3RD SUNDAY IN LENT (1)
Text: Ephesians 5:1-9.
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In our Savior, dearly beloved hearers.
In a certain respect all sins are alike. Each is a transgression of the divine Law, resisting God's will; each is an insult to the eternal, great, holy God; each is a debt which merits God's temporal and eternal punishment. None are trifles, none excusable in themselves, none without tragic, ruinous results. Therefore Holy Writ tells us: "Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Jas 2,10. "The wages of sin is death," Rom 6,23 and "Sin is a reproach to any people." Prov 14,34. Therefore he who considers only a few sins great, but this or that sin small, insignificant, and meaningless, which is not of very great importance, which one can allow himself, which God overlooks, he does not yet know what sin is; his heart is still spiritually blind; he still lies buried in sin as though in the dark pit of death and corruption.
As it is important for a person to recognize that in a certain respect all sins are alike, so it is just as important to recognize that from another point of view sins are most dissimilar. They are dissimilar as to against what one sins; although all sins insult God, one can also sin particularly against his neighbor, or himself, or even against an irrational creature, even against an inanimate creature. Moreover, sins are dissimilar as regarding with what one sins; therefore they are classified as sins outside the body and to the body; as sins of the heart, the mouth, and the members; or as sins of thoughts, words, and deeds. Moreover, sins are dissimilar as touching the way, how, one sins; therefore, they are classified into sins of commission, omission, and partakers in the sins of others. Moreover, sins are dissimilar as to the reason why one sins; they are therefore classified as original and actual sins; as sins of malice and sins of weakness; as intentional or wilful and dominant sins, sins of weakness in rashness; as knowing and unknowing sins. Moreover, they are dissimilar as touching their seriousness and greatness; therefore they are classified as mistakes, passions, vices, crimes, and sins which cry to heaven. Besides, they are classified into a separate fall into sin and into dominant sins and habitual sins; into pet sins and sins of temperament; gross and fine or subtle; as inner and external; fleshly and spiritual; secret and known sins.
But of all the distinctions which are made between sins, that one is the most important which is made in regard to the state of grace; for there are sins in spite of which a person can have God's grace, and others in connection with which a person necessarily loses God's grace; the first are called venial, the second mortal sins.
This distinction is necessary for this reason: We read in Holy Writ that all men, even the holiest, recognized that they were sinners and bemoaned their sins. If one did not know that there are venial sins, in spite of which the state of grace can exist, or mortal sins, in connection with which the state of grace can not exist, many a one who lives in mortal sins could fabricate this false comfort: All the saints lamented that they were still sinners; hence no matter in which sins one lives he is still in the state of grace.
Oh, how many have deceived themselves concerning their happiness and the salvation of their immortal, dearly bought souls by such thoughts! How many ignorantly suppose that they stood in God's grace, who had lost it long ago!
God's Word is not the fault of this. For we read there that all the pardoned are and remain sinners; and we read that there are sinners who are excluded from grace as well as from the kingdom of heaven. We are warned against two such mortal sins in our today's Epistle. Let us therefore hear this warning with open hearts.
Quote the text here: Ephesians 5:1-9.
My friends, even the Epistle of the previous Sunday had contained an earnest warning against the sins of impurity and greed; today we find the same warning. Last week I therefore purposely spoke of the necessity of sanctification. I have reserved the special warning against these two sins particularly mentioned. Today permit me to answer the question:
WHY SHOULD A CHRISTIAN MOST EARNESTLY GUARD HIMSELF AGAINST THE SINS OF IMPURITY AND GREED?
I answer:
1. Because True Christianity Can Not Exist with These Two Sins, and
2. Because These Sins Necessarily Exclude One from the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
Holy God ! You are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness; the wicked do not stand before you; yes, you are a strong, zealous God who visits the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Oh then fill our hearts with a wholesome fear of all sins; turn those who still serve sin so that they will become holy; those who are sanctified by your Spirit preserve from apostasy; and lead us all into the kingdom of glory. Amen. Amen.
I.
