3009 - An Indispensibly Necessary Work

 

If all the heathen are to praise God, He must first have been made their God.  If he is to be their God, they must know Him and believe on Him and let go of all idolatry.  For man cannot praise God with idolatrous lips and an unbelieving heart.  If they are to believe, they must first hear his Word and thus receive the Holy Spirit, who purifies and enlightens their heart by faith.  For one cannot come to faith or receive the Holy Spirit before one has heard the Word, as paul says (Rom. 10:14): "How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?" (Gal. 3:2):You have received the Spirit by the preaching of faith.  If they are to hear His Word, preachers who proclaim the Word of God to them must be sent to them.  (W 31 I,228 f -- E 40, 288 -- SL 5, 1139)

 

page 958, What Luther Says: A Practical in Home Anthology for the Active Christian, compiled by Ewald M. Plass.  Copyright 1959, Concordia Publishing House, St Louis, MO.