Book of Concord Bible Study Starts September 1, 2019

Posted on August 16, 2019August 16, 2019 by luther

Dust off your Book of Concord and start reading. Sunday, September 1, we will begin a new 9-month Bible study on the Book of Concord.

You keep saying that you are going to read through it. Well, here is your chance.
I have provided a reading guide, so your new Adam can whack that recalcitrant old Adam with it each day.
“The Lutheran Church differs from all other churches in being essentially the Church of the pure Word and unadulterated Sacraments. Not the great number of her adherents, not her organizations, not her charitable and other institutions, not her beautiful customs and liturgical forms, etc., but the precious truths confessed by her symbols in perfect agreement with the Holy Scriptures constitute the true beauty and rich treasures of our Church, as well as the never-failing source of her vitality and power. Wherever the Lutheran Church ignored her symbols or rejected all or some of them, there she always fell an easy prey to her enemies. But wherever she held fast to her God-given crown, esteemed and studied her confessions, and actually made them a norm and standard of her entire life and practice, there the Lutheran Church flourished and confounded all her enemies. Accordingly, if Lutherans truly love their Church, and desire and seek her welfare, they must be faithful to her confessions and constantly be on their guard lest any one rob her of her treasure” (Concordia Triglotta, p.3).

The following is a reading guide (through December) for those who would like to read along with us.
Reading Guide for Tappert, Kolb, English only of Triglotta, Concordia Reader’s Edition: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-1-Page-1-2.pdf
Reading Guide for Triglotta, Jacobs, Henkel, Die BekenntnisSchriften, Tappert, Kolb: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-2-pages-1-2.pdf

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Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 19: Moving Forward 2

Posted on August 15, 2019August 14, 2019 by luther

With this class, we continue looking at the “Four Points Raised in John Warwick Montgomery’s article, ‘Christian Apologetics in the Light of the Lutheran Confessions.’” Today’s class looks at points three and four.

3. After the fall, man has a bound will in spiritual matters (Ephesians 2:1, “dead in trespasses and sins.”) Nevertheless, man still has freedom of the will in non-spiritual matters. “The human will has liberty in the choice of works and things which reason comprehends by itself…. There is left in human nature reason and judgment concerning objects subjected to the senses.” The believer and unbeliever share a common ground of logic and fact. What are we to make of those who have reason and judgment and yet come to the illogical conclusion that there is no god(Psalm 14:1), etc.? They are fools. “…The power of concupiscence is such that men more frequently obey evil dispositions than sound judgment. And the devil, who is efficacious in the godless, as Paul says, Eph. 2, 2, does not cease to incite this feeble nature to various offenses” (Ap XXVIII Free Will, 70-71).

4. Apart from the power and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, man is neither enlightened nor converted. Therefore, we must confess that none of the capacities of the unregenerate man(human reason, the knowledge which it can obtain, apologetics) permit him to mend his broken relationship with God. Apologetics can reveal that man doesn’t know God, lacks righteousness, and doesn’t know God’s will toward man. Thus, God the Holy Spirit works through the means of grace in order to create and strengthen faith, “… neither preacher nor hearer is to doubt this grace and efficacy of the Holy Ghost, but should be certain that when the Word of God is preached purely and truly, according to the command and will of God, and men listen attentively and earnestly and meditate upon it, God is certainly present with His grace, and grants, as has been said, what otherwise man can neither accept nor give from his own powers” (FC SD II 55). Furthermore the Word is not efficacious through the recitation of syllables, as if Scripture were a magic spell. If the Word is twisted to a false interpretation, it abolishes the righteousness of faith. The Holy Spirit works through the perspicuous teaching of the Word so that man is brought to the Holy Spirit’s interpretation of that Word that we are saved by grace through faith in the work and person of Jesus Christ. “No sane man can judge otherwise…” (Ap IV 254).

Outline for today’s lesson: Apologetics-Moving-Forward.pdf
Book of Concord References for today’s lesson: Apologetics-Part-2-for-Aug-4-2019.pdf
Handout from July 21: Apologetics-Definition-a.pdf Page 2 has outline of Four Points Raised…

Note: Sunday, September 1, we will begin a new 9-month Bible study on the Book of Concord. The following is a reading guide (through December) for those who would like to read along with us.

