3RD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY (1)
Text: Romans 12:17-21
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.
Since 1817 there has arisen in Germany a new Church, which has taken the beautiful name: "The Evangelical Church". This Church which has also been transplanted here in America and to which several congregations in our city belong is founded upon the principle: If there is agreement in certain of the chief teachings of Christianity, as for example, that the Bible is God's Word, that man has fallen and is in need of redemption, that Christ is God 1 s Son and the Reconciler of the elect, and that one is saved through faith in him, then there should be no dispute over the other articles of faith; let everyone believe what he thinks Is right. They say: Since the days of the Reformation the Protestant Church has been split into the Lutheran and Reformed groups; for a long enough time there has been loveless wrangling over a few important points; the time has finally come when this wrangling should cease and the hand of brotherhood should be extended as long as there is unity in the chief points. The time has come to be in earnest about the song of the angel over the manger of the Savior: "Peace on earth." It must become true.
It surely is true: It can not be deplored enough that shortly after so many thousands of congregations were led out of the Babylonian Captivity of the papacy by the Reformation 300.years ago, they divided into two opposite, warring camps, and that this dreadful rift has not been healed. Not only did that certainly offend countless of the so-called Protestants so that they for that reason lost their faith, their soul, and their salvation; but that also strengthened the papacy anew so that in our days it has risen with new power and threatens to swallow everything up again.
It is also true: In God's Word Christians are urgently admonished to be peaceable and united. In the Sermon on the Mount the Lord expressly says: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God," Mt 5,9; in the Epistle to the Ephesians Paul cries out to Christians: "Endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," Eph 4,3 and again he expressly admonishes Timothy that he charge the preachers "before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit." 2 Tim 2,14. Yes, the author of Hebrews point-blank denies salvation to the quarrelsome when he writes: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Heb 12,14.
But my friends, does it follow that it is right, yes, that it is commanded not to struggle against those, to be at peace and on friendly terms with those, yes, to unite in one church as brethren in the faith with those who clearly deny the truth revealed in God's Word for our salvation and pervert and falsify Holy Writ in many places? Far be it !
As sinful and godless as it is to quarrel over words when there is agreement about the meaning, or to quarrel over uncertain, indifferent, profitless questions, just so sinful and godless is it to be indifferent and not to struggle for precious, certain, divine truths. About such people indifferent in religion the Lord says in Revelation: "I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Rev 3,15.16. Such lukewarm people are more opposed to Christ
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than the known enemies of the truth.
And, tell me, was not the whole life of the prophets and apostles and the Lord himself a continual battle against the falsifications and falsifiers of God 1 s Word? Do not most of the talks of Christ contain warnings against the leaven of the false doctrine of the Pharisees, the Saducees, and the scribes, and reprimands of their falsifications of the true doctrine? Moreover, does not David exclaim in Psalm 94: "Lord, shall the throne of iniquity have fellow ship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?" Ps 94,20.
When false brethren had attacked only the doctrine of Christian liberty, did not Paul write: "To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you"? Gal 2,5. And does not the same apostle write to Titus about a true bishop: "He must be blameless...holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers"? Tit 1,9. Does he not write to Timothy: "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to whole some words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud....From such withdraw thyself"? 1 Tim, 6,3.4.5.
In order that absolutely no false doctrine, no seeming small departure from God’s Word be considered insignificant, does not Paul warn: "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump"? Gal 5,9 and does he not in the same letter pronounce a curse upon the falsifiers of doctrine: "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you that than which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed"? 1,8.
And finally, does not God's Word warn us just as earnestly against false peace as it exhorts us to true peace? Does not the Prophet Ezekiel reprimand the peacemakers without the truth and say: "Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit!... Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar." Ezek 13,2.10. Therefore, does not even Isaiah cry out: "Woe unto them that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Is 5,20.
