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"Half the sins which the world has learned of its lord and
master, the devil, consist in lying and deceiving, and that in the name and
appearance of truth. The other half, which is easier to recognize, consists in
wrath and its fruits. And this class is usually the result of the other. The
world, for its own advantage, lies and deceives; and when it sees mankind
acting in opposition to its wishes, or beholds its lies exposed and its schemes
thwarted, it begins to rage in wrath against God, endeavoring to avenge itself
and inflict harm, but fraudulently disguising its wicked motive under the plea
of having good and abundant reasons for its action."
Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1983, VIII, p. 312. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Ephesians 4:22-28 John
16:20 –
"Such people, however, do not understand divine things, they
think they will suddenly enter death with Christ, whom they have never learned
to know except in words. Thus was Peter also disposed, but he stood before
Christ like a rabbit before one beating a drum. Notice, how the old Adam lacks
courage when under the cross! The new man, however, can indeed persevere
through grace." Sermons of
Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House, 1983, III, p. 85. Third Sunday after Easter John 16:16-23.
"Observe, God and men proceed in contrary ways. Men set on
first that which is best, afterward that which is worse. God first gives the
cross and affliction, then honor and blessedness. This is because men seek to
preserve the old man; on which account they instruct us to keep the Law by
works, and offer promises great and sweet...But God first of all terrifies the
conscience, sets on miserable wine, in fact nothing but water; then, however,
He consoles us with the promises of the Gospel which endure forever."
Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1983, II, p. 69. Second Sunday after Epiphany, John 2:1-11.
"In contrast thereto you can recognize the new man. He speaks
the truth and hates lies, not only those momentous lies against the first table
of the Ten Commandments, but also those against the second table; for he deals
faithfully and in a brotherly way with others, doing as he would be done by
himself. Thus should Christians live with each other, as members of one body,
according to the apostle, and as having in Christ all things common and
alike."
Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1983, VIII, p. 311. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Ephesians 4:22-28.
"Now, when a man does not deal fairly with his neighbor, but
practices dishonesty and deceit, be it in matters spiritual or temporal (and
the world is ever deceitful in all transactions), then certainly the old man
holds sway and not righteousness nor holiness, however much the man may effect
a good appearance and evade the courts. For such conduct does not reflect God's
image, but the devil's. For the heart does not rely on God and His truth,
otherwise it would war with fraud and deception; but its object is to clothe
itself with a misleading garb, even assuming the name of God, and thus to
deceive, belie, betray and forsake its neighbor at the bidding of every
fiendish whim, and all for the satisfaction of its avarice, selfishness and
pride."
Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1983, VIII, p. 311. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Ephesians 4:22-28.
"Now, the apostle has two things to say of the old man: that
he corrupts himself in error as to the soul and in lusts as to the body. Paul
portrays the old man--meaning every man without true faith though he bear the
name of a Christian--as in the first place given to error: coming short of the
truth, knowing naught of the true knowledge of Christ and faith in Him,
indifferent alike to God's wrath and God's grace, deceiving himself with his
own conceit that darkness is light."
Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1983, VIII, p. 307. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Ephesians 4:22-28
"What he calls 'the old man' is well known to us; namely, the
whole nature of man as descended from Adam after his fall in paradise, being
blinded by the devil, depraved in soul, not keeping God before his eyes nor
trusting him, yes, utterly regardless of God and the judgment day. Though with
his mouth he may honor God's Word and the Gospel, yet in reality he is
unchanged; if he does have a little addtional knowledge, he has just as little
fear, love and trust in God as heretofore."
Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983,
VIII, p. 306. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Ephesians 4:22-28.
"Nor have we as yet arrived at the point where our flesh and
blood will joyfully and gladly abound in good works and obedience to God as the
spirit is inclined and faith directs. Even with the utmost efforts the Spirit
scarce can compel our old man."
Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1983, VIII, p. 306. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Ephesians 4:22-28.
"Therefore, the Gospel ministry is necessary in the Church,
not only for instruction of the ignorant--such as the simple, unlettered people
and the children--but also for the purpose of awakening those who know very
well what they are to believe and how they are to live, and admonishing them to
be on their guard daily and not to become indolent, disheartened or tired in
the war they must wage on this earth with the devil, with their own flesh and
with all manner of evil."
Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1983, VIII, p. 305. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Ephesians 4:22-28.
"Here again is an admonition for Christians to follow up
their faith by good works and a new life, for though they have forgiveness of
sins through baptism, the old Adam still adheres to their flesh and makes
himself felt in tendencies and desires to vices physical and mental. The result
is that unless Christians offer resistance, they will lose their faith and the
remission of sins and will in the end be worse than they were at first; for
they will begin to despise and persecute the Word of God when corrected by it.
Yea, even those who gladly hear the Word of God, who highly prize it and aim to
follow it, have daily need of admonition and encouragement, so strong and tough
is that old hide of sinful flesh."
Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1983, VIII, p. 305. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Ephesians 4:22-28.
"For this reason let every one esteem his Baptism as a daily
dress in which he is to walk constantly, that he may ever be found in the faith
and its fruits, that he suppress the old man and grow up in the new. For if we
would be Christians, we must practise the work whereby we are Christians. But
if any one fall away from it, let him again come into it. For just as Christ,
the Mercy-seat, does not recede from us or forbid us to come to Him again, even
though we sin, so all His treasure and gifts also remain. If, therefore, we have
once in Baptism obtained forgiveness of sin, it will remain every day, as long
as we live, that is, as long as we carry the old man about our neck."
The Large
Catechism, Part Fourth, Of Baptism. #84-86. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 753. Tappert, p. 446. Heiser, p. 209f.
"Therefore it {communion}is given for a daily pasture and
sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself so as not to fall back
in such a battle, but become ever stronger and stronger. For the new life must
be so regulated that it continually increase and progress; but it must suffer
much opposition. For the devil is such a furious enemy that when he sees that
we oppose him and attack the old man, and that he cannot topple us over by force,
he prowls and moves about on all sides, tries all devices, and does not desist,
until he finally wearies us, so that we either renounce our faith or yield
hands and feet and become listless or impatient. Now to this end the
consolation is here given when the heart feels that the burden is becoming too
heavy, that it may here obtain new power and refreshment."
The Large
Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #24-27. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 759. Tappert, p. 449. Heiser, p. 211.
But what is the old man? It is that which is born in us from Adam,
angry, hateful, envious, unchaste, stingy, lazy, haughty, yes, unbelieving,
infected with all vices, and having by nature nothing good in it. Now, when we
are come into the kingdom of Christ, these things must daily decrease, that the
longer we live we become more gentle, more patient, more meek, and ever
withdraw more and more from unbelief, avarice, hatred, envy, haughtiness."
The Large Catechism, Part Fourth, Of Baptism. #66-67. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 749. Tappert, p. 445. Heiser, p. 209.