11TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY-3
Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-10
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. Amen.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus.
In Matthew 24 Christ says of the time shortly before the Last Day: "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or, there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Vv.23.24.
If we compare the present condition of the Church with this we must admit that Christ's prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes.
True, up to the present time Christendom has been growing steadily; under all the zones of heaven, amongst all peoples and tongues of the earth there are now confessors of the Crucified and bearers of his name; everywhere the cry resounds: Behold, here, before, there, is Christ. But at no time was Christendom, as far as the bond of love is concerned, outwardly so split and torn, and inwardly so fallen in the faith as ours. No longer is there a Church spread over the earth, bound by one faith and one confession as in the first centuries of which one could say: Behold, that is Christ's Church, that is the kingdom of God on earth! Here are the people who will be saved; outside of their Church there is no salvation and now blessedness!
Nowadays Christians are split up into almost countless factions and sects, who oppose each other like hostile armies and fight; and even within these individual factions which have the Christian name there is now almost no more unity of faith and confession. There are almost as many confessions as there are chancels and preachers, almost as many faiths as so-called Christians; and there is almost no article of faith about which even Christians are not at variance in their teaching. However, the most tragic thing is that nowadays they know how to present and whitewash false doctrines with such cunning that they have the most wonderful Christian semblance. In his time Luther lamented in song:
With Fraud which they themselves invent
Thy truth they have confounded;
Their hearts are not with one consent
On Thy pure doctrine grounded.
While they parade with outward show,
They lead the people to and fro,
In error's maze astounded. (260,2)
We must now echo him in song during this even incomparably greater confusion of faith.
360 11th Sunday after Trinity-3
Now my friends, is it, therefore, really possible in these times, to know who is right and be preserved from being misled? Should an unlearned man who has no time to study books every day be in a position to separate truth from error, examine everything and keep what is good? Certainly one would think that everyone would accept the truth rather than error. However, do not even the wisest and most learned men now disagree, so that the one considers and calls that the truth which another deems and attacks as error? If even the wisest and most learned people cannot find their way, is one not to think that, therefore, an unlearned could discover the truth even less?
True, so it seems; and sad to say, there are only too many who suppose that it is absolutely impossible to say with certainty who is right and who is not. But eternal praise and thanks be to God! It only seems so. True, the prevailing errors nowadays are many; true, they are presented and defended as the truth with great vigor; true, the whole Christian Church today seems to be a huge maze; true, the danger of being entangled in error and being lost is great as Christ has so clearly predicted of the last times; but with this tragic prophecy Christ has at the same time given comfort. He says: "Insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Mt 24:24. " If it were possible," says the Lord. It, therefore, is not possible. God has taken care that every person can find the truth; no seduction can be so cunning and no error so plausible but that even the simplest Christian can be preserved against it. Not only does Solomon say: "He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous," Prov 2,7 but also Isaiah predicts particularly of the times of the New Testament: "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein." Is 35:8. And Christ himself says: "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Jn 8:12.
Now what must a Christian do so that i n spite of all the good appearance of errors which emerge he is not misled and lost? The answer to this question so important mainly for our times we find in the Epistle of this Sunday. Let us then hear it; but first, let us in silent prayer call upon him who is the very truth for his light and assistance.
The text. 1 Corinthians 15:1-10.
In order to understand the real purpose of the words of our text, it is necessary, my friends, to look at the words following our text. There the apostle continues thus: "Now if Christ b e preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?" V.12. We see from this: In the Corinthian congregation there were a few who has fallen into the serious and ruinous error, that there is no resurrection of the dead. Therefore, the words of our text contain the apostolic direction on how to deal with this and all similar errors. Permit me today to answer the question:
WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN TO DO SO THAT HE IS NOT MISLED AND LOST BY THE ATTRACTIONS OF NEW ERRORS?
