The Combat Zone Of The War: Within The Christian

Text: Romans 7:14-8:1

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Every single Sunday during the Divine Service, you and I confess that we are by nature, sinful and unclean.  For some of you, you have been confessing this only for a short time, since you are either young or new to the church.  Others of you have been confessing this your entire life – for decades upon decades.    

  

And here is the catch, no matter what is going on in your life, you confess.  When things are going bad, you confess that you are by nature, sinful and unclean.  And when things are going great, you still confess that you are by nature, sinful and unclean. 

We also see this in our prayers.  Think about the hundreds – no, thousands of times that you have prayed the Lord’s Prayer and asked for the forgiveness of your trespasses.  Indeed, no matter the season of your life, you continue to pray the Lord’s Prayer and ask for the forgiveness of sins. 

Now, many well-meaning people think that we are wrong for confessing that we are by nature sinful and unclean.  In fact, they teach that once a person becomes a Christian, he or she is no longer a sinner.  And since a Christian is no longer a sinner, there is no longer a need for confession.  The famous televangelist, Joyce Meyer, has said it this way,

“I am NOT poor! I am NOT miserable, and I am NOT a sinner. That is a lie from the pit of Hell. That is what I were and if I still was then Jesus died in vain! I’m going to tell you something folks; I didn’t stop sinning until I finally got it through my thick head I wasn’t a sinner anymore.”[1] 

And there are others who oppose this regular confession of sin. There are so-called Christians who walk around with their noses high in the air, acting like they do not struggle with sin anymore – that sin is a little thing that they conquered a long time ago.  They pretend that all is well and that they are now living a victorious life.   

Well, my friends, these individuals are misinformed.  They are wrong and naïve at best. You see, plain reason and experience show us that we Christians struggle with sin.  Not just in the past, but every single day.   

  

But why do we struggle with sin, even though we are baptized?  My friends, sin ‘remains’ after baptism.[2]  Yes, sin remains after your baptisms.  In fact, the Apostle Paul says in our Epistle reading that, “sin dwells within [him.]”[3]  Paul, as a Christian, says that sin dwells in him and he does this in the present tense. 

    

But this brings up a problem.  If sin remains after our baptisms, does this mean that our baptisms somehow did not work?  Should we be re-baptized again because of our sin?  Or, should we use more water in our baptisms, as if more water might help with this ongoing problem with sin?  Maybe, we should submerge people in baptism and hold them under the water a little bit longer?  Not too long though.    

Baptized Saints, your baptism did work and is working.  Your baptism removed the guilt of sin, which means that your sin is without God’s wrath against it.  You see, as long as you remain in your baptisms, your sin, which is in you, cannot condemn you before God.  Your sin is dead and harmless before God’s anger, as long as you continue in this baptismal grace.[4]

     

Permit me the opportunity to explain this a bit more. 

Let us imagine for a moment that we have a bunch of Christians, and godless Pagans lined up on a wall, much like a police lineup.  And let us imagine that we have an instrument that can test for the sinful nature.  So, if we wave this instrument in front of every person in the lineup, what do we find?  Well, the instrument would indicate that every person in the lineup is a sinner.  Yes, every single person in the line would be guilty of sin – the Christian and the godless Pagan.  Furthermore, if this instrument could test for things such as anger and evil desires, it would show that every single person is exactly the same.  The godly and the ungodly would have the same motion of anger and evil desires.[5]

So, what must we conclude?  Are we to conclude that everyone in the lineup is guilty before God Almighty?  Absolutely not!  The reason why?  The Christian is baptized and wrapped in Christ’s righteousness.  The sin in the Christian is forgiven, God does not count it against the Christian.  Indeed, everyone in the lineup has the same sin, but the Christians in the lineup have an antidote to sin – a remedy.[6]  They have Jesus and His gifts by grace through faith. 

And so, we can confess that we are real sinners, just like the Apostle Paul, and just like everyone else around us.  We can confess that no one is good, not even one.[7]  We can confess that we have real sin presently within us.  This old Adam – this sinful nature remains within us. 

