A Today Reading

"In the sight of God man is a sinner when he relies upon himself and what he does, without acknowledging his dependence on God and God's gifts. 'Not to believe, trust, fear Him, not to give Him glory, not to let Him rule and be God' is sin. So sin is at bottom a turning away from God. It is not believing. Sin is not so much a matter of wrong acts (although it is this too) as it is a matter of wrong orientation. With this understanding the medieval distinction between moral and venial sins of course collapsed. Man confesses, 'I am sinner,' rather than, 'I have commited a sin.'

Man's fellowship with God is broken by sin, but God takes the initiative to restore the fellowship. In Christ, God graciously takes upon Himself man's sin, compassionately suffers in man's behalf, lovingly gives of Himself to reconcile man, gratuitously offers pardon and forgiveness. For (Martin) Luther the word 'forgiveness' embraces all of this. It is something positive rather than merely negative. It is God's acceptance of man in spite of his sin, and it is the eterenal life that is such acceptance.

Man, for this part, can receive only what is thus given. He is not worthy of the gift, nor can he make himself worthy of it. He simply takes hold of what is offered, placing his confidence at once in the promise, and the Giver in God's Word and in God Himself, who addresses man in His Word. 'God gives you nothing on account of your worthiness,' Luther wrote. 'Nor does He establish His Word and Sacrament on your worthiness. But out of pure grace He establishes you, unworthy as you are, on His Word and sign.' The Word of God (more specifically, the gospel) is the means by which God comes to man with His offer of forgiveness and life. Because it is a promise, it can eb recieved only in faith-not intellectual assent to doctrine, but personal trust in and commitment to God in Christ-which is itself a gift of God rather than an achievement of man. Faith is the assurance that God loves in His wrath and is gracious in His judgment. To have faith is to have God.

The Christian life, then, is a life of faith, a life lived in and under God. A Christian does 'good works,' not to save himself, but to serve his neighbors in love. 'To serve our neighbor is a service to God,' is Gottesdienst. A Christian does this freely, spontaneously, joyfully-not in order to secure salvation but because he is saved."

- An excerpt from the introduction of Luther: Letters of Spiritual Counsel

***The German word Gottesdienst carries the meaning of "God’s service to us and our service, including Anbetung or worship, to him.