Concordia Lutheran Church - LCMS WEEKLY SERMON Williston, ND

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Altitude with Attitude (Part 3) PASSION

What is this word to a young adult?

PASSION-can be defined as an object of desire or deep interest, many people today only think of a sexual desire

What is this passion to a person personally?  As human we all have a natural drive to be passionate about something,someone to the point the it can consume all we are.  Sometimes it is being passionate about becoming the lawyer or doctor, or just getting good grades.  

We are passionate about people and what they are doing, such as the Royal Wedding, who losing the most weight on a television show, who falling in love, the cure for cancer, AIDS, and such. These are all these we are passionate about.

If you look for the word passion in the Webster dictionary online it come up with a definition of passion all of should know. This definition is the most important and should be what we look at to know what passion is.

Definition of PASSION

1
often capitalizeda : the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death
The Suffering of Christ was for the sins of the world. Jesus shows so much passion for people that did not want it or deserve it. Yet to this day this is the passion that we cannot live without. We are dead without it.  I wonder if Webster thought of that when he made it the first definition for PASSION.  I a poor miserable sinner thank-you for the Passion you show on that cross so long ago.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Altitude with Attitude (Part Two) Isaiah 40:28-31

While youth prepared for the conference sponsors and counselors met to talk about what to expect from the teens. They made sure they wanted the teens to get closer to God. To come to find out the main speaker wanted something more important and that is to know what Christ did on the cross and how trusting in Him and what He did helps us through our lives if you trust in  Him. This is what amazed wife and I all week is how everything we did focus on what Christ did for us and not what we can do for Christ. Through the themes of each night they took what Christ did and how we can with the help of the Holy Spirit  we can show this love of the cross to our neighbors and friends.
They are a few thing that are very important  no matter if we are speaking to adult or teens about the faith and how to learn more about it.  First, are we using God's Words to teach them, I'm not saying on a piece of paper or up on a monitor. This world has become lazy and reading the word of God has been lacks. More than ever we think we can learn whatever by the internet and only at church. However everywhere we look that is not the case. It was very evident that this conference wanted to get the teen to know the importance of using the Word of God, How this one book will guide us through good times and bad in this world. They started the day out with a quite time with God. You can tell that the majority of the teens at the confernce never took time to learn about God on a personal level. Considering that most had never done this before they made a small devotion which went with the theme of the day. This was a very good way to introduce quite time. It helps when you can merge what your learn at a conference or church with what your learning at home.  Lutherans have lectionaries just for this purpose so who, would like can know what the scripture reading are and can prepare for what Sunday sermon will be about. We that quite time teen prepare to hear the Word and continue the feed of Christ to his sheep.

The Theme verse of this conference came from Isiah 40:28-31
"Do you not know? Have you not hear? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and stumble and fall; but those who hope i the LORD will renew their strength.  They will sore on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Altitude with Attitude (Part One) Missing Generations from the Chruch

This last week I attended my churches youth gathering. This gathering consisted about two hundred plus teens. As I was preparing to go, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Throughout the week I prayed for guidance from my Savior. I prayed He would help me to keep an open mind.about where  I was sending these smart, yet weak, moody, caring, loving,  hearts of  these young adults. I also asked His guidance to protect them from satin's ability of planting  half truths in their lives. This world is in a constant state of change when is come to the truth.Our youth is tossed two and fro trying to cling onto to something which is grounded in truth and in the same way they want to know what the truth really is.Before I explain the positives and negative of the conference, I should explain some of my experiences as a youth group participant in my younger years.  To all that will be reading this blog I ask that you  keep an open mind, some of you will not agree with me and might even say I'm just knit picking. However if we truly want to help our young adults continue the ministry of the church and become leader in it as-well, there are thing that drastically needs to change with our youth programs.
As a young adult I came from a very small church that consisted of maybe forty members. This church went through pastors very quickly and on top of this the youth  were always trying to find there place in the church.  Many of the teens just figured it was something we did with our parents on Sunday and church really had nothing to do with the rest of our lives.   Growing up I did not attend a Lutheran church, in fact I was kinda of jealous of the Lutheran kids in my school. The Lutheran church offered a midweek confirmation class in which the teens learned even more about God and the beliefs of their church.  As I got older up I realize that a large majority of those kids really didn't care about there church and normally did not continue attending church after they were confirmed.  Perhaps what bothered me more than anything is that at the time I looked at these kids as someone I could connect with yet when they were at school their faith was not  important and rather it was as though they had no faith at all or they were just embarrassed about it or something So I decide to get involve with a youth group thinking it would get me what I need to know more about God and find kids my age that what to serve the Lord as much as I did.
The only church in our 5 town area that had a youth group was the Assembly of God. Now mind you, this was not just a few youth it included the majority of teens  I went to school with.  That point gave me hope that God was more important to these kids that I previous thought. So I started attending on a regular basis. My main reason for attending was to learn more about God and find a friend or friends who believed the same thing I did. As a teen I felt like everybody is against me and faith put just one more target on the back of my head.
I will tell you one thing, the youth group was fun. The youth group met every Tuesday and had approximately 30 teens looking fora good time in attendance. During our gatherings we would listen to christian music,go bowling, pizza parties, and more fun. Most of the time we would have a devotion yet it was very short and if the fun went long devotion was the first to be dumped.  It seem that the adult leader believed that all we wanted was fun.  I had an adult explain it to me that there goal was to keep the teens involved no matter how. Yet very few of the kid from the group went to church.  I remained hungry for the Word and was not being fed by the very person who wanted the teens involved.
The more  I went to youth group the more I realize it was a social club that call themselves Christian, however it was really just another place to segregate people whom they did not like. I did the unthinkable and quit going. I believe that the Lord allows us to fall so we learn to listen to Him and to discover what he has prepare for our live and this was one of those times. I look at the church today now that I am  33 and I notice that my generation is missing from the pews and bible studies. Very few of them  have continued to be involved in the church. Most of them still believe that they don't need church. Youth group which was intended to keep kids involved in the Church has miss the mark.  As a teen I remember thinking that  not only did I feel uncool and but  I also felt like the christian Church in general didn't want to share the truth with me. Why would I want to be involved in a group like that. In the end it makes one doubt that the Christian faith is where they belong.  I praise God that he knows what we need and that he has given us a tool that is better than any youth group around. He gave us the Bible in which we can discover his plan for us. As the pages unfold we learn the most important thing and that is this. God sent his Son Jesus Christ to this earth so that he could take my sins upon him self and die so that I might live! Now that is something to celebrate!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Hammer Pounding that nail.

