Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Saturday after the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Devotion
 
Some horribly misconstrue this text to mean that a person is never allowed to change his position in life once converted. They think becoming a believer while poor means you must stay poor; and if converted while rich, you must stay rich. Paul’s inspired words, however, are not demanding a continuance in a social status. Rather, the point is that God will call many to faith without making a matter of their current status.
 
Luther commented on this text: “Faith and the Christian life are so free in essence that they are bound to no particular order or estate of society, but they are to be found in and throughout all orders and estates. Therefore you need not accept or give up any particular estate in order to be saved. On the contrary, the estate in which faith and the Gospel find you, there you may stay and find your salvation.” (Luther’s Works 28:39)
 
There is simply no greater blessing than to be called (converted) into repentance and belief in the fully atoning merits of Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of sins! God almighty, in His rich mercy, continues to feed His gift of faith through His Word and Sacraments, keeping Christ the author, perfecter, and proper object of faith. No matter what station of life you find yourself in, dying and rising through faith in Christ is the only way to rightly remain with God.

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