Sasse's Christmas Letter 1957: "Even today the church is not preserved by us."

Professor Dr. Hermann Sasse

63 Clifton Street

Prospect, South Australia

Christmas 1957

Dear Brothers in Office,

I wish you a “blessed new year” with some words from the “Preface of Dr. Martin Luther Put together before His Departure” to the second part of the Wittenberg Edition of the German writings of the Reformer. The genuineness of this preface (Wittenberg Ed. vol. 2; Erlangen Ed. vol. 63:407ff.; Weimar Ed. vol. 54:459ff.[Vorrede Luthers zum ersten Bande der Gesamtausgabe seiner lateinischen Schriften. Wittenberg 1545; WA 54.179-187; Aland no. 753.] ) was already disputed by Walch since the printing of the volume, due to the events back then, could only be finalized in 1548. Yet it was compiled out of genuine words of Luther and perfectly renders his thoughts on the miracle of the preservation of the church. The history of the church and Holy Scripture teach, so we read,

…that it always happened this way when God’s word arose somewhat and God had gathered for himself a small flock thereby, then the devil soon became aware of the light and blew, stormed, and puffed against it from all corners with strong, great winds to extinguish such divine light.

The church must always be ready for storms such as Luther in particular had to endure in the battle for the gospel. In this way the Reformer calls upon future generations to be watchful according to 1 Peter 5:8 and admonishes them:

You, our posterity, also earnestly pray and diligently study God’s word, keep God’s poor storm lantern lit, be warned and prepared.

Above all, however, he reminds them of the divine mystery of the preservation of the church:

For it is not we who could preserve the church. Our ancestors also did not do it. Our posterity will also not be able to do it. But it was he, is he, and will be he who says: ‘I am with you to the end of the age.’ [Matthew 28:20] As is written in Hebrews 13:8 ‘Jesus Christ, yesterday and today and forever.’ And Revelation 1:8: ‘The Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.’ Yes, this is the name of the man, and no other man is named in this way, and no one else is supposed to be called this way. He who is called ‘yesterday’ and ‘who was’ preserved the church one thousand years ago, when we did not yet exist. And even today the church is not preserved by us, the living, but only by him who is called ‘today’ and ‘who is.’ Likewise, we will also not contribute anything when we are dead, but he will do it who is called ‘who will come’ and ‘in eternity.’

With this strong faith of Luther, let us do the work we are permitted to do in the church and for the church in the year of grace 1958. In light of this word let us today look at the situation of Lutheranism at the end of 1957.

Letters to Lutheran Pastors No. 46, translated by H. Sonntag

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[1]BLP no. 46: “Das Luthertum an der Jahreswende 1957/58.” (Prospect, Weihnachten 1957) LuBl 10.56 (Feb 1958). Feuerhahn Bibliography no. 337. MH