O is for Outcomes

Even that lack of genuine love for God and of faith in Him is not the worst. It is as bad as we can get, but not as bad as it can get for us. For God can and does deal with us according to our faith or lack of it. If we do not believe then God will not help us. Luther points this out in his wonderful exegesis of Mary's line, "He has shown the strength of His arm." "In the Scriptures, the 'arm' of God means God's own power, by which He works without the medium of any creature." "When God works by means of His creatures, it is plainly seen . . . . For example, whichever prince wins a battle, it is seen that God defeated the other by him. . . . But it is different when God Himself works, with His own arm. Then a thing is destroyed or raised up before one knows it, and no one sees it done. He lets the godly become powerless and to be brought low, until everyone supposes their end is near, whereas in these very things He is present to them with all His power, yet so hidden and in secret that even those who suffer the oppression do not feel it but only believe." Such works, not merely manipulating creatures against each other but bringing something out of nothing, Luther says, are God's proper works. By them He shows Himself a true Creator, and makes Himself known and worthy of love and praise.

Now we can see the bad result of a lack of faith. "But when there is no faith, God does not perform such works; He withdraws His arm and works openly by means of the creatures . . . . They are not God's own pure works . . ., which He does when we become powerless and oppressed in our right and our opinion and let God's power work in us. What precious works these are!" "But our wretched unbelief always hinders God from working such works in us, and ourselves from experiencing and knowing them." "We do not deserve ever to come to the knowledge of His works, without which there is no salvation. We must therefore be damned forever."

There is an alternative, happier outcome, but the place to look is not in ourselves. Even the Virgin, though far worthier than we, did not look to her own worthiness, but: "He has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden." "Mary confesses that the foremost work God did for her was that He regarded her, which is indeed the greatest of His works, on which all the rest depend. . . .For where . . . God turns His face toward one to regard him, there is nothing but grace and salvation, and all gifts and works must follow." For example, God "regarded" Abel. Also "Here is the origin of the many prayers in the Psalter--that God would lift up His countenance upon us." God "scatters his gifts broadcast among the multitude; but He does not therefore regard them. His good things are merely gifts, which last for a season; but His grace and regard are the inheritance, which lasts forever."