WELS text mashup: Recent Episodes
WELS
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and he will […]
Photo by Mindy Olson P on UnsplashWhen the set time had fully come, God sent his Son (Galatians 4:4). Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, WELS Christian Aid and Relief is privileged to serve the hurting […]
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. […]
When life is filled with noises everywhere, we need to find peace in our quiet place. I am sure you can relate to the inner and external pressures of the world around you. The lingering effects of the pandemic haven’t helped. The challenges in life can get you down: your job demands, family struggles, unexpected […]
On Dec. 10, tornadoes caused devastation across the South Central part of the United States. Rev. Daniel Sims, director of WELS Christian Aid and Relief, reports: “At this time, we […]
About 45 percent of WELS congregations have ordered Christian Worship: Hymnal and accompanying resources since its release in September. Most materials are now available and are being shipped to congregations […]
WELS and a significant number of its affiliated organizations have entrusted the insurance coverage of its buildings, property, and people to Church Mutual for more than 40 years. This has […]
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open […]
The call report details when pastors, teachers, and staff ministers change positions within WELS.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, […]
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy […]
He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. All Scripture quotations, unless […]
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are […]
Most people think of barbecue as comfort food. For me, it’s always been more. It could be that I was born in Texas, but I think it’s more than that. […]
Profound grief is, perhaps, one of the strongest reminders we have that you and I live in a shattered world...
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph woke up, […]
Some Christmas Eve services go like this: You and your fellow members start preparing...
On the fields near Bethlehem, it was the shepherd’s responsibility to keep the sheep safe...
God will give you the strength to remain in that humble yet confident faith until the end...
WELS’ Latin America missions team created a Spanish website in 2015, which launched Academia Cristo. Since its launch, 47 students from 12 countries have become confessional Lutherans—41 in 2021 alone. Most of them have gathered and now lead groups of believers. Academia Cristo’s goal is to reach many with the gospel to train the few […]
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Weather radar is amazing. I have a weather app on my cell phone, and it can tell me exactly how far away the nearest snowstorm is. And is it accurate! When storms are approaching my neighborhood, it […]
When we know God has declared us righteous because of Jesus, we are consumed by a desire to share that truth. On April 17, 1521, Martin Luther stood before the Diet of Worms, a gathering of the most powerful people in the Holy Roman Empire. Since he had spent the previous 15 years of his […]
Sixty years ago, our synod was faced with the most difficult decision in its history. For more than 20 years, WELS and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) had been working to convince their sister church body, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), that it had departed from the biblical doctrine it had previously held. When the […]
Neighborly kindness—and blueberry pancakes—forge a relationship that leads a couple on a path to Jesus. For Allen and Rosalind Braun, the journey to becoming members at Cross of Christ, WELS’ home mission congregation in Liverpool, N.Y., has spanned decades. “Our story from the beginning is a culmination of many things,” says Allen. “It covers our […]
Christmas isn’t about what we do. It’s about Christ coming to earth to do what we were unable to do. I have a secret. And it’s about Christmas. It might be something you don’t want to hear: Christmas doesn’t depend on you. If you don’t do another thing between now and Dec. 25, Christmas will […]
Our “time of grace” refers to the time we are alive to come to know Jesus. Is that fixed date really unchangeable? Or do our actions impact it? The answer to your questions is yes. Yes, God controls when my life ends. Yes, my choices can impact when my life ends. This is a paradox […]
God’s providence means that everything happens according to God’s design (even permitting evil to work for the good of his people). It also refers to what God actually does in time. Most often we think of this last item when considering God’s providence over creation. This is where some run into questions when it comes […]
I would encourage your friend to focus on clear passages of Scripture. The Bible does not condemn the use of alcohol (Psalm 104:14-15; 1 Timothy 5:23). It condemns the abuse of alcohol (Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 6:10; Ephesians 5:18). If wine itself were sinful, Jesus would certainly not have miraculously changed water into wine at the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11). Under the Old Testament ceremonial laws, God even commanded the use of wine with offerings (Exodus 29:40; Number 28:7). Think of the implications of that. In biblical days in Palestine, people regularly mixed wine with water to purify the water. We know from history that wine was part of the celebration of the Passover meal. Since the institution of the Lord’s Supper took place during the celebration of the Passover meal, the “fruit of the vine” (Matthew 26:29) was a part of it. Any grapes that had been harvested in the previous fall and pressed into juice would most likely have been going through the fermentation process in the following spring (when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper). What your friend says about pornography is true: God does not approve of that in large or small amounts. Equating the moderate consumption of alcohol to pornography is where your friend’s argument collapses. Nowhere does the Bible say that any alcohol consumption is a sin. Christians are free not to consume alcohol or to consume it in moderation. They are not free to bind the consciences of others with their opinions. Ref. Conquerors through Christ website serves those affected by porn use. You may subscribe to the CtC e-Newsletter and visit CtC on Facebook.
