FaithCapo.com Lutheran Book Club: Recent Episodes
Faith Lutheran Church
A weekly study of a variety of theological books from Faith Lutheran Church in Capistrano Beach, CA (https://faithcapo.com)
Pastor Rhode begins a discussion on the Second Chief part of the Small Catechism, The Creed.
Vicar Belcher leads us through Commandments 5 to 10, all dealing with what we SHALL NOT DO to our neighbor. He begins the teaching with a definition of who our neighbor is. Commandments 5 through 10 are covered.
The direction of our salvation flows from Christ to us. It is wrong to think we choose Christ. The Cross of Jesus Christ wins the forgiveness of sins. Our salvation flows from God to us and is delivered in the sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Our faith is not obedience to the First Commandment. If your faith is based on your works then you have the doctrine wrong. Faith is both passive and active. Each are explained.
The Biblical understanding of the human conscience is discussed. Our conscience can be viewed as an organ. A bad conscience needs to be informed. This is done by cleansing it with the Gospel. Both self-justification and self atonement are distortions of the conscience. One distortion leads to pride and the other leads to despair. A good conscience is a forgiven conscience. A good conscience is not a conscience free of sin. The blood of Jesus purifies our conscience.
This lecture continues in the discussion of Absolution, Office of the Keys, and the human Conscience.
Note: We join this class in the middle of pastor's teaching. No video or audio of the first 30 minutes of this class is available. This teaching is from page 105 of the book.
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." Why can I say this? Where the Gospel goes away, either pride or despair exist. Spiritual treadmills can be exhausting. In Christianity, we must take our eyes off ourselves and put them on Jesus. The parable of the Vine and Branches defines this truth. We bear fruit if we focus on being attached to the Vine, Jesus Christ. The Cross is the central teaching of the Lutheran church. We have peace with God only through Christ and this is grasped by faith. God takes the obedience of Christ and credits it to us. Faith is that which receives what God offers.
This session concludes this book study. The final pages of the section: "How to choose a wife" is discussed. Next week we begin the study of a new book titled: "Has American Christianity Failed"?
This audio recording does not include the first 3 minutes. Pastor Rhode is reviewing the meaning and definition of the Three Estates in the context of the primary estate, Family.
The first 20 minutes of the video is not available for this lecture. The MP3 (audio) file provides the complete lecture.
This week's study begins on page 83 with a continued teaching on Christ's descent into Hell.
Pages 80 to 84 in the book are covered. This includes the subjects: Christ's death as a moral example and Christ's descent into Hell. Next week this latter subject will be continued on Page 84.
The doctrine of justification by grace through faith is the center of Christianity. If this is true, then Christology is the foundation upon which justification and all the other articles of Christian faith rest. Christology teaches us that Jesus had to be man so that He could die - and had to be God so that His death would pay for our sins. Jesus is true God, true man and is one Person. This is the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. Christology is the most important area of theology. Early creeds and church councils agreed on these formal aspects of Christology. Anything teaching that varies from this is wrong and is heterodoxy. This first lesson from chapter 1 of the book will introduce these aspects of the faith.
This session concludes our study of the Large Catechism, specifically we end in the Lord's Supper section. Next week we begin the study of Christology written by David P. Scaer. Join us for that study at 8:00am Pacific Daylight Time.
We pray in this fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer, "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." If God does not forgive us we are lost and our conscience is not strengthened. We acknowledge we are not worthy of the things for which we pray because of our daily sin. We understand we deserve nothing but punishment, yet we ask that our Father in heaven would give to us, by grace, the things for which we pray. Separately, we acknowledge that we will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us as a marker of God's forgiveness, not a condition of our forgiveness.
Conclusion and summary of the study of the Ten Commandment section of the Large Catechism is given by Pastor Jeremy Rhode. Note: Minutes 2 through 20 of this teaching were not recorded due to a technical error. The audio will "jump" at the 2 minute point to the 20 minute point of the teaching.
The teaching on the 9th and 10th commandments is concluded. Coveting is desiring something we don't have. We do this while trying to make the process appear OK and good using a "slight of hand" method. We make it appear to be on the up and up by scamming and scheming. Greed and envy are the root sin of the 9th and 10th commandments. God's goal is to remove these desires from our heart. Our focus must be on what God has done for us. We are children of God and love God because He first loved us. This lesson concludes with a summary perspective on all the Commandments in the context of our vocation and whether obeying them are good works that please God.
The 8th Commandment, "Do not bear false witness against thy neighbor" is concluded in the first half of this lesson. We are reminded that there is a way we can murder a person's reputation and do our neighbor great harm. Let our ears be a tomb. Rather than gossip, we are to go to the right authority. The 9th and 10th commandments, "Do not covet", are introduced. The word covet includes "desire" and includes aiming to get what our neighbor possesses including wife and servants. It is getting what belongs to a neighbor in a way that seems appropriate. At the root of coveting is dissatisfaction. Once getting what we want, we become dissatisfied again and seek after something new. The world is one large schoolhouse where you are given things and things taken away. We must be like Job and be content when things are taken away. Do not seek (beyond aspiring) after what belongs to another. Aspiring is OK as long as it does not go to a specific. All our disordered desires can only be filled in God and a relationship with Him.
The lesson covers the 8th commandment, "Do not bear false witness against thy neighbor". We are to honor the reputation of the members of our family. The grounding of the commandments are in the family. Fixing society does not fix the family. it works the other way around, family must be fixed first. We are to help our neighbor secure their rights. This commandment forbids all sins of the tongue, yet we are all masters of using our rational to make wrong into right! We are not to make an injustice just. Slander, gossip and jealousy are defined in the context of this commandment.
The teaching continues on the 7th Commandment, "Thou shall not steal". Luther focuses on those who gather wealth improperly and concludes that death is the end result. Hell is justice. Luther says it doesn't go for the rich as well as you might think. More money equates to more problems and more stress. If you steal much, you can expect much to be stolen from you. God punishes one thief with another. As Christians, we are to trust that God will give us enough. In stealing from another you injure yourself more than another. We are to share and lend with an attitude of not getting repaid.
This lesson completes of the teaching on the Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Subjects addressed include: how society is "atomizing" the family, the impact of birth control and a more mobilized society on the family, the proper role of government relative to families, is adoption part of God's plan for families and should a man and woman marry if they don't plan to have children. The Seventh Commandment, "Thou shalt not steal" is introduced. Stealing is defined and a proposal given as to who the greatest thieves in society might be.
During the Protestant Reformation, the issue of what constituted adiaphora became a major dispute within the Lutheran church. Adiaphora are church rites not regarded as essential to faith, but are allowed for the sake of good order. This lesson describes the dispute, in what manner it was resolved, and its implications for the church today.
