For an evil conscience can in no way be satisfied or converted to God unless it has died. Otherwise it always flees from God, from whom it should neither flee nor shrink, since God is such a good God that He should be the sole Refuge of all those who despair and are destitute of the help and comfort of all creatures. But a heart conscious of its guilt would rather be changed into a thousand forms and sooner rush through rocks, fires, bronze mountains, and finally to the devil himself than approach God.
Is it not great and deplorable wretchedness that we fear and shun Him concerning whom Holy Scripture so often asserts that He has become our Refuge from generation to generation? Indeed, if father and mother forsook us and cast us off, He would receive those who have been cast of, as Ps. 27:10 states: "My father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up." Therefore if all creation were to declare nothing else than that you are lost, cursed and damned, you would nevertheless have to say with Ps. 73:26-26" "Just as long as I have Thee, my flesh and my heart may fall, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." What do I care if only I have a gracious God?
AE Luther's Works vol. 7 pp 335-336.
No comments:
Post a Comment