However, we must never forget that this sinful nature is not our friend but our enemy. Unlike pagans, this sinful nature within us is an unwelcomed evil guest.  Yes, when we were baptized, we were put under the dominion of grace; therefore, the sinful nature was kicked off the throne of our hearts and now finds itself surrounded by the Lord’s grace and constantly confronted by the new man in Christ.  That’s right; for the baptized – for you – the sinful nature is not a welcomed guest but dead weight – dead weight that can do nothing but sin. 

So, dear Baptized Christians, since you still have the sinful nature and since the sinful nature is within you, it means that every moment, every thought, every word, and every deed becomes a combat zone for you against your sinful old Adam.  As a Saint and Sinner, you will experience both sin and trust in God in all your works and doings as long as you are on this earth.[8]

Sure there are battles in the culture to fight, and there are battles against the devil to be had, but the battle that is closest to home is right there in your heart.

Practically speaking, at your job, the sinful nature will work to get you to grumble and gossip towards your boss.  As a husband or wife, your sinful nature will cause you to resent your spouse and quarrel.  As a parent or grandparent, school teacher, farmer, manufacturer, and church member, the sinful nature is at work bringing about jealousy, greed, fits of rage, factions, rebellion, and so forth in your vocations. 

Is there a problem with your job?  It is the sinful nature at work in you and your neighbor. 

Is there a problem at school?  It is the sinful nature at work in you and your neighbor.

Is there a problem in the family?  It is the sinful nature at work in you and your neighbor.

Is there a problem in Gwinner?  It is the sinful nature at work in you and your neighbor. 

Is there a problem in America?  It is the sinful nature at work in you and your neighbor.

The sinful nature leads us to “do not what we want to do, but do the very thing that we hate.”[9]  The sinful nature is within us and leads us to cry out with the Apostle Paul, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”[10]  Yes, who will deliver us from this body of death – the treachery of the old Adam? 

The one who will deliver you is Jesus Christ, Son of God. 

Dear Baptized Saints, in the midst of this agonizing struggle with the old Adam, what we need to hear and hear often is that God gives deliverance through Jesus.  In fact, in Christ, the victory has already been won! 

The ramifications of this cannot be quickly overlooked.  You see, we continually pray for forgiveness of sins, because Jesus has accomplished and freely gives us forgiveness.   And we confess sins because the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.[11]  Yes, we confess that we are sinners – we ‘rat out’ the old Adam because Jesus has come to call sinners.[12] 

It is like this: we come to the Lord’s church often and regularly to confess that we are poor miserable sinner.  And when we do this, it is like we are dragging this sinful nature before the throne of grace, throwing ourselves upon the mercy of the Lord.  And then, right there in the sanctuary with our sinful nature laid bare, the Lord delivers you and me by pouring not wrath, but His grace, forgiveness, and salvation upon us through His Word and Sacraments. 

And so, we come to this church and this altar continually so that we might hear about the victorious one who has delivered and is delivering us from the old Adam.  We come to this holy house so that the Lord might continually create a clean heart within and renew a right spirit within us, so that you and I might continue to fight the good fight against the war within.

In the name of Jesus. Amen. 

---

[1] Joyce Meyer, “Joyce Meyer is Not a Sinner,” Youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhDBwJVQv_o (accessed February 28, 2018).  

[2] Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article II:35. 

[3] See Romans 7:17.

[4] Martin Luther, Luther’s Works Volume 32: Against Latomus (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1958), 229.  

[5] Ibid, 207.

[6] Ibid, 252.

[7] See Romans 3:10.

[8] Martin Luther, Against Latomus, 233.

[9] See Romans 7:19.

[10] See Romans 7:24.

[11] See 1 John 1:9.

[12] See Matthew 9:13.

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Death Is Bad; However, Jesus' Death Is Good - And Here Is Why

The following 'Funeral Service Sermon' is posted with family permission.  May the Lord give to the family of Leona Adermann, and all who mourn, comfort in their grief and a sure confidence in the Lord's loving care. 

Text: John 19:28-30

In the name of Jesus:  Amen.

Funerals tend to be sobering events.  Funerals carry with them a sense of heaviness, grief, sorrow, and tears. 

When we hear of funerals or think of them, they tend to make us hang our heads, not clap for joy. 

Now, even though there are times when a person is spared from further suffering through an early death, the death of a loved one is never a good thing, but a bad thing.  Indeed, funerals are never good news but more often than not, bad news.

The reason why it is this way?

