how great Apology IV is. Right now, if you're following the reading plan in the Treasury, we're in the middle of that tremendous and comforting article. A few gems we've been treated to of late:
Likewise the faith of which we speak exists in repentance. I mean that faith is conceive in the terrors of conscience, which feels God's wrath against our sins and seeks forgiveness of sins, seeks to be freed from sin.
Such faith does not remain in those who obey their desires, neither does it dwell with mortal sin.
For in this life we cannot satisfy the Law, because the sinful nature does not stop bringing forth evil inclination and desire, even though the Spirit in us resists them.
Faith alone looks upon the promise. It knows that because of the promise, it is absolutely certain that God forgives, because Christ did not die in vain.
The woman came with the opinion that forgiveness of sins should be sought in Christ. This worship is the highest worship of Christ. She could think nothing greater about Christ. To seek forgiveness of sins from Him was truly to acknowledge the Messiah. To think of Christ this way, to worship Him this way, to embrace Him this way, is truly to believe.
2 comments:
Sweet!
Just last night I was lead to AP IV by the footnote to Romans 1:16 in the Lutheran Study Bible. I had not read it before.
What a gem! Melanchthon's gentle and clear tone is easier for me to read than much of Luther where he sounds like he is on a dyspeptic tirade (e.g. Introduction to the Large Catechism).
Not to put one reformer above another, both had weaknesses alongside their indespinsible strengths.
I was put on to the personality of Melanchthon by reading about Durer's wonderful engraving of him. Durer deliberately departed from realism in order to depict his spirit, the inscription under it is false modesty, in my opinion.
It seems that Herr Schwartzerdt was born with a face as awkward as his name! One can always change his name. . .
Durer's picture tells a thousand stories, Melanchthon's prose tells a thousand more. I thank God for this great gift to the church whom He put in the right place at the right time.
No question that Melanchthon is the pleasanter person - but Luther had more fun!
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