Deeper reflection on life and death. Tread if you dare. 

The Debate on ‘Open Theism’

First, the greatness of my sin and misery. Second, how I am redeemed from all my sins and misery.

From the law of God.

Christ teaches us in sum, Matthew 22: "You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You are to love your neighbor as yourself. On these commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

No, for I am prone by nature to hate God and my nature.

Three things. First, the greatness of my sin and misery. Second, how I am redeemed from all my sins and misery. Third, how I am to be thankful to God for such redemption.

That I, with body and soul, am not my own. Why are you not your own? I am not my own because I belong to my faithful savior Jesus Christ. How is this? This is possible because Jesus Christ on the cross with his precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins and redeemed me from all the power of the devil. In effect he has paid in full for all my sins. Furthermore, by his Holy Spirit he eternally preserves me that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head. In addition, by His Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live unto him.

Christ teaches us in sum, Matthew 22: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Yes, truly, for the Holy Spirit teaches us in the Gospel and assures us by the holy sacraments, that our whole salvation stands by the one sacrifice of Christ made for us on the Christ.

That I, with body and soul, both in life and death am not my own, but belong to my faithful savior Jesus Christ, who with his precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that all things must work together for my salvation. Wherefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing from now on to live unto Him.