January 26, 2012 — The First Commandment

My wife’s parents gave her a Spring cleaning for her birthday.  We finally got around to scheduling it for this Saturday.  Olga will be coming to the house about 9am to clean.  Thanks Mom and Dad!  So what does my wife do?  She’s been running around the place cleaning and straightening.  There won’t be anything for them to do when they get here!

Martin Luther continues the Large Catechism,

In order that it may be seen that God will not have this commandment thrown to the winds, but will most strictly enforce it, He has attached to it first a terrible threat, and then a beautiful, comforting promise which is also to be urged and impressed upon young people, that they may take it to heart and retain it:

[Exposition of the Appendix to the First Commandment.]

For I am the Lord, thy God, strong and jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments.

Although these words relate to all the commandments (as we shall hereafter learn), yet they are joined to this chief commandment because it is of first importance that men have a right head; for where the head is right, the whole life must be right, and vice versa. Learn, therefore, from these words how angry God is with those who trust in anything but Him, and again, how good and gracious He is to those who trust and believe in Him alone with the whole heart; so that His anger does not cease until the fourth generation, while, on the other hand, His blessing and goodness extend to many thousands lest you live in such security and commit yourself to chance, as men of brutal heart, who think that it makes no great difference [how they live]. He is a God who will not leave it unavenged if men turn from Him, and will not cease to be angry until the fourth generation, even until they are utterly exterminated. Therefore He is to be feared, and not to be desisted.

More than once, I’ve had people suggest that it’s not fair for God to punish children for their parent’s sins.  Funny thing is, these were Christians saying that.  What they don’t understand is that if mom and dad aren’t Christians, then the children aren’t going to be Christian either.  If the children somehow happened to become Christian, everything would be fine.  What God is doing is just sharing with us the most like outcome and show us that the results last more than a lifetime and up to four generations.

The passage is meant to be a comfort and promise for us Christians.  Because of our faith, God promises to show mercy.  Because of our faith, we will love Him in return and try to keep His Commandments.  We should take comfort in our relationship with God.  Many blessings come from that relationship.  It is an amazing thing.

One of my professors at the Seminary shared with us this idea, that Christianity is always one generation away from dying out.  If my generation doesn’t share the faith with the next generation, Christianity would be in danger of dying out.  That is a scary prospect.  It is meant to wake us up so we see the necessity of sharing the faith.  What he left out of the equasion is the Holy Spirit.  God, the Holy Spirit, isn’t going to let that happen.  He is constantly working in the hearts of people.  But, we do need to keep our eye on the ball and share our faith whenever we have a chance.

I need a haircut.  Why is it that I always to two extra weeks before getting my hair cut?  I don’t know why I don’t just go every four weeks.  I need to call today to see if Julie is working today.  Nobody touches my hair but Julie.  My wife and I were at Walmart walking past Cost Cutters and Jan needed to buy some hair product.  The next thing I know, she is coming back saying that Julie is in and Jan is going to get a quick trim.  I was standing there lamenting the fact that I needed my hair cut and one of the other girls working there says to me, “I can cut your hair.”  Sorry, but no.

Anyway, have a great day.  Enjoy this warm weather.  Only 35 days left until Spring.  God bless.