If you do not feel that you can talk to your pastor about this, I would encourage you to check out the resources, including counselors, available through Conquerors Through Christ, an agency within WELS. Conquerors through Christ website serves those affected by porn use. You may subscribe to the CtC e-Newsletter and visit CtC on Facebook. As with any sin, we confess our sins to God, we receive in faith God’s forgiveness of our sins and we resolve to fight all the more against sin and temptation. Your words indicate you recognize this. Your words also reflect the ongoing battle that goes on within Christians (Romans 7:15-25). The website can provide you with practical resources to assist you in your battle against temptation. What follows is one of their FAQs: “OK – so maybe I am addicted. Now what do I do? 1.Pray. Tell God about what you have been doing. It shouldn’t be all that hard, after all, He already knows. He’s just waiting for you to come to him so he can tell you that he loves you and has forgiven you. 2.Watch our videos and explore the web site— they summarize the steps to follow to get porn out of your life. 3.Take the hardest step—tell someone—your pastor, a trusted friend, your spouse, or a Christian counselor. This is a sin we can almost guarantee you will not be able to ‘fix’ on your own. You will need help. But the good news is there IS help available. But you must seek it out. Satan will seek to keep you isolated and weak. Don’t let him. 4.Seek ongoing support in the form of counseling and accountability. This is a battle and Satan will not let his grip on you go without a tremendous struggle. 5.Thank God for the victories and cry for mercy for any failures along the way.” God bless all your efforts in saying “No” to sin and “Yes” to godly living (Titus 2:12).
You do not need to be concerned about God cursing animated characters because of your actions. The characters are not real. The real concern is your addiction to pornography. I would encourage you to check out the helpful resources that are available from Conquerors Through Christ. Conquerors through Christ website serves those affected by porn use. You may subscribe to the CtC e-Newsletter and visit CtC on Facebook. If you are interested in speaking with a Christian counselor, Christian Family Solutions offers in-person and video counseling. Both organizations are WELS-affiliated ministries. God’s blessings to you as you seek to do what Scripture says: “ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
Facing temptation has been the human experience since the Garden of Eden. Jesus himself “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). The sources of Jesus’ temptations were Satan and the world. In addition to those sources, there is a third source of temptation for every person but Jesus; people possess a sinful nature, an ally of Satan. Being exposed to temptation does not make a person guilty of sin; giving in to temptation is sinful (James 1:14-15). By not acting on the feelings you have, I understand that you recognize these truths. The sad reality is that these sources of temptation are lifelong; they do not go away. That means the person who struggles with the temptation to abuse alcohol or the person who fights against the temptation to use pornography or the person who combats the temptation to lust after another person of the opposite sex or the same sex may have to do so for a lifetime. This is not a hopeless reality by any means. After the apostle Paul described his struggles in fighting temptation (Romans 7:15-24), he exclaimed, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25) There is forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. There is power through the gospel of Jesus Christ to live godly lives. What I can suggest is that you speak with your pastor or other trusted Christian counselor to develop strategies in combating the temptations you face. If you are not able to speak with your pastor about this, you might consider the resources of Christian Family Solutions, a WELS-affiliated ministry. The organization offers in-person and video counseling. Conquerors through Christ website serves those affected by porn use. You may subscribe to the CtC e-Newsletter and visit CtC on Facebook. You understand your situation correctly: facing the temptations you do does not mean that you are not a follower of God. Christians enjoy the forgiveness of sins, yet they struggle against temptation. Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ lived perfectly in our place and that he took on himself the punishment our sins deserved. Thanks be to God for a Savior who “empathizes with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15) and “gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Isaiah 40:29). God’s blessings to you.
You are reading and understanding the Athanasian Creed correctly. The Bible teaches that there is salvation only through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). As you suggested, the Athanasian Creed was written to combat heresies that Jesus is inferior to God the Father. If Jesus is not God, then God is not triune; a denial of Jesus is a denial of the Father (John 5:22-23). The doctrine of the Trinity certainly “is a difficult concept for people to comprehend.” Thankfully, saving faith does not mean that people need to understand all the complexities of biblical doctrines. Saving faith is trust, acceptance and reliance on what God declares about himself and his works (Hebrews 11:1). Saving faith is trust in the God the Bible, who reveals himself in Scripture as a triune God. The Athanasian Creed does not condemn Christians who struggle to understand a God who is far superior to them in every way. The Athanasian Creed does condemn those who deny the deity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity.
Recognizing that the Bible does not command Confirmation, the answer is “no.” Because there is Christian freedom in this area, practices will vary. Some adults might want to wait until their course of Bible instruction is completed before they are baptized. Others might desire to be baptized as they learn about God’s love for them and the blessings of Baptism. Our pastors will work with adults and treat each situation individually.
You can count on your pastor to explain to your granddaughter what Baptism is all about. You can tell her that God works through Baptism to guarantee the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. You can share Bible passages like the following with her: Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27; Titus 3:5-7; and, 1 Peter 3:21. God’s blessings to you both!
According to the Bible, cursing is using God’s name to wish evil on someone or something. God’s Second Commandment forbids such speech and actions (Romans 12:14; James 3:10). A curse spoken against you, a child of God, amounts to idle words. God is not bound to carry out the whims and wishes of people who act contrary to his will (Psalm 109:28). Romans 8:31-39 describes God’s strong, enduring love for his children. I am not aware of the prayer that was mentioned to you.