My friends, as we mentioned in the introduction, even the best Christian remains a sinner until death. Hence, there are sins which a person can have and in spite of which he can be a Christian. These are sins of weakness and rashness. Yet those who still sin fulfilly and intentionally, or briefly
stated, live in sins which rule them, can not be Christians; thus for example St. Paul writes: "For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the Law, but under grace." Rom 6,14. David expresses the same thought: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Ps 66,18.
Here, my friends, you have the first reason why a Christian should earnestly guard himself against the sins of impurity and greed. True Christianity can not co-exist with wilful, intentional, and dominant sins.
Of course, countless numbers continue to live in impurity and greed and still suppose they are Christians. They think: Have I not been baptized? do I not have the true Christian faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Do I not say my morning, evening, and table prayers every day? On the Lord's Day do I not go into his house to hear his Word? Do I not partake of the Heal of Reconciliation? Do I not confess my sins and am absolved? Do I not do much good to my neighbor? How can you say I'm not a Christian ?
No matter how many think that way, all who live in the sin of impurity and greed are not Christians; their worship of God is not true, nor are their works good because, flowing from a poisoned source, a sinful heart, they are worthless, yes, an abomination to God. The moment a person wants to become a Christian through Holy Baptism, he must renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways and promise to believe in the Triune God, serve him alone as the only Lord and Covenant God, cling to him, and remain faithful to him until death. If he should serve any sin again, he breaks his baptismal covenant, forsakes the fellowship of God, and surrenders himself to the devil. He is no longer a Christian, and if he would be able to do miracles.
In our text the apostle gives us special reasons why Christianity cannot coexist with sins of " impurity." He says: " Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children." V.l. The apostle means to say: Christians are God's children; the child of a human being is minded like a human being, and if an angel could have a child it would have the disposition of an angel; therefore a child of God will and must also have a divine disposition; it will follow God, imitate God, take after God. Does he follow God who lives in impurity, unchastity, adultery, or fornication? Does he have a divine disposition? Does he show that he takes after God? Is he like God? Anything but that; for God is a God to whom all impurity is an abomination; he is the most pure being; the spirit of impurity and all unchastity is the devil. Therefore he who lives in the sin of impurity is a child of the devil, a blemish, and not a child of God, hence — not a Christian.
The apostle continues: " And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor." V.2. The apostle means to say: Christians have the living faith that Christ, the Son of God sacrificed himself for them on the altar of the cross; through this sacrifice he has reconciled them with God and made them acceptable to God. Christians believe that God has loved them with a love no man or angel can comprehend; they marvel at it through all eternity. If Christians believe in this love with which God has loved them, nothing else is possible but to be filled and aroused by this love.
But whoever lives in " greed ", whoever sets his heart on earthly things to such a degree that he gets more pleasure out of owning gold and silver and other worldly possessions than doing good with them, helping those who are in need with a loan, opening a gentle hand to the poor, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, giving the thirsty drink, refreshing the sick, bringing the homeless into his house, supplying lost souls with the message of the Gospel; whoever in his greed is so hard-hearted that he can enrich himself by the labor and sweat of
the worker, do you mean to tell me that he has a living faith in the inexpressible love of God in Christ toward him and is set on fire by this love?
Indeed not! John writes: "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" 1 Jn 3,17. James calls enriching oneself at the expense of the poor a sin which cries to heaven, a sin which cries to God for punishment because man does not punish it. Are such misers Christians? Indeed not!
The apostle continues and says: " But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks." Vv. 3.4. Here the apostle points chiefly to the fact that Christians are " saints ". Christians are saints in two respects; first, God considers them righteous by grace for Christ's sake, and secondly God himself has entered their heart through faith, their whole body has become a temple of the Holy Spirit, and they are now ever more holy in body and soul.
But do you mean to tell me that they are still temples of the Holy Ghost who live in fleshly impurity, in unchastity, play the fool, and crack unchaste, lascivious jokes? Indeed not! Those people have lost the Holy Spirit long ago; for the Holy Spirit, this pure dove, flees from the stinking pools of unchaste, lecherous, and adulterous hearts. In another passage St. Paul writes: "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which we have of God, and ye are not your own?" 1 Cor 6,18.19. So can he be a Christian who lives in the sin of impurity? No; as certainly as that person is no longer a saint, and as certainly as his body is no more the temple of the Holy Ghost but of the unclean spirit, so certainly is he not a Christian.
