Some lies which surrounds baptism.

Baptism as something man does for God

Who is at work in baptism? Who gets credit for our salvation? The answer to the two questions is one and the same-the Lord. Many, however, see baptism not as an activity of a gracious God but as something that a believer does for God. Baptism is viewed as a sign, a commitment, an outward testimony that one has been filled inwardly by the Holy Spirit. Such a baptism is often called a believer’s baptism.

To understand how such a theology could develop, it’s imperative that we see where false teaching regarding baptism stems from. How can a Lutheran, a Reformed[1] person, an Evangelical, and a Mennonite pick up the same Scriptures and go to the same passages and come up with a completely different theology of baptism? False teaching regarding baptism does not materialize out of thin air. Those who believe baptism is something we do for God come at Scripture with a presupposition that baptism cannot be the work of God, completely and totally.[2]

There are different presuppositions that drive this teaching. And it must be kept in mind that not all who teach that baptism is a work of man hold to all of the following presuppositions. The first is a misunderstanding of original sin.[3] We are conceived in sin. We are born in sin. Not only do we inherit our pug noses and floppy ears from our parents, but we have inherited their sin, the sin which we can trace all the way back to Adam. If you deny original sin, or if you deny that those cute, cuddly babies have the capacity to sin, then all of a sudden baptism does not apply to them. Follow their logic: if baptism is for remission of sins, and babies cannot sin, then they are not to be baptized. Their faulty doctrine of baptism stems from their faulty doctrine of original sin.

A second misunderstanding concerns the will of man.[4] After the fall into sin, mankind is born with an enslaved will. “Not able not to sin” is how the dogmaticians describe man. To put it more simply, the baby coming out of the womb has no interest in God and no use for God. We are born alive by doctor’s standards but dead in matters pertaining to God (cf. Ephesians 2:1). And being dead spiritually we were hostile to God. We were born enemies of God. As we hear after the flood, “every inclination of his [mankind’s] heart is evil from childhood” (Genesis 8:21 b). St. Paul reminds us “the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so” (Romans 8:7). Again, if you are wrong on the will of man, if you do not see man as “dead to God” before conversion, if you see mankind as being able to do his part, then you will get baptism wrong as well. Among those who were wrong on the will of man and as a result were wrong on baptism are a group known as the Anabaptists.[5]

The third misunderstanding is that of the ability of children, infants included, to believe. Many times when you get to the bottom of one’s opposition to infant baptism, you stumble across the false presupposition that adults indeed can believe, but not children. Again, follow their logic. If faith is necessary to receive the blessings of baptism, and infants are incapable of believing, then it follows that infants are not to be baptized. Those who are unable to give evidence of faith are considered as unworthy candidates for baptism.[6] Our response is that faith is neither a moral decision nor a commitment on the part of the believer. Rather, faith is a gift from God. Recalling the ground we have covered already, “My faith does not make Baptism, but receives it.”[7]

The fourth and final misunderstanding is regarding the means of grace. Those who teach that baptism is something that man does for God refuse to believe that God’s Word has the power to do what it says. Hermann Sasse explains:

The Reformed opposition to this Lutheran understanding of Baptism is therefore nothing else than opposition to the Lutheran doctrine of the means of grace as a whole. They are opposing the fact that God does not give His Spirit, and therewith the forgiveness of sin, life and salvation, to anyone apart from the external means of His grace, apart from the external Ward, apart from Baptism, or apart from the Lord’s Supper.[8]

We have addressed how water can do such great things. For those who hold to a believer’s baptism, they do not need to answer this question. The question for them becomes a “who cares?” For them baptism is not about God working through his powerful Word and water but about making a commitment to God, a statement of their belief, a declaration of their intent to follow in the way.

 When baptism is turned into a pitiful work of obedience by mankind, or when baptism is thrown out completely and babies are simply dedicated or blessed (like a house or a dog), how does that adversely affect the true teaching of baptism?

“Is there forgiveness for my daughter or son or not?” If the answer is no, then what is lost is the comfort of all the blessings we covered before. If you deny that baptism works forgiveness of sins, then your attention gets turned away from God’s gracious doing into something man does. How many people are wrongly directed to their “conversion experience” or to their feelings rather than to the objective reality that is their baptism?

Baptism as something God does for man

In the face of lies, confessional Lutheranism continues to sound the clear and scriptural teaching of Holy Baptism. Hermann Sasse said regarding baptism in Luther’s day: “As was often the case, Luther’s way was the lonely way between Rome and the enthusiasts.”[22] Our position is no less lonely today. Keeping in mind what is at stake here, it is worth it to travel the lonely road. We need to be no less clear today than our namesake at the time of the Reformation. In the sacraments, God is actually giving us the very things he has promised to give us. God works in baptism. God does it all in baptism. God does it all in baptism-for you.

So, am I a baptized?[23]

I realize that some who have gathered here today may have been baptized by Father Kurt at Kearney Catholic Church or by Pastor Joe at Broken Bow Baptist Church. After exposing where various denominations and churches go wrong with their theologies of baptism, we at the same time rejoice that baptism does not depend on the preacher or on the name of the church. “Lutheranism, exactly like the Roman Church and the Eastern Church, makes the validity of Baptism independent of the personal qualify of the person who baptizes and recognizes not only baptism performed by the laity but also infant baptism.”[1] The goal in exposing errors is not to plant seeds of doubt whether or not you were really baptized. Lutherans accept more baptisms than anyone because we understand what baptism is.