The Form of the Liturgy is not in the Bible! Oh Really? by Pr. Rossow

July 13th, 2011Post by Pastor Tim Rossow
It is a fairly common assertion amongst church growthers and confessionals alike that the liturgy is not in the Bible. Actually the liturgy shows up in the Bible in many places. Of course, ninety percent of the liturgical texts are biblical (thank you editors Vieker and Grime for putting those Bible references in the LSB) but that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about the actual format of the liturgy. It is not as biblically scarce as we think.
First of all consider Jesus at the synagogue in Nazareth. As we learn from Art Just in the excellent video series on the liturgy from Lutheran Visuals,* the basic form of the liturgy comes out of the practice of the Jews and is what Jesus was practicing at Nazareth – first the readings, then the commentary/sermon on the readings. What a powerful sermon that was – “I am the one Isaiah is talking about.”
But what I want to point out today is the liturgy in the book of Revelation. A few years ago I ran across a book by Scott Hahn, a protestant turned Roman Catholic in which he shows how the book of Revelation flows like the liturgy and how so much of our liturgical practice is found in the book of Revelation. (From what I could tell, Dr. Hahn was formerly a straight-forward sin and forgiveness guy when he first went over to Rome but has since, sadly in my estimation, become a sort of gobbledy-gook-speaking, liberal, semi-gnostic, neo-Thomist. Also, sadly, this gobbledy-gook has found its way into the LCMS via the University of Notre Dame and is at the heart of the erroneous contextualization argument supporting the praise band at the seminary in St. Louis.)
The book of Revelation in great part flows like the liturgy. It starts out with the presence of God, approximating the invocation with Jesus meeting John (chapter 1). It then continues with the hymn of praise at the throne of the Father lauding the Lamb who has been slain from which “This is the Feast” is derived (chapters 4-5). After that is a sort of service of the word(readings and sermons), the cycles of sevens (trumpets, bowls, etc.) in which the end times are described, the end times having started when Jesus said “It is finished” (chapters 6-16). Then follows the service of the Supper with the great feast in heaven (chapter 19) and then finally there is the benediction (chapter 22).
On this liturgical path in the book of Revelation we see Jesus dressed like a liturgical pastor wearing a white robe and a gold sash (chapter 1). (Sorry church growthers, he is not wearing a polo short or a flowered Hawaiian shirt.) Behind Jesus are seven candles lit, just like in liturgical churches. During the Revelation hymn of praise we hear responsive singing and throughout the book everyone is bowing and prostrating on nearly every page. There is no hint of “the great fun party” in heaven that the false teacher Rob Bell and the church growthers like to talk about. Instead, everything is done in fear and reverence. (I have written a small pamphlet that goes into greater detail that is available at Blue Pomegranate Press if you are interested in further reading on this.)
For sure, worship has a noticeable element of adiaphora to it (neither commanded nor forbidden) but there is no need for us to cave and say that the form of the liturgy is not Scriptural. It’s right there in the last book of the Bible – the book that gives us the clearest picture of worship life at the heavenly Divine Service.
*Lutheran Visuals has a new video out on the liturgy by The Rev. Dr. Daniel Brege titled Eating God’s Sacrifice which I have not had time to review but from what I understand, is quite good.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

What Started it all. Do you know any?

Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences

by Dr. Martin Luther (1517)

