306. Eighth Sunday after Trinity. I.
Lord, enlighten us, and lead us
in the paths of truth. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, Matthew 7, 15-21. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
❦
It is of the highest importance to have the pure doctrine of God’s word, without any admixture of falsehood and error. For false doctrine is poison to the soul; and if it enter the heart, it will kill our spiritual life. The pure word of God is mighty to regenerate us, and mighty to keep us in that living fellowship with the Lord, which causes us to grow into spiritual perfection. The gospel of Christ is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” When the light of God’s holy love in the law and the gospel shines in your face, and by the operation of the Spirit, who is in it, enters your soul, you are humbled and bowed down in a heartfelt knowledge of sin; and then a living faith is kindled in you, and drives out the powers of darkness, and makes your heart a dwelling-place of the Holy Ghost. And when the same faithful Spirit makes all the time more clear to you the demands of the law and the gift of the gospel, and keeps the flesh under the discipline of the law, but preserves the spiritual life in the liberty of grace, then the new man is nourished and increases by the sincere milk of the word. But false doctrine; lies in the guise of truth; half truths; law without gospel, or gospel without law; the jumbling together of law and gospel, or the dissolving of both; rationalism and human precepts intermixed with the sacred truth of the word; — these things cannot effect true conversion and a living faith; they do not guide the seeking soul rightly, nor nourish the life of grace; but their effect is either carnal security in sin, or spiritual bondage, or spiritual levity.
This is a question of eternal life or death; and hence the matter is one of the highest importance. The pure doctrine of God’s word is the sun which shines on us, gives us warmth and life, and causes us to bring forth fruits of righteousness. It is more than important to have the word of God pure and undefiled; it is more than very important; it is of the very highest and greatest importance; there is nothing else so precious as the holy word of God. For this reason Jesus has taught us in the Lord’s prayer to ask this blessing in the very first petition.
How, then, shall teachers and hearers learn to distinguish between truth and error? The holy scripture is the touchstone on which all doctrine and life shall be tested. A doctrine which is taken from the Bible, and confirmed by the Bible, is true and pure; while that which is found wanting when put to this test is false. If any teach that Jesus is not the Son of God and true God, you know that such a teacher is a liar; for the Bible declares that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, and true God from eternity. If any teach that man is by nature good, but only somewhat weak, this is false doctrine; for scripture says that we are evil. If any teach that baptism is merely a bath in water, and a sign of the purification of the heart, you know from the Bible that he is in error; for it is written that baptism is “the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost,” that by it we “put on Christ,” and that it “saves us.” If any teach that man is justified by the law and its works, repudiate him as a false teacher; for scripture says that “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified.” Or if any teach a scheme of faith without conversion and without sanctification, we have but to turn to the Bible to find that he is a liar. And thus with every article of the Christian faith. But if there be any who seems to teach the truth, but who leads an ungodly life, you shall beware of his example and carefully examine his teaching; for there may be poison in his fine words.
Holy Father, sanctify us through thy truth; thy word is truth. Amen.*
Let thy holy word instruct us;
Guide us daily by its light;
Let thy love and grace constrain us
To approve whate’er is right,
Take thine easy yoke, and wear it,
Strengthened with thy heavenly might.
Taught to lisp the holy praises
Which on earth thy children sing,
Both with lips and hearts unfeigned,
May we our thank-offerings bring;
Then with all the saints in glory
Join to praise our Lord and King.
[TLH 627 (listen here); alt., ELH 367]
307. Eighth Sunday after Trinity. II.
Lord God, heavenly Father, give us
the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of adoption,
in our hearts. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, Romans 8, 12-17. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
❦
Glorious estate of grace! Children of God, free from the guilt of sin, free from the dominion of the fleshly lusts, free from death; — everywhere surrounded by God’s love; heirs of eternal life! But let none deceive himself, and imagine that he is in this estate, when he is not. Let none dream that he is a child of God, while he continues to live after the flesh. How can he be a child of God who lives in anger and enmity, uncleanness, drunkenness, gluttony, covetousness, or other such deeds of the flesh? How shall he who is made free, and is dead to sin, live any longer therein? However, while none must dream of sonship and the right of inheritance with God, except he have a true and living faith in our Lord Jesus; the faithful shall, on the other hand, have the full assurance that they are children of the heavenly Father. Our sonship may be known in this, that we have a new and childlike mind which is of heaven, and that God’s own Spirit bears witness with our Spirit. If I were not born of God, I could not have the mind and spirit of a child of God; for of myself I am carnal, sold under sin. This spirit of a child of God expresses itself in a determined struggle against the lusts of the flesh, in grief because of them, and victory over them; and furthermore in simple and trusting prayer to God, to whom we from our innermost soul cry, Abba, Father; thus praying the Lord’s Prayer from the bottom of our hearts. I pray to God not reluctantly, but gladly. (I here speak of my inner man, not of the flesh; not of the “law of sin in my members, warring against the law of my mind”). I do not stand trembling with a bad conscience before the righteous God; but happy and of good cheer in Christ, I speak to him in regard to the extension of his kingdom, and in regard to my own sin and distress and all my concerns, and praise him for his ineffable mercy. In harmony with this testimony of the Spirit in me, the Spirit himself testifies for me through the word and sacraments. The word of God confirms itself to my heart as being true and living; and I find my own inner man reflected in the word. Or, to express the same idea in other words, the Spirit in the word, with his demands and promises, is identical with the Spirit in my new life. The Spirit that dwells in me is the Spirit of faith and charity and hope; and this is precisely the Spirit in the word and sacraments. The Spirit in my heart is the Spirit of purity and of adoption to sonship, which wars against the flesh, and overcomes it, and cries, Abba, Father; and this is the very same Spirit that is in the word. Nay, it is through the word and sacraments that I have received the Spirit; he has permeated and sanctified my spirit, and given it of his divine nature; and thus it is the very Spirit of God that bears witness in me and with me, that I am a child of God. Blessed sonship, giving free access to the Father! Blessed hope of life, to be followed by heavenly glory!
Give us grace, then, dear heavenly Father, to lead saintly lives, and to suffer with patience in the fellowship of our Lord Jesus. Let thy Spirit bear witness with us in life and death that we are thy children; and let our life and our death bear witness before all the world that thy Spirit dwells in us, and gives us the assurance that there awaits us a heavenly heritage of glory. Amen.*
O Holy Ghost, thou precious Gift,
Thou Comforter unfailing,
O’er Satan’s snares our souls uplift,
And let thy power availing
Avert our woes and calm our dread:
For us the Savior’s blood was shed:
We trust in thee to save us.
[TLH 237, ELH 35; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.