Vespers
March 20, 2022
Scripture Texts: Genesis 44:1–17; Romans 8:1–10; John 5:25–29
Sermon: No Condemnation
Vespers is found on page 142 of the Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW). We also sing "O Christ, You Are the Light and Day," hymn number 273 in the LBW.
Evening Prayer
From The Anti-Pelagian Works of Augustine
Now this question seems to me to be by no means capable of solution, unless we understand that even those good works of ours, which are recompensed with eternal life, are occasioned by the grace of God, because of what is said by the Lord Jesu«: "Without me ye can do nothing." The apostle himself undoubtedly [felt the difficulty of the subject] after saying, "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast;"' he evidently saw the possibility of men's concluding from such a statement that good works are not necessary to those who believe, but that faith alone is sufficient for them. Then, again, there was the possibility, as he perceived, of men's boast- ing of their good works, as if they were of themselves capable of performing them. To meet, therefore, these erroneous opinions on both sides, he immediately added, " We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." [And here question after question arises.] What is the purport of his saying, "Not of works, lest any man should boast," while commending the grace of God? And then why does he afterwards, when giving a reason for using such words, say, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works"? Why, therefore, does it run, "Not of works, lest any man should boast." Now, hear and imderstand the point. The excluding phrase, "Not of works," is spoken of the works which you suppose have their origin in yourself alone; but you have to think of works to which God has moulded (that is, has formed and created) you. For of these he says, "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." Now he does not here speak of that creation which made us human beings, but of that in reference to which one said who was already in full manhood, "Create in me a clean heart, O God;" concerning which also the apostle says, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God." We are moulded, therefore, that is, formed and created, "unto the good works, which" we have not ourselves prepared, but "God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." It follows, then, dearly beloved, beyond all doubt, that as your good life is nothing else than God's gift and grace, so also the eternal life which is the recompense of a good life is the gift and grace of God; moreover, it is a free and gratuitous gift, even as that was a free and gratuitous gift of which it is the recompense. But the good life, thus rewarded, is solely and simply grace; therefore the eternal life, which is its reward — and because it is its reward — is grace for grace, as if it were the remuneration of righteousness; in order that that may be realized, because it is true, that God "shall reward every man according to his works."