My friends, death is our enemy.  Death is your enemy.  Death is Leona’s enemy.  And the Lord does not delight in death, and we do not as well.  Death is not good, but bad. 

Therefore, when we come to funerals like this, we come with a reluctance.  Sure, we are here to remember the life of Leona.  Sure, we are here to pay our respects, as they say.  However, there is a part of us that is shy – we all feel the gloom of death that weighs down upon us, and we feel that shadow of death leaning in on us.    

This is the reason why most people would instead attend a wedding than a funeral.  Most people would rather attend a birthday party than a funeral, as well.  Yes, give us weddings and birthday parties, but not funerals. 

So what shall we do with our time together right now? 

This may seem strange, but let us ponder another death.  Yes, right now, instead of considering Leona’s death, let us shift our attention briefly to the death of Jesus.      

Now, it may seem bizarre, but as we consider the death of Jesus, what we encounter is something quite remarkable.  We do not encounter more bad news, but quite the contrary.  We encounter something very good. 

But you may be saying to yourself,

“Pastor, I thought death was our enemy!  How can there be any good in the death of Jesus?” 

Dear friends, Satan initially planned death for you, me, and Leona, for he was a murderer from the beginning.  Death was to be the ultimate destruction of us.  However, this device of devastation for us becomes the way that Jesus gives us eternal life.  That is to say; the death brought in by Satan is flipped on its head.  In Jesus, death is made powerless.  The cross of Jesus, which is a picture of ultimate death, is now the only solution for your death, my death, and Leona’s death.  Yes, only the death of Jesus could destroy death itself.

Jesus changed everything for Leona.  His cross shattered the power of Satan, and it abolished the sting of Leona’s death.  Leona’s death was destroyed by an act of self-sacrificing love.  Sure, we must acknowledge that death has taken Leona’s body, but it cannot kill her soul, for her soul is safe in Christ. And even more, her mortal body will be raised anew someday at the great resurrection.

Yes, death may taunt you, me, and Leona, but ultimately destroy us? No! Confine us to eternal death?  No!

What this means is that today’s funeral is good, not bad.  It is good not because we have temporarily lost Leona, but rather, it is good because Jesus will never let go of Leona.  It is good because, at the Cross, Jesus damned and devoured sin.  Jesus destroyed death and rendered the Devil powerless.  Yes, today’s funeral is good because of Jesus.  It is good because we do not have to deny our fear of death or cover our fear, but rather our fear is met by the one who partook of death, Christ-crucified.  Death and its fruit of fear are to be met by Jesus’ words that death has been defeated; it is finished.

So, today we can stare into the darkness of death and say,

“What is death?  What is hell?  Christ, the Son of God, placed himself under God’s laws and died.  But Christ’s death defeated death and gave us life.”[1]

My friends, in Jesus nothing is more certain for Leona than eternal life and the resurrection, for she has been baptized into Jesus death and resurrection.   The Apostle Paul is right when he states in our reading from 1 Corinthians,

“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting.  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, even though death is bad, the death of Jesus is better – Jesus’ death is good.  Therefore, through the good death and resurrection of Jesus, the Lord will not keep Leona in the ground!  She has not been left alone with her sins, and she is not lost in the shadows of death.  But she is with Jesus now.  Jesus is her sanctuary. 

And for all of you this day, the death of Jesus is your sanctuary in the agony of sin.  Your sins are buried deeply in the wounds of Jesus.  Yes, the cross of Christ is your hope’s anchor in affliction.  It is your victory banner in the battle with sin, the world, and Satan.  Jesus is your ladder in the hour of death.[2]

It is finished.  It is all done.  Jesus is good.  His death is good.  And His goodness is for me, you, and especially for Leona. 

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

---

[1] Martin Luther, Source Unknown. 

[2] C.F.W. Walther, Gospel Sermons: Volume 1 tr. Donald E. Heck, 225

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Scraps Of Grace

Text:  Matthew 15:21-28 

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Would you like to supersize your meal? Absolutely!

Would you like more chocolate sauce on your ice cream? Most definitely!

Are you going to apply for that new job? Why wouldn’t I apply!

Are you working on that new promotion? Without a doubt!

We human beings seem never to be content with just a little but are always wanting more. Yes, we never seem to be comfortable but are always striving to get higher. The reason why? We assume that bigger is better and that to be better we need to be bigger.

In fact, I think it is safe to say that marketers prey on our covetous desires, making us feel inferior if we do not own the next best thing. And employers hope that we will scramble for the top position because it will help increase a business’ productivity.

And so, we typically are never content with a little and do not want to be on the bottom. Indeed, the more that we can have and the higher that we can be, the more we are supposedly satisfied.

So, why on earth was the Canaanite woman from our Gospel reading so content with crumbs and morsels? Why on earth was she happy with being like a scraggly dog, sitting under the table eating crumbs and morsels that fell to the floor?

Who likes crumbs; who is happy being a dog?

The Canaanite woman in our Gospel reading had a daughter who was demonically possessed. The evil one had seized her precious girl, and nothing that the mom could do was able to remove the claws of the demon from her daughter’s soul. All she could do was stand and watch her daughter squirm and wail in agony from the hellish clutches of that demonic being. She was helpless to cure her child. She was out of control as the demon tormented her daughter.

So, in her helplessness, she goes to the only one that she thinks that can help her. She goes to Jesus.  She goes to Jesus and cries out.

I get the impression that she had a lot of tears, that her speech was muffled, and that she was somewhat out of control in her plea for mercy. It seems that she dumped all of her emotions, struggles, and groans upon Jesus.

To our surprise, she was met with an icy rejection of our Lord. It was almost as if Jesus was treating the mother as if she had a demon herself. But this does not matter. The mother continues to cry out; however, Jesus does not grant the mother’s request.

But again, this does not matter. The mother continues to cry out, for that is what faith does. She becomes like a yippy little dog, begging and barking for the smallest of crumbs from the master even when told to go.

Long story short, the mother ends up on her knees in the dust, begging, “Lord help me!” And Jesus ends up calling her a dog, unworthy of the bread that He came to bring to His people, the Jews. To this the mother replied, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

Dear friends, this mother was content with crumbs. She was happy being considered a dog. And the reason why? She knew that even dogs belonged in the house and are fed and cared for. She knew that if she was a mere dog in the eyes of the Lord that at least she was saved. She did not expect to be a child and sit at the table to eat meat and drink wine, for she was content with just being in the house. She was content with a little from Jesus because she had nothing.

You see, the mother had great faith. She not only understood the predicament of sin, death, and the devil upon her life and her daughter’s life, but her faith would not let Jesus be anything other than the gracious, kind, and loving Savior that she had heard about.

This is how faith operates. Faith which is created by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel not only acknowledges the predicament of sin, death, and the devil, but clings to the only solution – Jesus Christ, and is content with Jesus in spite of the difficult circumstances abounding in its midst.

And so, the mother would gladly cry and crawl around under the tables and benches, gathering up food from the scraps and be satisfied with little, because she knew that crumbs from the Lord were enough to sustain her and her daughter. She would rather have the mere crumbs of Jesus than no Jesus at all.

Psalm 84, verse 10 talks about this too. It says,

“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

In other words, a lowly place in salvation is much better than a lavish life ending in condemnation. Eating from the crumbs of the Lord’s Table is better than eating the prime rib of the world’s banquet halls. Being a dog of the Lord is better than being the king of a country. Besides, as poor miserable sinners, we do not have the right to expect much, for we do not even deserve scraps under the table, but a place in the dog house outside.

Dear friends, it is like this: left to ourselves we are completely and totally unable to produce true fear and trust in God. Our problem of sin is not just some mere mistakes here and there. For if sin was just mistakes, we would only need a 5-10 minute savior. However, if sin is a condition that we cannot remove; if sin has sunk its claws into us and all we can do is stand and watch the destruction that it has on our lives and others; if sin is truly that bad leading us to death, then we are truly helpless, just like the Canaanite woman and desperately need to cry out. 

And when our cries for mercy come before Jesus, even if He rebukes us as sinners and calls us a dog, we must not go away but must confess all the more that we would gladly be a mangy mutt licking up the scraps of grace by His feet, for we do not even deserve this. Indeed, we must confess by faith that we are poor sinners, yet at the same time say with brave confidence,

“You Lord Jesus did not come for the righteous but for sinners – sinners like me. Indeed, Jesus, you told me to come to you and that you would give me rest. Therefore, Jesus, I will gladly rest at your feet in safety and security; I will gladly feast upon the crumbs of your mighty grace, for you know that I do not even deserve this mighty place at your feet under the table.”

