Woe to our Synod, if it says with the angel (bishop) of the church of Laodicea, Revelation 3:17, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing!" Woe to our people and to us "angels" of our people, that is, to us professors, pastors, and teachers, visitors, presidents, officials, and commissions, if we in the present circumstances of our spiritual life try to persuade ourselves that there is no need of a spiritual renewal, by saying, "Spiritual life is indeed not as fresh and vigorous in me as it one was and as it ought to be, but it is still there, and not much weaker than elsewhere. It is the natural course of events; all life, spiritual life included, gradually diminishes, and there is nothing that can be done about it. No one can instill new spiritual life into himself- only God can do that. The matter must be committed to Him, who doubtless knows how to save His elect even in times such as these, and I hope, me too!"--Whoever thinks thus, reveals the spirit of the church of Laodicea. This is that Laodicean laxity that a person is not truly aware of the danger in which he is, but is rather well satisfied with his own spiritual condition. One's own spiritual deficiencies go unnoticed and life goes on in a carefree manner. Oh, yes, the deficiencies of others are noticed indeed, are deplored and condemned, but of the beam in one's own eye no notice is taken. How much of this complacency, that in comparison with others we are still rather pious, is not found among us! This is little more than mere spiritual weakness. It is hypocritical Pharisaism.
Only he who is convinced that he himself is in need of spiritual renewal, first and foremost, has the right and the duty to pronounce the judgment that the Church of his time is in need of a spiritual renewal. All reconstruction must begin at home.
(August Pieper, The True Reconstruction of the Church, p. 4)
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