The Constant of Christ

First, a shameless plug for a really excellent online bookstore for works on Christianity. Christianbook.com has repeatedly impressed me with their selection of books about faith, Christianity and the Christian way of life. It is an online bookstore in the traditional sense, you’ll find Joel Osteen, Billy Graham, and others, but what makes it especially helpful to me are the academic and reference works available, usually at amazing prices. Check it out, you’ll find something to buy, enjoy, and learn from.

I purchased the Complete Sermons of Martin Luther from Christianbook.com. An excellent find and typical of the kind of material I am looking for. There are seven volumes to the set, which I purchased for about $35.00 (plus shipping, of course). This is an excellent buy and an eye-opening read. There is a lot of material here and a cover-to-cover reading is practically impossible, so I would simply try to find a top of interest and read what Luther had to say about it.

Today's Post: The Constant of Christ

Sometimes we struggle with our faith, thinking it isn’t what it should be, it’s not strong enough, we’re being weak in our faith. Martin Luther has an interesting thought on the subject:

Thus we see that Christ makes no distinction between weak and strong faith, and rejects no one; for weak faith is also faith, and if it only continues, it will ever grow stronger. He [Christ] came into the world to receive the weak, and to carry and sustain them. If he were as impatient as we are, He would at once say to us: “Depart from me, I will have nothing to do with you; for you do not believe as you ought.” Who could receive help from him? But the great art of Christ is to know how to deal gently with the weak, not to knock them about and impatiently drive them away. Even though today they may not be strong, it may happen in an hour’s time that they grasp the Word more richly then we who regard ourselves as strong. (Luther’s Church Postil, Vol III; Twenty-First Sunday After Trinity; p275-33.) 

Let’s look at this: Christ makes no distinction between weak and strong faith, and rejects no one. How often do we struggle with our faith; we’re not doing it right, we’re not doing it enough, we’re getting it wrong. Luther says there is no difference between weak and strong faith. To me, that makes a clear and powerful distinction about Christ and his relationship with us. In our studies we find ourselves working and learning to place our faith and love in Christ. Luther says the reverse is also true: Christ places His faith and love in US! The clear Unconditional Love of Christ. It is His gift. Now, think about that. His commitment to us is as strong as our commitment to Him. This is love at its most perfect. He "rejects no one."

Luther continues: For weak faith is also faith, and if it only continues, it will ever grow stronger. This is particularly powerful for me. Take note of Luther's statement about "weak faith is also faith." This is important. On days when our faith may not be what it should be, maybe we're too busy and we simply are not thinking about our relationship with God and our faith, this does not mean that faith goes away. Faith is a constant. Once Christ is in your life, he is there, within you. So, on days when your faith does not feel as strong, try not to worry, you have made the commitment and the commitment is constant and on-going. What Luther says next is more important. "If it only continues, it will ever grow stronger." Now, think about this. Remember when your relationship with Christ and your walk toward faith was new? If your experience was like mine, you could feel the "new" of it, and it was a learning, growing process. Step-by-step, day-by-day. I started my walk toward faith in 2004 by watching Joel Osteen and reading his books. I was saved in 2007. I am just now, (four years later!) beginning to feel a daily "touch" by God and getting a grip on how He is leading me, learning to listen, and learning to let go. It really is a Journey.  

Another interesting point from Luther is his remark about how “impatient we are.” Seems that even in Luther’s time, everyone was in a hurry. But Christ stays with us, He is here to hold us up when we fall, when we fail, when nothing seems to work. I think the point that stands out for me the most is Luther’s comment about the “Great Art of Christ.” It is art. Art in its finest form. Luther continues: Even though today they may not be strong, it may happen in an hour’s time that they grasp the Word more richly than we who regard ourselves as strong. My understanding of this is even though we may fail and fall, we always have the Word to get us back to a proper place with a greater understand of what the Bible is saying. I'm getting more out of my reading today than I did four years ago.

So, keep reading, learning, thinking, praying, trying, living. Because the Unconditional Love, the Constant of Christ is with us on our daily journey.