The Required Confession

Stone Choir

When the world demands that we speak falsely about the faith, we are required to speak the truth; when the world demands that we speak truthfully about the faith, but neglect certain truths, then it is those very truths the world tells us to ignore that we must profess all the more loudly. Satan, although he is the father of lies, does not always lie; where it is possible to do so, it is often far more effective to mislead with the truth — to lie by omission. This is what the world so often demands of Christians today. If the world says we must call slavery sin, then we affirm that Scripture does not call slavery sin and even commands it in places. If the world says we must tolerate homosexuality or false religions, then we affirm that Scripture condemns such things as abomination. If the world tells us that it is fine to say that our sins crucified Christ, that the Romans crucified Christ, and that Pilate crucified Christ, but that we must not say that the Jews murdered Christ, then we affirm in no uncertain terms that the Jews murdered Christ. There are no optional parts of Scripture — we, as Christians, are required to affirm the full counsel of God. To deflect with an irrelevant truth is no less a lie than an affirmative false statement. Whether you are fated to be a confessor or a martyr is in God’s hands, but it is in your hands to decide whether you will follow God or yield to the world. There is no promise of salvation for those who apostatize by denying the Word of God. If I profess with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace to him, if he flinches at that one point. — St. Martin Luther, Confessor Subscribe to the podcast here. Show Notes Scripture readings from the end of the episode: Acts 7:51–53 John 8:34–47 Matthew 12:14 John 5:18 John 7:1 John 7:19–20 John 10:31 John 11:8 John 11:53 Matthew 26:3–4 John 5:16–17 Acts 2:22–25 Acts 2:36–41 Acts 3:14–15 Acts 5:27–33 1 Thessalonians 2:14–16 Luke 23:13–16 Matthew 27:20 Luke 23:18–23 Matthew 27:24–26 HB 1076 (the South Dakota law mentioned in the episode) [PDF] IHRA definition of “antisemitism” (with examples) See Also Lex injusta non lex est. Further Reading Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, Article X Anti-BDS laws Parental Warnings The word “masturbation” is used once in the middle of the episode.