QUESTION: Why do bad things happen to good people? Consistent with Synod Board policy and in recognition of a more challenging economic and philanthropic/fundraising environment due to inflationary pressure, Early Childhood Centers & Elementary Schools, PALS: Post-Seminary Applied Learning & Support, Commission on Theology and Church Relations. 8:7) and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (1 Cor. And he says we all "partake" of the wine (the cup), even as we also partake of the true blood of Christ. Usage: Congregational use of FAQs does not require permission of The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod. Lutherans believe that whoever has faith in Jesus alone will receive salvation from the grace of God and will enter eternity in heaven instead of eternity in hell after death or at the second coming of Jesus. Whats the LCMS view on the Left Behind series of book? 2. But godly sorrow is true sorrow over sin accompanied by trust in Jesus for forgiveness. ANSWER: Christ's descent into hell is described in 1 Peter 3:18-20. 6:4; Col. 2:11-12), makes us holy in God's sight (Eph. Destroying life created in God's image is contrary to core church teachings, says the Rev. This language is very carefully chosen here, so that as the Creed states at the outset neither the persons nor the substance are confused. QUESTION: Being raised in the LCMS, I was surprised today when I was visiting an LCMS church that had a pamphlet explaining their beliefs about Communion. Second Corinthians 7:10 says that this kind of sorrow brings death. QUESTION: To whom should we pray? I thought only LCMS members could commune at LCMS churches. We believe that God's Son, Jesus Christ, transforms lives through his death on the cross and his new life, and we trust that God's Spirit is active in the world. There are numerous Bible passages that make the same point and use the same language (e.g., Matt. As the Supplementary Volume of The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible correctly notes, It is unlikely that in Jerusalem, Samaria, Damascus, Philippi, Corinth, Rome, or Asia Minor enough water was always available for a full bath (87). For children of unbelievers we do not venture to hold out such hope. To those who are truly repentant and recognize their need for God's grace and forgiveness, such passages are powerful reminders of the true security that is ours through sincere and humble faith in Christ alone for our salvation. Those who are concerned about this possibility are certainly free to make use of the individual cup option, which is available in nearly all congregations today. It went on to say that if the visitor believed these things also then they could commune at that church. He did so throughout the entire Old Testament. There will be only life, eternal life, and where there is eternal life there is eternal sinlessness. QUESTION: How does a person know if he or she has sinned against the Holy Spirit? Christ's suffering for our sins ended with his death on the cross, and the final stage of his "humiliation" was his burial, not his descent into hell. It is for God to determine under what conditions He will receive children into His kingdom. Therefore, "The Last Judgment is the grand finale of this present world, in which the sentence pronounced in death over the individual will be publicly confirmed and extended to the body, which till then has returned to the dust, from whence it came. He who continues in the faith unto the end has nothing to fear for his soul after death or for his body and soul on the Day of Judgment (Rev. Studies have shown the risk of contracting illness or disease through the use of the common communion cup (properly wiped and handled) is quite small (though not, of course, non-existent). I ask this because many evangelicals make me nervous when they say that if one has doubts about one's salvation, one is probably not saved because the Holy Spirit is supposed to provide inner assurance. The Elect: Whereas many Protestant denominations focus on the believer's decision to accept salvation from Jesus, Lutherans turn that around and focus on God choosing the believer. St. Paul wrote, "For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.". For this reason, too, lay members of our congregations are urged to speak with their pastor about individual cases where they have a particular request or concern. QUESTION: What is the LCMS' position on women serving Communion in worship service to assist the pastor? Does he punish or discipline? It should be noted that very early in Christian history methods other than immersion were used and allowed. Luther knew that the cause of our troubles, the cause of death, was sin in this world. Sometimes the answers He has are not evident right now, but later. ANSWER: In his book What's the Answer? The third day he rose again " But in Luke, Jesus says to the thief next to him: "Surely today you will be with me in paradise." We do not play around with this. ANSWER: In its report on Theology and Practice of the Lord's Supper, the Synod's Commission on Theology and Church Relations includes the following question and answer: Does it matter whether a congregation uses individual glasses or the common cup to distribute the consecrated wine? QUESTION: What happens when we die? Infants can have faith. Being saved does not depend on how hard we try to amend our sinful life, but as Paul said to the jailer in Philippi when he asked what he should do to be saved: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved you and your household.". But early reformers Martin Luther and William Tyndale recognized what the Bible teaches about thisthat those who've died have no awareness while awaiting a future resurrection. QUESTION: How does the Church feel about the theological tension between the universal offer of salvation (Matt. QUESTION: Recently many people have been reading the Left Behind series of books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. Of this living faith, Luther so eloquently said: "Oh faith is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, so that it is impossible for it not to be constantly doing what is good. Do we have to ask for forgiveness, be truly sorry, and really try to amend our life in order to be saved? 5:26, Acts 22:16; and Mark 7:1-4 a passage in which some earlier translators considered the term baptize to include the washing of dining couches), and it is highly likely that Baptisms were performed in the early church by methods other than immersion. As you also no doubt are fully aware, we teach that it is not the lack of Baptism that necessarily condemns, but it is the despising of this precious gift that endangers faith, for God Himself has instituted it and attached His promises to it. You also may wish to read an article that appeared in the March 2001 issue of The Lutheran Witness titled,"Will You Be Left Behind?". These are necessary for the welfare of human society, and God even rewards them with temporal blessings. Do Lutherans believe in being saved? 14:11). Baptism, we believe, is one of the miraculous means of grace (together with God's written and spoken Word) through which God creates the gift of faith in a person's heart. Unlike other Christian denominations, Lutherans generally believe that God's forgiveness cannot be earned but instead is granted by the grace of God. WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE. For a helpful summary of the LCMS position on predestination, see the section on Of the Election of Grace in the Synod's Brief Statement (adopted in 1932). It was considered a shameless affront to what had been practiced in each generation since Christ's command in the Great Commission (Matt. 10:12; Phil. 26:41; 1 Cor. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) opposes physician-assisted suicide and other efforts by medical professionals to speed a patient's death. In other words, there is nothing we can do to earn God's favour or to gain eternal life. It can justify its existence only when it proclaims the living Word of Christ, administers the Sacraments and gives itself to the world in service and love. 2:1-3, 3:12-19, 6:4-8, etc.). 11:20-24 and 23:15; Luke 12:47-48).". ANSWER: Lutherans baptize infants because of what the Bible teaches regarding: 1.) ANSWER: On the basis of the evidence provided in the New Testament, it is not possible to prove that the term baptize always refers to immersion, nor that the Baptisms mentioned were all done by immersion implying (in the view of some) that only Baptisms done by immersion can be considered valid. Thomas' opposition was then embraced by a considerable number of Swiss, German and Dutch Anabaptists. He reminded his parents of this as well. The Synod stated, for example, in 1986 "that pastors and congregations of The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod continue to abide by the practice of close Communion, which includes the necessity of exercising responsible pastoral care in extraordinary situations and circumstances" (1986 Res. And they that have done good will go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. Jesus uses similar language in referring to "the cup" (of wine) as "His blood." The Bible is the written Word of God, handed down to us in order to point us to the truth that we are saved from our sin and eternal death by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The departed souls remain in heaven or hell until the Day of Judgment, when they shall be reunited with their own bodies (Matt. It's a sinful world. But then I think of Adam and Eve before the fall they were perfect, made in God's image, and they lived in a perfect place. 25:41-46). Good pastoral practice prior to Baptism includes a reminder to the parents about the necessity of such ongoing nurture in the faith. 1:4; 2:1-9; Col. 3:12; 2 Thess. So go to him and ask him to explain further. 10:17). God recognizes the Christ-like good works of the unbeliever as good in the sense that they are done according to the divine Law written in their hearts (Rom. Of necessity, therefore, pastoral judgment will have to be made in the individual case, since circumstances vary. And, there will be no limitations or degrees attached to the enjoyment of the happiness to be experienced, though there will be degrees of glory corresponding to differences of work and fidelity here on earth, producing praise to God but no envy (see 2 Cor. You may wish to read an article by David W. Loy titled,Come, Lord Jesus, that was published in the 2011 June/July edition of The Lutheran Witness. Scripture teaches us to repent of our sins to be truly sorry for them and trust in Christ for forgiveness, every time we sin. 28:18-20), or it will die. The people of the Bible, including Jesus, were baptized using the immersion method. ANSWER: Lutherans believe Jesus descended into hell not to suffer for our sins but to proclaim his victory over sin, death, hell, and the devil (see 1 Peter 3:19). 