Day by Day with Martin Luther

Read: 1st Kings 19:1-22:53 Acts 12:1-13:41 Proverbs 17:14-18

“The Narrow Heart”

“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.”
[1st John 3:23]

Human frailty has a heart too narrow to grasp this grace of God, namely, that the Son of God died for us. The principal commandment is this, that we should believe in the name of His Son. The second part of this is that we should love. Accordingly, the sum and substance is belief in the name of the Son of God and love for one’s brother. In the end those people are wise who do the will of God, that is, believe in the name of the Son of God and love one another. They do not love the world. They will exercise themselves with the fruits of the love of God, and they do not pass away. For just as the will of God does not pass away, so those who do the will of God do not pass away either, but they will abide forever [1st John 2:17].