05 May 2008
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
To poor, sad-hearted sinners - I repeat it! - not a word of the Law must be preached. Woe to the preacher who would continue to preach the Law to a famished sinner! On the contrary, to such a person the preach must say: "Do but come! There is still room! No matter if you were a Judas or a Cain, there is still room. Oh, do, do come to Jesus!" Persons of this kind are the proper subjects on whom the Gospel is to operate. - C. F. W. Walther, *Proper Distinction*
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2 comments:
Since all of your sermons preach the Law at the congregation, I must conclude that you either do not agree with Walther, or that you sincerely believe that your hearers are not famished sinners.
Hopefully, my sermons recognize that I have both sorts of hearers in front of me, and give to each what the Lord prescribes:
the law to humble pride of heart to save us;
the gospel to give and strengthen trust in the Lord's promises.
When Walther spoke of not giving the law to famished sinners, he meant that in the sermon it should be clear that famished sinners are not to be directed to obedience they perform, but to the obedience of our Lord which is our sole righteousness.
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