More from Walther on the Ascension

"What a glorious work, rich in comfort and joy, is Christ's ascension for all who believe in Him! It turned everything that had previously bound our soul into our prisoner. By our nature, we are all prisoners and servants of sin so we must do what sin wants. But by Christ's ascension, sin is now our prisoner and it must do what we want. It can still tempt us, but even this must turn out for the best for us. For if there were no longer any temptations to sin, our faith would soon grow cold, prayer would become lukewarm, and the Word would be considered and studied lazily. Sin must serve to double our zeal against it and to grasp Christ and His grace all the more firmly so it may be said even of sin, 'For those who love God all things work together for good'"(Romans 8:28).