7ΤΗ SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Text: Romans 6:19-23
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus.
Among the many kinds of dangers and temptations surrounding Christians, one of the greatest and strongest is the evil example of the children of this world.
We see how for the most part the children of the world prosper in spite of their sinful life; we see how the children of the world generally hasten from one delight to the next, from one pleasure to the next; we see how those who are unconcerned about God and his will, are usually loved and honored in the world; we see how those who are not conscientious in their dealings and life but accept every profit, even the sinful kind, generally among to something, become rich and prosperous; this enticing appearance of earthly good fortune which surrounds the children of the world, at first blinds not a few, and finally deceives and seduces them to fall from their piety. Alas, many a one has been for a time true to his God and Savior in faith and life; however, when with lascivious eyes he meditated upon the apparent happiness of the worldling, as Eve did the forbidden tree, he said to himself: Why should I plague myself by being pious? see, all these people also want to be saved and still enjoy the world; and God even lets them prosper; I don't intend to be a fool any longer!
It is especially the youth for whom the glory of the world has such a terrible seductive charm; many a young man and woman educated as a Christian, who had the Lord Jesus in their hearts, fell immediately before they had a chance to learn to know the enchanting glory of the world, when they went out into the world and tasted the sweet poison of worldly pleasure. Thus Paul writes of one young Christian of his times named Demas, who at first had walked most piously and had wanted to be Paul's helper: "Demas hath forsakes me, having loved this present world." 2 Tim 4:10.
That is why John beseeches and admonishes his spiritual children: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." 1 Jn 2:15-17. Christ our Lord himself warns even more earnestly against the alluring example of the world when he exclaims: "Woe to the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 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 18:7.6.
Yet we dare not imagine that the evil example of the world is such a powerful cord for temptation that by God's grace and power a Christian could not tear it, resist the temptation, and gain the victory. Oh, no! Countless numbers in the very midst of the severest temptations by the world have by the power of faith remained faithful to their God. Thus Lot with his family was in the most pressing danger of apostasy ip the rich but godless and seductive city of Sodom; yet he remained faithful to his God. Joseph was in great danger of being led from the path of piety while in the company of his godless brothers and
In the temptations by Potiphar's unchaste wife; yet Joseph stood as firm as a hero and said: "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" Gen 39:9. At the idolatrous, sensual Egyptian court where he had been educated, Moses was in great danger of falling from the religion of his fathers and be ashamed of his despised Israelite brethren according to the flesh and faith; yet in the Epistle to the Hebrews we read: "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." Heb 11:24-26.
Friends, a God-fearing person, a true Christian, can, however, not only conquer the evil example of the sinful world; he can even turn this evil example into good for himself and find in it an impulse to serve his God so much the more zealously. St. Paul shows us this in the Epistle for this Sunday. Let us, therefore, ponder how a Christian converts the poison of the world's evil example into medicine for his soul.
The text. Romans 6:19-23.
After the apostle in the foregoing verses had shown that Christians could not remain in sin, because they are baptized into Christ's death in order to die with Christ to sin, and because they had received God's grace which could not exist with the dominion of sin, the apostle says in our text: " I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh." V.19. And what is the idea with which Paul comes to the assistance of the Roman Christians with these words? He shows them that even in their former life of sin Christians find a strong incitement to be zealous in their Christianity. Therefore, permit me to present to you:
THE NATURE OF THE SERVICE WHICH WORLDLINGS GIVE SIN, A STRONG INDUCEMENT FOR CHRISTIANS TO SERVE HOLINESS ZEALOUSLY
We ponder:
1. The Nature Of The Worldling's Service Of Sin, and
2. In How Far It Induces Christians To Serve Holiness Most Zealously.
Oh Lord Jesus Christ, from a whole heart the world serves sin, its greatest enemy, making them wretched for time and for eternity, and should we serve your our God and Savior who saves us in time and in eternity with only half a heart? No, though the world may willingly sell itself to sin, you have purchased us; therefore, we also want to be yours, completely yours, belong to your completely, live, suffer, and die completely yours. Oh, assist us with your power, for we are weak and, alas, so changeable. To this end bless in us all this present, presentation from your holy Word. Hear us for the sake of your faithfulness. Amen! Amen!
I.
My friends, the kingdom of sin is the greatest kingdom in the world, for it encompasses the entire world. No king, no emperor has ever had so many and such important subjects as sin. Not only are all people born into the kingdom of sin, not only do also the common people serve sin throughout their entire life, but almost all kings, emperors, lords, the mighty, the great, the rich, the learned, and the wise serve this world. However, these slaves of sin serve it
in such a way, that the apostle knew he could present to the Roman Christians in our text as an example for the. service of holiness none more provocative or easily understood than the service they had rendered sin when they themselves were still children of the world.
How does the apostle describe the service of sin? He writes: " For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof y e are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death." Vv.19-21.
