Homosexuality and the Bible

RESPONSE TO MEL WHITE

This is written partially in response to Mel White’s “What the Bible Says – And Doesn’t Say – About Homosexuality”. Mel White was a ghost-writer for a number of big-wig Christian evangelists. He had problems with same-sex attraction, and after years of failed attempts to “exterminate his homosexuality” he accepted that he will always be a homosexual and that sexual identity is acceptable in God’s eyes. He has since gone on to organize and lead openly homosexual churches.

Mel White begins his paper by stating his credentials. He says that he has more than 50 years of experience in reading, studying, memorizing, preaching, and teaching from the sacred texts. He’s got a master’s and doctoral degrees from a conservative biblical seminary. He’s learned Hebrew and Greek for working with the original texts of the Bible. One wonders how he can miss the obvious context surrounding some of the passages that he interprets incorrectly.

He has not arrived at the conviction that homosexuality is okay by studying the Bible. He has decided that since he has the feelings and desires of a homosexual man – those feelings and desires, in part at least, define him as a person. But he was a Christian first, and has no desire to abandon that part of himself. So he has decided to twist and re-interpret the Bible to fit his feelings, desires and actions.

White therefore attempts to explain away Bible testimony. He does this in numerous of ways. Here are a few of the ways White attempts to explain away the passages condemning homosexual practice.

· The Bible’s prohibitions against homosexual activity are outdated “holiness rules” that apply only to other people (like Old Testament priests), and not to regular people.

· God’s judgment on homosexual people was actually because of OTHER sins they committed, not because of their sexual actions.

· Mysterious customs from the ancient world underlie the actual words of the Bible passages concerning homosexual activity. These customs make it possible to re-interpret passages in a way that points the guilt away from homosexual activity.

But some of the passages are so clear that he cannot explain them away. White reveals the true origin of his conclusions by saying that the Holy Spirit sometimes speaks through modern science and personal experience to show us which things from the Old Testament are outdated and no longer applicable to us. He states,

“There is a growing body of evidence from science, psychology, history, psychiatry, medicine, and personal experience that leads to a clear verdict: Homosexuality is neither a sickness nor a sin. Unfortunately, the church has always been slow, if not the last institution on earth , to accept new truth” (“What the Bible Says – and Doesn’t Say – about Homosexuality”, Mel White).

Mel White says that the sinful world has known the truth for years and years, but this truth from God has remained a mystery to most of God’s people.

So, is Mel White right? Has the church just got it wrong all this time? What does the Bible really say when allowed to speak for itself? Let’s find out.

GOD SPEAKS ABOUT SEXUALITY

When God speaks about sexual relationships acceptable to Him, he doesn’t ever talk about men with men and women with women. If homosexuality is really acceptable to God, this is puzzling, because He certainly speaks about sexuality between men and women.

“1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. 2But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
8Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. 9But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1 Cor. 7:1-9 NIV).

In the Greek the word “aner” is used both for “man” and husband “husband”. Like a woman might say today, “He’s my man”. The word “gunae” is used both for “woman” and “wife”.

While the Bible is not primarily about human sexuality, God does speak about human sexuality in the Bible. He talks about misuses of sex like adultery, fornication and bestiality. He talks about temptation to sexual sin and how having a spouse helps to avoid sexual sin. Sex is rightfully enjoyed only in the marriage bed. It is God’s MARRIAGE gift.

“4Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” (Hebrews 13:4 NIV).

God also speaks directly about homosexual relations.

Genesis 19:1-14 (NKJV) Sodom and Gomorrah

1Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. 2And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.”
And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.”
3But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
4Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. 5And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.”
6So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, 7and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! 8See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.”
9And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. 10But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.
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Mel White declares that the sin which brought judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah was primarily a greedy, selfish and uncaring attitude toward others. He bases this on the following passage from Ezekiel.

“48“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. 49Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy (Ezekiel 16:48-49 NKJV).

Certainly this passage speaks of the people of Sodom as selfish. But that wasn’t their only sin. White ignores Jude 1:7 which says,

“7In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7 NIV).

He also fails to mention 2 Peter 2 which says,

“4For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)—9then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord” (2 Peter 2:4-10 NKJV).

Amazingly, White attempts to redefine “sodomy” as “selfishness”. Look up “sodomy” in a dictionary and see what it has meant in language after language ever since the actual city of Sodom was destroyed. The term “sodomy” does not refer to “selfishness” but primarily to anal sexual intercourse between men.

Lastly, look at the passage which comes directly after the passage White quotes. It has a very important word in it.

“50And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit” (Ezekiel 16:50 NKJV).

This is the same Hebrew word that is found in the next two references. White speaks some about this word saying that homosexual activity was an “abomination” to the Jews, but that’s not who is talking here. This is God speaking. What the men of Sodom did was an abomination to God.

This brings up the question, what does White believe about the Bible? He says that he takes it seriously, but what I’d like to know is, does he believe that it is God’s Word, authored by the Holy Spirit and written down by man? Does he believe that it is inerrant and inspired? Or does he believe that it is man’s word, containing pious, but human opinion that may change and evolve?

Leviticus 18:22 (NKJV) God’s Moral Law

22You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.

Leviticus 20:13 (NKJV)

13If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.

White wants to say that these passages are part of a “holiness covenant” applicable only to Old Testament priests. First of all, back up and read the full chapter. Verses 1-5 tell us that this chapter is a message from God for the people of Israel, not just for the priests.

“1Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. 3According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. 4You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God. 5You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 18:1-5 NKJV).

White draws attention to the fact that not all laws in the Old Testament are still in effect. This is true. God chose the Israelite people to be His special people. The Messiah would be born from their nation. He gave them three types of Law to follow. Moral Law, which stands for all people for all time. Ceremonial Law, which was how God wanted Israel to worship Him. Civic Law, which was God’s laws for Israel, that, though chosen by Him, was made up of believers and non-believers, wicked and righteous people.

The New Testament tells us which Laws are still in effect for us – those which fall into the category of Moral Law. We don’t have to follow all the Jewish worship laws. Nor are we obligated to follow the Civic Laws meant specifically for Israel.

“13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:13-17 NIV).

Secondly, look at the stuff around the verse about homosexuality.

“20Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her. 21And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 22You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. 23Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion” (Lev 18:20-23 NIV).

If these were merely “holiness covenant” than it stands to reason that it would be alright for non-priests to have sex with their neighbor’s wives, sacrifice their children to Molech, and mate themselves with animals.

Also, there weren’t any female priests in ancient Israel, yet the end of verse 23 speaks directly to females. Clearly, White is wrong in teaching that this is a holiness covenant meant only for Old Testament priests.

Furthermore, God explains that these things were not just wicked if Israelites did them, they were wicked if any people did them.

“24“‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. 25Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. 26But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the aliens living among you must not do any of these detestable things, 27for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. 28And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you” (Lev 18:24-28 NIV).

Romans 1:26-27 Men with Men, Women with Women

26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. (Romans 1:26-27 NIV)

All you have to do is read the actual words of the Bible here. Mel White doesn’t really address them. He relies completely on importing meaning into the text. He claims that this section refers to people who made sex their God in pagan temples, and that’s why their actions were bad. But the sentences above are clear enough. Lust and indecent acts - men with men, women with women.

At the end of White’s interpretation of these passages in Romans, white says,

“Even after he describes the disturbing practices he has seen, Paul warns us that judging others is God’s business, not ours”

Truly, God doesn’t want us to judge with outward and shallow perception. But to say that God rules out all judging done by man is just ridiculous.

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24 NKJV)

Is it sinfully judging a person to say, “Your having sex with your father’s wife. That’s not right in God’s eyes”?

Is it sinfully judging a person to say, “You’re blaspheming God with your words. That’s not right in God’s eyes”?

Yes this is judgment. But not sinful judgment. And really, not judgment that originates with Christians either. When we hold up God’s Word and judge human lives according to it, God is pronouncing the judgment. Right judgment is made by God’s standard, not by man’s. We are COMMANDED by God to judge those among us who claim to follow Christ, but live opposed to what His Word says.

“9I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
12For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”” (1 Cor. 5:9-13 NKJV).

“18Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. 20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.” (1 Timothy 1:18-20 NIV).

White says science and experience prove that same sex sexual relations are quite natural. White’s statement here is really, “Man knows better than God.”

The problem is, we live in a broken world. Our natural inclination isn’t necessarily right. Sinners are drawn to all sorts of emotions, desires and behaviors that are not right. Lies, gossip, stealing, hating, lusting – you name it!

Sinners like me and you are naturally inclined to sins – but that doesn’t make them right. We’re naturally inclined to these because we’ve been born in the image of Adam – Sinful. Not knowing God’s will perfectly any longer. We need to look to the Bible for guidance. We walk unstable ground when we allow our feelings and experiences to define what is right instead of relying on God’s Word.

1 Corinthians 6:9 (NIV) Mysterious Words?

9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
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White claims that the two words underlined above are mysterious words which have been assigned the meaning “homosexual” but really nobody knows for sure what they mean. Really?

The first word is translated “male prostitutes” in the NIV. This word is used to refer both to things and people. When used of things it means, “soft”. For example, it is used in Luke 7:25 by Jesus.

“25But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts” (Luke 7:25 NKJV).

But this adjective is also used of people. What does it mean to be a “soft” person? Well, look at the context first of all. It’s a sinful thing, whatever it is. And it comes sandwiched between terms for sexual sin: sexual immorality, adultery and homosexual acts.

It is true that sometimes a word is difficult to define because it is seldom used in ancient literature. However, the most trustworthy lexicon of Koine Greek has the following entry for this word,

“Soft. 1) of things: clothes 2) of pers. Soft, effeminate, esp. of catamites, men and boys who allow themselves to be misused homosexually” (“malakos” entry in “A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature” Bauer, Gingrich and Danker)

Other lexicons support this definition. It’s also important to remember here that many if not most of the men and women who specialize in Biblical languages are NOT Christians. The study of Bible languages is a job for them, not a conviction. They come to these definitions primarily on the basis of researching words and uses of words in the literature of the period in which it was written and surrounding periods.

White admits the above meaning, but points only to the sexual abuse of children as being the sin – minimizing the fact that this word refers to same sex relations.

The second word which is translated “homosexual offenders” is even clearer. It is a word made by sandwiching two words together. One meaning “male” and one meaning “bed”. The lexicon entry here is,

“a male who practices homosexuality, pederast, sodomite” (“arsenokoitai” entry in “A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature” Bauer, Gingrich and Danker)

Both roles in a homosexual act are spoken of here, both the receiver and the giver.

BUT HOW CAN LOVE BE WRONG?

Love is not wrong. Sex outside of marriage is.

Love is not wrong. Sexual thoughts outside of marriage are.

Love for a person of your same sex is not wrong. Same gender sex acts are.

Christ came to set us free from sin by suffering our punishment for sin on the cross and dying in our place. Faith in Christ means freedom from the fear that God is going to punish us when we fail to keep His Moral Law. Christ means freedom from guilt when we fail to keep His Law. Christ mean freedom FROM sins which enslave and control us, not freedom TO sin.

By faith in Jesus we are placed above the Law. Christ took suffered our punishment on the cross. Our sentence for sin has already been served. But that doesn’t mean we lie and steal and murder and rape and gossip etc. No way! We walk in step with the Holy Spirit – walking according to God’s Moral Law.

Does this mean that we won’t have sexual feelings for inappropriate people? No. We still have Original Sin, the inner traitor, living inside us. He causes all sorts of sinful thoughts and emotions to come from inside. But we also have the New Man inside, created by the Holy Spirit and still assisted by God the Spirit. The New Man fights against the Old Man.

Maybe you believe that you were born a homosexual. That’s fine. Maybe you were. But that doesn’t change God’s Moral Law as expressed in His Word. I was born a sinner. If you knew the things that my mind thinks sometimes you’d be disgusted. Violent things. Perverted things. Petty things. Lustful things. Utterly selfish things. God’s Word tells me these things are not right, even though they come naturally to me, and are sometimes accompanied with intense emotions.

There is help. But there is no “solution” for same sex attraction apart from continued repentance and prayer to God. Continued looking to Jesus for forgiveness and asking God’s Spirit for help. Help to cleanse your thoughts of sexual sin. Help to not put yourself in positions of sexual temptation. Help to align your life according to Jesus’ will and the Holy Spirit’s guiding with His Word.

Can a homosexual be a Christian? Yes. Just as a sinner can be a Christian. But no unrepentant sinner will ever enter heaven. You can’t be cleansed of the sin you clutch in your hand and refuse to let go of. If a homosexual continues to refuse to acknowledge homosexual thoughts and actions are sin, than they have chosen sin over the Savior and God and His Word have no place in their life.

“5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives” (1 John 1:5-10 NIV).

Caleb Schaller
Pastor, Redemption Lutheran
Lynnwood, WA

Were Adam and Eve Real People?

The Bible states clearly, without a doubt, that Adam and Eve were real people. They were not fictional characters like the tortoise and the hare, merely meant to teach a moral lesson. Adam and Eve were the first two human beings. God formed Adam from dirt. A short time later, God formed Eve using part of Adam (a rib). This is all found in Genesis 2.

How can we know for sure? If we believe the Bible is actually God’s testimony written through men but truly authored by God, all we need to do is look to the rest of Scripture. Does the Bible treat Genesis like a parable, or like history?

The History of the Bible is Seamless.

Genesis is primarily a book of historical narrative. It tells how God created the universe. Then how God created Adam and Eve. Then about their children, Cain and Able. Then about their descendants (not all of them) like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the nation of Israel, Joshua, Samson, David, Solomon, etc. The history is seamless. That is, there is no distinction which closes off Adam and Eve from the rest of these people. If the later people in this list are real, than so are Adam and Eve. At least, that’s what the Bible’s seamless historical narrative asserts.

Biblical Writers Treat Ancient Bible History as Fact, Not Fiction.

Look up Adam or Eve in a concordance. Nowhere in the Bible are Adam and Eve treated like fictional characters. Always they are actual people who did real things in a real world. Not figurative, but historical.

From Genesis…

“1This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. 2He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. 3And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters. 5So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.
6Seth lived one hundred and five years, and begot Enosh. 7After he begot Enosh, Seth lived eight hundred and seven years, and had sons and daughters. 8So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died.
9Enosh lived ninety years, and begot Cainan.” (Genesis 5:1-9 NKJV).

From Deuteronomy…

“8 When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations,
When He separated the sons of Adam,
He set the boundaries of the peoples
According to the number of the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:8 NKJV).

From Job…

“33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,” (Job 31:33 NKJV).

From Second Corinthians…

“3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3 NIV).

From First Timothy…

“13For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:13 NKJV).

From Jude…

“14Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming” (Jude 1:14 NIV).

Genealogies Include Adam As the First Man.

A genealogies in First Chronicles 1 and in Luke 1 include Adam as the first man. The genealogy in Chronicles connects Adam to Abraham and the Jewish people. The genealogy in Luke 1 connects Jesus to Adam. If Jesus was real, so was Adam. At least, that’s what Luke’s genealogy asserts.

We might also add the genealogy in Matthew 1 to this list. It connects Jesus to Abraham, but goes no further. That’s where a Jew would turn to First Chronicles to complete the genealogy to Adam. The main point in Matthew is establishing that Christ was a descendant of Abraham through David’s line, since the prophecies concerning the Christ said this would be true of Him.

Jesus Believed That Adam and Eve Were Real People.

When asked about marriage He responded by referring to the first marriage, that of Adam and Eve.

From Matthew…

“3Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”
4“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ ? 6So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate”” (Matthew 19:3-6 NIV).

If Genesis is not literal history, there would be no basis to point to it as the foundation for what marriage is and how it should be treated. Jesus, however, clearly believed Genesis to be literal history.

A Gospel That Has Meaning Requires a Literal Adam and Eve.

“21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22 NKJV).

“12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned… death reigned from Adam to Moses,” (Romans 5:12 NKJV).

According to the Bible death was not part of the world until Adam sinned. According to the Bible Adam’s sin is the reason the Savior was needed! If Adam and Eve are not real, but only figurative characters, where DID death come from? Why the big fuss about sins? If the Genesis account is not to be trusted, what is the real history, and why did God lie about creating a perfect world? God did not lie. According to the Bible, which is God’s eye-witness account preserved by His omnipotent hand, Adam and Eve WERE real people. It was their sin that infected the human race and made the coming of the Savior necessary. In Jesus we have forgiveness for the Originial Sin that we receive from our parents, and for the Actual Sins that we have committed.

Those who suggest Adam and Eve were not real people do not bring their suggestion as the fruit of Bible study, but from some other source.

The Largest Lutheran Church, Sep 13, 2009

From the official ELCA Website:

“The Eleventh Biennial Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was held Aug. 17-23, 2009 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,300 people participated, including 1,045 voting members. The theme was ‘God's work. Our hands.’

Resolution 1: Adopted by a vote of 619-402: ‘Resolved, that the ELCA commit itself to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly accountable lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships.’

Resolution 2: Adopted by a vote of 559-451: ‘Resolved, that the ELCA commit itself to finding a way for people in such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders of this church’” (http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Office-of-the-Secretary/ELCA-Governance/Churchwide-Assembly/Actions/Voting.aspx).

As Lutherans we should note carefully what the ELCA teaches in it’s seminaries and churches. People are likely to associate our church with this synod (more or less) simply because of our common name “Lutheran”. When you become familiar with the range and depth of false teaching tolerated in the ELCA this becomes frightening.

