For His Name's Sake

"Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."
MATTHEW 19:29
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For His Name's Sake
Misunderstanding of this passage has given rise to so many sects and schisms among Christians. It does not mean, as you have heard, that we are supposed to run away from our [family, etc.,] of our own volition. God's commandment is that I obey my father and mother, stay with my wife, stay with my husband, stay with and provide for my children—which cannot happen without a house and yard and other possessions. However, if it comes to the point of renouncing either my Savior or my father and mother, etc., yes, even my own soul—in other words, losing life and limb—then I should say: "Farewell and good night, dear father, dear mother, dear brother, dear sister, dear lord and prince. I would like to stay and live here with you, but since you are pressing me to renounce my Lord Christ, you shall no longer be my father. I would rather be separated from you here in time than from my Lord in eternity."

From Sermons on the Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 19-24 (Luther's Works 68:60-61)
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