The righteous shall live by faith.

Romans 1:17

Thank ... Praise ... Serve ... Obey! Sound familiar? Yes, they should because they are the closing words of Martin Luther’s explanation to the first article of the Apostle’s Creed and listed as our duty more than 1,000 times in Scripture.

Did you also think back to your days of instruction in confirmation class? The days of memory work, repeat and repeat, until they were committed to memory in preparation for the day of confirmation. If memory isn’t sufficient, find your baptismal and confirmation certificates to confirm the dates of each event and give thanks to him. Yes, it was 510 years ago that Dr. Luther himself was enlightened by the Holy Ghost that he was saved, not by his good works, but by the death and resurrection of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Bill Balke
Gresham, OR

Heavenly Father, by the power of the Holy Ghost, enable me to thank, praise, serve, and obey you in thought, word, and deed. Amen.

Reflect: Use Luther’s Small Catechism as part of your devotions.

Read: Revelation 2:10 and Revelation 3:11