It was after Jesus saw the desolate villages, the “sheep without a shepherd,” that he called the twelve disciples. God equips his Church with a variety of vocations...
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The Spirit of God often uses new situations to change our perspective, to bring us to repentance. We are all sinners, so we are all in need of daily and constant repentance.
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God uses his Word and Sacraments to grow our faith, and increase and unify the Church. Nevertheless, his Word and Sacraments are distributed by the work of his Spirit through people.
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Luther is still speaking primarily of the fanatics, the schwärmerei, those who used Luther’s words to their own ends. They twisted his teachings, bringing division to the church instead of reform.
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Luther taught that we are only able to know God as God makes himself known to us: through his Word and through the Sacraments. There was no room special revelation...
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There is only one thing worse than not being permitted to meet with those who disagree with you. Meeting with them, only to hear them speak in a manner that is unreasonable, is even worse.
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When you are brought before a group you should not have anxiety about what you should testify, since the Spirit will teach you in the moment the words that need to be spoken.
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Up to this point in the Lutheran Confessions, we have largely had the writings of Philip Melancthon, professor of Greek at the University of Wittenberg, and friend of and collaborator with Martin Luther in the Protestant Reformation.
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We cannot reason our way to God. Nor can traditions light the way to divine truth. Human institutions are unable to direct us to God.
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What is able to set you free: human traditions or the Word of God? Abide in one and lack assurance and peace. Abide in the other and know perfect peace.
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The old saying, “Do as I say but not as I do,” is applicable to pharisaical instruction. Jesus is teaching that we ought to observe right teaching of the Scripture, though not necessarily imitate the actions of those teaching.
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Christians are called to lives of submission. We are to honor our parents, deferring to their authority. We are to obey earthly authorities, as well as church leadership.
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The Lutheran reformers wanted to proclaim a clear word of Scripture. Human traditions that promised God’s favor were summarily dismissed in favor of God’s gracious favor being freely given through faith, for Christ’s sake.
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It is amusing to consider the things that each Christian group focuses on, as though they were God’s perpetual commandments.
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What right does anyone have to insist that we do certain things in order to be forgiven? Christ has set us free; so we are truly free.
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Let the power of bishops — indeed, the power of the whole Church — reside in the Word alone, sola Scriptura. If the Spirit cannot make his case through the Word alone, is a bishop able to make new laws that are effective where God is not?
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What is it that you heard from the beginning other than that you are saved by believing on Jesus Christ? That you must or must not do certain things in order to be forgiven and saved came later when people tried to foist their religious brand upon you.
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Eternal life begins during this earthly life. It starts within us by faith. First, we are forgiven and made righteous before God through faith in his Son.
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The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Nothing needs to be added to the Gospel in order to make it effective for the forgiveness of sins, justification, or eternal life.
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What should shine forth from the Church above all other things? Buildings? Traditions? Fund raisers? The pastor? Denominational programs? The youth group? Style of worship?
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No pastor, bishop, priest, or pope has the right to determine rules for apprehending eternal life when those rules have no authority from the gospel.
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The Reformation slogan, sola Scriptura, should be kept close in our thoughts. Much doubt and anxiety may be avoided, if God’s Word is our rule of faith and practice.
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If our righteousness must exceed that of religious experts, then what are we to do? We are to understand what righteousness actually is.
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The Defense of the Augsburg Confession concludes with a word on the power of the church. It insists that the church was corrupt and that this was harmful to the people in the church.
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These older widows had promised to not remarry so that they could receive assistance from the church. Remarrying was seen as breaking that “oath” — the same word translated as “faith.”
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These older widows had promised to not remarry so that they could receive assistance from the church. Remarrying was seen as breaking that “oath” — the same word translated as “faith.”
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It is clear enough from the context that these widows whom Paul spoke of were simply women the Church supported unless they remarried.
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We need all the help we can get. No one would deny this to be true. But if the help obscures Christ, it is not help; it is a great evil.
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We have a shared promise through Christ since we are all sons of God through faith in him. As such, all believers are joint heirs of the promise made to Christ, the Seed of Abraham.
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It is remarkably easy to take a verse or two from the Bible and construct a doctrine or a whole way of life. The safeguard to doing this, or falling prey to its adherents, is to, as we say, “be in the Word” — all of God’s Word.
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Our works, actions, and lifestyles do not make us right with God. Jesus Christ justifies us before God. This is why faith alone in the grace of God alone merits his forgiveness and salvation.
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