Thursday, July 1, 2010
Acts 7:57-58a At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him [Stephen], dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.
1 John 4:1b Many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Revelation 3:1b I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
THE SUCCESSIVE FOES OF THE CHURCH
The first trial of the church (from the beginning of the world) always comes from the tyrants, who shed our blood. When the tyrants are almost at an end, the far more harmful trial brought on by heretics follows, reinforcing the violence of the tyrants. After the heretics have been somewhat suppressed, there follows the most harmful trial of all in the time of peace, namely, license and worldly-mindedness in living, life without the Law, without the Word, since we are satiated and surfeited with the Word, which is no longer necessary "because the enemies are defeated." So the worst enemies of a man are those of his own household. These three trials tempt to sin against the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
- From "What Luther Says" by Ewald M. Plass
