He's really very good in the House Postil on this text. Here's his wrap up paragraph on the Ten Lepers:
To sum it all up: we will be good Christians, first of all, when we have a firm faith and trust in God's goodness; second, when we are grateful to God and our fellowmen; and third, when we patiently tolerate ingratitude as we keep on doing good to all people. In any case, nine people will be ungrateful for every one who is grateful and thanks you for a good deed. And it may well be that the one who thanks you and is grateful is the one of whom you least expected it, just like this Samaritan. May our loving Lord God grant his grace that we remember this and keep growing in our sanctification. Amen.
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ReplyDeleteGrowing in sanctification? This is not a Lutheran sermon!
ReplyDeleteOh, wait.
Never mind.
And Dr Luther identifies the key to growing in sanctification as first, faith and trust in God, and attributes this growth to God's grace. His statement about not knowing who would be grateful to us is excellent and great advice.
ReplyDeleteWell, you didn't expect Dr. Luther to get it wrong, did you???
ReplyDelete"In any case, nine people will be ungrateful for every one who is grateful and thanks you for a good deed. And it may well be that the one who thanks you and is grateful is the one of whom you least expected it, just like this Samaritan."
ReplyDeleteAs good-old Glimfeather used to put it, "too true!"
Of course, my expectations for Dr Luther's theological acumen are usually fairly high.
ReplyDeleteSome well-intentioned Christians (*not Rev. McCain) who talk about sanctification really don't properly understand its source and how it arises. They want to make the Gospel into a new Law. Sanctification never originates, nor is sustained by the Law, even when the Law guides believers.