Locus 23 — Offense
This precept is absolutely immutable. And it is often repeated by the prophets. Hos. 13[:4], "I am the Lord your God who led you out of Egypt. And you shall know no God but Me, and there is no savior except Me."
"Do not fear the reproach of men." And to Abraham God says [Gen. 22:17], "With blessing I will bless you."
Ps. 109 threatens the most frightful curse upon the ene mies of the Gospel when it says [v. 18], "He clothed himself with cursing." And God comforts the godly so that they are not moved by the thunderous curses of Therefore we must call upon the true God and flee idols and not give them standing by our approval.
These greatest commandments must be placed ahead of all things—our life, our reputations, the public peace, the life of our children, and the kindness of princes. hostile men [v. 28], "Let them curse, but you bless." I believe that this instruction is necessary at this time.
I have already spoken about the offense of the Pharisees. Now we must say something about the other kind of offense, which is called giving offense. In Matt.
Matt. 10[:33], "He who denies Me before men, I will deny him before My Father in heaven." And He adds the comforting side, lest we be shattered by the fear of those who dissent, [v. 35], "I have come to sep arate a man from his father and a daughter from her mother." These verses speak of important matters and great dangers. Thus we must understand that we are defending true and unshakable statements.! But we must not start tumults or disturb the church with false opinions or stupid sophistries and tricks which evil minds sometimes conjure up out of hatred or ambition or the desire for revenge.
18[:7] it says, "Woe to that man through whom offense comes." And this offense is either false doctrine or a bad example which is harmful to others. It confirms in others their license, or it invites others to imitate it, or it keeps some people away from the Gospel, or it offers occasion for cursing Christ or the church of God, or it causes many more sins. Such offenses have taken place from the first fall of Eve, and there will continue to be false doctrines, the worship of idols, human tra ditions which cannot be observed without sin, and many evil actions which promote other crimes of every kind.
Gal. 1 [:19], "If any one preaches any other Gos pel, let him be anathema." The most extreme form of all disapproval is the anathema, just as among the Greeks the katharma (refuse of a sacrifice) or the alastor (avenging spirit) refers to something which has been so polluted and condemned by God that, unless it is taken away, the entire human race will be punished with great calamities, wars, famine, pestilence, civil dis cord, and endless confusion, such as we think of in connection with the people of Sodom or the idol of Lampsacus where Priapus was worshiped.
In regard to this second kind of offense we must maintain this very important rule: these offenses—false doctrines and evil examples—are truly sins, con demned by the Word of Christ [Matt. 18:7], "Woe to that man through whom offenses come." Thus we must very carefully and vigilantly avoid these offenses. And at this point the godly should consider what a great multitude of devils and men are guilty and have been guilty because of this kind of wrongdoing. And we should also consider certain examples in order that we may learn to dread the greatness of our sins. For we see that from one sin come countless other sins and punishments, and in the punishments themselves the sins pile up. What an indescribable misery has come upon the human race!
Such "avenging spirits" were the defenders of ungodly dogmas, as Paul affirms, and this is something which can be easily understood when we take a look at the examples of those people who defended mani fest and shameful ravings, or do defend them today, as in the case of the Manichaeans, Paul of Samosata,
Arius, Mohammed, and the sad king of the Anabaptists who killed his pregnant wife and through his sedition adorned himself with the crown and the royal title and elevated himself to the position of ruler in the church of God.
The first author of this kind of offense was the devil himself when he deceived Eve. Then after the fall of Eve and Adam what a mountain of evil came into being! The devil triumphed against God, because he had horribly destroyed this work of God and he in creased the harshness of the shame to God through the human race. Furthermore, because of the fall of our first parents all the wickedness of the human race fol lowed, along with the eternal destruction of many peo ple. When Eve and Adam saw the death of their son
Abel, they acknowledged that this sad event had come from their own sin. Thus one sin brought with it a huge train of sins and punishments.