Published in:
Works of Martin Luther:
Adolph Spaeth, L.D. Reed, Henry Eyster Jacobs, et Al., Trans. & Eds. (Philadelphia: A. J. Holman Company, 1915), Vol.1, pp. 29-38
Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter.
In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
  1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.
  2. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priests.
  3. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh.
  4. The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
  5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.
  6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven.
  7. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His vicar, the priest.
  8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying.
  9. Therefore the Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.
  10. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory.
  11. This changing of the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the bishops slept.
  12. In former times the canonical penalties were imposed not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.
  13. The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them.
  14. The imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity, great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the fear.
  15. This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to say nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.
  16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
  17. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow less and love increase.
  18. It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love.
  19. Again, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness, though we may be quite certain of it.
  20. Therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself.
  21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;
  22. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life.
  23. If it is at all possible to grant to any one the remission of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission can be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very fewest.
  24. It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding promise of release from penalty.
  25. The power which the pope has, in a general way, over purgatory, is just like the power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish.
  26. The pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in purgatory], not by the power of the keys (which he does not possess), but by way of intercession.
  27. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory].
  28. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone.
  29. Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out of it, as in the legend of Sts. Severinus and Paschal.
  30. No one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much less that he has attained full remission.
  31. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare.
  32. They will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who believe themselves sure of their salvation because they have letters of pardon.
  33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to Him;
  34. For these "graces of pardon" concern only the penalties of sacramental satisfaction, and these are appointed by man.
  35. They preach no Christian doctrine who teach that contrition is not necessary in those who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessionalia.
  36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.
  37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without letters of pardon.
  38. Nevertheless, the remission and participation [in the blessings of the Church] which are granted by the pope are in no way to be despised, for they are, as I have said, the declaration of divine remission.
  39. It is most difficult, even for the very keenest theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the abundance of pardons and [the need of] true contrition.
  40. True contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or at least, furnish an occasion [for hating them].
  41. Apostolic pardons are to be preached with caution, lest the people may falsely think them preferable to other good works of love.
  42. Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend the buying of pardons to be compared in any way to works of mercy.
  43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons;
  44. Because love grows by works of love, and man becomes better; but by pardons man does not grow better, only more free from penalty.
  45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.
  46. Christians are to be taught that unless they have more than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary for their own families, and by no means to squander it on pardons.
  47. Christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is a matter of free will, and not of commandment.
  48. Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting pardons, needs, and therefore desires, their devout prayer for him more than the money they bring.
  49. Christians are to be taught that the pope's pardons are useful, if they do not put their trust in them; but altogether harmful, if through them they lose their fear of God.
  50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that St. Peter's church should go to ashes, than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep.
  51. Christians are to be taught that it would be the pope's wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many of those from whom certain hawkers of pardons cajole money, even though the church of St. Peter might have to be sold.
  52. The assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it.
  53. They are enemies of Christ and of the pope, who bid the Word of God be altogether silent in some Churches, in order that pardons may be preached in others.
  54. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this Word.
  55. It must be the intention of the pope that if pardons, which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, with single processions and ceremonies, then the Gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.
  56. The "treasures of the Church," out of which the pope grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among the people of Christ.
  57. That they are not temporal treasures is certainly evident, for many of the vendors do not pour out such treasures so easily, but only gather them.
  58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and the Saints, for even without the pope, these always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outward man.
  59. St. Lawrence said that the treasures of the Church were the Church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time.
  60. Without rashness we say that the keys of the Church, given by Christ's merit, are that treasure;
  61. For it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient.
  62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.
  63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last.
  64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
  65. Therefore the treasures of the Gospel are nets with which they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches.
  66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men.
  67. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote gain.
  68. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.
  69. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of apostolic pardons, with all reverence.
  70. But still more are they bound to strain all their eyes and attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own dreams instead of the commission of the pope.
  71. He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let him be anathema and accursed!
  72. But he who guards against the lust and license of the pardon-preachers, let him be blessed!
  73. The pope justly thunders against those who, by any art, contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.
  74. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth.
  75. To think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the Mother of God -- this is madness.
  76. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is concerned.
  77. It is said that even St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against St. Peter and against the pope.
  78. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written in I. Corinthians xii.
  79. To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms, which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal worth with the Cross of Christ, is blasphemy.
  80. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk to be spread among the people, will have an account to render.
  81. This unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy matter, even for learned men, to rescue the reverence due to the pope from slander, or even from the shrewd questionings of the laity.
  82. To wit: -- "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial."
  83. Again: -- "Why are mortuary and anniversary masses for the dead continued, and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded on their behalf, since it is wrong to pray for the redeemed?"
  84. Again: -- "What is this new piety of God and the pope, that for money they allow a man who is impious and their enemy to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God, and do not rather, because of that pious and beloved soul's own need, free it for pure love's sake?"
  85. Again: -- "Why are the penitential canons long since in actual fact and through disuse abrogated and dead, now satisfied by the granting of indulgences, as though they were still alive and in force?"
  86. Again: -- "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is to-day greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?"
  87. Again: -- "What is it that the pope remits, and what participation does he grant to those who, by perfect contrition, have a right to full remission and participation?"
  88. Again: -- "What greater blessing could come to the Church than if the pope were to do a hundred times a day what he now does once, and bestow on every believer these remissions and participations?"
  89. "Since the pope, by his pardons, seeks the salvation of souls rather than money, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons granted heretofore, since these have equal efficacy?"
  90. To repress these arguments and scruples of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the Church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make Christians unhappy.
  91. If, therefore, pardons were preached according to the spirit and mind of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved; nay, they would not exist.
  92. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!
  93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Cross, cross," and there is no cross!
  94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell;
  95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Friend to a Friend

"And who knows but that God may even condescend to visit you, my friend Erasmus, by me His poor weak vessel; and that I may (which from my heart I desire of the Father of mercies through Jesus Christ our Lord) come unto you by this Book in a happy hour, and gain over a dearest brother. For although you think and write wrong concerning "Free-will," yet no small thanks are due unto you from me, in that you have rendered my own sentiments far more strongly confirmed, from my seeing the cause of "Free-will" handled by all the powers of such and so great talents, and so far from being bettered, left worse than it was before which leaves an evident proof, that "Free- will" is a downright lie; and that, like the woman in the gospel, the more it is taken in hand by physicians, the worse it is made. Therefore the greater thanks will be rendered to you by me, if you by me gain more information, as I have gained by you more confirmation. But each is the gift of God, and not the work of our own endeavors. Wherefore, prayer must be made unto God, that He would open the mouth in me, and the heart in you and in all; that He would be the Teacher in the midst of us, who may in us speak and hear. " -Martin Luther (bondage of the Will)


I have many Catholic friends which constantly tell me that Martin Luther was just out to buck the system. Yet you look at this passage and we must remember most of these people he was up against were friends, colleges which he was taught by, or even went to school with.  Martin Luther just wanted the truth, the Gospel truth of Christ to be what the church  would reform back to and he could not stand idly by watching the papacy corrupt Christ free gift.



Sunday, July 17, 2011

Adventures in Colorado

This week 7 of our students are heading with two other churches to a Youth Conference.  Hopefully with fellowship with other christian they will come out with a better understanding of there Savior and great fun. Today went made it to Evansville Colorado.  We have check-in at four tom-morrow. Go bless all the tee which are heading down that they all have a safe trip.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Reformation Fathers' AMAZING

And lest we may think that the sentence that faith justifies, fell from Paul inconsiderately, he fortifies and confirms this by a long discussion in the fourth chapter to the Romans, and afterwards repeats it in all his epistles. 89] Thus he says, Rom. 4:4,5: To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt . But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Here he clearly says that faith itself is imputed for righteousness. Faith, therefore, is that thing which God declares to be righteousness, and he adds that it is imputed freely, and says that it could not be imputed freely, if it were due on account of works. Wherefore he excludes also the merit of moral works [not only Jewish ceremonies, but all other good works]. For if justification before God were due to these, faith would not be imputed for righteousness 90] without works. And afterwards, Rom. 4:9: For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 91] Romans 5:1 says: Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, i.e., we have consciences that are tranquil and joyful 92] before God. Rom. 10:10: With the heart man believeth unto righteousness. Here he declares that faith is 93] the righteousness of the heart. Gal. 2:16: We have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law. Eph. 2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.
94] John 1:12: To them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 95] John 3:14,15: As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish. 96] Likewise, 3:17: For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned.
97] Acts 13:38-39: Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses. How could the office of Christ and justification be declared more clearly? The Law, he says, did not justify. Therefore Christ was given, that we may believe that for His sake we are justified. He plainly denies justification to the Law. Hence, for Christ's sake we are accounted righteous when we believe that God, for His sake, has been reconciled to us

Friday, July 8, 2011

Pietism Versus Piety

How can two such closely related words mean such different things? I’ve been thinking lately about
what the differences are between pietism and piety. One seems to be a good thing, the other bad. As
Christians we are supposed to live pious lives in which we show love and honor to our neighbors. In
order to do that, we should obey laws, be polite, respect authority, try not to use offensive language,
etc. We want to try to be good members of society, for when we aren’t, it can reflect poorly on Christ
and that could be a stumbling block for some people.

Piety can also be shown by using reverence in the Lord’s house, folding our hands for prayer, and by
making the sign of the cross at certain times if we want to. Our life hopefully includes private and/or
family devotions. It’s also good and right to be in the Word on a regular basis, and attend Divine worship
and the Lord’s Supper regularly and often.

Piety looks to Jesus and what He did for us. It looks outside self to see where our hope comes. We are
able to better appreciate what has been done for us, and realize how we feel about these things don’t
matter! What really matters and what is most important is what Jesus willingly did for us through His
suffering, death, and resurrection. For that we give thanks to God!

Pietism, on the other hand, is more focused on what we do. Pietists live their life “doing” much the
same sort of things, serving the neighbor, being good citizens, etc, but they look at themselves and say, “I’ve been good today.” They look inward to what they do in order to find out whether they are really
saved or not. It’s a very natural thing for all of us to do at times. It’s part of the sinner in us. We have to
keep squashing that pietist that dwells in us. We can’t let the devil and our own sinful nature deceive us
into thinking it’s about us. It’s not. It’s all about Him. Jesus Christ came and died for us. Because of the
love He gave and gives us through His Word and Sacraments, we respond by living pious lives, lives that
please Him.

When the burden of thinking what we need to do is transferred to looking to Christ and what He did for
us, we know true Christian freedom. Free to be who we are created to be. Free to confess our faith to
others without shame. Free to know that Christ dwells in us, and in spite of us being sinners, we by His
undeserved love are also saints, made His sons and daughters by the sacrificial death of our Savior on
Calvary’s cross and His resurrection from the dead! He can use even the messes we make for His will to
be done.

To that I say, “Thanks be to God!”

Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of
God.”

Kari Anderson, PR CLCC- March 11, 2010  http://www.theclcc.org

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Rome Difference between Lutheran (Letter to a Friend)

This letter which I found at Steadfast Lutherans was a very good letter that explains differences on how Lutheran and Rome believe. Click on Title if you interested in more of what Stead Fast Lutherans offer.