Whether inside marriage or outside marriage, God desires chastity. This is the essence of the Sixth Commandment that states, �Thou shalt not commit adultery.� Marriage is the institution created by God to prevent the sin of adultery. Also covered in this lecture are celibacy, monasticism, lust, hyper-sexuality, older couples not marrying, flirting, R-rated movies, purpose of raising children, happiness vs. faithfulness and divorce.
In this article, Christ's Descent into Hell, God's people take comfort in Christ's victory preached to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19). Pastor Rhode examines the controversy over this article or faith that occurred in 1544, shortly before Luther's death. We are not to concern ourselves with speculations about how and when Jesus descended into hell with our reason or senses, but, by faith given us by the Holy Spirit, confess this article of faith and understand that neither hell nor the devil can take believers in Christ captive or harm us. An excellent summary of what happens after death is given, including a description of after-death Roman Catholic doctrine. In the last ten minutes, the next article, Church Practices is introduced, specifically the meaning of the term adiaphora.
The Fifth Command states that we are not to kill our neighbor in our hearts with thought, words or hands. God instructs this authority to civil rulers, not individuals or even parents. Self-defense is excluded. Being angry toward another is only authorized when it is a part of their "office". This commandment can be simplified by saying "thou shall do no harm to another." Key to this is how we respond to one who does harm to us. In this command, God is being merciful to us! Looked at in this way, this Law is surprisingly freeing. No matter what others want to do to you, God intervenes and says, no, do not respond. Even though the murderous earth dwells within each one of us, we must not use our tongue to dispose ill to another or wish another harm or evil.
The Sacramentarians in the 16th century, the "bad guys", denied that Jesus can be with us "where two or more are gathered", nor, they said, could Jesus be with us "to the end of the age". In response to this heresy, the Lutheran reformers responded as follows: Scripture defines three different modes of presence for Jesus. First is the circumscriptive, or local presence, (i.e. when His body displaces air). Second is a definitive mode of presence, His body is present, in a defined place without occupying space. This mode of presence is not measurable. Think angels, who do not displace air but their location can be pointed to definitively. We observe the definitive body of Jesus as He comes through walls (John 20) and through the tombstone, before it is rolled away. In these situations, Jesus is not moving air. The third mode of presence is the repletive, or supernatural, mode of presence. This is where Jesus can be present in all places at one time. It is not a measurable presence, yet it is a real presence and there are no limits to the presence. In the Lord's Supper, Jesus is present in the 2nd mode, the definitive mode, because He says while holding the bread, "This is My body." His presence is not measurable, but we can point to a specific location, definitive in the bread. You are invited to listen to this teaching.
Because of the personal union of the two natures of Christ and the resultant communion that the divine and human natures have with each other in the person of Christ, things are attributed to Christ according to the flesh that the flesh, according to its nature and essence outside of this union, cannot intrinsically have. Only Jesus, and no other human being in heaven and on earth, can say truthfully, "Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them". Likewise, no other human can say: "I am with you always even to the close of the age". The Scriptures ascribe such presence only to Christ and to no other human being. Christ can be, and is present, wherever He wills, and this presence is not only according to His deity, but also according to and with His assumed human nature, according to which He is our brother, and we are flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone (Ephesians 5:30). To make doubly sure on this point, Jesus instituted His Holy Supper so that He might be present with us, to dwell in us, work and be mighty in us according to His human nature, that which is His flesh and blood.
In this Part 5 teaching of this article in the Formula of Concord, Rev. Manz continues examining the two natures of Christ (the divine and the human) and the communication of the attributes of each of the two natures. The entire fullness of the divinity dwells in Christ (Colossians 2:9), not as in other holy men. This divinity shines forth with all its majesty, power, glory, and effectiveness in the human nature of Christ. It does this voluntarily when and as Christ wills. This power was concealed and withheld at the time of His humiliation, but now, it is fully, powerfully and publicly exercised before all saints, in heaven and on earth. In the life to come we shall all behold His glory, face-to-face (John 17:24).
A good summary of Third Commandment is when we set aside a day where we have the freedom and time to attend Divine Service. If you miss going to church, you miss this commandment. Holy Day is defined and it is not necessarily Sunday. It is an error to say that Sunday is the New Testament sabbath. Listen to this teaching for more understanding of this important commandment.
In this Part 4 teaching of this article in the Formula of Concord, Rev. Manz continues examining the two natures of Christ (the divine and the human), their hypostatic union and the communication of their attributes and related questions.
God Took upon Himself the form of a human so that He could suffer and die for all men. Reference was made to the book by Martin Chemnitz: Two Natures in Christ.
The Second Command, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain," guides our lips. Using God's name to cover up lies or spread falsehood is a great evil and sin, and it happens in many ways in life. Luther explains how to use God's name properly and how to take an oath without sin. By faith, our hearts and our mouths honor God by confessing Him and His Word purely. Join us in this study that completes the First Commandment and begins study of the Second Commandment.
The two natures of Christ are so united that they have true communion with one another. They are not mingled but come together in one Person. Christ's two natures are not mixed into something new. It is correct to simply say that the Son of God has two natures. It wasn't a mere man that died for us. It was the God man, Christ. Each nature keeps its essence and properties.
Jesus Christ is both true God and true man -- one person. On the basis of Scripture, the Lutheran church has refused to accept the notion that in Christ there was merely a fusing of the two natures or that either nature was changed by virtue of the of the incarnation. Rather, with Luther, the confessors affirmed that in Christ there is one person with two natures. Jesus Christ is truly man and truly God; He is both fully human and fully divine, the one Savior. This is the position set forth in Article 8.
The First Commandment continues as the subject of this teaching. Luther states, "Whatever you set your heart on is truly your God." So is idolatry a problem in the current world? Yes, because the human heart is not willing to acknowledge that all good things come from God. Those who cling to God alone will receive God's blessing.
Martin Luther spends more time on the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me", than on any other portion of the catechism. He explains how essential it is to know, trust, and believe in the true God and let nothing take His place. Luther was convinced that where this commandment was being kept, all other commandments would follow. A right relationship with God produces right relationships with fellow human beings.
The Large Catechism, written by Martin Luther, consist of key Christian canonical works, compiled and published in April 1529 that expand on the Small Catechism. Some of the text is re-edited from a group of sermons preached by Martin Luther. The Large Catechism was addressed particularly to clergymen to aid them in teaching their congregations. In this first session, Pastor Rhode gives the background and an overview of this important book. Note: The word catechism means to "sound back", hence the teaching in the Large Catechism is given in a question and answer format.