The Following notes are from former ILC Professor David Lau’s comparative religions course. The ELCA seminary textbook often referenced is volume two of “Christian Dogmatics” by Braaten and Jenson. I believe that these references can also be found in the book "What's Going On among the Lutherans?" by Patsy A. Leppien.

Lutheran Divisions Begin Early:

After Luther's death there was a long period of bitter quarreling among his followers. They could not agree among themselves on what the Bible taught or what Luther taught. This quarreling among the Lutherans permitted other groups to gain ground: the Roman Catholics, the Calvinists, and the Anabaptists. Sad to say, one of the chief causes for the quarreling was that Philip Melanchthon, Luther's good friend, did not remain altogether faithful in his teaching. Melanchthon allowed false teaching in the doctrines of conversion and the Lord's Supper, and this led to serious problems.

Finally in 1577 the Formula of Concord was written by Martin Chemnitz (the second Martin) and Jacob Andreae and others as a confession of true Bible teaching on the matters that had been argued about by the Lutherans. Loyal Lutherans were able to unite on the Formula of Concord as a faithful summary of Bible teaching, as Luther had taught it. Those Lutherans that truly accept the Formula of Concord can be called orthodox Lutherans or confessional Lutherans.

Although Luther himself taught the difference between church and government, the Lutheran churches in Germany and Norway and Denmark and Sweden became churches that were supported and partly controlled by the government. This worked out all right as long as the rulers themselves were orthodox Lutherans. But in the long run the close bond between church and state proved to be a negative factor that hurt the cause of Lutheranism in Europe.

Today these European countries list millions of persons calling themselves Lutherans, but only a very small percentage actually participate in worship or actively confess their faith. There are also some Lutheran free churches in Europe, but these too are no longer faithful to the teachings of the Bible.

What went wrong between 1577 and 1999? At first the teaching was orthodox and confessional, but not enough emphasis was placed on living the Christian life and practicing Christian discipline (admonition, excommunication).

Then, in an effort to improve the Christian life, there arose the Lutheran pietists, who were something like the Methodists in England in their emphasis on holy living. The pietists believed that the teaching of true doctrine was relatively unimportant. What counted was deeds, not creeds. Unfortunately the pietists made rules for holy living that went beyond the Bible. For example, playing cards was considered sinful by the pietists.

The pietists were followed by the rationalists who were especially strong in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The rationalists were willing to accept only those Bible teachings that agreed with their reason. But when you omit the miracles from Scripture, there is very little left.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s there was a resurgence of confessional Lutheranism in Europe and America, but at this time in history (2003) there is very little confessional Lutheranism alive anywhere in the world. The following basic Bible teachings are being denied in full or in part by the vast majority of Lutherans in the world today:

1. The six-day creation of the world;
2. The verbal inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible;
3. Justification by faith in Christ without the deeds of the law;
4. The real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper;
5. The doctrine of original sin and total depravity;
6. Man's inability to cooperate in his own conversion;
7. God's command to avoid all supporters of false teaching.

According to a Barna Group poll (Modern Reformation, May-June 2002) only 21% of Lutherans nationwide agree that people do not earn their way to heaven by their good works. Only 33% of Lutherans believe that Jesus was without sin.
What we teach at Immanuel Lutheran College in Eau Claire on the basis of the Bible and in agreement with our Lutheran confessions is not taught by many Lutherans in the world today.

Lesson 35

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Lutherans began to come to America as early as 1624. They settled in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York at first, later in Georgia and South Carolina and the upper midwest: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota. Some of the Lutheran settlers were confessional Lutherans, but most of them were greatly influenced by pietism and rationalism. One of the early leaders was Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, who organized some of the early Lutherans into a church body.

There have been many different Lutheran church bodies in America through the years: General Synod, Tennessee Synod, Ohio Synod, General Council, Iowa Synod, Norwegian Synod, Augustana Synod, American Lutheran Church. But today the majority of Lutherans are found in one very large church body known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which began its existence in 1988. The membership of the ELCA is 5,038,006, with 17,706 clergy. Most of the large Lutheran congregations in Eau Claire are members of the ELCA: First Lutheran, Grace Lutheran, Trinity Lutheran, St. John's Lutheran, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Immanuel Lutheran, Hope Lutheran, Our Savior's Lutheran. In Canada the largest Lutheran church body is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), which has 199,236 members, with 866 clergy. This church body also tolerates all kinds of false teaching and ungodly behavior.

The ELCA claims that it is a Lutheran church and that it honors the Lutheran confessions. But what is actually taught and practiced by these churches is not confessional Lutheranism. Several recent books supply the evidence that the ELCA is a grossly false-teaching church body. The information printed in the following paragraphs is taken mainly from two books: What's Going On Among the Lutherans? (1992) and WELS and Other Lutherans (1995).

The Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture:

The Bible itself teaches that all Scripture has been breathed out by God and is therefore inspired. Since all of Scripture is God's Word, it is clear that all of it is true. There are no errors or contradictions in the Bible. We therefore confess that the Bible is God's Word; to say merely that the Bible contains God's Word is insufficient.

The dominant position in the ELCA is that there are human errors and contradictions in the Bible. We may call the Bible "inspired" but we may also call the traditions of the church "inspired" or the testimony of Christians today "inspired." When the ELCA was organized, its founders very carefully and deliberately left out any reference to the Bible as the "inerrant" Word of God. None of its seminary teachers or leaders proclaim that the Bible is truth in everything that it says. This, of course, influences everything else that the ELCA does. When a doctrinal controversy arises, the ELCA has no final court of appeal, that is, no inerrant Bible from which to draw its teachings and practices.

An ELCA textbook indicates what is being taught in ELCA schools: "Today it is impossible to assume the historicity of the things recorded. What the biblical authors report is not accepted as a literal transcript of the factual course of events. Therefore, critical scholars inquire behind the text and attempt to reconstruct the real history that took place."

Creation:

The Bible teaches that God created all things, including man, in six ordinary days. Therefore to say that man evolved from lower forms of life is plainly contrary to Scripture. It is also clear from Scripture that Adam and Eve were real persons, and that their fall into sin took place just as Genesis describes it.
Most ELCA teachers, however, consider the story of creation in Genesis to be a myth. That is, it is a nice story to try to explain how we got here, but, of course, it did not really happen. The ELCA tolerates and even promotes the concept of theistic evolution: that is, that God created things by means of evolution. Adam and Eve are presented as symbols of humanity, not real people. Other stories in the Bible, such as the stories of Noah, Jonah, and Job are also myths intended to teach some moral lesson. Of course, they are not factual.

The Five Books of Moses:

Jesus Himself taught that the first five books of the Bible were written by Moses.
The ELCA, however, is dominated by teachers who believe that the first five books of the Bible were written centuries after Moses died. They follow the so-called historical-critical approach, which claims that the first five books of the Bible and later books as well were derived from various sources commonly identified as J, E, D, and P.

The Words of Jesus:

As disciples of Christ, we of course believe that Jesus actually said all the statements attributed to Him in the New Testament. He Himself said that He would give the Holy Spirit to His apostles to remind them of the things He had said to them, so that we might know them and come to faith in Christ through these words.
Many teachers in the ELCA, however, take the position that most of the statements attributed to Jesus in the Gospels were not actually spoken by Him but were added to the Bible by early Christians in their desire to honor their Lord. Of course, this means in plain English that they were liars. Perhaps you have heard of the "Jesus Seminar." This is a group of scholars who are putting out a book of five Gospels (including a Gospel of Thomas with the usual four) that claim to separate the real teachings of Jesus from the teachings that are found in the Gospels. These scholars have concluded, for example, that the only word of the Lord's Prayer that Jesus actually said was the word "Father." The ELCA also is represented among the scholars of the "Jesus Seminar."

The Virgin Birth of Christ:

The Bible teaches clearly that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, and that therefore He did not have a biological father on this earth.

The ELCA, however, tolerates the view that Jesus was not born of a virgin, but that later Christians ascribed His birth to a virgin in order to honor His name. The real facts in the story are that Joseph may have been His father, or perhaps a Roman soldier was His father. The ELCA textbook says about the virgin birth: "It is important not to get bogged down in biology, but to read it as a symbol witnessing the truth of the kerygma."

The Deity of Christ:

The Bible teaches clearly in many places that Jesus is God, even as we confess in the Nicene Creed.

Many in the ELCA, however, are willing to concede that the doctrine of Jesus' deity is not taught in the Bible but that it was a doctrine developed by the early Christians in order to honor Jesus. On this point the ELCA textbook says: "The notion of the preexistent Son of God becoming a human being in the womb of a virgin and then returning to his heavenly home is bound up with the mythological picture of the world that clashes with our modern scientific world view." And again the textbook says: "The preexistence of Christ is an integral part of the myth of the incarnation." We have to realize that when ELCA theologians talk about Jesus being God, they do not really mean that Jesus was and is true God from all eternity. They mean only that He is given the name of God in order to honor Him as someone special.

The Atonement:

We believe, as the Bible teaches, that God punished Jesus on the cross in our place. Jesus died for our sins as our Substitute. God forgives us our sins for Christ's sake, that is, because Jesus died in our place. Jesus was our Substitute also in His life, keeping the law of God and being perfectly obedient throughout His life.
Many ELCA theologians, however, teach only that Jesus died for us as a man might die for his friends. They do not want to think that God would be so "unjust" as to punish Jesus for our sins. One ELCA theologian taught in an ELCA textbook: "Jesus came and died because God is merciful, not to make God merciful. We killed him because he forgave sins, not to make forgiveness possible."

The Resurrection:

The tomb was empty on Sunday morning, because Jesus rose physically from the dead and showed Himself alive to His disciples. Our bodies also will rise from the dead on the Last Day.

Some ELCA teachers, however, present Jesus' resurrection as a spiritual resurrection, not as a physical resurrection. Whether the tomb was empty or not is no concern to them. They would maintain that we can believe in Jesus' resurrection even if His body remains in its tomb. One graduate from an ELCA seminary claims that when he graduated from the seminary, he did not believe in Jesus' physical resurrection, nor did most of his classmates, nor did any of his teachers. The Bible, however, teaches us that if we deny Jesus' resurrection from the dead, we are not Christians at all.

The New Morality:

The Bible clearly teaches that fornication is a sin. This includes extramarital and premarital sexual intercourse. Homosexuality is condemned in Scripture, both the lust for it and the act itself. There is forgiveness for the penitent adulterer and the penitent homosexual. The Holy Spirit gives power to the repentant Christian to amend his sinful life and change his ways.

The ELCA, however, tolerates the view that extramarital and premarital sexual relations are not always sinful, and that homosexuality is an alternate lifestyle. Many ELCA leaders are even willing to accept the idea of homosexual pastors, that is, pastors who openly promote homosexuality and practice it in their lives. An ELCA study document says: "No (Bible) passage specifically addresses the question facing the church today: the morality of a just, loving, committed relationship between persons of the same sex."

One ELCA statement declares: “This church recognizes that there can be sound reasons for ending a pregnancy through induced abortion.” Among such reasons they lists threats to the physical life of the mother, cases of rape or incest, and the likelihood of fetal abnormalities.

Another ELCA statement says: “We question whether the death penalty can be administered justly. … We oppose the death penalty.”

The Way to Heaven:

The Bible clearly teaches that there is only one way to be saved. Jesus is the Way; no one goes to the Father except through Him. He is the only Savior for all mankind. Those who die without faith in Him are lost eternally.
The ELCA, however, tolerates the increasingly popular view that sincere followers of non-Christian religions may also get to heaven. In fact, universalism is very popular today: namely, the view that eventually all will go to heaven, and that there is no eternal hell.

Other Doctrines and Practices:

The ELCA calls itself Lutheran, but the above paragraphs give evidence that the ELCA is not confessionally Lutheran, by any means. The ELCA practices fellowship with many non-Lutherans. Joint services with Roman Catholic churches are not uncommon. Almost all ELCA churches practice open communion; that is, the Lord's Supper is given to anyone who happens to be present at a service. The practice of infant communion is gaining headway. The practice of woman suffrage is probably universal in the ELCA; the ELCA makes no distinction between men and women in their calling of pastors and teachers.

At its 1997 convention the ELCA adopted a formula of agreement with the following non-Lutheran church bodies: The Presbyterian Church (USA); the Reformed Church in America; the United Church of Christ. This agreement means that all of these church bodies consider themselves in full communion with one another. This agreement ignores or makes light of the historical doctrinal differences between Lutherans and other Protestants. These doctrinal differences have not been resolved on the basis of Scripture. Rather, they have been ignored. But in fact these churches are in basic agreement that the Bible is not the Word of God, and therefore they can be sure of no doctrine, nor do they really have a doctrinal position anymore.

In August of 1999 the ELCA approved full communion with the Episcopalian Church. The agreement makes provision for all ELCA pastors in the future to be ordained by a bishop in the “historic episcopate.” This agreement makes necessary something that is certainly not commanded in Scripture as being necessary: namely, ordination by a bishop who has in turn been ordained by someone who can trace his ordination back to the apostles. At the same time the ELCA likewise approved full communion with the Moravian Church in America.

On October 31, 1999 representatives of the ELCA were on hand in Augsburg, Germany to sign a document together with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church. The document declares that Lutherans and Catholics are basically agreed on the doctrine of justification by faith. This agreement is made possible by the fact that certain words such as “grace” and “justification” are not clearly defined. The Roman Catholic representatives said that there is nothing in the document that differs from the decisions of the Council of Trent. Since the Council of Trent plainly cursed the teaching of justification by faith alone, without the deeds of the law, it is clear that this agreement does not at all resolve any doctrinal differences. Nevertheless, the leaders in the ELCA hail the agreement as a historic resolution of the conflict between Lutherans and the Roman Catholic Church. What it really indicates is that the ELCA and its sister congregations in the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) are no longer confessional Lutheran church bodies. (Confer the last section in these pages, entitled “Associations of Church Bodies.”)

Some congregations in the ELCA are protesting against various actions of the ELCA, chiefly the agreement with the Episcopal Church that brings the ELCA into conformity with the so-called apostolic succession. At least 63 congregations have formed a group called Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). Congregations who affiliate with the LCMC may at the same time be members of the ELCA or some other Lutheran church body. A look at the LCMC constitution indicates that the LCMC is not opposed to women pastors.

Why did the posts stop?

Greetings in Christ,

Our Bible Class has moved into a study of Paul's letter to the Galatian Christians. This particular study is hands on and interactive instead of "handout" based where the pastor does the study and communicates it to the group. The hope is to familiarize everyone with the message contained in Galatians while also getting some experience with various methods and tools for studying the Bible. This type of study doesn't really lend itself to blogs. Though I'll summarize our study of chapter 1 and get in out by next Sunday. Currently we're a study or two away from finishing chapter 2. Please join us if you can - Bible Class starts at 10am in the downstairs fellowship room of Redemption Church.

God bless your own meditation in His Word.

In His service,
-Pastor Caleb Schaller

"Sola Scriptura" Scripture Alone - Nov 2, 2008

W HAT IT MEANS TO BE LUTHERAN

There are so many churches in our day; sorting them all out can be quite confusing! There are also different kinds of "Lutherans” because the term means different things to different people.

What "Lutheran" originally meant -- and what it still means here at Redemption -- can be summed up with three basic ideas about how we gain eternal life:

Grace Alone

Because we are sinners we do not deserve God’s love. Instead we deserve punishment and separation from God and His goodness, forever. But, in an unprecedented act of grace, God showered his love on undeserving sinners. God the Father sent God the Son to suffer the full punishment for our sins, and to die in our place. Heaven's doors are open to us, not because of what we do for God, but because of what He has done for us through Jesus. Sinners are saved by God’s undeserved love—by grace alone.

Faith Alone

Jesus has suffered the full punishment for all people’s sins. But this doesn’t mean that all people will end up in heaven. The gift of salvation is free, and each individual sinner receives it through faith. Faith isn’t just acknowledging that God exists. Faith isn’t trying to follow a bunch of rules and commandments. Faith means trust. Christian faith means having a heart which trusts that God kept His promise to send a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus.

Scripture Alone

The only reliable way to find out what God says is through the Bible. The Bible was written by men, but authored by God. Human ideas change. Logical conclusions can be wrong. Traditions can become outdated and unprofitable. Only the testimony of the eternal and all-knowing God is completely reliable. “Scripture alone” means that the Bible stands as the foundation for our thinking in every area.

SOLA SCRIPTURA?

Some Christians take the idea of “Scripture Alone” for granted. They assume that all people claiming to be Christians will want to put God’s word above everything else. But this is not the case. Many professing Christians elevate self above God’s Word. Some elevate personal experience above God’s Word. Others elevate loved ones above God’s Word.

Consider how people choose which church they will belong to. Do people choose a church based on how faithful it is to God’s Word, or for some other reason? Perhaps it’s close to where they live, has a preschool program or their family has always gone there.

Since Scripture alone is the only reliable way to find out what God says, your church aught to be the one that teaches what the Scripture plainly says.

But how can the average person know for sure? Can’t the Scriptures be interpreted differently by each person? Is the average person really qualified to say that their interpretation of Scripture is the right interpretation?

The Reformation principle of “Sola Scriptura” says that yes, the average person can know for sure what God says – through the Bible.

