Author Archive: mdhauz

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 20: Believing Abraham

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Class #20:  Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Galatians 3:6, Genesis 15:6).  All of the Old Testament upholds the Scriptural doctrine of justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.  The promise given to Abraham was not that he was to be the father of the Jewish nation.  God’s promise was that in Abraham “all the nations/families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12:3, 18:18, etc.).  God justifies the people of all nations by faith.

Abraham believed in the promise of the Savior, Jesus Christ, coming from his own body.  Abraham’s righteousness was not accomplished by his own works.  He was declared to be righteous from faith.  Abraham believed that God would create from him “a great nation,” that is the church!  The false teachers cannot claim Abraham in support of their righteousness by works. On the contrary, it is the Galatians, who are “of faith,” that can claim Abraham as their father.  The believing Galatians are the true sons of believing Abraham.

Overhead: Galatians Class 20 Overhead
Handouts: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 3 6-9  and seed offspring descendant NKJV

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 19: A Christian By The Hearing of Faith

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Class #19:  St. Paul unceasingly preached Jesus Christ as crucified for their sins, in order that faith would come to the Galatians by the hearing of the Gospel message.  They had received the Spirit by the hearing of faith.  They were progressing in sanctification by the hearing of faith.  Both St. Paul and the Galatians had suffered at the hands of others for their profession of justification by the hearing of faith.  With Galatians 3:1, St. Paul calls them “foolish” for setting aside the hearing of faith in order to cling to works of the law.  The teachers who taught this falsehood had “bewitched” the Galatians.

We briefly touch upon the reason for the omission of the words “that you should not obey the truth” in Galatians 3:1 of some English translations.

Overhead:  Galatians Class 19 Overheads
Handout: Galatians Class 19 Handouts

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Galatians Bible Study, Part 18: Distinguishing Justification and Sanctification

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Class #18:  There is a distinction between justification(Christ for me) and the fruits of justification, called sanctification(Christ in me).  A person is saved when he is justified by faith in Christ, “who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal 2:20).  It always follows that the person who is justified, is sanctified.  That is, God creates a new heart so that the Christian desires to please God and love the neighbor.  Nevertheless, due to the sinful nature, that sanctification is imperfect.   We are not saved by our sanctification, nor do we trust in our sanctification.  We trust in Christ for our justification, which is always perfect.

At the end of Galatians, chapter 2, St. Paul begins to speak about the results or fruits of the Galatians having been crucified with Christ(justification).  “Christ lives in(ἐν) me” and “I live in(ἐν) faith to the Son of God” (Gal 2:20).  Beginning with Galatians, chapter 3, he asks them to look at how their Christian life began, if they were now continuing to live by faith, and the suffering they had endured as a Christian.

With this lesson, we examine the Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article III. Righteousness, 24-29, 37-54, in order to clearly speak about justification and sanctification.  We take note Of the 7+ ways to fail at distinguishing between justification and sanctification.

Overhead: Galatians Class 18 Overhead
Handout: Formula of Concord Solid Declaration III Righteousness Jan 15 2017

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 17: The Law has No Place in Justification

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Class #17:  St. Paul continues to emphasize the contrast between righteousness by(διά) faith in Christ and righteousness by (διά) law.   The Scriptural teaching of justification by faith cannot allow the introduction of even a drop of works-righteousness otherwise grace is frustrated and Christ died for nothing.

The law has no place in the doctrine of justification.  Of course, the law is to be used to show me my sin, so that I die to the law.  The law is no longer my master and I am no longer his servant.  Through faith in Christ, I live a new life of thankfulness toward God.

Overhead: Galatians Class 17 Overhead

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 16: Christ isn’t a Minister of Sin, is He?

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Class #16:  St. Paul declares that Jews know—because of the teaching of the Old Testament—that no flesh is justified by keeping the law(Ps 143:2).  Therefore, in order to be justified according to the promise of the Gospel(Mk 16:16), Christians have believed in Jesus Christ.

With Galatians 2:17-18, St. Paul shows the logical result of what happens when a Christian (who is seeking to be justified by faith) adds the requirement of keeping the law for his justification.  With verse 17, we learn that if faith in Christ alone is insufficient to save, then Christ has become a servant who lead us into sin.  Similarly in verse 18, we see that if believers in Christ need the law in order to be justified, then the church’s teaching of faith alone makes us lawbreakers.  We cannot rebuild the law as a requirement for justification, without turning Christ into a sin-causer and us back into a transgressor.  The truth of the Gospel is that important!

Overhead:  Galatians Class 16 Overhead

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 15: When Adiaphora is not Adiaphora

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Class #15:  Concerning those things which are neither commanded nor forbidden by the Scriptures (called adiaphora), we are free to do or not do. However, when St. Peter by his pretense began to compel the Gentiles to keep the ceremonial food laws in order to be saved(2:14), the principle doctrine of Christianity was at stake.  St. Paul rightfully objected.  St. Peter knew that a man was saved by grace through faith and apart from works, but out of fear(2:12) he did not behave in keeping with the truth of the Gospel.

