Walther, Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, 1846, The Restoration of the Divine Image Through Christ

C.F.W. Walther: Restoration of the Divine Image Through Christ (archive.org)

"Consequently, we dare not think that God's Son became a man only to fulfill the Law for us by His holy life. He did not suffer for our sins and die on the cross only to win for us the forgiveness of our sins, to deliver us from the punishment we deserve, to reconcile us with God, and despite our sins unlock heaven and salvation to us. This is how many see Christ. They, therefore, seek nothing in Christ but comfort for their restless conscience. That they should actually again become holy is of no concern to them at all. However, they are caught in a great most dangerous error."

"And he who does not thus yearn and strive to be completely freed from his sins certainly does not stand in Christ's grace. For to whom Christ gives grace, to him He also gives power. To whom He grants forgiveness of sins, to him He also gives hatred of sin and zeal to fight against it. Whom Christ graciously receives, as He did the deaf and dumb, his infirmities of soul He also begins to heal. However, he who wants only forgiveness of sins from Christ, yet wants to cling to many sins, not wanting to be completely healed of sin by Christ, makes Christ a servant of sin. He does not believe in the true Christ at all. He has a false Christ, and will perish with his self-made "sin-Christ." Oh, how many thousands who live carelessly without daily struggle against sin will, therefore, someday discover that they have deceived themselves."

"It is indeed true that no man can work any righteousness which avails before God. Therefore Christ fulfilled the Law for us, so that, believing in Him, we might be declared righteous by grace for His sake. But we dare not think that Christ by His grace abolished the Law, and that now we need not fulfill it. Definitely not! The Law is the declared, eternally unchangeable will of God. It is, therefore, not in the least revoked by the Gospel. It must, therefore, be fulfilled to the very smallest letter not only by Christ but also by every individual person. Just this - to bring man again to this ultimate, completely perfect fulfillment of God's Law - is the final purpose of the whole redemption of Jesus Christ. Clearly He says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-19). Therefore St. Paul also says, "Do we then make void the Law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the Law." (Romans 3:31)."