On the basis of out text I answer:
1. Above All He Must Hold Fast To The Fundamental Truths Of The Gospel Which He Already Knows;
2. He must Always Cling To The Clear Letter Of Holy Scripture;
3. He Must Strengthen His Faith Through The Testimony Of Teachers Proven As Teaching The Truth, and finally,
4. In deepest Humility He Must Despair Of His Own Worthiness And Wisdom.
Lord our God, you have let us be born in a time when the dangers of losing your truth and falling into ruinous errors threaten us on every hand. How ever, your holy Word is a light which gives light at all times for finding and going the true way. Then cause this light to shine upon us in this hour and do you yourself show us the way of which you say: "This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left," is 30:21; and then by your power help us to remain on it until we come where we shall sec you, the Sun of truth, and be blessed in your light. Amen.
I.
As we have seen, our today's Epistle was written first of all to the Corinthians, in order to save them from the error arising at that time amongst them, the error that there is no resurrection of the dead. What does the apostle do? He writes: " Moreover brethren. I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if he keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." Vv.1-4.
Thus the apostle first of all reminds the Corinthians of certain fundamental truths of the Gospel, which they had already known as irrefutable truths,and upon which they until this hour had placed all their comfort and hope, namely, the truth that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and on the third day rose again. The apostle means to say: My dear Corinthians, it needs not much proof to make it clear to you that it is a great error to deny the resurrection of the dead. Simply think of what you already know and believe; this stands firmly for you as Christians beyond any doubt, namely, that Christ died, was buried, and rose again; then you will immediately perceive that those who deny the resurrection of the dead are miserable deceivers; for if they were right, the whole Christian faith, hence also your faith, your comfort, your hope, would be vain.
My friends, we see from this not only Paul's great wisdom and how mighty he was in reprimanding his opponents; but from this we derive this important rule: If a Christian does not want to be misled by the errors which a rise and be lost, it is not only necessary that he be a very learned or an unusually keen-minded fellow, who can see through and resolve all false conclusions; no, as long as he holds faithfully and firmly to the fundamental truths of the Gospel already known to him, he will certainly be preserved from all dangerous errors, no matter how pleasingly they are adorned.
Yes, my friends, so it is; the whole Christian religion is like a huge chain which reaches from earth to heaven and unites both. All the separate Christian teachings are the links in this chain. Remove one of these links and the entire chain is torn; the connection between heaven and earth is broken. The whole Christian religion is like an amazing artistic edifice erected by God in which one stone supports the other. If only one stone is removed, or a false stone put in its place, the entire edifice trembles and is liable to collapse. All the parts of the Christian faith are as closely connected as the members of the body. That is also why they are called articles of faith, that is, parts of
the faith. If only one such part is broken, the whole body is immediately aware of it. Therefore, if a Christian understands only the simplest Catechism truths, he dare cling only to them nor let them be taken from him at any price; he will also soon detect every error or not accept it and take it into his heart.
This must also be added: There are certain doctrines, which as it were, are the mark of the entire Christian revelation, the real roots from which the thousand-branched tree of Christian doctrine grows forth, the true heart of the Gospel from which all the rays of divine truth shine forth, and this mark, these roots, this heart are not the doctrines which only the very learned can penetrate, but they are those well-known truths, which every well-instructed school child knows. He who clings firmly to these has, therefore, as it were, the thread with which he himself can find his way in the dark mazes of these last times and get out again.
Let me give you an example. Every Catechism pupil knows that Christ is our only Savior; therefore, all of the teachings of the Romanists according to which one can receive salvation by his works must be false. Every Catechism pupil knows that God is almighty and with him nothing is impossible; hence all the teachings of the Reformed which they have accepted contrary to the Word of the Bible, because the one or the other doctrine is not possible, must be false. Every Catechism pupil knows that God is holy; hence the Calvinistic teaching that God himself has committed sinful acts, e.g.. the fall of man, the hardening of Pharaoh, must be false. Every Catechism pupil knows that God loves the whole world and wants its salvation; hence the Calvinistic teaching, that God has even from eternity destined and created many to damnation must be false. Every Catechism pupil knows that every person in this life is and remains a sinner; hence the Methodist teaching of perfect holiness even in this life must be false. Every Catechism pupil knows that in this world the Church of Christ is and remains not a kingdom of this world but a kingdom of the cross; hence the teaching of the Chiliasts of a thousand-year kingdom of joy and peace must be false; and so forth.
I therefore repeat: My dear Christian, cling firmly to the fundamental truths of the Gospel which you already know, and you will be preserved in spite of the deceiving qualities of new errors.
II.
We continue. The second rule is this: The Christian should always remain with the clear letter of Holy Writ.
Paul teaches this also in our Epistle by his example. There the apostle reminds the Corinthians not only of the fundamental truths of the Gospel which they had already known and accepted, but he secondly also reminds them that he presented everything " according to the Scriptures." He writes in verses 3 and 4: " For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES."
There are such sly deceivers who, because they know that Christians will not let certain basic truths be taken from them at any price, in a deceitful way often try to prove their errors by these very basic truths. When, e.g.. in the fourth century the heretic Arius arose and wanted to contest the divinity of Christ, he appealed chiefly to the point that all Christians believe only in one God. Again, when 300 years ago Zwingli in Switzerland arose and wanted to over
throw the doctrine of Christ's presence in the Lord's Supper, he appealed chiefly to the point that all Christians believe that Christ has ascended into heaven and would not come again until Judgment Day. Finally, when 300 years ago the Anabaptists also arose and wanted to destroy the baptism of infants, they appealed chiefly to the point that according to the teaching of all orthodox Christians, if baptism is to have salutary effect, faith is necessary. These false teachers used these very basic truths of the Gospel to support their errors and to convince simple Christians.
How can Christians guard themselves against these Arian, Zwinglian, and Anabaptist heresies? and how did many millions actually guard themselves against them? They replied to the Arians: True, we cling firmly to the article of faith that there is only one God; but what is written? Is it not also written: "Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever"? Rom 9:5. Is it not also written: "All men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father"? Jn 5:23. "I and my Father are one "? Jn 10:30. "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father"? Jn 14: 9. Hence it is true that according to the Scripture God is one God in essence; but at the same time according to the same Scriptures triune in person.
Moreover, 300 years ago the Lutheran said to the Zwinglians: True, we cling firmly to Christ's ascension; but what is written? Is it not also written: "This is my body, this is my blood"? Must we not, therefore, believe both, Christ's ascension and his presence in the Sacrament?
And finally to the Anabaptists they testified: True, we cling firmly to the doctrine that Baptism saves only him who believes; but what is written? Is it not also clearly written in the Scriptures, that children also believe? Does not Christ say in clear words, placing a child at his side: "Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea"? Mt 18:6. Must we not, therefore, believe both, the necessity of faith in Baptism and the legitimacy of the baptism of children?
See, my friends, "It is written!" is the second sword which is given Christians to combat every error. If a Christian lets this sword be wrested from hi3 hands, then of course, he is surrendered to every wind of doctrine and deception of men, even if he thinks he holds firmly to the basic truths of the Gospel. If in all things, which are presented to him as the truth, he also asks: "What is written?" and stand firmly on the clear words of Scripture without wavering, he stands upon a rock which no wisdom of man can overthrow and upon which he can wave his banner of victory even if the world sinks beneath him. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away," says Christ. Mt 24:35. And David exclaims: " The word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done in truth." Ps 33:4.
III.
In our Epistle the apostle refers to a third way of preserving his Corinthians from the error that there is no resurrection of the dead. He calls upon the human witnesses of the Lord's resurrection, that the Resurrected " was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of about 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that he was seen of James, then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as one born out of due time." Vv. 5-8.
We see from this, that if a Christian does not want to be deceived by new errors and be lost, he must thirdly not despise the testimony of teachers
proven as teaching the truth but must seek to strengthen his faith through them.
Of course it is true: That faith based on the testimonies of man is built upon sand, and if they were the most pious and enlightened who ever lived. Psalm 62 says expressly: "Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie." V.9. The Prophet Jeremiah writes: "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord." Jer 17:5. But, my friends, it is not to no purpose that the Lord from time to time gives his Church men of most unusual gifts of grace and office, of shining piety, of heroic faith, of penetrating understanding, of deepest knowledge, of the richest experience, of almost irresistible eloquence, and the like. Of course, we should not base our faith upon such men, but they have been given to us weak mortals to lean upon, and if we are in danger of falling and perhaps have already stumbled to raise us up again. Their authority should not be the reason for believing something, but it should serve to strengthen our faith. For example, that Christ was no longer dead but had risen and lives, the Corinthians did not believe because men had told it to them, but because they detected the living Christ in their hearts; however, the testimony of the apostle and a great host of brethren of having seen the Resurrected with their own eyes must have mightily strengthened their faith. That is why Paul also reminds them of these human witnesses.