Reading Guide for Tappert, Kolb, English only of Triglotta, Concordia Reader’s Edition: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-1-Page-1-2.pdf

Reading Guide for Triglotta, Jacobs, Henkel, Die BekenntnisSchriften, Tappert, Kolb: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-2-pages-1-2.pdf

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36A Creation: Doing the Lord’s Bidding

Posted on August 14, 2019June 18, 2019 by luther

“No matter what’s going on in the culture, we need to be doing what God has clearly instructed us to do. We’re to be about the business of the King, preaching the Gospel, giving answers, and contending for the faith (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15; Jude 1:3). “…but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15, NASB).” (Gospel Reset by Ken Ham, p.85).

Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 18: Apologetics Moving Forward

Posted on August 13, 2019August 14, 2019 by luther

In previous classes we have defined Apologetics as the scientific validation of the truth and absoluteness of the Christian religion against unbelief on the basis of human reason and science. We previously looked at 1 Peter 3:15 and Jude 1:3, but these came up short as proof texts to support apologetics. It would seem that the right use and limits for apologetics may be a bit more complex. The use of human reason in apologetics is able to judge correctly in the things of this world. Based on creation and conscience, apologetics can reveal that there is a God, who makes a distinction between right and wrong. Nevertheless, apologetics cannot discover the will of God or validate “the truth and absoluteness of the Christian religion.”

Beginning with this class, we will look at the “Four Points Raised in John Warwick Montgomery’s article, ‘Christian Apologetics in the Light of the Lutheran Confessions.’” Today’s class looks at points one and two. 1. Man cannot “by his own reason or strength” accomplish or make any advance toward his salvation. Nevertheless, we do use human reason in a ministerial way when we use the laws of language to discover God’s will in the revealed knowledge of God. 2. History is a proper subject for apologetics. The Christian faith is a historical religion that correctly describes reality. Although faith is not merely knowledge, it does include historical knowledge of what the Triune God has done in history (combined with the promise concerning those facts). “Therefore it is not enough to believe that Christ was born, suffered, was raised again, unless we add also this article, which is the purpose of the history: The forgiveness of sins” (Ap IV, What Is Justfiying Faith, 51).

Note: Sunday, September 1, we will begin a new 9-month Bible study on the Book of Concord. The following is a reading guide (through December) for those who would like to read along with us.

Reading Guide for Tappert, Kolb, English only of Triglotta, Concordia Reader’s Edition: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-1-Page-1-2.pdf

Reading Guide for Triglotta, Jacobs, Henkel, Die BekenntnisSchriften, Tappert, Kolb: Book-of-Concord-Reading-2019-2020-Chart-2-pages-1-2.pdf

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#51 After a Sound Thrashing, Cookies!

Posted on August 11, 2019June 18, 2019 by luther

By soothing the Galatians this way Paul prepares their minds to bear the fatherly rebukes with filial feeling. This is like tempering absinthe or bitter medicine with honey and sugar to make it sweet again. Thus when parents have given their children a sound thrashing, they soothe them by offering them cookies, cakes, pears, apples, and such little presents, by which the children recognize that the parents meant it for their good, even though the punishment was severe. (Luther’s Works, v. 26 p.417)

35A Creation: Shine More Brightly

Posted on August 7, 2019June 3, 2019 by luther

“In fact, it’s just the opposite! It’s when we find ourselves in the midst of a ‘crooked and perverse generation’ that we are to appear as ‘lights in the world’ (Philippians 2;15). Paul told the Romans that the truth about the coming of the Lord is motivation to ‘wake up’ and ‘put on the armor of light,’ not to sit around passively and let culture go to hell…. As things get darker in culture, the Church must shine all the more brightly in society. It’s an opportunity to work, not an excuse to ‘wait’ (Gospel Reset by Ken Ham, p.84).

