blasphemer (the devil and his scales) room and cause for God's name to be blasphemed for your sake; For without this the devil always seeks a cause, and cannot leave it; he must insult the good gospel and God's name with his blasphemies, even if he does it with vain lies; but if he finds a just cause, he can make use of it, and opens his mouth wide: Behold, are these evangelical people? There you can see the fruits of the new teaching; is this their Christ, whom they honor with their lives? etc.
(32) Here a Christian should be extremely cautious and careful, if he does not want to look at anything else, so that he spares the name and honor of his beloved God and Savior Christ, and does not love the devil and give him cause to make his blasphemy against Christ. For how can we stand before him and answer for our sins, if we live in such a way that people must justly complain about us, and we cannot deny it? and thus willingly dishonor and disgrace God's name and word, which should ever be our highest treasure and good.
(33) Saying, Let him that hath stolen steal no more, but work and create with his hands some good thing, that he may have that to give to the needy; etc.There he teaches what is the right fruit of repentance, that it must be ceased and desisted from, or never done evil, but done good; touches and punishes also the common vice in the world, which is full of vain stealing and robbery in all classes; and all are and are called thieves before God, who walk idly, not doing their work, that they may serve and give to their neighbor.
(34) For this is the right interpretation of the commandment: Thou shalt not steal, that is, thou shalt feed thyself with thy own labor, that thou mayest have something of thine own, and mayest also give to the poor. This you owe; and if you do not do so, God will judge you not to be a Christian, but a thief and robber: first, because you walk idly, and do not work yourself, by which you feed, but have taken the blood and sweat of others; second, because you hold out and take from your neighbor what you owe him to give. But where can one find such people who keep the commandment? and where can one look for them without people living there? Now Christians must nevertheless be such people; therefore see to it that each one does not deceive himself, for God will not be deceived nor mocked, Gal. 6:7.