Thus says the Lord: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.
But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'" --Jeremiah 6:16

 

4 December, 2006   comments: (0) Sound Doctrine   Martin Luther: a 'Child' and Scholar of The Catechism    Quoting Martin Luther . . . It is not without good reason that we recommend the use of the Catechism, and desire and entreat its being taught; for we see, alas! that many pastors and preachers are very negligent, and throw contempt on their office and these doctrines; some led away by high attainments in philosophy, others from mere laziness and love of ease. Added to this, we have to contend with the disgraceful vice, and secret evil of sloth, security, and weariness of laborious duties, which leads many to think the Catechism a mean and contemptible compilation of doctrines; which having once been read over, may be thrown into a corner and never again consulted. . . . But this I say for myself, I am a doctor and a preacher; ay, as learned and experienced perhaps as any of those who arrogate so much to themselves; and yet, I behave like a child that is learning its catechism, reading and repeating it word for word every morning; and if I have time, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and also several psalms; and though, besides this, I read and study daily, yet I cannot satisfy my thirst for Scripture doctrine, without remaining a child and scholar of the Catechism, and remain willingly such; yet these vain superficial hirelings expect to be doctores doctorum, with one perusal, and consider themselves capable of everything, and deficient in nothing. Well, well, it is a certain sign that they despise, not merely their own office, and the souls of others, but God himself and His word; and are not in mere danger of falling, but are miserably fallen already. Therefore I beg such lazy, idle gluttons, and pretended saints, to be by all means induced to believe, that they are in very deed not such high and learned doctors as they imagine, and never venture in their conceit to suppose that they are completely masters of this book. From:  Introduction to Luther's larger catechism   Posted by: Jim B.   Link: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.516   Be the first to post a comment about this article        Home  |   About  |  Videos   |  Calvinism