# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1949 06 21_S205
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Der Lutheraner
God's Word and Luther's doctrine shall pass away now and nevermore.
And I saw an angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Rev. 14:6-7.
Edited by the faculty of the theological Concordia Seminary in St. Louis through a committee:
J. T. Müller, Theo. Hoyer, F. E. Mayer, A. W. C. Gübert, O. E. Sohn
Official Organ of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Published biweekly by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis 18, Mo. Subscription price, $1.50 per annum anywhere in the world, payable strictly in advance. Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., under the Act of March 3, 1879 Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 5, 1918
Volume 105  St. Louis, Mo., June 21, 1949  No. 13

Only Wait!

O only wait a little while longer
And bear your Savior's gentle yoke
In humility alone!
Be like the servants who await their lord
In faithfulness, however far he may yet be.
O only wait!

O only wait! — The hour comes surely,
When the darkness of the earth must yield
To the trace of the light,
When a joy unspeakably great
Awaits you in the Savior's arm and bosom.
O only wait!

O only wait! — A short little hour leads
The way through depths, and your foot touches
The field of thorns.
One little hour more, and rejoicing you too go
To meet your Lord, to eternal rest.
O only wait!

Christ the Sun of Righteousness

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise. Mal. 4:2.

"How then can man be justified with God?" asks Job, chap. 25:4. And in the 14th chapter he asks: "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" King David says in the 14th Psalm: "They (men) are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." And David's son, the Preacher Solomon, writes: "There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not," Eccl. 7:21.

Now, to be sure, it cannot be denied that there are many people who live honorably before the world, who are good citizens, peaceable neighbors, and industrious fathers of families who provide well for their households. But this outward or civil righteousness does not suffice before the holy and righteous God. With regard to the righteousness of men the prophet Isaiah (chap. 64:6), moved by the Holy Ghost, writes: "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." A filthy garment is a dirty, stained garment. The self-righteousness of men is an abomination to the holy God. Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount: "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven," Matt. 5:20. These are earnest words, especially for church people! One can accordingly be learned in the Holy Scriptures, indeed know them almost by heart, as the scribes did in the time of Jesus, and be a diligent attendant at divine services, as the Pharisees no doubt were, and nevertheless not enter into the kingdom of heaven, because one does not possess the righteousness that avails before God.

But if one would know what kind of righteousness avails before God, the Scripture says: "He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2 Cor. 5:21. There is therefore no righteousness in us, but a righteousness outside of us, an alien righteousness, the righteousness of Christ, which avails before God. Out of great love and mercy toward us men God imputes to us the righteousness of Christ. Christ is the Lord who is our righteousness, Jer. 23:6. Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament, calls Christ "the Sun of righteousness," Mal. 4:2. This Sun of righteousness is the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, John 1:9. Only in the light of the Sun of righteousness do we see light. Ps. 36:10.

As the rays of the earthly sun light and warmth