1. Experience, all chronicles, and the Holy Scriptures as well, teach us this truth: the less law, the more justice; the fewer commandments, the more good works. No well-regulated community ever existed long if at all, where there were many laws. Therefore, before the ancient law of Moses, the patriarchs of old had no prescribed [...]
The basic premise or window to a missiological reading of the Lutheran Confessions is the programmatic statement in the Preface to the Book of Concord where the fathers, united in their efforts to lay down foundational statements for the con- cord of the Lutheran Church, raise their vision universally and jointly profess “to do and [...]
Augustine (354-430): “Having now to the best of my ability, and as I think sufficiently, replied to the reasonings of this author, if I be asked what is my own opinion in this matter, I answer, after carefully pondering the question, that in the Gospels and Epistles, and the entire collection of books for our [...]
If God has commanded fellowship with the orthodox Church — and that is the case, as we have seen — then this fellowship is our duty, a duty under all circumstances, and a duty for every Christian. God has, under no circumstances, given us a dispensation from the First Commandment, and has said to no [...]
VERSE 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness. If we carefully weigh the words of the Apostle we perceive that he does not speak of doctrinal faults and errors, but of much lesser faults by which a person is [...]
Ver. 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. For having some great conceit of themselves, and not enduring to go the way which God had commanded them, they were plunged into the reasonings of senselessness (1 manuscript διανοίας). And then to show and give in outline, what a rueful surge it was, and [...]
Romans IV. 1, 2 What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not before God. He had said (5 manuscripts εἶπεν), that the world had become guilty before God, and that all had sinned, and that boasting was excluded [...]
by Herman Sasse Dear Brothers in the Office! The events in the church of this year now passing, particularly the great ecclesiastical sessions of Willingen (World Mission Council), Hannover (Lutheran World Federation), Stuttgart (German Evangelical Kirchentag) and Lund (Third Word Conference for Faith and Order), have with great urgency directed anew to us Lutherans the [...]
Duties of Ministers of the Church The priesthood “is not leisure but the task of tasks,” Bernard writes somewhere, and “the name ‘bishopric’ is a word of work, not of honor,” according to Augustine (Bk.19, de civ. Dei, c.19). Now that we have explained the reasons for the ministry of the church and the necessity [...]
Romans I. 26, 27 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one towards another. All these affections then were vile, but [...]
by John Warwick Montgomery A most dangerous method of resolving arguments is the appeal to human authority. A disagrees With B; A Cites great man C in his behalf; B Claims that great man D supports his view; and the discussion degenerates into an attempt on the part of A to show that his authority [...]
Cura Religionis or Two Kingdoms: The Late Luther on Religion and the State in the Lectures on Genesis 1 by David M. Whitford In 1996, Bernhard Lohse wondered if the Luther presented by some would recognize the Luther described by others.2 Trying to recognize the “political” Luther would be especially difficult. On the one hand, [...]
Christian, Evangelical Worship: The Great Sacramental Reversal by Steven D. Paulson Christian worship that is evangelical is nothing but “that our dear Lord himself speaks to us through his holy Word and we respond to him through prayer and praise” (LW 51, 333). Nothing else should ever happen there. [So Luther preached at the dedication [...]
Via Herman Sasse, “Concerning the Unity of the Lutheran Church” If a particular historical confession does not actually belong to the essence of the church of Christ, then it does however belong to the essence of the Lutheran Church. By “Lutheran Church” we mean that segment of Christendom which accepts as scriptural the great doctrinal [...]
Via Hermann Sasse, “On the Rights and Limitations of the Individual Congregation” (Letters to Lutheran Pastors, No. 11, February 1950) What is it then, which binds together all these various forms of the individual ecclesia? It is not the form of organization. It is the fact that in a delimited circle of Christians, who come [...]
Via Hermann Sasse, “The Deconfessionalization of Lutheranism? Remarks on the present situation of the Lutheran Churches.” Finally, honored brothers, allow me to raise a question directed to us all. Who actually represents the Lutheran Churches of the world today? Who is it who speaks and acts in the name of the churches? Who ever it [...]
The following text, edited by Rev. Jack Cascione, is Martin Chemnitz’s own summary of his chapters about the Holy Trinity from his “Loci Theologici” (Theological Topics) published in 1591. It was translated from Latin to English by Jacob Preus and published by CPH in 1989 (Vol. I pages 74-76). Chemnitz is the editor of the [...]
by Hans Joachim Iwand As I now—at the end of our conference—present a short summary of Luther’s theology of the cross, I would like to make clear from the start that by no means is this a definitive rendering of the theme before us; it is not even something fundamentally new. Clearly our theme has [...]