Therefore, my friends, we also during these last perplexing times should not despise this glorious means of strengthening our faith against the pressing stream of opinion and error. If a new error arises, the first question must be: "What is written? how readest thou?" What does God's Word say on this point? However, if we have recognized the error from God's Word, then we should also turn to the writings, e.g.,of Luther and his faithful pupils, but above all the confessional writings of our orthodox Church and hear also their testimony. Yes, at times it can be good and necessary that first of all we have recourse to these fathers of the faith who have proven their trustworthiness, certainly not to believe something because they say it but because in difficult cases often they alone can give us the key for unlocking Scripture. For all do not have all gifts but they are divided; not everyone, as Paul testifies in Romans 12, has the gift of prophecy, that is, it is not given to everyone to explain Scripture correctly and to convince others of his explanation of the Scriptures. However, he who has this gift has it for the benefit of all, has it for us all. "Whether Paul, or Apollos, all things are yours." 1 Cor 3:22. Therefore, he who does not want to use the great gifts of outstanding servants of God but always wants to stand on his own feet will also be very easily misled into error as a righteous punishment for his contempt of God's gift of his chosen vessels, and perish. For it is not to the individual but only to the Church that the promise is given that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Therefore, he who despises the blessing and the treasures of the Church will also not experience the fulfilment of that promise.
IV.
This leads me to the fourth and final thing which a Christian must have, if he does not want to be deceived by new errors and be lost; he must in the deepest humility despair of his own worthiness and wisdom.
True, in our text, the apostle does not expressly exhort the Corinthians i n this point, but he clearly enough intimates it, when in deepest humility he at the close speaks of himself, calling himself " one born out of due time." and adds: " For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an
apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." Vv.9. 10
As we said, here the apostle intimates that in order not to lose the truth or fall into error the deepest and purest humility is necessary indeed.
And so it is my friends. As an old teacher of the Church wrote correctly, pride is the mother of all heresies. Errors are almost always accepted by a person without him knowing that they are errors. But if he is proud and haughty, he will not give up the error even if it is proven to him, in order not to bear the inevitable disgrace that once he erred, and then he finally becomes a stiff-necked heretic. That's the way it went with the arch-heretic Arius and almost all who caused all kinds of unrest and trouble in the Church by their errors, and finally hurled themselves under God’s wrath and into eternal ruin.
If a Christian is assailed by such proud heretics, it is above all necessary that a Christian himself is not proud and haughty. He who relies upon his own wisdom and shrewdness, who thinks: I know very well what I have to believe; no one will mislead me; no one will dissuade me from my religion, is like a fortress whose gates are already wide open to the foe. The very ones who consider themselves unconquerable, unseducible, and have relied upon and bragged about their great knowledge have often been the first to fall.
No, my friends, to know and remain with the truth, to see through and resist error is not within our own power; "with might of our", also in this point, "can naught be done, soon were our loss effected." Though a person may be ever so learned and clear-sighted, this gives him no security against falling into the worst error. True knowledge of doctrine and a clear perception of error is a gift of God; God must give it by his Holy Spirit; however, God does not give his Holy Spirit to proud but only to humble hearts. For "God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble." 1 Pet 5:5.
Well, then, my dear hearers, what is written in Revelation 3: "The hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth," v.10 has now come to pass. The errors prevailing now are so strong, that if it were possible even the elect might be misled into error. If you do not want to perish during this great danger, follow the four apostolic rules: First, cling firmly to the basic truths of the Gospel which you already know; second, at all times remain with the clear letter of Scripture; third, strengthen your faith through the testimony of teachers proven trustworthy; and fourth, in deepest humility despair of all your worthiness and wisdom; then no one will prevent you from reaching your goal; then, though it may grow constantly darker and darker in Christendom, you will walk in light; you will remain on the right road, and finally when your hours comes, you will be able to exclaim with the apostle: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 1 have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." 2 Tim 4:7.8. May Jesus Christ, the King of truth and grace, grant this to us all. Amen.