2:3-4). 15-2186). 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. QUESTION: If I believe someone to be a believing Christian, can I ever criticize him for failing to do good works? This, of course, means the congregation has a responsibility to do what it can in Christian love and concern to help people understand the nature of the Sacrament and why they come to it. 3.) Could a person commit this sin and not know about it? QUESTION: I understand that God chose those for salvation before the very foundation of the world. A number of resources are available and touch on this subject, including the Commission on Theology and Church Relation's (CTCR) 1983 and 1999 reports on Theology and Practice of the Lord's Supper and Admission to the Lord's Supper. Return to Heaven and Hell FAQs|Return to main menu. You do not have to give me the prooftexts since I have known them and have studied them and have ready many articles and the catechism both from Lutherans and others. But does that potentially put me in harm's way? We know God is Good and Gracious and Loving in giving us the Way, the Truth and the Life for our salvation, our Savior Jesus. Contributions received and accepted by the LCMS are deemed to be in agreement with this statement. Lutherans. Even works of civil righteousness will ultimately receive the condemnation of Jesus and will not prevent eternal punishment (Matt. 1:3-10), while at the same time and in the same breath declaring "Of this Gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. The Bible does not say that there are those who are chosen and that there are those who are not. B.2.c. QUESTION: Listening to a sermon on Sunday, the pastor was telling us we should lead good lives and try not to sin. If I consume even trace amounts of the aforementioned substances I become extremely ill. What is the stance of The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod on using wheat and gluten-free Communion wafers as an option for a person in my position? Are their bodies asleep, but their souls with God? Others have established a basin and drain-piscina-specifically for disposal for the wine. 15). And as our Lutheran fathers have always taught, Baptism confirms the grace of God upon adults who have already come to faith, and strengthens them in their faith, even as the Lords Supper does. Lutherans do not believe in any sort of earthly millennial kingdom of Christ either before or after his second coming on the last day. Paul said this, of course, in the context of Jewish opinions regarding what was required for salvation. 18:6) and that new birth (regeneration) happens in Baptism (John 3:5-7; Titus 3:5-6). St. Paul gave instructions in this regard to the Christian congregation at Corinth (1 Cor. (Partaking of the Lord's Supper "in a worthy manner," of course, is not something that we "do" or "accomplish" on the basis of our "personal holiness" or "good works." QUESTION: Who may take Communion to the sick of the congregation? Certainly they were included in Peter's Pentecost exhortation in Acts 2:38, 39: Repent and be baptized everyone one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. 15:26, 55-57; Rev. 2003 2010 The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod. Life Library Death. QUESTION: I don't really understand repentance. We express and celebrate that close[d] Communion with each other when we commune together. Afterlife and Salvation. ANSWER: Significantly, the Athanasian Creed, which summarizes the doctrine of the Trinity as confessed by the church through the ages, begins by stating: "And the catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in three persons and three persons in one God, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.". QUESTION: Wouldn't it be possible to contract a virus via an infected person who has drunk of the Communion cup prior to you? The confession of these sentences in the Athanasian Creed in our churches is, in fact, a helpful reminder of the relation of faith and good works as taught in the Bible. notes that wheat, rye and barley must typically be avoided, but not necessarily oats, corn or rice. Perhaps no other question has been given more attention in our Synod, especially in the last 25 years, than the question of Communion practice. Godly sorrow leads to life and salvation because it includes faith in Jesus Christ. Do I have to be re-baptized to join the LCMS? Contrary to Catholic theology, Lutherans don't believe she was sinless or that God removed her from Earth before death. ANSWER: The official position of The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod regarding the practice of women serving Holy Communion has been set forth in 1989 Resolution 3-10 "To Address Practice of Women Serving Holy Communion," in which the Synod its members "to conform their practice" to the counsel