GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS. BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU…Mt. 28:19-20

All are sinful. All need to believe.

For long ages the darkness of the antichrist had been deceiving Christian Europe. The papacy had replaced Scripture with men’s teachings. God raised up reformers to bring the true Word of God back to the people. These men searched the Scriptures and God revealed the truth to them. The papacy taught that there were seven sacraments. Some of the Protestants rejected all seven, failing to take note of what the Bible teaches. The Lutheran reformers carefully studying God’s Word saw clearly two sacraments: baptism and communion. The Word shows what we call a sacrament as: sacred acts instituted by Christ, using the Word of God, with earthly elements involved, that give the forgiveness of sins. The Lutheran reformers avoided the extreme of the papacy of adding to God’s Word and also avoided the other extreme of detracting from the Word, letting human reason overrule the Scriptures. Baptism is one of the two sacraments.

What does baptism do?

In the great commission of our Lord as recorded in Matthew chapter 28, He tells us to make disciples of all nations. Following the command to ‘make disciples’ He uses two participles. The participles are ‘baptizing’ and ‘teaching.’ By this He tells us how we are to make disciples, that is by baptizing and teaching. We believe and practice this as the ancient apostolic church did.

With adults we teach and baptize. With infants we baptize and teach. In either case it is the all-powerful Word of God that makes the disciples. When we baptize an infant, the Holy Spirit creates faith in the heart with the invocation of the name of the Triune God, ‘in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ Baptizing in His name gives entrance into the family of God.

With adults we teach and baptize. It is the all-powerful Word of the Gospel which creates faith in the heart of an adult as well as in an infant. When an adult professes faith in the Christ, we baptize him. This strengthens the faith. It acts in the same manner as the sacrament of the altar or the Gospel in the Word. We teach and then baptize adults because they are able to understand language.

With infants we baptize and then teach, since they are unable to understand language and confess with their tongue. Christian parents bring their children to baptism confident of the power of the Word to create faith and at the command of Jesus. A child may later express his rejection of baptism; this is true. But it is the duty of the parents to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6:4

For whom is baptism intended?

Our teaching is the same as that taught by the apostles. Naturally then we resort to the apostles’ teaching to explain for whom baptism is intended.

First of all we see in the great commission recorded in Matthew that ‘all nations’ should be baptized. This is an all-inclusive term. We do no eliminate little children from ‘all nations.’ There is no limitation ever stated in Scripture that infants should not be baptized. It is alone man’s reason which requires ‘an age of accountability’ or ‘an age of reason and discretion.’ Instead, Peter on Pentecost says that the promise is to you and to your children. And on that day about 3000 souls were baptized, not 3000 people who were of an age of accountability. All are accountable to God for their inbred sin from conception onward. Ps. 51:5

Jesus said to let the children come to Him and not to hinder them. Mt. 19:14 He uses the word for ‘little children.’ Here our Lord indicates that the kingdom is for them also. We believe that little children are included in ‘all nations’, that they are sinful and must be born again and that they too can believe by the power of God.

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” Ps. 51:5 This passage clearly tells us that children are in need of salvation from conception on. How can they be saved? Not by their parents faith, for no man can save his brother. Not because they are innocent and not sinful, because they are sinful by nature. God has given us baptism. We learn that on Paul’s second journey atPhilippi, he baptized the jailer with all his family (Acts 16:33) and Lydia with her household (Acts 16:15). It would be contrary to the normal sense of wording to exclude little children.

Wherein is the power of Baptism?

We teach our children in the catechism, “How can water do these great things? It is not the water that does them indeed, but the Word of God which is in and with the water, and faith which trusts this Word of God in the water. For without the Word of God the water is simple water, and no Baptism; but with the Word of God it is Baptism; that is, a gracious water of life and washing of regeneration in heHoly Ghost.”

Paul in writing to Titus explains the power of baptism, “He saved us, not because of deed done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5 Our Lord told Nicodemus that he had to be born again of water and the Word. This is that regeneration in he Titus passage.

Peter also explicitly states the power of baptism, “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you…” I Pet. 3:21 The power of baptism is in the Word of God used. And this is a saving power. It is no mere outward ceremony, but a working on the heart, a renewal in the Holy Spirit. Baptism is a powerful lashing of us to Christ. “We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Rom. 6:4

What is the method of baptizing?

Obviously, the baptism must be in the name of the Triune God as we see from Matthew 28. To be baptized into Christ Jesus means in the name of the Triune God, as commanded.

Just as there has been disagreement among Protestants on infant baptism, so there is also disagreement on the method of applying water. In both cases the problem arises because some just simply will not be students of Scripture. Instead they choose to follow the dictates of human reason.

The Lord did not specify how the water was to be applied. He did command that water must be used. There are generally three different methods of baptizing among Christians: sprinkling, pouring, immersing.

There are those who say that you must be immersed in water or you are not really baptized. They make the mistake of not considering the word ’baptize’ as it is used in the New Testament. If the word were ‘bapto’, then it would be more correctly to ‘dip, or immerse.’ But the word is not ‘bapto’, but ‘baptizo’ which is used in the New Testament in the sense of ‘washing, applying water.’ In Mark 7:2-5, Luke ll:38and Heb. 9:10 baptize is used in the sense of ceremonial washings of the Jews. And when we think of baptizing of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, He was ‘poured out’. Mt. 3:11, Acts 2:16-17

Scripture allows us to use water in various ways. We would teach all that the Bible teaches, not adding to it and not taking away from it. For instance, the method of sprinkling is fine bringing to remembrance how in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement the blood was sprinkled for cleansing of sin. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews uses this image, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Heb. 10:22 I think that Ezekiel is referring to baptism with the use of this image from the Atonement, “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you;…”Ez.36:25-26

Another method of baptizing with water is pouring. This reminds us of the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples. With the water and the Word comes the Holy Spirit. We think also of, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given us.” Rom. 5:5

Immersion is also another method of baptism. We even use this illustration in our catechism, “What does this baptizing with water signify? It signifies that the old Adam in us is to be drowned by daily contrition and repentance, and is to die with all sins and evil lusts; and that again a new man should daily come forth and arise who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”

The exact method of applying water is not as important as the fact of the necessity of being baptized, “He who believes and is baptized shall be save; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mk. 16:16

Conclusion

Baptism is God working through His all-powerful Word upon the heart creating and sustaining faith. But baptism without a continuing in His Word means a loss of the forgiveness granted in the washing of regeneration. Baptism without continuing in the Word is like planting a plant in the desert. Unless you water the plant, it dies. We must continue to have the clear water of the Word that it may be come in us, “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Jn. 4:14

There is abroad in our land and others a religious movement which gives the appearance of exalted spirituality. It pretends to possess the gifts which the Holy Spirit bestowed upon the Church in the days of the Apostles. This movement naturally attracts the attention of Christians and arouses their interest. Many want to draw near and see this “burning bush” more closely, and they wonder: Is this indeed from God? What could be wrong with it? Does not St. Paul treat it at length and even recommend it? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we  had those gifts in our churches?

Movements and gifts of this sort have occurred a few times since New Testament days, but have blossomed in the 20^th century. The modern  Pentecostal movement sprang u p just after the turn of the century(19^th to 20^th), chiefly in southern California, USA. An Agnes Oxman received laying-on of hands and spoke in tongues on Jan. 1, 1901.In l906 seven more spoke in tongues. A mission was established on Azusa St. in Los Angeles. It received widespread attention from the press. From that point onward, the movement grew. The doctrine of the movement is sometimes known as the Full Gospel, meaning spiritual gifts besides mere salvation. It is also know as the Foursquare Gospel. Its four points are: entire sanctification, Baptism of the Spirit with tongues, faith healing, and premillennialism.  The Pentecostal churches, the Nazarenes, churches of God, and others owe their origin to this movement. But lately it has gone ecumenical and has infiltrated all the church denominations. This new thrust is fostered by the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship, International, founded in l953. It appears that the modern gifts do not occur spontaneously, but only after contact with some other person(s) with the same powers.

It is important for us to evaluate this movement, since the Bible commands us to “try the spirits, whether they be of God, because many false prophets are gone out into he world.” I Jn. 4:1 It is also important because we do not want to condemn a movement if the Holy Spirit is truly is Sponsor, nor approve it if it is wicked. We do not want to quench the Spirit or despise prophesyings nor speak a word against the Holy Spirit, which are very grave sins. Some say we are doing just this, because they notice that many people have been morally renewed through their experience of being “baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Is this, then, a Baptism of the Spirit? If we stick to Biblical language, we say no. The word “baptize” is used to refer to water-baptism, the Baptism of the remission of sins. Figuratively, it is used of tribulation, Mt. 20:22. In Hebrews 9:10 it refers to “divers washings.” Eph. 4:5 tells us there is one baptism only, and Mk.16:16 infers that it is necessary for salvation. Heb. 6:2, interestingly, speaks of a “foundation” of the “doctrine of baptisms”(plural). Probably this refers to the baptism of each individual; but in any case it is certain that baptism other than water-baptism were not intended here, since St. Paul says there is “one baptism.” Finally, we have the references to baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with fire, but we hasten to note that the book of Acts refers to Pentecost as the fulfillment of this prediction. So “Spirit-baptism,” in the sense intended today, is not a Biblical term.

The important question, however, whether we call it a baptism or Pentecostalism or Corinthianism or a charismatic movement, it this: is it genuine, i.e., does the Bible say the Church will always have such a movement?  Or does it at least say that it will be revived at the end of days, just prior to Judgment Day? Is it, as many Pentecostals contend, necessary for the true church to have this “fullness of the Spirit”? In answer we say:

I.Where special charismatic gifts are required as proofs of true Christianity, there the Gospel of grace is already perverted.

We all know full well that we are saved by grace through faith alone, without the works of the Law. But if some further experience or some higher level of spirituality is demanded, then we are not saved by faith at all, but by something else. As F.D. Bruner writes, “the moment any  rite, any obedience, any experience, no matter how buttressed with Scripture or with ‘angels from heaven’ becomes a supplement to faith or a condition fro fullness before God, then the anathema must be announced and the warning to avoid false teaching urged with all possible seriousness.” 1)

With which special gifts could we stop and be assured of our salvation? In Mk.16:17 there are five signs (not gifts) mentioned that will follow them that believe. Why specialize in tongue-speaking and healing? Why not include poison-drinking, snake-handling and devil-expulsion? If the tongues are a proof of faith, then I should be able to drink poison harmlessly as another proof. Why not also add the healing shadow of the Apostles. (Acts 5:12ff.)? Or the moving of mountains, together with other wonders more spectacular than Jesus Himself ever did? Jn.14:12 There is no end to the standards one could impose as tests of “true church” if we follow Pentecostal logic. The genuine, Scriptural standards, or outward marks of true faith, are different. They are continuing in His Word, Jn. 8:31f.; confession of faith, Rom. 10:9-10; mutual brotherly love, Jn.13:35; and the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Gal. 5:22-24.