What makes a valid baptism is not the denomination but whether or not they have the essence of baptism. Churches may err when they deny the various blessings of baptism, but if they do not deny the essence of baptism, they still have a valid baptism. “One deals with what the sacrament is [essence], the other with what the sacrament does [blessings].”[2] The essence of baptism again is water, Word, and action with that water and the Word. More simply, those who confess the Triune God and baptize with water and his name have a valid baptism. And so we joyously confess, “We believe in the Holy Christian Church.”

Excerpt from a essay by Pastor John Bortulin,Truth and Lies about Baptism:An Examination of the First Three Questions

in Dr. Luther’s Small Catechism (With a Cursory Look at Modern Day False Teachings)

[The Pastor-Teacher-Delegate Conference of the Southern Conference of the Nebraska District, St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church-Broken Bow, NE, January 28-29, 2008]

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

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

Anti-Shepherds

This Letter was written in the February issue of Table Talk magazine from Ligonier.  They were doing a flashback to screw tape by writing letters from the abyss.

This was written by George Grant a Pastor from Franklin Tennessee.

Our Dear Asag,
  Remember: our abysmal sublimity does not so much want to tear down "godly" way as to build up his own. From the apex of temptation in the garden to the present, his conspiratorial plot has always been to offer some sane, attractive, and wholesome counterfeit to the true kingdom of our foe.
  That's why subtle counterfeits are the perfect tools for your task to hamper shepherds from shepherding, to deter pastors from actually pastoring., Amorality is obvious and short sighted; scandal lasts but for a season; but fiddling the days and hours away on sweet nothings can become the habit of a lifetime--thus wreaking far greater havoc on the church with less work on your part.
  Strive for ministerial service without the pastoral, we want a plethora of well-served pulpits combined with a disconnection between ministers and people. Pastoral care and discipleship are time consuming and, by all appearances, inefficient -- so use that to you advantage. Given all the other duties pastors are expected to fulfill, making them feel harried and overwhelmed is hardly difficult.
  Encourage them to dawdle over their mail -- or, better yet, their e-mail, blog posts, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, web links, an I phone apps. These are all fine things in and of themselves, of course, which makes their wastrel effects so easily justifiable "tools for ministry"' "making work more effective"; "good, prompt communication." See how simple the spoils?
  We must be clear about this: the consummation of evil is not best attained by getting our subjects to indulge in puerile peccadilloes -- oh, that is such a ham - fisted notion. Rather, it is a simple as distracting them from their providentially ordained callings. All of the obvious pastoral sins are quite useful, of course: false humility, man-pleasing, discontent, prevarication, envy, and so on. But all you have to do is set a few good-intentioned distractions in front of them; your assigned pastors will take it from there and those other sins will breed quite naturally on their own. virtual ministry: what a wonderful notion. Just provide an escape from people that masquerades as ministry, dear Asag; they'll reboot on their own!

Your Master Legion

Satan is still trying to win that Battle which he lost when Christ died on the cross for all of our sins.  Yet he will not give up and that is why we must remember Christ  says" fear not I am with you always"

Very Interesting Article (Nice Website a Must See)

Original Sin vs Self Esteem

I’ve been hearing about and reading about how the doctrine of Original Sin has fallen into the realm of politically

incorrect thinking these days. How dare it be insinuated that everyone is utterly wretched and sinful. Sinful since

conception, in fact! We live in a world where it seems like we focus on everyone’s need for self esteem. We are

to concentrate on how good we are. We have to have the power of ‘positive’ thinking. Self esteem is a good

thing for our life in the world, and we are also to encourage one another in our faith.

1 Corinthians 14:3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and

encouragement and consolation.

1 Corinthians 14:31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged

While we need to encourage one another, we still need to realize that we are sick and poor miserable sinners.

But wait, you say “I don’t think I’m all that miserable”; but understand that the word miserable refers to anyone

in need of mercy. We all desperately need Christ’s mercy-therefore we are in fact miserable. We need to be able

to acknowledge the disease that is in us due to our original sin. Today even the confessions we say in church

sometimes have become watered down. We acknowledge those sins we do and don’t do, but we can’t mention

how utterly sick and sinful we have been from the time we were conceived.

Psalm 38:3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones

because of my sin.

Mark 2:17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those

who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

I heard recently on the White Horse Inn how many people, including many of the pastors in American

Evangelicalism, don’t believe in Original Sin any more. Pelagianism was a heresy that the early church had to

fight against. Well, guess what? It’s back! That’s a scary thought. It reminds us there is nothing new under the

sun. To think that in America today many churches have done away with the idea of Original Sin which goes

against American idealism. Yet Original Sin is something that the Bible clearly teaches. I’m sure that is why they

have been able to do away with infant Baptism. That is a very sad fact. To turn a precious Gift that is given to us

into a work to show they believe.

Romans 5:12 [ Death in Adam, Life in Christ ] Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and

death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

Sin came into the world through one man, Adam, and salvation came to us all through the One who could

redeem us, Jesus Christ. Jesus came to earth, died and rose again to save us from all our sins. I’m thankful we

have Confession and Absolution in our church services. We need to be able to admit to others, as well as to

ourselves how sick and wretched we really are. We need to cling to the cross and Christ’s awesome grace and

mercy that He freely gives to us! Until and unless we can admit how sinful we truly are, we cannot completely

appreciate how much we need our Savior.

So, let’s not worry about the political correctness of our day which thinks we should never be ashamed or feel

any guilt. Shame and guilt can be good things, because they direct you to the cross, and the empty tomb that

tells you that Jesus loves you and He did it all for you!

Kari Anderson

Confessional Lutherans for Christ’s Commission (CLCC)

December 1, 2009