# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1910_S6
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

6 Proceedings of the twenty-third convention

slave labor of servants, is honorable. For Christians do
their works not out of bondage to men but in the service of God,
vv. 23, 24.

To entice Christians to show themselves worthy of their glorious titles of honor with all joyfulness throughout their whole
life, the Apostle also points to a promised reward of grace, v. 24.

Because of the old Adam, however, whom Christians still have as well,
and who makes them sluggish, there is also no lack of warnings that, in
case of neglect of service, there is no respect of
persons with God, vv. 25, 26.

The glorious titles are conferred on Christians through the Gospel.
Christ has won them for them by his suffering and death.
Christ and his Gospel are therefore also the living
fountain from which alone Christians draw the strength to live up to their titles
of honor. "Just as Christ has forgiven you, so also
you," v. 13. When we recognize who Christ is and what he has done and suffered
for our redemption, a new, spiritual
life stirs in our hearts. We love him because he first loved us;
and because we love him, we keep his word.

Christ cannot be separated from the Gospel. The channel
through which the living power is brought from Christ to Christians
is the Word of God. Hence the Apostle's exhortation:
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly," v. 16.

Christians themselves seek strength from on high, by
asking God for further blessing while giving thanks for benefits received,
Chap. 4:2.

And what is the purpose of all this? the purpose of the glorious
titles of honor? the purpose of the service of Christians in keeping with their titles?
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the
Father by him," v. 17. God is thereby to be honored.

1. "You are the salt of the earth."
(Matt. 5:13.)

Luther says on this passage: "That is indeed a glorious office
and a great, excellent honor, that God calls Christians his salt and
appoints them to salt everything that is on earth. . . . For
it is indeed a great deal to lay upon them, and too heavy a burden, that poor fishermen
or some other poor, despised person should be called before God a salt
of the earth and should undertake to lay hold of and salt everything that
are people on earth. . . . But our defiance is this: when things go badly,
the world and the devil look sourly upon us and are as wicked as they
please, he says to us: 'You are the salt of the earth.' Where the
Word shines into the heart, so that one can rely on it and confidently
boast that he is God's salt, then let whoever will not
laugh rage and be wicked." (Erl. 43, 67 f.)