(MAT. 12, 37)
"FOR by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt
be condemned."
Isn't this a strange way of speaking?
If Jesus had said: "By thy works thou shalt be justified, and by thy
works thou shalt be condemned", then I would have immediately conceded
that this was good common sense. Actions are something tangible,
something you can get the actual "feel" of, but words--why, they often
are nothing but hot air.
Still Jesus says: "By thy words shalt thou be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned"--so, I must accept that.
When, then, I think of the words I have spoken, at home, in the church,
in the midst of the congregation, I cannot conceal _to_ myself the fact
that there were many empty words among them. Not only that--there were
also some mean words, and when they are to be measured by Him who never
sinned, and whose lips never knew deceit, then I must tell myself:
There is enough right here to condemn you! And I am possessed with
_fear_ and worry because of my own words.
If I revert to the good words I may have spoken, it isn't much better.
And still, I cannot say but that I doubtless have spoken some good
words, and that they may have been of benefit to some. I am quite
certain that I often have spoken good words at sick-beds, in the homes
and in the church--words that were willingly listened to just because
they were good words, that really did comfort those who were sick and
had sorrowful souls--words that were something more than sounding brass
or a tinkling cymbal--words that were inspired and filled with the
warmth of my heart--words in which I myself rejoiced sincerely, and for
which I could never sufficiently thank God that He gave me the grace to
utter them.
But, yet--in spite of all this--it does seem to me that when my words
are to be judged by Him who always spake the pure, the powerful, the
pungent, and the perfect word--then mine will be found wanting. In
other words: I _doubt_ that those words of mine were so faultless
that He who is Himself faultless, would consider me justified by my
words. No, to the contrary--I must tell myself: Thou art weighed in the
balance and found wanting!
Thus I find myself placed between _fear_ and _doubt_--fear because of
my evil words, and doubt about the faultlessness of my good words.
What shall I do, then? Shall I timidly withdraw from the words of the
Lord: "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned"?--Shall I attempt to forget them, imagine that they
were not meant for me, have no bearing upon me--or shall I try to avoid
them as some fearfully avoid cemeteries at the midnight hour?
No, I cannot do that!
I must have these strange words clear in my mind. I must work them
through. To stand between fear and doubt, timidly withdrawing from
the words of my Lord! No, that cannot be possible. Where shall I seek
refuge? Where shall I seek that explanation which reconciles me with
the word of the Lord, and which brings peace into my soul?
I will seek refuge in the pledge of my baptism--as so many others have
done in the hour of worry and distress. I let it pass upon my lips,
and the word is: "I _renounce_ the devil and all his works and all his
ways." But to renounce means that I break off from, separate myself
from, and become a foe of, the evil one and all that is evil--also my
own words. But can He, the fair judge, condemn me for that which I
disavow and separate myself from, what I personally oppose?
No, it is impossible! That cannot be!
This gives me surcease. The fear of my evil words must vanish, and,
thus unburdened, I go on.
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.... I
believe in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by
the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day
He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on
the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come
to judge the quick and the dead.... I believe in the Holy Ghost; the
holy Christian church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of
sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."
The word of the Apostles' Creed is the word of faith. And what did I
say? I _believe_! It may be feebly, alas, but nevertheless--with all
its frailty the heart embraces the word of faith, and doubt vanishes
before this word.
Almost astonished I ask myself: Is it possible? Is it possible that I
who found myself placed between fear and doubt, conquer both by the
word of faith?
That word of faith has thus passed upon my lips, not like a sounding
brass or a tinkling cymbal, but as a _truth of the heart_. It was not
a hollow saying, it was not a faulty word, and yet it was my own. It
was given to me in the early morn of my life as a gift from God in
my baptism. Now it asserts itself in spite of all the evil, empty
and faulty words I have spoken--reaches to the Lord Himself as an
expression of the innermost life of my heart, and the answer of the
Lord to this word is: By thy words shalt thou be justified!
Thus, through the words of the Lord I gained peace in my soul, and my
heart bursts out its "Praised be God!"