It also belongs to the consolation against suffering to be conscious
that the suffering will not last forever, but will sometime have an
end--on the day of judgment, when the godless shall be separated from
the godly. For this life on earth is nothing else than a masquerade
where people walk in masks, and one sees another different than he
is. He who appears to be an angel is a devil, and those considered
the children of the devil are angels and the children of our dear
Lord. Hence it is that they are attacked, plagued, martyred and put
to death as heretics and children of the devil. This masquerade must
be tolerated until the day of judgment; when the wicked will be
unmasked and will no longer be able to pass as holy people.[1] The
text now continues:
"That the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God."
"[Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the
bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of
God.]"
[Footnote 1: This paragraph is from the pamphlet edition of 1535.]
14. We Christians are not the only beings to receive deliverance,
Paul declares; the creature in bondage has the same hope of release
as the poor, enslaved human being. Sun, moon and every other created
thing is captive to the devil and to wicked people, and must serve
them in every form of sin and vice. Hence these sigh and complain,
waiting for the manifestation of the children of God, when the devil
and the ungodly shall be thrust into hell, and for all eternity be
denied sight of sun and moon, the enjoyment of a drop of water or a
breath of air, and forever deprived of every blessing.
15. So the apostle tells us, "Creation itself also shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption." In other words, creation must now
subserve most shameful ends. Sun, moon and all creatures must be
slaves to the devil and the ungodly because God so desires. He wills
for his beautiful creation to lie at the feet of Satan and his
adherents and to serve them for the present. Likewise many a
sensitive heart is compelled to obey a tyrant or a Turk because the
Lord has imposed that servitude upon it. Some may even have to clean
the Turk's boots, or perform still more menial duties, and in
addition suffer all sorts of indignities from that individual.
16. These words, "Creation itself also shall be delivered from the
bondage of corruption," signify that all created things must until
the final reckoning be servants and menials, not to the godly, but to
the devil and wicked men. Paul himself regards with pity the sun and
other creatures because of their forced service to Satan and to
tyrannical beings. The created works no more desire such servility
than we desire subjection to the Turk. Nevertheless, they submit and
wait--for what? The glorious liberty of the children of God. Then
shall they be released from slavery and be no longer bound to serve
the wicked and worthless. More than that, in their freedom they will
have a grandeur far in excess of their present state and shall
minister only unto God's children. They will be done with bondage to
the devil.
"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now."
17. Paul uses forcible language here. Creation is aware, he says, not
only of its future deliverance from the bondage of corruption, but of
its future grandeur. It hopes for the speedy coming of its glory, and
waits with the eagerness of a maiden for the dance. Seeing the
splendor reserved for itself, it groans and travails unceasingly.
Similarly, we Christians groan and intensely desire to have done at
once with the Turks, the Pope, and the tyrannical world. Who would
not weary of witnessing the present knavery, ungodliness and
blasphemy against Christ and his Gospel, even as Lot wearied of the
ungodliness he beheld in Sodom? Thus Paul says that creation groaneth
and travaileth while waiting for the revelation and the glorious
liberty of the children of God.
18. "And not only so," he adds, "but ourselves also, who have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." We
pray, we cry with great longing, in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom
come," meaning: "Help, dear Lord, and speed the blessed day of thy
second advent, that we may be delivered from the wicked world, the
devil's kingdom, and may be released from the awful distress we
suffer--inwardly from our own consciences and outwardly from the
wicked. Afflict to the limit these old bodies of ours so long as we
may obtain others not sinful, as these; not given to iniquity and
disobedience; bodies that can never know illness, persecution or
death; bodies delivered from all physical and spiritual distress and
made like unto thine own glorified body, dear Lord Jesus Christ. Thus
may we finally realize our glorious redemption. Amen."
19. Paul uses a peculiar word here in the text, which we cannot
render by any other in our language than "travail." It carries the
idea of pains and pangs such as a woman knows in childbirth. The
mother's ardent desire is to be delivered. She longs for it with an
intensity that all the wealth, honor, pleasure and power of the world
could not awaken. This is precisely the meaning of the word Paul
applies to creation. He declares it to be in travail, suffering pain
and anguish in the extremity of its desire for release. But who can
discern the anguish of creation? Reason cannot believe, nor human
wisdom imagine, the thing. "It is impossible," declares reason. "The
sun cannot be more glorious, more pleasing and beneficent. And what
is lacking with the moon and stars and the earth? Who says the
creature is in travail or unwillingly suffers its present state?"
The writer of the text, however, declares creation to be weary of
present conditions of servitude, and as eager for liberation as a
mother for deliverance in the hour of her anguish. Truly it is with
spiritual sight, with apostolic vision, that Paul discerns this fact
in regard to creation. He turns away from this world, oblivious to
the joys and the sufferings of earthly life, and boasts alone of the
future, eternal life, unseen and unexperienced. Thus he administers
real and effectual comfort to Christians, pointing them to a future
life for themselves and all created things after this sinful life
shall have an end.
20. Therefore, believers in Christ are to be confident of eternal
glory, and with sighs and groans to implore the Lord God to hasten
the blessed day of the realization of their hopes. For so Christ has
taught us to pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come." May he
who has commanded give us grace and strength to perform, and a firm
faith in our future glory. Our faith is not to be exercised for the
attainment of earthly riches, but as a means to bring us into another
life. We are not baptized unto the present life, nor do we receive
the Gospel as ministering to our temporal good; these things are to
point us to yonder eternal life. God grant the speedy coming of the
glad day of our redemption, when we shall realize all these
blessings, which now we hear of and believe in through the Word.
Amen.
_Fifth Sunday After Trinity_
Text: 1 Peter 3, 8-15.
8 Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren,
tender-hearted, humble-minded: 9 not rendering evil for evil, or
reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were
ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For,
He that would love life,
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips that they speak no guile:
11 And let him turn away from evil, and do good;
Let him seek peace, and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
And his ears unto their supplication:
But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.
13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which
is good? 14 But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake,
blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; 15 but
sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord.