The ‘But’ of Holy Scripture
Via Iwand’s sermon “The Loincloth”
But – room must still remain for the great “But” of Holy Scripture. “But without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6). This “But” is not to be overlooked even here. On the contrary, this “But” is the final and deepest meaning of that most deadly serious play that Jeremiah had to produce. “But they would not listen.” The great and heart-breaking aspect to the grace and choice of God, who rich in His goodness and overflowing in His love, is that He hangs everything on one single stipulation. At the same time, this stipulation is the clasp that holds the loincloth together. If it is loosed, then everything is out, then the loincloth decays and very shortly His adornment is gone. God demands only one thing, that we listen to him. That we always listen to Him; not only when it suits us, but also when it does not suit us; not only when we are close to Him; but also when we are far from Him, so that everything that we are, do, think, want, suffer, covet, fear and love, all stand under His word! Everything – or nothing. For when this thread, the life-thread of faith, breaks, when the nail on which everything hangs is loosened, then it is the same with everything else as well. Being able to listen, listen and not act without his bidding, wanting to listen and therefore asking God, being able to hear and therefore praying to God – now that bears the weight of an eternal decision. As long as we listen, listen to Him and want to listen to Him, as long as he speaks to us in Jesus Christ, His living word, we are girded about Him as the loincloth around the hips of man. No one will tear us from Him. Nothing can get in between, when obedience binds us to God. Even Satan will try his skills in vain.