Category Archives: grace

The Lust For Domination

“I know how great is the effort needed to convince the proud of the power and excellence of humility, an excellence which makes it soar above all the summits of this world, which sway in their temporal instability, overtopping them … Continue reading

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Flattery Gets You Nowhere

“I prefer to be frank and not have anyone misled by flattery. I can testify that although my shell may be hard, still my kernel is soft and sweet.  I wish no one harm, but desire everyone to carefully consider … Continue reading

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Faith Works: Martin Luther’s Treatise on Good Works

Lutherans should celebrate the 500th anniversary of 1520 as a much more significant event than publication of the Ninety-Five Theses in 1517.  The Indulgence Controversy and the image of Luther’s hammer has captured everyone’s imagination for a long time.  However, … Continue reading

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An Infallible Truth

“It is an infallible truth that no person is righteous unless he believes in God, as stated in Rom. 1 [:17]: ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.’  Likewise, ‘He who does not believe is condemned already” [John 3:18] … Continue reading

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A Medieval Palm Sunday Sermon

“[Christ] having entered the battle, had nails affixed to his feet as shin guards, He held a reed in [his] hand for a lance, [his] hands were affixed with nails for a sword.  He had the cross for a shield, … Continue reading

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The Interrogation of Mercy

Augustine of Hippo (d. 430) teaches on John 1:16  “And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.” “What grace did we, in the first instance, receive?  Faith: walking in faith, we walk in grace.  How have … Continue reading

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Grant What You Command

“My entire hope is exclusively in your very great mercy.  Grant what you command, and command what you will.  You require continence.  A certain writer has said (Wisd. 8. 21): ‘As I knew that no one can be continent except … Continue reading

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Luther on Faith and Love

“The truth of the Gospel is this, that our righteousness comes by faith alone, without the works of the Law.  The falsification or corruption of the Gospel is this, that we are justified by faith, but not without the works of … Continue reading

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