You see from this: A church which wants to make peace by yielding part of the truth and declaring that false doctrine is just as permissible in the church as the true doctrine, according to God’s Word such a church is a house which consists of whitewashed walls which are neither built of stone nor erected upon a firm foundation; any wind can blow it down, any rain wash it away. Such a church is more dangerous than the most deceitful sect; for at least they recognize it as true that only pure doctrine should be preached in a church; but such a united church rests upon the quicksand that one absolutely can not find and have the truth, to say nothing of having to struggle for it. May God therefore preserve every pious Christian from such a false peace; it is a peace with men -- against God.
Yet my friends, do not suppose that it is not the Christian's holy duty as much as lies in him to live in peace with all men. Our today's Epistle says that this is one of the Christian's duties. Permit me therefore to present that to you now.
Quote the text here: Romans 12, 17-21.
Undoubtedly the words: " If it is possible« as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men," compose the central point of the admonition which this text contains. " If it is possible," says the apostle in our text and thus shows that it is not always possible to live in peace with all men, when peace can be bought only at the expense of the truth. Since we have already heard
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something of this in the introductions permit me to answer the question:
HOW IS THE CHRISTIAN TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH ALL MEN?
On the basis of our text I answer:
1. By Not Considering Himself Wise,
2. By Not Repaying Evil with Evil, and
3. By Providing Things Honest in the Sight of All Men.
Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, you have come into the world to establish peace between heaven and earth, between God and man; you founded a kingdom of peace on earth in which only the children of peace may dwell. You have caused the Gospel of peace through your message of peace to be told to us. Take the spirit of dissension from our hearts and replace it with the spirit of peace, that we may walk together as your disciples in blessed harmony and finally be received into the mansions of eternal peace« Amen ! Amen !
I.
My friends, being peaceably inclined is absolutely necessary as a sign of being a true Christian. N ot only can he not be a true Christian who delights in strife and discord, but also he who does not earnestly long to live in peace and friendship with all men, yes, if the opportunity is offered him to establish peace and friendship again, declines it; his faith is hypocrisy, nothing more than the empty show of a pious life whose power he denies. The moment he is really converted and has come to know the grace of the rebirth in his heart, he will also be filled with the holy desire to act toward his neighbor, and especially his brothers and sisters, as God acted toward him.
Of course, true Christians can not at: times prevent the peace between them and others from being disturbed. David says: "I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” Ps 120,7. Nevertheless, they do everything they can to preserve or to re-establish it again. That is why the apostle says in our text: " If it be possible, AS MUCH AS LIETH IN YOU, live peaceably with all men."
What is at least the Christian to do so as to live in peace with all men? The apostle indicates that/ in our Epistle with the words: “ Be not wise in your own conceits.“ V. 16b.
And that is true; the greatest and most powerful foes, the disturbers of peace and harmony among people is pride in one's wisdom, pride, arrogance, self-conceit, just as wise Solomon writes: "Only by pride cometh contention.” Prov 13,10. If someone imagines that he is especially wise because perhaps many things have turned out well for him, he always is dogmatic and obstinate. Such a person not only likes to hear himself talk, but when he speaks he wants all others, whom he despises as little lights, to be silent; everything should go as he wishes. An example of such people are the false friends who visited and quarreled with Job. Job had to tell them: "No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you." Job 12,2.
Everyone should follow the opinion of such a conceited person; everyone should heed his advice which he considers the best beyond a shadow of doubt, Everyone should yield to him but he will yield to none. Not to consider him right he deems as nothing else but despising and insulting him. If one does not do things as he thinks it should be done, he washes his hands of the affair, or takes part in it only with an inner resentment. Even the entire congregation
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should give in to his conceit; if it does not,, he quits or his heart is no longer with it and its undertakings. Even when he is convinced that he has erred, he will not retract but stubbornly insist upon his opinion.
Wherever such self-conceited people are found, peace and harmony is impossible; their self-will and obstinacy is usually the stone upon which the execution of all joint endeavors are wrecked; either the matter breaks out into an open quarrel or disunion, or the harmony is only on the surface, whilst underneath discord divides the people.