Requiring supernatural gifts also perverts the doctrine of the Trinity, for it considers the Spirit’s presence something different from the Son’s. Hoekema notices that according to the false doctrine of Pentecostalism ,if one has not received the Spirit-baptism, one is living without his God-appointed Leader. He may have received Christ at the time of his conversion but he is still leaderless! To have merely Christ in his heart is to have an inferior, second-rate kind of Christianity!

How utterly at variance this is with the Bible! Christ teaches otherwise: ‘He (the Spirit) shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you’ (Jn. 16:14). To exalt the work of the Spirit is praiseworthy, but to exalt the Spirit above Christ is an error…2)

Supernatural gifts in the Bible were not marks of faith, but marks of the true Apostles of Christ. Throughout the book of Acts, such gifts are bestowed only on the Apostles and by the Apostles on others. They were not given to third parties. Every instance of speaking in new tongues happened in the presence of the Apostles. In some cases, as in Acts 19:6, it was by the laying-on of their hands. Sometimes, as in the case of Cornelius, Acts. 10:45-47, it was without their hands, but while they preached.

The Bible is plain in teaching that these supernatural gifts were marks of apostleship. In Mk. 16, where such gifts are foretold inverse 17, we see in verse 20 that the disciples went out and preached, “the Lord working with them confirming the word with signs following.” This is the purpose the signs fulfilled: confirming  theWord. So Paul expelled devils, Acts 16:18; on Pentecost the apostles spoke in foreign languages; Paul was unharmed by he serpent’s bite, Acts 28:5;many disciples laid hands on the sick and brought the recovery; and it is reported in tradition, outside of Scripture, that John drank poison without harm,3) as did also Justus Barsabas, the disciple who lost the election to Matthias in Acts l. 4)

This truth, that the gifts signified apostleship, is underlined by Acts 2:43, where it does not say that all performed wonders, but “wonders and signs were done by the apostles.” And in Acts 4, after being threatened by the Jewish authorities, Peter prays to God, “stretch forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.” A few verses later we see that the prayer was answered in this way: “And with great power gave the apostles witness of he resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great  grace was upon them.” In Rom.15 Paul teaches that gifts were to  serve the work of missions, “to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.

In Heb. 2 it is implied that the age of such wonders is over, for it says salvation “was confirmed (aorist tense) unto us by them that heard him, God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will.” (Compare Mk. 16:20)Finally, and most cogently, St. Paul shows that he is equal to the other apostles by the signs which he did saying in II Cor. 12:12:”Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”

The wonders and gifts continued only for a while, just in order to make the church known while thee wee not yet teachers enough to carry the Word everywhere. And when the generation of the Apostles went to their reward, the gifts were no longer needed and fell into disuse. The great preacher Chrysostom said such things used to occur, “but now no longer take place.” 5) Augustine also remarks, “These were signs adapted to the time, for there behooved to be that betokening of the Holy Spirit in all tongues to show that the Gospel of God was to run through all tongues over the whole earth. That thing was done for a betokening and it passed away. 6) In his tract on Baptism, he informs us that in former days such things were the credentials of the faith, but by his own day no one expects the laying-on of hands to produce any speaking with tongues. 7)

But, argue the advocates of the modern charismatic movement, Paul lists supernatural gifts as the normal things in the churches in passages like I Cor. 12:28, “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversity of tongues.” But we answer that this passage teaches no such thing. The church no longer has apostles; why must we conclude that it has all the rest of  the offices and gifts named? The very reason such special gifts are not present today is, because the apostles are no longer present. We also note that the next verse says, “Are all apostles?  Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?” From this passage it is perfectly clear that special gifts are not necessary as signs of true faith, since not everyone possessed them, even in the early church. See also I Cor. 12:4-10. And when Jesus says the signs will follow them that believe, He certainly did not mean that every true Christian would be able to do one or more of these things by virtue of his own faith. He was saying  that the signs would come forth by their Gospel labors to vindicate their work.

If supernatural gifts are so necessary to the church, why is it that the church did not possess them for about 1800 years? The few instances mentioned during that long period are either of questionable authenticity or are connected with heresy, and do not pas the test of Deut. 13?1-4, “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer or dreams, and giveth thee a sign or wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet…and that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death.” The historical examples adduced by today’s Pentecostals are chiefly as follows.  Tertullian challenged heretics to produce signs such as tongues. But Tertullian belonged to the Montanist sect, a pietistic-millennialistic religion that sprang up in the 2^nd century and disappeared in the sixth. Francis Xavier, the Jesuit missionary, is said to have addressed the Japanese in their own tongue miraculously. But Xavier himself contradicts this by saying he had to study very hard to learn the language. 8) Then there are the persecuted Huguenots of southern France in the early 1700’s, but their movement was discredited when it was predicted that a Dr. Emes would rise from the dead in 1708 and failed to do so. About 100years later the Irvingites arose in Scotland. But some of the first to speak in tongues among them later confessed that it was not by God’s Spirit that they had spoken at all. And even as they flourished, they divided into factions which denounced each other as evil spirits. 9) So there was no authentic Pentecostal movement since apostolic days. Stagg assesses the situation correctly when he says,

If it is indeed to be seen as an evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work, why did it have such an inconsistent and intermittent history? Again, if it were as significant as Pentecostals maintain, would it not have occurred regularly and without letup throughout the many centuries of Christian history? Could it ever have been so suppressed by action of the church that clear evidence could not always have been seen?10)

If special gifts are required as proofs of true Christianity, then we must set aside I Cor. 14:22, “Tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.” It is wrong when Pentecostals themselves demand signs and accept people as full members only after they have shown some special powers. Our assurance of salvation does not come from our own powers, but from the Word, the explicit promise of Christ in the Gospel. It is wrong when such gifts are treated as part of the real or “full” Gospel, promised to all, or a higher plane of sanctification; for in the New Testament such gifts are defined as attestations to the Gospel, not supplements to it.

Therefore, if we do not enthusiastically line up in support of Pentecostalism, but rather ignore, doubt, question, or even oppose it, we are not opposing the Holy Spirit at all. We are not sinning, but following Christ’s command to “try the spirits” and to “hold fast that thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”

II. Bodily healing is not necessarily promised believers.

Healing is another fundamental article of the “foursquare Gospel.” But it is a false article, opposed to many passages of the Bible. Why, for example, does Christ commend the believers at the Last Day with the words, “I was sick and in prison and ye visited me?” Mt. 25 Why does He not say, “and ye healed me? ”Or why does Paul say, “Trophimus have I left at Miletus sick?” How could he be so callous if he had the power to heal? The answer is simply that healing was not a permanent institution, nor was it given to all or for all.

But what of that passage in James 5, “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, etc.” Concerning this passage we should note, first, that it is the pastors or elders of your own church that should be called in. Secondly, it is not laying-on of hands or a professional faith-healer that heals, but “the Prayer of faith.” Thirdly, the anointing with oil is not a special sacred act with healing power, but refers to a standard way of treating the sick in ancient times, recommended by the great Greek physician Galen. It was often used for wounds, Lk. 10:34, Is. 1:6. The modern equivalent would be administering medicine. 11)

Advocates of divine healing often refer to the atonement, saying that Christ took away all the consequences of sin and faith should accept “full” salvation. They employ passages such as “He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, and with his stripes we are healed.” B.B. Warfield has explained that such ideas

Betray us into a long series of serious errors. They imply, for example, that, Christ having borne our sicknesses as our substitute, Christians are not to bear them, and accordingly all sickness should be banished from the Christian world; Christians are not to be cured of sickness, but ought not to get sick. They imply further, that, this being so, the presence of sickness is not only a proof of sin, but argues the absence of the faith which unites us to Christ, our Substitute, that is saving faith; so that no sick person can be a saved man. They imply still further that, as sickness and inward corruption are alike effects of sin, and we must contend that sickness, because it is an effect of sin, is removed completely and immediately by he atoning act of Christ, taking away sin, so must also inward corruption be wholly and at once removed; no Christian can be a sinner. Thus we have full-blown ‘Perfectionism.’12)

And Perfectionism, as we all know, is an anti-Christian error. James writes (3:2), “In many things we offend all.”

Concerning the healers, we are also led to wonder: If they are so full of the power and love of the Spirit, why do they not go empty the hospitals? Or again, Why do they have such faith in doctors as diagnosticians, but so little use for them as healers?

III. Seeming miracles do not prove godliness, but are in fact suspect.

This truth is certainly clear from Scripture. We already noted Deut. 13, where false prophets produce signs and wonders, but use them to lead believers astray. Moses confronted wonder-workers in Jannes and Jambres, the Egyptian sorcerers who reproduced some of  Moses’ signs. And Jesus says that on the Last Day, “many will say unto me, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name cast our devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Mt. 7:22ff. Again, He says, “There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great sign and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before.” Mt. 24:24-25

Seeming miracles are no proof of the right church or the pure doctrine, because they might have some cause other than in God. They might be natural, or they might be works of satan. Most of the miracles done by the wonder-workers are miracles of healing. (No one today performs miracles over nature, such as stilling storms or purifying water; compare Jn. 14:12.) But others have produced the same works. Religions as different as Christian Science, the Roman Catholic Church, and Buddhism produce healings that are equally spectacular. Outwardly, there is usually no way to tell divine from devilish works. The doctrine must determine which is which. Where the sign supports Scriptural doctrine, it maybe genuine; otherwise we know it is not from God. It is the doctrine, then, that lends its testimony to the wonder, not the other way around. It is true, of course, that Jesus refers the  doubters to His miracles, saying, “The works that I do bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.” Jn. 5:36 Hence we do not say that miracles prove nothing at all. But we must say they prove nothing if they be without the doctrine. If the doctrine agrees with Scripture, the miracles maybe divine. Christ’s doctrine was Scriptural. He did not invent new doctrines.

There have been some very exciting wonders performed over the centuries. The Roman Church, of course, leads all competition. It has Lourdes and other shrines where thousands have been cured of every kind of sickness. It even has LaSallette, which kept producing healings even after being declared a fraud. It has healings performed with holy water and with the ashes of saints. It also has he stigmata, or wounds in the hands and feet, in the side, and around the crown of the head, which occur only on Fridays or only on Good Friday. There have been several hundred cases of this wonder, yet even the Roman Church backs away from most of them, due to the wicked character of many of the bearers. `13) John Gerhard points out that some of the Papal miracles are magical, meaning they are devilish, employing the sign of the cross, religious words, ceremonies, astrology, or a number of crosses or candles. Other miracles are simply absurd or shameful; some are silly and childish. Many are used to confirm idolatry, superstition, and false worship, as of the virgin Mary. And then there are some, such as occurred in heathen lands in the course of genuine Christian mission work, where the miracles confirmed the fundamentals of the faith. Only these last are genuinely Christian miracles. 14)

To refer to still more spectacular miracles, there are recorded cases where the bodies of saints were immune from corruption for many years; or at least noteworthy portions of the body remained so uncorrupted. The body of he famous Bernadette of Lourdes is a case in point. She died covered with tumors, but 30years later her body was reportedly free from them and not decayed. Does this prove that Rome is right? By no means. The same thing has occurred with people who wee not saints at all. 15) And, of course Rome still contradicts Scripture.

Wonder-working is also no proof of the sanctity of the person doing the wonders. I recall seeing little items in the newspaper twice this year where renowned faith-healers diedof alcoholism. This is as Jesus says, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Why is it, though, that such wonders do not occur among the orthodox any more? Is there something wrong with us? In the first place we may point out that the charge is not quite true. A few rare wonders have occurred when they were needed. Martin Luther was poisoned one time in Wittenberg, and he was spared. 16)

Nevertheless, there are good reasons why signs and wonders do not normally occur among us. One reason is that our doctrine is not a new one at all, and so needs no miracles. We rest on the apostolic Word and on the apostolic miracles. No miracles are not needed as proof. We are members of the One Holy Church, the same body in which the miracles were once done. That body does not need to prove itself again and again.

A second reason is that there is no promise in the Bible that the truth will be so confirmed and supported until the end of the world. As a matter of fact, the opposite is predicted. Jesus said that in the last days thee will come false Christs, and especially the greatest of them all, the Antichrist, “even him, whose coming is after the working of satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” II Thess. 2:9 In Rev. 13:13f is the same prediction: “He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast.”

The presence of the lying wonders in the world is a test for the believers. Moses says, Deut. 13:3, “for the Lord God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Will we follow the wonders, or will we follow the words of Him who said there would be wonders aimed at deceiving us, which we must avoid? Maximus the Confessor, champion of orthodoxy about 600AD said, “In the time of the Antichrist, the good will not do miracles, and in this will appear their constancy. 17) And Gerson, a contemporary of Luther, remarked “The many miracles of today are suspect. The past miracles should suffice, if you believe them,” 18)These statements are quite Scriptural. Jesus taught us, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Lk. 16 And Peter, too, who saw the glory of Jesus on the Transfiguration Mount, says, “We also have a more sure word of prophecy.” II Pet. l:19

IV. If prophecies do occur, they must be carefully tested with Scripture.

Prophecies, to my knowledge, have not occurred in the orthodox church for centuries, but they have been offered in some other bodies. They are easily tested with the Word of God, for, sooner or later, the prophet gives himself away by telling his favorite wicked teaching. From my own experience I can testify concerning a wire-recorded prophecy which foretold a “rapture.” The rapture is a supposed sudden removal of all believers from the earth at the beginning of the millennium. But the doctrine of the millennium is a false, unbiblical doctrine. The same prophecy, which was issued in 1962 or 1963, predicted a great and spectacular spiritual awakening to occur downtown in the city of Ft. Wayne, Ind., just two years later. It never occurred. The prophet was clearly false.

V. While tongue-speaking could issue from the Holy Spirit, I Cor. 12:28-29, it can also issue from satan, I Tim. 4:1,or from the spirit of man, who is inwardly corrupt.

Here arises a question of interpretation: Are the tongues which are discussed in I Cor. the same as those mentioned in Acts? If they are, then we are dealing with speech which is sensible and coherent, but in a foreign language. This is not the case with the tongue-speaking found today, despite some unsupported claims to the contrary. Stagg reports that tape-recorded speeches were analyzed by linguists and found to be no languages at all. 19)

If the Corinthian tongues were not the same as those in Acts, then we must point out that their use is no proof that anyone is filled with the Spirit of God. Tongues have been produced otherwise than by the Holy Spirit. The early Gnostics  an anti-Christian sect, produced such words and speeches. 20) Irenaeus reports  a certain Marcus bestowed a phony spirit on a woman, using flattery to puff her up until she considered herself a prophetess. The Ranters, who flourished in England during the age of Cromwell, and who were frequently accused of lewdness, also spoke in tongues. Tongues were found among the early Quakers and Methodist , not to mention the Mormons (Mormon 9:7) and  the Shakers, who practiced community of wives. 21)  It is also reported that a Dane named Peter Reuchen lived among the heathen Eskimoes in Greenland. In one of their religious rites he heard some of them speak in a strange tongue. He writes, “If there is such a thing as speaking in tongues I heard it then. But while the priest was supposedly in a coma, he opened his eyes and he smiled at Freuchen, saying, “Just lies and bunk, the whole thing.” 22) Finally, we must note also the observation of H. A. Ironside, to the effect that the Pentecostals, all with tongues, assert that the tongues in opposing parties are of satan, whereas their own are from God. Thus they cancel each other out.

We are not ready to say that all tongue-speaking is directly inspired by the evil, by any means. It comes from within man, it seems. Examples analyzed by students of the mind have been classified as “decomposed speech,” 23) forming no pattern or words, but only a disconnected repetition of broken sounds .It is, in the words of a Presbyterian who had spoken in tongues, a case of “auto-suggestion, self-induced-piously, yes, but wrongly and unscripturally.”  24) It is not a spiritual phenomenon, but an induced human reaction, serving, perhaps, as a release of some pent-up fervent feelings, especially in this age when people feel uncomfortable and out of place talking religion.

While St. Paul treats the gift of tongues in a large section, more than two chapters of I Cor., he does so to show that the tongues were a very minor gift. He stopped short of banning the use of tongues, but he rates them very low and foretells their end. It has often been pointed out that Corinth was a problem congregation. Paul calls them babes (3:1-3) and disorderly (14:23), and there were sins of sex, offense, pride, and contentiousness. These were the tongue-speakers, and proud of it. Paul warns them that their tongues threatened fellowship by engendering pride and vitiated the influence they might have on unbelievers. Only jealousy, pride, and competition were fostered by their tongues.

Tongues are not an important gift. Jesus never spoke in tongues. For the conversion of the heathen, Paul says prophesy is far more efficient (14:24) The gift is not listed among the qualifications for a pastor in Timothy or Titus. At the end of I Cor.12, tongues are listed last among the gifts, since they are least important, not most, and do not reflect a higher fullness of the Spirit. Tongues are not mentioned at all in the lists of gifts to the church in Rom. 12:6-8 and Eph. 4:11-12, nor among the fruits of the Spirit in Gal. 5. Paul says that instead of concentrating on tongues, they should “covet earnestly the best gifts,” 12:31.Tongues are quite useless for the church if they are not interpreted, 14:27 They are not even of much value for oneself .He says, “I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also.” 14:16 Hoekema observes here: If we pray without understanding, how do we know we are really praying? Jesus gave His disciples a model prayer rich in content, when they asked to be taught to pray. He did not give them advice for praying in a new tongue. 25) If we are weak in prayer, we can better enlist the intercession of the Holy Spirit, who pleads for us with groanings which cannot be uttered – in any tongue. Rom. 8:26 And finally, Paul says charity is far more important than tongues. Without love a man with tongues is empty and useless.

As is true with the other wonders of New Testament times, God id not promise that tongues would continue or be revived, but, quite the contrary, he foretold that they would cease. ‘’Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail (literally, be put out of commission); whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” In the next verses he explains that knowledge and prophesy will be superseded by the fullness of perfection in eternal life. But he does not speak so of tongues. He simply says they will stop, even if the others should abide in an incomplete state during this life. And stop they did. After the apostolic age, as we have seen, tongues disappeared. And if anyone should insist that they are being revived now in the latter days, he must prove it from the Bible, which, however, contains no such proof. The chief passage used to prove the idea is Joel2:28ff, where it is said that the Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh in the latter day. But that passage does not apply. Peter tells us that it was fulfilled in Pentecost. And in addition, we notice not a single word mentioning any gift of tongues.

There are many who contend that tongues are part of a spiritual awakening that will sweep away secularism and reunite and revitalize the fragmented Christendom. 26) But the facts speak otherwise. The Pentecostal movement has produced some bitter fruits. Stolee 27) mentions the “horrid trail of schism, immorality, and insanity that everywhere has marked its inroads into the church.” Instead of uniting and purifying the church, this movement has divided and corrupted. It fosters an indifference to the doctrines of God’s Word, and this in two ways: l. It diverts men from the solid truths of the Gospel of salvation to another Gospel, which is really a man-made law, and which teaches that you must speak in tongues in order to be an authentic Christian, or you must be healed or free from disease, or you must produce some other spectacle of spirituality. Thus either (a) the hope of the Gospel is withdrawn, since you have not produced enough fruits nor been blessed with enough signs; or else (b)spiritual pride is engendered, so that men are led to believe that they need not repent. They suppose that they are “in”, for they have spoken in heavenly tongues; or (c) what interest is  there in the blessings of Holy Baptism, when it is considered merely a preliminary? Or what interest in the Lord’s Supper, which is so plain and common? Or why prevent women from preaching, if they have the Spirit? 2. Indifference to doctrine is also fostered in another way: by the practice of unionism. People who have these spiritual gifts feel themselves united, whether they agree in doctrine or not. It is the common experience that is thought to be important to religious unity. But this is a false principle. In II Jn. it is plainly stated, “If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not in your house, neither bid him God speed; for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (vv.9-10) It makes no difference to these new disciples whether they believe in millennium or not, or hold to Calvinism or Arminianism or even Roman Catholicism; they are one in their spirit. Such a spirit, we can be sure, is not from God. The Holy Spirit warned us that “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”I Cor. 5:6

The great love chapter, I Cor. 13, was written to meet the question of the tongues in Corinth, which were used for self. The more excellent way Paul recommends to them is the practice of charity. If they will covet some spiritual blessing, let it be something like prophesy, the exposition and application of divine doctrine, which will edify all the church. Let it not be something for self-centered enjoyment. If you desire gifts, desire them for the benefit of others, not for your own feeling. If anyone should possess the gift of speaking in tongues, let him keep silence in the church until there be an interpreter; and in any case, let the women not speak up at all. (14:28-34)

Paul concludes his treatment of tongues by saying, “Forbid not to speak with tongues.” This does not mean we should just let this movement loose, after all. It implies, rather, that if some do fall into this error, we do not simply order them not to use their tongues, but we should instruct them, first of all, to keep them under control (14:27-28),and then also to regard such powers as the insignificant things they are. They must learn to avoid the religious hucksters who peddle lies about spiritual gifts. They should learn that the pure doctrine is the genuine gift of the Holy Ghost, and that by this all the other gifts must be estimated. They must understand that they were baptized of the Spirit when they were baptized with water and led to the Savior, that they have spiritual strength through faith, the Word, and prayer, and that faith itself is evidence that the Holy Spirit is with us.

“I would that ye all spake in tongues; but rather that ye prophesied.”  The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is a precious gift, which Christians enjoy. But its counterfeit leads only to all kinds of uncertainty, wickedness, and woe. Christians should avoid it like the plague.

To God alone goes the glory.

Bibliography

l. F.D. Bruner, A Theology of the Holy Spirit. Grand Rapids: Eerdman, 1970,p. 282.

2. Anthony A. Hoekema, What About Tongue Speaking?Grand Rapids:Eerdman, 196, p. 118.

3.Abdias of Babylon, Historia  Apostolica, V, 21.

4.Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, III, 39, 11.

5. Homily 29. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, XII , 168.

6.Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, VII, 497-498.

7. Ibid., Vol. IV. The quotation is in section III, 18,16 & 21.

8. Hoekema, op.cit.,p. 19.

9. Benjamin B. Warfield, Miracles: Yesterday and Today; True and False. Grand Rapids: Eerdman, 1953. (Original title:Counterfeit Miracles. Scribner’s, 19) pp. 142f.

10. Frank Stagg, E. Glenn Hinson, Wayne E. Oates, Glossalalia: Tongue Speaking in Biblical, Historical, and Psychological Perspective.Nashville, Abingdon press,1967, p. 74.

11.See Warfield, op.cit., p. 303. Warfield cites the mention of he medicinal qualities of oil in ancient authors: Philo (Somn. M., I666); Pline (N>H>, 23:34-50); Galen (Med. Temp., Bk. II)

12.Ibid.,p. 307.

13. Ibid.,pp. 85-87.

14. John Gerhard,Loci Theologici. Preuss edition; Berlin 1867,Vol. V, pp. 570-572.

15. Warfield, op.cit.p. 270.

16.Luthers Saemmtliche Schriften, St. Louis edition, Vol. XV, 446; cf. XXII, 18.

17. Gerhard,op.cit.,V, 560.

18.Ibid.

19. Stagg, op.cit., p. 15; Hoekema, op.cit., p. 132.

20.Ante-Nicene Fathers, I,13, 3; cited by Stagg,op.cit.,p. 55.

21. Stagg, op.cit., pp. 63-66.

22. H. J. Stolee, Pentecostalism: The Problem of the Modern Tongues Movement.Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1936, pp.85-86.

23. Hoekema, op.cit.,p.132. 24. Ibid., pl 133, 25.Ibidl, p. 100.26. Stagg,op.cit.,pp. 16f.

27. Stolee, op.cit., p. 112      This paper is by Pastor K.K. Miller of the LCR

Introduction

Scripture has many statements which are paradoxes, that is that they are beyond comprehension by human reason. As a matter of fact a paradox contains matters that are contradictory to each other according to human reason. We must rely on the mind of God in spiritual matters and trust His Word by faith. Faith grasps matters which are beyond human reason.

Faith accepts as the Word discloses. We believe in the Trinity, three persons in one God. This is a paradox and a mystery to be accepted by faith. We believe that Jesus is both God and man; that is that he has two natures. Our reason cannot grasp that within one person there could be the human nature and the divine nature. Yet this is exactly how it is in the person of Jesus. Reason says, ‘impossible,’ while faith says, ‘I believe.’

We are to accept by faith what the Word of God teaches. In communion we have a mystery and paradox. This teaching of His Word we should believe. Our attitude should be like that of young Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” Let us be willing to hear and accept with believing hearts.

Christ’s Words

The teaching on communion is found in: Mt. 26:26-29, Mk.14:22-25, Lk. 22:19-22, I Cor. ll:23-30, 10:14-22. From these references we hear our Lord clearly saying of the bread, “This is My body,” and of the wine, “This is My blood.” Yet He also tells His disciples to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. He refers therefore to four elements being present in communion: the bread and the wine, His body and His blood. We say that there are two earthly elements and two heavenly elements present when we partake.

When our Lord tells us that in communion we receive His body given for us and His blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins, then we know that in this sacred act the Lord gives believers the assurance of forgiveness of sins just as He does in the Gospel in the Word. When we do this in remembrance of Him we are to remember His death; be comforted by the forgiveness of sins. As often as we eat and drink this we even proclaim our belief in His atoning work for our salvation.

Scripture Interprets Scripture

We firmly believe that the Bible explains itself to us. To understand by faith some of the hard sayings, it simply takes more study. There is milk in the Word and there is meat in the Word. But above all, “First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.” II Pet. 1:20

With the words of communion we take them in the sense in which they were given us. We understand them according to their context. And we understand them according to cross references and other passages on communion. We naturally take words in their literal, natural meaning, unless the context or other passages explain the words in a figurative sense.

Jesus says, “This is My Body…This is My blood.” There is no reason in the context or in other passages to take the words in a figurative sense. Unfortunately, many Reformed Protestants think Jesus meant here, “This represents My body…This represents My blood.” But there is simply no evidence to support their reasoning. And reasoning is exactly what it is. Their reason cannot accept this mystery, so they explain it away with a figurative sense.

There is something more than only bread and wine here.

Paul says in I Corinthians 11:28 that if one takes communion in an unworthy manner, not discerning the Lord’s body and blood, he is “guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.” The person is not guilty of profaning bread and wine; that would be silly. No, something far greater than bread and wine is here, or Paul would not speak so.

Paul says the one not discerning the body and blood and who yet eats and drinks, “Eats and drinks judgment upon himself.” I Cor. 11:29 An overly harsh statement upon this matter if it is only bread and wine! In the Corinthian congregation Paul explains how the judgment showed itself, “That is why many of you are weak, and ill, and some have fallen asleep.” (died) I Cor.11:30 At Corinth individuals came to communion not repenting of their sins, this being how they were unworthy. They treated communion with contempt and did not trust in the forgiveness of sins through Christ’s body and blood. This brought upon them a judgment.

In I Corinthians ten Paul tells us that in our partaking of the bread, it is “participation (communion) in the body of Christ” and that in partaking of the wine, it is “participation in the blood of Christ.” How much clearer need it be than this that in a mysterious way we partake of Christ’s body and blood in, under, and with the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins?

Power in the Word

It is simple wine and bread until we partake of it, hearing and believing the words of Christ. As we partake, it becomes a means by which God strengthens our faith assuring us we have God’s grace in Christ. As when we hear the Word of God alone, so the Holy Spirit works on the heart, thus also in communion as we hear the Word of God and partake, the Spirit works on the heart.

Many Protestants say that in communion there is no forgiveness of sins. They say that Christ’s body and blood could not be present to be eaten as that would be cannibalism. These people underestimate the power of God’s Word. They let reason dictate to them what the Word of God means instead of letting the Word explain itself. There they are taking from God’s Word.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the priest transforms the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. But where in Scripture is this found? No where. They also say that only partial forgiveness is given here. But Scripture makes no such qualification. And very sadly they teach that communion when it is celebrated is a re-sacrifice of Christ. They also worship the bread which they say has become the body of Christ. This is idolatry. This church adds to the Word.

We as a Lutheran church follow what the clear Word says, neither adding to it nor taking from it. We see in communion the power of the Word of God. Communion is a means of grace, God granting in a mysterious way a communion in the body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

Our desire to follow God’s Word also leads us to use unleavened bread and wine just as Jesus did.

Every church has freedom to celebrate communion as often as it sees fit. Our general practice is to celebrate it once a month. There is also private communion for those sick and ill and troubled.

The Lord gave communion to those ‘close’ to Him in the upper room on Maundy Thursday. We also follow a practice of giving it to those who can discern the Lord’s body and blood and who confess their sins and trust in the Lamb of God. If a person of our fellowship, that is agreeing on God’s Word with us, repents of his sins, discerning the Lord’s body and blood, he is admitted to communion.

Three Views of Communion Within Visible Christendom

We are orthodox, that is that we teach only and all God’s Word with no admixture of error and with no deletions from the sacred Word. There is an ever present danger for us who would be confessional in that when we speak of ‘fellowship’ we think only of the separation and withdrawal aspect to preserving the truth of the Word among us. We must remember that fellowship is positive as we shall clearly see in the following. The severance of a fellowship relationship (or rather the expression of it) is called for when there is no longer the unity and agreement on what God’s Word teaches. In this following study of ‘koinonia’ or fellowship, the word, as it is used in context in Scripture let us see the splendidly positive aspects.

First we shall consider how fellowship is the common union of God with man in what we call the church. Our fellowship is first vertical, that is we by the power of the Spirit believe in God. Through the Word we learn that Jesus is our Redeemer. He has atoned for all our sin and makes us one with God through His sacrificial death and merit. It is then also that our fellowship is horizontal. We are part of the earthly bride of Christ, His church on earth.

Secondly, our fellowship finds its very intimate expression in the sacrament of the altar. In considering Paul’s words to the Corinthians on their fellowship in communion, we see that there is a clear separation from idolatry involved and a very special mysterious intimacy with God.

Thirdly, fellowship is not merely a fine sounding word for doctrinal presentations. It is something of the heart that expresses itself in activity. Fellowship means ‘sharing.’

Lastly, fellowship among us means a very personal relationship, a ‘partnership’ in the Gospel, a ‘participation’ in the Spirit.

May our gracious God reinforce through His Word that blessed fellowship we have with Him and with one another in the church. May He also preserve us in this fellowship until the last day.

Blest be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love;

The fellowship of kindred minds

Is like to that above.

The Vertical and the Horizontal of Fellowship

The word ‘koinonia’ is found in noun form in the New Testament some nineteen times. It is variously translated as: fellowship, communion, partnership, participation, share, contribution, taking part in. (All RSV translations except for ‘communion.’) We take up our study of this word to better know how we are to be in our Christian congregations awaiting our Lord’s return.

You may remember that an apt description of the church at Jerusalem was recorded by Luke in Acts 2:42. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Here we see first of all that fellowship is an activity. Fellowship is not merely having one’s name ‘on the books’ of a Christian congregation. We remove names from our membership because individuals no longer practice fellowship with us. To be a member of a Christian congregation in name only is a shallow thing. Fellowship with God and His Son and His children on earth is serious business. The fellowship we are to have is not over coffee but over His Word. The people in the church in Jerusalem continued steadfastly, devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching, that is the Word of God. To not hear the Word means a dwindling faith. To not study the Word means a puny faith. To not read the Word means a tenuous faith. Our faith grows as we search the Scriptures and our fellowship with Him and His children is likewise reinforced.

Very many enter into fellowship with God through the Word in baptism. I Corinthians l:9 “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” “The Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; In like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.” The most important aspect of this fellowship is our being called into fellowship with His Son. He is the cornerstone of our faith. Upon Him our whole salvation depends. Were it not for Jesus, there would be no church, no faith, no hope. The personal relationship we have with Him is paramount. First we look up.

John writes about the vertical and the horizontal fellowship together. I John l:3 “…that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” Very beautifully the vertical and the horizontal make the cross. That which is the symbol of our holy religion is a picture of the common union we have in Christ. John says, “we proclaim to you.” It is just through this proclamation of the Gospel that the union is formed by the Holy Spirit.

And once we have fellowship with Him our lives simply change. Our relationship to people also changes. “This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sins.” I John l:5-7 In other words, can you murder your son and be in fellowship with God? Can you visit a prostitute and visit the communion table? If a sin is rebuked, but not repented, of then fellowship is called into question. How can one want fellowship with the Savior from sin, if sin is not acknowledged and repented of? Impenitence makes Jesus of no effect in one’s life and cancels the fellowship with God and His church. Either we are in the light or we walk in darkness. It is the blood of Jesus Christ alone that cleanses us from all sins. But we can reject the cleansing. We can cast aside His forgiveness, as we prefer to do those evil deeds in darkness.

A very important part of our fellowship is the open confession of sin to God and to one another. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” I John 1:8-10 To have fellowship with the Lord and His people sin simply must be confessed. True confession is not ‘if I have sinned’ or ‘if I have done wrong.’ There are no ’if’s about it. It is properly ‘because I have sinned…’ and ‘since I have sinned…’ We must admit how we have sinned and also acknowledge what we rightly deserve for our sin.

