we are charged with guilt in
this respect, let us remember that not only did the apostles have to
hear the same accusation, but even Christ himself, with all his
innocence, was so accused. More than that, he was falsely reviled upon
the cross with a superscription charging sedition; in fact, he was
even put to death as a Jewish king guilty of opposition to Caesar and
of enticing and inciting the people.

12. The remaining marks of the Christian life--patience, affliction,
necessities, distresses, stripes, imprisonments, labor, watching,
fasting, purity, etc., are easily interpreted; it is readily seen how
they are instrumental in our service to God. God will not have
indolent, idle gluttons, nor sleepy and impatient servants. Most
adroitly does Paul score in particular our fine idle youths who draw
interest from their money, have an easy life, and imagine their
tonsures, their long robes and their howling in the churches excuse
them from labor. All men should labor and earn their bread, according
to Paul. 2 Thes 3, 12. By labor, our text teaches, we serve God; more
than that, our labor is testimony to the fact that we serve God.

"In knowledge."

13. What is meant here? With Paul, knowledge signifies discretion,
understanding, reason. He speaks of the Jews (Rom 10, 2) as having "a
zeal for God, but not according to knowledge"; that is, a zeal without
reason, without understanding, without discretion. His message here,
then, is: "We should conduct ourselves in Christian affairs with
becoming reason and moderation lest we give offense to the weak by a
presumptuous use of Christian liberty. Rather we should, with
discretion and understanding, adapt ourselves to that which promotes
the neighbor's welfare. Likewise, when we labor, fast, or when we
regulate our sexual relations, we are to exercise reason, lest the
body should be injured by too much fasting, watching and toil, and
also by needless abstention from sexual intercourse. Let everyone take
heed to remain within bounds by using reason and discretion. The
apostle counsels the married (1 Cor 7, 5) not to defraud each other
too long, lest they be tempted. In all such matters, he would impose
no measures and rules, no limits and laws, after the manner of the
councils, the popes and the monks. He leaves it wholly to each
individual's discretion to decide and to test for himself all
questions of time and quantity bearing upon the restraints of his
flesh.

"In longsu