Though there are many human interpretations, there is but ONE meaning intended by God. The Holy Spirit teaches us what He means when we allow the Bible to interpret itself (Or, to say it another way, the Holy Spirit explains what one part of His Word means when we read other parts of His Word). None of us are qualified to JUDGE the Word of God, but the Holy Spirit certainly does reveal His meaning when people study it.

In essence, “Sola Scriptura” says that the Scripture doesn’t need help from man. It is all-sufficient because it is the Holy Spirit inspired, preserved and explained Word of God.

TWO DITCHES ALONG THE ROAD OF SCRIPTURE

When we ask the question, “How can I really know what God says” two great dangers appear. We might think that someone else needs to tell us what God says. Someone smarter than we are. Someone we can listen to and then go along with. Or, we might think that only the “voice from inside us” can lead us to the truth about what God really says. If we just listen to the voice inside of us we’ll know what God is telling us. In reality, Scripture is the ONLY reliable voice which can tell us what God wants us to know.

At the time of Martin Luther this truth was almost completely forgotten. Through the Lutheran Reformation God caused His Word to be elevated back to it’s place of prominence in the church. Or in other words, God used Martin Luther to pull people out of the ditch of blind submission to religious authority and back onto the sure road of God’s Holy Word.

A SPIRITUAL REFORMATION

Some people claim that the significance of the Reformation is that a common monk stood up against the evil powers of a tyrannical church hierarchy and won.

Some believe that Martin failed because he did not free the people from the tyranny of the Scriptures being their boss. These people would push us into the ditch on the other side of the road, the ditch of “enthusiasm” (the belief that God speaks to people primarily through an inner voice, not through His written and spoken Word). We might also call this the ditch of “self slavery”.

Luther wanted to free people from the tyranny of evil men, but he also wanted to free them from slavery to self. When loosed from evil men and sinful self, people are freed to serve God. This is only accomplished through faith in Christ Jesus.

ROMANISTS: MAN ABOVE GOD’S WORD

Luther grew up in Germany, attending the Roman Catholic Church. At that time the Bible did not exist in the German language and the Roman Catholic Church was THE church. In those days the Roman Catholic Church was a significant political power, and heresy was often punished by torture and horrible death.

The RCC had long strayed away from God’s Word as decider of disputes and final authority over all things. It was accepted that the head of the church, the Pope, was the “on earth stand-in” for Jesus. As such, the Pope claimed that he alone had the final authority in all matters (including, of course, the interpreting what the Scriptures really meant).

Aside from the Pope, the church also looked to tradition as another voice of authority beside the Pope. In other words, they looked to past pronouncements made by church councils.

Lastly, the RCC also looked to the Bible for direction. But the Bible was not considered a great source of direction, for the RCC taught that it was unclear. It certainly was not fit for common people to study, but was considered a “professional book” for the clergy to use.

The RCC called for common people to simply submit to the authority of Christ’s stand-in and let the priests and other church officials tell them what God wanted them to know and do.

This of course made it very easy for the RCC to manipulate and use the people. Sadly, it also made for lazy people. It is easier to sit back and let the preacher tell you what to believe than it is to dig into the rewarding, but sometimes hard work, of studying God’s Word.

Regardless, the people had little choice in the matter. Unless you were independently wealthy, or willing to join a monastery, learning the necessary languages and examining the Scriptures of God was simply not going to happen.

Luther himself was very surprised to find out how much more of the Bible there really was when he finally got to study it. The Bible texts which the people heard during the Sunday Mass were only a portion of the whole Scriptures (Gospel and Epistle readings). By the way, these Scripture selections were read in Latin, the language used throughout the rest of the service, which only scholars understood.

Not only did the RCC insult God’s love and wisdom by saying that the Scriptures were unclear, they didn’t even give the common people a chance to understand them. May it be understood, the RCC is not another Christian church that happens to differ from Lutheran churches on a few points. It is very much so the Pope’s church, and has been since before Luther’s time.

In response to Luther’s 95 Theses, a Catholic Professor by the name of Sylvester Prierias wrote,

“Whoever does not rest upon the teaching of the Roman Church and the supreme pontiff [the Pope] as an infallible rule of faith, from which even Holy Scripture draws its vigor and authority, is a heretic” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.60).

“In a letter dated November 25, 1522, Pope Adrian VI said: ‘Almost all the things on which Luther differs from others have already been rejected by General Councils, and there ought to be no doubt that whatever has been approved by General Councils and the Church Universal, must be held as an article of faith; for anyone who casts doubt upon things that have once been rightly settled, insults a Synod of the Church.’ The entire lengthy letter need not be quoted, but it should be mentioned that nowhere in it is there a reference to Scripture in refutation of Luther’s doctrines. The changes are rung on ‘saints’ and ‘Fathers’ and ‘Councils.’ These Luther had dared to contradict” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.60).

“The American Catholic Cardinal J. Gibbons (died 1921) wrote in his The Faith of Our Fathers: ‘The Scriptures alone cannot be a sufficient guide and rule of faith…because they are not of themselves clear and intelligible, even in matters of the highest importance, and because they do not contain all the truths necessary for salvation.’ One wonders what Paul would have said to Gibbons, Paul who wrote to young Timothy that even in his childhood he (Timothy) had been acquainted with the Scriptures, ‘which are able to make thee wise unto salvation’” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.56).

LUTHER: ROMANIST NO MORE

When Luther finally got to study the Scriptures for himself, he was delighted to find that these were not cloudy and hard to understand. The chief teachings of the Scriptures could be easily understood, even by a child, if they were but faithfully translated into the language of the people!

He also discovered that not only had past church councils disagreed and contradicted each other in their official pronouncements, these church councils had also contradicted the Holy Word of God. In a sense, God pushed Luther to see this through the Leipzig debate.

“In the course of the debate, however, Eck charged Luther with holding Hussite opinions. Thoroughly aroused and indignant Luther repudiated the charge. But pressed by Eck why he does not publicly refute their errors he is led to make the statement, to the surprise of the great audience, that many of the articles of Huss are very Christian which the Church can not condemn. But all o f the articles of Huss had been condemned by the Council of Constance! Luther hesitated. He struggled against the result of his premises into which he had been artfully led in the heat of the conflict by Eck. Finally Luther declared that councils could err and had erred in the case of Huss, by condemning these Christian articles.” (“Sketched from the History of the Church”, Hageman p.135)

Through continual contact with Scripture, finally Luther completely abandoned his deference to councils, popes and anything other than the Word of God.

“It is a horrible and great insult to, and crime against, Holy Writ and all Christendom to say that Scripture is dark and not clear enough for everyone to understand, so that he might be instructed by Scripture what to believe and might prove his faith by quoting it” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.57).

Because of what he read in God’s Word Luther insisted that all things aught be tested by the Scriptures to find their truth and worth. This included the traditions, councils, popes, cardinals, monks and even an individual’s own thoughts and opinions.

“I honor the Roman Pontiff and his decrees. None is above him, without exception, save the Prince of this vicar of Christ, namely, Jesus Himself, Lord of us all and of all men. I prefer His word to the words of His vicar, and have no doubt that we should judge all the words and deeds of the vicar by His word. For I desire him to be subject to this universal rule of the apostle: ‘Prove all things; hold fast that which is good [1 Thessalonians 5:21]’” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.49).

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1 NIV).

When, at the Diet of Worms, Luther was asked to take back the pile of his writings that lay before him, Luther replied,

“Unless I am overcome with testimonies from Scripture or with evident reasons – for I believe neither the Pope nor the Councils, since they have often erred an contradicted one another – I am overcome by the Scripture texts which I have adduced , and my conscience is bound by God’s Word, I cannot and will not recant anything; for to act contrary to one’s conscience is neither safe nor sincere. God help me! Amen” ( “This is Luther”, Plass, p.50).

To Christians who endeavor to hold Scripture up as the highest authority in their lives, this statement seems obvious. Of course the Scriptures have to decide the argument! But to the RCC as it was at the time, this was a shocking idea and a most daring monk who proposed it. Thanks be to our God that he did, for we shudder to think what the world would be like without the Reformation that restored Christ’s precious Gospel to prominence in the church and trumpeted so loudly the truth of “Sola Scriptura”.

Luther’s sincerity in trumpeting “Sola Scriptura” is seen in his absolute disinterest in pushing himself forward and building his own following. This never seems to have entered his head.

“Whoever wants my books at this time ought, whatever he does, not let them be an obstacle to studying the Bible itself” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.45).

“No one is bound to believe me; let every man search [Scripture] for himself,” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.45)

“I had hoped that people would henceforth pay more attention to the Holy Scriptures themselves and let my books go now that they have served their purpose and led men’s hearts into and up to the Scriptures, which was my reason for writing my books. What is the use of making many books and yet always staying away from the chief book? Drink rather from the fountain itself than from the rill that has led you to the fountain” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.46).

