The Reformation and the Church Today: It's About Doctrine... and a Reformation Collect

Christian Doctrine is a body.  The Lutheran dogmaticians called it a body of doctrine (corpus doctrinae).  This body of doctrine is made up of articles of doctrine, or articles of faith.  For Luther, as well as the Lutheran theologians that followed him, the chief and central article of all Divine Doctrine was the article of justification, or simply faith in Christ.  He writes in his Smalcald Articles (II, 1, 5; Trig):

Of this article nothing can be yielded or surrendered [nor can anything be granted or permitted contrary to the same], even though heaven and earth, and whatever will not abide, should sink to ruin. For there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved, says Peter, Acts 4:12. And with His stripes we are healed, Is. 53:5. And upon this article all things depend which we teach and practice in opposition to the Pope, the devil, and the [whole] world. Therefore, we must be sure concerning this doctrine, and not doubt; for otherwise all is lost, and the Pope and devil and all things gain the victory and suit over us.

It is crucial that the teaching of man being justified not by his own merits, but through faith alone in Christ when he believes that his sins have been forgiven for Christ's sake remain the central focus of all theology and church practice.  

In his Galatians Lectures (1535, AE 26:458-59), Luther applies this focus to how we deal with the Papacy.  First he explains that the world embraces and praises the righteousness of works and condemns the righteousness of faith.  It is difficult, Luther explains, for timid souls to believe that such a great majority that call themselves the church would be so wrong on this issue, even when the papists' immorality is publicly exposed. 

But despite the wickedness of the papacy's behavior, Luther keeps the focus on the righteousness of faith.  He writes:

But even if the religion and discipline of the papacy stood now as it did once, we would still have to follow the example of Paul, who attacked the false apostles despite their holy and virtuous fronts, and battled against the self-righteousness of the papal kingdom, saying: "Regardless of how celibate a life you lead or how you conduct yourselves in humility and the religion of angels or how you wear out your bodies with frequent discipline, you are slaves of the Law, of sin, and of the devil; and you will be cast out of the house, because you seek righteousness and salvation through your own works, not through Christ."

Luther continues: 

Therefore we should pay attention not so much to the sinful lives of the papists as to their wicked doctrine and their hypocrisy, and this is what we chiefly attack. 

Luther finally explains that Satan does not defend the wicked behavior of the papists.  The more pious they are, the better it is for the devil, so he can deceive souls into trusting their own works rather than Christ alone for their salvation.  

Luther's words here should exhort and encourage us to keep our focus on the doctrine of the gospel when we argue theology.  This does not by any means indicate that we should ignore sin.  On the contrary, when our focus is on the forgiveness of sins, we will better understand how we should deal with sin, since it is through the forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus that the veil is taken from our eyes so that we can understand God's law (2 Cor 3:12-18).  It is when we understand the gospel of Christ that we better understand the magnitude of sin, namely that the sin from which we need redemption is not only a bunch of outward acts, but a deep corruption of our natural desires (see AC II and Apology II).

We likewise focus on justification when we talk about the church.  It is easy for people to slip into radical anti-institutionalism when they praise the Reformation.  On the other hand, Romanizers like to say that the Reformation was terrible, since it broke apart the Church.  Both sides prove not to understand the church, since they take their focus off of justification.  When justification is not at the center, people begin to think that the church is all about their efforts.  People are always going to emphasize tact, style, methods, and other human virtues.  But these things can be used for good as well as for evil.  They are used for evil when they become the main emphasis rather than it being the pure doctrine of Christ.  When "Law and Gospel" is seen as merely theological jargon used by an ecclesiastical elite when they have their exclusive conversations, the people will learn to turn  not to doctrine, but to their efforts.  They won't understand the discussions, so they will be turned off by the negative vibe in the arguments.  They will then seek the works-righteousness of the devil, the world, and their flesh.

