ANSWER: Lutherans believe that the Bible teaches that a person is saved by Gods grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Good works, which are seen, give evidence of faith, which is unseen.". ANSWER: In his book What's the Answer? Parents and sponsors then have the privilege and responsibility of nurturing the baptized child in God's love and in His Word so that he or she may know and continue to enjoy the wonderful blessings of Baptism throughout his or her life. But the Bible also uses the work of repentance in a broader sense to include faith in Jesus our Savior. A pastor presides over the service and reads from the Lutheran Book of Worship or The Lutheran Hymnal of Lutheran . ANSWER: The official position of The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod regarding the practice of women serving Holy Communion has been set forth in 1989 Resolution 3-10 "To Address Practice of Women Serving Holy Communion," in which the Synod its members "to conform their practice" to the counsel of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations: "The commission strongly recommends that to avoid confusion regarding the office of the public ministry and to avoid giving offense to the church, such assistance be limited to men" [1985 report on Women in the Church, 47]. Or should he bother with it only because a large enough absence of good works would suggest his faith might be too weak for salvation? 13:5-6, etc.). The answer is that Lutherans do not try to answer it because (we believe) the Bible itself does not provide an answer to this question that is comprehensible to human reason. Polycarp (69-155 AD), a disciple of the Apostle John, was baptized as an infant. Like so many teachings of Scripture (e.g., the Trinity, eternity, the two natures of Christ, the love of a holy God for rebellious sinners), this teaching seems contradictory and is incomprehensible to human reason. QUESTION: What verses in Scripture can be cited that teach "that BOTH bread and wine AND Christ's true body and blood" are present in the Lord's Supper? Acts 8:26-40) for the purpose of confirming and strengthening faith in accordance with God's command and promise. For example, Abraham believed God (had faith, not just knew he had faith), and it was credited to him as righteousness (Rom. 4:17 (rapiemur). We do not play around with this. Do these phrases diminish the Holiness of the Three in One? For children of unbelievers we do not venture to hold out such hope. 2:1-3, 3:12-19, 6:4-8, etc.). Lutherans believe that they are a part of a faith community. Whenever a person does repent and believe, this always takes place by the grace of God alone and by the power of the Holy Spirit working through God's Word in a person's heart. 3:26-27; Rom. In the absence of a specific Scriptural mandate, either method of distribution, when performed in a reverent manner, is acceptable. 11) regarding their responsibility to make certain people receive the Sacrament to the blessing and not to their harm. When I pray, I pray to Jesus. ANSWER: Infants are included in all nations" who are to be baptized (Matt. QUESTION: To whom should we pray? Upon death, Lutherans believe a person goes straight to heaven or hell. Lutherans also affirm, with Scripture, that those who are damned are damned not by God's "choice" but on account of their own human sin and rebellion and unbelief. To become more familiar with the LCMS position, you may wish to read the FAQ on Communion Practice. He reminded his parents of this as well. While I truly believe that Jesus died for our sins, those who accept Him as their personal Savior, I have been troubled as to where my sister and father are now. Unlike the Roman Catholic . The Bible says that repentance is a pre-requisite for faith. A fellow Christian recently explained that all prayers should be directed only to God the Father or the Trinity. 6:1-4; Col. 2:11-12; 1 Cor. Or is He glad when an agnostic performs an act of Christ-like mercy? Theology and Practice of the Lord's Supper, Gluten-free communion wafers also are available from Concordia Publishing House. Return to Forgiveness FAQs|Return to main menu. Do we have to try to amend our life in order to be saved? They see Baptism as something we do (e.g., a public profession of faith, etc.) 12:13). The third day he rose again " But in Luke, Jesus says to the thief next to him: "Surely today you will be with me in paradise." Again, we need to encourage one another to do good works. Perhaps the most explicit expression of this truth, however, is found in 1 Cor. By faith we hold that it is precisely because we Christians are God's elect that we proclaim the good news of salvation. 28:18-20). Drinking from the community cup seems to be the traditional and proper way. ANSWER: In response to the question Why does the church encourage the use of sponsors at Baptism?Luthers Small Catechism with Explanation (Concordia Publishing House, 1991 edition) summarizes as follows: Sponsors witness that those who receive this sacrament have been properly baptized. 12.13). rather than seeing it as something that God does for us and in us. This volume of Evangelical-Lutheran Prayer Treasures underwent numerous reprintings even as late as 1908. If a contributor cannot be contacted, the LCMS will use the gift to meet a similar pressing need that most closely matches the contributor's original intent. If we say, "I want God to forgive me, but I refuse to forgive those who sin against me," we really don't know what "forgiveness" and "faith in Jesus" are all about. The Elect: Whereas many Protestant denominations focus on the believer's decision to accept salvation from Jesus, Lutherans turn that around and focus on God choosing the believer. This is the kind of sorrow Peter had after he denied Jesus, and it is the sorrow King David had after he committed adultery and murder (Psalm 51). ANSWER: Christ's descent into hell is described in 1 Peter 3:18-20. In the Kingdom of God's power, the civil righteousness the good works of unbelievers are good only outwardly. 