More from Luther on "faith, conscience, and Christ" by Tuomo Mannermaa.
The Reformer says that the conscience is like a bridal chamber, in which the bride (the believer) and the bridegroom (Christ) are left alone, and no servants (works) are allowed to be present.
The servant (works) belong in the kitchen and the rest of the house, where the happy bride serves her neighbors.
Immediately, if "the devil brings works into the conscience: (that is, makes the Christian believe that works of the law are a precondition for salvation), joy dies, life vanishes, and the believer becomes weak, losing his or her strength.
At first, it seems like an odd image. After reading it a few times, is shows how close the relationship is between the believer and Christ. There is no "work" to be done in the relationship between the believer and Christ. It is an intimate and close relationship where love rules without any stipulations. It is complete and it is a relationship that cannot be disturbed by anything in the world. The "works" are what goes on outside of this relationship. Sure we serve other...sure we do good deeds...sure we act as neighbor and care for one another. But in that bridal chamber (our conscience) there is a freedom and a loving relationship that needs no works...no law has any rule in that relationship. I find it to be quite a strong statement for Luther to note that the "devil" brings such notions into this intimate and complete relationship. I was most struck by the simple note that joy dies. Wow. And yet, that is really the case. Just yesterday, I was watching a TV evangelist and the whole way he described the "relationship" believers have with Christ was nothing but "works" and yet he kept talking about the grace of our Lord. It was sad. I could really see the joy leaving...and people were being duped into trusting that if that did this or that (send in $100.00 to support a missionary trip to Africa) the relationship with Jesus would be strengthend. Ahhhhhh!
Connection: We are each secure within that chamber. There will be many things we will do today that is all a part of the way "good" folk treat one another. Like driving with a bit of courtesy. It is the vision of that chamber that the love and commitment not only is a safe place, it also begins to spill out and shape our relationship with others.
Come, Lord of Life, and continue to remind us that we are your beloved in all times - without exception. Within that eternal promise, we are able to understand what it is to be joy-filled. From there, who knows how your promises will spill out into the world among all of us. Amen.
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