Any discussion of “good” starts and ends with God. Jesus explained, “There is only One who is good” (Matthew 19:17). “Good” does not exist because God says so. There is good in the world because God is good. The “counter argument” would focus not on the words of God but the essence of God. Our Great Heritage addresses your question this way: “The question has been asked: Does God decree the good because it is good? Or is the good good because God decreed it? The answer must be: Neither. God is not subject to any standard or idea of good over and above himself; nor does he arbitrarily decree that anything should be good, while he might perhaps just as well declare the very opposite to be good. Rather, God, who is, is perfection in every respect.” (Volume 1, page 498)
God banished Satan and all the evil angels to hell after they rebelled against him (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). In his wisdom, God allows the fallen angels and their leader to roam the earth (Job 1:7; 2:2; 1 Peter 5:8). In his wisdom, God allowed Satan to tempt Eve in the Garden of Eden—as you noted. In the Bible, God does not explain his actions, nor does he need to (Romans 11:33-36). What the Bible does teach is that God controls Satan’s activities (Revelation 20:3), and the day is coming when Satan and all the evil angels will be confined to hell forever (Revelation 20:10). That ultimate confinement will take place because Jesus successfully carried out his mission of destroying the devil’s work (1 John 3:8).
There is no official position or stance of our church body regarding the use of the enneagram. While I am not in a position to endorse fully this assessment of that practice, the information illustrates how a confessional Lutheran church body approaches the subject.
Thank you for your kind words. I will pass along your words of appreciation to the author of the devotion.
You will find “official position” statements of our church body here. Those statements do not address the subject of your inquiry.
The Bible clearly condemns the practice of trying to communicate with those who have died. Consider the following sections of Scripture. “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so” (Deuteronomy 18:10-14). “When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn” (Isaiah 8:19-20).
There is no possibility of redemption for Satan and all the evil angels. Jude 6 explains: “And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.” Revelation 20:10 describes that judgment: “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Jesus also spoke of that judgment in Matthew 25:41.
The Bible describes the resurrection—and transformation of the bodies of all Christians—as being instantaneous (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). The God who made all things from nothing (Genesis 1) will raise the bodies of all who have died and reunite bodies and souls (John 5:28-29). Nothing is impossible for our all-powerful God (Jeremiah 32:27). Followers of the Lord enjoy Christian freedom to choose between cremation or traditional burial. The Bible does not address the subject of dividing the cremains.
Like the apostle Paul (Philippians 1:18), we can rejoice whenever—and by whomever—the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed. At the same time, Scripture instructs us to “watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.” (Romans 16:17) A brief look at the websites of the ministries of the first two individuals reveals errors regarding the Bible’s teaching of the End Times. There is also the denial of the sacraments as means of grace. I was not able to find doctrinal statements for the third individual you mentioned.
Not promoting that series is consistent with our church body’s policy of not taking an official position on books, movies or television shows. Occasionally, Forward in Christ offers reviews of books published by Northwestern Publishing House.
Romans 14:14, 23 teaches us not to act contrary to our conscience. If you are convinced that it would be wrong for you even to attend the ceremony, then it would be wrong for you. On the other hand, you might be convinced that you can, in good conscience, attend the ceremony. Your attendance or absence from the ceremony is not the most important matter here. More important is what you communicate to your family member about your presence or absence. If you choose to attend, you can explain that you came because you love your family member, not because you agree with same-sex marriages. On the other hand, if you choose not to attend, you can explain to your family member that you thought through how best to show love to him or her and also stand up for the truths of Scripture, and you settled on not attending. The decision on what to do with the wedding invitation is entirely yours. Most important is what you communicate to your family member regarding your decision. Speak the truth in love to your family member (Ephesians 4:15), provide Christian witness and example, and keep your relative in your prayers. God bless you.
Because God is all-powerful, he certainly could have prevented the fall of the angels and the subsequent fall of Adam and Eve. God does not explain why he did not prevent those falls—nor is he obligated to do so (Romans 11:33-36). After the devil led Adam and Eve into sin, God promised a Savior (Genesis 3:15). That Savior would crush Satan one day. By his holy life, sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, Jesus did crush Satan. The devil’s final defeat will take place on the Last Day, when he will be confined to hell forever (Revelation 20:10). Until the Last Day, Satan retains power and influence as allowed by God (Job 1:12; 2:6). Because of his power and influence, the devil has the title “the prince of this world.” (John 12:31). As mentioned previously, the day will come when that “prince” will be crushed completely and be unable to bother God’s people anymore. Until that time, God’s people recognize the power and evil intent of Satan (1 Peter 5:8), and they use the spiritual weapons God has given them to be successful in warding off the old evil foe (Ephesians 6:10-18; James 4:7).
When a Christian dies, the soul immediately goes to heaven (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Luke 23:43; Hebrews 9:27). Burial or cremation take place after that. Choosing cremation over traditional burial will not affect your eternal relationship with God. After sin entered the world, God announced to Adam, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19). As the wages of sin (Romans 6:23), death would be the common experience for people, and the body would begin the process of decomposition at death. In the end, cremation essentially speeds up the process that occurs with burial. Regardless of cremation or burial, “…a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his [Jesus’] voice and come out” (John 5:28-29). Since the Bible is silent on the subject of cremation, Christians are free to choose burial or cremation.