#50 Harsh to the Face, Affectionate in the Heart

Posted on August 4, 2019June 3, 2019 by luther

On the other hand, if one stubbornly insists on the force of the Greek word, namely, that κατὰ πρόσωπον, “according to face,” always means “according to appearance”—as in John 7:24: “Do not judge by appearances”—this still does not demand the conclusion that there was hypocrisy on Paul’s part. On the contrary, the sense will be this: Paul was indeed in earnest when he opposed Peter and rebuked him verbally, but he did not do so from a malicious heart. It is in this way that Ecclus. 7:24 speaks: “Do you have daughters? Be concerned for their bodies, and do not show your face cheerful toward them.” Thus parents are stern to their children “according to face,” not from the heart, yet not hypocritically either. And every Christian should maintain cordial pleasantness and a feeling of unity when reproving a brother and disagreeing with him. But even of God Himself it is said (Lam. 3:33): “For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.” But who would say that God plays the hypocrite when He scourges men and rejects them? Thus Paul rebuked Peter with a real reproof. He was harsh toward Peter “to his face” but affectionate toward him in his heart. Therefore Peter’s guilt was real and deserving to the highest degree of reproof, and in neither man was there any hypocrisy of the kind St. Jerome supposes. There was, however, that earlier hypocrisy by which Peter compelled the observance of Jewish and legalistic practices. (Luther’s Works, v. 27 p. 214).

Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 17 Apologetics 2

Posted on August 1, 2019July 31, 2019 by luther

Another passage used to support the task of apologetics is Jude 1:3, “…Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly (ἐπαγωνίζεσθαι) for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” In context, the way in which we contend for the faith is by a Scriptural defense of the faith, and not an exhortation to make a scientific defense of the Christian faith by natural knowledge and human reason.

There has been “an incredible attack on the Bible” (p. 107) as atheistic evolution(naturalism) attempts “to explain life without God” (p.64-65). We are told that the Holy Scriptures are only fairy tales (p.22) about morality and salvation, while science presents the “real” history. The church’s response has been pitiful. Some within the church have added evolution to Genesis one and called it theistic evolution. Some have given up on the historicity of the Biblical accounts of creation and the flood, only to limit themselves to teaching morality and “spiritual” things (salvation). Even of those who disagree with evolution, many do not contend and defend the teaching of the Christian faith but resign themselves to fatalism (p.84) and do not speak up.

The right use of apologetics and the proper limits for apologetics are be a bit more complex than simply citing 1 Peter 3:15 and Jude 1:3. Next week we will begin a positive argument for apologetics by looking at the “Four Points Raised in John Warwick Montgomery’s article, ‘Christian Apologetics in the Light of the Lutheran Confessions.’”

Handout from last week: Apologetics-Definition-a.pdf
Outline for today’s lesson: Apologetics-Part-2a.pdf

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34A Creation: Different Worldview

Posted on July 31, 2019June 3, 2019 by luther

“It’s a worldview issue that flows out of your foundation, either from God’s Word or man’s word. It’s a spiritual issue. Those with a man-based foundation will have a different worldview from those whose foundation comes from Scripture. This is why we view moral issues differently. What morally ‘right’ to one will not necessarily be ‘right’ to the other. Christians with a moral foundation coming from the God’s Word will often clash with those whose foundation is built on human reasoning” (Gospel Reset by Ken Ham, p.77-78).

Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 16 Apologetics

Posted on July 30, 2019July 30, 2019 by luther

Those who encourage apologetics almost always cite First Peter 3:15, “… always be ready to give a defense{ἀπολογίαν} to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you….” The Greek word, apologia {ἀπολογία}, simply means to give a defense against objections. In context, there is nothing to suggest anything other than a defense by means of Scriptural evidence. Nevertheless, modern day apologetics are exclusively devoted to the scientific vindication of the truth and absoluteness of the Christian religion against unbelief by means of natural knowledge and human reason. Both pre-Reformation theologians and Lutheran theologians have debated whether there is a proper use for apologetics, and if there is, what the proper use is.

Handout 1: Apologetics-Definition-a.pdf

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