This session covers the final pages of the "hidden battle" Christians have with Satan. James 4:7 says "Resist the devil and he will flee." Spiritual warfare is standing the ground, confessing when we fail, and being restored to our post (i.e. vocation in life) by receiving the Word and the Sacraments for forgiveness. This is the Christian life. Spiritual warfare is a battle of wills. We entrust ourselves to Christ's will. We are a Saint in His eyes. We get knocked down and we stand up again. We do this over and over again. Christ gives us the strength that we don't have in ourselves. Resisting the devil is a constant action. We are on guard duty, not in attack mode. We stay on guard duty to resist the devil so that others may be brought to salvation, working in and through us. We are resisting the Evil One in our vocations. When we are distant from a loved one, prayer is the tool we have. The older we get, the more we are called to pray. This section concludes with an excellent listing of six ways to resist Satan.
The Sacrament of the Altar is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, for us Christians to eat and to drink, instituted by Christ Himself. It is the Word that makes and sets this Sacrament apart. So it is not mere bread and wine, but is, and is called, Christ's body and blood. This session discusses this doctrine further in the context of differing opinions in the period after Luther died.
Christians are to put on the full armor of God and stand place, guarding and enduring without attacking, except only when there is no other choice. Do not leave your post (i.e. your vocation as worker, student, mother, etc.). Our post is where God places us. Fight only in a defensive mode guarding the holy ground and being faithful using the armor given us. Fight with right armor at the right time in the right way. Our struggle is against Satan and his cronies. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. We must guard against hating individuals. If we remain faithful, Satan will attack us. Our response is to rebuke Satan and endure and suffer with Christ by attending Divine Service (receiving Word and Sacraments), having daily devotions, and praying for others.
In His Holy Supper, Jesus gives His body and blood under the bread and wine, as He speaks "the Words of Institution" Sufficient discord on this doctrine prompted early Reformers to meet at Marburg in 1529 to hammer out their differences. The Swiss reformer, Ulrich Zwingli, argued that since flesh and spirit are incompatible, the presence of Christ in the Sacrament of Holy Communion can only be spiritual. Martin Luther declared that Christ's body and blood are truly present in the Sacrament. After Luther's death in 1546, two separate views of the Lord's Supper surfaced within the German Lutheran church. The Sacramentarians believed that Christ is not physically present, but is received by the Christian in the Holy Supper only by faith. These Lutherans were called Crypto-Calvinists (crypto means hidden or secret). John Calvin was a Reformer who had taken up the views of Zwingli. Orthodox Lutherans, like Luther, taught and believed in the real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Sacrament and declared there was a "sacramental union" between Christ and the Christian believer in the Lord's Supper. The Sacramentarians denied this sacramental union doctrine. This Formula of Concord Article, #7, describes key aspects of this controversy.
Prayer and the Word of God are the tools Christians have available for use in spiritual warfare. Satan will attack all articles of the faith. In the Baptismal rite "we renounce Satan and all his works and his ways," and by doing so, we stand against Satan every day. Because our enemy is greater than us, we need to depend on a greater force than he. Christ is our advocate and prays that we be kept safe from the evil one. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus warns each of us to "Watch and pray that you might not enter into temptation." Our praying together with Christ is a force that will always defeat Satan.
God has created us to do good works. These good works come about through the work of the Holy Spirit who, through the Word, gives faith and the desire to abide in Christ. The Holy Spirit's work is ongoing because believers are not completely renewed in this world. The old Adam clings to a Christian, and the struggle between the flesh and the spirit remains until death. But thanks be to God, "there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus"- Romans 8:1. So, what is the origin of our good works? It is God's work in us. The Christian life is not about improving behavior, nor is it a system of morality, but it is God alone, working in us, to do His good works.
Guilt and anger are the two chief weapons of Satan. Guilt is often sustained without knowing the exact sin involved. This is Satan's tact. This is in contrast to listing your sins and confessing them and receiving absolution from God. Satan does not want you to enumerate your sins and "hand them over" to God through confession. Without confessing our individual sins, we are locked in, mired in a collection of anger and bitterness. Satan encourages us to project our hated offender onto the whole world by demonizing them. Satan wants our sins and hurts hidden within us, then he digs them up and throws them at us. Confession is key in the exchange between Satan, Christ, and the Christian. Christ "clears the air" of your sin by providing the means of forgiveness; the Ten Commandments and confession. The Cross covers our sins and additionally the Cross covers the healing needed for the sins committed against us. We are to go to the same place, the Cross of Jesus, with sins committed against us. There we get the strength to forgive others. Christ is at the center of our spiritual warfare and we must only rely on Christ alone in this battle, not ourselves.
The Law of God has three functions: curb, mirror, and guide. While the Law has no place in the Christian life as far as justification is concerned, the Law continues to condemn our sin and guide our understanding of what pleases God. The third function of the Law begins at the time God's people have been regenerated. It orders life according to God's will, giving instruction to the believer without burdening his conscience. The "saint-part" of a believer doesn't need the Law, but the "sinner-part" of a believer needs the Law. Christians are not perfect in this life, and as God's children need frequent warning and guidance.
God's Word is vital in spiritual warfare. Satan attempts to cut us off from the Word because it is our spiritual life-line. God's Word is sanity. Through the Word, we achieve sanity and gain sound-mindedness. Our first spiritual discipline is The Ten Commandments, used to disclose the state of our conscience. This process is diagnostic and shows us our sins. In spiritual warfare, "you can't stop the bird from flying over your head but you can stop the bird from building a nest on your head." The concept of fasting as a second spiritual discipline concluded this session. A book titled 'Summary of Christian Doctrine' by Edward Koehler was referenced.
The Holy Spirit works faith in our hearts when we hear the Cross preached, Then we understand that the Cross, God's wrath, was intended for us. The Law of God rebukes us and shows us the many ways we fall short of God's will for us in this world. The Gospel teaches saving faith in Christ alone. But faith is more than head knowledge. It is the power of God to work salvation in us, through the faith given us. When our sins are understood, our corrupt nature is listed first. If we diminish our sin, our Savior, Jesus, is diminished also. A proper way to talk about Law and Gospel is to talk about death and God's answer to it, forgiveness and the resurrection of our bodies. This concludes Article 5.
Satan's efforts to cause a Christian to sin are reviewed from last week's lesson. Satan's front-door method attacks a Christian's conscience and can result in either self-righteousness or despair. This week's lesson, pages 234 to 241 of the book, describe Satan's "back-door" approach to lure us into sin and attacks our ability to love a fellow Christian (pastor, spouse, church leader, etc.). In all of Satan's attacks, our weapon is always the Word of God.
The primary purpose of the Law is to make our sins known to us. We cannot purify our own hearts. This happens by the power of God and is a gift to us. Through this process we receive faith. Merely preaching the Law without Christ leads people to despair. Preaching the Gospel must be added to the Law always.
In this lesson of the book, pages 230 to 234, we examine how Satan attacks the disciples of the Church. His primary way is tempting Christians to sin by attacking their conscience, causing either self-righteousness or despair. Satan's goal is to wrench us away from Christ. We must be aware of how Satan tempts us and be ready to confront it.
