Just Pondering
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Rick Branan |
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith. For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
Romans 3:23-28 (CSBBible)
Martin Luther, born at Eisleben, Nov. 10, 1483; entered the University of Erfurt, 1501 (B.A. 1502, M.A.. 1503); became an Augustinian monk, 1505; ordained priest, 1507; appointed Professor at the University of Wittenberg, 1508, and in 1512 D.D.; published his 95 Theses, 1517; and burnt the Papal Bull which had condemned them, 1520; attended the Diet of Worms, 1521; translated the Bible into German, 1521-34; and died at Eisleben, Feb. 18, 1546. The details of his life and of his work as a reformer are accessible to English readers in a great variety of forms. Luther had a huge influence on German hymnody.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice,
with exultation springing,
and with united heart and voice
and holy rapture singing,
proclaim the wonders God has done,
how his right arm the vict'ry won.
How dearly it has cost him!
Fast bound in Satan's chains I lay;
death brooded darkly o'er me.
Sin was my torment night and day;
in sin my mother bore me.
Yet deep and deeper still I fell;
life had become a living hell,
so firmly sin possessed me.
My own good works availed me naught,
no merit they attaining;
my will against God's judgment fought,
no hope for me remaining.
My fears increased till sheer despair
left only death to be my share
and hell to be my sentence.
But God beheld my wretched state
before the world's foundation,
and, mindful of his mercies great,
he planned for my salvation.
A father's heart he turned to me,
sought my redemption fervently;
he gave his dearest treasure.
He spoke to his belovèd Son:
"It's time to have compassion.
Then go, bright jewel of my crown,
and bring to all salvation.
From sin and sorrow set them free;
slay bitter death for them that they
may live with you forever."
The Son obeyed his Father's will,
was born of virgin mother,
and, God's good pleasure to fulfill,
he came to be my brother.
No garb of pomp or pow'r he wore;
a servant's form like mine he bore
to lead the devil captive.
To me he spoke, "Hold fast to me,
I am your rock and castle.
Your ransom I myself will be;
for you I strive and wrestle.
For I am yours, your friend divine,
and evermore you shall be mine;
the foe shall not divide us.
"The foe will shed my precious blood,
me of my life bereaving;
all this I suffer for your good;
be steadfast and believing.
Life will from death the vict'ry win;
my innocence shall bear your sin,
and you are blest forever.
"Now to my Father I depart,
the Holy Spirit sending
and, heav'nly wisdom to impart,
my help to you extending.
He will a source of comfort be,
teach you to know and follow me,
and in all truth will guide you.
"What I on earth have lived and taught
be all your life and teaching;
so shall the kingdom's work be wrought
and honored in your preaching.
Take care that no one's man-made laws
should e'er destroy the gospel's cause;
this final word I leave you."
Written by Martin Luther
Maybe the two greatest hymns by Martin Luther are “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” the battle hymn of the Reformation and “Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice,” which is his personal confession of faith. Luther struggled and battled with his faith as he went through school and his early years as a monk followed by priesthood. He knew something wasn’t right within the Roman Catholic faith. (Watch the docudrama: Martin Luther: The Idea that Changed the World for a better study of Luther.) What he realized, just as Paul wrote to the Romans and Ephesians, we are receivers of God’s grace through faith. We cannot earn our salvation. We are all sinners, condemned to eternal separation from God, but God loved us so much He gave us Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins.
In his hymn, Luther shares his struggle with sin: “Sin was my torment night and day; in sin my mother bore me. Yet deep and deeper still I fell; life had become a living hell, so firmly sin possessed me.” Luther understood he was a sinner, though a monk and later a priest/professor teaching young clerics about scripture. He knew his good works were not enough, “My own good works availed me naught,
no merit they attaining.” There was only one answer, “But God beheld my wretched state before the world's foundation, and, mindful of his mercies great, he planned for my salvation.” That plan is still relevant for us sinners today: Jesus Christ, not good works, not the church, not your grandma, only Jesus Christ.
Luther’s final stanza says it all, “Take care that no one's man-made laws should e'er destroy the gospel's cause.” The Gospel: Christ crucified for sinners!
Just pondering . . . Bro. Rick