Table Talk: Luther on Marriage

Some of the best of Table Talk comes from the comments on marriage and celibacy. Remember, I said “best,” not politically correct:

#717 - Between husband and wife there should be no question as to meum and tuum. All things should be in common between them, without any distinction or means of distinguishing.

Amen, too often I see couples who careful distinguish their two incomes and two bank accounts. Discord always seems to be the result.

#720 - The world regards no, nor comprehends the works of God. Who can sufficiently admire the state of conjugal union, which God has instituted and founded, and whence all human creatures, yea, all states proceed. Where were we, if it existed not? But neither God’s ordinance, or the gracious presence of children, the fruit of matrimony, moves the ungodly world, which beholds only the temporal difficulties and troubles of matrimony, but sees not the great treasure that is hid therein.

Think about all the stereotypes associated with marriage. Think about how today’s 20-somethings view marriage. Think about all the sitcoms that make fun of and degrade marriage. Not much has changed since Luther spoke these words.

#729 - There is no greater plague in this life than a morose and unchaste wife. Solomon says, that to be married to a woman one dislikes, is the worst of calamities.

Practical advice, that.

#725 - Men have broad and large chests, and small narrow hips, and more understanding than the women, who have but small and narrow breasts, and broad hips, to the end they should remain at home, sit still, keep house, and bear and bring up children.

Hmm, something tells me that Herr Docktor did not make this comment within earshot of Katie. Otherwise, he would have received a sound smacking.

#752 - The reproduction of mankind is a great marvel and mystery. Had God consulted me in the matter, I should have advised him to continue the generation of the species by fashioning them of clay, in the way Adam was fashioned; as I should have counselled him also, to let the sun remain always suspended over the earth, like a great lamp, maintaining perpetual light and heat.

What point do you think Luther is making here? On first glance, I thought he was in some way dissatisfied with the current, uh, means for reproduction. But, I think he is making the point that no human could have come up with such a notion. It is divine. Left to our own devices, we go with what we know. Had we seen Adam’s creation, our natural assumption would have been to continue the species in the same way it had begun. In the same way, we would not have thought to alternate day with night. We would have been perfectly content with day. In other words, only God could have invented sex. What a wonderful gift it is. Not something to be abused.

 

Well I Love that Dirty Water…I’m On My Way to Boston Today

That’s right, I’m flying for Boston today at 4:55 PM, and I’m going to spend a day in the city, and then my family and I are driving to Rhode Island to see my cousin be commissioned as a Naval Officer! So this is looking to be an exciting week, plus I can do some blogging in a state other than Texas for the first time. If you guys wouldn’t mind, please say a prayer for a safe flight (I hate flying) and a great trip, and a prayer of thanksgiving for my cousin who is being commissioned. In the meantime, for your viewing pleasure I present to you “Dirty Water” by The Standells, it’s a Boston staple.

 

Sacred Meditations: Die to the Law or be Dead unto God

“For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain“. (Gal. 2:19-21)

Those who live to the law, that is, they who still expect to obtain salvation by the works of the law, have never felt the strength of the law. They know nothing of death and condemnation to which they are subject, and therefore they are neither hungry nor thirsty for the righteousness of Christ (Mat. 5:6).

Therefore, they are before God as if they were dead — as the Pharisee who praised himself, trusted in himself, and condemned others (Luke 18: 10-12). For God desires and welcomes contrite, troubled, and oppressed hearts who feel their poverty, destitution, and sickness (Mat. 9:20), in order that He might comfort, refresh, enrich, and heal them with the riches of His grace in Jesus Christ (Mat. 11:28).

Consider, for example, the rich young ruler who claimed to have kept all of God’s commandments from his youth. He lived according to the law (Luke 18:18-24); therefore he was dead unto God. However, the woman who was a sinner and washed Christ’s feet with her tears, received the grace of God in Christ through a steadfast faith and heartfelt trust (Luke 7:37-50). She was dead to the law and therefore she lived unto God.
- Petrus Dathenus, “The Pearl of Christian Comfort” pg. 41

Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.

Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest, And set my spirit free.

I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear, each lingering shade of gloom. Amen
- Horatius Bonar

 

Quick Update: Contributors to Planet Augsburg Soon to Increase!

In the upcoming days, be on the look out for some posts from two of our new contributors to the Planet (Aaron and JJ). Aaron and JJ if you are reading this, welcome to the Planet…and buy our T shirt!

 

This cannot be real. If it is, we need another word for evil.

