Arthur Hoesch

Arthur George Hoesch became a member of the Kingdom of Grace through Holy Baptism at St. John Lutheran Church in Salt Lake City. He became a member of the Kingdom of Glory, when he departed this life in the Christian faith on June 4th, 2014 at Wentworth at Draper. He died of natural causes.
From the time God brought him to faith in Christ alone as his Savior, Arthur exemplified the hallmarks of a sinner under God’s Grace, confessing his sins freely, fully aware of his personal weaknesses and shortcomings; but also confessing faith in God’s gift of salvation, gratefully aware of God’s gracious forgiveness in Christ Jesus. “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood.” Romans 3:23-25.
Arthur gave witness to his Christian faith by means of a life of selfless, self-sacrificing devotion to family and friends, sometimes at profound personal cost, and without any thought of recognition or understanding. His motivation for giving of himself to serve others was his awareness that God in Christ had served and saved him. He understood that his many acts of service and self-sacrifice, though very costly to himself, personally, did not justify him in the sight of God, since “no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” Romans 3:20-22.
He therefore recognized that, though “all our righteous deeds are filthy rags” in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6), yet God is still glorified by them, and they serve to witness to God’s goodness in Christ. Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” That was sufficient motivation for him.
He taught his family these virtues and values, not only in words, but also by personal example. He was a man of few words, but faithful actions. His presence among us as a shining example of Christian manhood will be sorely missed. But we weep for ourselves, for our loss, and not for him. He is now among the angels of Heaven, in the presence of God, with all those who have departed this life in the Christian faith. He is now experiencing the perfect peace and joy of life with Jesus in the Paradise of God, paid for, not by his works, but by the holy life, the innocent suffering and death, and the victorious rising to life again of Jesus Christ, Son of Mary, Son of God. We will remember Arthur fondly, and give thanks to God for giving him to us for a time.