But the people need to hear and be taught pure doctrine.  Just as Luther noted, the world seeks after works-righteousness.  So whether trusting in our collective works our individual works, we are by nature inclined to trust and thus worship our pious acts, our efforts, and even our teamwork.  But God has instituted His church and has given His church pastors to preach the pure Christian doctrine in which justification for Christ's sake is at the heart, and God's people hear that doctrine with faith.  So if we imagine that everyone is a minister and that the pastoral office is simply put together by the church, we then direct the people's focus on their works and away from the righteousness of faith which God sends pastors to preach.  Also, if we imagine that the Lutheran church is not the true catholic church, but is some kind of break off from Rome, we take our focus off of the ministry of the gospel through which God creates and sustains the church.  We must not forget that it is on the basis of pure Christian doctrine that the church is considered true and catholic.  

So while we talk about everything pertaining to the church, we focus on doctrine.  It is when we focus on doctrine, with justification at the center, that we can see clearly the practice and mission of the church.  

Lord God heavenly Father,

You sent your Apostles to declare the good news of Your

Son, that He was crucified for our sins and raised again 

for our justification; 

As you sent your servant Martin Luther with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, help us your servants to treasure throughout all generations
 that saving message of Justification through faith alone in Your Son, and though Devil, Turk, and Pope attack, let us never become weary or bored with it. 

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, for whose sake you justify

the ungodly, and who lives and reigns with You and the

Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen

Happy Reformation Day!

What are Indulgences anyway? (Reformation Day with Propter Christum)

We Lutherans would love to take back October 31 from the neopagans, Wiccans, and wannabe occultists.  October 31 is Reformation Day!  This is the day to sing A Mighty Fortess is Our God and Salvation Unto Us Has Come!  But what does Reformation Day celebrate?  What happened on that All  -Hallows-Eve 495 years ago?  A young friar, ordained minister, doctor of theology and university professor (not a big shot, but not just some dumb ol' monk) posted 95 Theses of protest on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany.  What was this man, whose name our church proudly bears, protesting?  Did he call for the abolition of the papacy?  The right for priests to marry?  Justification by grace through faith for Christ's sake alone?  Not quite.  Luther did not tackle the entire beast of the papacy and its false doctrines right away.  He did, however naively, threaten the purse of the papacy and bishops.  Luther questioned not the entire concept of indulgences, but how indulgences were being preached as a replacement of good works. You know what indulgences are, right?  That's when you pay to get your sins forgiven instead of trusting in Christ for your forgiveness! Right?  Again, not exactly.  Indulgences indeed are an abuse of men in the Church, which distracts people from that one thing needful, but let us examine exactly what indulgences are, so we can understand the meaning of this special day in Lutheranism and in the Church itself.

First, we should understand the Roman Catholic understanding of Confession and Absolution.  Unlike the Lutheran teaching in the Small Catechism which lists two parts: 1. Confession, where we confess our sins and 2. Absolution, where the penitent receives absolution, that is forgiveness from the pastor as from God himself, the RC doctrine has three parts: Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction.  Contrition is when a sinner feels sorry for his sins. The sinner then confesses his sins to a priest and receives absolution, that is forgiveness of sins from eternal punishment.  The Lutheran usually stops there and goes in peace.  The Roman Catholic isn't done yet.  The third step is satisfaction.  The penitent may have received remission of all eternal punishment, but there still remains temporal punishment.  For this, the priest prescribes works of penance. This might include five Hail Mary's or Our Fathers for the five wounds of Christ, depending on the severity of the sin.

A problem arose when the penance required of penitents accumulated over years and the penance became too much to accomplish.  The pope and bishops would prescribe indulgences as a way to relieve the burden of doing penance.  Instead of reciting a number of Psalms on bended knee a penitent could fast for a day or pay alms.  Often times indulgences involved making pilgrimages to holy places such as graves of saints, visiting relics, or the holy city Jerusalem.

Again, the bishop or pope doesn't arbitrarily (or so they claim) forgive the temporal debt of the penitent.  The payment for the temporal punishment comes from the Treasury of Merits of Christ and the Saints.  The RC Church teaches that just as the sins of a person negatively affect other people, the good deeds and merits of people benefit other people.  So while the regular Bob and Sue might rack up a debt of temporal punishment, the super good Holy Virgin Mary and St. John racked up a surplus of merits.  These along with all the merits and works of Christ and the Saints go in to a treasury in Heaven and the Pope and Bishops sort of like trustees, distribute them under the appropriate circumstances.

