Author Archive: mdhauz

Baptismal Life Bible Class – Third Use of the Law, Part 15

Posted on by

Knowing that the Law can only produce “works of the law”(Rom 3:28) while the Gospel creates faith, which brings forth “fruits of the Spirit” (Gal 5:2) 1 Timothy 1:5), we might wrongly decide that the Law is not to be preached to believers.  In this study, we examine the Scriptural teaching concerning the third use of the Law as it is found in the Formula of Concord, VI and Romans, chapters 3-8.  This concludes the Bible Study on the Baptismal Life.

Handout: Baptism Apr 24 2016 Lesson 14

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Baptized Using the Law Lawfully, Part 14

Posted on by

The law can only produce “works of the law”(Rom 3:28).  The Gospel creates faith, which brings forth good works, which are called “fruits of the Spirit”—“love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).  So what are Christians to do with the law?  How do Christians use the law?  St. Paul tells Timothy, “But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully…” (1 Timothy 1:8).  This lesson introduces the topic of using the law lawfully.

Handout: Baptism Apr 24 2016 Lesson 14

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Fruits of Faith: Spiritual Impulses and Works, Part 13

Posted on by

The fruits of faith are so much more than good works.  Without faith in Christ, which produces new spiritual impulses, we could not do good works.  Those impulses include submitting to God’s will, contentment, love, mortifying the old Adam, enduring suffering, facing death with peace and hope, etc.

“Therefore we also hold that the keeping of the law should begin in us and increase more and more. But we mean to include both elements, namely, the inward spiritual impulses and the outward good works.  Our opponents slanderously claim that we do not require good works, whereas we not only require them but show how they can be done” (Ap IV, 136).

Handout: Baptism Apr 13 2016 Lesson 13

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Image of Christ or Moses, Part 12

Posted on by

There is a Scriptural difference between “the new man” who should daily emerge and arise and what the new man does “to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”  One is faith and the other is the fruits of faith.  “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Gal 2:20).  The Christian mind is faith, which is produced by the ministry of the Word.  When Christ is formed in you(Gal 4:19), faith brings forth good works.  When your confidence rests on the law, it is the image of Moses that is formed in you.

Overheads:
Lesson Twelve Overheads Baptism Apr 10 2016

Resources:
Lesson 11 Yellow Sheet LW v26 p431
Lesson Nine Baptism Mar 20 2016

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Baptismal Life Bible Class – The New Man = Faith, Part 11

Posted on by

The Small Catechism says, “…and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”   According to the Scriptures (Eph 4:23, 2 Cor 4:16, Col 3:10, Gal 4:19), the new (inward) man is faith.  This new man in the Christian is being renewed by God through the Gospel.  The two parts of the baptized life are not confession and good works, but confession and faith.  And where there is faith, the fruits of faith (good works) will follow.  Receive faith and you get good works.  Aim at good works and you will get neither faith nor good works.

Overheads: Lesson Eleven Overheads Baptism Apr 3 2016

Resources:  Lesson Nine Baptism Mar 20 2016
Lesson Six The Ways and Means of God in Mortifying old Adam
Lesson 11 Yellow Sheet LW v26 p431

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Baptismal Life Bible Class – General or Personal Faith, Part 10

Posted on by

A shorter and simpler study on the difference between general faith and personal faith.

The Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XII. 60, “When our opponents talk about faith and say that it precedes penitence, they do not mean justifying but the general faith which believes that God exists, that punishments hang over the wicked, etc. Beyond such “faith” we require everyone to believe that his sins are forgiven him. We are contending for this personal faith, and we set it in opposition to the opinion that bids us trust not in the promise of Christ but in contrition, confession, and satisfaction ex opere operato. This faith follows on our terrors, overcoming them and restoring peace to the conscience. To this faith we attribute justification and regeneration, for it frees us from our terrors and brings forth peace, joy, and a new life in the heart. We insist that this faith is really necessary for the forgiveness of sins, and therefore we put it in as one of the parts of penitence….”

Lesson Nine Overheads Baptism Feb 28 2016

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Rising of the New Man, Part 9

Posted on by

There are two parts to the baptized Life.  After eight lessons of “putting to death the old Adam,” it is time to discuss “the resurrection of the new man.”  Neither mortification, nor quickening can be found in the unbeliever.  This second part will teach us about God’s work in the Gospel to give faith which justifies and comforts those terrified by God’s work in the Law.

In this lesson we take a side trip to look at Plato’s philosophy from his cave analogy.  The Apology of the Augsburg Confession XII (para. 46) described a counterfeit mortification as Platonic and a fake faith as a Platonic figment.  We also saw the difference between a general faith (like the demons have- James 2:19) and personal faith which saves and sustains the baptized life of mortification and quickening.

Resources: Lesson Nine Baptism Mar 20 2016
Lesson Nine Overheads Baptism Feb 28 2016

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Cross in our Vocation, Part 8

Posted on by

The baptized believer trusts in the forgiveness of sins and knows that his salvation is assured.  Faith produces the fruits of faith: love toward the neighbor.  It is in one’s vocation (father, mother, son, daughter, worker, citizen, etc.) that we serve our neighbor in love.  In serving our neighbor we bear our cross as we receive much trouble and toil from other sinners.  Those vocational crosses put to death the will of the old Adam who resists the baptized believer living in his vocation.  This cross lead the believer to trust in Jesus to help in this struggle going on within him, and prays that “God’s will may be done.”

Resources: Lesson Eight Baptism Feb 28 2016

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Task of Faith: Slay the old Adam, Part 7

Posted on by

God ways are not simply external changes which are brought about by sociological principles and behavior modification.  The Triune God works through the Word and Holy Spirit to give the gift of faith in the inner spirit.  The only way in which the believer can mortify the old Adam is through faith, which gives a confidence that calms the conscience, motivates the heart and makes the person “so certain that it would die a thousand times for it.”  Faith works inward contrition and confession of sins.  Contrition puts to death the old Adam daily in fulfillment of holy Baptism.  As the believer exercises his faith, he cries out for mercy because he realizes He is heavily burdened by his own self.  God comes to His aid by attacking the old Adam with adversity, troubles, sufferings, the cross, unrest, dying and death.

Resources:  Lesson Seven Baptism Feb 21 2016
SRM1657- Afflictions or listen at https://soundcloud.com/trinity-lutheran-herrin

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS