Read the Large Catechism with me.
Ten-minute studies on short readings from the Large Catechism.
Let's do this.
Click on the link below and read the short assigned reading. Then, if you have time, check out what I have to say about it. If not, no problem. Just soak up the goodness of the LC.
The Fifth Commandment Part 1: Click here and read 179 - 187.
The basics:
- Thou shalt not kill.
- The first four commandments cover the spiritual and temporal government and obedience to them. The rest of the commandments concern how we should live with one another.
- This commandment is not directed to the spiritual and temporal governments, who have been given the authority to punish evil-doers by His command.
- Christ Himself explains this command - that we must not kill with hand, heart, mouth, signs, gestures, help, nor counsel. It is forbidden to be angry except those in authority - parents and government - when their office calls for such rebuke in punishment.
- We must live among people who do us harm, and those actions encourage our sinfulness against this commandment.
- God has set up this commandment as a wall, fortress, and refuge around our neighbor, that we do him no hurt or harm, even when his actions are evil.
- "Thus we shall suffer our enemies to rage and be angry, doing what they can, and we learn to calm our wrath, and to have a patient, gentle heart, especially toward those who give us cause to be angry, that is, our enemies." Paragraph 187.
My thoughts today:
"...we learn to calm our wrath, and to have a patient, gentle heart, ESPECIALLY toward those who give us cause to be angry, that is, our enemies."
Head falls.
God be gracious to me.
My husband likes to make fun of me because I have a fiery streak and a tendency to hop on soapboxes about issues. My fiery streak and soapbox preaching is really just a nicer way to say I have an ungentle heart and I lack patience for those who give me cause to be angry.
And, of course, at this point my sinful self wants to say, "But...but...but...but they are sinning. They shouldn't be doing that. They...they...they...they hurt me."
Yep. You can stop talking now, Kelly. Someone else's sin is not a permission slip for your own.
So, I keep learning to calm my wrath. It is a lesson I will continue to learn until the Last Day. Until then, I live in His merciful forgiveness. A gift I cannot fathom, as I know I rightly deserve His righteous wrath. Thanks be to God for such mercy found in His Son.
