The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1920, Page 2

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

like Pharaoh who did not repent even after severe
punishments had come upon him.

It is furthermore but natural that such as will
not submit to the judgment and condemnation of
the Law should not long for nor appreciate the
Gospel. They rather have an aversion to hearing
the Word of the Cross, which is foolishness in their
opinion. Celsus, the first heathen who made an
elaborate attack on the Christian religion in the
form of a writing, views the Gospel with proud
contempt, because it is so simple and therefore
appeals to the uneducated masses. One of his argu-
ments is: If Jesus really would have been the Son
of God, He would have appeared in His majesty
here on earth, and would not have died on the igno-
minious cross. What Christ said to the unbelieving
Jews applies to all unbelievers: “He that is of God
heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not,
because ye are not of God.”

Christians, however, delight in the divine Law
according to their inner man. ‘They love to hear
it, although, yea, even because, it is such a stern,
hard teaching which exacts and demands absolute
obedience at the peril of everlasting death. They
know that they need to hear it again and again on
account.of their flesh. Although it is bitter medi-
cine, they appreciate it because of its, salutary, effi-
cacious effect upon them, in that it makes them
truly penitent. And being truly penitent at heart,
they certainly long for, and enjoy listening to, the
blessed Gospel of the grace of God in Christ, which
proclaims, aye, imparts to them, forgiveness of sin,
strengthens their faith, and causes them to lead
a godly life, whereby they show that they are of
God. They also love God’s Word because it points
out to them which are the truly good works. It is
sweeter to their mouth than honey and the honey-
comb; it is dearer to them than much gold and
silver. They hear and read it devoutly and regu-
larly. Thus they show that they are of the truth.
“Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit
of error.”

How blessed believers are! Another truth which
is pointed out in our text is that they despise Satan.
V. 4 we read: “Greater 1s He that is in you [Chris-
tians] than he that ts in the world.” God Himself
is in and with the Christians. He dwells in them by
His Spirit. Therefore we read in the 46th Psalm:
“God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present
Help in trouble.: God is in the midst of her [the
Church]; she shall not be moved; God shall help
her, and that right early. The Lord of hosts is

f

with us; the God of Jacob is our Refuge” — Satan
is in and with the world, his servant.
calls the devil the prince, father, and god of this

world. He and his angels are called the rulers of .

the world. But God, who is in the Christians, is
greater, stronger, and mightier than the prince of
this world. When Aaron cast down his rod and it
became a serpent, the magicians of Egypt did the
same with their enchantments; but Aaron’s rod
swallowed up their rods. When he brought forth
lice from the dust, the magicians tried to do the
same, but could not. Then they said to Pharaoh,
“This is the finger of God.” God’s power over
Satan was also demonstrated by Christ’s casting
devils out of people. Read Luke 11, 21. 22 what
Christ said on such an occasion. God being in
every respect greater than Satan, Jesus despised
the latter and by His example taught us to do the
same. Referring to His suffering and death, He
said: “Now is the judgment of this world; now
shall the prince of this world be cast out,” and
again: “The prince of this world cometh and hath
nothing in Me.” Luther learned from Christ to
view Satan with contempt, to which he gives ex-
pression in the following lines: —

This world’s prinee may still

Scowl fierce as he will,

He can harm us none,

He's judged; the deed is done;

One little word can fell him.

A Jew intended to assassinate Luther, but some
one sent the Reformer a portrait of the villain and
so put Luther on his guard. We should often look
at Satan’s portrait drawn in the Bible for us, in
order that we may not underrate him; ‘for he is
powerful and wily. Nor should we overrate him;
for we may boldly despise him, and with him the
world, his servant, through Christ, our Champion.

* What a blessed thing it is to be of God! There
is another reason for this fact; it is this: They
that are of God overcome the world, yea, they have
even now overcome the world with all its power
and temptations, pomp, and sin. “Ye are of God,
little children, and have overcome them: * because
greater is He that is in you than he that is in the
world,” v.4. Our faith is the victory which has
overcome the world. But only faith in Christ and
Him Crucified is so victorious. St. Martin, as the
legend relates, sat in his cell studying sacred liter-
ature, when a stranger of lordly mien and splendid
garment entered who claimed to be Christ. Cast-

ing a searching look at him, the monk asked, “Where

The Bible .