Old Testament Lesson; Proverbs 8:22-31
Epistle Lesson; Romans 5:1-5
Gospel Lesson; John 16:12-15

Today is Trinity Sunday. It is particularly on this Sunday that we focus in on the Godhead.

We look at God the Father, who created us.

We look at God the Son, who went to the cross to save us from our sin.

And we look at God the Holy Spirit, who brings us to faith, and keeps us in our faith.

Today we used the Athanasian Creed for our confession of faith. The very last line, in that Creed simply says,

"This is the true Christian faith;

whoever does not faithfully

and firmly believe this

cannot be saved."

My dear Christian friends, the devil has the world by the tail. The only people he does not have are Christians. The only group that he does not have is the Holy Christian Church. But, it is you and it is the church that he desperately wants to have as his own. Not only is that the case for us, but it is also the case of Christians and members who are dying.

I was intrigued recently by looking at our parish record book, here at Holy Cross, and see the number of people who have passed away, while I have been here, and while Pastor Bartels has been here. We average about 20 funerals a year, here at Holy Cross. I counted up and found that since I have been here, for just about nine years, there have been 172 funerals. And during the fifteen years that Pastor Bartels has been here, there have been 295 funerals.

We might say that the devil was working especially hard with those people, trying to snatch their faith away from them.

I want to share with you something that happened to one of the pastors of our synod, back in the early 80's, and something he saw that pointed him to the pamphlet we will be reading through, in just a moment. Pastor Bruce Bestervelt was a pastor down in Naples, FL, in the early 80's. He got cancer, was sick, and he was dying. Across the hall from him was another Lutheran pastor. Pastor Bestervelt told his wife about the beautiful Lutheran hymns that the other Lutheran pastor was singing in the morning. But, by the time the afternoon rolled around, he told his wife, you would not believe the obscenities that are coming forth from that Lutheran pastor's mouth.

Pastor Bestervelt couldn't help but think of how the devil was at work, trying to snatch away the faith from that Lutheran pastor. Word of that conversation got out. It was the son of the author of this pamphlet who gave it to Pastor Bestervelt. He, in turn, was able to share it with that other Lutheran pastor.

It is this ‘discussion or this conversation’ that lays out so succinctly our faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And though the devil tries, with all his might, as a roaring lion looking for to devour you, may we, as we confess our faith, and as we look at this booklet, be strengthened and comforted in our Christian faith!

The Conversation of the

Devil

With the dying Christian

By

C.U. Faye

THE DEVIL: You must die, for it is written, "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment…" (Hebrews 9:27). When the Lord comes, He "will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts" (1 Corinthians 4:5). You are one of those who will say "to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?’" (Revelations 6:16-17). Or do you imagine that you are without sin, that you can stand before God, holy as He is, before Him, Who cannot tolerate sin, before the all-knowing God, Who knows and sees all?

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: Yes, I am a sinner. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

THE DEVIL: Of course, then you are mine.

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: No. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24). "Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow: though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

THE DEVIL: Has Christ then died really for everybody?

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: Yes. "We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1-2).

THE DEVIL: In that case, He must be dead also for those who are in Hell.

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: That is true; that is Luther's doctrine, and what is more, it is the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures.

THE DEVIL: How can you know that you are not among those, who even if Christ did die for them, nevertheless land in Hell?

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: I have the assurance given by the Word: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

THE DEVIL: Belief, faith. Yes, to be sure, yes. I also believe. "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder" (James 2:19).

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: There are two kinds of faith. One is the mere knowing about God; the other is the living faith and trust in God. What is needed is more than just knowing about God, what is needed is the true living faith that rests confidently in God's mercy and that proves it is alive by bearing fruit in good works.

THE DEVIL: Are your works so perfect then, that you can stand before the countenance of the holy, all-knowing God? Doesn't Scripture say: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48)?

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: It does not depend upon my weaknesses and deficiencies, but upon the faith that clings to God. Through this faith I partake in the righteousness of Christ, as the Apostle Paul says, "Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). By faith, I am clad in the perfect righteousness of Christ: and, in Christ, I am perfect. We are not saved by our good works but by the work Christ has done for us, and this work of Christ is accepted, is made ours, by faith. Good works are merely evidence that one's faith is alive. Even if good works are there, must be there, it is not they, that save. "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law" (Romans 3:28).

THE DEVIL: But you have committed sins of malice after you became a child of God, and that is proof that you have lost the saving faith and thus cut yourself off from the grace of God.

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: Even if that should have happened, the grace of God has been greater than my sins. The prodigal son, who said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (Luke 15:21), was accepted by grace and reinstated His Father's son. God has not let me die in my sins.

THE DEVIL: How do you know that?

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: I believe.

THE DEVIL: (To himself: If only I could make him doubt!) (To the Dying Christian:) Everything, then, depends upon faith?

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: Yes.