Also from Veith’s Cranach site is the story of the dungeon children.

Perhaps this will be enough to reinstitute the death penalty in Austria.

Josef Fritzl was apparently born too late. He would have fit in great with the Nazis, maybe even taught them a thing or two about the depths of human depravity, viciousness, and torture.

 

Happy Ascension Day . . .

Picking up on Veith’s thoughts . . .

 

Feast of the Augsburgs . . . REMINDER

Just a quick note (in a slow posting week for us) about our shin-dig tomorrow evening (Thursday) at the Red Lion - 8:30 P.M. in Houston, Texas.

Sorry for the slow blog this week, I am sure we are reserving our mental energies for table talk (ha!) tomorrow evening.

 

Table Talk # 292

Luther on Justification . . .

It is impossible for a papist to understand this article: “I believe the forgiveness of sins.” For the papists are drowned in their opinions, as I also was when among them, of the cleaving to or inherent righteousness. The Scripture names the faithful, saints and people of God. It is a sin and shame that we should forget this glorious and comfortable name and title. But the papists are such direct sinners, that they will not be reckoned sinners; and again, they will neither be holy nor held so to be. And in this sort it goes on with them untoward and crosswise, so that they neither believe the Gospel which comforts, nor the law which punishes.

But here one may say: the sins which we daily commit, offend and anger God; how then can we be holy? Answer: A mother’s love to her child is much stronger than the distaste of the scurf upon the child’s head. Even so, God’s love towards us is far stronger than our uncleanness. Therefore, though we be sinners, yet we lose not thereby our childhood, neither do we fall from grace by reason of our sins.

Another may say; we sin without ceasing, and where sin is, there the Holy Spirit is not; therefore we are not holy, because the Holy Spirit is not in us, which makes holy. Answer: The text says plainly; “The Holy Ghost shall glorify me.” Now where Christ is, there is the Holy Spirit. Now Christ is in the faithful, although they have and feel, and confess sins, and with sorrow of heart complain thereof, therefore sins do not separate Christ from those that believe.

The God of the Turks helps no longer or further, as they think, than as they are godly people; in like manner also the God of the papists. So when Turk and papist begin to feel their sins and unworthiness, as in time of trial and temptation, or in death, then they tremble and despair.

But a true Christian says: “I believe in Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour,” who gave himself for my sins, and is at God’s right hand, and intercedes for me; fall I into sin, as, alas! oftentimes I do, I am sorry for it; I rise again, and am an enemy unto sin. So that we plainly see, the true Christian faith is far different from the faith and religion of the pope and Turk. But human strength and nature are not able to accomplish this true Christian faith without the Holy Spirit. It can do no more than take refuge in its own deserts.

But he that can say: “I am a child of God through Christ, who is my righteousness,” and despairs not, though he be deficient in good works, which always fail us, he believes rightly. But grace is so great that it amazes a human creature, and is very difficult to be believed. Insomuch that faith gives the honor to God, that he can and will perform what he promised, namely, to make sinners righteous, Rom. iv., though `tis an exceeding hard matter to believe that God is merciful unto us for the sake of Christ. O! man’s heart is too strait and narrow to entertain or take hold of this.

Luther saw no difference between the Pope’s view and the Turk (read Muslim). Is that still true today? We know Islam’s view has not changed. Has the Pope’s? Has the Catholic Church? This comes up in light of B16’s forthcoming revised take on Martin Luther. Thoughts?

 

Chinese Translation by M.Ward

My friend passed this video, and now I’m passing to you. It’s pretty clever and catchy at the same time….enjoy!

 

Fancy Nancy . . .

This is a great story about Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s pet bible verse that she has employed on a host of occasions to justify this and that. Here she is using it to celebrate Earth Day:

The Bible tells us in the Old Testament, “To minister to the needs of God’s creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us.” On this Earth Day, and every day, let us honor the earth and our future generations with a commitment to fight climate change.

Great verse isn’t it! Especially appropriate for people with environmental sensibilities. The trouble is that it does not exist. Go to the Old Testament, it ain’t there. It’s not in the NT either.

Many thoughts come to mind, here are two:

1. This woman is Speaker of the House (third in line from the Presidency). She has a huge staff, but it’s just dumb and dumber going on about what the Bible says. Sounds good? Great, let’s use it. Who cares if it’s made up.

2. I googled “pelosi and bible” and turned up a bunch of right wing bloggers. Nothing from the MSM on this. What do you think would happen if President Bush made up a bible verse to support whatever pet program or agenda he was promoting?