This lesson begins Article 5 of the Formula of Concord (FOC) and is titled Law and Gospel. In His Word, God speaks judgment (His Law) and grace (the Gospel). We often confuse these and fail to distinguish between what God demands of us and what He has done for us in Christ. Forgiven in Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives us comfort and the hope of the Gospel of eternal life and salvation, while continuing to convict us of our sin. As Christians, we must understand how both Law and Gospel terms are used in Scripture and confess with diligence their distinction.
Pages 117 to 126 of the book are covered. The law is to be taught to show sin. Sin cannot be undone, it can only be forgiven by God and others. The flesh(sin) strives against the Spirit of God within us. This strife goes on our whole life. All works done after justification are repentance. This is what Christ means by "bearing your cross". The sin being driven out is a process and this is a sign that God is at work. When a person cares, this means God is working.
Scripture: Psalm 40 Matthew 5 Hebrews 10:5-7 John 16:8 Romans 1:18 Psalm 40:6, What does it mean to be justified? What does it mean to be sanctified? In this lesson, Martin Luther discusses the difference and what part the Law has in each. Pages 51-58 of the book are covered, Arguments #15-#18.
Martin Luther argues that it is a sacrilege to remove the Law from the church. The Law is in the state of "being done" in the Christian. This is sanctification. The only time the Law is not fulfilled is in our sinful state. Human "intention of a better life" cannot be part of a sanctified life. Sin battles faith but does not win. Ultimately, we are not a sinner, we are a Christian. "Whatever is not from faith is sin"-Romans 14:13.--Sins of weakness are contrasted with sins of impenitence. Impenitence is where a person is deeply engrossed in the sin and ignores that it is wrong and denies it as sin. Wanting to be free from the action of sin is penitence is indicated by a sincere desire for forgiveness.--- The sin of blasphemy, sin against the Holy Spirit, is discussed in detail. This finishes Luther's 9th Argument.
This is a review day. Pages 23 to 27 are covered again. In this section of the book titled, "Anonymous Antinomian Theses", Luther documents the individual positions of Agricola, who at this point, had remained anonymous and was unwilling to publically debate his antinomian views. By documenting Agricola's views, Luther did not want to appear to agree with the anonymous author's preposterous positions by remaining silent.
Pages 23 to 27 are covered in this section titled, "Anonymous Antinomian Theses". Here Luther documents the various positions of Agricola, who at this point had remained anonymous and unwilling to publically debate his antinomian views. By doing this, Luther declared he did not want to appear to agree with the anonymous author's preposterous positions by remaining silent. Luther listed Agricola's antinomian theses in order to repudiate them.
In 1527, John Agricola argued with Martin Luther about repentance, saying that repentance (contrition) is not worked in Christians by the Law, but only by the Gospel. Agricola rejects the Third use of the Law (i.e. Guide for Christian behavior). Those who held this "anti-Law" view were called Antinomians. Luther opposed Agricola and argued that there can be no proper understanding of the Bible without both Law (all Three Uses: Curb, Mirror, Guide) and Gospel preached for all people. Luther said, "Give the Law in all its sternness and give the Gospel in all its sweetness". Pages 1 to 21 are covered.
This is the final session in this book study. We have an excellent summary of the key points in the book concluded with a Quiz given by Pastor Rhode.
Luther uses Scriptures from John to support his argument that "fallen man cannot attain on his own the things of God." pages 277-278, John 1:12,16. God by nature is a "giver". Man and Church are "receivers." When man ascribes to free choice he denies Christ and what Christ has done for them. They have removed the grace of Christ and destroyed the whole of theology! When we make a "decision for Christ", it is a fruit of our faith, so Decision Theology, if understood correctly, is receiving a gift given us by God (i.e. faith) and our "decision for Christ" should be treated as a "fruit of the faith" given by God.
Scripture: John 1:5,10 John 8:13 John 15:18 1 John 5:19 1 John 2:16, Pages 270 to 278 of the book are covered. Man can boast in his works, but not before God. Consider Abraham's two- fold righteousness, first in the Left Hand kingdom (i.e. world). Good people and works are Left Hand kingdom items. These boasts fall short before God. This is distinct from righteousness in the Right Hand kingdom. Abraham is not righteous before God unless he is clothed with faith. His works are not righteous and they deserve God's wrath. Only the righteousness of faith avails before God. God credits a man with righteousness because of faith in and through Jesus. In the Left Hand kingdom, our wages for work are due us, they are not a gift. In the Right Hand kingdom the wages are death (Romans 3:23). But to the one who does not work his faith is credited to him as righteousness before God (Romans 4:5). God is both just and the justifier because the Son of God, Jesus, bore the sins of the world.
Pages 263 to 270 of the book are covered. The works of the Law are utterly useless in obtaining the Gospel. All free choice has is the Law.Did Christ's righteousness come from His perfect obedience or did it come from His divinity? Does the Law deliver righteousness? If not why? These subjects along with other foundational points to Luther's argument against man having free choice in the matters of salvation are discussed.
Scripture: Galatians 3:2 Romans 3:20-25 Ephesians 2:10, Are good works necessary for salvation or detrimental to salvation? We discuss this in the context of doers of the Law by Spirit -filled man and fleshly man. Luther directs us to the source, where good works originate. Pages 260-265 of the book are covered.
Mankind is ignorant of the truth. Romans 1 says there is an awareness of God (partially), yet a rejection and a contempt of God by man. Luther makes the point in this section that man's reason and will are ignorant. This section gives a summary of the whole book in a nutshell. The sickest believe they are the most well. We need to learn about our nature from God's Word. Everyone thinks they are good! Pages 253-259 of the book are covered.
Scripture: Romans 1:16-17, Do Christians cooperate with God in their becoming a Christian? No! Do they cooperate in remaining a Christian? No! The Holy Spirit alone recreates us and sustains us,But does a Christian cooperate with God in other things? Yes. The Holy Spirit does not work without us in preaching the gospel,showing mercy to the poor and other activities that are the will of God. In our vocations we are God's mask. Pages 242 to 250 of the book are covered. Interestingly, page 246 begins the "foundational section" of the book. It is a summary of Luther's arguments put forth in the entire book. This section could have been at the beginning of the book.
Pages 242 and 243 are covered in this shortened session. Do we work with God in our salvation? Whether a person becomes a Christian or remains a Christian is God's business. All creatures are moved and carried along by God. God actuates both the creating and sustaining process for all mankind. Man does not cooperate in any way. For example, no human cooperates in the process of being born in the flesh. In like manner, we don't cooperate in our spiritual birth, in the sustaining or our flesh (body), and in the sustaining of our existence in the Kingdom of God.