Furthermore, just as the Pharisees judged Christ and the apostles to be such a pestilence for the human race, so do the hypocrites in our day, burning with hatred of the Gospel, feel regarding us who are pro claiming the pure doctrine of the Gospel, as shown by the thunderbolts of excommunication which come from the writings of Eck, Cochlaeus, Alphonsus, and others like them. Although similar judgments from wise and important men inflict terrible agony on right-minded men who believe correctly, we must cling to this state ment of Paul, who affirms that those who are not zeal ous for the Gospel but enemies of it are actually anathema, evildoers, "avenging spirits." Therefore we must avoid the company of those people, so that their disease does not harm the innocent. Isaiah says, 51 [:7],
What a mountain of crimes and calamities came from the adultery of David! First there was a falling out among the sons themselves. Then a son started a re bellion against his father, polluted the wives of his fa ther—matrons who were filled with the Holy Spirit—and he destroyed thousands of citizens. What a great triumph this was for the devil which brought sorrow to pious people and how great was the grief which was
that false ideas are stumbling blocks condemned by God and to be carefully avoided. Christ speaks about both kinds [Matt. 18:7], "Woe to the man through whom comes offense." Not only is it a matter of human dili gence to avoid foolish errors in doctrine, but with our ardent prayers we must constantly ask God that He would rule our minds with the light of His Holy Spirit, so that we not become trapped in error, as the prophet prays in the entire 119th Psalm, and note [v. 34], "Give me understanding and I shall keep Your law, and ob serve it with my whole*heart." And Christ says in Matt.
26[:41], "Watch and pray that you do not enter into temptation." given to the Holy Spirit dwelling in the minds of good people! And we certainly can believe that this sorrow brought on the deaths of many godly people. The father certainly sensed the greatness of this wound and he understood that he was guilty of such great wickedness that he was the source of these evils and that he was cursed. Anathema on the "avenging spirit" of the peo ple of God! And it was not easy for him to struggle out of this grief, since he keenly felt the wrath of God. But he finally conquered, aided by the Messiah, as he cries in Ps. 2[:12], "Blessed are all they who put their trust in Him."
I am citing these examples in order that the knowledge of such great evils may arouse fear of the wrath of God in us, and that each of us may guard against offenses in his own mind and remember that in one sin many others are involved, and that in the very punishments we pile up even more sins. "Despise nothing small," says Hippocrates. And Thucydides says of the problems which come from wars, "Many come from few." These points are even truer with re gard to the sins of men, but human self-confidence does not recognize the greatness of its own miseries and of the wrath of God. Thus it is true that we are not only instructed by His Word but also by the very tragic punishments which befall us, so that in one way or another we come to recognize His judgment and begin to fear Him and to be admonished by the voice of God and our own calamities. In no other way can we struggle out of the darkness.
Up to this point I have spoken of the necessity of doing certain things and avoiding certain things, but I have not yet spoken of matters of indifference (adiaphora). It is manifest that true doctrine must of necessity be set forth, and we must not keep silent about it be cause of offending the ungodly. Thus the godly priest takes an honorable wife and is not deterred by Phar isaic offenses.
But here we must add the third rule regarding matters of adiaphora, such as the eating of meat on the sixth day and similar useless rites. In regard to such things we must believe this:
First, we must set forth the doctrine which shows the true worship of God, which attacks false forms, and which shows the reason, for our freedom in matters of adiaphora. Those who have not learned the reason for our liberty, and who still think that these rituals are wor ship, violate these traditions with very doubting con sciences. But all doubt of conscience hinders prayer.
Therefore, among those who have not heard the doc trine and are upright men and teachable, we must not suddenly change the practice. First it is useful to teach them, as Paul says [Rom. 14:1]: "Take the person who Moreover, offenses in doctrine do more harm than derelictions in morals, as when in the beginning the devil gave a deadly wound to Eve by filling her head with a false persuasion. And in all ages since that time the authors of ungodly ideas of this kind have done terrible damage to the church, as when they taught that idols were to be worshiped or spread blasphemous no tions and heresies. What regiments of souls have Arius, the Manichaeans, and many other heretics dragged into eternal destruction! is weak in faith under your care, and do not cause him to doubt," that is, you should instruct and strengthen teachable men who have embraced the Gospel but still have some doubts on these matters of worship, so that they may come to understand that they are not sinning in setting aside these rituals. They should be built up lest, if they do set them aside with some doubt, their consciences may flee God and their faith be destroyed and prayer neglected. But when the time comes when it is useful to make changes, then it is the judgment of a godly mind, as long as all heedlessness is removed.
No human mind can even imagine the magnitude of the evils which in these days of the world have arisen from Mohammed, and from the popes who have per verted the Supper of the Lord, established the invo cation of the dead, permitted the Gospel of faith and true invocation of Christ to be overgrown with false no tions, and defended the law of celibacy of priests and the concept of monastic vows.
After the teaching of true and false worship and liberty has been set forth, now we must give the reason for these examples, to show that these useless rituals ought to be set aside and stubborn clinging to them no longer applauded in the case of those people who, al though they understand what the true teaching is, still stubbornly insist upon all the rituals.
