stands

Luther gives what I think is a good idea of “justice” in a sermon on 1 Corinthians 10  He talks about the place that Paul gives to difficulties and backsliding and unbelief of the Israelites, “Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition . . . wherefore let him that thinks  he stands take heed lest he fall.” The design of these dealings of God with Israel is to terrify the pride, false wisdom and self-will; to deter men from despising their fellows and from seeking to make the Word of God minister to their own honor or profit in preference to the honor and profit of others. The intent is to have each individual put himself on an equality with others, each to bear with his fellow, the weak enduring the strong, and so on…………..[1]

[1] from volume VII:93-103 of The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI). It was originally published in 1909 in English by The Luther Press (Minneapolis, MN), as Luther’s Epistle Sermons, vol. 2.