That is why the apostle, even before he admonishes them to live in peace, says to the Christians: " Be not wise in your own conceits." As pride is the real father of all discord, so. humility is the true mother of peace. Whoever in sincere humility does not consider himself wise will not deviate one letter or one hair from that which God's Word says. A person who does not trust his own wisdom, firmly believes that God is the only Wise person and that his Word is divine Wisdom.
But if the business at hand is about affairs which men have to decide and adjust, he will always be ready to hear the opinions of others. He will let himself be easily convinced that he is making a mistake, that another can see farther, and give up his wrong notion. Yes, one who is really humble will gladly admit that he could err even if he can not see that he has and will be glad to sacrifice his most beautiful pet opinions for peace and harmony.
Of a truth, if this word of the apostle: " Be not wise in your own con ceits," would always resound in the hearts of Christians, most of the quarrels and strife would be put aside, and peace and harmony would reign in their midst.
II.
Something else is a part of a Christian's living in peace with all men. He must repay no man evil for evil, for the apostle continues in our text: " Recompense to no man evil for evil."
Sad to say, there are only too many who suppose when the first occasion for discord was not given by them but by another party, and especially when the one who insulted them does not take the first step to seek a reconciliation, it is not their fault if they can not live in peace with him. And if they are taken to task, they tell how it is not through their own but their adversary's sins that the unfriendliness, the hostility has arisen between them; thus they suppose they have also justified their unfriendly disposition, their ill-will, their spiteful speech, and their hostile bearing and deeds.
If they are not Christians, they feel happy when the affairs of their offender do not prosper; they watch for a suitable opportunity when they can repay him the injustice he did them. If they are the kind of Christians who do not watch over themselves, they often, especially if they are again insulted by a Christian, allow the root of bitterness against them to grow up in their hearts from which enough bitter fruits come to light. For the offender, who can hardly discover the reason, things go as they did for Jacob, of whom we read: "And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before." Gen 31,2.
It happens only too often that such careless Christians can no longer pray for their offender and his temporal and spiritual welfare from their hearts; he can no longer honestly rejoice when his offender prospers, nor speak in a friendly manner to him, and do good to him with an honest heart; and this he can do even less if the offender happens to be a Christian. And yet such Christians think that only their offender is at fault for the existing discord.
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But what does the apostle say in our text? " IF IT BE POSSIBLE, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Recompense," therefore, " to no man evil for evil." Learn from this: Even if a person has not given the first occasion for discord, but if he uses the offence which he has suffered at the hands of his neighbor as the excuse for not loving him as before, nor for being friendly in deeds and words as before, yes, even for doing to him again as that person had done to him, that person does NOT do " as much as is possible " to live in peace with all men.
In this connection we must also mention two other thoughts brought out in our text. First ©£ all the apostle says: " Dearly beloved, avenge not your selves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, sai t h the Lord." V« 19.· If a Christian wants to pass for a man of peace in God's eyes, he dare not repay his offender with the least evil, even if the offence was ever so great «ad grievous. Either the offence is not worth the strife, not even worth talking about, or else it merits God's punishment and wrath. In the event that the neighbor’s evil deed deserves God's wrath and punishment, one must give way to God’s wrath, that is, one dare not usurp God's office by taking the least vengeance and thus hinder God, fill his office of punishing, and take vengeance or the evil by himself. A Christian must value peace and harmony so highly that he will suffer considerable harm if he can thereby purchase peace and harmony.
Yet even that Is not enough; the apostle demands still more. He also says: " Therefore in thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst give him drink; for in so doing thou s ha l t heap c oals of fire on his head, Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." V.20.21. If a Christian wishes to pass for a man of peace in G o d’ s eyes, not only dare he not recompense his offender evil for evil, but he must also recompense the evil with good. N ot only dare he not seek for an opportunity to do to his offender as he did to him, but he must also look for a chance to show his offender, that he is not angry with him, as Jacob sought to reconcile Esau by gifts sad actually did so.