Hebrews 7:3 explains that we do not know anything about the beginning or end of Melchizedek’s life. He appears and disappears on the pages of Scripture. Melchizedek served as “priest of God Most High” (Genesis 14:18). As priest, he served the only true God, the God of the Bible. More than that, Melchizedek served as king (Genesis 14:18). That was unusual because a person served as a priest or a king but not both. By serving in those offices, Melchizedek pointed ahead to Jesus, who is Prophet, Priest and King.
No. Think of all the Old Testament believers who were not baptized—as Baptism had not yet been instituted. Jesus stated that it is the lack of faith, not Baptism, that condemns (Mark 16:16). We speak of Baptism being necessary in the sense that the Lord commands us to administer it. However, Baptism not absolutely necessary for salvation because the Holy Spirit can bring people to saving faith in Jesus through the gospel in Word alone. In situations like that, people will still want to be baptized—to do what Jesus says and to receive, in addition to the message of the Bible, another guarantee of God’s love and forgiveness in Christ.
The Hebrew word in the Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17) prohibits murder—the illegal and inappropriate ending of human life—and does not forbid all taking of life. So, for example, governments can rightly implement capital punishment (Romans 13:4) if they so choose. What about individuals who want to protect themselves and their families, you wonder? Some Christians look to Matthew 5:39 and Romans 12:17 as absolute directives not to resist physical threats. In their context though the verses advocate love toward others instead of seeking revenge. Others look to sections of Scripture like Proverbs 24:11-12 and Luke 22:35-38 as the basis for defending oneself and one’s family from physical threats. Protecting our own life (self-defense) could result in the death of another person. That is not murder. Exodus 22:2-3 illustrates the law God gave his people of Israel regarding defending oneself from a thief.
It looks like your request is addressing Leviticus 20:13. The 1984 NIV rendered that verse this way: “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.” The 2011 NIV puts that verse this way: “If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.” The Hebrew language, the primary language of the Old Testament, has several words that can be translated “man.” The Hebrew word that is translated “with a man” in the verse above refers to a “man” or a “male.” Context will determine the particular shading of words. So, for example, the Hebrew word referenced can mean “boy” in some contexts. That is what we find in Jeremiah 20:15: “Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, who made him very glad, saying, ‘A child is born to you—a son!’” The context of that verse makes it clear that the Hebrew word is not speaking of a man but a male child. The context of Leviticus 20 makes it clear that there is a contrast with “woman.” “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.” God designed sexual relations to take place between a man and a woman in marriage. Leviticus 20:13 condemns the practice of a man having sexual relations with another man as he would with a woman (in marriage). People who support same-sex activity and same-sex marriage look for the Bible to differentiate between abusive same-sex relationships and consenting same-sex relationships: condemning the former but approving the latter. The Bible makes no distinction like that; it forbids and condemns all sexual relations that take place between men only and between women only. While Leviticus 20:13 (and Leviticus 18:22) were part of the Mosaic code that governed Old Testament Israel, we find the same condemnation of same-sex activity in Romans 1:24-32 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. With that last passage in mind, it is important to note that it is not particular sins that keep people out of the kingdom of God; it is impenitence and unbelief. God wants all to come to repentance and believe in him to enjoy salvation (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).
Such a reunion that you asked about will certainly take place. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 describes the Lord gathering together those Christians who died and those Christians who are alive on the earth at the time of his visible return on the Last Day. When the Lord gathers together his Church, this truth remains: “And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The Bible does not address the subject of resurrected bodies of Christians as to their appearance in earthly age. The Bible does teach this: “The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). What was said in that Bible class is certainly possible with a God who can do all things. While we may presently lack answers to some of our specific questions about heaven, the Bible gives us enough information that we can “encourage one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:18). And so, receive my encouragement to continue looking forward to the time when God’s people will enjoy a perfect and glorious life with God—forever.
That is a conclusion one might make, but that is a conclusion Seventh-day Adventists reject. They state: “Satan makes no atonement for our sins. But Satan will ultimately have to bear the retributive punishment for his responsibility in the sins of all men, both righteous and wicked. Seventh-day Adventists, therefore, repudiate in toto [their emphasis] any idea, suggestion, or implication that Satan is in any sense or degree our sin bearer. That thought is abhorrent to us, and appallingly sacrilegious. Such a concept is a dreadful disparagement of the efficacy of Christ and His salvation, and vitiates the whole glorious provision of salvation solely through our Savior.” (Questions on Doctrine, page 400). Without question, Seventh-day Adventist teaching fails to see the scapegoat on the great Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) typifying the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ. The larger problem is that Seventh-day Adventism fails to distinguish clearly between law and gospel. Ellen White, one of that church’s early leaders that you cited, wrote: “In the Law is embodied the same principle as in the Gospel.” The message of the law and the message of the gospel are in fact opposites. The law reveals our sin and our need for a Savior; the gospel shows us our Savior, Jesus. Jesus’ loud cry on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), reveals that the Lord successfully completed his soul-saving mission. His triumphant resurrection from the dead guarantees it (Romans 4:25).
The genre of Genesis 3 is narrative. The content of the chapter records historical events. There is nothing in the chapter that suggests any content is to be understood symbolically or figuratively. When it comes to Adam and Eve’s sin, what is more important than the content of God’s command is the command itself. What I mean is this: God could have commanded Adam and Eve not to do something else, and their violation of that other command would have amounted to sin. “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). Transgression, another word for sin, means to step across a forbidden line. Martin Luther addressed your question with these words: “To reason it seems very ridiculous that any one fruit should be so deadly as to destroy the whole human race in infinite succession, and destroy it, moreover, with eternal death. But this power of destruction did not lie in the fruit. To be sure, Adam sank his teeth into the fruit; but in reality he sank them into a thorn, which was the prohibition of God and disobedience to God. This is the real cause of the evil, to wit, that Adam sins against God, whose command he ignores. He follows Satan. The tree of knowledge of good and evil was a good tree, bearing the choicest fruits, but because the prohibition of God is joined to it and man does not heed the prohibition, it turns into the deadliest of all poisons.” (What Luther Says, Volume III, Page 1290)
Can the devil tempt a Christian? Certainly (1 Peter 5:8). Can the devil use a Christian to tempt someone else? Certainly. There is an ally of Satan inside each Christian; it is the sinful nature (Romans 7:15-25). These are reasons why the Bible instructs us to “resist the devil” (James 4:7). Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ successfully completed his mission of conquering the devil (1 John 3:8) and that he equips us to be successful in our daily skirmishes with the devil (Ephesians 6:10-17).
You are correct. There have been no previous questions on the subject of acupuncture. But thank you for checking first. It looks like little has been written on the subject in our circles. That literature contains cautions about New Age thinking that the practitioner could try to share with the person receiving treatment. While I am not in a position to endorse fully this assessment of acupuncture, the information illustrates how a confessional Lutheran church body views the practice.
God made Adam and Eve with the ability and freedom not to sin or to sin. Being all-knowing, God certainly knew that Satan and other angels would rebel against him, and that Adam and Eve would disobey his command. Being all-powerful, God certainly could have prevented both those falls into sin. The Bible does not provide an answer as to why God allowed sin to enter the world. What we do know from the Bible is this: not only did God know that sin was going to enter his creation, but he formulated a plan to rescue sinners. That plan involved the sacrifice of his Son (1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8). In eternity, God also graciously chose people to be members of his family (Ephesians 1:11-14). The Bible makes it clear that people are responsible for sin (James 1:13-15). God is not guilty of any wrongdoing (Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 6:3). The Bible teaches that Eve was “deceived” by Satan (1 Timothy 2:14). Adam followed the actions of Eve (Genesis 3:6). When it comes to the “why” questions of life and the Bible, I turn to Romans 11:33-36: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?’ For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Those words tell me that while I live on this earth, I cannot expect to understand God’s ways and thoughts fully. Like you, I look forward to the time when my knowledge of God and his ways and thoughts is much different than it is now (1 Corinthians 13:12).
It would be beneficial for you to read a thorough explanation of what the Bible teaches regarding fellowship, including prayer fellowship. Church Fellowship, available from Northwestern Publishing House, provides such an explanation. Here is an excerpt: “The New Testament does not treat prayer fellowship separately from other forms of fellowship. Prayer as an act of fellowship is simply treated as one element among many others. The early Christians ‘devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer’ (Acts 2:42). There is, therefore, nothing in Scripture to suggest that prayer should be treated any differently from any other expression of fellowship. Since God-pleasing prayer always flows from faith, every prayer is an expression of faith and therefore an act of worship” (pages 48 and 49).
When death takes place, a person’s body and soul separate (Ecclesiastes 12:7). When Jesus died on Good Friday, his body remained on earth, while his soul went to heaven (Luke 23:46). The same was true for the repentant thief on the cross (Luke 23:43). Resurrection is the reuniting of body and soul. Early on Easter Sunday morning, Jesus’ body and soul were reunited in the tomb. Jesus descended into hell to proclaim victory over sin, Satan and death. Then, he appeared to his followers on earth as their risen Savior. 1 Peter 3:18-20 teaches Jesus’ descent into hell. Many see Colossians 2:15 as describing the triumphant nature of Jesus’ descent into hell.
There is no question here for me to answer, but your statements need a response. The creation of Adam shows God’s special care for human beings. Rather than focusing on the material God used to create Adam, keep in mind how unique Adam’s creation was compared to everything else. Rather than speaking a word to bring about Adam’s existence (as God did in creating everything else), God “formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). That special action speaks volumes about what God thought of man. God made Adam and Eve to manage his creation (Genesis 1:28). God made Adam and Eve in his image (Genesis 1:27). That meant they were holy, they had perfect knowledge of God’s will, and their wills were entirely in line with God’s will. God’s desire was that Adam and Eve enjoy his love forever. When sin threatened to separate them from his love forever, God promised a Savior (Genesis 3:15). In time, he sent his Son to be their Savior. All this says that God cared deeply for the people he made—the crown of his creation. Created in the image of God, Eve, like Adam, was highly intelligent. When it comes to Eve listening to a serpent (Satan), the Bible simply says that Eve was “deceived” (1 Timothy 2:13). The Bible is God’s message to people. It is inspired and inerrant. God’s desire is that we regard his word as “holy and gladly hear and learn it” (Martin Luther’s Explanation to the Third Commandment). I encourage you to read Psalm 119 to be reminded about that attitude toward God’s word.