2:15). The promises and power of Baptism are extended to all in Scripture including infants and are available to all. The Lutheran tradition has historically allowed prayers for the dead in certain circumstances, like funeral services. I ask this because many evangelicals make me nervous when they say that if one has doubts about one's salvation, one is probably not saved because the Holy Spirit is supposed to provide inner assurance. By making circumcision a necessary requirement for one to be saved (See Acts 15:5ff. ANSWER: In answer to the question "To whom should we pray," Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation (Concordia Publishing House, 1986) clearly answers: "We should pray to the true God only, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The 58 million Lutherans in the world worship in hundreds of languages. Does the child become a Christian when baptized? 14:11). With a membership estimated at around 80 million members worldwide, Lutheranism is the third-largest Protestant movement, after Anglicanism and Pentecostalism. This is precisely what the entire book of James is all about. Anyone who truly understands the true nature God's grace and forgiveness in Christ and puts his or her trust in that forgiveness will desire and seek to extend that forgiveness to others. 14:23) and in the spiritual sense displease God (Ps. The second reason is more serious. If Baptism also saves, it must not save adults since an adult would not say I do not believe but I want to be baptized to get the faith to believe. Lutherans have therefore held that the manner of Baptism (that is, immersion, pouring, sprinkling, etc.) 10:24-25). (In this connection you may wish to review the following comments on Rom. Put those two concepts together and you have repentance in its fullest sense. Could you please share the history of close[d] Communion? Lutherans reject this answer as unscriptural because, according to the Bible, God sincerely desires all to be saved and has predestined no one to damnation. We all commit all kinds of sins daily, for which we have to daily repent. The faith of the infant, like the faith of adults, also needs to be fed and nurtured by Gods Word (Matt. If you would like to study this issue further, I would recommend Martin Chemnitz's book on Justification, available from Concordia Publishing House (800-325-3040, stock no. It means receiving God's free and gracious gifts of life and forgiveness offered in the Lord's Supper in true repentance produced by the work of the Spirit through God's Law and in true faith in Christ and His promises produced by God's Spirit through the Gospel). As I understand you can be regenerated through Baptism and also regenerated by believing in Jesus, without Baptism, and then later baptized. I was just wondering because of the obvious stark contrast to James 2:14-26. We see this in Ephesians, where Paul begins by praising God for His election (the purest of Gospel and only meant for our comfort; Eph. The earliest known printing of the text is in a Moravian hymnal, Etwas vom Liede Mosis, des Knechts Gottes, und dem Liede des Lammes, das ist: Alt- und neuer Brder-Gesang (London, 1753). It shows us that He truly is the Son of God, that His work of redemption is complete and sufficient, and that His words and His works are utterly divine and true. One of the key beliefs of Lutherans is that the body and soul are reunited after death and cremation is seen as a way of destroying the body. Are they asleep until the end of the world? 6:4; Col. 2:11-12; 1 Cor. ANSWER: Significantly, the Athanasian Creed, which summarizes the doctrine of the Trinity as confessed by the church through the ages, begins by stating: "And the catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in three persons and three persons in one God, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.". 25:41-46). You are probably aware it is the official practice of the LCMS to not extend an open invitation to the Lord's Supper to all who share our belief in the real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Sacrament. The Bible and the catechism have no restrictions. The Scriptures teach, of course, that there is only one Baptism (Eph. QUESTION: I understand many congregations are changing their Communion practice to include young children, and The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod is also in favor of communing children, so we have been informed by our pastor. That is to say the punishment of sin is separation from God. In heaven it will not be like in the beginning of our human history. But we do know God is all forgiving and that he died for all of our sins. You should consult with your doctor as to whether oats, corn, or rice might be acceptable. He is the same Christ, and when he gave us the Sacrament, as the Lutheran Confessions affirm, "he was speaking of his true, essential body, which he gave into death for us, and of his true, essential blood, which was poured out for us on the tree of the cross for the forgiveness of sins" (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration VII, 49). 