And how do we know that we have sinned? We come back to the Word. As Jesus is the Light of the world to shine into our hearts through the Word, so also His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path to expose our missteps. When we measure our lives by the holy Ten Commandments we must cringe. It is by deed, by word, by thought that I sin. Against the holiness of God I see clearly my black nature. It is only then that we can truly treasure Jesus, whose blood cleanses us from all sin. Against my hating there is His loving. Against my weakness there is His strength. Against my wickedness there is His righteousness.

Knowing the power of the Gospel in our lives brings us to one last point here. Being called by the Word into fellowship with Him means suffering. As they treated Him, so they will treat you. You are not above the Master. Philippians 3:10 “…know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.” To be in the fellowship means to suffer. As Jesus was mocked, so we should be expecting mockery for our holding to the Word.As Jesus was laughed at when He would raise a child from the dead, so we should expect deriding scorn for our firm conviction in the Word. We can meet any and all comers because we are in fellowship with Him. As He overcame, so we overcome and have already overcome in Him. We even welcome suffering, as it draws us closer to Him. “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

Before our Father’s throne

We pour our ardent prayers;

Our fears, our hopes, our aims, are one,

Our comforts and our cares.

II. To celebrate Communion involves a clear separation from idolatry and a special intimacy with Him and His.

Fellowship means activity. So far we have seen how the activity of pouring over His Word is directly related to our fellowship with Him. Here we see that our fellowship involves the partaking at the Lord’s table. If we are to follow the Christ, a clear separation from idols of this world is called for. Jesus Himself said that we cannot serve God and mammon. And again “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” Matthew 6:30 If we are in fellowship with Jesus, then we should not be worshipping idols. A clear demarcation is laid out by our Lord. It cannot before the Christian a playing of both ends against the middle. Paul masterly and repeatedly sets this out. II Corinthians 6:14-18 “Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship (koinonia) has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. There come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’” We are in the light, Jesus the Light of the world. Because we have that union with Him by faith and the grace of God we are God’s children. What a blessed relationship with God we have such that He calls us His sons and daughters! That is that fellowship which we treasure. And as in any family in which the relationship exists with the parent, so also with siblings. So it is in the church. As in the familial relationship there is devotion and loyalty to the family, so it is in the church. To be loyal and devoted to our Father and His Son means not to acknowledge any rival or usurper as the head of our family, the church. What does Christ have in common with the devil and his demons who are behind the dumb idols of this world? No commonality, no more than truth has anything in common with lies, or righteousness with iniquity. Whether at the communion table or in our fellowship in general there is a clear separation from idolatry involved and there is a special intimacy involved, as in a family, so in this case – the family of God.

This is not the first warning to the Corinthians about idolatry. Paul had in his first letter the tenth chapter warned them, v. 6 “Now these things are warnings for us…”, v. 14 “Therefore, my beloved, shun the worship of idols.” Israel of old was a prime example of playing both ends against the middle, of trying to have it both ways. At Sinai while God was giving the Commandments to Moses, the people in the camp were going after an idol, the golden calf. Over and over again in the next forty years the see-saw struggle continued. Indeed it continued through Israel’s history. And it has been recorded as a warning to us. There are still the common gods of the people all around us. They may not take the form of a statue covered with gold, rather gold itself is a god. They may not be called by the old names like Baal, but the idols are still among us. Pleasure is an idol when it supplants the worship of God. Luxury is a god when it so occupies our efforts to have it that we neglect His Kingdom work. Pride is an idol when we get so wrapped up in our innate gifts that we forget who gave them to us.

And let us not think that we are so strong that it cannot happen to us. Remember how ‘strong’ Peter thought he was, even so strong as to say, “I’ll never deny you Lord.” Yet but a few hours later, he denied Him three times over and even with an oath. And this man was the leader of the apostolic band. He had walked with Jesus for those years. He had heard and seen. “Therefore let any one who things that he stands take heed lest he fall.” I Corinthians 10:12 David, the man after God’s own heart also fell.

Let us come then being warned to put away our idols. Come not grumbling like the children of Israel. Rather, come confessing and admitting sin. True confession is not ‘I’m sorry I got caught’ but ‘I’m sorry I did it.’ To be truly sorry means that you see it was wrong and want not to do it again. We should come to communion in the same frame of mind as the tax collector had. “God be merciful to me a sinner.” His repentance was a sincere thing of the heart.

With this attitude we then come to our koinonia with God in communion. We do not come as if we are doing God a favor, like the Pharisee in the temple. We come to receive His undeserved love and His unmerited favor. In communion we are united with our God.

What an intimacy is here! “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” I Corinthians 10:16 In a mysterious way we are united with our Lord and receive Him. What special comfort there is for those who are close to Him, who repent of all their sins and discern what is present in the sacrament of communion! What great intimacy and what great favor to partake of His own body and blood for he remission of sins.

And as the intimacy is great and the favor is great, so the danger is great to hearts not united to Him by repentance and faith. After explaining the separation from idols necessary for proper communion observance in chapter ten of I Corinthians, Paul then explains in chapter eleven after giving the words of institution how serious is this business of coming to communion examining yourselves. “Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” I Corinthians 11:28-30 Those who repent of their sins and come with humble dependence on the Lord for the assurance of their forgiveness in Him should by all means approach the communion table. Come in your weakness knowing that then you will be strong in Him. Come to receive that very positive assurance that nothing stands between you and eternal life through Jesus. And as you come and partake recognize also in our communion that we stand and kneel together. “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” I Corinthians 10:17We are united in Him so in communion we see both the horizontal and the vertical fellowship. And notice here again as we have seen before, and as we will see again, that fellowship means activity.Repentance, confession, approaching the table. How sad that over the years we do not see some at communion. How sad that among the younger we do not see the regularity that we see among the older. Can it be a case of thinking one is strong and not so in need? If that is the case then idols of pride, self-assurance and physical strength may be crowding into one’s life. Cast those idols aside and see yourself in all your weakness and need. Repent and approach to renew that special mysterious intimacy with your Lord.

We share our mutual woes,

Our mutual burdens bear,

And often for each other flows

The sympathizing tear.

III. Koinonia means Sharing.

Of the church in Jerusalem they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayers. This showed that they had a splendid unity in Christ. The common denominator among them was Jesus, their unifying, sharing factor. They showed this also in how they very dramatically shared their physical possessions with one another. “And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts…” Acts 2:44-46 “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need.” Acts 4:34-35 This sharing with one another is part of koinonia. Is it still for us today?

One of the four references we deal with here deals with a spiritual sharing and yet it has implications of a physical sharing. The other three deal with the very material collection for the saints in Jerusalem who were facing more difficult times than that described by Luke in Acts. While we in our day do think of sharing spiritually in our fellowship, the sharing of material possessions is less often thought of as part of koinonia.

“I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” Philemon vv.4-6 This slavemaster was evidently a good witness of Him. Perhaps he talked openly and casually about his Master and how he was His slave. His faith certainly showed in his love of the brethren. In the epistle Paul refers to how he should treat Onesimus. Paul expresses his confidence in Philemon with the words, v. 21”Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.” Paul writes this not to butter Philemon up so he will in false pride do what Paul says. It is rather the case that Paul knows of the love and faith of Philemon and is sure it will show in how he treats the runaway slave who has now returned. Philemon evidently knows what fellowship is all about – sharing.

Are we like Philemon? Do we share our faith so as to bolster each other? We should share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear, and often for each other should flow the sympathizing tear. We who know Him so well need to hear from each other the Word for our faith to grow. We must present to each other the Scriptural optimism of Romans 8:28and not be ashamed to go out on a limb to speak this in the face of even disaster. We truly want the sharing of our faith to promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ. Let us each encourage each other by word and deed to put our confidence in the unseen Lord, to keep our hope riveted on our unobservable home in heaven, to not flinch when what we see seems to go awry. Faith afterall is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews ll:l Faith is assurance and conviction. To be in fellowship means to share this all important commodity in a world that has it in all too scarce a quantity.

II Corinthians 8:1-5 “We want you to know, brethren, about the grace of God which has been shown in the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberality on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.”

The first thing to remember in these three references is that the contribution spoken of was not regular church offerings. This was the collection made for the brethren in Jerusalem when they suffered physical deprivation. We may use these references or parts of them to teach on offerings for the Lord’s work in His kingdom. That is a proper application. But it must be remembered that the original context was for the material, physical relief of the saints. This, perhaps surprisingly to some, is also part of our koinonia. “Taking part” is how koinonia is translated above. It is beautiful to see this picture unfold of the poor saints inJerusalem being helped by the poor saints in Macedonia. But of course it should be since they were brethren. Macedonia could hardly have been expected to give to the poor in Jerusalem because the hill country of Macedonia was itself impoverished. You can imagine that perhaps there were those who spoke of how they could not give since it was needed at home just as much or more and afterall really we don’t know them over there in Jerusalem. We cannot deny ourselves, can we, for the sake of those we will never even lay eyes on? If there were those few who said this, the evidence is incontrovertible that they were silenced quickly and conclusively. The witness is “their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberality”, “they gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.” Why we just must help them in Jerusalem, they are our brothers in the faith! So they took part, knowing full well what koinoniameans.

It is simple to see how we today can so easily trip over our selfishness into satan’s trap of not helping the brethren. We could say that of the orphan work inIndia, that it is really not for us to do. They are so far away. We shall never see them. Don’t we have poor here to help? But, we are brethren with them united by the sacrament of the one baptism. “We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.” Romans 6:4-5 Those children in India in the care of our brethren are one with us. Why, we must help them, they are our brothers and sisters in faith. “How can we saddle ourselves down to help someone we don’t even know?” was not the question from meeting place to meeting place in the poor hill country. The question was, “How can we help?”

“The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver…You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God; for the rendering of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints but also overflows in many thanksgivings to God. Under the test of this service, you glorify God by your obedience in acknowledging the Gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others. “ IICorinthians 9:6-13 There is no question about it, as you sow, so shall you reap. The Jerusalem congregation, fully aware of what koinonia meant, saw to the care of those in need in their midst. They had sowed bountifully by having all things in common. From that common treasury they had dispensed to any as they had need. And now the Jerusalem church would reap bountifully from the brethren in Macedonia, Achaia and Rome. There were some wet blankets in Jerusalemwho thought it not wise to sow quite so bountifully. Ananias and Sapphira were two such people. Time proves one right. The bread cast upon the water was now being found again from an unexpected quarter. The promise is now made to the Corinthians, “you will be enriched in every way for great generosity.”

What if within our midst we had one in dire need of our help? Would we extend our hand upon the basis that we are one in Christ? The flesh says, ‘Let somebody else help out.’ We assume that social security or disability payments or welfare assistance will come from government. But if we are one in the Lord, shouldn’t we want to help?