“There are many who believe on my account, but the only true believers are those who would continue to believe even if they heard (which God forbid!) that I had denied the faith or fallen away from it. These are they who pay no heed to the bad, the terrible, the shameful things they hear about me and about our people , for they do not believe on Luther, but on Christ Himself. The word has them, and they have the Word; as for Luther they care not whether he is a knave or a saint. God can speak by Balaam as well as by Isaiah, by Caiaphas as well as by Peter; nay He can speak by an ass. I myself do not know Luther and will not know him. I do not preach about him, but about Christ. The fiend may fly away with him, if he can; but if he leaves Christ in peace, it will still be well with us.” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.46).

To Luther, Christianity was no blind faith, but a “Bible faith”. It was no “Luther faith”, but a “Christ faith”.

“20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:20-24 NIV)

In Laboring to Share What God Has Given to Us - Sep 14, 2008

This past week in Bible Class we started studying a paper by Steve Leinberger's which was presented at the CLC Delegates Convention this summer. Steve is a member of our sister congregation in Saginaw, MI. The Paper in its entirety is pasted below...



IN LABORING TO SHARE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US


Colossians 1:29:

NKJV- “To this end I labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”

NIV- “To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me.”

I. Introduction

Welcome in the name of our triune God: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. It is my prayer that through hearing, singing, and studying today, what our Heavenly Father has already provided us in His Word, we will all become more ardent laborers in sharing the blessed gift of the Gospel.

II. Opening Hymn- 507 Spread, Oh Spread, Thou Mighty Word

The book of Colossians, from which our theme is taken, was written by Paul during the time of his first Roman imprisonment. It is considered by many to be one of the most Christ centered books in the Bible. The resounding theme of Colossians is the preeminence and sufficiency of Christ in all things. The believer is complete in Him alone and lacks nothing for his eternal salvation. It is humbling to read that while even in prison, Paul is “struggling with all his energy” to fulfill his mission for Christ. God has a mission in mind for each one of us. He has given each of us individual talents with which to accomplish our assigned missions. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-6. God will also provide us with opportunities to use these talents for the improvement of His church and the furtherance of His Gospel.

In order to help us recognize the talents that God has given to each of us, and to encourage each other to put these talents to use, we will be directing ourselves to a brief study of some of the many examples of God’s servants, ”struggling with all His energy”, as recorded in both the Old and New Testaments. These Old and New Testament biblical figures are divided into called servants, lay servants and women servants. We will be exploring the background, characteristics, and successes and failures of these individuals as we strive to learn lessons from their service that we can apply today in our own work for our Savior. These people did indeed “labor” and “struggled” for their Savior, even to the point of death. They were able to accomplish their missions not because they were superior individuals, but because of Him who “so powerfully works” in them.



Action Plan Page Introduction-

I hope you have all received a pen as you entered the room. As we begin our study I am going to put both you and that pen to work thinking and writing.

Attached to the back of your Essay booklet you will find an Action Plan page for you use. Let’s look at that page for a minute. Hopefully, as we study today you will be reminded about people who have inspired you, people you have thought to witness to, projects that need your attention at your home congregation and how you can improve your witness within your family. As the Lord directs you, for He is indeed the source of all true inspiration, take a few moments during this presentation to write down what comes to your mind. I promise I won’t mind if you take a BRIEF break from listening to do so. In fact I am praying that I see a lot of paper being shuffled and thoughts being recorded.


III. Examples of OLD TESTAMENT Servants

A. Moses-Called

Our first bible figure is Moses, himself a picture of Christ in so many ways. Moses and Jesus were both prophets. They were both endangered in infancy, gave up pursuit of earthly wealth and power, both were lawgivers and deliverers of their people and mediators between God and man.

God’s amazing plan for Moses’ life started in the bulrushes on the Nile and proceeded for 40 years through the best educational system of the world at that time in the courts of Pharaoh. Moses sinful weakness became apparent with his murder of one of the Egyptians in charge of the Hebrew slaves. God’s plan for the next 40 years of Moses life took place in the land of Midian, where Moses led a very humble life as a shepherd, away for the people he would eventually lead out of Egypt. But during this time God was preparing him spiritually and practically with an in depth knowledge of the very terrain he would lead his people through for the last 40 years of his life. Moses was a well educated, passionate, at times short tempered man, who was fiercely loyal to his people and prayed often and fervently for his people, even as Jesus our Savior did during His time here on Earth and even now does for us at the Fathers side.

Through Moses God wrote the first five books of His Holy Word. Moses met with God! Moses talked with God! God gave Moses His law written on stone tablets, which Moses so infamously threw to the ground (there’s that short temper again) in his anger over what the children of Israel had done while he was on Mt. Sinai. But through this all God “so powerfully worked” in him, forgiving Moses of his sin for the sake of the yet unborn Messiah. God loved and guided him throughout his whole life and finally, in a unique act of love for His faithful servant, personally buried Moses on a mount overlooking the promised land.

There are many powerful lessons we can learn from the story of Moses and apply to our own missions for God. Are you unsure that God’s call is really for you? God appeared to Moses in a burning bush that was not consumed. Is your call not quite so “obvious”? Remember today we have the complete Bible to show us God’s will for our lives. Are we hesitant or afraid of answering God’s call? Moses was, but we need not be. But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” So God said to him, “I will certainly be with you.” Exodus 3:11-12. And again Moses hesitated and said, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” Exodus 4:10-12. We can be assured that God is with us even today, and will give us the very words needed to fulfill His missions. From Moses we learn that we may be called to God’s service later in life. We may be called to serve well into our retirement years and through “His energy”, we will be equipped to succeed. We may be hesitant and lack confidence, we may have as many excuses as Moses, but God still is able to mold the heart of a willing servant to accomplish His plans.

B. Joseph-Layman

Our next Old Testament servant is Joseph. While we may all be labeled as “called” in some manner, I have taken the view of Joseph as being called to a layman’s position in the body of Christ. Joseph was not educated as Moses was. As a young boy, because of the jealousy of his brothers he was thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery in a foreign land. His new master Potiphar, soon saw the abilities and character of this young man and advanced him up to be the head of his household. Because of the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph was unjustly jailed. After many years, he was released and became part of Pharaoh's staff, eventually, to be named the head of Pharaoh’s palace and finally in charge of the whole land of Egypt, second in power only to Pharaoh himself.

In Joseph we can again see many of the attributes of our Savior. Imagine, could you show the love and forgiveness Joseph did for his brothers when they later came to Egypt during the famine in Canaan? After Jacob had died, Joseph’s brothers were afraid that Joseph might kill them so they went to Joseph to beg for his mercy. And Joseph wept as they begged and said to them, ”But as for you, you meant evil against me: but God meant it for good, in order to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid, I will provide for you and your little ones.” Gen 50:20-21. Through the power of Jesus love for us we are able to forgive those who may have wronged us. Joseph was a trustworthy man who remained faithful and pure through many temptations through the power of God. He was also a man gifted in matters of planning, organization and administration. While Joseph was indeed a sinner, the Bible does not give us many, if any examples of his failures.

Through his work in Egypt the ancestors of Jesus were fed through the great famine and the line of our Savior was maintained. Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim became leaders of two of the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph’s example is one of doing our best in whatever we are called to do, working in our jobs as if we are working directly for God. Interestingly, the Bible never records Joseph complaining or groaning during all of the many unjust trials he endured. His faith was a visible testament of the love of God, visible and discernable to all who came into contact with him. Joseph was a real salt of the Earth kind of guy.

We can also learn another very important lesson from the life of Joseph. Even though he always did his best, even though he was trustworthy and faithful, Joseph experienced setbacks in his life. As followers of Christ, in this sinful world, we will also experience setbacks. But when we experience setbacks in our mission, as we faithfully serve our Lord, the Holy Spirit will instill in us a deep satisfaction and peace that surpasses all understanding. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26:3-4. So again and again we return to the cross for strength, secure in the knowledge that God’s love is eternal, from before His creation of the world, through Joseph’s time, even until today.

C. Ruth

The story of our last Old Testament servant is a wonderful story of love, devotion, and redemption which occurred during the time of the Judges. This was a time of unfaithfulness and immorality among the children of Israel. Naomi’s husband dies, leaving her with two sons to care for her. Her sons each marry Moabite women and after a number of years they also die, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth to care for themselves. Naomi decides to return to the land of Judah and releases her daughters from any responsibility for her. All three women are greatly saddened by these events and after a tearful farewell Orpah returns to “her people and her gods,”(Ruth 1:15); but Ruth is led to stay with Naomi and her response to Naomi forms one of the most beautiful passages in Scripture. “Entreat me not to leave you, Or turn back from following you; For wherever you go , I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me and more also, If anything but death parts but you and I. Ruth 1:16-17. God’s servant Ruth is brought to faith in the living God, forsaking her pagan heritage. God shows His love for ALL people by blessing Ruth’s faithfulness by giving her a new husband (Boaz), a son (Obed), and a privileged position in the lineage of David (she was his great-grandmother) and subsequently Jesus of Nazareth.

