Triumph in Christ
"I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt."
GENESIS 45:4
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Triumph in Christ
This should be repeated and urged more often, because it is the special wisdom and teaching of Christians, who should be so stouthearted that no evil can happen to them to prevent them from glorying and triumphing. For they have the Word, absolution, Baptism, the remission of sins, and the promise of eternal life. And whatever adversity must be borne either in death or in hell—no evil is excepted, whether it is an evil inwardly or outwardly—they should say: "I triumph and am proud, because I am lord over death, sin, hell, the world, and all evils, so that for a Christian there is no difference between life and death, wealth and poverty, disgrace and fame. Consequently, he becomes a lord powerful in battle and has been placed above the horror of death, hell, and all adversaries. To be sure, this is not our own doing, because nature cannot accomplish this. But it comes to pass because our Savior, our Lord and Conqueror, the Son of God, sits at the right hand of the Father. He frees, defends, and governs us. Therefore let death terrify us, and let Satan drag us off to hell! What then? My Lord and my Redeemer lives!" This knowledge surpasses all reason and human wisdom, and the saints as well as David and Paul were unable to attain to it perfectly. Although Paul was an exceedingly great apostle, he nevertheless confesses in regard to himself in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9: “A thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me. On this account I besought the Lord three times that it should leave me; but He—namely, the Lord at the right hand of God—said to me: 'My grace is sufficient for you.’” Paul would have been glad to be rid of this thorn. "What do you think of My love for you?" says the Lord. "My strength cannot reign except in your weakness. You must be weak. You must suffer, sigh, groan, and be weak and wretched for your own good, in order that by enduring and fighting you may conquer and become a great apostle. If you are not weak, My strength will have nothing to do. If I am to be your Christ and you My apostle, you will unite your weakness with My strength, your folly with My wisdom, My life with your death." This is the doctrine of Christians.
GENESIS 45:4
+
Triumph in Christ
This should be repeated and urged more often, because it is the special wisdom and teaching of Christians, who should be so stouthearted that no evil can happen to them to prevent them from glorying and triumphing. For they have the Word, absolution, Baptism, the remission of sins, and the promise of eternal life. And whatever adversity must be borne either in death or in hell—no evil is excepted, whether it is an evil inwardly or outwardly—they should say: "I triumph and am proud, because I am lord over death, sin, hell, the world, and all evils, so that for a Christian there is no difference between life and death, wealth and poverty, disgrace and fame. Consequently, he becomes a lord powerful in battle and has been placed above the horror of death, hell, and all adversaries. To be sure, this is not our own doing, because nature cannot accomplish this. But it comes to pass because our Savior, our Lord and Conqueror, the Son of God, sits at the right hand of the Father. He frees, defends, and governs us. Therefore let death terrify us, and let Satan drag us off to hell! What then? My Lord and my Redeemer lives!" This knowledge surpasses all reason and human wisdom, and the saints as well as David and Paul were unable to attain to it perfectly. Although Paul was an exceedingly great apostle, he nevertheless confesses in regard to himself in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9: “A thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me. On this account I besought the Lord three times that it should leave me; but He—namely, the Lord at the right hand of God—said to me: 'My grace is sufficient for you.’” Paul would have been glad to be rid of this thorn. "What do you think of My love for you?" says the Lord. "My strength cannot reign except in your weakness. You must be weak. You must suffer, sigh, groan, and be weak and wretched for your own good, in order that by enduring and fighting you may conquer and become a great apostle. If you are not weak, My strength will have nothing to do. If I am to be your Christ and you My apostle, you will unite your weakness with My strength, your folly with My wisdom, My life with your death." This is the doctrine of Christians.
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