Paul wrote to Rome about this expression of koinonia in Romans 15:25-28. “At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem with aid for the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem; they were pleased to do it, and indeed they are in debt to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When therefore I have completed this, and have delivered to them what has been raised, I shall go on by way of you to Spain.” If at times you wonder if this should be part of what God’s people do, this sharing of one’s earthly goods with the brethren, this collection for the saints, then look at who was involved in it. The apostle and missionary Paul was carrying the collection to Jerusalem. Paul was busy in labors in the spread of His rule, and yet he takes the offering to Jerusalem. Paul includes mention of it and encourages giving to this collection in his epistles. This is part and parcel of our fellowship in the church.

Again we have seen that fellowship is a living, active, moving thing. It’s not a dead letter, because it springs of the Gospel and the Gospel is living, active, moving. Fellowship is not static, but dynamic, because the love of Christ is a dynamic force in the Christian’s life. We believe in Him and confess our sin, pray for the saints, partake of communion and share our faith and our goods with one another.

This glorious hope revives

Our courage by the way,

While each in expectation lives

And longs to see the day.

IV. Partnership – Our fellowship should be a very personal relationship.

Remember the sharing, the communion, the one in Christ? Who is in the hospital, and we do not remember to pray for him? Who does not have joy in his heart over a brother who undergoes successful surgery? Who does not sin and we feel the hurt? Remember Matthew chapter 18. We are not islands unto ourselves in this sea of humanity. We are partners one with another in the Gospel. Fellowship is partnership. “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.” Philippians 1:3-5

We do not know if every congregation sent offerings to Paul to help him in his travels for the Lord through Asia Minor and Greece. It is unlikely that they all did. But there was one in particular that kept him in their prayers and supported him with their offerings. They were partners with Paul. We know of course that Paul’s base of operations was Antioch in Syria. It was from Antioch that Paul and Barnabas went forth on the first trip sent out by the Holy Spirit. The other congregation which took every seriously their fellowship with Paul was the church at Philippi. The church began there with the wealthy woman and her family and the jailer and his family. Paul first came to Philippi on his second journey drawn there by the vision of the man in Macedonia beckoning him to come over. It was a compelling vision for Paul. And the congregation which became the first fruit in Macedonia was compelled too. They supported Paul whether he was in the midst or not. They supported him time and again in the partnership they had with him in the Gospel. Philippians 4:14-18 What joy to be one with God by the blood of the Christ, and to be united in fellowship in the church under His gracious hand!

Today we also are partners. We are brethren to those so many miles away in our sister churches. Like Philippi we have sent support and we are sending support. We as partners work together. We all have within our heart and hands His Word to use to convince, reprove, rebuke, comfort and counsel. We should each be asking ourselves if we are full partners, half partners or maybe silent partners in the fellowship of our church.

To be members of the congregation, partners in His work, we do not buy stock as in a company. We are members in the fellowship of our congregation and synod by the power of the Spirit converting us. “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2 It is only the Spirit of God who could work the miracle of fellowship in our midst. He converts us and by the Word makes us of one mind. Think of the Christian churches where discord is the order of the day instead of harmony. Think of how in so many churches a variety of teaching and a latitude in doctrine is allowed contrary to the pure standard as set forth in the Word. Think of how so many fellowship over the coffee cup instead of at the communion table, where it is primarily social instead of religious. How blessed we are to not be torn apart by jealousy, strife, backbiting! How blessed we are that those who study the Word in our midst and quote it are not called fanatics and too strict or liberals and too loose. Only the Spirit could work what we have. He is working and continues to work to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Ephesians 4:1-7 Are we eager to maintain this unity? Ourkoinonia means that we work together. We work to build up and not to tear down. The variety of gifts and abilities that the Lord has given are to be used for the common good. Paul uses the example of a human body in describing to the Ephesians how the church is to be. Our body works with all of its parts coordinated in their activities for the common good of the body. “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuildsitself in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16 When we survey the religious scene around us, it is truly amazing grace that we continue in the unity of the Word as partners.

There is one thing we have neglected though in our study. We have in one area not given credit where credit is due. While it is the Spirit who unites, it is the devil who divides. The devil must be given his due. He it is who drives the wedge in to separate us from one another and from the Lord. He sows the seed of error and discord. He is the reason why visible Christendom is divided. His techniques may vary, but are always dangerous. He may rant and rave, howl and cajole, whisper and entice to have you defect from our koinonia. He may try to have you be a silent partner. That of course is no partner at all. He who confesses Christ before men will be confessed before the Father in heaven. It is only by clutching the word, by pouring over it in study that we can maintain our faith and fellowship with God and His saints. Then we are able to repel and blunt the devil’s vicious attacks.

Conclusion

We have seen in our study how koinonia/fellowship is an activity. It is first of all a union between holy God and sinful man, worked by God Himself, through faith in the Son of God. This vertical relationship has joined to it the horizontal. Our common faith means that we are also united with those who believe as we do. We have that special intimacy in the sacrament of the altar with our God, showing also our unity with one another as we sand and kneel together. Forsaking idols we approach and partake. Being one in Christ we share our faith with each other by speaking the Word to help each other. Our help in the fellowship is not limited to works though. We also take part in assisting each other materially. We contribute toward the needs of the saints. Working together as partners in the Gospel we live and speak and act, knowing of course that the Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14

From sorrow, toil, and pain,

And sin we shall be free

And perfect love and friendship reign

Through all eternity.

Blest Be the Tie that Binds. Amen

Not only are we united with God by faith in Christ, but we are united with one another in His Church by our common faith. Just as we have peace with God, so we should have a peaceful relationship with one another in His Church. As Paul says, we should be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Eph. 4:3

This unity we have in Spirit shows in that we as a church agree and teach His Word in its truth and purity. We have formed a visible church body in order to work together for Him in His kingdom. Our unity is based on the pure Word of God. We will not tolerate any false teachings, or any false teachers. We seek to “stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel.” Phil. 1:27 Unity not based on agreement on what God’s Word teaches is not true Scripture unity. Over and over again the Word tells us that for a group of Christians to work together for Him, to worship Him together, and to do any religious practices together, there must be agreement on what His Word teaches. “I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” I Cor. 1:l0 Our unity under God in our church body is based on an acceptance of all that God’s Word teaches and nothing more and nothing less.

Our simple teaching is that we all agree on what the word says and then practice religious fellowship in all its various forms: worship, prayers, teaching and preaching, offerings, church work.

We cannot tolerate false teaching within our church because God’s says we cannot. Even if it is only one false teaching it cannot be allowed as Paul says, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Gal.5:9 Our Lord taught that we are to remain or continue in His Word and to beware of false teachers. Just as we can’t tolerate false teachings, so we can’t tolerate those who teach falsely.

Just as we are not to allow false teachings and false teachers to teach within our church, so we are not to practice religious fellowship with false teachers and their churches and organizations. Scripture speaks clearly in warning, “I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple.” Rom. 16:17-18 “But false prophets also arose among the people just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies…” II Pet. 2:1

We are to pray only with those with whom we agree. We cannot share our preachers with other churches which have some error. We give our offerings for the preaching and teaching of the pure Word and all of it and not for the spread of or condoning errors. We study the Word together because we totally agree. We kneel together to receive the Lord’s body and blood because we are united in our confession of faith. We don’t take communion at other churches because we don’t agree with their teachings. No matter how little an error is, it is still error and can eat like a cancer if left alone. We hold up God’s Word in its entirety as a treasure to be taught and learned.

Remember how dangerous error is and therefore why we must not condone it. If you mix muddy water with clear water you no longer have clear water. Which would you prefer to drink? The wholesome and refreshing or the muddy. If you mix even a little muddy water with clear, the water is not longer clear.

Also, the whole counsel of God’s Word is to be taught and not just some or part. We have the duty to say what is right and what is wrong from God’s Word. We do not judge. It is the Word itself that judges. To pick and choose from the Word is audacious to say the least. God gave us the whole Word to be searched, poured over, heralded, taught and believed.

Any taking away from God’s Word is debilitating like a cancer. Paul even compares cancer with false teaching. When cancer infects a person, death can ultimately occur. False teaching is likewise deadly. It destroys the truth as cancer destroys the healthy body. Cancer does not show at first. It is also that way with false teaching. It does not appear so dangerous at first. As it erodes and crowds out the truth it becomes ever more deadly and ultimately soul destroying.

We live in these last times in which the devil will do his worst to rob us of our faith. He tries to destroy the basis of our faith—the Word. He is our enemy who sows the seeds of error that sprout, take root, and spread their poison. The only antidote is to cleave to His Word in its truth and spread this truth. Let us worship only in our churches, where we know the truth will be preached for the upbuilding of our faith. Let us support the work of preaching and teaching so that more people may know the truth of Christ and be set free from the devil’s grasp. Let us work hard to keep our church free from error that so much troubles Christendom. Preserve your Word dear Savior to us this latter day.

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be likeminded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 15:5-6

Definition and Differentiation

In a hymn by Isaac Watts these two great teachings are clearly distinguished.

–The Law commands and makes us know what duties to our God we owe;

–But ‘tis the Gospel must reveal where lies our strength to do His will.

–The Law discovers guilt and sin and shows how vile our hearts have been;

–The Gospel only can express forgiving love and cleansing grace.

–What curses doth the Law denounce against the man that fails but once!

–But in the Gospel Christ appears, pardoning the guilt of numerous years.

–My soul, no more attempt to draw thy life and comfort from the Law,

–Fly to the hope the Gospel gives; the man that trusts the promise lives.

This hymn reminds us that the Gospel is the good news of our Savior Jesus’ living and dying for us, living the perfect life we never could and then dying the sacrificial death bearing our punishment so that we through faith in Him might have eternal life. The Law on the other hand condemns us as sinners showing us what God’s will is and that we can’t fulfill it in our lives. Our God is a holy and righteous God, telling us in the Old Testament and repeating it in the New, “You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Mt. 5:48,Lev. 19:2 Our Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world as the baptizer said.

Unfortunately, if you were to ask many people today how they are saved, if they are saved by obeying the Ten Commandments there would be many who would agree with that. That attitude makes the Law something that it is not and reduces Jesus to a good man as just an example for people.

Purpose

The purposes of the Law and Gospel must be kept clear, handling the Word of God correctly. The Gospel is the power of God for salvation. Rom. 1:16 John 3:16 as well as many passages tell us that salvation is to be found on Mt. Calvary and not on Mt. Sinai.

Salvation cannot be by the Law as the following passages say. “…the soul that sins shall die.” Ez. 18:4 “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” James 2:10 “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them.’” Gal. 3:10

The chief purpose of the Law is as a mirror to show us our lost condition. “…through the law comes the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:20 This is meant for all people that they see their dire need of the Savior. The Law also acts as a guide or rule for Christians that they might see clearly in God’s Word what the will of God is for their lives. Ps. 119:105,32 It can also serve as a curb to keep down the coarse outbreak of sin in the world with its threats. Ps. 119:120, I Tim.1:9-10

Power

The power is in the Gospel and not in the Law to save as we saw in Rom. 1:16 and other passages so far. Pastor Kurth gives us an example to illustrate this. “A father said to his boy, ‘Saw and chop this wood today. If you don’t, I’ll punish you when I get home tonight.’ The boy tries, but he is too weak, he is too frail. Along comes his elder brother and says, ‘Step aside, I’ll do it for you.’ And he does. Now,when the father comes home, will he punish his son? No, as the command was kept. Of course, through another it was kept. So our heavenly Father says to us, ‘Thou Shalt…’ and ‘Thou Shalt Not…’ We try, but we are too weak and frail due to the sinful flesh. Along comes our elder brother Christ and says, ‘I’ll do it for you.’ And He has. Now, when the long, long day is over, can God punish us? No, the Law was kept. Of course, through another. Therefore we are saved by Christ in our place who kept the Law perfectly for us. His righteousness is put on us like a white garment.”

Motive

The motivation of the Christian’s life is also in, from, with the Gospel. “For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” II Cor. 5:14 We do not seek to do good to be rewarded, but seek to do good because Christ died for us and has gone ahead to prepare a place for us that where He is there we shall be also. We do not operate out of fear of punishment, because Christ has already been punished for us. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” I John 4:18

Results

In Luke 2:10-20 we see that the immediate result of hearing the Gospel is joy. In Luke 18:13 we see the result of the Law is sorrow over sin. We want to speak both Law and Gospel. “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation…” II Cor. 7:10

In the Lutheran confessional writing of the Formula of Concord on this issue we state, “We believe, teach, and confess that although people who genuinely believe (in Christ) and whom God has truly converted are freed through Christ from the curse and coercion of the law, they are not on that account without law; on the contrary, they have been redeemed by the Son of God precisely that they should exercise themselves day and night in the law…For although they are indeed reborn and have been renewed in the spirit of their mind, such regeneration and renewal is incomplete in this world. In fact, it has only been begun…It is necessary for the law of God constantly to light their way…The believer without any coercion and with a willing spirit, insofar as he is reborn, does what no threat of the law could ever have wrung from him.” Formula of Concord, Epitome, VI 2,4,7

For our lifelong we are seeking to rightly handle God’s Word in our daily lives. It is a skill that we are constantly working at, but never perfect at. Thanks be to God that His Spirit works with our spirit. Jesus has promised that the Spirit of truth would: guide us into all truth, bring to our remembrance what Jesus has said, teach us all things, and so much more. With Him we speak and teach. To our God alone goes the glory for His word to us and His assistance to us to use it properly. Amen

Once we believe by the power of the Spirit in the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is that His Spirit works with our spirit. This work of preserving us in faith and of working within us to will and to work for His good pleasure is called sanctification. The word ‘sanctify’ basically means ‘to set apart.’ The word ‘holy’ comes from the word sanctification. To be set apart means to be preserved as Christ’s in this wicked world; to be in the world, but not of the world.

There is no question that we should do good works. We are not saved by good works. Eph. 2:8-9 We are saved to then walk as Christ walked, to do as He did. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10 In the love of Christ we seek to follow His example, which is he Christian Way.

Our sinful flesh does not want to do His will. It always struggles to have us listen to the devil and this wicked world. Read Romans seven to see this struggle within us, or jut simply look into your own life. We need to read and study the Word of God for the Gospel strength to follow Christ. And we need to read and study the Word to know what is pleasing to God and so how we should walk in good works.

Let us consider one example in this pamphlet. Polygamy – Is it sin or just another form of marriage?

Marriage is defined by Scripture.

In any consideration of whether polygamy is sin or not the Word of God must be consulted. It is Scripture that records the institution of marriage when God gave Eve to Adam. It is Scripture that defines what marriage aught to be. And it is Scripture that states what sin is in violation of marriage. It is the Lord of the universe who tells us what is right and wrong through His clear Word. Let us listen to Him because He knows what is good for us and in love tells us in His Word what is His will for our lives.

Marriage is not just a human custom arrived at by men. It is an institution ordained by God. It is God who in Eden established marriage as he relationship between man and woman when He gave Eve to Adam. On the sixth day of creation God created Eve from Adam’s rib. He made her for man to be his helper. God said in establishing marriage, “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Gen. 2:24 With this statement God declares that one man and one woman united together constitute marriage. For a man to cleave to his wife is the most personal and intimate union of two people. This is underlined by God then saying that “they become one flesh.” It is a stretching of Scripture to say that another woman can fit into this relationship of one man and one woman. We shall see that this is reinforced by other passages also.

Our Lord quotes the Genesis passage which He spoke in Eden. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one…So they are no longer two but one. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” Mt. 19:5-6 Our Lord defines the relation as the two becoming one. To bring a third into the personal, intimate relationship destroys the relationship of one and one united to become one. It can be destroyed by means of a mistress, a harlot or other ‘wives.’

If there is yet doubt in one’s mind that marriage is one plus one equals one, then consult further in Scripture. In I Corinthians chapter seven Paul addresses marital problems and at the out set states what marriage is. “But because of the temptation to immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not rule over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not rule over his own body, but the wife does.” I Cor. 7:2-4 Here Paul states “his own” and “her own”. These references eliminate any sharing of the wife or the husband with others. And that each rules over the other’s body is conclusive that there can be no sharing. It is a twisting of Scripture to think that two or more women can rule over the same man’s body. How can the wives of own man each have her own husband? Scripture is clear. The confusion is in the man who wants what he wants for his own selfish reasons.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians on this same subject of marriage. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from immorality; that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the heathen who do not know God.” I Thess. 4:3-5 “A wife for himself in holiness and honor” clearly states how the husband should be. These and other passages in the New Testament are addressed to us living in these last days until the Lord comes again. If we continue in His Word, then we are His disciples and we shall know the truth and he truth shall make us free. If on the other hand, we choose to twist Scripture, it will be to our own destruction. Jn. 8:31-32, II Pet. 3:16

To state it plainly as the Bible does: polygamy is sin. God’s will is that one man has one woman as wife.

We reject Old Testament polygamy references in historical sections to condone polygamy today.

It has been said by some that because David or Solomon practices polygamy, it may be allowed today in the church. First of all let us remember as we have seen that God has clearly defined marriage for us in the passages in the New Testament. Any of the cases of polygamy in the Old Testament record are contained in the historical narrative sections of the Bible. There are several events and actions recorded in the history sections which we would not condone, though God had them recorded. He does not tell us to go and do likewise. The historical narrative sections are not be used universally as examples for us on how to do right. Often they are examples of how evil is done. Merely because God does not interrupt the narrative and say ‘this is evil,’ we should not hesitate to use the clear passages of Scripture which tell us how to live to then interpret the historical sections.

For instance, may we lie and kill because Jael drove a tent peg through the temple of unsuspecting Sisera, as he slept on the floor of her tent? Judges 4:17-22 Of course not. The fifth commandment tells us “Thou shalt not kill.” Passages of the Bible also tell us not to lie and deceive. “Do not lie to one another…” Col. 3:9

Or should we make an oath in an uncertain thing and carry it out as Japheth did in executing his daughter? Judges 11f:30-40 Of course not. Jesus tells us to let our yes be yes and our no be no.

Or think about Abraham lying about his wife Sarah. He lied to the King of Egypt and the King of Gerar saying that Sarah was his sister. Gen. 12 and 40. Does that mean that we can lie? God does not always interrupt the narrative and say that something is wrong. But He does say it clearly elsewhere in the Word.

In Genesis 38 Judah acknowledges that Tamar is more righteous than him, not because he committed adultery with her but because, as he says, “inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah.” Gen.38:26 Who of us would not say though that Judah sinned in going in to her thinking that she was a harlot?

In considering all these analogous situations, we cannot say because David or Solomon committed polygamy, it may be condoned or allowed today. It is sin, and clearly it is stated so through the passages of the Word that define marriage. If we would learn from the historical narrative sections where polygamy is mentioned, learn what troubles were brought on people because of polygamy. Learn how the first recorded polygamist was evil Lamech who boasted to his wives how evil he was. Gen. 5:23-24

What should be done today in the cases of polygamy?

If a man who is a polygamist wishes to join one of our congregations, he must uphold marriage as it is defined in the Bible. To be a member of our church an individual must uphold the truth of the Word and seek to have his life conform to the Word and will of God.

It will not be simple to extricated oneself from the devilish web of polygamy. But this must be the goal. In most cases we must admit that the first wife is the legitimate claimant to the title ‘wife.’ Merely because he has children by other women does not mean that he may continue in a relationship which the Bible does not allow as marriage. He should wish to carry out a responsibility to other women which he has taken as wives. How exactly he, the polygamist, may do this should be worked out between him and the pastor of the congregation to which he wishes to belong. But the intimacy of the marriage bed must cease with all but one woman. Perhaps he will seek to find a good Christian husband for his other wife. Or perhaps for a time he will set up a separate house for the other wife and children. But in any case before he could be admitted into the fellowship, he must uphold marriage in his home as God instituted it. And his actions to those previously regarded as his wives and his children by those women must be done in love. This calls for a good level of sanctification. The Word is vital if he is to do God’s will. He should be encouraged to come and hear the Word. The pastor should visit him regularly to assist him with pertinent passages.

If within the congregation a man takes to himself other wives, he must be dealt with according to what our Lord says in Matthew 18.This must be carried out in obedience to God’s Word to uphold the integrity of the church and out of love for the sinner.

Conclusion

The Bible is clear. Marriage is simply defined as one man and one woman. They are to share the most intimate relationship, which cannot legitimately be shared with anyone else. Scripture never says to do as David or Solomon did in taking other women as wives. Rather it says to have your own husband and your own wife. To become a part of a Christian congregation means to uphold the truth of the Word and to seek to have one’s life conform to the Word.

May God preserve us from the venomous attacks from both within and without. May He sanctify us in His truth.

The Lord taught that if we continue in His Word then we are His disciples. It is then that we know the truth and are free through that truth. Jn. 8:31-32. The miraculous power of the Word is clearly explained in Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Paul likewise draws attention to the Gospel as the power of God for salvation. Rom. l:16

It is this all-powerful Word that we are studying in this pamphlet. May the Spirit of God who works through the Word strengthen your faith in Him through your study of His Word.

Test the Spirits

It is the apostle of love who encourages us to test the spirits to see whether they are of God. How do we test the spirits? We examine in the light of God’s Word. The Word of God sheds the needed light to understand whether tongues, exorcisms, healings, and visions are of God or of some other source. The Word of God is the standard or rule by which we judge whether they are present today or not. And notice that it is the apostle of love who also warns us against false prophets and the spirit of antichrist. I Jn. 2:18-27, 4:1-6 It is a mark of love that we print and distribute this pamphlet in order that the reader may possess the spirit of truth and not the spirit of error.

Spiritual Gifts

It is said by some today that the spiritual gifts of being able to perform miracles are present in His Church today as they were in apostolic times. First of all, let us see which are the higher gifts of the Spirit. At the top of anyone’s list has to be the forgiveness of sins, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Jn. 20:22-23 The apostles had the forgiveness of their dreadful sin and in turn were to share and announce this as their foremost task.

