Raging Hordes of Enthusiasts. Part 2

Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ESV

The above passage was the text for a sermon a friend asked me to review. It was preached by a Baptist minister and was available on Sermon Audio. Salvation by grace through faith is something historically the Baptist get right. Not one of them would ever say that a person is saved by what he or she does. And this man was not an exception for he plainly states that nothing we do can save us. In addition he made it clear that it is the finished work of Jesus on the cross which paid the sin debt for us. These are points for rejoicing that there are still men out there in Baptist Churches proclaiming these truths.

While preaching he stated that the Sacraments have nothing to do with salvation. This is a long held belief by the Baptist’s view of salvation. This teaching proclaims that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are an ordinance of the church to be observed and obeyed. His reference to this was in speaking against the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching of justification by works. While one can agree with his assessment of that error the Roman Church does not teach trust in the Sacraments either. In that body it is taught those are actions taken by people in order to please God. They are referred to as obligations to perform. Performance of them often enough and with sufficient fervor one can hope to add to and make withdrawals from the treasury of merits of Christ and the Saints. Unfortunately we see a correspondence between what that minister was stating and what is taught in Rome. Both would teach it as the work of sinners not the Saviour.

Is this what the bible teaches or is there different teaching in scripture? Both views are steeped in tradition but not is scripture. Scripture teaches that the two Sacraments are instituted by Jesus as gifts in which we receive the benefits and promises associated with His perfect life, death, burial and resurrection.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. ESV

Reading a little further in the letter out of which the sermon was preached we see a conflict between what he was preaching and what St Paul taught. We see that the church is sanctified and cleansed by Jesus through the washing of water with the word. It is not a regular pouring of water but it is comprehended with the word and the promise of Jesus that one becomes a disciple by receiving this baptism. Matthew 28:19-20.

1Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? ESV

There we see St Paul proclaiming that the Lord’s Supper is indeed receiving the body and blood of Jesus. Jesus said in John 6:54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ESV Later, on the same night He was betrayed, when instituting the Sacrament He gave bread and the cup which He identified as His body and blood. Matthew 26: 26-28. In this meal we receive the forgiveness of sins as promised by Jesus in that institution. We can trust His word can't we?

According to that minister where do we look for the assurance of salvation? He indicated that a good place to start is emotions. That is how God communicates these things to us not through visible means. Emotions are certainly real and can be involved in a relationship to God but they hardly can be relied upon for proof positive. Emotions in the human are fickle and part of the fallen nature. More related to what is happening on any given day then how God sees the person they can hardly be trusted for any assurance. A real candid and honest reading of the standards God requires of people in relationship with Him will leave one with the emotion of despair. If I had the chance to ask this minister I would ask where we are given the promise of assurance in with and under our feelings.

God is the creator of matter and is quite able and seems pleased to use it for His purposes. So if His word attaches promises to material items, and it does, rather than fight against it we should praise Him for these gifts and live in the true peace they offer.

Lord we believe. Help our unbelief. Amen †

A Heart Rend For You

It is that time of year again. Those of us in the churches who observe the church calendar have ashes smudged on our foreheads in the shape of the cross. The minister will remind us “From dust you came and to dust you shall return.” Not very exciting is it? I mean after all we have done for Jesus in the past year! We have loved Him with our whole hearts and our neighbour as ourselves haven’t we? Well except for those times when we don’t appreciate having a specific item lacking in our lives. Oh, and how about what our brother or sister said to us the other day? And they call themselves a Christian! Whoops!

Joel 2:12 "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. 14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God? ESV

Those examples above show idolatry. In arrogance our inner brat, which is actually us as I was reminded just yesterday, think we know better than God. Thanks brother Andy! The pride one can feel at how wonderful one has become can really appear dirty. Oh the heart wants to be puffed up. Even in repentance one wishes to arrogate to him or herself the act of repenting. How can one tear a heart? Jesus tore His in our stead.

Matthew 27: 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? KJV

The physical torture was certainly severe. The shame of being put on display in front of your mother and friends naked, beaten and condemned. He was in the company of thieves and murderers yet innocent personally of all transgression. None of us can come near to fully appreciating this no matter if we were to tear our clothes and flog ourselves. But imagine the One that is loved with all your heart turns His back on you! What a heart rending thing! This is all done for me and you because there is no way our pride and self love would allow us to rip our hearts in humility.

Thank you Jesus for the forgiveness we have because of your broken body and shed blood. Amen †

The Raging Horde of Enthusiasts

The other day I heard a sermon in which the pastor was praying for God to speak to the hearts of those in attendance. This is a normal prayer which is prayed many times during worship services. What was remarkable is that in the prayer he said: “We know O God that Thou dost work in the hearts of your children. We are not sure how or when your Spirit works but we know He does.” This was quite surprising for after the prayer he read from God’s word. Why would he insist on reading the bible to the people if he did not in his heart of hearts believe that God works thru the word.

From the Book of Concord Smalcald Articles Part 3 Article 8: Confession
We must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one except through or with the preceding outward Word. This protects us from the enthusiasts (who boast that they have the Spirit without the Word)…

Later Luther states that the papists and Muhammad are the heresies that are protected against by this insistence. Today the list has increased of the errors brought about by those who look outside the word of God for inspiration and direction. St Paul addressed this issue to the church at Galatia.

Galatians 3: 1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith. ESV

Notice that he referred to the hearing with faith two times. This was enough in his estimation to protect from the legalism being perpetrated on that assembly. This legalism was fighting against the finished work of Jesus’ perfect life, death, burial and resurrection for us sinners as completing salvation and nothing need be added.

So what of today? We see many conservative teachers which are either knowingly or unknowingly directing their hearers to Rome. This is done by not teaching the word as a sure promise of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit which undermines faith in the finished work of Jesus. Lord have mercy!

Another way it is undermined is similar to what the papist would use. “What about those who never hear the word preached how are they saved?” This question is underhanded and not very subtle in an attempt to question the validity of God’s word. We are not told the answer to that question and to seek to answer it one would fall into error. Suffice it to say that God is merciful and will always do the right thing.

Father grant us faith to hold fast to your sure and blessed promises in the Bible in these perilous times and lead us to life everlasting. Amen †

In the Imperative or in the Indicative?

A common misunderstanding about a person’s involvement in being saved is that he or she had to take a step of faith. This is believed, taught and confessed by Christians who otherwise would be considered Sovereign Grace Believers. Sovereign Grace states that God is solely and completely to be glorified in the salvation of sinners. This indeed is to be appreciated by Lutherans and others who hold the same glorious and comforting view.

So how does one come up with this misunderstanding? In conversations with some who hold this view of a sinner’s activity in being saved this verse is one that is commonly used:

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ESV

At first reading one could conclude that yes a person is involved in accepting the gift of salvation. Confessing with the mouth is indeed a physical conscious act. Speech muscles are used to form the words and air molecules are moved about so the words are heard. So is it true one is saved because of an activity according to this verse? It can appear that it is imperative that one confess with the mouth and believe in the heart to be saved. A larger reading of Romans 10 shows the rest of the story.

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." ESV

We see that the verse in the larger context is actually a verse of great comfort to a believer. The word of faith which is preached is near us, in our mouth coming from our heart which has banged into our ears and God used it to create faith in the heart. What one thinks in the heart is indeed out of his or her control. Romans 10:17 Therefore, we see that by the time the response of confession by mouth happens one is already saved by the work of God alone. A person speaking of these truths having received them by faith can know he or she has the righteousness of Jesus given them. Romans 10:9 is not an imperative command for a person to obey but rather an indicative that one is already in the faith.

Baptism: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

While in conversation with a few Christians one asked me how I know I am saved. Without flinching or hesitation I said “Because I am baptized.” That caused quite an uproar in the bunch due to the fact that I was the only Lutheran.

Why all the uproar? Certainly they have bibles and I know several of them read them daily. Many will say that St Paul was not sent to baptize but to preach. Yes that is true he did not claim many baptisms. 1 Corinthians 1:17 Another thing St Paul was called to do was to teach and write letters. In his masterful letter to the Christians at Rome he outlines the Christian faith from beginning to end.

Romans 6: 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. ESV

He refers to baptism in writing as how we are dead to sin and it is not something in which we live. If baptism is not an act of God which is a powerful gift he certainly would not present it as help to combat sin. In this way it is a gift that keeps on giving.

Martin Luther in his catechism teaching on daily prayers suggests:

In the morning, when you rise, you shall bless yourself with the holy cross and say: In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then, kneeling or standing, repeat the Creed and the Lord's Prayer. If you choose, you may, in addition, say this little prayer:

I thank Thee, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, that Thou hast kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray Thee to keep me this day also from sin and all evil, that all my doings and life may please Thee. For into Thy hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Thy holy angel be with me, that the Wicked Foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Then go to your work with joy, singing a hymn, as the Ten Commandments, or what your devotion may suggest.

What this does is to place oneself under the cross and return to baptismal grace. This is the time when one died to the former life and raised in new life. In the same way when awaking from sleep we can start the day dying and rising anew in Jesus. This drowns the inner brat and although a good swimmer gives us a leg up on our sinful nature.

In the evening, when you go to bed, you shall bless yourself with the holy cross and say:
In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then, kneeling or standing, repeat the Creed and the Lord's Prayer. If you choose, you may, in addition, say this little prayer:

I thank Thee, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, that Thou hast graciously kept me this day, and I pray Thee to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Thy hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Thy holy angel be with me, that the Wicked Foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Then go to sleep promptly and cheerfully.