Dear Baptized Saints, as we saw with the Canaanite woman, it was impossible for Jesus to turn away from her. And so it is the same for you; it is impossible for the fount of divine mercy to remain shut to poor miserable sinners clinging – by faith – to Jesus.

And so, when we acknowledge ourselves as sinners and cry out for grace, we do not merely have a share in the crumbs and morsels of the Lord under the table, but we are given a seat with Christ at His table where we receive His true body and blood. And furthermore, we are given a seat with Christ at His Father’s table, where we will rejoice with Jesus in eternal life, forever and ever.[1]

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

---

[1] Johann Spangenberg, The Christian Year of Grace: The Chief Parts of Scripture Explained in Questions and Answers, tr. Matthew Carver (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2014), 114.

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The Beginning Of The War: Baptism Of The Christian

This is Part 1 of the Lent Series titled, 

"The Christian's War: The Life of the Christian as Saint and Sinner."

Text: Romans 6:1-14

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Well-meaning Christians will often tell pagans that they should become Christians. And the reason they give to pagans: becoming a Christian supposedly allows a person to live a better life. They say that Christianity allows a person to enlarge their vision, break through the barriers of the past, and live with enthusiasm while defeating the disappointments of life.[1] In other words, the reason why a person should become a Christian is that the Christian life is supposedly stress-free, peaceful, and glorious. Christianity is sold as a peaceful walk on the beach – a life of ease where the good times roll.

Now, just to be clear, being a Christian means that we most definitely have peace with God – no wrath and no fear of condemnation in Christ Jesus.[2] Yes, when we were baptized, we were given the forgiveness of sins which brings about comfort; however, this peace with God and the comfort of forgiveness have ramifications in this life in the vale of tears. 

It is like this: before you and I were baptized into the Christian faith, we were under the power of the devil, which means that we were enemies of God. You heard that right, before baptism, you and I were ‘enemies’ of God. Before baptism you and I were on the wrong team – dead in sin and at war with God.  However, baptism changed all of this. At baptism, a new reality happened. You and I were made children of God.[3] We were wrapped in the goodness of Jesus. You and I were snatched out of the kingdom of darkness and placed in the kingdom of light.  

But as previously mentioned, there are consequences to baptism. You see, if we now belong to the Lord, we do not belong to the devil. And if we are now at peace with God, we are most definitely at war with the devil and his cohorts. 

So, we can say on the one hand that our baptisms give us peace with God. However, on the other hand, our baptisms put us at war with the devil. Our baptisms put a big target on our head and heart.

But we must keep in mind that the devil is not the only one that we become at war with. That is right; we actually become at war with ourselves. Yes, a civil war emerged in you and me at our baptisms. A struggle began when the waters of your baptism hit your head. When the Word of God with the water were applied to you at your baptisms, a conflict emerged with yourself. 

So, while we often see baptisms of babies in their white garments as peaceful celebrations, what is actually occurring is the beginning of a lifelong struggle for the baby, not only with the devil but with themselves. 

But why is baptism the beginning of a personal war for the Christian?

Quite simply, at baptism, you were given the Holy Spirit and faith.  And with the Holy Spirit and faith, new attitudes, desires, and actions as well. At your baptism, there was a creation of what is called the ‘new man of faith.’ We can also call this the ‘new self’ or the ‘new creation.’ And with this creation of the new man, there becomes an ongoing life-and-death struggle with the old Adam.[4]

You see, you and I were conceived in sin. We all have this sinful nature, which we call our old Adam or the old self. It was inherited from Adam and Eve and will, unfortunately, be with us until the day we die. It is a like a virus that stays with us and corrupts everything that we think, say, and do. In fact, this virus of sin – the old Adam – is so deeply embedded in mankind that most people cannot even recognize it in themselves.[5] 

So what this means is that as long as there is no baptism and no new man of faith and no new holy impulses and no Holy Spirit, a person will not experience a civil war within themselves. Indeed, as long as there is no new man of faith there will be no conflict with the old Adam – the old Adam will be free to reign. However, as soon as baptism creates the new man in the baptized person, along with the new Spirit-created attitudes and desires, well… war breaks out – the struggle begins. The old Adam is kicked off the throne, the gloves come off, and the battle begins.