One can see pain and hurt in your words. I extend my sympathy to you in your loss. More than that, I want to remind you of the daily meaning Easter has for Christians like you. Because Jesus lives, those who believe in him have life eternal, even though they experience physical death (John 11:25-26; 14:19). May God always be a refuge and strength for you and your family. I, of course, do not have any information that might explain the reaction of others to your loss. Unfortunately, when death takes place, sometimes people—even Christians—do not know what to say. And so, rather than risk saying something wrong, they say nothing. That is not helpful, as your words indicate. Sometimes the best and the most Christians can do initially for a fellow Christian who has experienced the death of a loved one is simply to listen. In addition, they can point grieving Christians to the comfort of God’s word. The reaction of others to your loss certainly does not change your status with God. As a child of God, God’s love for you began in eternity (Ephesians 1:4). His love brought you into his family (1 John 3:1). His love means you will enjoy a perfect and glorious eternity (Psalm 23:6). God bless you and your family.
In This We Believe, a statement of belief of our church body, you will find this confession: “We believe that people cannot produce this justifying faith, or trust, in their own hearts, because ‘the man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him’ (1 Corinthians 2:14). In fact, ‘the sinful mind is hostile to God’ (Romans 8:7). It is the Holy Spirit who gives people faith to recognize that ‘Jesus is Lord’ (1 Corinthians 12:3). The Holy Spirit works this faith by means of the gospel (Romans 10:17). We believe, therefore, that a person’s conversion is entirely the work of God’s grace. Rejection of the gospel is, however, entirely the unbeliever’s own fault (Matthew 23:37).” Decision theology is not a teaching of the Bible.
I commend you for your loving care and concern for your friend. You want what is best your friend and that includes her physical well-being. You could point your friend to the Fifth Commandment. That commandment has the purpose of protecting life. The application of that commandment to our lives means that we take care of our bodies as best we can. This care addresses subjects such as diet, exercise and anything that can be harmful to our bodies. There is more than God’s law that addresses the care we give our bodies. The Bible’s teaching of stewardship covers every area of our lives. Everything that we have and are belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). Faithful stewardship, management, of God’s blessings includes our very bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19). This means that we will not want to do anything that could shorten our lives. We live with that mindset because we entrust ourselves to the loving care of God (Psalm 31:15). God’s blessings to you—and your friend—as you seek to work for the good of her body and soul.
It is good to read about your study of God’s word. Your question addresses content from Revelation 20. We will want to keep in mind that Revelation 20 does not speak of a one-thousand-year reign of Christ. The chapter speaks of Christians reigning with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4, 6). In the book of Revelation, numbers have symbolic meaning. That means that “a thousand years” in Revelation 20 means anything but one thousand years. The number ten and its multiples (for example, 100 and 1,000) represent “completeness.” Many biblical scholars understand the one-thousand-year period in Revelation 20 as representing the New Testament age. This means that Revelation 20 speaks of Christians reigning with Christ during the New Testament age. Consider what meaning this had for the first recipients of the book of Revelation (the Christians who belonged to the seven churches in Asia Minor listed in Revelation 2 and 3). Christians in the late first century A.D. were facing extreme persecution. Christians were being killed for their faith. Did that mean that those people had lost everything? Were they to be pitied? Not at all. Their deaths meant that their souls were in the presence of God in heaven. Their deaths seated them on symbolic thrones and they reigned during the New Testament age with Christ—the King whose reign is eternal (Psalm 146:10). There are individuals and churches that teach Jesus will set up an earthly kingdom and reign over it for a period of 1,000 years. They seek to find support for this idea in Revelation 20. That chapter of the Bible does not teach that. No chapter of the Bible does. Revelation 20 describes martyred Christians reigning with the King of kings, Jesus Christ. God bless your continued study of God’s word!
The Bible teaches that the antecedent will of God is that he wants all people to be saved (Ezekiel 33:11; 1 Timothy 2:4). The Bible teaches that the consequent will of God is that he will condemn those who reject him (Mark 16:16). While God desires the salvation of all people (2 Peter 3:9) and has provided a Savior for all people (John 3:16), the Bible also teaches that God has elected some to salvation (Ephesians 1:11-14). Those are teachings of the Bible that we human beings cannot harmonize. We entrust them to the counsel of God (Romans 11:33). When it comes to free will, our free will by nature is limited to making decisions about our earthly lives. Regarding spiritual matters, our free will by nature consists only of sinning and rejecting God. That natural condition underscores the truth of what you wrote: “I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in God.” Saving faith is God’s gift (Ephesians 2:8). Saving faith is the result of God’s election to grace (Acts 13:48). The doctrine of election can create questions in our minds. That is understandable. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). What we want to keep in mind is that the doctrine of election was intended for our comfort. The comfort is that our salvation is in God’s hand—from beginning to end. He chose us in eternity. He sent a Savior. He gives us saving faith and he preserves us in that faith to the end of life. If salvation were up to us in any way, there would be reason for doubt and uncertainty. Because salvation is entirely God’s work, it is a sure thing.