of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations: "The commission strongly recommends that to avoid confusion regarding the office of the public ministry and to avoid giving offense to the church, such assistance be limited to men" [1985 report on Women in the Church, 47]. The Scriptures describe man's being in a variety of ways. That is to say the punishment of sin is separation from God. It is this, that God is not Himself bound by the means to the use of which He has bound us. 8; Heb. Please discuss this with your pastor, who would be happy to discuss this issue with you and to answer any other questions you have about membership. Mark 16:16 implies that it is not the absence of Baptism that condemns a person but the absence of faith, and there are clearly other ways of coming to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit (reading or hearing the Word of God). Forever eliminated is the possibility of falling away from God. But without the grace, help, and activity of the Holy Spirit man is not capable of making himself acceptable to God, of fearing God and believing in God with his whole heart, or of expelling inborn evil lusts from his heart. Faith can also be created in a person's heart by the power of the Holy Spirit working through God's (written or spoken) Word. The answer is that Lutherans do not try to answer it because (we believe) the Bible itself does not provide an answer to this question that is comprehensible to human reason. Why doesn't our church follow the way Jesus was baptized by John? What remains in the chalice, however, should either be consumer or poured into the piscine or onto the ground, since there may be crumbs or other foreign matter in it. To become more familiar with the LCMS position, you may wish to read the FAQ on Communion Practice. In response to this study, both the Commission on Theology and Church Relations and the Board for Parish Education submitted recommendations to the 1971 convention of the Synod.These recommendations conflicted with one another, the CTCR recommending that the Synod retain its traditional practice of communing children after they are confirmed, and the BPS recommending the adoption of the inter-Lutheran study proposal. I am having trouble with this. Jesus Himself commands Baptism and tells us that Baptism is water used together with the Word of God (Matt. QUESTION: Is it appropriate to baptize a baby of parents who do not attend church? Tertullian held that in the case of little children, baptism ought to be delayed until they know how to ask for salvation (On Baptism, ch. Lutherans affirm, with Scripture, that whoever is saved is saved by God's grace alone, a grace so sure that it excludes all human "action" and "choice" but rather rests on the foundation of God's action in Christ and his "choice" (predestination) from before the beginning of time. 20:11-15 to be a figurative reference to Christ's reign here and now in the hearts and lives of believers, which will culminate in our reigning with Christ forever in heaven following his return on the last day. Nothing here would preclude someone bringing bread to the pastor that is gluten free. But these good works of the unbelievers get them nowhere with God in His Kingdom of grace. If the elements are saved for future use, it is best they are kept separate. The second reason is more serious. If God already predetermined who was saved, what is the point of witnessing? While they may use a Trinitarian formula in their rite, they in fact deny the Trinity. 12:13). Rest your soul on that and praise God for His great goodness in giving us a sinless Savior. In the Lutheran faith, believers know that they can go to heaven when they die, if they have faith and believe that Jesus died to save them from their sins. Lutherans commonly believe that after death a person either spends everlasting life with God in Heaven or without God in Hell. By making circumcision a necessary requirement for one to be saved (See Acts 15:5ff. To Lutherans, Mary is Jesus' mother and a holy example of humility, servanthood, devotion, and faith. What Jesus is doing here, therefore, is issuing a strong warning to us to "search our hearts" to see if we really understand and accept the Gospel and its practical implications for our lives. ANSWER:We live in a world permeated with sin. QUESTION: You say that infant baptism is ONE way of salvation. This is the kind of sorrow Peter had after he denied Jesus, and it is the sorrow King David had after he committed adultery and murder (Psalm 51). Thus, Lutheran theologians have always considered Jesus' descent into hell to be the first of Christ's works of "exaltation" mentioned in the Creed rather than part of his work of . What do we believe as Lutherans? The End Times: A Study of Eschatology and Millennialism. 6:4, We were buried therefore with him by [Greek: the instrumental dia] baptism). Lutherans do not believe that only those baptized as infants receive faith. However, in your Theses on Justification (1983) on this website it says plainly that believers have eternal assurance (paragraph 58). The editor of the facsimile reprint, Dietrich Meyer, has identified the authors of most hymns in this chapter, all or nearly all of whom are Lutherans, but for Komm, Herr Jesu he has simply indicated author unknown.. ANSWER: In his book What's the Answer? Return to Forgiveness FAQs|Return to main menu. QUESTION: What are the teachings of The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod regarding who may be a godparent for a child? 