Scripture: John 15:6 1 Corinthians 13:2 1 Corinthians 12:3, Pages 232 to 242 of the book are discussed. Jesus says: "Apart from Me you can do nothing". Diatribe grabs the word "nothing" and says it means "a little something". Luther argues against this strongly. An enemy of Christ is going to do nothing for Christ. It is hard for Christians to avoid sin, it is impossible for the non-believer to avoid sin. God and the Devil are not distant, truth is that one of them is riding us as a beast of burden. It is not coercion. The Devil says, do whatever you want. God in contrast says you either serve Me or serve the Devil. Good is more rare or more fragile than evil. Listen to this very important doctrinal discussion.
Scripture: John 3:6 Genesis 5:1-2 Romans 6:11 Proverbs 16:1, Page 222 to 233 of the book are covered. We talk about the nature of man regarding original sin. Christ divides all men into two classes, flesh and spirit. Luther makes his case against Erasmus using John 3:6.
Scripture: Genesis 8:21 Genesis 6:5 Psalm 51:5 Psalm 22:9 Isaiah 40:2 Isaiah 40:6, The Bible teaches that all mankind can only do evil. Each cannot do what God wants but only what self wants. Man is ablaze in sin from conception and not tinder ready to be set afire, as the Roman Catholics teach. We can do nothing to turn ourselves to please God. Any work that comes from a sinner is sin. All humans are in need of what God freely gives. This is called grace. Infant baptism is the acid test for God's grace. If you have grace right, you have original sin right. If you have original sin right, you have grace right. Listen to the audio to learn more on these subjects.
This session begins with an overview of pages 164 to 193 of the book. Here Luther interprets biblical texts that deal with free will. In the new material, pages 194 to 198 of the book, we discuss two kinds of necessity. Footnote #37 on page 38 is a good summary of Luther's position: Man's free choice is bound to God's foreknowledge. We also discussed the mutable and imminent God versus the immutable and transcendent God.
Scripture: Ephesians 1:11 Ephesians 1:19 1 Corinthians 12:6, The first 18 minutes of this lecture was NOT recorded due to technical difficulties. The remaining 42 minutes of audio is provided. We pickup at the 18 minute point in mid-sentence. A Word transcript of first 18 minutes of the teaching can be downloaded by clicking on the LINK below, titled: Transcript -- First 18 Minutes .... Thank you for your interest in our teaching.
A question was asked, "why do we as humans want to see God as good?". Is man to defend God? Where does human reason fit into the answers? We review the Revealed God vs. the Hidden God as well as who condemns man to eternal punishment in hell and who saves man from this judgment. This was a very interesting class led by Pastor Rhode on these challenging subjects.
Scripture: Exodus 4:21 Romans 9:18 Psalm 19:4 Hebrews 6:7, Pages 164 to 172 of the book are discussed. Diatribe gives reason for Free Choice. Luther argues it is a "figure of speech". We examine, does God harden or does Pharaoh harden? We discuss the revealed God in Christ through His Word and Sacrament and the Hidden God (what we cannot know). Diatribe's goal is to create a God acceptable to our reason. Seeking to measure and defend God by reason is Erasmus's point. But God wants to be trusted and believed, not justified and explained. Faith is foolishness to man. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. NOTE: At 8:40 in this recording there is a disconnect for about 3 minutes where the teaching was NOT recorded because of a technical problem. We apologize.
Pages 150 to 158 of the book are covered. Why do Lutherans say death is purgatory? What does this mean. Nobody is hoping to merit hell, but this is the natural consequence. This along with other interesting and thoughtful subjects are in this session.
Good review given of pages 137 to 146 covering the hidden God vs. the revealed God and we discuss why God sustains some in the faith and not others. New material covered pages 147 to 151.
Pages 112 to 123 of the book are covered. The illusion of neutrality is discussed. The purpose of the Law is examined. A question was asked: "Are Christians able to be possessed by demons?" Join us for this very important and interesting lecture/discussion of this section of Luther's book.
By free choice we mean that a man either turn to salvation or turn away from God. In truth, free choice belongs to God alone. God is sovereign and man nor angel is free to do whatever. If man is free, why can't he opt out of death or sin? Whatever the person does is bound to them. We can't escape from our own desires. "My will be done" is sin, "Thy will be done" is salvation. The will is bound to what it sees and understands. Without the Holy Spirit, man is ignorant and lives by rejecting truth. This is a sample of the discussion this week from pages 100 to 111 of the book.
Pages 90-97 of the book are covered. Erasmus claimed that Scriptures are obscure and need the Pope in Rome to interpret. Luther argued that the Scriptures themselves testify to their truth. All Scripture should be tested by Scripture itself. The Scriptures are not obscure and are Light. All else is Darkness. The Word of God always causes us to keep reforming. We discuss systematic theology, commentaries on Scripture and the Book of Concord in this context.
Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:15 1 Kings 18:22 1 Kings 19:18 Psalm 78 Isaiah 10:22 Matthew 7:1, Pages 83-90 of the book are covered. Love and faith are contrasted. A sample of the discussion: We call anyone a Saint who is baptized. We, with love, look on another and say "I am willing to be deceived --- I will not judge them." Love assumes the best! In contrast, faith says no one is a Christian unless God says they are. Faith grasps hold of God's Word. Faith is much more cautious than love. Never believe a pastor unless he speaks God's Word. Faith's nature is not to be deceived.
Pages 70 to 82 of the book are covered. If we preach "Christ crucified" all the doctrine of the pastoral office and the sacraments come with it. Trust God on things above, but all the rest of things in life your are free to choose. God assures us He is with us and will work good out of those things that come into our lives. God will bless you in both the good and bad things that happen. We don't "do theology" by democracy (i.e. measuring the number of books written in favor of free will vs. against free will of man. This is a sampling of the discussion in this session.
Pages 64-70 of the book are covered. The "bound will" means you do exactly what you want! As a fallen creature it is opposite of what God intends for man. The problem of sin in us is our will. Man does not want to change (i.e. addiction). Man does not want to do it, right up until the time to do the addiction, then you want to do it. The will, set free from bondage, and bound to Christ, is now free to obey the will of God. Man's will is in accord with God or in accord with Satan.
Only the first 35 minutes of this lecture was recorded. It begins at page 62 in the book. The theme is "God alone is the cause of salvation."
Scripture: Matthew 22:14 John 13:18, Excerpts from this class: "If we are free in Christ, what are we bound to?" Martin Luther says "we are like donkeys, either ridden by God or ridden by the Devil." Freedom in Christ means being bound to God's Word and being set free from ourselves. The Gospel sets everyone free from the Law of Moses. The godly are changed to follow God freely, while the ungodly are allowed to go their own way. God frees the godly from themselves to follow the Law of God. ---- Also discussed… does God cause evil? --- God hides His mercy under wrath. Christians are called to live by faith. God wants us to live by faith, not by sight. So, if we live by sight, we will despise God. Listen to the audio of the class for the context of these excerpts.