We continue. In the following the apostle again attacks the greedy and says: " Who is an idolater." V.5. He means to say: He who is greedy relies more upon his mammon than upon the living God; is more afraid of losing his mammon that God's grace; and is more desirous of increasing and keeping his property than pleasing God. Even if he does not fall down before his lump of gold and say to it as do the heathen: My comfort, my treasure, my God in whom I trust, whom I love above all things, whom I serve night and day, nevertheless he does that in his heart. Even though a greedy person takes part in the public worship, he has fallen from God long ago. And such a person should be a Christian? Absolutely not; he is a so-called baptized heathen.
Finally, the apostle says: " For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light." V.8. The apostle means to say: He who is a Christian walks as in the day, that is, in such a way that everyone can see his walk; he no longer has any need to hide himself with his works, for they are done in God. Yet what else is. the sin of unchastity but works of darkness? Are"they not mostly committed under the cover of night and in dark hiding places? Yes, are not the sins of unchastity so shameful that one must blush merely to speak of them? Do you mean to say that an unchaste, impure person can at the same time be a Christian? Far be it!
If I were to indicate briefly why according to our text Christianity cannot exist alongside sins of impurity and greed, it is this: A Christian is child of God, an unchaste person is a child of the devil; a Christian is kindled by divine love, a greedy person is cold; a Christian is a saint and a temple of the Holy Ghost, an unchaste person is a temple of the spirit of uncleanness; a Christian is a servant of the living God, a greedy person is an
idolater; a Christian is a child of light, an unchaste person is a child of darkness.
II.
The apostle mentions even more reasons why a Christian should guard himself most earnestly against every sin; he continues: " For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inherit a nce in the kingdom of Christ and of God." V.5. The second reason for the warning is this: Because of necessity exclude one from the kingdom of Christ and of God. Permit me to mention a few things about this.
My friends, if we ask what most think of the sins of impurity and greed, we hear and see that they think they are of little consequence. Not only were the heathen so blinded, but in these last times even most within Christendom think that fornication and greed are merely improper but not sinful, godless, and criminal; Not only is " fornication " rampant everywhere, but it has even ceased being a disgrace; it is considered a pardonable weakness; it, and especially impure jokes, are called galantry, and the like.
And as far as " greed " is concerned, even if it is not revealed in sordid stinginess, the world never views it as weakness but strength, an enviable skill at making money. A miser who has become rich by the sweat of the poor or by all sorts of deceitful speculation and business tricks is honored and respected, a man whom all flatter as a man of honor in order to derive some advantage out of him.
If such blindness would be found only among those who knew nothing of God's Word and would not wish to be Christians! Sad to say, even upon the field of the Church this weed sown by the foe flourishes so fearfully, that a faithful servant of the Church could well despair. Make no mistake: Even among those who have joined a Christian group and want to be Christians, not a few secretly live in all manner of impurity and unchastity, in greed and unrighteousness and still imagine they have entered the kingdom of God. They suppose that since they prove in other ways that they are Christians, God will overlook the fact that they are not quite able to suppress one passion; and as far as greed is concerned, they do not even once perceive that they live in this sin. They call greed economy and clever business management, and think that a Christian must be faithful in earthly things, diligent in his calling, and the like; thus they always argue away again the unrest arising from the hearing of the preaching of God's Word.
It makes absolutely no difference how men might think, man is not his own judge; God is; and in his holy Word he already has judged. How does it read? " For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Paul adds the warning: " Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these (these sins) cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them." Vv. 5-7.