There are chiefly four things which the apostle says about the sinful service of the worldly; 1) it is not forced upon him but is a most freewilling one, for he says that before their conversion even the Roman Christians " had yielded your members servants to uncleanness;" 2) he says that the service of sin is also a most zealous and tireless service because he adds: " To iniquity unto iniquity;" 3) he says that this sinful service is also a most oppressive, bitter service; connected with it is ignominy and the greatest sacrifices, for he holds before the Romans that then they were completely " the servants of sin," slaves and captives and " free from righteousness," the " fruit " of their service of sin was of such a nature that now they must be " ashamed " of it; finally, 4) he says that this sinful service has a most wretched, shameful reward, for " the end of those things is death," that is, eternal damnation.
And so it is, my friends, a more faithful and vivid picture of the true nature of the service of sin there cannot be than the one, which the apostle by inspiration of the Holy Ghost has sketched in these few strokes.
As long as a person has not yet turned to God from his heart, he first of all serves sin, not as one compelled to do so but willingly. He is a servant of sin, a slave, who does not hate his mistress sin, but loves it from his heart. He is driven to the service of sin more by his heart and inner inclination than by outward constraint. Freely, joyously the empty-headed young man, the empty- headed young woman, the empty-headed wife serves vanity. Freely, joyously the greedy serve mammon, the sensual lust, the drunkard immoderation in drinking intoxicating drink; freely, joyously the haughty serve ambition, the wrathful his vengeance, the slanderer his itch to slander. It is not a burdensome but a pleasurable thing, not a bitter but a sweet thing to be able to serve all these their sins, especially their pet sins.
Therefore, the slaves of sin also serve sin not slothfully and indolently but in its service they are most zealous and tireless. He who has been conquered by sin is compelled to practise it in his heart day and night. Therefore, whenever the slave of sin finds the chance to indulge in his sin, he seizes the opportunity without taking much thought, and he considers the day lost in which he could not serve his pet sin.
However, note this especially; even though the service of the slaves of sin is such a bitter, oppressive, and ignominious one, they joyfully serve it and bring any sacrifice they must to serve sin. This is incomprehensible and still it is true. Sin is the most brutal tyrant; it makes its servants the most unhappy slaves; it is an evil worm which eats its way into their body and life, into their heart and conscience; its fruit is unhappiness, groans, remorse, and tears -- and yet it is served!
In order to be able to indulge in his sin the sensual person sacrifices the health of his body as well as peace of soul, and with an entire unhappy
life often purchases only one hour of sinful joy. In order to be able to serve his sin, the drunkard likewise sacrifices his health and often purchases his animal pleasures with the ruin of his family's happiness, with the loss of his good name, yes, with the deepest disgrace and contempt. In order to be able to serve his sin, the avaricious enjoys no recreation and frets and slaves day and night; either he goes deeper and deeper into burdensome dangerous debts, or amid groans he piles up his money, purchases one house after the other, one lot and plot of ground upon another until he finally dies without having himself enjoyed something of it, leaving to laughing heirs the fruits of his worrying and grieving. In order to serve his sin the thief and cheat lead a more miserable life than the poorest beggar; when others, even the beggar, lay down to rest, the thief denies himself sleep; he scurries about in darkness and storm, in frost and heat, always on edge lest he be recognized and justly punished, which often overtakes him and robs him of his freedom and, indeed, of his life by the most disgraceful death of all. In short, no slave of the most inhuman master lives in such a wretched slavery as do the servants and slaves of sin.
And to what end does the person thus serve sin? Is its reward in the end so glorious that it richly sweetens and outweighs all the pains of service? Alas, no! The most fearful thing in the service of sin is the pay which the sinner receives for his bitter service. For what are the wages of sin? They are, as the apostle says in our text, " death," namely, eternal death or damnation. Oh, what infamous pay! oh, what bitter fruit! oh, what a fearful end!
If during his earthly life, in order to serve sin faithfully, a person has sacrificed the health of his body, the rest and happiness of his life, the peace of his conscience, his good name, in short everything of value in this life, and finally there comes the eventide of life, the hour of his death, indeed, sin does not set its slave free without giving him its reward. No, but the pay which it gives him is this: Upon his deathbed sin torments the sinner mostly with a foretaste of hell; it pictures to him how, because he served it, he has impudently transgressed God's eternal Law, angered and insulted the holy God, and burdened himself with God's curse and wrath; and if the sinner would want to turn to God even now, it calls, grinning at him: It is too late! and thus at the very gates of eternity sin usually hurls its slave into the hell of despair. And finally, when the poor, alarmed soul of the slave of sin has torn itself from a body covered with the cold sweat of death, then sin accompanies the soul, which has served it upon earth, to the throne of the most holy God and terrible Judge and there accuses it, relates all the evil which the person has practised in his life, all his evil thoughts and desires, all his evil words and attitudes, all his evil works and deeds.
And alas! the time of grace, the time for repentance and conversion has then flown by! In vain are all the prayers and groans and tears of the slave of sin. God who is righteous pronounces the sentence of damnation and eternal death upon him, and thus sin finally takes it pallid, trembling slave, drags him away from the presence of God, hurls him into outer darkness, where there is howling and gnashing of teeth, and finally hurls him down into the sea of fire, where the smoke of his torment ascends forever and ever, where his worm does not die and his fire is not quenched.
