"If the soul be gracious,
the body shall be glorious."
This passage is a glorious promise to us. It's repeated twice because we tend to think "That doesn't quite make sense. These words are difficult to believe." No one could foresee that faith would be so important until Christ actually said, "Everyone who believes in me will have eternal life." Now Jerome, Ambrose and Cyprian all believed in Christ, yet they were executed. How do we fit this together with the promise of eternal life? When we see how people who believe in Christ cursed, condemned, exiled, even beheaded and burned, it's like having the rug pulled from under us. Christian's aren't allowed to live in peace. The promise about eternal life seems like a lie to us. If this is what eternal life means--that one is pursued--killed--then let the devil have that type of life.
But faith must close its eyes and refuse to pass judgement on what it sees or feels in the world. Believers won't become aware of eternal life until Christ raises them from the dead. meanwhile there eternal life is hidden in death. It's covered up and out of sight. But remember that as long as you live, and even when you're dying, you have forgivness. if you feel the weight of sin crushing you, you can still say, "My sins are forgiven." When your sins hunt you down, bit at you, and terrify you, you can look to Christ, put your feeble faith in him, and hold on tightly. [Martin Luther]
Labels: Martin Luther
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