Dear Name Withheld,
I commend you for your tenacity. You‘re like the Canaanite woman crying after Jesus for mercy even though she qualified neither by merit nor by pedigree. I, distracted by other matters, have ignored you far too long and will now make right that apparent indifference.
According to the Lutherans, justification is not a process by which God works a change in someone. God actually does work a great many changes in the minds and hearts of his people but that is not justification. It is often called Sanctification or Christian Renewal or the change of heart or even sometimes reptentence. But Lutherans do not typically use the word “Justify” to describe the changes God works in us.   
Rather justification is a verdict. It is a courtroom term. It refers to the action of God outside of us by which he speaks his favor upon us and considers us righteous or acceptable in his eyes. Justification is a work of God by which God says, in effect, that we are acceptable to him.
How can God do this? How can he account us righteous, consider us favorable and call us holy in his eyes when we are so obviously without righteousness, without favor and without any intrinsic holiness? We are in fact guilty.
He justifies us, simply, by counting to our credit the innocence, blessedness and righteousness of Jesus. So, the holy life of Christ – He obeyed his parents, he showed mercy to others, he submitted to the harsh will of his father, he never complained, He prayed without ceasing, He is a lamb without spot or blemish, like us in every way except without sin – this holy life is counted to your credit. Further your guilt is counted against Jesus. He bore your sins in his body to the cross. The punishment you deserved was placed upon him; He is counted guilty with your sin.
This happy exchange – He is counted guilty with your sin and you are counted innocent or righteous with his holiness – is really “justification” in a broad, general, historic and objective sense.
Then God takes this verdict of justification which was accomplished by Jesus on the cross and he speaks it upon you. When your pastor absolves you God is speaking righteousness upon you. When you were baptized He was speaking you righteous for Christ’s sake. When you receive the Lord’s Supper He is declaring you righteous through the gifts of Body and Blood. Whenever you hear the good news of Christ God is speaking the righteousness of Jesus upon you.
The gospel and sacraments which God uses to speak you righteous He also employs to create faith in your heart. Faith is the receptive instrument of justification. Faith receives the verdict. It simply takes and holds what God is speaking upon you. So when the Bible says that we are justified by faith it does not mean that we are justified by what faith does or by the charity which always flows from faith. Rather, “we are justified by faith” means that faith holds on the word of the gospel of Jesus which says that He died for you and speaks upon you the blessings of His death.
My understanding of the Roman view is this: It postulates that justification may be a verdict but it is a verdict spoken upon us only when we have actually become an innocent and righteous person. Justification is based upon your faith and upon the charity it produces in you. It is not the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus upon you as the Lutherans assert. As such, in the Roman system justification does not assume the central and dominant place in their thinking and in their faith that it does in Lutheranism. Further, in the Roman system you can never be certain of your justification because it is based on the changes in you which, even though worked by the Holy Spirit, are never complete.
In the Lutheran view you can be 100% positive that you stand before the throne of God and enjoy his favor because Christ’s innocence is counted to your credit. In the Roman view you can never by certain of God’s favor because it is not based 100% on the merits and worthiness of Jesus but upon the change which God works in you. There is doubt in the Roman view. There is certainty in the Lutheran view.  
The chief criticism of the Lutheran view by the Romanists is that people will take advantage of God’s gift. If you tell people that they are justified and enjoy the favor of God without any merit or worthiness then they will continue to offend against God with the facile explanation that they are forgiven anyway and God will bring them to heaven because of Jesus even though they lead disgusting and indifferent lives.
To this the Lutherans reply:
  1. Yes, forgiveness and justification (which are really pretty much the same) always involve a risk. Whenever God forgives He risks that we will go out and do the same sin again. In fact that’s what the people of God often did in the bible. You risk the same when you forgive. But God risks it, not because he is convinced that we will begin to “fly right” but because He accepts Jesus and honors the death and word of Jesus.
  2. The same Word of God which speaks God’s righteousness upon us also works in our hearts “to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Our justification is based solely upon the word of God and not upon any subsequent change in us but that change is nonetheless worked by God. We are saved by faith alone but faith is never alone.
  3. The good news that we are accepted by God without any worthiness in us is a far greater incentive to good works than the constant admonishment that we must continue to strive so as to gain his favor. Earthly children behave better for parents whose love is obvious and unconditional than children who are uncertain of their parents’ unconditional acceptance. So with the Kingdom of Heaven. God produces works in us more effectively if he convinces us that these works do not save us or even contribute in any way to our salvation.  

The Canaanite woman was accepted by Jesus. Why? Was it her tenacity which saved her? No, although certainly she was persistent. Was it her devotion to her daughter that saved her? No, although a more devoted mother you will not find. Was it her plaintive prayers that saved her? No, although she is a model for the Christian prayer-life. The woman said to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy upon me.” She knew that Jesus was the promised shepherd (like David) who would lay down his life for the sheep. She knew that He would atone for her sins through his death. (The word “mercy” means “propitiate” which means to take away anger through a sacrifice). She knew that His word accomplishes what it says and she took him at his word. Through faith she was holding on to Jesus – His work through the cross and His word of pardon and acceptance.
So that, in a nutshell, is the difference between Lutheranism and Romanism. The difference at times may seem and even sound minimal. But they are truly vast and worthy a great and profound discussion. Although slow to answer I am not disinterested. If you want to follow up with more queries please do so and be patient with me.
In Christ,
Klemet Preus

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

World View Everlasting Miracle

Coming out of the girth of protestant evangelism. I am constantly amazed of the practices of the Lutheran Church. Every where you look there is a practice of the church which with the present of the Sacraments magnifies the presence Christ. These practices and traditions help us sinners and reminds us with our senses what Christ is doing for us. For example I was watching the current World View Everlasting Video which Pastor Fisk blessed us with a look at the baptism of his youngest child. Since attending the LCMS church I have been to many baptisms. You see many and know what is happening, yet there is that one time that it hits your and it seem you have a better understanding what is really happening to the child in the waters of baptism. Every baptism I have ever been too the child is dressed in a white robe to represent the gift of Christ blood shed of the Cross for all sins. Yet Pastor Fisk child wore a black robe. The instant we are born we are wearing that dirty, filthy, black robe of sin. That black robe showed the true colors of all our hearts before the washing of Christ blood.  As the waters of Baptism flows over, The Holy Spirit takes the black robe away and gives it to the Man that has a Pure, Holy, and Sinless robe which freely give to cover us up in righteousness. That blackness of that robe should be a constant reminder to us of the scars Jesus Christ carries freely for all of us so we can be righteous in God eyes.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Which Part of Life is More Important

