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).
Author Archive: luther
Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 17 Apologetics 2
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
“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
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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#49 Fathers Do Not Neglect Your Own Household
It is the duty of good parents to instruct their children from childhood in the fear of God on the basis of sound literature of Christian women. Here we see that a pig will train a pig, but that human parents do not know anything. Such a man is not even pagan; he is beastly. Matrons, Paul wants to say, have no need to wear themselves out with foolish and self-chosen works. They have tasks at home to keep them busy, but they turn away from these to pilgrimages and the like. It has been truly said that a father will find eternal life in his offspring; that is, a father has plenty of opportunity in his household to practice his piety, and if anything is left over, to distribute it to his neighbor. But let him see to it that he does not neglect his own household. (Luther’s Works, v. 29, p. 54 on Titus 2:8)
33A Creation: Hate Speech
“Many in my generation would never have though there would be a time in our Western world when the Bible would be accused of being a book of hate speak and be so ‘outlawed’ from a culture. And yet, this is starting to happen in our Western world…. In these nations, when Christians speak up against gay ‘marriage,’ gender fluidity, or abortion, it is considered ‘hate speech,’ and attempts are being made to try to outlaw such speech” (Gospel Reset by Ken Ham, p.76).
#48 Matrons Train Younger Women to Love Their Husbands and Children
Thus he instructs matrons to be good teachers and to train younger women to love their husbands and children. I have said what it means to love one’s husband, namely, not merely to cohabit with him but to respect one’s husband, to regard him as lord, to submit to him in all things, not to be domineering. This is a rare quality in a woman, for the female sex inclines naturally toward what is forbidden to it; it wants to reign, to rule, and to judge. From this there come marital discord, blows, and beatings. To love children means not only to educate them for the world but to see to it that they are provided for in body and in soul. For such love the rod and discipline are required, as Prov. 3:11 and 23:13 say; and Ecclesiasticus says (Ecclus. 30:1): “He will whip him often,” because there is foolishness in the heart. Such love is also rare. People love their children for the sake of the pomp of the world. They adorn and save their possessions for them. They do not enrich their souls with the arts, with study, with sound literature. (Luther’s Works, v. 29, p. 54 on Titus 2:8)
Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 15: Not Confusing the Estates
The several descriptions of American culture given in the book, Gospel Reset, imply that the former cooperation between public schools and the church (e.g. the Bible, prayer and Christian worldview, see page 17) gave American society a foundational knowledge for understanding morality and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Page 14 says, “… many in our culture simply don’t have any foundation to comprehend the message of Christ, ever since the Bible and Christianity have been kicked out of schools and replaced with the godless religion of secular humanism” (p.14). Though, we would not want to mingle the estates of church and state, it is unquestionably true that “Christians and their worldview are treated with increasing intolerance” (p.17). We might even say that public (state) schools are hostile to the teaching of the Christian faith (p.71-72).
Having distinguished between the three estates which God has instituted, as well as the means and duties of those within those estates, it would be more precise to say that natural knowledge is being denied by the state (and her schools).
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- The denial of the natural knowledge of a Creator (atheism) and Creation (evolution)
- The denial of the intrinsic value of human life (abortion, euthanasia)
- The denial of body, family, and marriage (gender, homosexuality)
- The denial of right and wrong (baseline morality)
It is the job of the third estate (family) not only to provide for her children in body and soul, but also to teach her children. Either directly or through surrogates, parents are to teach both natural knowledge so that their children might be useful to society, and revealed knowledge so that they might come to be saved and proclaim salvation to their neighbor. All authority to teach comes from the parental estate. “Marriage should be treated with honor; from it we all originate, because it is a nursery not only for the state but also for the church and the kingdom of Christ until the end of the world” (Luther’s works, v. 1, p. 240).
Handout 1: three-estates-etc-b.pdf (See pages 3-4 from the Large Catechism, 4th Commandment)
Handout 2: ThreeEstates-Wolfmueller.pdf
Overhead: 3rd-Estate.pdf
Reference: Historical-Footnotes-2018-p.14.pdf
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32A Creation: Truth and Holiness
“Coming generations, for the most part, don’t understand the holiness of God and what sin really is. They are all confused. That’s why many think that if you are a good person, you can get to heaven. Many won’t oppose gay ‘marriage.’ They are so used to taking man’s ideas like ‘millions of years’ and adding that to God’s Word, so they take man’s ideas about marriage and add that to God’s Word as well They have been taught that one’s feelings determine truth, and it’s all about love. No! It’s all about what God’s Word clearly teaches. Most of our kids today are very ‘Greek’ in their thinking because of the indoctrination in secular beliefs” (Gospel Reset by Ken Ham, p.76).
Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 14: Worldview vs. Three Estates
Usually we speak of the Ten Commandments as the law of God which shows us our sin. Furthermore, we know that only believers can do good works, because without faith nothing is pleasing to God (Heb. 11:6). Good works flow from faith. Nevertheless, when Luther describes the Ten Commandments as the fountainhead of all good works, he is contrasting God-ordained works with works which man makes up. When an unbeliever lives 20 years within the estate of marriage, we should not be afraid to call it holy marriage–as marriage is established by God. Thus, Luther has written, “For to be holy and to be saved are two entirely different things. We are saved through Christ alone; but we become holy both through this faith and through these divine foundations and orders. Even the godless may have much about them that is holy without being saved thereby” (LW, v.37, p.364-365).
This lesson seeks to give some sound ways to speak about the God-instituted estates and the Table of Duties for those who live in these “various holy orders and positions” (Small Catechism). God has established these estates not as a mean of acquiring salvation, but as both the means He uses to preserve His creation, and as the believer’s means by which, living in these estates, he gives thanks for God’s creation and salvation.
Handout 1: threee-estates-etc.pdf
Handout 2: ThreeEstates-Wolfmueller.pdf
Overheads: Gospel-Reset-Overheads-Jun-30-2019.pdf
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