At one time God had erected a theocracy on earth, a Church which was a visible society, and for which He had made special laws and ordinances.  The Church of the Old Covenant is the only visible Church which God created.  But even in this Church He declared that external compliance with its ways did not constitute any one a true member of His Church.  He told the Jews by Isaiah:  “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My Word.  He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol” (chap. 66, 2. 8).  Here God abominates the mere external performance of acts of worship as an outrage and a crime that is perpetrated against His holy name.  Repeating a saying of this same prophet, our Lord said to the members of the Jewish Church in His day:  “Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.  But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15, 7-9).  The Pharisees in the days of Christ are the true ancestors of Catholics in their belief that the Church is a great, powerful, visible organization in this world, subject to the supreme will of a visible ruler, and capable of being employed in great worldly enterprises like a political machine.  The Pharisees were always looking for the establishment of a mighty church organization which would dominate the world.  They expected the Messiah to inaugurate a Church of this kind.  With this ambitious thought in their heart they approached Christ on a certain occasion and asked Him “when the kingdom of God should come.  He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation; neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, Lo, there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17, 20. 21).  To the same effect Paul declares “He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter” (Rom. 2, 28. 29).  And to a young pastor whom he had trained for work in the Church, he describes the Church as follows:  “The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His.  And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2, 19).

By making the Gospel the mark of the Church and faith the Gospel the badge of membership in the Church Luther has rendered an incalculable service to Christianity.  This view of the Church shows the immense importance of a live, intelligent, and active personal faith.  It puts a ban on religious indifference and mechanical worship.  It destroys formalism, ceremonialism, Pharisaism in the affairs of religion.  Justly