| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Concerning Christian Liberty by Martin Luther: truth and righteousness in rendering to God what is His; and
therefore in return God gives glory to our righteousness. It is
true and righteous that God is true and righteous; and to confess
this and ascribe these attributes to Him, this it is to be true
and righteous. Thus He says, "Them that honour Me I will honour,
and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed" (1 Sam. ii.
30). And so Paul says that Abraham's faith was imputed to him for
righteousness, because by it he gave glory to God; and that to us
also, for the same reason, it shall be imputed for righteousness,
if we believe (Rom. iv.).
The third incomparable grace of faith is this: that it unites the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Koran: yet a believer, then let him free a believing neck. And if it be a
tribe betwixt whom and you there is an alliance, then let the
blood-money be paid to his friends, and let him free a believing neck;
but he who cannot find the means, then let him fast for two
consecutive months- a penance this from God, for God is knowing, wise.
And whoso kills a believer purposely, his reward is hell, to dwell
therein for aye; and God will be wrath with him, and curse him, and
prepare for him a mighty woe.
O ye who believe! when ye are knocking about in the way of God be
discerning, and do not say to him who offers you a salutation, 'Thou
art no believer,' craving after the chances of this world's life,
The Koran |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: There was a sound of wheels outside in the street.
"There is M. Vautrin, mamma," said the girl. "Just take M.
Eugene. I would rather not have that man see me like this; there
are some ways of looking at you that seem to sully your soul and
make you feel as though you had nothing on."
"Oh, no, you are wrong!" said Mme. Couture. "M. Vautrin is a
worthy man; he reminds me a little of my late husband, poor dear
M. Couture, rough but kind-hearted; his bark is worse than his
bite."
Vautrin came in while she was speaking; he did not make a sound,
but looked for a while at the picture of the two young faces--the
Father Goriot |
