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Who is Really Your God?:
An Excerpt From Martin Luther's LARGE CATECHISM
Translation by Rev. Robert E. Smith
From the German text in: TRIGLOT CONCORDIA.
(St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921). p. 580.
The First Commandment
You must not have other gods.
That is, I must be your only God.
Question: What does this saying mean? How should we understand it? What does it mean to have a god? What is God?
Answer: To have a god means this: You expect to receive all good things from it and turn to it in every time of trouble. Yes, to have a god means to trust and to believe in Him with your whole heart. I have often said that only the trust and faith of the heart can make God or an idol. If your faith and trust are true, you have the true God, too. On the other hand, where trust is false, is evil, there you will not have the true God either. Faith and God live together. I tell you, whatever you set your heart on and rely on is really your god.
This text was translated for Project Wittenberg by Rev. Robert E. Smith and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to:
Rev. Robert E. Smith
Walther Library
Concordia Theological Seminary
E-mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu
Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA
Phone: (260) 481-2123
Fax: (260) 481-2126