There is a tendency among us to view life as a series of compartments in which we play and sometimes conflicting roles. At home we are one kind of person, at work another, at church another, at play still another. We have learned to act one way in one situation, and another way in another situation in order to be successful or cope with the circumstances.
The way we live our life-roles is often inconsistent with what we profess on a Sunday morning. We break speed laws. We lose our temper with the wife and kids. We don’t always watch our language. These things are all part of our growing in faith in Jesus. The stronger our faith, the less the inconsistencies.
But these inconsistencies/compartmentalization result from other contributing factors. Compartmentalization can result from (l) having found Christianity a nice but impractical way of life; viewing Christianity as excellent insurance for eternity, but unemployable in most situations here. (2) not having discovered how the Word of God applies to one’s life, not knowing what our gracious God expects.
Compartmentalization of one’s faith has only one cure: Bible study.
D. Bible Study is Above and Beyond the Normal
There is also a feeling in our Christian family that only "super Christians" do Bible study. Whether it is private study, family devotions, or group study, it is felt, only really good Christians will be so committed to the Word. Bible study has come to be viewed as an act of "super-arrogation". It is supposed to be done only by truly saintly people. Did you ever hear a member excuse himself from Bible study with, "I admire these people in the congregation who attend Bible study, but a common Christian like me could never be like them. Bible study? No. You certainly can’t expect me, an ordinary believer to be that good of a Christian."
Bible study tends not to viewed as a natural outgrowth of our faith in Jesus. Rather it is thought of as a fine but abnormal act. Instead of seeing contact with with the Scriptures as an avenue of expressing our appreciation for God’s grace,  study is considered burdensome. Instead of believing the the normal desire of a child of God will be to learn more about his heavenly Father, the average member seems to believe he knows enough and needs no more.
If the level of contact with the Lord through his Word is to increase in our Synod, this and the other attitudes I have mentioned need to be corrected.
It is my opinion that the Lutheran Church is not doing the Bible study (in public and private) that our Lord would expect from us. Nor are we promoting or encouraging the level of Bible study that would be God pleasing.
I fear that unless we realize this weakness and actively take steps to remedy the situation, we stand to lose the truth and purity of the Word we now enjoy.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Confirmation equals Graduation

Our church also seems to be under the false impression that confirmation is Bible study graduation. Isn’t there a mind-set in our church populace that if a person can endure the "tortures" of grade school confirmation he will have learned all that he will ever need to know about God? No more Bible study will ever be necessary. Isn’t confirmation viewed as a kind of doctorate in Christianity? It seems to be overwhelming sentiment that after confirmation a person stands on the pinnacle of spiritual erudition. And if anyone suggests that more Bible study is not only beneficial but essential, these spiritual giants will proudly point to the wall and say, "Look at my confirmation certificate and my picture. Can anyone so cherubic and clothed in such radiant white robes need more contact with the Scriptures?
That’s an attitude that crosses all ages, income, and social groupings. It’s amazing! Even those intelligent and very responsible individuals in our congregations who realize a need for continuing education in their particular field, have a hard time seeing the same need for their souls. It’s the same with our brothers and sisters who see no need for refresher courses in spiritual health matters, but would never go to a doctor who is satisfied to practice medicine solely on the basis of his med-school education.
We might add that our synodical system helps to promote that mentality. For which age groups is our Sunday school material intended? Pre-school through eighth grade. It makes it seem as though school children need Bible study. Added to that is a lack of concentration on encouraging Scripture study among teens by providing a Sunday morning Bible class geared specifically for them. We do our teens a disfavor by not making Bible-study a part of our program for them. What are we teaching them with youth group meetings that center on recreation? We also promote the idea that Bible class is just for children when we pastors make it a point to get our members to send their children to Sunday school, but fail to encourage parents also to attend. So in essence we as parents are teaching them the very thing we wish them not to do.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Bible Study In The Life Of The Pastor And His Congregation