The one law of celibacy—what damage it has inflicted on the consciences of many people, so that they cannot even call upon God! And among these are many who are burdened down with fears regarding their eternal damnation. And more recently the poison of the Anabaptists has misled many people and still misleads them.
This kind of stubbornness is a many-faceted of fense. It confirms the enemies of the true doctrine and leads into doubt the weaker people who already fear that the use of this liberty will not be allowed to them,
The mention of these horrible examples needs to be made in order that good minds may consider that not only examples of evil morals are offenses, but also
before men, him will I confess before My Father, who is in heaven." and who put this fear above the doctrine or its authority.
In the meantime, the Holy Spirit is grieved over the weaker ones when they lament that they are accused of inconstancy. In regard to this point, it is profitable to tell the story which we find in the fifth book of Eusebius.
Men of good intention ought to think about such things and be concerned about their own confession, and carry out their duties and see to it that the teachers of the church teach correctly. They must give an hon orable standing to this present status of the church, as the saying goes, "I honor Sparta, where I was born."
They must not play around with the enemies of the church, not be looking for another church in their minds or a different ministry, as long as they know that their church is teaching correctly. God wills that we love the church which teaches correctly and proclaim our moral support for it; He wills that the minister of the Gospel be held in honor and supported financially, as the Psalm
[122:6] says, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." And it goes on to speak of financial remuneration: "May those who love you prosper."
A noble couple, Attalus and Blandina, had been imprisoned in Lyons because of their profession of the Gospel, and they were being repeatedly led to the places of punishment so that they might be moved to give up calling upon Christ. There was also with them in the prison another godly Christian who disciplined himself with remarkable exercises, and used no wine or meat. At this point Attalus was commanded by divine revelation to speak to this very rigorous man and say to him that he should eat with the rest of the people and not give an example to the others of being some thing special. And the reason for this command was also given, namely, that those who were less educated might think that this distinction of food was a higher form of worship of God, an error which had to be op posed rather than approved. Attalus told this revelation to the rigorist and to the others in the prison, and the man obeyed him. The others were instructed by this word and made stronger. This story gives us a very important reason why the stubbornness of those who actually understand the distinction in worship forms must not be given approval, lest the errors and doubts in the ignorant and the weak be made worse.
Although it is manifest that the use of idols and other errors is defended by the enemies of our churches, it is necessary to flee idols. It is evident that this point is properly taught in our churches and that the worship of idols has been removed, and that these churches encourage piety and that piety is very much a part of their belief. We must avoid offenses of every kind, but not in order that under the pretext of the Gos pel we may keep room for our private ideas, nor to hold in check those who teach correctly, nor to hinder the studies of godly doctrine. Just as bees in their little honey combs individually perform work for the common good, so we must each use all our zeal and the powers of our offices for the salvation and tranquillity of the churches which teach correctly. We must support godly studies in order that our posterity may be instructed in the pure doctrine of God and of His Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Now, although this hardness sometimes is a kind of image of earnestness, yet often the man who in other instances has good reasons is not rendering a service to God, but is actually seeking the blessing of powers which are opposed to the Gospel.
Much greater sinners are those people who con nive with the enemies of the Gospel and oppress those who are teachers of the truth, using their knowledge to hinder the free course of the Gospel and demonstrating that they desire and await a different status for the church. People like this in times of controversy want to appear as impartial judges, attached to neither party— men of integrity and above corruption. But they need to remember the word of Christ [Luke 11:23], "He who does not gather with Me scatters."
In the Second Commandment it is said, "The Lord will not hold innocent him who takes His name in vain." Therefore, there is no doubt that all who have inflicted offenses on the Gospel will receive punish ments from God. And in these last times, amidst this great confusion of opinions and governments, it is ab solutely necessary that we be circumspect and vigilant.
We must apply to ourselves this word of Christ [Matt.
26:41 ]: "Watch and pray that you do not enter into temp tation." And we must sustain ourselves with this comfort that, at the same time, Christ also said [Luke 22:312], "Simon, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat and scatter you. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail." I pray You, O Son of God, Jesus Christ, crucified for us and raised again— have mercy on us, and by Your Holy Spirit kindle the true light in our hearts, and increase and rule our be havior and our studies.