This tells us: Fornication and all uncleanness together with greed are not sins which are to be found among Christians, which he can wash away by his daily repentance, and for which he receives forgiveness every day; rather these are sins because of which a person has no part or inheritance either here in Christ's kingdom of grace nor there in God's kingdom of glory. The sentence has fallen, the staff is broken; he who lives in these sins is an abomination before God; here he is under his wrath and in eternity he will not see God but be cast our into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
As truly as God is God and his Word the truth: The eternal fate of such a sinner will be damnation, his eternal dwelling will be in hell. For "blessed," says Christ, "are the pure in heart; for they shall see God. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy." Mt 5,8.7.
Though the sinner may continue to comfort himself by thinking that God will not be as stern and angry as the parson preaches, God will someday prove that he was not joking with his threats but was terribly, fearfully in earnest. When it will be too late, then the unchaste and miserly will get faith. Then they will cry woe upon themselves and curse that sin which here was so sweet.
Hence, let us then be frightened of all sins, especially of the sins of impurity and greed,with our whole heart. And let him, whose conscience speaks and testifies that he has lived in the past in these sins, examine himself; for there is still time to escape the wrath to come.
My dear hearer, if you have lived in one of these sins, do not think: Never to do it is the best repentance. Sure you should stop sinning, but know: No longer committing fornication and adultery, nor being covetous, nor scraping and scratching is not yet that true repentance which God demands from you, if you want to be saved.
Rather you unchaste and greedy remember: Up to now you have fallen away from God completely and have been an abomination in his eyes with all, all your works. You have been a complete stranger to that life which is from God. Since one sin has openly ruled in you, all sins have ruled in you in secret. No true fear of God, nor yet true love of God, nor yet true trust in God, nor has love to your brethren dwelt within your heart. You have been a corrupt tree, which could produce only corrupt fruit.
Therefore if you do not want to deceive yourself about your soul’s salvation, for God 1 s sake do not be satisfied with a few sighs and good intentions; no, you must repent and turn to God with your whole heart so that you will become an entirely different person in heart, state of mind, disposition, and all powers. It just is not enough for you to trim only the twigs on the tree of sin; the roots, the roots of the tree, that is, heart and mind, must be better; in one word, you must be reborn and be renewed through the Holy Spirit.
If you want to know how you begin this, then read the penitential Psalms which David has written, after he had fallen deeply, perceived his sin and turned again to God. If you have sinned as David did, do not hope to be saved as David was, if you do not repent with David’s repentance. Humble yourself as David did, bemoan your guilt as he did, plead persistently and earnestly as he did for grace, for forgiveness of all your sins alone for the sake of Christ's blood, and then for a pure heart and a new, right spirit; that, that is the correct way; then you will also find grace; God will enter into you and will make your heart his temple again; you will find peace for your soul
and then you will also as a new person walk in a new life, be in Christ's kingdom here and in eternity in the kingdom of God the Father in eternal joy and glory.
Oh Jesus Christ, Savior of sinners, bring us all upon the way of repentance and faith. Amen! Amen!
3R D SUNDAY IN LENT (2) Εphesians 5:1-9 ()
Oh God, you are a holy and righteous God; you are not a God who has pleasure in unrighteousness; the evil man does not remain in your presence. The boastful do not stand before you; you are the enemy of all evildoers. You destroy the liar; you abominate the bloodthirsty and the false. You are a zealous God who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate you. You are an upright Judge, a God who utters threats every day. If a person does not want to be converted, you have whetted your sword and strung your bow; you take aim with a deadly weapon; you have prepared your arrows to destroy.
Oh holy and righteous God, we confess that our hopelessly corrupt heart forgets your holiness and righteousness so often, despises your commands and threats, loves the sins which you hate, and wilfully abuses your grace, patience, and long-suffering.
Oh therefore enter not into judgment with us; do not cast us away from your presence; do not surrender us to the evil disposition of our heart; but awaken and enlighten us so that we may fully perceive the majesty of your holiness and righteousness, be frightened at it from the bottom of our hearts, seek and seize in faith your grace in true repentance, and thereafter walk piously in your fear.
To that end bless the preaching of your Word in this hour for the sake of your dear Son Jesus Christ, our Savior, Mediator, and Reconciler. Amen.
Quote the text here: Ephesians 5:1-9.
Dear friends in the Lord Jesus.