Indulgences became very important in RC practice.  This is due strongly to its connection with the Treasury of Merits.  The application of indulgences increased in use.  Sinners who died in the "love of Christ" but who had not paid for all of their temporal punishment went to Purgatory to pay for their temporal punishment there.  Indulgences eventually became available for those in Purgatory, using the logic that the Treasury of Merits is available to them and those on earth can access them on behalf of those in Purgatory.  By the time of the Crusades in the 11th Century Pope Urban II introduced Plenary Indulgences.  Plenary Indulgences forgave All temporal punishment for a penitent.  Pope Urban II decreed, "Whoever out of pure devotion, and not for the purpose of gaining honor or money, shall go to Jerusalem to liberate the church of God, let that journey be counted in lieu of penance.”

Believe it or not Rome attempted to prevent the abuses of indulgences.  In 1215 the Fourth Latern Council forbade bishops from giving indulgences of more than a year's worth of penance.  The Third Lateran Council of 1179 limited bishops' rights to grant indulgences as well.  Bishops were also forbidden to sell or show relics for money.  However, the more strapped for cash the papacy became, the more Plenary Indulgences were issued by the Pope.  In 1300 Pope Boniface VIII issued a Jubilee Indulgence to raise money.  August 3, 1476 Pope Sixtus IV issued the first application of indulgences to souls in Purgatory with the Bull Salvator Noster.  

The Jubilee Indulgence of Pope Julius II 1507 and Leo X 1513 sparked Martin Luther's 95 Theses.  Archbishop Albert of Mainz issued the Instructio Summaria after Pope Leo X issued a commission of indulgences at the end of 1514 to the German and neighboring provinces.  This indulgence was intended to help erase the debt of the Archbishop and help the building of St. Peter's in Rome, but that is not to what Luther objected.  In fact Luther did not even know to what extent the corruption of these indulgences went.

Luther objected mostly to the people's understanding of the preaching, which accompanied the selling of indulgences.  The hearers concluded that they could replace penitence with purchases of indulgences.  Luther found this most offensive.  Luther in a letter to the Archbishop asks, "How then can you, through false promises of Indulgences, which do not promote the salvation or sanctification of their souls, lead the people into carnal security, by declaring them free from the painful consequences of their wrong-doing with which the Church was wont to punish their sins?”  Luther was concerned that the people would misconstrue the intention of indulgences and become lax Christians.  Luther thought that a Christian should work out his salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12) with true repentance and reliance on Christ alone.  

Luther believed that when Jesus said to repent, He meant the Christian should live a life of repentance (Thesis One).  He also denied that the Pope could forgive any guilt, but he could declare and confirm the forgiveness of guilt from God (Thesis 6).  The Pope also could only remit penalties that he himself imposed (Thesis 5), so the idea of a plenary indulgence was incompatible to Luther's thinking.  Luther, however, did not yet call for the abolition of the papacy.  He hoped that the pope would realize the error of these indulgences and correct them.  We know that the story ended differently.  Luther inadvertently threatened the purse of the papacy and bishops and was pushed to the center of controversy.  Luther, however, did not back down, but instead he stood firm on the Word of God and eventually discovered and clearly articulated the true Gospel of Christ that man is justified by grace through faith alone propter Christum!  

The RC Church has not done away with indulgences.  Even in Vatican II Pope Paul VI insisted that indulgences were useful for the piety of Christians.  The practice of introducing indulgences along with the doctrine of the Treasury of Merits are still errors of the Roman Church.  As Luther states in his sixtieth thesis, "We do not speak rashly in saying that the keys of the Church are its treasure, and are bestowed by the merits of Christ."  And again in his seventy-ninth thesis, "It is blasphemy to say that the cross erected with the insignia of the Papal arms is of equal value with the cross of Christ.”  To stay true to the true doctrine taught by Luther, we must confess the authority given by the Church, The Office of the Keys and the Merit won by Christ and deny any additional authority.