2:10; 14:13)" (Edward Koehler, A Summary of Christian Doctrine, St. Louis: Concordia, 1939). 3:26-27; Rom. The other point of reference is page 89 of The Altar Guild Manual: Lutheran Service Book Edition, by Dr. Lee Maxwell that says: If any of the Lords body and blood remains, they can be disposed of in a number of ways. 3-09) in which it resolved "that all pastors and congregations who have established and practice Communion fellowship contrary to the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions be encouraged by the 2007 LCMS convention to immediately cease such practice.". 2:1); that "the carnal mind is enmity against God" (Rom. Acts 8:26-40) for the purpose of confirming and strengthening faith in accordance with God's command and promise. 9:16). So "real" is this participation in Christ's body and blood, in fact, that (according to Paul) those who partake of the bread and wine "in an unworthy manner" are actually guilty of "profaning the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:28, John 3:16, John 6:40) and divine election (John 15:16, Eph. It is important to emphasize that God has given to Christian congregations the responsibility of administering the Lord's Supper properly and to exercise spiritual care toward all those who desire to commune. Along with Anglicanism, the Reformed and Presbyterian (Calvinist) churches, Methodism, and the Baptist churches, Lutheranism is one of the five major branches of Protestantism. Is it correct theology to say Jesus is God or God is Jesus? ANSWER: What Scripture teaches concerning the death of the Christian is summarized as follows by Lutheran theologian Edward Koehler in his book, A Summary of Christian Doctrine: In the moment of death the souls of the believers enter the joy of heaven. Martin Luther, like most traditional Christians, believed that this life was simply a pilgrimage, a journey toward our final destination. ANSWER: The question you have raised often arises in connection with the words spoken by Jesus in the context of the Lord's Prayer (Matt. Does God cause bad things or does he just let them happen? They also pray for them and in the case of children, help with their Christian upbringing, especially if they should lose their parents.". All true believers in the Old Testament era were saved without baptism. It is not a mere ritual or symbol, but a powerful means of grace by which God grants faith and the forgiveness of sins. Lutherans are a Christian denomination that follow the teachings of Martin Luther. Where could I get some information about why LCMS churches practice close[d] Communion to explain it to a friend who is Christian Reformed? That destination was an eternity . Since rice is a grain, it would also seem consistent with this position that bread made from this grain would be permissible. To assist readers in their evaluation of the Left Behind series, we recommend they consult the 1989 report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations titled, The End Times: A Study of Eschatology and Millennialism. And that must be the purpose in your and your mother's case, although it may be a bitter pill to swallow. In fact, taken as a whole, the evidence suggests otherwise. to Martin Luther, although this is doubtful. In all three Gospel accounts the term blaspheme is used to describe this sin against the Holy Spirit. In the Sacrament, our Confessions further teach the same Jesus who died is present in the Sacrament, although not in exactly the same way he was corporeally present when he walked bodily on earth. 5:1-12!). This is accomplished by the Holy Spirit, who is given through the Word of God, for Paul says in 1 Cor. Do we commune with the sacrificed or resurrected body and blood? It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and." 91 views, 2 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Apostles Lutheran Church: Proclaim the Victory! Since those baptized are also to be instructed in the Christian faith, (Matt. The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod practices close[d] Communion for two main reasons. For those with saving faith in the blood of the Lamb, the . My question is, where in the Bible does it ever talk about Jesus descending into hell? We Confess. Good works, which are seen, give evidence of faith, which is unseen.". Therefore, assurance of salvation is to be sought by looking to God's Word and promises in Christ (which create and strengthen the faith through which one is saved), not by looking inward at the strength or weakness of one's own faith (which creates either pride and false assurance or doubt and lack of assurance). For a further discussion of this issue, you may want to read Of the Election of Grace in the Brief Statement of the LCMS, and/or Articles II and XI in the Formula of Concord (contained in the Book of Concord, the Lutheran Confessions). On the day of the final judgment, the redeemed souls in heaven will be reunited with their own (now glorified) bodies and will begin to enjoy the bliss of heaven in both body and soul (John 5:28-29; Phil.