One of the chief reasons why unbelievers reject particularly the Old Testament is that God is so often presented on its pages as a wrathful God. They say that a religion which ascribes wrath and fury to God can not possibly be the true religion; for God is only love and overlooks the sins of men, his children, as human weaknesses.
If there is any error as terrible as it is fruitful, it is the one that God does not become angry at sin. That so many deny this in our day is proof of the fact, that baptized Christendom has fallen deeper than even the fallen heathen world. The heathen have always believed that there is a God who becomes angry at sin; that is why they have tried to reconcile him by sacrifices. Casting a glance upon the heathen world, Paul testifies: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth," that is, their natural better knowledge, "in unrighteousness." Rom 1,18.
That God becomes angry at sin is by nature written into every man's heart. For how does it happen that, when men have done evil, they are restless, even when no one else knows about it? Their own "conscience...and their thoughts...accusing or else excusing one another" bear witness that they have angered an invisible, mighty, as well as zealous Judge who will punish them in time or in eternity.
Moreover, why is it that death rules in the whole world as the king of terrors, pitilessly take the child from the crib and from the breast of its mother,
tearing spouse from spouse, fathers from children? Whence is it that from the beginning until this hour death as an avenging angel ceaselessly stalks all mankind, sparing neither palace nor hut, killing day and night, and so far has over looked no man? This is irrefutable proof that all men are by nature sinners and because of God 1 s righteous wrath children of death. That is why Moses exclaims is Ps 90: "For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath." Vv. 7.11.
Moreover, why is it that the whole world is a vale of tears, full of misery, füll of misfortune, full of anxiety, full of tears and sighs? Why is it that the wisdom and labors of men have not been able to change this? This is irrefutable evidence for the fact that the world has fallen from its Creator, is a world of sinners who because of their sins must groan under the curse, under the wrath and punishment of a holy God.
And finally, does not also the history of nations, kingdoms, states, and cities show that a God who is angry because of sin rules over and sits in judgment on them? Except for eight people what does the drowning of a world sunk in all sins and abominations proclaim? What does the destruction of the bestial, unchaste cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by a rain of fire and brimstone from heaven proclaim, cities which are still covered by the sulphurous and salty waves of the Dead Sea? What does the fearful destruction of the murderous city of Jerusalem predicted by Christ 40 years in advance proclaim? What does the destruction of all the mighty kingdoms of antiquity proclaim, which happened every time when they filled the measure of their sins?
Oh blind world! Everywhere the great God reveals a wrath against sin which burns to the lowest hell, and it wants to know only of a God who loves! A God who does not become angry also does not love; for only he can love the good who hates the evil. The god of the unbelieving world who does not become angry is therefore nothing but the fiction of their heart, which disregards, yes loves, its sins, a useless idol whose prototype is sinful man himself.
My friends, did not Christ tread "the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God"? Rev 19,15. After Christ atoned for the sins of all men and reconciled God through his bloody sacrifice upon the altar of the cross, did not God cease being a wrathful God? No, my friends; and it is this earnest truth which the Apostle Paul declares through the Holy Spirit in the Epistle of this Sunday, when he cries out even to Christians: " For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any i nheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Vv. 5.6. On the basis of these words permit me to present to you today:
THE TRUTH IMPORTANT ALSO FOR BELIEVERS, THAT GOD'S WRATH COMES UPON THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE EVEN AFTER CHRIST'S RECONCILIATION
We ponder:
1. The Content of This Truth, and
2. Its Importance also for Believers.
I.
After the apostle in our text specified a feu of the sins which exclude one from God's kingdom, he adds the noteworthy words: " Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." V.6.
Let us learn mainly the content of the truth here expressed.
The first thing expressed is that even after Christ appeased God's wrath it still exists.
Though this is an earnest truth, my friends, it can be no other way. God is an eternal, perfect Being and therefore subject to no change whatever. "Thou art the same," David by the Holy Spirit says to God; James declares: "With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Jas 1,17. God's attributes can as little decrease as increase. Imperfect man can lose one of the other attribute and still be a man; however, this is impossible with God. God's attributes are not accidental qualities and virtues which God can have or not have, which he can keep or not keep without ceasing to be God; but what are called God's attributes is his very essence itself; it is he himself.
