Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
.
"Lord have mercy on me, a sinner."
I pray that prayer many times a day.
In almost 7 decades on this earth I know that I have never been able to live as I ought.
Sin is a part of everything I think, say, and do.
I'm just the kind of person that Jesus came here for.
Today is Reformation Day. It would be better if it were known as Freedom Day. Freedom from Death, Sin, the Law, the Devil and the Pope. Let freedom ring today, let the bird fly.
*Lutheran* "The Russians bombed the building over there, the entire household died" 😢
*Baptist* "Thank God nothing happened to the children"
*Lutheran* "What?!"
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. - Gal. 2:20
Luther: The righteousness Paul is speaking about here is external and comes from Christ living in us. It’s not internal, and it doesn’t come from ourselves. So if we are concerned about Christian righteousness, we must completely set aside the self.
If I focus on myself, then I become concerned about works and become subject to the law—whether I intend to or not. Instead, Christ and my conscience must become one so that I see nothing else except the crucified and risen Christ. If I ignore Christ and look only at myself, then I am ruined. Soon I begin thinking, “Christ is in heaven; I am on earth. How can I come to him? I will try to live a holy life and do what the law requires so that I will find eternal life.” If I consider myself—my condition and what I should be doing—then I will always lose sight of Christ. He alone is my righteousness and my life. If I lose him, no one else will be able to help me. Despair and condemnation will certainly follow.
Unfortunately, this happens all the time. When facing temptation or death, it’s natural for us to ignore Christ and look at our own lives. If we aren’t strengthened through faith during those times, we will perish. So during these struggles of conscience, we must learn to let go of ourselves. We must forget about the law and works. They only drive us to look at ourselves. Instead, we must turn our eyes directly toward the bronze snake, Christ, the one nailed to the cross (John 3:14). We must fix our gaze upon him.
Luther, Martin. Faith Alone (p. 267). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Legalism and antinomianism are closer to one another than either is to the gospel.
The gospel is not found in the right balancing out of the two.
It is antithetical to both of them.