Monday, September 22, 2008

For Giovanni on the "church"

In case a conversation from i-monk comes here, I'm making a spot for it.

Here is something on the church from Luther's sermon (July 12, 1539) on John 3:29.

"The devil is alert and not only rages openly against Christ but also comes to seduce people in the form of the Lord Christ. Therefore let the church beware lest she be deceived by the form of the voice of the Bridegroom, the Lord Christ. For if He will not have the prophets or Moses or John, who really are of God, far less can He endure those who preach something without, or contrary to, the voice of the Bridegroom and who under the semblance of the divine word speak something else. Therefore we should see to it in the church that we preach or hear nothing but the voice of the Bridegroom--not an artificial or imitative voice. For Christ alone is to be He who takes away sin and overcomes death. Therefore believe no one, whether he comes in impressive majesty against Christ or without Christ or for Christ."

I don't want to be rude, but it is of essence to be grounded on Christ and his Word, and not on something else.

6 comments:

Bror Erickson said...

Kind of wondering what that conversation was.

Brigitte said...

Nothing earth shattering. You may review:

how-my-wife’s-catholicism-has-changed-me-for-the-better-a-birthday-reflection

at i-monk, Sept. 17th post.

Brigitte said...

Sorry I could have linked that better.

http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/how-my-wife%E2%80%99s-catholicism-has-changed-me-for-the-better-a-birthday-reflection

Bror Erickson said...

well I only hope that conversation could continue. Good work Brigitte.
Though as a Swede, I have to tell you the true Lutheran Church if anything is too Swedish, not German. Really, I hate this idea of Lutheranism being set aside into any cultural ghetto. I like the fact that one can be Lutheran and hold onto their cultural heritage whatever that may be. In 50 years we will probably be saying that the Lutheran Church is to Kenyan, or Mozambican, South African, Botswanish, you name it. If Africans can buy into our confessions, anyone can. And what is wrong with Oktoberfest? Everyone likes to celebrate that in America, whether German or not, even Lutherans, though the origin of the celebration is from a Catholic territory, even if there are Lutherans in Bavaria now.

Brigitte said...

Well, the cultural ghetto is not good. If Luther is too German or Swedish for someone, it would be like saying the Gospel is too Jewish for me.

Bror Erickson said...

Well I responded. Hope you like it.