The theologian of glory observes the world, the works of creation. With his intellect he perceives behind these the visible things of God, His power, wisdom, and generosity. But God remains invisible to him. The theologian of the cross looks to the Crucified One. Here there is nothing great or beautiful or exalted as in [...]
We recognize our historical independence as a nation this weekend, celebrating a kind of freedom that is long and hard fought for in this world. At the same time this presents an opportunity to tell the story of a different kind of revolution, a far grander one, that wins for us an entirely different and [...]
by Ronald R. Feuerhahn, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, prepared for the Mopieper Lectures; Concordia Historical Institute & the Luther Academy, September 17-18, 1998 Pietism has been, and continues to be, one of, if not the most, influential movement within Lutheranism but also in the traditionally Reformed churches and even within Roman Catholic history, e.g. in [...]
by Michael S. Horton If our preaching does not center on Christ–from Genesis to Revelation–no matter how good or helpful, it is not a proclamation of God’s Word. “You search the Scriptures in vain, thinking that you have eternal life in them, not realizing that it is they which testify concerning me.” With these words, [...]
“They Err Who Deny Preachers the Power to Forgive Sins,” a sermon for the First Sunday After Easter by C. F. W. Walther. Translated by Rev. Donald E. Heck Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. Amen. [...]
Mondays with Martin The 95 Theses of Martin Luther Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the power and efficacy of Indulgences October 31, 1517 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, [...]
Wednesdays with Augustine Sermon LXXXVIII. [CXXXVIII. Ben.] On the words of the Gospel, John x. 14, “I am the good shepherd,” etc. Against the Donatists. 1. We have heard the Lord Jesus setting forth to us the office of a good shepherd. And herein He hath doubtless given us to know, as we may understand [...]
Tuesdays with Forde This lecture was given as one of four faculty presentations at a brief Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary symposium on April 24, 1984. It has been transcribed from a tape recording. How does the Word of God establish its authority over us? The Word of God establishes its authority over us by virtue [...]
Franz Friday Via Pieper’s Dogmatics Vol. 3 The usual distinction between an immediate and a mediate call (vocatio immediata et mediata) is Scriptural. Also Luther has it and substantiates it copiously (St L. XI:1910ff.). The Prophets and Apostles also Paul (Acts 22:21), were called immediately. Paul lays great stress on his immediate call in the [...]
Thursdays with Iwand Via Hans Iwand, Righteousness of God According to Luther Why is God’s giving of the law necessary? Is God really revealed in the law as much as He revealed in the gospel. Or, is what we call God’s law something different from what we call political, social or natural order in the [...]
Wednesdays with Augustine Via Augustine’s Anti-Pelagian Writings Chapter 2.—Why Heretical Writings Must Be Answered. For the new heretics, enemies of the grace of God which is given by Jesus Christ our Lord to small and great, although they are already shown more openly to need to be avoided by a manifest disapprobation, still do not [...]
Tuesdays with Forde Via On Being a Theologian of the Cross, pp. 56-58 Thesis 15. Nor could free will remain in a state of innocence, much less do good, in an active capacity, but only in its passive capacity. Although it may appear to be an obscure point, thesis 15 indicates clearly the kind of [...]
Mondays with Martin Eight Sermons by Dr. Martin Luther Preached at Wittenberg in Lent, Treating Briefly of the Mass, Images, Both Kinds in the Sacrament, Eating of Meats, Private Confession, etc. THE FIRST SERMON INVOCAVIT SUNDAY THE challenge of death comes to us all, and no one can die for another. Every one must fight [...]
Weekends with Bach Via J.S. Bach Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit BWV 106 Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit Actus Tragicus A Funeral (possibly of Bach’s uncle, Tobias Lämmerhirt, d. 10 August 1707). Poet unknown. 2a. Adaptation of Acts 17:28; 2b. Ps. 90:12; 2c. Is. 38:1; 2d. Ecclus. 14:17 and Rev. 22:20 with instrumental [...]
Franz Friday Via Pieper’s Church Dogmatics Volume 3 Also sanctification, the death of the old man and the resurrection to a new life, is not only typified by Baptism, but actually effected. In Rom. 6:1-11 Paul teaches that the Christians are dead unto sin, but alive unto God. This, however, is an effect of Baptism [...]
