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Concept of Gods Mercy in Islam & Christianity - IPCI

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"These men were guilty <strong>of</strong> that more ref<strong>in</strong>ed way <strong>of</strong> confound<strong>in</strong>g Law<br />

and Gospel. They did this by mak<strong>in</strong>g a false dist<strong>in</strong>ction between<br />

spiritual awaken<strong>in</strong>g and conversion; for they declared that, as regards<br />

the way <strong>of</strong> obta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g salvation, all men must be divided <strong>in</strong>to three<br />

classes: 1. those still unconverted; 2. those who have been awakened,<br />

but are not yet converted; 3. those who have been converted."<br />

C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Dist<strong>in</strong>ction between Law and Gospel,<br />

trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publish<strong>in</strong>g House, 1928, p.<br />

363.<br />

"What may be the reason why the Pietists, who were really well<strong>in</strong>tentioned<br />

people, hit upon the doctr<strong>in</strong>e that no one could be a<br />

Christian unless he had ascerta<strong>in</strong>ed the exact day and hour <strong>of</strong> his<br />

conversion? The reason is that they imag<strong>in</strong>ed a person must suddenly<br />

experience a heavenly joy and hear an <strong>in</strong>ner voice tell<strong>in</strong>g him that he<br />

had been received <strong>in</strong>to grace and had become a child <strong>of</strong> God. Hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />

conceived this notion <strong>of</strong> the mode and manner <strong>of</strong> conversion, they were<br />

forced to declare that a person must be able to name the day and hour<br />

when he was converted, became a new creature, received forgiveness <strong>of</strong><br />

s<strong>in</strong>s, and was robed <strong>in</strong> the righteousness <strong>of</strong> Christ. However, we have<br />

already come to understand <strong>in</strong> part what a great, dangerous, and fatal<br />

error this is."<br />

C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Dist<strong>in</strong>ction Between Law and Gospel,<br />

trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publish<strong>in</strong>g House, 1928, p.<br />

194f.<br />

If remission <strong>of</strong> s<strong>in</strong>s without repentance is preached, the people imag<strong>in</strong>e<br />

that they have already forgiveness <strong>of</strong> s<strong>in</strong>s, and thereby they are made<br />

secure and unconcerned. This is a greater error and s<strong>in</strong> than all error <strong>of</strong><br />

former times, and it is verily to be feared that we are <strong>in</strong> that danger<br />

which Christ po<strong>in</strong>ts out when He says, Matthew 12:45: 'The last state <strong>of</strong><br />

that man shall be worse than the first.'"<br />

6

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