True Christianity: A Treatise on Sincere Repentence, True Faith, the Holy Walk of the True Christian, Etc.Arndt, Johann
Religion
True Christianity: A Treatise on Sincere Repentence, True Faith, the Holy Walk of the True Christian, Etc.
Arndt, Johann
Christian life; Christianity
features appeared in his religious character which his worldly-minded
contemporaries could not fully appreciate; they were formed by two
different series of Gospel doctrines, which cannot come in conflict, but
which relate to two entirely different objects—Christ, the Saviour, and
fallen man. No one more sincerely embraced the doctrine of Original Sin,
as held by the Lutheran Church, than Arndt did; of this his writings
furnish the evidence. His own searching self-examination, constantly
maintained in the light of Scripture, revealed to him the utter corruption
of his own heart by nature; he found nothing in himself but sin. He was
conscious that he could do nothing without Christ, and deeply felt that
grace—nothing but grace—could renew his nature, and save him. These
convictions induced him to insist with such earnestness, in his Four
Books, on the true and genuine repentance of the sinner. At the same time,
there was nothing like sternness, gloom, or despondency connected with his
sincere and profound self-abasement. For he received with equal strength
of faith another series of truths—he believed with all his heart that
“after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not
by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy
he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to
the hope of eternal life.” Tit. 3:4-7. Here a new tide of emotions flowed
through his soul. Wonder, joy, gratitude, love, took possession of him.
His large heart was full of happiness that the lost could be found and
saved—that “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Rom. 5:20.
And now, when these two distinct principles appear in him in their
practical union, the type of his religion is clearly developed. He was
grave and earnest, humble, and free from all confidence in himself, for he
was “by nature a child of wrath.” Eph. 2:3. But, on the other hand, God
had, in pity and in love, given him a Saviour, engrafted him in that
Saviour through Holy Baptism, bestowed on him the fulness of grace, and
invited him, as a repentant, believing, pardoned child of Adam, to enter
heaven. If sin abounded through the first Adam, grace did, through the
second Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), much more abound. His writings, therefore, now
assume a very cheerful character—_love_ is the prevailing theme. Nothing
morose appears in them—sorrow for sin and repentance—faith in Christ and
love to him, are his soul-inspiring themes, and a cheerful spirit, a sense
of fervent, joyful gratitude to God, a heavenly calm, pervade alike his
heart and its language as uttered in the “True Christianity.”
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