Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Hosea 14:1
Luther, in particular, was tortured by guilt, and would therefore wear out his confessor with hours of specific lists of sins.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Isaiah 43:25
So, the penitent must always be reminded of God’s grace. For God has promised to not remember our sins. He does so for Christ’s sake...
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Philippians 1:27
We have been born again to the image of Christ. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is causing us to grow up into new people who share the mind of Christ.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 9:30–33
Anyone who wants to achieve righteousness or justification with God through religious devotion, doing good deeds, or by other things they imagine gain them merit with God, will be dreadfully unsuccessful.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Deuteronomy 4:29–31
We are in bondage to sin, just as the ancient Israelites were enslaved to the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Babylonians. We can no more free ourselves than they could.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Ephesians 5:25–33
Always interpret Scripture in the plainest sense, using the clear meaning of the words. If a parable is being used, we might allow our minds to wonder what Jesus meant — until he tells us plainly.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Micah 7:18–19
God is the Judge from whom no secrets are hidden. Yet he is Judge of a different kind of court than we may have experienced...
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Revelation 3:7
These are the words of forgiveness—or indeed, the refusal of forgiveness. These messengers open the gates of heaven, and shut them as well.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Isaiah 38:16–19
An indulgence was a certificate purchased with either prayers, good works, or money, that claimed to reduce the amount of one’s time spent in Purgatory.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Acts 20:18–21
Of what use is repentance, if it is merely being sorry for sins and then doing something good? People will remain in guilt, knowing that they are never good enough to merit forgiveness.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Isaiah 53:5–6, 11–12
Because the guiltless and incarnate God died for our iniquities, bearing upon himself the sin of the world, he carried our sins to the grave.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Ezekiel 33:10–13
Should you try not to sin? Certainly; but your ability or inability has nothing to do with forgiveness. Should you be sorry when you sin, and seek to do better? Absolutely, yet again, this has nothing to do with forgiveness of sin.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 4:20–5:1
Faith must always be in the forefront because it makes us think of Christ. Even sorrow, though necessary but, because it naturally causes us to try to settle our own sins, must never be considered alone.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Psalm 143:1–2
Let us be reasonable. Were we to depend upon our own righteousness and faithfulness, who could survive the wrath of God? They are deluded and arrogant persons...
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Ephesians 4:20–25
Someone better make us holy and righteous or we are in eternal trouble. We have faith that Jesus was sent by his Father to accomplish this very thing.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 10:8–11
It is not possible for someone to have a peaceful conscience, if they doubt that God is gracious toward them. No matter how hard they try to do right and be religious, they still question whether they have forgiveness of sins.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: James 1:6–8
James is speaking to the topic of receiving wisdom from God in this passage of Scripture. However, the same exhortation may be applied to anything one asked of God. Ask in faith. Believe!
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: John 15:1–5
How can I keep the law without Christ’s help? I cannot, for I will either not do it at all, do it imperfectly, or as likely as not, do it with an impure devotion.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Hebrews 9:13–15
Cleansing from sins has always been necessary to God. Atonement has been required since the earliest days of Judaism. Even the first sin needed covering with death.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Matthew 5:13–16
If we believe that we must keep the law in order to be forgiven by God, then we are saying that justification, righteousness, and forgiveness are not matters over which Christ has any power.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Galatians 3:22–24
The law incarcerates; it does not free. Only faith in Christ frees us from captivity to sin and death. Yet thank God for the law, for without its accusations, we would never know our need for salvation and God’s grace.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Ephesians 6:14–20
Believe the promise of the gospel; it is the truth. Know that Christ’s own righteousness has been granted to you as protection against sin and death.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 2 Corinthians 3:12–16
We cannot read the law with veiled hearts and expect to find the grace of God. All we sense is God’s displeasure. So, we cannot expect the law to come to our rescue.
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 3:19–22
Think for a moment how silly it would be for a person to look in the mirror and say, “You’ve been so good lately; I forgive you.”
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-21
We preach and confess that Christ died for our sins and saves all those who believe. The world responds, “What kind of babbling is this?"
Click Here For Archives