That Irritating Inner Voice
Comments on Galatians with an ear to Luther’s commentary
Scripture Text: Galatians 1:1-5 and 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
Series: Comments on Galatians
You have had the experience many times. You wonder who’s talking to you. Is it God? Is it the devil? Or is it just you? You may be clear on this issue, Christian: when you hear an inner voice telling you that you are no longer a Christian and are not going to heaven because you have sinned, that voice is not God. This is a trick of the devil. He wants you to work harder — so hard that you depend upon those works for your salvation. He wants you to forget about Christ except as some religious idea. He wants you to focus on yourself.
In such times, you should remind yourself that you are saved by Christ’s works and never your own. One must always return to the Savior. If the devil can trick you, getting you to stop returning to Jesus, then you are in trouble. You are no longer a Christian when you no longer believe. So, believe this day and all days that Christ and only Christ can save you from your sins. Remind the devil of this fact the next time he condemns you with his irritating, inner voice.
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Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman has served as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, since 2021. Previously, Pastor Ryman served congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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