tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post1999453409166421965..comments2023-10-09T03:39:02.388-06:00Comments on Expository Lutheran: Coveting Future WealthBror Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06913133289813136695noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-65551025054727483702008-12-05T10:37:00.000-07:002008-12-05T10:37:00.000-07:00Thanks, Larry, for sharing. I know exactly what y...Thanks, Larry, for sharing. I know exactly what you are talking about.Brigittehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10259491144770243688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-16226145662886903852008-12-04T10:38:00.000-07:002008-12-04T10:38:00.000-07:00That sounds wonderful. I couldn’t help but to pon...That sounds wonderful. I couldn’t help but to ponder my past Baptist/evangelical thought on this versus today as I believe what Luther said of the sacraments. Because in a negative way the way I use to think leads to what you are saying I believe. Because one WANTS to hope that it is true for me. It all turns on what does “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” mean? <BR/><BR/>Back in the day of Baptist religion I use to ponder this verse and similar ones to it in which a certain promise is given. Since baptism under that religion doesn’t “do anything” the question becomes, what is being sealed by the Holy Spirit mean. So you go looking for all kinds of in essence ‘signs and wonders’ of this sealing, that God has so sealed me so that I might treasure this promise. Those ‘signs and wonders’ or metrics of conversion or metrics whereby I might know God has acted in my favor upon me can range from high end charismatic things to signs of a changed life and so forth. Since baptism under that religion cannot be the Holy Spirit it shifts to where is the Holy Spirit whereby I “see” the seal for the promise. The thought under Baptist thinking, I recall it clearly under the tyranny of it was, “Oh, yes if I am sealed how wonderful those words do sound, but am I…”. Then the metric hunting starts. It was similar to when I use to go to my wife under tremendous day and night despair (near suicidal at times) for years over election and “am I really converted/born again” and say, “Honey how blessed it must have been for the prostitute to hear from the very lips of Jesus in front of her, the mouth of God, ‘Your sins are forgiven’. If I could only hear that, only his Word can release me.” Those were very dark days for me.<BR/><BR/>How blessed was the turning of this, and other, verses when I heard Luther on baptism. At first it seemed TOO good to be true, which is really unbelief and secret “surely I need to do something”.<BR/><BR/>I suppose the connection being that even under the Baptist religion I in essence coveted the promises like a poor kid outside of the home of a rich kid. What I didn’t realize was I was actually already inside the home of the rich kid and was now the rich kid too. How that seemingly pious faith which is really unbelief due to the non-sacramental doctrine makes one stand outside of the party and feast and covet what we think is not ours, when we should be inside coveting it as ours.<BR/><BR/>Yours,<BR/><BR/>LarryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-27262516793089248632008-12-04T09:27:00.000-07:002008-12-04T09:27:00.000-07:00I guess you are right. Trouble is, I might be the ...I guess you are right. Trouble is, I might be the wait staff!<BR/><BR/>Actually, that wouldn't be bad and it would definitely be better than inhabiting the warmer regions!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-8319676912080385052008-12-04T07:58:00.000-07:002008-12-04T07:58:00.000-07:00Steve there is so much we don't know about heaven....Steve there is so much we don't know about heaven. But it sure is fun to speculate given what we do know. But what fun would living in a mansion be if you didn't have a wait staff?Bror Ericksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06913133289813136695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261814012053869943.post-60892848460610984292008-12-04T07:51:00.000-07:002008-12-04T07:51:00.000-07:00We can't clean up after ourselves...then it wouldn...We can't clean up after ourselves...then it wouldn't be Heaven!<BR/><BR/>Maybe there won't be anything to clean up! (some kind of mystical auto clean-up mode)<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the reminder that our true inheritance, our true wealth, waits securely for us in Heaven, and will blow our minds what with our pitiful expectance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com