ZITAT: His Mercy
Unless I'm way off base with my basic translating skills (and have completely forgotten how to perform an accurate Google search!), I believe the English word "quote" (used as a noun) is translated as "zitat" in German.
That will help to explain the strange 'Z' word listed in the title of this post.
Let's cut to the chase.
Question: Are you a wretched sinner in need of His saving grace? It's a very important question.
Well, you might want to take a quick look at Psalm 51:5; Romans 7:24, and Ephesians 2:8-9.
Let's consider for a moment the beauty and the power found in the truth of God's holy Word as expounded to us by Martin Luther regarding God's mercy.
Amen! Yes, His mercy is for the wretched sinner who recognizes his/her true state and who humbles themselves unto sincere repentance and true faith in Jesus Christ.
So, please take note, those of you who consider yourself to be a "good person" and "better than most people" even, because His mercy and eternal salvation is not for the righteous, but for the sinner (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17).
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That will help to explain the strange 'Z' word listed in the title of this post.
Let's cut to the chase.
Question: Are you a wretched sinner in need of His saving grace? It's a very important question.
"What kind of nonsense it this!?! I come to check out this new Lutheran blog and one of the very first posts I read involved the author of it calling me names? Who are you to call someone else 'wretched' when we're all supposed to love one another since God is loving?"
Well, you might want to take a quick look at Psalm 51:5; Romans 7:24, and Ephesians 2:8-9.
Let's consider for a moment the beauty and the power found in the truth of God's holy Word as expounded to us by Martin Luther regarding God's mercy.
"God accepts only the forsaken, cures only the sick, gives sight only to the blind, restores life to only the dead, sanctifies only the sinners, gives wisdom only to the unwise fools.
In short, He has mercy only on those who are wretched, and gives grace only to those who are not in grace.
Therefore no proud saint, no wise or just person, can become God's material, and God's purpose cannot be fulfilled in him. He remains in his own work and makes a fictitious, pretended, false, and painted saint of himself, that is, a hypocrite.
The most damnable and pernicious heresy that has ever plagued the mind of man was the idea that somehow he could make himself good enough to deserve to live with an all-holy God."
-- Martin Luther
Amen! Yes, His mercy is for the wretched sinner who recognizes his/her true state and who humbles themselves unto sincere repentance and true faith in Jesus Christ.
So, please take note, those of you who consider yourself to be a "good person" and "better than most people" even, because His mercy and eternal salvation is not for the righteous, but for the sinner (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17).
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