In summary "An indulgence is the remission in the sight of God of temporal punishment due for sins, the guilt of which has already been forgiven.  A member of Christ’s faithful who is properly disposed and who fulfils certain conditions, may gain an indulgence by the help of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, authoritatively dispenses and applies the treasury of merits of Christ and the Saints.  (Canon 992) And an indulgence is partial or plenary according as it partially or wholly frees a person from the temporal punishment due for sins.  (Canon 993)"  This is not the purchasing of eternal salvation or forgiveness of the guilt of sins; nevertheless, this doctrine of the Roman Church distracts from the Gospel that Christ paid the full debt of sin.  There is no Treasury of Merits except that, which Christ earned on the cross and gives freely in Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, and the Lord's Supper.  

Happy Reformation Day!  

         

Pure and Mixed Articles of Faith: What This Means for the Two Kingdoms and the Separation of Church and State

"Separation of Church and State!"  "You can't govern morality!"  "I'm not going to force my religious beliefs on anybody."  I'm sure we've all heard these statements said at least a few time in our lives.  Many have arrived at the conclusion that because the United States of America and Canada are not theocracies, that the doctrine of the Church should not effect the laws of these governments.  Even among Lutherans the term "Two Kingdoms" is often used to keep Christian doctrine out of legislation and judicial decisions.  I am by no means supporting a theocracy in the United States or Canada.  On the contrary, I seek to help us define the lines that separate the Church from the state.

To understand the Christian acceptance of "Separation of Church and State" and the Lutheran teaching of "The Two Kingdoms" we must first understand two terms: pure article of faith and mixed article of faith.  An article of faith is that believed on account of revelation, because it is revealed by the Holy Spirit through Holy Scripture (of course God has used other means to reveal such articles of faith, such as Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1), God in the burning bush to Moses (Exodus 3), etc.)  A pure article of faith is an article of faith that is only revealed through revelation of the Spirit.  This article of faith cannot possibly be discovered by any human reason or strength.  An example of such an article of faith is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him, but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel" etc. (Luther's Small Catechism Pt. 2, Art. 3)  In Matthew 16:16 Peter makes the confession to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  And Jesus answered him (v. 17), "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven."  That Jesus is the Messiah, who came to the world to save sinners is a pure article of faith that can only be known through revelation of the Spirit.  We know that the Spirit reveals this truth to us through Holy Scripture, "Then Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them,“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,⁴⁷ and that repentance and^[c] forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (Luke 24:44-47)  This is the Gospel that is only revealed to Christ's Church by revelation through Scripture.  The Church can only use words, based on Scripture to bring people to this faith.  

A mixed article of faith is revealed to us through revelation, but can also be revealed to man through the light of reason.  This includes the Law of God such as the Ten Commandments.  One does not need to know the True God or have heard the proclamation of His Word to know that murder is a sin.  One can through natural human reasoning discern what is right and wrong.  The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 1:19-20, "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,^[g] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."  Paul writes in chapter 2, "¹⁴ For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them."  This is why nearly every religion, (that is a system set up by man to understand God, contrary to the Christian Church, which is established by God for the sake of His sheep) teaches that murder, adultery, theft, and dishonesty are wrong.  One does not even need to believe in God to know that these things are "evil."  

You might be wondering, "So what?"  Here's what.  God has given His authority to the governments of this world, the Left Hand of the two kingdoms.  What people often forget is that these two kingdoms are the two kingdoms of God.  They are the left and the right hands of God.  Just because the left hand is not the Church, does not mean that it is not directly under God's authority.  As Jesus said to Pilate, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above." (John 19:11)  Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit even states, "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." (Romans 13:1)  These pagan governments received their authority from God!  They didn't even believe in the true God!  Yes, but they did and do have the authority of God.  Their purpose, whether they acknowledge it or not, is to preserve God's ordered creation.  God instituted government to prevent the godless, and even the Christians who are driven by concupiscence to sin and even commit crimes, from destroying his created order.  Paul writes of the one in authority, "for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain."(v. 4)  That's right, the government bears the sword and God handed it to him sharpened and ready.  Even if the government does not acknowledge that it receives the sword (authority to punish criminals) from God, it is still true.   