We reviewed who is the cause of salvation. It is God alone. Man does not want to repent. He is bound to his fallen nature and will not turn to God on his own. Discussion occurred on the universal idea that our will is bound to something else, resulting in comments such as "it was meant to be". Also discussed: God is immutable but also merciful, God is present in all places and all things even Hell. These are concepts we wrestle with. Man-made laws that curb in outward actions but do not change the heart conclude this session.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:6, What can man's free choice do and what is its relationship to the grace of God. If man's will can do everything, grace is destroyed. The cause of salvation is examined. "Is it man alone, God and man, or God alone?" This question is not to be confused with another separate and different question: "What causes unbelief?" Pages 35 to 42 of the book are covered.
In God there are hidden things and there are mysteries, yet God speaks clearly in scripture. Satan has frightened men away from reading the scriptures. Luther gives us a "protestant way" of reading scripture -- declaring that nothing in scripture is intentionally left confusing. Yet, human nature is such that we want to understand in order to believe. This is not how God works. Belief comes through God's Word. No man understands scripture unless he has the Spirit of God within him and the supreme mystery brought to light in scripture is namely: that Christ, the Son of God, has been made man; that God is three and one; and that Christ has suffered for us and is to reign eternally. Pages 25 to 35 of the book are covered.
Introduction to Bondage of the Will; background of Luther and Erasmus, and the situation at the time. What is meant by "bondage of the will" and what scripture Luther built his thesis on is discussed. Pages 1 to 24 of the book are covered.
Confession and absolution continued. Roman Catholic ideas vs. Lutheran ideas on the subject. Does communion do more than remind us of God's forgiveness? What is anointing, confirmation and extreme unction? This finishes this book. Next week we begin Luther's "Bondage of the Will".
Scripture: Jeremiah 6:15; Jeremiah 31:19; Titus 3:5, What repentance is, what it is not. Melanchthon addresses what the Roman Catholic church teaches on the subject. How do we mortify our sins? Do you commit mortal sins? Public confession vs. private confession. Do you need to confess your sin? Pages 175 - 181 are covered.
Scripture: Romans 6:3-11; Acts 19:1-5; Matthew 3:11, In this Baptism section of the book, the author in an attempt to defend the proper doctrine of Baptism against Scholasticism falls into error himself. These errors are exposed and explained. The study concludes with a discussion comparing the baptism of John with the baptism of Jesus. In summary, a baptism without the Holy Spirit is not possible. Pages 169 to 175 of the book are covered.
We discuss what different Christians believe about Communion and Baptism and how bridges can be built between different views. Infant baptism is explained.
The Law has nothing to do with the Christian and everything to do with the Christian. How important is it to keep the commandments if we are not justified by them? And what about ceremonies? Should we abolish them to be free? Pages 155-163 of the book are covered
Scripture: Hebrews 8:13; 1 Timothy 1:9; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Galatians 3:13, Because believers in Jesus Christ are free from the Law, does this mean the Ten Commandments are null and void? Discussion and answer given in this lesson. Pages 142-157 of the book are covered.
Scripture: Matthew 7:16; Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 1:5-10;2 Peter 2:5-11; 1 Corinthians 13:2, The effectiveness of faith in Christ, created by the Gospel, and the kind of work that flows from this faith is discussed. Faith in Christ pours itself out in love of neighbor. The Christian life is not a move from vice to virtue, it is a move to Christ. Christians display the virtues of Christ in their works. Pages 138 to 142 are covered.
Scripture: Luke 17:9-10;Philippians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Faith makes all of life worthwhile and meaningful from wealth and blessings to poverty and suffering. We discuss: Are good works really good works?, the meaning of Luke 17:9-10, "we are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty", Paul's verse in Philippians 4:12 "in plenty or want, I have learned to be content in all things", and Paul's thorn in the flesh and God's response to Paul. Pages 131-139 of the book are covered.
Scripture: Hebrews 11; Acts 14:17; Galatians 3:16, What is Faith? -- continued.Do our good works make us certain in our faith in God? If Abraham didn't receive the fulfillment of God's promises, how could he be certain of God? Pages 123 to 130 are covered.
What is faith? Is it fear, trust, duty, or intellectual assent? What does God want from us? Faith is trust in God's mercy and entrusting yourself to God. Every work done outside of faith is sin. Pages 118 to 123 of the book are covered. Technical note: Please excuse the lower level of audio for the first 4 minutes.
Scripture: Genesis 15:6; Psalm 14:1-2; Ezekiel 29:9, Pages 111 to 117 of the book are discussed. This includes the short chapter on Grace and the first pages of Justification and Faith. Faith formed in love is all that matters. The Christian life demonstrates invisible faith by visible works.
Scripture: Exodus 20:19; Genesis 3; 2 Samuel 12:13; Luke 7:48; Luke 15:17-24; Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 42:31, Pages 102-110 of the book are covered where the Power of the Gospel is seen in the Old Testament and New Testament through Adam, Nathan and DAvid, Isaiah, Zechariah, Peter and Jesus as well as many other examples.
The history of the Gospel in the Old Testament is presented and how we need to understand the condemnation of the Law to appreciate the Gospel. Pages 92-102 of the book.
Scripture: Romans 13:1-5; 2 Timothy 2:15-17; 2 Peter 1:21; Colossians 2:8; Psalm 19:7-14; Jude 3; 2 Timothy 2:13, Pages 77 to 82 in the book are covered. This section discusses Human Law and the enmeshment of God's Law with man-made Church laws that wrongfully "bind" consciences.
Scripture: Ephesians 4:28, Pages 70 to 75 in the book are covered. We have been studying the various parts of the whole idea of REST, meaning we just receive from God. God chooses suffering to show us we don't have freewill. If we had free will, then we should not sin, not die, not eat, etc. We don't have free will. This is how we are to view the Third Commandment. To love God is to embrace His Will. One does not become godly by a vow. The custom of vows conflicts with faith.
Pages 66 to 70 in the book are covered. Free will is reviewed. Sin is discussed in the context of the three categories of the Law and each of its functions. The role of the human conscience, both good and bad, is contrasted.Satan is not responsible for suffering in the world.
Scripture: 1 Samuel 2; John 6:44;Zechariah 1:3, Pages 54 to 65 of the book are covered. This teaching begins with the discussion of the challenge of Christians -- to love those who don't love us. In addition, the Christian needs to call out to the hidden God. We find we are incapable of loving our neighbor and seeking after God. Human nature is only sorry for what it has done because it fears punishment.