In controversies in civil life it can happen that you do not take on yourself the judgment of supporting ei ther side, for there is no need for individuals to under stand things which pertain to other people. There was no need for Pomponius Atticus to inquire of both Pom pey and Julius which side had the better of the argu ment. But in controversies about doctrine it is necessary for individual godly people to make a judgment, to cling to and confess the truth, according to the statements
[Gal. 1:9], "If anyone teaches any other Gospel, let him be anathema;" [Matt. 10:32], "He who confesses Me
Locus 24 Christian Liberty If one of the princes of Babylon had heard the Jews in exile glorying in the fact that they had been divinely given their liberty, he would have said that this was a sign of their insanity. So also in our time, in the midst of these tragic ruins, when slavery is on the in crease in many places, when thousands of godly peo ple are being carried away daily by the Turks before our very eyes, and when in many places unjust sav agery is being inflicted on pious people, I think we would be ridiculed by people when we still speak of our liberty and make glorious statements about our freedom.
Therefore, we must first confess that we also mourn over the plight of the church of God, which is being oppressed in these fierce and tyrannical times, and in the midst of this confusion of kingdoms. bondage by governments, but is also tormented with great calamities of other kinds, yet the doctrine of liberty gives the greatest comfort in these evils. Hercules,
Priam, Agamemnon, Palamedes, Cato, Cicero, Brutus, and countless others who did not know God were af flicted. But they succumbed to their troubles, and they did not have God mitigating the outcomes or strength ening their minds. They were pressed down under eter nal despair and eternal darkness regarding the providence and the righteousness of God. But Joseph,
David, Jonathan, Hezekiah, Jeremiah, John the Bap tist, and Paul, even when they were afflicted, could still discern the presence of God, who strengthened their minds and often softened the outcome for them. And whenever they were pressed down, their sufferings were sooner or later of benefit to the church, since they knew that after this life in the resurrection they would have eternal glory. Thus in this life they have the be ginning of liberty, because they have been accepted by God, are guided by Him, defended and aided, and realize that after this life they will have complete liberty.
Now understand how great a blessing it is, what great liberty it is—even in thQ midst of troubles and in the midst of death—to have a God who is favorable toward us—our helper, our guide, and our protector. This state ment about liberty sets forth true and certain things which have clear testimonies in the church and which the church, you and I, and all the godly experience. It does not offer to us the empty dreams of the Jews or the Stoics or the Anabaptists, or of Struthius, who tried to free the people from paying taxes.
And even when the church has been supported by more favorable governments, it has always been tormented by the devil and still is burdened down with many calamities and death, even in this life. How great were the sorrows of Adam and Eve when they saw the murders and crimes of their offspring, even though royal empires and tyrants had not yet arisen! The church of God has always been under oppression and in great miseries, and it will continue to be until the resurrection.
What is this thing which we call liberty? Is it merely an empty word, like some paradox of the Stoics or some foolishness of those who say that only the wise are free? Far different is the doctrine of the Gospel concerning freedom, of which Christ speaks when He says [John 8:36], "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." Indeed, He says, you shall be free not with some empty title or the appearance of liberty, but with true freedom. When sin is destroyed, the wrath of God appeased, death abolished, and all human calamities removed, you will be given eternal righteousness, light, life, and glory.
I am dividing the subject of evangelical liberty into four degrees or grades, in keeping with our common way of speaking.
The first is: Just as the greatest evils are sin and the wrath of God, so it is necessary to speak first about this degree and how we are to be liberated from these evils. Therefore the first degree of liberty is that, for the sake of the Son of God, there is freely given to us the remission of sins, reconciliation, justification or impu tation of righteousness, acceptance to eternal life, and the inheritance of everlasting life.
Christ includes the concept of complete liberty, which He Himself brings and prepares for His church by His death. To be sure, this pure freedom does indeed begin in this life, but in the resurrection it will be com plete. When all evils have been destroyed, then the church will enjoy an eternal and beautiful relationship with God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. We must keep
This is liberty because, for the sake of Christ, these great blessings are freely and surely given to us.
God wants us to determine for ourselves and to believe that when we repent, we are received into His grace, our prayers are heard, and we are freely saved for the sake of His Son, even if the Law and our own reason accuse us and hold us back so that we do not accept these blessings. Therefore, we are liberated from sin, from the wrath of God, from eternal damnation, from the Law which accuses us, and from the condition of merit. And another thing has been set forth and given in mind this eternal and complete liberty whenever we hear the word "liberty," and at the same time remember that this begins in this life. But we must get rid of the dreams of political and physical liberty, of worldly em pires, as the Jews still hold regarding the liberation and restoration of the kingdom in Palestine. These dreams have nothing to do with this doctrine which the Gospel sets forth when it talks of liberty.
Although the church in this life not only is held in