#53- Though Descendants of Abraham, They Are Not Faith-filled Children of Abraham

“This is a dreadful sermon. It brings out a wide difference among the children of Abraham. Christ says, as it were: ‘I know well that you are Abraham’s children, but you do the works of your father. You are Abraham’s children, but you have another father.’ He assigns two fathers to them: “Abraham is your father, but you have another father whose children you really are. And if you are not freed from this father and stop doing his works, your descent from Abraham will not help you. To be sure, you would still be Abraham’s children if another father, the devil, had not come along. But now you are murderers and children of the devil. Think this over! Abraham’s seed is to inherit Abraham’s kingdom and the promise, or the promised blessing, the kingdom conferred on Abraham; and his descendants shall fall heir to all this. But now you are killers and murderers, although you are of his lineage. That marks the difference. If you had remained Abraham’s children, as you are his natural descendants; if you were not false children, the seed and children of the murderer, the devil—then you would be true children, and you would soon be free. But since you are seeking to kill Me, you are not true children of Abraham” (Luther’s Works, v. 23, p. 415-416).