God's Word not only says that God has love but also that he is love, not only that God has power but also that he is power, not only that God has holiness and righteousness but also that he is holiness and righteousness. Therefore God's love is nothing else but the divine essence insofar as it is love, the loving God himself; God's might is nothing else but the divine essence insofar as it is might, the almighty God himself; God's holiness and righteousness is nothing else but the divine essence insofar as it is holiness and righteousness, the holy and righteous God himself. Therefore as little as it is possible that God can ever cease being God, or that he could lose his essence, so little can God cease having the attributes of love, might, holiness, and righteousness.
As it is with all of God 1 s attributes, so it is also with God's wrath. Among men anger is mostly a sinful passion which comes and goes. God's anger on the other hand is something entirely different. Though Go d becomes angry, he does not become stirred up as man does but remains the untroubled, perfect, blessed God. God's wrath is that invariable attribute inseparable from God by virtue of which God actually and truly is the enemy of sin, hates and abhors all sin, and is so minded against sin that he will and must punish it in time and eternity. Even this anger against sin is not an accidental condition which God could do without; rather divine wrath is his divine essence, in short, God himself.
Therefore as little as God can cease being God, so little can he ever, if only for one second, cease being a Person who is angry at sin. As long as light retains its nature it must shed light; as long as fire keeps its nature it must burn; likewise, as long as God keeps his divine essence he must become angry at sin, angry to all eternity.
And yet no change took place in God even though Christ died. As certainly as the word of the Holy Ghost is spoken by the mouth of David: "Thou art the same," so certain is it that to this very day God becomes angry at sin just as well as he did before Christ's reconciliation. Christ himself says: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the lav;, till all be fulfilled." Mt 5,17.18.
As according to these words the Law with its threats has not been annulled through Christ’s reconciliation, neither has God's wrath which is mirrored in his Law; and we must add, that nothing else has revealed more that God is a
holy Being who becomes angry at sin than the fact that he would and could forgive no man's sins had not his only begotten Son sacrificed himself for the reconciliation of sin, paid for man's guilt to the last penny, and drunk the very last drop of the cup of wrath; therefore through his reconciliation God has indeed become the friend of the sinner, but not a friend of sin; it reconciled him with the sinner but not with sin. Only the devil is a friend of sin; only the devil is eternally reconciled with sin.
Therefore whoever believes that after Christ's reconciliation is no longer angry at sin, is a friend of sin and reconciled with sin, turns this reconciled
God into a wicked God; yes, he turns God, it is terrible to say it, into a
devil; actually it is this God and no other which the world worships as its so-called "dear God" without even suspecting it.
This, then, is certain: Even after Christ's perfect sacrifice God's wrath still exists.
My friends, the truth which the apostle expresses in our text contains even more. He writes: " Let no man deceive you with vain words," namely because of the sins which have been mentioned, " for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." V.6. Even after Christ's reconciliation God's wrath because of sin is not only present, but it really comes upon the children of disobedience; it strikes and consumes them. Through Christ's reconciliation it has not become a dulled sword which God carries in its scabbard, not the hollow thunder without the smashing lightning, not an illusory, frightening phantom; but because of their sins God's anger to this very day devours millions of sinners who have been reconciled by Christ and gives them up to eternal torment.
Will you perhaps say: Did Christ then really reconcile the sinful world? I reply: Far be it to deny this! Christ has indeed perfectly atoned for the sins of all men, even the greatest; but how can this help a person if he rejects this reconciliation? Christ has indeed opened the prison gates of sin which were closed by God’s anger; but how can that help a person if he wantonly remains in his prison of sin? Christ has indeed triumphantly brought out of his grave a receipt in full for the guilt of all men; but how can this help a person who tears up this receipt by his unbelief and tramples it underfoot ? Christ has indeed perfectly satisfied and appeased God's wrath; but how can this help a person who will not even let himself be reconciled with God who is reconciled with him but wants to be and remain God's enemy?