Scripture: Galatians 3:22; Titus 3; John 3; Colossians 3; Romans 6; Romans 7; Colossians 4:6, Pages 48-52 in the book are covered. Paul says the flesh cannot be subject to the Law. What liberty can exist without the Spirit. In Romans 7, Paul sees power working in him, bringing him into captivity. Only a Christian can lament in their sin. We love wealth and power in our flesh because it is good to us. See Wolfmueller link above on "Self-Love". God wants us to love and trust Him when He hides His face and presents Himself as harsh. In our flesh we stop loving things when they are unlovable and we only love what is advantageous to us.
To be born again is completely the will of God. It is not as if God is holding out his hand and we need to take hold. Scripture describes both our body and soul as our "flesh" and it is the entirety of fallen man. If we minimize our sin, we then minimize the glory and work of Christ. Page 46-49 of the book is covered.
Scripture: Romans 5:12-21;Psalm 51:11; Genesis 6:3; Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 41:29; Isaiah 53:6; Psalm 116:11; Psalm 14; John 1:12-13, Sin is not a latent possibility in man but an ever-active force. Original sin is an inborn propensity and a natural impulse to disobey God. It originates from Adam and extends to all of the human race. Scripturally speaking, we are dead in our trespasses and we can do nothing right, just as a dead person can't do anything for himself. We are all, by nature, enemies of God. -- Pages 36 to 44 are covered.
Scripture: Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 17:9; Psalm 19; Psalm 25, We cover pages 33 to 36 in this lecture. Humans are described to be like donkeys, being ridden by one of two masters, Satan or God. The term "affection" used in this book refers to the base desire of a human being. Jesus judges the heart (the affections) and says "your heart is bad" and it only desires to sin. Can the will of man act lovingly to God? No! This can only happen when man is overcome by a more powerful force. External temptation is contrasted with internal temptation. The medieval church taught fake repentance. Freedom in affections does not exist, either internally or externally.
In this session we discuss human reason, the hidden God, human ability to trust God, the reason all humans naturally hate God, Roman Catholic theology, external actions and works of man, sensual pleasures, external righteousness, divine predestination, manichean heresy, original sin, human free will, human reason and powers, righteousness of God, unrighteousness of mankind, our old Adam,natural man,human sovereignty and God's will. Another source on these subjects is referenced, "Good News That Our Wills Are Bound" by Dr. Rod Rosenbladt. See link above.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:21;Matthew 10:29; Proverbs 16:4, We cover pages 20-29 in this session. We begin with an excellent overview of three theological methods contrasted: via antiqua, via maderna and Lutheranism. Theology is for humans and for the purpose of their salvation and for the forgiveness of their sins. The revealed God, known through the foolishness of the cross is contrasted with the hidden God. Human affection (i.e emotions) are discussed in the context of predestination and how affections affect our human will.
Introduction to author of this book written in 1521 (and translated to English in 2014) is given as well as the description of Christianity at the time of the writing nearly 500 years ago.
This is the final class in our study of the Apocrypha. A summary of the remaining books in the Apocrypha is given with the possibility of returning to this series later.
This lesson covers chapters 19 and 20 of Ecclesiasticus. Proverbs are given regarding speech and the tongue.
This lesson covers Ecclesiasticus 18:7 to 18:32. Advice is given regarding alms giving and kindness shown to others. Warnings are discussed concerning self-control.
Scripture: Numbers 13:23;Acts 10:3-4;Ecclesiasticus 16:1-18:7, This lesson begins with 16:1 of Ecclesiasticus and concludes with 18:7. Advice regarding children is given. This is followed by God's wisdom seen in creation. A section where alms giving and kindness shown are suggested for the atonement of sin is recognized as pointed out as doctrine and should be ignored. See also 3:35 for the same error in this book.
Scripture: Proverbs 2:2-11; Romans 7:18; Ephesisan 2:10; Matthew 5:21-46; Romans 6:1-, Chapter 14:18 thru 15:18 are covered. We discuss the responsible use of wealth, wisdom personified and freedom of choice from the verses of these two chapters. Quote from this session: "A relationship with Christ is far superior to a relationship with answers."
Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-7;Romans 5:10; Psalm 5:5-6; Psalm 11:5, Chapter 12 and 13 of Ecclesiasticus are covered in this lecture. Proverbs regarding relations with friends, enemies and associates in life are given.
Scripture: Luke 1:52;Luke 12:13;, This session covers advice/proverbs given in chapter 11 and the start of chapter 12 of Ecclesiasticus. It regards relations with friends and others in life.
This session covers the proverbs given in chapter 9 and 10 of Ecclesiasticus. Warnings/advice regarding dealings with women, friends, sin and pride are among the subjects covered.
Chapter 8 is covered today. A whole list of "Do Nots" is covered in this chapter of proverbs.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:14; Exodus 29:6, This session begins at Ecclesiasticus 6:26 and ends at 8:1. It begins with various wisdom proverbs then transitions to relationship proverbs with others including parent-child, spouse, poor and sick person relations.
The proverbs (i.e. general truths) in Ecclesiasticus chapter 5 and 6 are discussed. Life points is to our need for a greater friend, Christ.
Scripture: Proverbs 8:22-30;Psalm 111:10; Ephesians 5:18, Ecclesiasticus, also called Wisdom of Sirach, is a book in the Apocrypha. It is a collection of ethical teachings. This first lecture covers the first three chapters that focus on the source of wisdom, fear, trust and duties toward parents.
Tobit concluded (last 2 chapters) and an introduction of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) is given.
Tobit's son Tobias marries Sarah and both return to Nineveh with the help of Raphael, and angel disguised as a human. Tobit's blindness is healed. Chapters 5-12 are covered.
Chapters 2 and 3 are covered in the book of Tobit today. Tobit instructs his son Tobias before his departure for Media in chapter 4. This instruction particularly praises the value of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving.
An introduction to this fictional book of Tobit is given and Chapter 1 is covered. Tobit is a Jewish man that lives during the captivity/exile of the ten Northern Israelite tribes by the Assyrian nation in 722 B.C.
We continue in the book: The Wisdom of Solomon in Chapter 15:18 thru 17:7. Modern day idols are discussed and contrasted with Old Testament idols. God's partial reverse of the curse is discussed in the subjects of manna and giving us His body and blood.
Scripture: Exodus 32:1-6, This teaching begins with a review of Chapter 14 in the book, The Wisdom of Solomon covering the foolishness of idolatry(verses 14:1-11). In 14:12, we pickup the origin of idolatry by the Israelite people when they made a golden calf at Mt. Sinai. The worship of idols is the beginning of every evil. Chapter 15 covers the benefits of worshiping the true God. "We will not sin because we are accountable to you God. Even if we sin, we are yours because of His super abundant mercy. To know God is complete righteousness." These are some of the passages discussed from this chapter ending at 15:12.