This is again dying and rising in Jesus. Troubling dreams are rare although still do happen. But this sends our ancient foe Satan, or whatever evil little helper he has, packing.
Many of my evangelical friends would object to this as to Roman Catholic. But bear in mind the Romanists, while teaching baptism is a Sacrament, very seldom refer to it but rather to good deeds as knowing one is a Christian. Kind of like one would hear in way too many evangelical churches today. So who is being more Roman Catholic one who reflects on baptism or looks at his or her works for assurance?

In the Name of the Father † Son and Holy Spirit.

Mixing up the Mountains

When a pastor in a church tells his congregation that they are obligated, empowered, or enabled to keep God’s law he is mixing up the mountains. When the law was given at Mount Sinai there was such commotion due to the wrath of God that His friend Moses said “I tremble with fear.” That is what the law does is show the holiness of God and how we are unable to do this. It is not surprising when a religion such as Islam or some other of the world’s religion lean heavily upon the law. What is alarming is when a Christian Church does it. That has happened repeatedly down through the years and is what spawned attempts to reform. Now after 500 years we see the same thing happening. The limiting the nature of the law so that it appears to be manageable and something God is helping us do is quite fashionable and appeals to our inner brat.

Rick Warren said “Deeds not Creeds is the new reformation. The question is how is that different from what ailed the church so many years ago? Joel Osteen has a book out in which he explains how to “Become a Better You.” This will sell like hotcakes for who in his or her right minds do not want to improve. However, one does not need to be a Christian to improve behaviour. Self help books abound in the non religious sphere and have for years.

You will see on Sermon Audio examples of preachers who are caving in to this trend. These men are in traditions which historically told people how hopelessly lost are their condition and how Jesus answered the need for them. The law was put forth in all it’s crushing power. Jesus’ active obedience was proclaimed as how God looks upon anything a believer does as holy. And Jesus’ passive obedience on the cross was shown to pay for the inherited guilt we all have.

Hebrews 12: 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. ESV

The law says to “Be holy as God is Holy,” and “In the day you sin you will die.” We cannot by our means get God to save us, or once He has saved us, need Him or are able to get Him to love us more. One cannot play nice with the law. That is what caused all the lightening, shaking, smoke and commotion. That is what one will get when trying to manipulate God with behaviour. His people were just delivered out of slavery to a system of religion where gods were manipulated. Therefore a restatement of what is naturally in the heart of man was needed. Of course they said we will do it all. Not long after that the golden calf was erected and business as usual occurred.

On Mount Zion we have a peaceful and well pleased God. We have the same God of course with all the same requirements. The difference is not in God but what He has done for us. Let us not grieve Him by trying to manipulate Him with our behaviour. It will not go well with those who never repent from doing so.

Matthew 7: 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” ESV

Father, please protect us from self righteousness which turns our eyes off You and causes us to stray. When we do stray we trust Your promises to come get us. Holy Spirit, we beg you to crush us with Your law daily so we can repent and receive forgiveness. Jesus, thank you for your active obedience which fulfills the law for us and you passive obedience on the cross which paid for our sin. May you Name Holy God be evermore praised on earth and in highest heaven. Amen. †

The Worsening Famine.

Troubling reports to leaders of the Christian church about people leaving congregations. Flocks of people go from church to church in evangelical circles. People leave evangelicalism for Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholics in matching numbers leave for evangelicalism. What is up with that? These are days which are similar to those in the days of the prophet.

Amos 8:11 Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the landnot a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.12 They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east;they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it. ESV

The word of God is food and drink for those who love Him. We want to hear Jesus for He is our Shepherd and He promises that we would hear His voice and follow Him and run from a stranger. (John 10:4-5) So when we are given successful strategies for living instead of Jesus telling us we are hopelessly lost without Him dead on the cross we are going to look elsewhere. Today as in the past Roman Catholic’s teach we can and need to live a certain way for God to love us. Evangelicals have left the evangel for much the same teaching. They will proclaim justification by faith alone however; we owe it to God to clean ourselves up. No longer is it taught to live holy lives out of thanksgiving. It is not longer taught to serve our neighbour out of gratitude to God for serving us. We have the mindset that if something is given to us we must return the favour. But God cannot accept anything but perfection. We cannot do anything without some type of self motivation. That is the curse we have passed down from our father Adam.

John 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." ESV

The eternal life we have are in the words of Jesus. Jesus said from the cross “It is finished.” That is what His people are looking for. His words that our sins are forgiven are needed every week for we sin every week. If they are not receiving the words of Jesus in one congregation off they will go to another. It is our prayer that people will find these words for which they seek. God grant that the famine not be complete in our land.

il pastor fide sola christe† Christ our only faithful Shepherd.