Yes, after Christ's reconciliation the only sin which must condemn is unbelief; Christ says: "The Holy Ghost will reprove the world of sin," and immediately adds by way of explanation: "Of sin, because they believe not on me." Jn 16,8.9; but how can this help a sinner who remains in unbelief? By his unbelief the person, as it were, takes his sins which were mailed by Christ to the cross down from the cross and by his unbelief restores to his canceled sins their damning power. As a seriously wounded person who rejects the balm which could heal him dies not because of his wounds but because he refused the balm, so the sinful world dies which rejects Christ's atonement, not because of the wounds of sin, but because it rejects reconciliation as the way of salvation, and dies eternally anyhow because of the wounds of sin.
Though the unbelieving world may continue to comfort itself with the thought; Why should God be so inhuman as to become angry with us because we do not believe what we cannot comprehend and therefore can not believe? The poor, blind world does not remember: God's wrath does not come upon them because of their unbelief, for it already has come upon them as a result of their sin; because of their unbelief it merely remains upon them. For Christ clearly and
solemnly: "He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." Jn 3,36.
So there can be no doubt: even after Christ's sacrifice, God's wrath is not only existent, but it also comes upon the children of disobedience because of their sins; some day even the Lamb of God who carried away the sins of the whole world will on the day of judgment appear to them in terror; then they will say to the hills and rocks: "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Rev 6,16.17.
II.
How if we have learned to know the content of the truth that God's wrath comes upon the children of disobedience even after Christ's reconciliation, then let us in the second place seek to learn to know the importance of this truth for Christians.
When the apostle introduces this truth with the words: " Let no man deceive you with vain words," and when he concludes this truth in the words: " Be not ye therefore partakers with them," we see that these words contain a serious warning for believers as well. Even at the time of the apostle there were baptized people who considered themselves good Christians, even though they did not earnestly struggle against sin and lived after the manner of the world. They had heard that Christ had blotted out all sins, reconciled all men with God, and had won for all complete salvation; they learned that man is righteous before God and is saved by grace, without works, through faith alone; then they supposed that if they believed, it would not be so necessary for them to be so careful about every sin; where sin would abound, grace would much more abound; God would no longer become angry; he would be nothing but love, goodness, friendliness, grace, patience, and forbearance. The result was that these believers finally fell into manifest sins and shame and nevertheless supposed that they would be able to comfort themselves with Christ's reconciliation. For the sake of such blinded Christians and to warn all others Paul writes in our text: " Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things (sin) cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." V.6.
The apostle means to say: I know very well that many say: Is not everything of grace, and are we not and do we not all remain poor sinners and weak men? What would be the value of grace if we would have to be so careful about sin? Has not Christ fought for us? Why else would Christ have fought for us, if we also would have to fight so scrupulously? Has not Christ gained salvation for us by his toil? Of what value would his labors be, if we also would have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling? Has not Christ appeased God's anger? Of what value would his appeasement be if we would still have to fear God's wrath? Who then would and could be saved?
But these are absolutely " vain words ", that is, empty, twisted, ungodly words, words with which you vainly try to excuse yourselves; for I say unto you: The very sins which you Christians want to allow yourselves are the very ones for whose sake the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience; if you become " partakers with them " in these things, then in spite of your imagined faith the wrath of God will come upon you; as you have loved with the world, you will be condemned with the world.
Would to God that there were no such blinded Christians today! But sad to say! Even in our times, when believers have become so few, there are only too many even among those who seem to be Christians, and I fear, even our congregation is not free of them.
Perhaps in no other church is the blessed doctrine of God’s reconciliation through Christ, of God's infinite love for sinners, of free grace preached so richly as in ours. But does it not seem that there are also those among us who suppose that they knew the secret of how to be saved so easily and comfortably? that they need but console themselves with God's grace and salvation would not escape them ?
