# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1949 08 30_S286
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

286

way of salvation, the way of grace, in mind, we shall not easily let ourselves be confused by the many modern false doctrines regarding the unity of the whole Holy Scripture.

The Pharisee, who saw only good in himself and was blind to his own faults and trusted in his own goodness, was only one of by far the largest class of men. All men by nature are like the Pharisee. Self-righteousness, blindness to their own sins, pride in their own works are inborn in them. Even true believers are still much plagued by this, because here they never get rid of the old Adam, the sinful corruption. Hence it comes that many who have truly repented, recognized their sin, and laid hold of grace in faith nevertheless fall back into Pharisaism and fall from grace. Before they know it and without being aware of it, they begin to pride themselves on being such good Christians now, going to church so much, giving much, praying, working, walking piously, etc.; and since they do not earnestly watch over their own heart, they rely on their "excellent Christianity" and "blameless" life, no longer on God's pure and sheer grace in Christ, and have thereby fallen from grace. It was similar with the Christians in Galatia, to whom the apostle had to write that they had lost Christ. O who can count the many thousands with whom it goes so? Therefore it is necessary that even the most zealous Christians constantly take heed to their heart, that it does not secretly rely on something of its own instead of on God's grace and Christ's blood alone.

Watch besides over yourself,
Over your flesh and heart,
Lest it carelessly
Forfeit God's grace;
For it is full of cunning
And can soon play the hypocrite
And flatter itself in pride.

But pray also as you do,
In the very midst of watching;
For the Lord must make you free
From all of this.

The fiftieth anniversary in office of a distinguished official, a faithful disciple of Christ, was being celebrated. To the many congratulations he replied with the little prayer:

Lord, look here,
Here I stand, a poor man,
Who has deserved wrath;
Give me, O my Merciful One,
The sight of Thy grace!

That was right according to Jesus' teaching.

How much it is to be deplored that this excellent parable is often misused. In one locality a Lutheran pastor and his congregation would not make common cause with the errorists for a religious celebration. What talk there was at once about the Pharisees who considered themselves better than others! And yet the refusal of the Lutherans was not Pharisaic self-exaltation but obedience to the many warnings of Scripture against false doctrine.

Some young Christians refused to take part in an amusement which they considered sinful or at least dangerous to the soul. But the others taunted them: Yes, pious Pharisees do not fit in with poor publicans. And yet those young Christians were not proud but only wished, according to God's command, to keep themselves unspotted from the world.

A new pastor visited a family of his congregation for the first time. As he was leaving, the master of the house said: Yes, we are good church members, even if we are not Pharisees who run to church every Sunday and pray. He probably thought that much churchgoing and praying only makes hypocrites, whereas the Pharisee in the parable became reprobate before God not by his going to the temple, praying, fasting, but by his self-righteous mind.

A member of a congregation was leading an unchristian life. His pastor had to go to him and admonish him. Yes, the man answered, you yourself preached only last Sunday how much the poor sinner pleased God, while the pious Pharisee was rejected. That was truly turning God's grace into wantonness; not the sin but the repentance of the publican pleased God.

Years ago a pastor preached on the Reformation festival on the theme "Why we today and at all times thank God that we are Lutherans and do not belong to communions of another faith." Some took great offense at him for this, saying that he had made himself a Pharisee who thanks God that he is not as other men — although he had strongly emphasized that by nature we are not a hair better, but that we give thanks for our Lutheranism because God, out of pure grace and without our merit, has bestowed on us the pure doctrine of the Word of God and the unadulterated administration of the holy Sacraments.

Through such and similar misuse of the precious parable of the Pharisee and the publican one turns the most wholesome medicine into deadly poison, the sweet savor of life, given unto life, into the savor of death unto death. From this may our dear heavenly Father graciously preserve us. Against this we too will guard ourselves in all earnestness.

A missionary in Africa related: Once he read the story of the Pharisee and the publican to some heathen Negroes. One of them, when he had heard the prayer of the Pharisee, interrupted: I cannot pray like that; what shall I do? But when he then had heard the story of the publican, he cried: That fits me; so I will pray: God, be merciful to me a sinner; He became a stalwart Christian. That was the right use of this parable. God grant that our little prayer, too, may remain: God, be merciful to me a sinner!
M. E. Wagner

Bad Boll 1949

We have been asked to publish in the "Lutheraner" a short, concise report on this year's meetings at Bad Boll. We do this all the more gladly because we are convinced that this year again the free conference at Bad Boll has proved very rich in blessing.

Bad Boll is a health resort in the Swabian Alb, situated some thirty miles southeast of Stuttgart, which now belongs to the Brüdergemeinde (Moravian Brethren) and is frequently used for public gatherings because the Kurhaus offers many living rooms and rather large assembly halls.

The first meeting between representatives of the Missouri Synod and members of the Evangelical Church in Germany took place there last year and met with such general approval