The book of Ruth is one of the shortest books in the Old Testament. The concept of a redeemer (goel, one who redeems) is repeated 13 times in this book with Boaz playing this part by buying back the land of Naomi as well in marrying Ruth and fathering a son to keep the family line alive. The loyalty, love and obedience Ruth shows as a gentile servant/believer of God should carry deep meaning to us since we too are gentile servant/believers. The redeeming love of the coming Savior, at work in Ruth’s heart, made her a woman of godly virtue, willing to put the needs of others before her own. Another example for our use today is how God does not differentiate between those believers of wealth and those in poverty. God loves all people equally and “so powerfully works” His Will through all people in all lands.





IV. Examples of NEW TESTAMENT Servants

A. Paul-Called

We begin our study of New Testament servants with the apostle Paul, unquestionably a called servant of Jesus. But remember from where God called this “chief of sinners” through whom He inspired so many New Testament books of the Bible to be written. Paul, whose name prior to conversion was Saul, was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin. He was educated in Tarsus and later studied the Jewish “laws of our fathers” in Jerusalem under the teacher Gamaliel. Paul was a very zealous person who in his younger days led persecutions of many believers in Jesus, both men and women. In Acts 9:1 we read that “Saul was still breathing our murderous threats against the lord’s disciples.” However on the road to Damascus Jesus called Saul to a different life. “A light from heaven flashed around him and Saul fell to the ground. Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul asked; Who are you Lord? I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what to do.” Acts 9:3b-6. When Saul got up he found he was blind and for 3 days he did not eat or drink anything. Jesus sent the disciple Ananias to Paul in a home in Damascus. “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized”. Acts 9:17-18. After spending several days with the disciples in Damascus, he immediately began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Paul remained a zealous man his whole life. But now through the gift of the Holy Spirit he was a zealous servant of the Mysteries of God. As a Jewish Pharisee, Saul was a proud man who saw himself “separate”, better than those around him. As a servant of Jesus, Paul became a humble man, thankful for the salvation worked within him. Paul became an encourager of those doing right and a rebuker of those doing wrong. He did these things by using the law of God and the Gospel of his Savior, Jesus Christ.

Paul’s failures before his conversion are many. First and foremost because of his training as a Pharisee he believed in his ability to earn heaven through his works. He also spent his life persecuting those who believed in Jesus, even giving the approval for the stoning of Stephen. Before Paul’s conversion he was working hard to please God but he had it all wrong. Paul’s primary mission in life after his conversion was bringing the Mysteries of God (the Gospel) to us, the gentile nations. In doing so Paul planted the seed of the Holy Spirit in the souls of many believers and started many churches in the ancient world. But Paul suffered greatly for this privilege of witnessing. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 we can read of some of them- 5 times whipped, 3 times beaten with rods, 1 time even stoned, 3 times shipwrecked- spending a night and a day in the water, often away from home on missionary journeys, often imperiled by robbers, wilderness, Jews, gentiles, he was hungry, thirsty, cold, naked, imprisoned, and after all of these hardships, what occupied his daily thoughts? It was not his own sorrows and hurts that occupied his mind but rather his deep concern for the new believers and their churches. Paul was the one who was inspired to write our theme and he knew of what he wrote through happenings in his own daily life.

Paul is indeed a shining example of God’s power in converting our blind and sinful hearts and of how once exposed to the gospel we can become laborers for Him who works so mightily in us. Through Paul’s life we can learn, that if our early life was outside of the Body of believers or not God pleasing in every respect, God can still work miracles in our lives and through His Word bring us to a faithful life full of service to Him. We can see how application of God’s Word in direct and loving ways can have a powerful impact on those we meet. And since Paul’s primary mission was to the gentiles, we can learn that we should be zealous supporters of our own CLC foreign mission work. This support may take the form of monetary offerings, prayers and even personally participating in our Mission Helper programs.

B. Stephen & Philip-Layman

Now as the early church grew the 12 apostles (Matthias had replaced Judas) found it difficult to perform all the general tasks required of them without neglecting their prime duty of ministering the Word. So they gathered together all of the disciples and decided that they would “choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom”, (Acts 6:3) to aide them in the administration of the early believers. Stephan and Phillip were chosen, (along with Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch) and “these men were presented to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.” Acts 6:6. These laymen did great wonders among the people and soon members of the Jewish society began to oppose them. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin where he was falsely accused of blasphemy against God and Moses. Stephen, in a wonderfully inspired and historically accurate speech (Acts 7:1 to 8:53) lays out the history of the Jewish people up to the death of John the Baptist and the recent stiff-necked behavior of the Jews that led to the betrayal and murder of the “Righteous One”-Jesus the Christ. In a fit of rage the members of the Sanhedrin seize him and take him out of the City and stone him to death. At the end of his life the love of God contained in him is shown by his statement, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Acts 7:60. Stephen was an early believer who labored and struggled by the help of God to proclaim the truth within Him. He endured suffering at the hands of countrymen and finally died a martyr’s death.

On the day of Stephen’s death a great persecution broke out in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. (It was during this time that Saul did some of his most vicious work in attempting to destroy the Church.) But God used this evil persecution for good, to expand the areas where the Mysteries of God were preached. The Holy Spirit moved mightily in bringing many people to faith in Jesus. One of those believers who fled Jerusalem was Philip. Philip was residing in a city in Samaria where he proclaimed the Good News of Jesus. An angel of the Lord told him to go down on the road to Gaza where he met an Ethiopian eunuch who was an important man in the Treasury of the Queen of Ethiopia, Candace. The eunuch was studying the Book of Isaiah but he did not understand it’s meaning and Philip was invited by the eunuch to explain it to him. “The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth. The eunuch asked Philip, Tell me please who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else? Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” Acts 8:32-40. In our illustration Philip did indeed expose the Mysteries of God, to his fellow man. And we are told of how the Holy Spirit worked the miracle of sanctification in the eunuch’s heart when the eunuch said to Phillip, “See here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said; If you believe with all your heart you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both he and Philip went down into the water and Philip baptized him”. Acts 8:36-38.

Stephen and Philip were being good stewards of their lives of service to God when they accepted the positions given to them by the apostles. They could have said they were too busy or they had other business or family obligations but they put Jesus first in their lives. God used Stephen to directly inform the Sanhedrin of His plan for salvation. So today we laymen can be confident if God puts us into a similar position of proclaiming the truth to groups or bodies of people who error in their understanding of the Bible. While it is rare today, to die from persecution for ones faith here in our country, our fellow believers in foreign lands can take comfort in knowing that God will strengthen their faith to the point where they can endure hardships up to and even including death and remain steadfast in their faith of life eternal. In Romans 5:1-5 we read: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance (endurance); and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Philip’s witness to the eunuch shows how God can use laymen to spread the Word to foreign lands. Even today, the faith perhaps started by Philip’s witness to the eunuch, lives in the country of Ethiopia.

C. Mary & Martha

Mary and Martha were dear friends of our Savior. They were a generous family and supported Jesus during His ministry. Jesus spent many days at their home and was comforted by their love for Him. They were also the sisters of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. While Jesus loved them both the Bible tells us they were two very different people in their approach to how they served Jesus. I even saw a book last week titled, How to be a Mary in a Martha World. To state their differences in a very simplified way- Martha worked, Mary listened; Martha worried, Mary listened; Martha worked and worried and Mary was still found to be listening at her Savior’s feet. It always seems a bit unfair to criticize Martha for working doesn’t it? After all the, work does need to get done and somebody has to do it. And wouldn’t it be great to “sit at Jesus’ feet” while somebody else did the bulk of the grunt work. The point here is that we need to prioritize our lives and make sure that we set aside ample and adequate time to both work and listen. But our first priority should always be love and reverence for our Savior. He will provide His energy which so powerfully works in me(us).

There is so much to learn from Mary and Martha. God is willing and able to use all sorts of personalities to accomplish His mission of spreading the Gospel. God gives us time, talents and treasures which through careful and prayerful consideration we are to prioritize and use to further His kingdom. We should also keep in mind that each of us has been given only so much time here on Earth during which to proclaim the glories of our Savior and we must be careful in how we use that time. In this section we can clearly see that God prefers that we put Him and His Word first as we set our schedules. Lastly, let’s not allow our eagerness to serve turn into a trap of busy, work righteousness whereby we lose the joy of serving our Savior and even endanger our soul’s salvation.

