President's
Piece for Peace
This
is the second issue of a four part series assisting congregations in their duty
to do its share that the Church in general may be established and promoted. I
am taking these portions from Walthers book "The Form of a Christian
Congregation." He quotes one of his favorite theologians by the name of
Dannhauer concerning the congregations responsibility in confessing the Faith
in their community.
The
first responsibility was for the membership to live a life that exemplifies the
goodness bestowed on them by Christ the Lord. When an exemplary life is noticed
by your neighbor he then contends that the congregation must extend the written
Word. Dannhauer puts it this way,
"If
this first call has entered the minds and has been heard by the people, we must
try another, namely, the written Word. It pays to try out on the armies of
Satan this powerful strategy. Though they may be so firmly fortified that
nothing may appear more strongly established, they can never close the access to
God's elect from heaven above through letters flying to them from the outside;
for they are carried on wings printed on paper with metal- these substitutes
for the feet of the apostles. I mean the publications which carry abroad the
Gospel, proclaim divine grace, announce glad tidings, and lovingly tell us that
the clouds have been swept from the skies and the sun has been restored. I am
sure you notice what I have in mind. It is my desire that for the awakening of
the hearts the Biblical letters, penned by Almighty God for the whole human
race, should be brought everywhere, either secretly or publicly, in vessels of
papyrus in order that the kingdom of Christ might be spread far and
abroad."
While
Dannhauer and Walther place emphasis on the Christ-like life, they both say it
is no replacement for the Gospel. St. Paul says he "is not ashamed of the
Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe it."
The Word of God is a living Word that cuts deeper than a two edged sword. It
identifies the embarrassing sins that plague your neighbor. At the same time it
shows them Christ who has made atonement for them and redeemed them from sin
and death. The Word not only shows this truth but also has the power to create
faith that believes it.
It
is good for a congregation to get the written Word into every members hands
beginning with very young. Read the Word to them and hear them read the Word to
you. Teach them to read the Word to their neighbor. When reading it, they could
give a bible to their neighbor and encourage them to continue to swim in the
refreshing waters of life and salvation. The efforts a congregation makes to
place the written Word in the hands of their members, then from the membership
into the hands of their neighbors is never without fruit in the kingdom of God.
