Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law, part 50
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Ephesians 4:31–32
Series: Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
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From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession
Moreover, it is disgraceful for the adversaries to preach so much about love when they do not bestow love. What are they doing? They are tearing apart churches; they are writing laws in blood; they are proposing to the most clement prince, the emperor, that these should be published. They are slaughtering priests and other good men if they even intimate their dislike of some unmistakable abuse. These things are not consistent with speeches about love, which if the adversaries would follow, both church and the state would have peace. Disturbances would be stilled if the adversaries would not bitterly insist upon certain traditions that are useless for godliness and which are not observed even by those very persons who most earnestly defend them. They easily forgive themselves, yet do not forgive others, according to the poet Maenius: “I forgive myself.”
Pulling It Together: We should not worry ourselves over the actions of others toward us. Instead, we should be devoted to the gospel. This means that we will love those who hate and hurt us. Finally, it means that we must forgive those who trespass against us. While the rest of the world, even those in the church, demand much of us — a great deal of which is useless, as well as unfair and not reciprocated — we must nevertheless, be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. This is the way of Christ who loves and forgives us.
Prayer: Forgive me of my sins, Lord, so that I may forgive those who sin against me. Amen
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Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman has served as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, since 2021. Previously, Pastor Ryman served congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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