The  Lutheran Church has a serious problem with Scripture. That sentence is not an attention getting device. The Lutheran Church does have a serious problem with Scripture. True, it is not a problem with what we believe about Scripture. By God's grace and guidance we still retain the teachings of their "truth and purity". The problem is in the way we as a Synod, handle that Word. The fact is we are not using God's Word as we should. We are not as familiar with it as our Lord wills us to be. Although we as a Synod proclaim God's Word as it was meant to be proclaimed, are not studying that Word, as it was meant to be studied. A Christian cannot read the Scriptures without being impressed, even overwhelmed, by the great importance that God has placed on the study of his Word. We are told again and again in many different ways that contact with the Scripture is an utter necessity for the Christian. We need the Word if we are to stay alive spiritually and to grow in our faith-life. Our God points out that frequent and regular Bible study is essential for every one of his children. It is important, first of all because constant contact with Scriptures is one of the ways the child of God expresses his gratitude for the eternal life the Lord has won for him (Jer 15:16; Col 3:16; 2 Ti 1:13). But the believer will also study the Bible to strengthen his faith in Christ (2 Ti 3:14-15; Jn 20:31); to aid him in godly living (2 Ti 3:16-17; Ps 119:9); and spiritual, growth (l Pe 2:2; 2 Pe 3:18); to teach him, sound doctrine (Eph 4:14); to comfort him (Ro 8:18, 28, 38; Ps 23, 91, 121); to enable him to give an answer (1 Pe 3:15); to enable him to transmit the Word to his children (Dt 6:1-7; Ps 78:5-6); and to mine God's treasure house (Psalm 119:72). But in spite of these and many other God inspired encouragements and admonitions, what amount of Bible study is being done in our Synod? How much reading and studying of the scriptures are our lay people logging each week? How much Bible study are are pastors doing? Or are our pastors discouraging their congregation from it? Our Bible weakness rears its ugly head in our Synod’s arm’s length approach to the need for evangelism. What number of our sister congregations carry on an active evangelism program? How many of our  members are involved in personally witnessing their faith? Why has the position of a full time evangelism coordinator met such opposition? That doesn't happen any more. If all of our people and all of our clergy were submerged in the Word as deeply as our God wants us to be, we would not have these kinds of problems. We would know what our God's will is for us as individuals, as congregations, and as a synod. We would know his unbreakable promises, We would trust our God to keep his promises. We would be motivated to act on his promises and carry out his will because of his love for us in Jesus. We Christians of the Lutheran Church have been entrusted with a most precious treasure--the God of the universe's saving Word. By his all-loving power we have been permitted to enjoy doctrinal unity in true teachings of those Scriptures. But what percentage of our brothers and sisters in Christ are taking full or even partial advantage of this treasure? Perhaps there are those of you who would not label this lack of contact with the Lord through his Word as "serious". But no one could possibly argue, "Our Lord is pleased with our level of Bible study." It seems to me that there are a number of factors that encourage a lack of Bible study in our circles. I’ve tried to group these factors under headings. There will be some overlapping. If that is burdensome to you, I apologize. But I felt it was necessary to outline my thoughts in this way so the points are as clear as possible. I. EXAMINING OUR ATTITUDES TOWARD BIBLE STUDY Whenever a problem arises in which we have some involvement it is best to examine ourselves. The question we will want an answer before all others is: What each of our roles as laymen and pastors are how have each played its part in  creating this situation? The flock gets its encouragement from the pastor.  What is the  attitudes which pastors bring  toward Bible study? ( Here’s a question which will take some Spirit-worked honesty.) There seems to me to be inconsistencies between what pastors know the Bible says about Bible study and how we carry out that Word. I believe the following series of questions will reveal some weaknesses in pastors, both personally and collectively. Lord, help us to truthfully answer.  These question are not just for pastor but for Laymen. However as a pastor we are here to show the importance of the Word. As laymen we also have the importance to show the importance to our neighbor around us. A. Questions about our Personal Devotion Time (For the word we replace it with Pastor,Laymen,your name.) How much time do we spend each day in prayerful, personal Bible study? Do we start each day by allowing the Lord to speak to us? Do we read over and think through a portion of his word in a devotional way? Do we take time to speak with our Father in prayer? Do we make it a point to lead our family in devotion? Is this a daily practice? Do we strive to make those devotions speak to every member of our family? Are we providing our congregation members with positive examples for private and family Bible study? When was the last time you spoke with one of your members about your own devotional life? Have you ever visited your members to personally show them how to hold family devotions? B. Questions about our Personal Devotion Priorities Do we suffer from the, "Martha syndrome"? Do we excuse ourselves from personal Bible study because we have too many other "more-important" things to do? Instead of "choosing what act is better" like Mary, do we skip over contact with the Word to clang around in the kitchen of the Lord's kingdom? Are there many times that we reason: I just don’t have time today for Bible study and prayer. I've got calls to make, meetings to prepare for and attend, a class to get ready for and teach, a counseling session to think about, a bunch of district committee work to finish up. How often do we excuse ourselves with the words, "Lord, getting into your Word has to take second place right now"? Have we failed to learn the spiritual secret Luther discovered? He tells us that the busier he was, the more time he took for prayer and study. Do pastors excuse Themselves from real, personal Bible contact by claiming that their sermon preparation, group Bible study preparation, etc. get them into the Word and meet all the pastors spiritual needs? If so, do pastors consciously prepare their sermons, their group bible study sessions in their adult information classes in a "personal" frame of mind? Do pastors actually invite the Lord to speak with us--in their particular situation through this preparation? Do we ask him to help us by our preparation with our concerns, with our problems, toward our goals, or through our weaknesses? Or do pastors end up making our preparations in a "professional" frame of mind, thinking primarily about what the Lord is telling our congregation or class in these words? C. Questions about our Public Study Priorities How much time do pastors and teachers spend in preparation for our Bible classes? As much as for their sermons? If not, does the difference in preparation time reflect thinking that Bible study is somehow not as important as our Sunday sermon? Why is it that, although no pastor would think that Sunday worship is optional, not every pastor's weekly schedule includes leading a Bible class? In our sermons, newsletters, and other