Romans 8:6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
DO NOT SERVE MAN, SERVE GOD
That is a major message of almost all Bible texts, especially in the Lenten Season, that God is everything and I am nothing. When I want to be somebody, it is hard to understand that ultimately there is, there can be only one somebody, and that is God. Until I am not able to acknowledge the total sovereignty of God over life and death, wealth and prosperity, especially over me, I will never understand how the Universe works, and what is the meaning of life, which is to serve God.
The Tower of Babel, beside its astrological function, was not built only for the purpose to survive the next flood, but as an open revolt against God. The building project was ordered and organized by Nimrod, the King, who made the nations united under his iron scepter. His ultimate goal was to besiege Heaven and to overthrow the kingship of God.We know from the Bible that the builders became scattered on the surface of the Earth, Nimrod and his empire became ashes and sand. Only one man took a stand against him, and he was Abraham, and he did it by faith in the Father of Heaven, who is the everlasting King of the Universe.
All the subsequent empires, which came after Nimrod, all tried the same pattern namely to rule the Earth or at least half of it, and to take away the kingship from God. All in vain, including Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Rome, Germany, Russia. All in vain.
However the road to Heaven leads in the opposite direction.
However the road to Heaven leads in the opposite direction.
Thus humbleness is one of the main requirements of being a Christian.
Some other denominations maybe think that Protestantism started as a bold and armed- to- the- teeth rebellion, by reckless people with the hidden agenda to topple upside down the known civil world and to turn upside down the good order of the medieval church and state, culminating and escalating into the so called 30 years war between Protestant and Catholic Powers in Europe from 1618 to 1648.
That war too, was bitterly fought between countries, principalities, and occasionally as a civil war within states inside.
Almost the whole Europe was involved in the enduring fighting including Sweden, Poland, Transylvania principality of the Reformed Faith, and for example the very half of the population of Germany were killed or died as a result of the conflict. It does not sound as a humble process of Professing of the Christian Faith, rather a political and armed fight for control and rule.
Despite of everything, We still think that the Reformation as a Faith event, started by real humbleness inspired by the word of God, as it is written in the book of the Acts, chapter 5: 27-29: “When they had brought the Apostles, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name (Jesus), yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority.”
Almost the whole Europe was involved in the enduring fighting including Sweden, Poland, Transylvania principality of the Reformed Faith, and for example the very half of the population of Germany were killed or died as a result of the conflict. It does not sound as a humble process of Professing of the Christian Faith, rather a political and armed fight for control and rule.
Despite of everything, We still think that the Reformation as a Faith event, started by real humbleness inspired by the word of God, as it is written in the book of the Acts, chapter 5: 27-29: “When they had brought the Apostles, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name (Jesus), yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority.”
This was the very statement which was echoed by Martin Luther standing before the very eyes of the Hapsburg German-Roman emperor, Charles V, and before the German princes, and before the archbishops of the Roman church, as they requested him to revoke his teachings.
At this decisive and historical moment Luther made his famous statement, like the Apostles some 15 hundred years before, that I stand here, I can not help, I can not revoke anything, because I have to obey God rather than humans.
At this decisive and historical moment Luther made his famous statement, like the Apostles some 15 hundred years before, that I stand here, I can not help, I can not revoke anything, because I have to obey God rather than humans.
On the other side of any kind of infamous tax coins, he could have also said that all right folks, I don't want to hurt the higher interest of the empire, and in order to obey the emperor I can revoke my teachings for the sake of the high priests and for the sake of the higher interest of the visible church, just give me a nicely sized recompense, give me a profitable position, let us have a deal, let us have a bargain.
But he did not do so, not seeking a lousy compromise. Of course he was tempted and offered, he was threatened and tried.
Although they promised Luther free coming and going from the imperial court hearing, it was not carved in the marble. One hundred years before his case, the then current emperor Sigismund the Luxembourg himself had promised John Hus, the famous Czech Reformator, the same free in and out, but it had turned out as an elaborate trap, and they had burned him at the stake in the name of the Christianity and good order versus heresy.
So Martin Luther really went far beyond the comfort zone of him, where and when this far beyond meant a very possible torture and execution by fire.
Although he was not sentenced to death by the imperial council, they outlawed and excommunicated him, which meant anyone who could have found him, was free to kill him without any punishment of the contemporary criminal code.
That is a real humbleness, because he put his neck on the line for God. Yes, he did it by faith. However the humbleness defined in the bible has some more clarifications in the letter of the Apostle James, that there are is no real humbleness in the lonely devotion toward the invisible god, but in the serving of our human fellows.
Martin Luther served God through serving the people by obeying God, reforming the imperialized and corrupted medieval Church. At least in his first years he had some promising projects including the translation of the Latin Bible into the vernacular language.
Although in theory there is no external proof of the internal humbleness, but serving others must be a certain sign, if serving means really serving and not seeking any kind of power gain, admiration or popularity.
Serving however not as a slave of humans, but a slave of God. In order to serve man in a godly way, you shall submit yourself to God fully and totally, and you can not do your submission toward God otherwise, but only through your human fellows, or with Biblical terms through your neighbors. Jesus said that that man is the greatest of you, who serves all of you without selection and discrimination.
Dear People, as we run after our vanities, desires and false dreams, as some crave also human glory, influence and power, often through wars and temporary conquers, we have to give them up all. Let us submit ourselves to God's will.
Submission to God is humbleness. What is God's will, it is not a puzzle at all, because his will is public for all. It is clear like Day Light.
God's will is Charity, Goodness, Providence, Gentleness, Compassion, Mercy, Family, and Friendship, Brotherhood and Sisterhood of humanity, sharing all things, cooperation in all things. We have a promise that these shall conquer and occupy the world at the very end.
Until that time often we shall become a humble David against not only one but hosts of Goliaths. We just can not stay idle when our fellow being is in danger or enslaved.
There is only one thing which is capable to make us humble and strong in the same time: This is the power of the love of God given by Faith to the faithful in Christ Jesus to whom be glory and praise forever.
Amen
There is only one thing which is capable to make us humble and strong in the same time: This is the power of the love of God given by Faith to the faithful in Christ Jesus to whom be glory and praise forever.
Amen
