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Discussion Forum : Revivals And Church History : A Letter from Kaspar von Schwenckfeld (1526)

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mguldner
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Joined: 2009/12/4
Posts: 1862
Kansas

 A Letter from Kaspar von Schwenckfeld (1526)

I read this in the Pilgrim Church and thought I would share it with you all, I thought it hit the nail on the head for what I believe SI is about. Anyways.....

"Oh would to God we were truly the body of Chirst, united in the bonds of love...but alas there is a yet no sign of anything that could be compared with the first church, where the believers were of one heart and of one mind...We will, however, stand fast in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and not enter into any human sect, nor turn away from the universal Christian Church; we will not be bound by any yoke of bondage but only cling to the One divine sect of Jesus Christ...My desire and the wich of my heart is that I might help everyone to the truth and unity of Christ and His Holy Spirit and not that I should be a casue of sectarianism, division, or falling way from Christ...As there are now four that are called churches, the Papal, Lutheran, Zwinglian, and Baptist or Pickard, and each condemns the other, as is to be seen, that Luther condemns the Zwinglian Church and the fanatics, one cannot help asking whether all of tham are, or which of them is, the true assembly of the Church of Christ, where one ought to be found and where one may be blessed... We weillanswer the question in the words of Peter...'Of a truth I preceive that God is no respector of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him'(Acts 10:34-35)...So the more these churches condemn one another, so much the more will those who fear God and live uprightly and christianly, be, in the sight of Gd unexcluded and uncondemned... Although I have so far fully joined myself to no church... yet I have not despised any church, persons, leaders, or teachers. I desire to serve everyone in God, to be the friend and brother of each who has a zeal for God and loves Christ from the heart... Therefore I pray God to lead me aright in all things, to enable me , according to the Apostolic rule, rightly recognize all spirits, especially the Spirit of Jesus Christ; to teach me to prove all things and to distinguish, and to accept and hold what is good, so that in this present state of divisions and separations, I my attain, with a clear, sure conscience in Christ, to Truth and unity... My Liberty does not suit all... some call me an eccentric... and many look on me with suspicion...but God knows my heart..I am...no sectarian, and with God's help, will not be a disturber of peace.
Rather than destroy anything good, I would die. And therefore I have not fully attached myself to any party, sect, or church, so that I might, in the will of God, through His grace, apart from party serve all parties."

I hope that this brougth encouragement to you as you read it, seems to me that division was a huge problem in Schwenchfeld time as well. Now it only appears worse as we see more and more divisions taking place. Something that seems to be coming to mind when I read things like this is "One man's devotion to God is another man's religious bondage"


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Matthew Guldner

 2010/9/29 5:08Profile





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