And so, your life as a Christian is not one of ease like so many preachers and popular so-called Christian books say, but rather, your life as a Christian is the exact opposite – it is a life in conflict. Frankly stated, the Christian life is not experienced as luxury, comfort, or paradise, but a daily battle between the old Adam and the new man in Christ.

The Apostle Paul talks about this battle between the old Adam and the new man in Romans chapter 7. And even our Lutheran forefathers reference this daily battle quite often in their writings. They say that Christians are simultaneously Saints and Sinners. That is to say; in this life, you and I are sinners in the eyes of God’s Law, the world, and when we look at ourselves. When we pinch ourselves and look in the mirror, we see a sinner – 100% sinner through and through.   However, at the ‘same time,’ we are also saints in the eyes of God, because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection on our behalf. So, when we consider our baptisms, we see ourselves as saints – 100% saints because our baptisms have washed us of our sins, rescued us from death and the devil, given us eternal salvation, and wrapped us in Christ’s robe of righteousness.[6] 

By our natural sight we see ourselves as sinners; by faith, though, we see ourselves as saints. Both sinners and saints at the same time, depending on how we see ourselves.  

Now, we must be careful not to understand this as if we have a good angel on one shoulder and a little red devil on the other, as we have seen so many times on those old Looney Tunes cartoons. We are not in some neutral and innocent in-between place where we must decide which one to listen to.

And we should not take all of this to mean that you and I are part sinner and part righteous, like 40% sinner and 60% saint. We are not a mathematical fraction. But rather, we are people who have this old Adam hanging around our neck, and yet we have this new man created at baptism. We are both sinner and saint at the same time. We have both unbelief and faith at the same time.

Indeed, even though sin has been dethroned by grace at our baptisms, we Christians are still weak because this sins lingers on and wreaks havoc.[7] This sin is like an old man’s beard; it keeps growing back. And so, this is the reason why we confess every Sunday that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against God in our thoughts, words, and deeds. We confess this because this is true. This is who we are. We are 100% sinners through and through.

And yet, the Lord does not let our eyes remain on this fact. Baptized Saints, do you realize that the Lord snatches you away from yourselves and declares to you every Sunday that you are forgiven of all of our sins in Christ Jesus – that you are a saint because of Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection for you?  Yes, the Lord in the absolution reminds you that you have been baptized by having the pastor draw the sign of the cross upon you – driving you back to the reality of your baptisms.

And so, this is the war of the Christian. This is your war. This is the war that we will be discussing throughout the Lent Season. Yes, in the weeks to come, we will be learning where this war takes place, how it is to be fought, where the Christian gathers strength for this fight, and when this war will soon be over.

And in case you might be a bit discouraged at this point, do not despair! Yes, do not despair, for the fact that you have a war with your sinful nature is a sign of hope! In other words, “There is a battle, a civil war, within [you] only because this new man has been created. Remarkably, the struggle itself is evidence for the reality of the new man created in baptism.”[8]

Baptized Saints, this struggle is a struggle of hope precisely because you have the Holy Spirit. It is a struggle of hope because you have faith. This struggle testifies to you and others that you are a Christian who is at war with your own wretchedness because God’s gift of life is yours in Christ Jesus.

So, dear Christians, fight the good fight. Finish the course. Be steadfast in the faith against sin, the world, and the devil, for you belong to Jesus. Do not give up, for you have been baptized into Christ’s death and renewed in Him.

This is your war. This is the life of the Christian. This is the result of your baptisms – baptisms that put you at odds with the devil and your sinful nature, but at peace with the Lord God forever.    

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

---

[1] Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential, (FaithWords, 2015), passim.

[2] See Romans 5:1, 8:1.

[3] See Romans 1:18 and Ephesians 2:1.

[4] Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2017), 303.

[5] See the Epitome of the Formula of Concord, I:9 and the Smalcald Articles on Concerning Sin.

[6] Robert Kolb and Charles P. Arand, The Genius of Luther’s Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 49.

[7] Jonathan F. Grothe, The Justification of the Ungodly: Second Edition (St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada, 2012), 261.

[8] Ibid, 333.

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