We must always distinguish between the law and the gospel.  The law is rightly used to curb the sinful nature, to show us our sins, and to guide the thankful heart as how to please God.  However, when it comes to justification (being declared righteous), the law has no place.  The conscience trusts in the Gospel message alone for salvation.

Overhead:Galatians Class 15 Overhead

Galatians Bible Study Class #16 will not be published until January 3.

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Saturday Ember Day Sermon – 12/17/2016

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This year’s ember day sermons are based on the Apostles’ Creed.  This third sermon is on the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed and is entitled, “The Sanctifier And The Sanctified.”   (Note: Based on Luther’s Sermons on the Catechism, 1528 — See pages 162-169 of Luther’s Works, volume 51)

“1] Thus far we have heard the first part of Christian doctrine, in which we have seen all that God wishes us to do or to leave undone. Now, there properly follows the Creed, which sets forth to us everything that we must expect and receive from God, and, to state it quite briefly, teaches us to know Him fully. 2] And this is intended to help us do that which according to the Ten Commandments we ought to do. For (as said above) they are set so high that all human ability is far too feeble and weak to [attain to or] keep them. Therefore it is as necessary to learn this part as the former in order that we may know how to attain thereto, whence and whereby to obtain such power. 3] For if we could by our own powers keep the Ten Commandments as they are to be kept, we would need nothing further, neither the Creed nor the Lord’s Prayer. 4] But before we explain this advantage and necessity of the Creed, it is sufficient at first for the simple-minded that they learn to comprehend and understand the Creed itself.

5] In the first place, the Creed has hitherto been divided into twelve articles, although, if all points which are written in the Scriptures and which belong to the Creed were to be distinctly set forth, there would be far more articles, nor could they all be clearly expressed in so few words. 6] But that it may be most easily and clearly understood as it is to be taught to children, we shall briefly sum up the entire Creed in three chief articles, according to the three persons in the Godhead, to whom everything that we believe is related, so that the First Article, of God the Father, explains Creation, the Second Article, of the Son, Redemption, and the Third, of the Holy Ghost, Sanctification. 7] Just as though the Creed were briefly comprehended in so many words: I believe in God the Father, who has created me; I believe in God the Son, who has redeemed me; I believe in the Holy Ghost, who sanctifies me. One God and one faith, but three persons, therefore also three articles or confessions. 8] Let us briefly run over the words.” (THE LARGE CATECHISM  By Dr. Martin Luther, Part Second.  OF THE CREED.)

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Friday Ember Day Sermon – 12/16/2016

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This year’s ember day sermons are based on the Apostles’ Creed.  This second sermon is on the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed and is entitled, “The Redeemer And The Redeemed.”  (Note: Based on Luther’s Sermons on the Catechism, 1528 — See pages 162-169 of Luther’s Works, volume 51)

“Thus we have, in all, five parts covering the whole of Christian doctrine, which we should constantly teach and require young people to recite word for word. Do not assume that they will learn and retain this teaching from sermons alone. 25 When these parts have been well learned, you may assign them also some Psalms and some hymns,[1] based on these subjects, to supplement and confirm their knowledge. Thus our youth will be led into the Scriptures so they make progress daily.

26 However, it is not enough for them simply to learn and repeat these parts verbatim. The young people should also attend preaching, especially at the time designated for the Catechism, so that they may hear it explained and may learn the meaning of every part. Then they will also be able to repeat what they have heard and give a good, correct answer when they are questioned, and thus the preaching will not be without benefit and fruit.  27 The reason we take such care to preach on the Catechism frequently is to impress it upon our youth, not in a lofty and learned manner but briefly and very simply, so that it may penetrate deeply into their minds and remain fixed in their memories.”[2]

[1] Luther himself wrote six hymns based on the parts of the Catechism.

[2] Preface of 1529, Large Catechism, (Tappert, T. G. 2000, c1959. The Book of Concord : The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Fortress Press: Philadelphia).

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Wednesday Ember Day Sermon – 12/14/16

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This year’s ember day sermons are based on the Apostles’ Creed.  This first sermon is on the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed and is entitled, “The Creator And The Created.”   (Note: Based on Luther’s Sermons on the Catechism, 1528 — See pages 162-169 of Luther’s Works, volume 51)

“The material in the Large Catechism originated as sermons by Martin Luther on the basic texts of Christian teaching.  Already in the Middle Ages, some regional synods in Germany had called for regular preaching on the “catechism” (usually defined as the Ten Commandment, Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer and, sometimes, the Ave Maria).  The Ember Days, four time of fasting spread throughout the church year {The Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after 1st Sunday in Lent, Pentecost, Holy Cross Day(Sep 14), and St. Lucia’s Day(Dec 13)}, were often designated for this purpose.  Even before the Reformation, Wittenberg’s city church, St. Mary’s also seems to have followed this practice.  Luther himself preached on various portions of the catechism as early as 1518”  (The Book of Concord, Kolb, preface to Large Catechism, p.377)

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