Our topic is the Holy Spirit and
Enlightenment based on our Gospel. This is a portion of a sermon on the topic
and passage by Doctor Martin Luther.[i]
“ … Consider what the Lord says,
that the Holy Spirit is to convict the world in respect of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment. [We] will see what the meaning of all this is.
In the first place, the world is
accused of blindness and ignorance. All those who are without the Holy Spirit,
however wise they may be in matters pertaining to the things of this world,
are, before God, fools and blind. They do not like to hear this; and when they
are told that their doings are of no account before God, it displeases them and
makes them angry, because they insist that they are in possession of reason and
the natural light, which God created in them. But what does this matter to us?
There are the Scriptures and the Word of God plain and clear, that the Holy
Spirit is to come to convict the world, because it does not know what sin,
righteousness and judgment are. Thus, it is determined, there it stands; let be
angry who will, Christ does not care.
It is much to be deplored that the
world is convicted, not only because of its sin and because of want of
righteousness, not being able to judge rightly, but that it does not
acknowledge nor see this, to say nothing of its endeavor to alter the matter.
Oh, how completely the praise of all comes to naught, who, while they endeavor
to make other people pious, know not themselves what sin is! Let us take, for
example, at the present day, all the schools of learning and the learned men
and see whether they can tell us what that one little word "sin" is?
For who has ever heard that not to believe in Christ is sin? They say, it is
sin if one speaks, desires or does something against God's will and
commandment. But how does that correspond with this saying of Christ: It is sin
because they do not believe on me? Therefore, they are easily convicted of the
fact that they know not what sin is; and if they be ever so learned, they will
not be able to explain this text.
In like manner, they are not able to
know what "righteousness" is. For who has ever heard that a man
should become pious and just because Christ ascended to heaven or goes to the
Father and we see him no more? There we must say, a fool has thus spoken and
not a wise man. For they say, righteousness is a virtue, which teaches man what
he owes others. This is true, but the trouble is, they do not understand their
own words, such blind fools they are. Therefore, one need not be surprised that
they rage so much against the Gospel and persecute the Christians. How could they
do otherwise? They know no better.
Neither do they know what
"judgment" or right is, that is, a right judgment, a correct good
opinion and sense, or whatever you may call it. For they say: Right is that
which is written in books, how one is to know and distinguish things, to quiet
and end quarrels. But how does Christ define it? He says: "It is right,
that the world is to be judged." Who understands such speech, and … how
does it correspond with reason? Let us see whether we can explain it so that it
may be understood.
In the first place, one must know
that the Word of God does not speak only of outward existence and appearances,
but it takes hold of the heart and the depths of the soul. Accordingly, it does
not judge man as to his outward appearance and action, but according to the
depths of his conscience. Now, everyone will experience in himself, if he
wishes to acknowledge it, however pious he may be … that in his heart he would
rather do the contrary … what he is outwardly compelled to do. Thus, if I were
left to myself, … but were made to confess how I feel in my heart, I must say:
That which I do, I would rather not do. If there were no hell and I would not
feel the disgrace, I would [allow] my office [to] have the misfortune, and run
off. For I have no desire from the heart to do it, but am compelled … and must
do it in spite of hell, punishment or disgrace. It is not possible that I
should do it from choice and gladly. … The same you will find continually in
other matters. I am never from my heart kind and friendly to my enemy, for this
is impossible to nature; and though I act otherwise, in my heart I think…: If
it were not for the punishment, I would have my way and not remain without
revenge. Thus, I still go about before the world, and do not as I would like
and feel inclined to do, for fear of punishment or disgrace. Likewise if you go
through all the commandments, from the first to the last, you will find that
there is no one who keeps God's commandments from the bottom of his heart. …
Now, against this evil God found a
remedy and determined to send Christ, his Son, into this world, that he should
shed his blood and die, in order to make satisfaction for sin and take it away,
and that the Holy Spirit then should enter the hearts of such people, who go
about with the works of the Law, being unwilling and forced to it, and make
them willing, in order that without force and with joyous heart they keep God's
commandments. Otherwise, there might be no means of removing the misery; for
neither human reason and power, nor even an angel could rescue us from it.
Thus, God has done away with the sins of all men who believe on the Christ, so
that henceforth it is impossible for one to remain in sin who has this Saviour,
who has taken all sins upon himself and blotted them out.
Inasmuch as Christ has now come and
commanded to preach that everything we may do, however great and beautiful it
may appear, is sin, because we do nothing that is good with pleasure and
willingly, and that for this reason he has stepped forward and has taken away
all sin, in order that we may receive the Holy Spirit, through whom we obtain
love and pleasure to do what God wants us to do, in order that we do not
attempt to come before God through our own works, but through Christ and his
merits, therefore it cannot be called any longer sin committed against the Law,
for the Law did nothing to assist us in becoming pious, since we are not able
to do anything good.
What sort of sin then remains upon earth? No
other than that one does not receive this Saviour and refuses to accept him who
has taken away sin. For if he were present, there would be no sin, since he …
brings the Holy Spirit with him, who kindles the heart and makes it willing to
do good. Therefore, the world is no longer punished and condemned on account of
other sins, because Christ blots them all out; only this remains sin in the New
Testament, that one will not acknowledge nor receive him. Therefore he likewise
says in this Gospel: "When the Holy Spirit is come, he will convict the
world in respect of sin, because they believe not on me."
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