public communications do we emphasize Bible study (both public and private) as much as the Scriptures do? Do we overlook opportunities for applying portions of the Word that encourage contact with the Scriptures? When was the last time used an entire sermon to encourage all forms of Bible study? Do pastor express their concern when members aren’t doing Bible study? As often as when members don’t worship regularly? Do pastors make their members' frequency of worship the "litmus test" of their spiritual health? Shouldn’t pastors be just as alarmed if their frequency of Bible is low or non-existent? Perhaps I stand alone among you in having to admit there are such inconsistencies between what I know the Bible says about the importance of Bible study and how that is carried out in practice. If I stand alone, I'm glad I'm the only with this deficiency. I ask your prayers and encouragement. But if you stand with me, I pray for Spirit-guided change in us both. If attitudes toward Bible study are going to change in our congregations and throughout the Synod, the change must start with us, the shepherds. II. EXAMINING OUR BIBLE STUDY EMPHASES Related to our attitudes toward Bible study is what we perceive as the purpose of Bible study. We summed up those purposes in the introduction (some examples: an expression of our gratitude, means of strengthening our faith, an aid to godly living, a source of comfort). Once we are straight on the purposes for Bible study, we need to determine which emphases to stress in order to accomplish those purposes. I believe the Lutherans has a problem with proper Bible study emphases. The emphasis on imparting facts and figures in our approach to Bible study is so great thatapplying those Scripture truths to one’s everyday life is sold short. At times, good application even seems to be non-existent. Mostly application tends to be viewed as something tacked on to study--almost as an after-thought. Or that we as laymen of this world today don’t feel like we need to hear it. Perhaps you are thinking, "What is he talking about? I always try to apply the Word in my Bible, studies and sermons. Everyone else I know does, too." To that I’d reply, "I’m sure you do. I am not saying we don’t apply the Word. I am saying we don't stress application as much as it should be stressed." The process of teaching the Scriptures has been described as a "hook, Book, look, took" process. The "hook" is a good introduction that catches your class attention. The "Book" is the Bible and its use to establish spiritual principles. The "look" is the application. Here is taking the principle and showing how it applies in a number of situations. The "took" is the part of Bible study we often fall down on. "Took" is integration. It is the teaching of the effect a Scripture section will have on a person. It is the bringing out of the specific change or reinforcement in one’s life that will result from knowing a particular Word of God. Integration is taking application one step further to teach in specifics what a Word of God means. It is making a Scripture section part of a believer. It is leading students to determine how they will respond to God’s grace because of his message to us in a particular section. Take a moment to think about Jesus sermons. Where does the emphasis fall? Jesus, not to mention the other inspired writers, is very practical. The Savior made sure that his listeners knew what his message meant to them. Those who listened to Jesus came away knowing how God wanted them to respond. Consider Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. There is doctrine, history, and theology there. The bulk of his sermon, however, is application and integration. When Jesus met the woman at the well, the rich young ruler, Jairus, most of what he had to say was for appropriation, application and integration. Jesus is the master teacher. We are his students. What does that say about the importance of application and integration in our teaching?   A. Jesus is Savior, but not really Lord Our people know that Jesus is their Savior. That’s the basis of our preaching and teaching. But our people are weak on knowing that Jesus is also their Lord, their king to be obeyed. The members of our Synod are generally well aware that they are right with God, but are hazy on the righteous living that is to result from our imputed righteousness. (Confer our present budget crunch and view of evangelism.) It seems that even those brothers and sisters in Christ who are straight on the Gospel and secure in their forgiveness and eternity view the Savior’s encouragements to grow in faith as optional. A frightening number of our Christian family do not feel it’s necessary to take Jesus’ will for their lives seriously. There seems to be little desire to grow in Christ or to perfect our walk with God. Many of our fellow Christians act as though, since they are guaranteed heaven in Jesus, they have arrived. There is no more spiritual growth. There is no need for spirit-aided effort to draw closer to the Lord. Striving for the sanctified Christian life really isn’t necessary. It seems many are willing to take God’s free gift of forgiveness, but have a hard time showing their appreciation for it. This lack of desire to live for the Lord is apparent at the basic level: contact with the Word. Its only through the Word and the Spirit working in the Word that we Christians receive the power to live sanctified lives. If we shun this Word, we cut ourselves off from any hope of growing in Christ. That should cause us pastors to wonder what part we’ve played in creating, establishing, and maintaining this kind of attitude. Are we guilty of giving the impression that real sanctified living ends with occasional worship attendance? Are our expectations of what constitutes a Christian life lower than our Lord’s expectations? Are we in the habit of shrugging our shoulders at meager Bible class attendance and thinking, "That’s just the way things are. You can’t expect more?"

Saturday, July 2, 2011

What Makes a Christian?

This is a clipit from a essay “What Makes a Christian” by Pastor John Moe.
This is a very good read to all that are interested.

"What makes a Christian?" Not a difficult question for any Lutheran who did his homework in Catechism class. "The Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith, even as He calls, gathers and enlightens the whole Christian church on earth." (Luther, Small Catechism, Third Article of the Apostle's Creed)
If man can man can "decide to follow Jesus" then the Made in America way of doing church is right and we'd better get rid of the ancient liturgy and hymns of the church because they sure do not appeal to non-Christians. If the truth be known they may not be all that attractive (in the sense of entertainment) to us who are in the church. I don't know of anyone who's favorite listening music is congregational hymn singing. But if the "natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit" as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:14. Then it seems to me that it is a theological impossibility to create a truly Christian, Spiritual "worship experience," to use the terminology of the Made in America way of doing church, which will be attractive to one who is not already a believer. Following the theology expressed by Luther and Walther, you may convict and condemn him with doctrine, in liturgy, sermon, and hymns, the holy Spirit may bring to life faith in Christ through the Word of Law and Gospel you present. But you cannot make the things of the Spirit acceptable to the natural man and still have the things of the Spirit.