The government is supposed to punish those who do wrong.  But how can the government know what is right and wrong if those in government are not Christians?  "The work of the law is written on their hearts."  The law is a mixed article of faith.  The government is required to enforce the law, whether or not it knows it through revelation, because it should know it by natural law, and most times it does.  This does not mean that we must submit to the government when it forces us to do things contrary to our faith.  Then we must "obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)  Where the government does act within its ordered authority, we are ordered to, "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme."  (1 Peter 2:13)  

So when people say that the government should not force the Christian religion on people, they are right.  The Church does not use the power of the sword as the government does.  As AC XXVIII states, "The power of bishops is a power and command of God to preach the Gospel, to forgive and retain sins, and to administer and distribute the sacraments...it does not interfere at all with government or temporal authority...Temporal power does not protect the soul, but with the sword and physical penalties it protects body and goods from the power of others."  People cannot be converted to the Gospel by force.  The function of the Church is primarily Gospel.  The function of the government is LAW.  

This does, however, mean that the government should use its force to protect morals.  Those who murder should be punished, along with those who steal, slander, and do violent acts without cause.  Even when it comes to institutions such as marriage, the government is given authority.  The government can force you to take care of your children.  If you starve them or abuse them, it can take them away.  It does not have to condone lifestyles that nature says are unnatural, such as polygamy and homosexual lifestyles.  

The government, however, doesn't have free use of the sword.  It must act within the ordered power of God.  When Hitler ordered the "final solution of the Jews" he did not act within his God given authority.  The government has the authority to kill criminals, not "innocent" humans.  This is why the Church should remind the government what is a "just killing."  It is absolutely possible for the government to kill people unjustly and go to unjust wars.  These acts are not ordained by God, even if the government has the sword from God.  It is, in these cases, not inappropriate for the Church to educate the government on mixed articles of faith.  When it is not only revealed through revelation, but also through natural wisdom, the Church and Christians should step in.  In this way, protesting the murder of unborn children, the sick, handicapped, elderly, and unjust wars is not mixing the Church with the State.  The light of wisdom has revealed these things to everyone.  The law is written on man's heart.  And to us who have had it revealed to us by the Holy Spirit through the revelation of Scripture, we have no excuse if we keep silent.  The Church should tell the government when it is derelict of its duties, given to it by God.     

Theological vs Practical? Theological Aptitude: Correcting a False Dichotomy

This is a note to all seminary students studying to serve God in His holy office to preach and teach His truth.

Are you theological?  Are you practical?  I hope you are both.  In fact, if you aren't a theologian, you can't possibly be practical.  "Loving" your people won't cut it.  Your people will need to hear God's Word.  They are going to need to hear theology so that the opinio legis of their Old Adam is silenced, and they can be comforted by Jesus' Spirit and Word.  

So theology is more than just a study of some academic discipline.  We learn in Intro to Theology (Prolegomena) about the aptitude of a theologian. In his Christian Dogmatics (I:46-51), Pieper describes five characteristics or attributes of a faithful minister of the doctrine of Christ. The first is that he believes. If someone does not believe that he is justified not because of any of his own merits, but for Christ's sake God is favorable toward him and forgives his sins, then he cannot really be a theologian.  At best, he can only be a nerd.  So again, if you want to be a theologian, you must believe the gospel of Jesus Christ.  This carries with it the long-held Lutheran conviction that theology is not merely a philosophical or ethical discipline. This is what Quenstedt says about it:

Is theology a God-given (θεόσδοτος) practical aptitude (habitus)? κρίνομενον or point of controversy?
The question 1) concerning systematic theology, is not considered abstractly or accidentally (accidentaliter); but taken habitually, concretely, and essentially. 2) Not from a God-given aptitude (θεόσδοτῷ) by reason of immediate infusion, but by reason of discovery, of origin, and of object. 3) Concerning a practical aptitude, not by such practice which is established in human power, nor is it handled humanly (τὰ ἀνθρώπινα) as from Philosophy, but by such practice which is Spiritual, assuredly leading man to eternal salvation. 4) Not concerning the practical aptitude by which the practice is the means or a study of good works, but that which as it is taught for the sake of practising the life of faith, by which alone we draw near to eternal life. 5) Not concerning the practical aptitude which excludes all knowledge (γνῶσιν), nor does it presuppose something false, but that which while depending originally on it, nevertheless ultimately remains and comes about in it. (Quenstedt, Systema, Pars I, Caput I, Quaestio III, 1715 edition, 22)

The pietists accused the faithful teachers of the Lutheran Church of being concerned only with head-knowledge. But that was only because they refused to realize the importance of the unity of the certainty of faith with the certainty of God's Word, from which faith comes (Rom 10:17). David as well as St. Paul said that they believe, therefore they speak (Psa 116:10; 2^{nd Cor 4:13).}

The second part of theological aptitude is the ability for a theologian to let his teaching be ruled entirely by God's Word. Pieper quotes St. Paul: “If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the whoesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ... he is proud, knowing nothing (1^st Tim 6:3).”

The third part of theological aptitude is the ability and willingness to preach the whole Word of God. Paul says, “I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).” Don't your theological education as some hidden academic knowledge that the people can't learn. Of course, don't throw at them a bunch of Latin phrases a theological jargon. Read the Scriptures, and teach it. It's all there. And if it is revealed in God's Word, it is meant for God's people. My grandma told me recently that a conviction that my grandfather had was that theology is for all Christians, not just for pastors and theologians. He was right. After all, theology is a spiritual aptitude. Let those who are spiritual pray not just with their spirits, but also with their minds (1^st Cor 14:15,20). We are transformed through the renewal of our minds (Rom 12:2).

The fourth part of theological aptitude is to refute false teachers. St. Paul again says, “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it (Tit 1:9).” And again, “...preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching (2 Tim 4:2).” Always remember that reproving and rebuking is accompanied with patience and teaching, teaching of Christ's doctrine, the center of which is the justification of the ungody by God's free favor for Christ's sake. Let this give you all the more diligence to rebuke false teaching. This includes ecclesiastical practice that contradicts the mandates of Him who instituted the church.

Finally, be willing to suffer for Christ and His Gospel (see Mark 10:29ff). You will suffer for the sake of Jesus' Name (Matt 24:9; Acts 9:16). Don't go looking for it, though. Don't start fights. But don't sit by while the Gospel is attacked.  

With all that said, I would like to encourage my fellow seminarians and vicars not to create for yourselves ways out. John Nieminen preached a great sermon last spring in chapel on Acts 4, making the point that the disciples did not pray for a way out of the situation. Instead, they prayed for boldness. Also, do not make for yourselves false dichotomies. If you are already in the habit of speaking of theological on the one hand and practical on the other, cut the habit! It's a bad habit. Theology is practical. It is God's law and gospel which He has revealed to us in His Word. Learn theology. Keep learning it. Let the Holy Scriptures be your bread and the Lutheran Confessions your butter.

Be theological! Be dogmatic! This is what Christ mandated when He told His disciples to teach all nations. If you divorce being practical from being doctrinal, then what you call being practical will only be unfaithfulness and ultimately works-righteousness. The only way you can truly love your people is if you are faithful to God's Word. Because, after all, they aren't God's people without God's Word.

Be theological because it is through God's word that we learn about faith and love. Love is for our neighbor. Love is kind. Love is patient. Love rejoices in the truth, yet it doesn't broadcast the secret faults of our neighbor. Love bears with our neighbor. But faith is different. It can't cover up sin. Faith cannot correct error. Why? Because faith is passive, and if you try to correct error passively, you will fail. Faith can only passively receive and cling confidently to God's loving kindness, favor and forgiveness given for the sake of Christ's perfect obedience to His Father, the love that covers all our faults. It is this doctrine and all its articles that we pray God would preserve for us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh do not rob us of this faith, and thus, our spiritual aptitude.

In Christ,

Vicar Andrew Preus