It is important to note that the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5) are part of the Mosaic Law that God gave to his Old Testament people of Israel. The Mosaic Law had limited purpose and duration. Its obligations ended when Jesus Christ came into our world as the fulfilment of all the prophecies of the Messiah. We can see from the Mosaic Law wording of the third commandment (“Sabbath day”) and the fourth commandment (reference to the Promised Land) that not all the content of the Ten Commandments applies to New Testament followers of the Lord. So, how do Christians view the Ten Commandments? We rightly regard them as a summary of God’s moral law: his will for all people of all time. We do see Jesus (Luke 18:20) and the apostle Paul (Romans 13:9) restating some of the commandments in a different order from the Old Testament listing. Presenting the commandments in that way illustrates how we, as New Testament Christians, are free from the Mosaic Law wording of the Ten Commandments and yet look to the Ten Commandments as a summary of God’s will for our lives. The language of Scripture is clear in pointing to the seventh day of the week (no matter what name we give it) as the Old Testament Sabbath Day. God set the pattern by working on the first six days and then resting on the seventh (Exodus 20:11). There is something else to keep in mind as time went on: if God’s people were going to find spiritual rest through their corporate worship of the one true God, they would need a common “seventh day” for their assembly. Saturday, the seventh day, was that day. The Sabbath Day pointed ahead to Jesus. He has “rest” for our souls through the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 11:28).
This is a decision the church/school will need to make after they study the matter. I can pass along the following information from answers to similar questions that contained some concern and caution. Congregational fundraising in the community can reinforce what many wrongly think in the first place—that “all the church is concerned about is money.” Congregational fundraising in the community can reinforce work-righteous thinking in some of the unchurched, leading them to think that “I’ve given to God, so I’ve done my duty.” Congregational fundraising in the community can undermine a church’s efforts to encourage its members to grow in their management of God’s blessings if they grow instead in their reliance on community revenue. There certainly is a danger that fundraisers can fuel the idea that giving involves the possibility of getting or receiving something in return. It is important to keep in mind the motive for giving. It is love for God and gratitude for his love that provides the motivation for giving back to God what is his in the first place (2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 John 4:19). If the church/school is looking for financial support from its own constituency and not the community in any way, free will offerings can go a long way in funding a youth field trip. Congregational members can be presented with the special opportunity to give towards this cause, and God’s people will respond as they are moved. An approach like this eliminates difficulties associated with raffles and fundraising in general.
God’s Fifth Commandment forbids murder (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 32:39; Psalm 31:15). God wants to protect human life because it is a time of grace; it is the only time people have to be brought to a confession of their sins and a confession of faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior (2 Corinthians 6:1-2; Hebrews 9:27). Because of the importance of human life, the sacrificial system for God’s Old Testament people of Israel involved food or animals. You are correct in noting that God forbad human sacrifices. Scripture explains that people cannot save themselves or others. “No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—so that they should live on forever and not see decay” (Psalm 49:7-9). Human sacrifices are sinful and accomplish nothing when it comes to the forgiveness of sins. Because forgiveness of sins is God’s work, he determined how he would display justice by punishing sin and also display love by forgiving sinners. The giving of his Son in life and in death is at the heart and center of God’s plan of salvation. God gave of himself to save people who could not save themselves, no matter what they did (1 John 4:9-10). That is love—amazing love.
Their website offers this statement of belief. One would be interested to see statements regarding the work of the Holy Spirit and saving faith, as well as the sacraments.
I am understanding your first sentence to intend to say that a non-WELS member cannot sing “in a way in which the person would be leading worship” – for example, as a soloist. With that understanding in mind, allow me to pass along the following thoughts that addressed previous questions like yours. “Our hymnody would be very limited if we sang hymns composed only by Lutherans. For instance, we would be without ‘Silent Night’ and ‘Holy God, We Praise Your Name,’ both written by Roman Catholics. We would be without ‘Glory Be to God the Father’and ‘Your Works, Not Mine, O Christ,’ both written by a Presbyterian. We would lose ‘In the Cross of Christ I Glory,’ written by a man most people think was an agnostic. The test of a good hymn is not the denominational background of its author, but the confessional character of its text. “The stanzas from ‘Amazing Grace’ that are included in Christian Worship speak correctly about the grace of God. If the text of any hymn (even one written by a Lutheran!) would contain doctrines that disagreed with the doctrines of the Bible, that hymn would not have been included in our book. “We are not in fellowship with the Baptist Church because it teaches many things that disagree with the teachings of the Bible. But we do not consider the Baptist Church to be a non-Christian denomination. It should not surprise us, therefore, that a Baptist is able to write a hymn text that speaks correctly about grace, even though he may not be able to write a hymn text that speaks correctly about original sin, infant Baptism, or Holy Communion. “The Lutheran Church has tended to consider or judge forms used for worship on the basis of their content rather than their source.” A way of understanding this is that authors and composers present their works for use by Christians around the world. It is not as though the people who then use those hymns are stepping into the churches of the authors and composers and worshiping along with them. The same can be said about many of the musical pieces that our choirs use in our worship services.