That is the true picture which the apostle sketches of the service which the worldling renders sin; now let us in the second place also ponder in what way the nature of this sinful service should arouse Christians to serve righteousness most zealously.
II.
After the apostle admonishes the Christians at Rome in our text
to give themselves just as willingly and zealously to the service of righteousness as they had once given themselves to the service of sin, he also adds the basis for his admonition and says: " For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Vv.20-23. The apostle has two reasons which he uses to support his admonition: First, he means to say, because the service of sin is such a bitter and disgraceful one, and yet the children of the world serve sin so willingly and zealously, so Christians should serve righteousness even more willingly and zealously, since this service is such a blessed and honorable one; and secondly, because the service of sin has such a terrible end and yet the children of the world serve sin so faithfully, so Christians should serve righteousness even more faithfully since this service is always crowned with the most glorious end.
And must we not agree with the apostle? Is there not strong encouragement in the nature of the world's service of sin for the Christian to serve righteousness zealously and ever more zealously?
Many a Christian is often assailed with the thought, to be a Christian is a most depressing business; if one wants to be a Christian, one must always struggle against sin, watch, and pray, and follow after sanctification, and in addition put up with mockery, ridicule, and shame; a worldling, on the other hand, couldn't have it better. Asaph was thus assailed; he says in Psalm 73: "As for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day
long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning." Ps 73:2.3.13.14.
No better advice can be given those Christians who likewise are tempted than to examine more closely the children of the world and their service. Oh, yes, you Christians, who in the hour of temptation consider the children of the world more fortunate than you, take a good look at them. Must not the children of the world serve as well as you? And which master do they serve? The most revolting of all, sin, this disgraceful tyrant, this spawn of Satan, this mother of all the misery in the world. And you? You serve the kindest Lord of all; you serve God, the Highest Good, the Fount of all blessedness, the Source of all treasures. Now if the world serves its disgraceful lord so zealously, should you not, since you must serve anyhow, serve your most kind Lord with ever greater zeal? If the children of the world are zealous servants of sin, should you not therefore be even more zealous servants of God, the Most High?
Moreover, tell me, what do the children of the world get out of their service? Next to a very few hours of sinful pleasure, the fruit of their sinful service is ruin in body and soul, treasure and honor, anguish and a restless conscience, illness and a sickly body, poverty, ignominy, and disgrace. And you, Christians? Blessed are you in your service which you render righteousness, not without any suffering nor without disgrace before men, but the fruit which you harvest from your service of righteousness is peace and joy in heart and conscience, the certainty of divine approval, protection, and blessing, honor with God and all the children of God. Now if the world serves sin with such great faithfulness in spite of the bitter fruits they harvest, should you not, since there is some trouble in every service, serve righteousness with much greater faithfulness, which in the midst of outward unhappiness makes you inwardly happy, in physical poverty rich as to your soul, in earthly sorrow gloriously and divinely happy ?
328 7th Sunday after Trinity
However, the chief reason is this: If in unappeased longing the world has served sin to the end without finding true joy, true peace, true happiness, what then is the result? It is death, it is eternal death, being eternally rejected from heaven, eternal torment in the flames of hell. To be sure, the children of the world do not want to believe this; but it is not only constantly preached to them and they read it in Holy Writ, but their awakened conscience tells them often louder, than they wish, so loudly that they often become restless, filled with anguish, fear and sorrow.
You Christians, what is the result you can expect of your service of righteousness? To be sure, you cannot merit eternal life as a reward, but God is so gracious that out of free grace for Jesus Christ's sake he gives eternal life as a gift to those who in faith in Christ serve righteousness. Oh, blessed, oh, glorious end! When the children of the world remain faithful until death, even though the end of their sinful service is eternal death and damnation, should not you Christians show even greater faithfulness in the service of righteousness, since the end of your service is eternal life in heaven, inexpressible, unending blessedness?
Certainly! So remember, all you Christians who groan under your burden, remember that the children of the world must merit eternal death and hell by a disgraceful, bitter, miserable service of sin; after an easy, happy, blessed, honorable service of righteousness, you will be given eternal life and heaven free of charge and by grace. Therefore, let it not be said of you that the world is more faithful to its disgraceful master, sin and the devil, and brings more sacrifices than you do your good Lord, your Master who saves by grace, your God and Savior. Do not let the world labor more tirelessly, suffer more patiently, and struggle more earnestly to gain hell for itself than you to enter into heaven. With its whole heart the world surrenders itself to sin; therefore, do not halt between two opinions; give your heart completely to God.
The world's broad way is at the start
Through meadows green and fallow,
Its onward way brings dangers great,
Its end bring night and terror.
The way to goodness is quite wild,
With thorn and hedge on every side:
Yet he who goes it gladly,
Will truly come, Lord, by Thy Spirit
Where joys and pleasures flourish. Amen.