Martin Luther's Large Catechism, translated by Bente and DauLuther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Martin Luther's Large Catechism, translated by Bente and Dau
Luther, Martin
Lutheran Church -- Catechisms -- English
But for the learned, and those who are somewhat advanced [have
acquired some Scriptural knowledge], these three articles may all be
expanded and divided into as many parts as there are words. But now for
young scholars let it suffice to indicate the most necessary points,
namely, as we have said, that this article refers to the Creation: that
we emphasize the words: Creator of heaven and earth But what is the
force of this, or what do you mean by these words: I believe in God the
Father Almighty, Maker, etc.? Answer: This is what I mean and believe,
that I am a creature of God; that is, that He has given and constantly
preserves to me my body, soul, and life, members great and small, all
my senses, reason, and understanding, and so on, food and drink,
clothing and support, wife and children, domestics, house and home,
etc. Besides, He causes all creatures to serve for the uses and
necessities of life -- sun, moon and stars in the firmament, day and
night, air, fire, water, earth, and whatever it bears and produces,
birds and fishes, beasts, grain, and all kinds of produce, and whatever
else there is of bodily and temporal goods, good government, peace,
security. Thus we learn from this article that none of us has of
himself, nor can preserve, his life nor anything that is here
enumerated or can be enumerated, however small and unimportant a thing
it might be, for all is comprehended in the word Creator.
Moreover, we also confess that God the Father has not only given us all
that we have and see before our eyes, but daily preserves and defends
us against all evil and misfortune, averts all sorts of danger and
calamity; and that He does all this out of pure love and goodness,
without our merit, as a benevolent Father, who cares for us that no
evil befall us. But to speak more of this belongs in the other two
parts of this article, where we say: Father Almighty
Now, since: all that we possess, and, moreover, whatever, in addition,
is in heaven and upon the earth, is daily given, preserved, and kept
for us by God, it is readily inferred and concluded that it is our duty
to love, praise, and thank Him for it without ceasing, and, in short,
to serve Him with all these things as He demands and has enjoined in
the Ten Commandments.
Here we could say much if we were to expatiate, how few there are that
believe this article. For we all pass over it, hear it and say it, but
neither see nor consider what the words teach us. For if we believed it
with the heart, we would also act accordingly, and not stalk about
proudly, act defiantly, and boast as though we had life, riches, power,
and honor, etc., of ourselves, so that others must fear and serve us,
as is the practice of the wretched, perverse world, which is drowned in
blindness, and abuses all the good things and gifts of God only for its
own pride, avarice, lust, and luxury, and never once regards God, so
as to thank Him or acknowledge Him as Lord and Creator.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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