If the job description for your position is standard, religious fellowship issues would not be involved. Our churches and schools sometimes employ non-members in a variety of positions. Like so many areas of life, conscience is something to be considered. If you were to think that working in that position is wrong, then it would be wrong for you (Romans 14:14). Scripture directs us to act in faith not doubt (Romans 14:23). To have a fuller conversation on this, consider speaking to your pastor. God’s blessings to you.
For the benefit of other readers of this question, “filioque” is Latin for “and the Son.” The point of reference is the phrase in the Nicene Creed that speaks of the Holy Spirit proceeding “from the Father and the Son.” “Filioque” was an addition to the Nicene Creed some 250 years after that confession was first adopted. We accept the “filioque” because that is a scriptural truth. The following passages shed light on the subject: John 14:16-17; John 15:26; John 16:7; John 20:22; and, Galatians 4:6. If you are interested in reading more about this topic, this brief paper will give you good information.
God the Holy Spirit has always used the Word of God to bring people to saving faith in Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah (Romans 10:17). For the male population of God’s Old Testament people of Israel, circumcision was a seal of the righteousness that was theirs by God-given faith in the promised Messiah (Romans 4:11). As the rite of circumcision no longer applies to followers of God in New Testament times, the apostle Paul rightly condemned the requirement to be circumcised, along with believing in Jesus Christ as Savior, to enjoy salvation. The book of Galatians addresses this. What that same apostle did in another inspired letter was to speak of a parallel between circumcision and Baptism: “ In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:11-12). The original Passover gave the Israelites deliverance from their enemies. The ongoing Passover observance pointed ahead to the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, who would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). When it comes to the presence of God, the Bible teaches that God has many different modes of presence. He is omnipresent (Jeremiah 23:24; Psalm 139:7-10). He is present in the Lord’s Supper, as we receive the Lord’s body and blood, together with the bread and wine (1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:27). He is present with his church—when two or three come together in his name, as you referenced. He is present with each believer, as our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). He is present with each believer because he lives in them (John 17:20-23). Jesus was visibly present among people when he came to this world as true man (1 John 1:1-2). Your numerous questions could certainly receive fuller treatment, but this is about the best I could do with limited response space.
The Bible does not answer that question specifically. We have this information in Genesis 2:5-6 – “Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.” In Genesis 2:10-14 we read of a river from Eden that “separated into four headwaters.” The Bible first mentions rain in connection with Noah (Genesis 7:4, 12).
In addressing Satan’s abilities, let’s start with his inabilities. As an angel, the devil is not omnipresent. Only God the Creator is (Psalm 139:7-10). Much as the human soul, housed in a body, can occupy only one space at one time, so the devil, a spirit being, can occupy only one space at one time. Yet, as a spirit being without a body, the devil is able to move from one space to another faster than human beings can. And move he does. Job 1:7 and Job 2:2 describe the devil “roaming throughout the earth.” 1 Peter 5:8 states that the devil “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Roaming and prowling describe the devil’s non-stop activity as he moves from person to person, seeking to destroy them. With this kind of activity, Satan and his helpers could hear our conversations. Then, again, keep in mind that Satan is not all-knowing as God is. Satan cannot read hearts and minds. Only God can do that (1 Kings 8:39). Satan operates by what he observes and hears. It is good to be aware of Satan’s power and limitations. Here is something else to keep in mind: we want to recognize that the devil has an accomplice inside each person. The sinful nature, passed on from generation to generation, is hostile toward God (Romans 8:7). The sinful nature hates anything good and godly and desires to do the devil’s bidding (Galatians 5:19-21). So while the devil is not personally present in the life of a Christian 24/7, his ally, the sinful nature, is. With spiritual enemies like these, what is a Christian to do? “Put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:13) and launch a counter-offensive. That is not a foolhardy course of action. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7) is God’s instruction and promise. More than that, we combat our sinful nature through daily contrition and repentance, and we build up the new self through God’s gospel in Word and sacrament (Ephesians 4:22-24).
For God’s Old Testament people of Israel, the Third Commandment involved a day of the week: Saturday. It was a day that emphasized physical and spiritual rest. The Sabbath day pointed ahead to the perfect rest that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would provide through the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 11:28-29). Like other parts of the ceremonial law, instructions regarding the Sabbath day are no longer in effect for God’s followers in New Testament times (Colossians 2:16-17). In Christian freedom, followers of the Lord chose Sunday as their primary day for corporate worship; they did so with Jesus’ resurrection in mind. Sunday is not the New Testament Sabbath. Christians are free to worship on any day of the week. For New Testament followers of the Lord, then, the meaning of the Third Commandment is more about the Word of God than a day of the week. The explanation of the commandment in Luther’s Catechism reflects that: “We should fear and love God that we do not despise preaching and his Word, but regard it as holy and gladly hear and learn it.” Gathering with fellow Christians for worship services is still important. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Colossians 3:16). Rather than mandating Saturday (or Sunday) as a day of corporate worship, God lets us decide which day of the week to come together for worship. And when there are opportunities for worship, the new self in us responds: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’” (Psalm 122:1).