91 views, 2 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Apostles Lutheran Church: Proclaim the Victory! It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and." The Synod itself adopted a resolution in 1971 that basically left up to individual congregations the decision as to what practice they may want to follow. What Do Lutherans Believe About Creation? As you also no doubt are fully aware, we teach that it is not the lack of Baptism that necessarily condemns, but it is the despising of this precious gift that endangers faith, for God Himself has instituted it and attached His promises to it. For Lutherans, heaven is a free gift from God, but no one deserves this gift, as everyone is a sinner. How does this relate to being saved by grace? This reverence has been expressed by Lutherans in various ways. ANSWER: In its report on The End Times: A Study of Eschatology and Millennialism, the Synod's Commission on Theology and Church Relations says regarding hell: "In both "body and soul" unbelievers will suffer eternal separation and condemnation in hell (Matt. Lutherans believe that whoever has faith in Jesus alone will receive salvation from the grace of God and will enter eternity in heaven instead of eternity in hell after death or at the second coming of Jesus. It should be noted that very early in Christian history methods other than immersion were used and allowed. (I guess this ties in to the whole Pietist problem.). Many Christians prefer the use of the common cup because of its symbolism as representative of the oneness of the body of Christ the church and because there is reason to believe Christ used this method of distribution. 3:27). 3:23; Rom. The earliest reference to the Descent is found in a document dating A.D. 359. Since such is the case with the former Worldwide Church of God, it would be necessary for one to be re-baptized. 4:3). There is no sin in heaven, because it is the place where the sinless God dwells. QUESTION: Recently many people have been reading the Left Behind series of books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. Nothing here would preclude someone bringing bread to the pastor that is gluten free. Why is word descended into hell not in the Nicene Creed? The chief consideration regarding such a practice is that the role of the pastor in the sacramental life of the church should not be displaced. In some cases the term "baptize" is synonymous with wash (Titus 3:5-6; see also Heb. We need to be merciful and forgiving to one another. And, there will be no limitations or degrees attached to the enjoyment of the happiness to be experienced, though there will be degrees of glory corresponding to differences of work and fidelity here on earth, producing praise to God but no envy (see 2 Cor. The faith of which Paul speaks, of course, is a living faith in Jesus Christ that produces, by God's Spirit, the good works that God wills be done in the Christian's life. As to the second point we might say: Whether individual Lutheran pastors have ever baptized stillborn children immediately upon their arrival, we do not know, and to our knowledge such practice has never been sanctioned by our church. It is impossible, therefore, for a confessing Christian to fall into this state unknowingly or unwillingly, and any confessing Christian who is sincerely concerned about the possibility of having committed this "sin" clearly has not committed it, because one of the necessary signs of being in this state of non-repentance and unbelief is having no real concern or remorse about being in this condition. ANSWER: The conceptual framework for the Left Behind series is the so-called "rapture," which is a central aspect of dispensational pre-millennial views of the end times. There is no indication that God has limited this blessed means of grace to individuals on the basis of age or levels of maturity. On Judgment Day, God will point to our good works not as the cause of our salvation but as the evidence of the faith through which we have been saved and which enabled us to do that which was well-pleasing in his sight. Paul expressly states here that when we receive the Lord's Supper we are "eating bread" and "drinking the cup" (wine), but he goes on to say those who eat this bread and drink this cup are also partaking of the true body and blood of Christ. Such views conflict with the Lutheran position on what the Scriptures and the Lutheran confessional writings teach concerning the coming of Christ and the end of the world. A most encouraging instance for the Holy Spirit's power to influence even unborn infants in a spiritual way is found in Luke 1:15, 41, 44, where it is stated that the unborn John the Baptist leaped for joy within his mother's womb when the unborn Jesus was brought into his presence by His mother Mary. A lot more good has happened to people who love God in Jesus than bad. Tertullian held that in the case of little children, baptism ought to be delayed until they know how to ask for salvation (On Baptism, ch. But consider this. Nor should it be sanctioned. Justification: Lutherans maintain that salvation comes to humans by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone; Roman Catholics believe . Where in the Bible does it say Christs body and blood are present at Communion? And on the other hand, we are unable on the basis of human reason to explain everything we may wish to know about this mystery. 18). During the first 2,000 years we know of no special means of grace for little children. Return to The Lord's Supper FAQs|Return to main menu. B.2.c. This faith is produced by the Holy Spirit, who convinces us through the Gospel that our sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus, who lived, died and rose again for us. 21-22; Ps. QUESTION: In our Bible study today, we discussed if there are degrees or levels in heaven and hell. Usage: Congregational use of FAQs does not require permission of The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod. Godly sorrow leads to life and salvation because it includes faith in Jesus Christ. 