In thinking that, they live like the children of the world and disobedience and copy their vanities, yes, one secretly serves this and another that sin; the one serve greed and avariciousness, another eats and drinks to excess, one is proud and haughty, another is envious, one slanders, another sins by anger, thirst for vengeance, and irreconcilableness; another permits himself a little deceit, as he calls it, here and there, a little lie in his dealing and business; another loans his money at interest or borrows and does not repay; yes, God who sees the secret things, knows whether many do not live secretly even in impurity and unchastity, in gross fornication and adultery — and still these unhappy people suppose that because they convince themselves that they are in grace and because they also pray, go to church, and Holy Communion they are Christians who for Christ's sake are under God's grace; they do not have to fear God 1 s wrath. Though the preacher in addition to preaching the sweet Gospel earnestly reprimand even their sins, they suppose that this does not concern them; they are Christians who live in the house of faith which the lightning of God's anger could not strike. They consider the Gospel, which the ministers, who reprimand them, preached to them as booty which this minister can not take from them so easily. So they are not afraid of excommunication, for they think they know the secret of how they can render even excommunication harmless and be saved.
But what does the word of the great God in our text say to such an idea? " For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Vv. 5.6.
Here it is written and who will dare erase these words from God's book? Here it is written: Anyone who lives in any dominant sin, be it fornication, or uncleanness, or greed, or whatever it may be is excluded from the kingdom of God and of Christ; not God's grace but his wrath rests upon him. That person vainly imagines that his faith will help him into heaven anyhow; oh folly! His faith is nothing but a hallucination of the mind, for no one can in true faith call Jesus a Lord without the Holy Spirit; however the Holy Spirit does not dwell in a soul obedient to sin. If God's wrath comes upon the children of disobedience because of their sin, how much more will it come upon those who, living in these same sins, boast of having faith ? "If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" Lk 23,31.
Oh my friends, be warned ! Do not misuse the Gospel to dream up a God who does not become angry at sin; but know that God is and remains a holy God who cries also to the believers: "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness; neither shall evil dwell with thee." Ps 5,4.
The truth that God's wrath comes upon the children of disobedience because of their sins contains not only an important, earnest warning for those who want to be Christians, but at the same time an important, urgent reminder and encouragement; for the apostle continues thus in our text: " For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.") Vv. 8.9.
It is plain that the apostle means to say: If you want to escape the wrath of God which comes upon the world, it is your duty not only not to be partakers of their sins but also as children of light to walk and shine in this world in true holiness, in all kinds of good works toward God, in uprightness toward your neighbor, and all this in truth and honestly.
Of course, no one is righteous before God and is saved by sanctification; but if anyone does not earnestly seek after ever more perfect sanctification, he again falls back securely under the complete domination of sin. As anyone who no longer carries on the struggle will be conquered, so will also the Christian; as a light which no longer burns is finally extinguished altogether, so the Christian, once a child of light, becomes a child of darkness; because he casts aside a good conscience, he suffers shipwreck of his faith.
I must admit that the fear often steals upon me that,because of the many comforting sermons we hear, we will be drowned in the flood of the evangelical comfort because of the deceit of our flesh. Ah, never forget the great danger in which we still live, so that God's wrath does not come upon us even after we have truly repented; may we come to true faith, and be reborn and renewed!
I repeat one more, God does become angry to this very day over every sin; for he remains what he is: A consuming fire against sin. So my dear Christian, consider no, no sin, no loveless judgment, no impurity no matter how secret, no sinful thoughts, no evil desires, no useless word, no proud or angry mien as something insignificant; for every sin, even the one which seems to be the least can, when you consider it something insignificant, take faith away and hurl you under God's wrath and disfavor. Do not be lazy but zealous without tiring wherever you can serve God, his kingdom, and your neighbor; for without sanctification no one will see the Lord.
You who consider no sin as insignificant and therefore sit in severe judgment upon yourselves every day and often groan with Paul because of your sinful weakness: "The good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. O wretched man that I am; who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom 7,19.24 do not despair! Draw more and more upon the comfort of the Gospel and your hunger and thirst after the righteousness of life will be appeased. You will learn how to be better in carrying on the struggle and gain ever more glorious victories, until you will be able to say with Paul: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only,but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Tim 4,7.8. Amen.