Chapter 12 of the book, The Wisdom of Solomon, focuses on the sins of the Canaanites including their abominations of the worship and their resulting divine punishment. The nature of man as created by God is good, but pride takes over resulting in the corruption of every man. God makes the essence of man good, but corruption enters. In chapter 13 and 14 idolatry is described and condemned. Kinds of idolatry are listed and contrasted with God's providence.
Scripture: Wisdom of Solomon 10;Romans 1, Our discussion begins in Chapter 10 of The Wisdom of Solomon. We are in the middle of a discussion of wisdom. Wisdom is defined as the will and revelation of God (Christ). Chapter 10 is a tour of the Old Testament wise: Adam,Noah, Moses, and Joseph. The foolish are contrasted: Cain and Lot's wife. Chapter 11 describes the sins of Egyptians and the relenting on God's part that sinners might repent. The resulting punishment by the animals the Egyptians worshiped concluded this lesson.
We are in chapter 10 of the Wisdom of Solomon. The author is writing as if he were Solomon. Wisdom is personified as a female. Chapter 10 goes through some of the major stories of the Old Testament (Adam, Cain, Noah,David,Moses) and how wisdom defended their lives.
Our book continues as the Wisdom of Solomon. We reviewed the "description of Wisdom" in chapter 6. Solomon.In chapters 7 and 8 wisdom is personified and a pseudo-Solomon introduced. In chapter 9, "Solomon" prays for wisdom. Conclusion: the very heart of wisdom's endeavor is to impart the mind of God.
Scripture: James 1:5; James 1:16-18;Wisdom of Solomon 6-7, Chapters 6 and 7 of the Apocrypha book, The Wisdom of Solomon. Speaking in the name of Solomon, the writer praises Wisdom and commends it to kings.All men come into the world with the same universal need of Wisdom which leads to immortality. That which is done apart from faith is sin. To love wisdom is to follow Jesus' teachings. Wisdom is in the beginning. i.e. wisdom is God. Prayer to get wisdomin 7:7. All aspects of wisdom come for the Lord.
Scripture: Wisdom of Solomon 5-6, Today we cover chapters 5 and 6 of the Wisdom of Solomon. The scene is the Judgment Seat. The righteous man stands with confidence. He has put his faith into action, striving against the flesh. The wicked will be amazed when they see the salvation of the righteous on the Judgment Day.
Scripture: Wisdom of Solomon 3:17-4:18, The Wisdom of Solomon 3:7 to 4:18 is covered. Two different paths: life and death are contrasted. If you can't beat death, use it is a theme. But we are not to seek the power of death but another power, that of Christ. It is better to have virtue and no blessing than to have blessing and no virtue. But this is not what the world says to us. Enoch is perfected and brought to maturity (4:13-14). Enoch is a type of the whole, elect people of God (4:16).
Scripture: Wisdom of Solomon 2-3, The Wisdom of Solomon: review of chapter 2 (the culture of death) and chapter 3 (how the righteous see and approach death) this week.
This week we are studying the book, Wisdom of Solomon in the Apocrypha. Review of Chapter 1 with its "exhortation to righteousness" contrasted with Chapter 2 and "life as the ungodly see it." Numerous comparisons to Ecclesiastes are noted. Very profound descriptions of and warnings to the godly who inherit eternal life and the ungodly who summon death are made
Scripture: Isaiah 66:24, In her song, Judith credits God for the victory over the Assyrians and the killing of Holofernes (Judith 16:5-6). She details her preparation for war and speaks of her renowned beauty, knowing it would beguile her intended prey, Holofernes (Judith 16:7-8). Her song lauds the kind of upset often found in the Bible: that of the underdog, in this case a woman, winning against the mighty and the seasoned enemy cowering in fear and screaming and running (Judith 16:11-12).The second half of this lesson introduces the second book in the Apocrypha, The Wisdom of Solomon.
After beheading Holofrenes, Judith returns to Behtulia with her maid, and receives and accepts accolades. She tells her townspeople that once the Assyrians find Holofernes' headless corpse, "panic will come over them, and they will flee before you" (Judith 14:3-4). Joakim, the high priest, and the Israelite Council arrive from Jerusalem. With one voice they call Judith the glory of Jerusalem, the great pride of Israel, and the boast of the nation (Judith 15:9). The people concur with Amen. (Judith 15:10).
This lesson continues in the book of Judith. Judith prays to God in chapter 9 and in chapters 10 and 11 she executes her deceptive plan to save Israel from the Assyrian army led by Holofernes.
Scripture: Genesis 34, Pastor Rhode continues in the book of Judith in Chapter 7 and 8. Judith, the key figure and heroine in the story, makes her first appearance in this lesson. The Book of Judith's truly remarkable heroine, Judith is introduced as a devout, shapely, beautiful and wealthy widow (Judith 8:4, 7). She exhibits characteristics showing her the equal of Israel's finest warriors.
This lesson covers chapters 4 to 7 in Judith, the first book in the Apocrypha. Israel is aware and fearful of the upcoming invasion by the Assyrians, an army bent on world domination.
An exciting plot evolves as we read and discuss the first three chapters in Judith, the first book of the Apocrypha. The Assyrian general, Holofernes, has been defeating with ease the nations surrounding Israel. Will Israel be invaded next?
In this lesson an overview of the Judean period under various rules was covered from Persian rule through Roman rule under the Herods. 311 BC to 1BC was covered.
How do you know what is true? Scott Keith describes our philosophical starting points which change how we think about our faith and our God.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:26, In this study called Session 1, (prior sessions in this book study were not recorded), the word consecration is discussed. It means "to make or declare sacred" and/or "dedicate to a sacred purpose". Here we discuss the consecration of the elements (bread and wine) through the echoing of Jesus' words in his Last Supper. Contrast is made between Lutheran and Roman Catholic doctrine.
Prof. Daniel Deen "The Ethics of Belief - Virtue and Apologetics" Part two from Faith Lutheran Church
Prof. Daniel Deen "The Ethics of Belief - Virtue and Apologetics" Part one from Faith Lutheran Church
Scripture: Galatians 4, Galatians Chapter 4, A PDF outline for this chapter is attached to this Program. Please download it.
Scripture: Galatians 3, Galatians Chapter 3, Download Chapter 3 outline given as an attachment PDF to this Program.
Scripture: Galatians, Galatians - Chapter 2To download Chapter 2 Outline PDF attachment go to Lesson 4
Scripture: Galatians, Galatians - Chapter 1Please download the Chapter 1 PDF attached to the Program.
Scripture: Galatians 1, Paul's epistle to the Galatian churches: Introduction and Preface
A study on the Martin Chemnitz book: The Two Natures in Christ -Chapter 2. Note that all chapters of this book are not covered in this lecture series, but the major thesis put forward is covered.