20:11-15 to be a figurative reference to Christ's reign here and now in the hearts and lives of believers, which will culminate in our reigning with Christ forever in heaven following his return on the last day. If a Christian knows he is saved by knowing that he has faith, should he bother with the question whether he is practicing Christ's teachings, given that faith alone is sufficient for salvation? In other words, there is nothing we can do to earn God's favour or to gain eternal life. In the Lutheran faith, both burial and cremation are acceptable ways to lay a body to rest. And, regardless of cremation or burial, "All who are in their graves will hear his [Jesus'] voice and come out" (John 5:28-29) for judgment on the last day. Although addressed to sponsors, the traditional liturgical language either in a statement to sponsors (in Lutheran Service Book, page 269) or a statement with a question asked of the sponsors (Lutheran Worship, page 200) prior to an infant Baptism is a sobering reminder that when a child is brought to Baptism his or her parents should understand that (in accordance with Jesus' own mandate in Matthew 28:19-20) Baptism is to be followed by ongoing instruction and nurture in the Christian faith (LSB 269). ANSWER: Let me first of all refer you to a couple of resources that set forth the position of the Synod on Election and objective or "universal" justification. Pastors and congregations of the Synod (regardless of the size or circumstances of the latter) are expected to honor and uphold the official position and practice of the Synod on "close[d] Communion," which includes the possibility and even necessity of communing non-LCMS individuals in special situations of pastoral care. QUESTION: What is the LCMS' position on women serving Communion in worship service to assist the pastor? The elders or altar guild may also return the consecrated bread and wine to specific containers for future sacramental use, or the elders and pastor can consume the remaining elements. My question then is, what do you see wrong with my reasoning? The Christian is not saved by KNOWING he has faith. QUESTION: Does The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod believe in the rapture? The doctrine of Election is summarized in the Synod's A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod. Would you explain "predestined" in Romans 8 and Ephesians 1? 6:4; Col. 2:11-12), makes us holy in God's sight (Eph. The souls of the damned do not become demons. This implies a twofold caution. To assist readers in their evaluation of the Left Behind series, we recommend they consult the 1989 report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations titled, The End Times: A Study of Eschatology and Millennialism. Second Corinthians 7:10 says that this kind of sorrow brings death. It went on to say that if the visitor believed these things also then they could commune at that church. ANSWER: Back in 1960, Dr. Martin H. Scharlemann of our St. Louis seminary wrote an excellent article on the Descent into Hell, and in particular on 1 Peter 3:18-20, the key text for the teaching. If parents request Baptism and do not openly refuse or reject this expectation, Lutherans have typically baptized their child or children. 10:14-17; Eph. Similarly, Dr. C.F.W. ANSWER: It would be good for you to talk to the pastor to determine just what he said and meant. 11) are also means of grace. Sad to say, the desire to sin may come back at times, for which we will have to repent again. The best way is to consume the remaining elements, since the Lord said, Take and eat Take and drink, and did not provide for anything that was left over. (Concordia Publishing House, 1960), LCMS theologian Otto Sohn raises the question, "What stand does our church take regarding the heathen who have never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and what is the individual's responsibility toward these people?" In the end, it is unbelief failure to trust in Jesus that will condemn us to hell. 14:13; Phil. It's a sinful world. 28:18-20) to baptize all nations irrespective of age. The Bible also reveals that people who knowingly and willfully reject the Gospel of Jesus will be more severely punished than those who never heard it (Luke 12:47, 48). What happens to people who have not heard the Gospel? The ELCA confesses the Triune God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Paul desires "to be with Christ," and adds that this is "far better" for him than to continue in the flesh (Phil. Yet You brought me out of the womb, You made me trust in You even at my mother's breast Psalm 22:9. 3:23). Then, being forgiven in Christ, we will be compelled by God's love to leave our sins and live as God wants us to live. The means of grace, including Baptism, are for the living only (Heb. 3.) 9:6; Matt. section VI The Universal and Finished Results of Christ's Work of Obedience). Because of this, we believe that Baptism is one of the miraculous means of grace (another is Gods Word as it is written or spoken), through which God creates and/or strengthens the gift of faith in a persons heart (see Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Gal. They believe in the resurrection of the dead, where the body and soul are reunited, and the importance of faith in determining . 1. ANSWER: The statements of the Creed read as follows: "At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies and will give an account of their own works. Here's from the ELCA website: ELCA Lutherans confess the New Testament proclamation of "the resurrection of the dead (The Nicene Creed), or "the resurrection of the body (The Apostles Creed). What happens to such people? QUESTION: On what should we base our assurance of salvation? He employed this mode of presence when he left the closed grave and came through closed doors, in the bread and wine in the Supper " [FC SD VII, 100; emphasis added]. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23) explicitly state that Jesus took BREAD, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, "Take, eat; this [i.e., this BREAD, which I have just blessed and broken and am now giving to you] is my body.". Consider this Word to be the answer to your next two questions: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph. Human beings have a unique position in the order of creation. Scripture also gives witness to God punishing the wicked (Proverbs) and punishing individuals and even whole nations for evil (Egyptians, Israel for their wickedness and idolatry, etc.). Since this practice was unknown in the New Testament or even the early Catholic church, it is speculative. 9:27). ANSWER: The question you have raised often arises in connection with the words spoken by Jesus in the context of the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:14 to be that the stubborn, persistent refusal to forgive others is evidence of a blinded and hardened heart which lacks a real understanding of and faith in God's forgiveness in Christ. ANSWER: The consent of one or both parents (or guardians) is required in Lutheran practice prior to baptizing an infant. 28:19) in all Christian churches. Since all these insights are Scriptural, they need to be affirmed and defended, as they have been throughout the history of the church. King David is not merely talking about the state death; he is speaking about the joys of heaven. QUESTION: Near the end of the Athanasian Creed, it says "that if you do good" you will be saved. Three thousand were baptized on Pentecost in Jerusalem, where no river exists and no mention is made of other large quantities of water that would or may have been used. While Scripture does not tell us whether Christs body and blood are still present in the bread and wine after Communion, we should still treat what remains with greatest reverence. But without the grace, help, and activity of the Holy Spirit man is not capable of making himself acceptable to God, of fearing God and believing in God with his whole heart, or of expelling inborn evil lusts from his heart. ", Augustine (354-430 AD) wrote in De Genesi Ad Literam, 10:39 declared, The custom of our mother Church in baptizing infants must not be counted needless, nor believed to be other than a tradition of the Apostles., Augustine further states: the whole Church which hastens to baptize infants, because it unhesitatingly believes that otherwise they cannot possibly be vivified in Christ., In 517 AD, 10 rules of discipline were framed for the Church in Spain. So as you can see, Christians commune not only as individuals, but also as persons who share the same confession of faith as formally confessed in the host church. Only the pastor? It is available from Concordia Publishing House by calling 800-325-3040 or by going to its website. The souls of the blessed dead do not become angels. A person may be restored to faith in the same way he or she came to faith in the first place by repenting of his or her sin and unbelief and trusting completely in the life, death and resurrection of Christ alone for forgiveness and salvation. You are encouraged to discuss this with your pastor. I have sins that I commit over and over again, not like I did before I was saved, but I still commit them. On the basis of these commands, the Christian church has baptized infants from the earliest days of its history. The Greek word in this text is paidia which means babes in arms. 53 views, 5 likes, 1 loves, 1 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from St. Paul Lutheran Church Grafton, Wisconsin: 2023 4-30 SPL Contemporary Worship And he says we all "partake" of the wine (the cup), even as we also partake of the true blood of Christ. QUESTION: My wife and I, who belonged to different denominations, wish to become more permanently and actively involved in one of the local LCMS congregations. Then given Romans 3 and 4, is this necessarily an attack on good works as being a means for salvation or is this an attack on professing to be one thing and actually being another? That happens to infants when baptized (Gal. Africa | Asia | Eurasia | Latin America | United States, Church Info Center: 888-843-5267 Staff Switchboard: 800-248-1930 Donor Care Line: 888-930-4438, 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7226. 1 Answer. Which is it? It is God's will and express command that a Christian should do good works, which the Holy Spirit works in him. However, in your Theses on Justification (1983) on this website it says plainly that believers have eternal assurance (paragraph 58). 51:5). QUESTION: What happens when we die? 28:19-20). 3:15). 1:3 also speaks of salvation by the work of the Holy Spirit. QUESTION: In the Apostles' Creed, it says, Christ was " crucified, died and was buried. Because of such conscientious care in such instances, the Baptism of a child often provides a wonderful occasion for restoring an inactive Christian family to the life of faith or even to bring the Good News of Jesus and His salvation to a family. You do not have to give me the prooftexts since I have known them and have studied them and have ready many articles and the catechism both from Lutherans and others. My first thought is that one cannot. 11:26, Paul says: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.". ANSWER: The LCMS believes Scripture teaches the Lord's Supper is a precious gift of God in which Christ gives us His true body and blood (in a miraculous way), together with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith.

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