The more the offender hates him, the more ardently must the Christian love him. The more morose and sullen the offender is toward him, the friendlier he must show himself toward him. The more that person speaks evil of him, the more he must speak good. And he dare not become tired of heaping coals of fire on the head of his offender, that is, so to overwhelm him with love and benefits that finally he is conquered by the love of the insulted person, moved to give up his wrath, melt his heart, and ia turn come to love the person he offended.
Finally, the Christian must become accustomed to the thought that even Christians, even hi s Christian friends, are not angels, just as he is no angel. He must overlook the wrong which even Christians have done him, allow not even the least ill-will to arise against them, readily pardon them, not doubt their sincere Christianity and friendship, not allow himself to be moved from his brotherly love toward them, but do even more good to them, not become ashamed of them (for that turns all kindness into poison and gall and an abomination in God's eyes), but inspire them to newer and even greater love.
Oh my friends, if all people would do that, yes, if only all Christians would do what they possibly could to live in peace with all men, how peace in all hearts, in the home and families, in cities, in congregations, and particularly in the world would bloom!
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III.
There is one more thing in living in peace with all men, if that is at all possible. The apostle expresses it in the words: " Provide things honest in the sight of all men." V. 17b„ Permit me in the third place to add a few words about this.
From the original text we see that with these last words the apostle wishes to say, that one should take pains to act in such a way that all men must consider your actions honorable, good, praiseworthy.
Not a few, who want to be thoroughly good Christians, suppose that if their conduct is not wrong in itself they do not have to worry what people say and think about it. They think that if they can justify their acts before the judgment seat of their own conscience, they can be completely indifferent as to how men view and judge them. Yes, they believe that of all people a Christian must not ask whether people consider him faithful or unfaithful, zealous or lazy, proud or humble, honest or a hypocrite, Christian or non-Christian, pious or godless. They think that even Paul had the same idea because he said: "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Gal 1,10.
This principle drawn from this exposition is as sinful, unchristian, harmful, and ruinous as it is wrong. All that the apostle means to say is that he will not swerve from God's Word to please men. That otherwise he regulated all his words and deeds according to opinions of people, he himself states when he says: "Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more....To the weak became 1 as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." 1 Cor 9,19.22. We need not say how wicked especially that lack of consideration on the part of many Christians is which disturbs peace and harmony among Christians. How then can there be peace and unity of heart if one is unconcerned that others take offense at us?
Therefore if a Christian wants to live in peace with all men at least as far as he is able to, it is absolutely necessary that, as the apostle says in our text, he be zealous in being honorable in the sight of everyone. He dare not be concerned only that the matter is right in itself, but he must also be diligent in dealing in such a way that everyone else considers it proper. He must avoid not only everything evil but even the appearance of evil. He must not only preserve his Christian liberty in his conscience, but where necessary limit and even renounce it in his daily life for the sake of the weak. In order to please God in his walk of life, he must with Paul in ardent love to his neighbor "please all men in all things," and as he says in another passage: "please his neighbor for his good to edification." In a word, he must in his attitude, expressions, words, and deeds not seek his own but what is his neighbor's. So how do you think it would be if we all as much as lies in us would seek peace with all men and especially among ourselves? That would bring heaven to earth. Well then, let us remember that such peaceableness is not only a beautiful virtue but also a necessary sign of a justified Christian. If anyone does not seek it, I will be silent of his having attained it; whoever is peaceable as long as his flesh is not attacked but gives up peace wherever it can not stand the strain, let him know that he is still a child of God's wrath, and that all unclean spirits still dwell in his heart; wherever just one sin rules, there all sins rule; let him hurry to rescue his unhappy soul, repent, be converted, and become a child of peace; let anyone who is slow in peaceableness become zealous in it; let every zealous Christian allow his light to shine
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brighter before men so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Amen.