THE DEVIL: Is the faith you have the true justifying faith? This is a very important point. You must investigate as to whether you had the correct attitude, when the grace of God was offered to you; as to whether you had the correct feeling of responsibility, when grace was offered to you; as to whether your faith is not just knowledge about God, that is to say, as to whether it is not a mere historical faith. (To himself: Perhaps all this will tire him, so that he will, at last, begin to be attacked by doubts.)

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: It is not for me to investigate what is in me, whether I have the right attitude, the correct feeling of responsibility, whether my faith is the right faith or not. I will not be saved by what is in me. I trust in God alone and the salvation in Him.

THE DEVIL: You just imagine that you are a child of God. For many years now you have been indifferent, you have neglected family devotions, church services, contributions to the church and to missions, even your private prayers. Put an end to this self-delusion. Let death come and give you peace. Commit suicide. Take that sedative there. Swallow all the pills. Make an end of the whole business.

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: I pray my God and Father in Christ that He "guard and keep me so that the devil, the world, and my own flesh may not deceive me nor lead me into mis belief, despair, and other shameful sin and vice; and though I be thus tempted, that I may still in the end overcome and retain the victory" (Luther's explanation to the Sixth Petition in the Lord's Prayer).

THE DEVIL: You have not given me a scientific, or a theologically acceptable answer to my question: Is your faith the true faith?

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: For the answer I refer you to God, who has created the faith in my heart. He is responsible for my faith and salvation.

THE DEVIL: All right then, but you must be logical and reasonable. If God is responsible for man's salvation, then He must also have the blame for the damnation of those who are lost. Similarly, if he, who is lost, must be blamed for that, then he, who is saved, must have the glory for that. It is neither logic nor reason to say that God must have the glory of saving man, while man must take the blame for being lost.

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: Reason must be subjected to the Bible, for we must "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). God must have the glory for our salvation: "The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent" (John 6:29). Man must take the blame for being lost, for it is written, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).

THE DEVIL: It is childish for you to give up your rights as a free human being in that way. To give up your reason is not only foolish, but, I repeat it, it is childish.

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: It is not childish, it is childlike. I am happy that I am a child of God, that God is my Father, who takes care of me in all things. What is a child? A child is, essentially, one who has trust and confidence in his Father. "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" (Mark 10:15). God be praised that it is He (and not we) who takes care of our salvation, praised be He for His promise: "No one can snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:28).

THE DEVIL: (To himself: I must try yet once more to get him to doubt the Word of God; the best way will be to get him to doubt whether he has the right faith. If he gives up believing in his own faith, then he will stop believing in the Word of God, and then he will despair.) (To the Dying Christian): All this is of no avail if you are not united to God by means of the true faith. The true faith depends upon many important circumstances: Did you have the correct attitude? Did you have the right feeling of responsibility? Now do you know that your faith is not a mere knowing about God, a mere historical faith? If you can answer these questions, then I can help you further and deeper clarify by means of other and deeper investigations in the matter.

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: It would be wrong of me to worry over the nature of my faith. All my hope rests upon God, my Father.

THE DEVIL: What then has God done for you, as far as your faith is concerned?

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; just as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives me and all believers all our sins; and at the last day He will raise up me and all the dead, and will grant me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true: (Luther’s explanation of the Third Article of the Creed.)

THE DEVIL: (To himself: If I could only make him look away from God, and look to himself.) (To the Dying Christian): You ought to investigate your own attitude, since that is really the matter of issue. Maybe God has done the most, but you must have done your share; was it you or someone else, who said "Yes" to the preferred grace? Did you, at the time say, "Yes" in the right way?

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: As I already, so many times, have said, it was the work of the Holy Ghost that I said, "Yes." He must bear the responsibility for my "Yes," or my faith being as God wants it to be. Go to Him and ask Him about it. All I know is that I will not look unto myself, but unto God. We must not trust partly in ourselves and partly in God. We trust in God alone.

THE DEVIL: Are you sure that you are doing right in forgetting yourself like this? Perhaps you only imagine that you have given yourself up completely in the grace of God. Perhaps you have given yourself up completely to your own imagination.

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life" (John 3:14-15). "Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he shall live" (Numbers 21:8). He who looked upon himself and his wound died; he who looked upon the serpent of brass lived. He who looks unto himself and a self-made faith, will be lost; he who looks unto Christ and the salvation in Him will be saved.

THE DEVIL: (to himself) As Christ overcame me by the power of the Word, so this dying Christian has now overcome me. I cannot make him mine.

(The devil goes and the dying believer dies a blessed death.)

THE DYING CHRISTIAN: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

The End

C.U. Faye

And so, my dear confirmands, as you were confirmed in your faith last week, and dear members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, it is each and every day of our life that we should reflect back on the day of our baptism, as we reject the work of the devil, as we confess our faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

On this Trinity Sunday, 2007, we did just that . We acknowledged that we are sinners before God, who do not deserve to be saved, we also confessed that it was God who created us. It was God the Son who saved us from our sin by His death on the cross. And it is God the Holy Spirit, who has brought us to faith. May God strengthen you and keep you in your faith, until life everlasting.

Amen.