V. Hymn- 772 On Galilee’s High Mountain


VI. God’s Mission for Us in Present Times

From these examples of Biblical servants of God we can see that God uses highly educated people as well as those of minor or no formal education. He uses the old and the very young. He invites the very rich and the very poor and everyone in between to help in spreading the Gospel. In 1 Peter 3:15 we read, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that is in you.” But where do we begin? How do we get started? Well hopefully you have made a few notes on your Action Plan sheet already. Writing our thoughts down on paper is a big help in beginning any mission. It can also help us to divide our mission into the following 3 areas: A. The Unchurched B. Within our own churches, and C. Within our own families. You will no doubt have many ideas of your own on how and where you can serve. Let me mention a few ideas the Lord has laid on my heart to help you get started.

A. Unchurched

Let’s start with our local community. You’ve seen the bumper sticker, Think globally, act locally, it’s not bad advice. We all have friends and coworkers who do not regularly attend a church. We can live our lives as Christian examples like Joseph. When some of these people notice the difference within us, we can do a great service for them by bringing them the Word of God as Stephen did for the early church or explaining questions they may have as Philip did for the eunuch. We can pray frequently and fervently for the Holy Spirit to move their hearts. We can write down the names of people we are led to witness to about Jesus on our Action Plan sheets.

At the global level we can pray for and financially support our Missionaries in Africa and India. We can think of how Ruth, when exposed to the one true God, left her pagan ways and became an ancestor of Jesus himself. We can work toward bringing the light of the Gospel to foreign lands and through the Word the Holy Spirit can work saving faith in the hearts of those who have never heard of their Savior. We can pray for and financially support the many mission programs of our Synod such as orphan support and seminary sponsorships through the Project Kinship, the Mission helper program, and the Mission Development Fund. These are important programs that have life saving, eternal benefits for those people touched by them. What better use of our time, talents and treasure could there possibly be? God’s view of our world is not only global but eternal. The work done by Moses thousands of years ago is just as appropriate and useful now as it was in his day. God’s Word is eternal. When we, proclaim God’s Word today, the effects of the Gospel message are eternal. It could be that generations from now, descendants of those people saved by the Holy Spirit through our work in spreading the Gospel in Africa and India today, may be sending missionaries back to our descendants in the United States.

B. Within our churches

We also have many opportunities to serve within our synod and within our local churches. Thank God for the commitment of those in attendance today as delegates and observers. There are many areas of service open to us on the different Committees and Boards. As Joseph was used by God to be the top administrator of Egypt, we are blessed with talented and faithful people who serve our Synod, struggling with all His energy, to create needed programs, balance budgets and provide the best that we have for the many people served by our Synod.

In our local churches there are also the same needs of serving on committees, boards and guilds. From mowing the grass, to painting the building, to shingling roofs, the areas available for us to serve are many. We can be teachers in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Teachers who through the Word can strengthen a child’s faith and aide the Holy Spirit in His work of equipping our young people for the spiritual battles they will be facing in this sinful world. We can use our God given talents in the choir, serving in music, planting flowers and planting seeds of the Gospel that can make our churches grow strong in the Lord. We can be Marys and Marthas. Working and listening. Putting our Savior first in all things. Joyful in the knowledge of what our Savior has already done for us and of how we will see Him in the flesh forever in Heaven.

C. Within our families-(Mary & Joseph)

And we can think the most locally of all. We can serve our families. Just think, God did not send Jesus to Earth as an adult. Jesus came as a baby and babies need parents. How would you like to have had that responsibility, to train and raise up the Savior of the world? Mary and Joseph could have come up with more excuses than Moses did, but they relied on God to give them the words and the strength to be the earthly parents of his Son. As parents today, we to are parents of God’s sons and daughters. Our children are as important to and loved as much by our Heavenly Father as Jesus was during His time on Earth. If you were Jesus’ parents would you do daily devotions with him? Of course you would. Do you do daily devotions with your own children? I pray so. There are 3 lines regarding “family” on your Action Plan sheet, I hope one of those lines contains the commitment to do daily devotions with your children. We read in Ephesians 6:4, “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Do our children see the love of our Heavenly Father reflected onto them by our kind words and other expressions of love? As parents today our job is difficult, but by laboring, and struggling with His energy, which works so powerfully in us, we can bring up our children to fear and love Him.

As God fearing spouses we should also consider how we can be a servant to our wife or husband. As Christ served us, so we should serve one another. We read from Ephesians 5:22, ““Wives submit to your Husband as to the Lord”. And Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it”. And finally Ephesians 5:33, Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” There are many areas where I can improve as a husband and a helpmate for my wife. I can be more kind, patient, and understanding. I can listen more. My wife had several more suggestions but let me stop there. You probably have the idea by now. I will let you decide what else to put on your Action Plan sheet.

VII. Call to Action

A. Prayerfully set goals for our work

The most important word in this section’s heading is prayerfully. We do well to take all of our needs and questions to the Lord in prayer. But as Luther said, “Pray with your Bible open”. It often occurs, that we seek God’s direction through prayer, when He has already clearly shown us the path we are to take in His Word. We should be careful to not let our thoughts, desires or emotions create an “answer” to our prayers that is not in keeping with God’s biblical principles.

The second most important word is goals. Sometime we chaff a bit at setting goals for ourselves. After all, things change, and we don’t want to “count our chickens before they hatch”. But goal setting is an important part of successfully serving the Lord. Goals are the basis for our plans. A Convention without an agenda or schedule (the plan) would be hard pressed to achieve its purpose (the goals). Likewise we need to set goals for our personal mission in serving the Lord. It is very important that our goals and plans be written down. Let’s go back for a minute to our Action Plan sheet. When we write our goals down we are consciously committing ourselves to their accomplishment through the blessing and power of our Father in heaven. Have you written anything down yet? I encourage you to keep the Action Plan page with you in your pocket or purse until you arrive back home. Here at Convention, carry it with you so you are able to make notes on it, as the Spirit leads your heart during the proclamation of His Word. Lord willing you will see the red topped pen and a folded Action Plan in many people’s pockets during your the remaining days here in Eau Claire.

The last word is work. If we did this right, we will have listened like Mary, set our goals after hearing our Savior and now we are ready to work like Martha. We can keep in mind that God is right beside us to help and direct us. But we do need to work. The mission God has in mind for us is not easy. We need to gird ourselves for this mission and get after it. Whether that be something small, and maybe to others rather insignificant, or whether that be volunteering for something like a Mission Helper trip to Africa or India, everything we do in God’s name is important, as everything the members of the body do, are necessary to nourish the whole body.

B. Draw on our God given talents

God has equipped each one of us with special talents which He in His infinite wisdom is able to use for the spreading of His Gospel. Humbling isn’t it? God choose the part each of us is to fill in His mission of Salvation. “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those of gifts of administrations and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.” 1 Corinthians 12:27-28. And God doesn’t make mistakes. Perhaps our talents are hidden by shyness or lack of training but they are still there. Pray that God reveals these talents to you and that He blesses your attempts to use them. God may be in the process of refining and strengthening our faith for the mission He has in mind for us. Perhaps God has called us to serve in an area that we just don’t understand how our talents fit. For instance, Moses couldn’t speak well, but God gave him Aaron to help him. Maybe God’s mission for you includes working alongside someone else or in a group, on a committee, or on a board, etc.

C. Rely on His Power

We have come back to our original theme. Who should we depend on? By now you all know the answer, “to this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me”. Without the direction and power of our Almighty God to direct and sustain us, our missions would be impossible to finish. But we do not need to feel burdened or defeated. God has promised often in His Word to be there when we need him most. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5b.

D. Confident in the Hope within us.

As blood bought saints of the Most High God, let us all proceed from this place with the boldness and assurance of the Love of God and the commitment to labor to share what God has given to us. Let’s join with the Apostle Paul and proclaim “I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13. May all that we think, do and say be to the glory of our Savior Jesus and the furtherance of the kingdom of God. Amen.

VIII. Hymn- 451 Stand Up-Stand up for Jesus


Respectfully presented at the CLC Convention – June 18, 2008
By: Steven A. Leinberger
Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church
Saginaw Michigan
Pastor Michael Wilke

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Action Plan Page:

Bible Verse- “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

(Jesus is the reason and source of inspiration for all God pleasing work in our lives.)

Individuals who have inspired me-

1. Jesus of Nazareth- My redeemer, my priest, my friend, my King, my God.

2._____________________________________________________________________

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Individuals who I will personally witness to about our Savior-

1.______________________________________________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________________

3.______________________________________________________________________

Projects or tasks I will personally attend to upon my return to my home congregation-

1._______________________________________________________________________

2._______________________________________________________________________

3._______________________________________________________________________

Areas I will strive to improve with God’s help and direction within in my family-

1._______________________________________________________________________

2._______________________________________________________________________

3._______________________________________________________________________

Bible Verse- “But as for me and My house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15b.