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From Pastor Steve
May, 2010
To believers no law is given by which they become righteous before God, as
St Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:9, because they are alive and righteous and saved
by faith. Believers need nothing further except to prove their faith by works.
Truly, if faith is there they can not hold back; they prove themselves, break out
into good works confess and teach this gospel before the people and stake their
lives on it. Everything that they live and do is directed to their neighbor’s profit,
in order to help the neighbor. – not only to the attainment of this grace, but also
in body, property and honor. Seeing that Christ has done this for them, they
thus follow Christ’s example.
That is what Christ meant when at the last he gave no other commandment
than love, by which people were to know who were his disciples and true
believers. For where works and love do not break forth, there faith is not right,
the gospel does not yet take hold, and Christ is not rightly known.
- Martin Luther in “prefaces to the New Testament”
In his farewell discourse with (John 13) Jesus tells his disciples (us) “I’m giving you a new
commandment that you love one another…” How is it new? The center of the Torah has always
been love of God and love of neighbor. But we must remember the context of what Jesus is saying.
It is bracketed by his washing their feet and his sacrificial death. It’s the “ LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS
I HAVE LOVED YOU…” that is new, That is love one another as most humble servants. Servants
who go so far as to lay down their lives for one another.
Our Christian community is to be a reflection of the mutual love between Jesus and the Father.
The distinguishing characteristic of those gathered in the name of Jesus is the love that we practice.
It is love that is blown through the church by the Holy Spirit – a gift received and passed along day
by day.
This is the shape of resurrection life – the continuing presence of Christ in the world, in us.
They will, we will, know we are Christians by our love.
Blessings on your journey in resurrection life and celebration.
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