From this gift of forgiveness flow the other gifts as the Lord grants them. To the congregation at Corinth, which was in turmoil and confusion because they were not following the Word, Paul wrote, “Earnestly desire the higher gifts.” I Cor. 12:31 The higher gifts are set forth by Paul in verse 23 of the same chapter. He sets them forth as ‘firstly, secondly, and thirdly.’ The higher gifts are those which enable one to be an apostle, a prophet (preacher), and a teacher. These three offices in the church all center in the Word. It is the Word that is all-important, because through it faith is kindled and fanned to burn brightly in this dark age of sin and error.

From the study of God’s Word come the spiritual gifts of faith, hope and love. Paul especially singles out ‘love’ in I Corinthians chapter 13. In that chapter he says that the gift of tongues ‘will cease.’ Then he goes into detail about tongues in chapter 14 because they were so mixed up about them at Corinth. Likewise today, chapter 14 should be studied in detail by those who today are mixed up about tongues. Paul points out how tongues are a lesser gift. It is the Word that is vital. I Cor. 14:19, “nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

In apostolic days there were higher gifts and lesser gifts. We still possess the higher gifts and must for our salvation and for our progress in the Christian faith.

Purpose of Lesser Gifts of Performing Miracles

There is a very important passage that explains the purpose of the lesser gifts of performing miracles. We read in Mark 16:20, “And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by signs that attended it.” The signs performed by the apostles confirmed the message. They were signposts saying, ‘this is the all-powerful Word of God, preached by these men.’ They pointed at the Word and not away from it. Once the whole Bible was given with the last book, Revelation, THE divine revelation was complete. There was no further need for divine revelation in visions, tongues, etc. There is even the severe warning at the end of the Bible not to add to God’s divine revelation, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book…” Rev. 22:18

There is somewhat of a parallel in our Lord and His miracles. While individual miracles, such as healings, helped certain people and demonstrated the love of God, overall His miracles testified that He was the Son of God. Did any man ever do such things as he did? The apostle John wrote, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” Jn. l:14 Jesus’ miracles showed Him to be the eternal Word made flesh, the Almighty God who redeems mankind. When Jesus walked about on earth in His incarnation, His miracles pointed at Him and said, ‘Listen to Him.’ So also, as the Word was being given by the apostles, the signs accompanying the giving of the Word pointed at it and said, ‘This is God’s divine revelation, listen to it.’

The author of the epistle to the Hebrews says, “We must pay the closer attention to what we have heard…It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard Him, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His own will.” Heb. 2:1,3-4God bore witness through miracles that it was His Word.

The canon of the Bible is now complete. This is all revelation from God given to us in His Word. We are to study it, read it, learn it, and trust in it, because in it is revealed our loving Lord and the Way of salvation which He has won for us. The signs accompanied the giving of the Word. We now have all the Word.

Origin of Supposed Miracles Today

One possibility on the origin of supposed miracles today is that they are faked. In Paul’s day there were many charlatans on the road spouting forth their great truths and performing their supposed miracles. It was all to gain a following. Peter came across Simon the magician who through his tricks thought he should be called ‘great.’ “We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s Word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God…For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” II Cor. 4:2,5 It is no different now than in Paul’s day; still men wish to gain a following for themselves. It is entirely possible then that one answer to the so-called miracles today is that they are simply faked. We know that this is well within the realm of man’s imagination which is evil from his youth. We also see ‘new’ miracles done now among charismatics and Pentecostals such as feinting in the spirit and holy laughter. Where are these in Scripture? No place. We follow the Word and not man’s emotions.

Secondly, it could be a case of the mind playing tricks. The mind of man is a fantastic gift of God. None of us fully use our minds. There is so much more to this gift than we understand. With regard to our mind as well as all of our body, we are truly ‘fearfully and wonderfully made.’ Perhaps you have experienced your mind playing tricks on you after a lengthy period without having eaten. We read also of the effect of drugs on the mind.

In the case of supposed healings today it could be psychosomatic illness that is ‘healed.’ A psychosomatic illness is one in which the mind controls the body. One may not be able to move the arm for instance, higher than a certain point not because of an organic or bodily problem, but because of the mind’s subconscious control. It could be perhaps fear of pain if the arm is moved any higher. If one in an emotional frenzy moves the arm higher, it is not really a healing such as the man born blind who received his sight from the Lord. In the case of overcoming a psychosomatic ailment, it is to a greater or lesser degree self-induced.

Thirdly, we must not underestimate the power of the devil in performing lying wonders. He is the father of lies and the deceiver from the beginning. Paul wrote toEphesus and spoke of the devil as being very powerful. Eph. 2:2,6:10-11 Paul also in speaking of the coming of the lawless one, the antichrist, wrote, “The coming of the lawless one by he activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception…” II Thess. 2:9-10The devil is the organizer of much that is disruptive and confusing. He is not above being behind these supposed miracles today.

Individual Cases

Now let us look individually at the cases of supposed apostolic miracles of today. Probably the one most ‘practiced’ is tongues. This is the ability to speak in a language previously unknown to the speaker. To learn what the original tongues were we look at the first example of them at Pentecost. In Acts chapter 2 the apostles who had gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost spoke in languages which they had not known. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4. Those speaking were Galileans. And yet people of the various nations who were inJerusalem at the time heard in their own native languages of the mighty works of God. One very important characteristic of tongues was that it was a known language. Another characteristic is that it was a language unknown to the speaker.

Tongues gets its name from the first instance at Pentecost. We consider the later incidents at Cornelius’ house, with the group of former disciples of John the baptizer, and with the problems with tongues at Corinth all in the light of Pentecost. This is a simple principle of interpretation. So today also we judge by the Pentecost example. Many examples of tongues today are simply gibberish. To be true tongues it must be a known language.

Because of much confusion at Corinth, which was troubled with more than just improper tongues, Paul said there should be an interpreter. “If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn; and let one interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silence in church and speak to himself and to God.” I Cor. 14:27-28.  Today there are those who claim not only the gift of tongues, but also the ability to interpret. It is far better if another interprets.

Tongues in apostolic days were not disruptive of the worship service. Today they who practice these supposed tongues do it less for edification than for show of the power of the Spirit. Paul again, “Let all things be done for edification…For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” I Cor. 14:26,33

Second in frequency today of the supposed miracles are those of healings. Already, we have considered psychosomatic illness. We also readily admit that God can miraculously heal, when all the doctors have given up. We also believe that we should pray for one another for healing , and regained health. This is entirely Christian. But that God will heal through the laying on of hands today is another thing. It is one thing to say, ‘Be healed,’ and quite another to pray to God for healing for a person. Who today would dare to say that their shadow falling across a sick person would cause healing? Or who today could claim that a handkerchief taken from his body would grant healing?

Third in frequency of occurrence are supposed visions. Can an Agabus come into our assembly today and reveal a vision or dream from God? The Bible is complete. Divine revelation is closed with the warning not to try to add to it. Read Deut. 13 to see how they were to deal in Old Testament times with false dreamers.

Today there are some who claim to be exorcists, people who cast out demons. So much that we said on healings applies here also. It is to be noted that demon possession was a phenomenon very much of Jesus’ day. It is a lesson of history to be learned. When the Son of God came to earth, His old enemy did all he could to rival Him. So we had demon possession as reported in the New Testament. But the power of God is greater than the power of the devil, so that Christ and His apostles cast out demons, or fallen angels who tortured the bodies of people. If demon possession still exists today, which is questionable, we have the power of prayer, knowing that the prayers of a righteous man have great power in their effect.

Questions

If it true as some maintain that the lesser gifts of performing miracles is still present today in the church, then there are some impossible questions to be answered. Why are only some of the gifts of miracles present? Who today would dare to pick up a deadly snake? Mk. 16:18 For Paul on the island of Malta, the viper bite did not affect him. Acts 28:3-6 For us today it would mean the hospital, medicine or perhaps death. For us to purposely pick up a poisonous snake so that it would bite us would be to tempt God. Who of us would dare to drink any deadly thing on purpose, thinking it would not hurt us? Mk. 16:18

Why are the lesser gifts of miracles present in only some of the churches today and not in others? In Luke 10:17 the seventy returned with joy saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” This and other passages indicate that these gifts were widespread in apostolic days. Why then and not now?

Why is it that a very vocal supporter of the modern phenomena of these miracles has been the church of the antichrist, the Roman papacy? Consider how through the years they have claimed visions and now tongues. The church of the Roman papacy still says that we are saved by faith and works and damns any who say that we are saved by faith in Christ alone. Indeed, test the spirits to see whether they are of God.

Real Power Is In The Word

We do not need supposed miracles to bolster our faith in the Lord. We do not need to create miraculous occurrences to gain a following. We know the power of the devil to deceive in these last days. What we need and what we know is the Bible. We Lutherans have been accused of having a paper pope in the Bible. We do not worship the Bible, but we worship the Lord who gave the Scriptures to us. It is His Word, God-breathed as Paul says and of no one’s private interpretation as Peter says. We study it and His Spirit leads us into all truth and we reject the spirit of error. The Word of God is living and active, it being the real power in our lives. With the Word we have eternal Word, who became flesh and dwelt among us for our redemption.

As Jesus promised, may you have his Spirit who works through the Word.

May he bring to your remembrance what Jesus said.

May He teach you all things.

May He guide you into all truth. To God alone be the glory.

The Creation of Man and Woman

To best understand the relationship of man to woman it is necessary to go to the beginning when God made them on the sixth day of creation. God formed man first and then Eve, the woman. “So, the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.” Gen. 2:21-22 Woman was made to be a helper suitable, fit for man, Adam. She was made from his rib signifying how she was to be at his side as the helper. Man was the head of the family with the woman as his helper.

After the fall into sin, God says of the man and the woman relationship, “he shall rule over you” referring to the woman. Gen. 3:16 This is the divine order from the very beginning. Man was the head of he house; he was to rule over the wife. The woman was to be subject to her husband and be a fit or suitable helper.

The Position of Man and Woman in Relation to God

Both man and woman stand condemned by the Law of God as transgressors. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, that is both man and woman. There is none that does good, no not one, whether man or woman. All are born sinful and this causes them to turn away from God. Read Romans chapter 3. Both man and woman are sinners in need of salvation.

Jesus came to save sinners, both man and woman. Jesus is the Savior of all men and all women. He has atoned for the sins of all. Just as all are sinners, so all have had their sins atoned for on Calvary. Now God calls all everywhere to repent and believe.

While both men and women are sinners and both alike have forgiveness, yet they are still different. The man and the woman have different stations in life. No one would deny that the duty of the bearing of children is given to women, not men. There just simply are differences between the two sexes. The man we note is generally physically stronger than the woman. They are also different above all in their God-given stations in life.

Man and Woman in the Home

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Eph. 5:21 Each one in his station in life is to be subject to the other in the way that God commands. It is God who established marriage and the home when He gave woman to man in Eden. It is God who designates how these two people are to be in the home.

“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, and is Himself its Savior. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.” Eph. 5:22-24 We can hardly imagine that the church should rebel against her Lord. So also wives should be obedient and not rebel against their husbands. The church listens to and obeys her Lord. Likewise the wife should her own husband. The wife may not agree with all that her husband does and says. But unless he sins and would require her to sin, she is to be obedient in everything.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her…Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself…” Eph. 5:25-28.  As God loved the church with that very great love, so husbands are to be devoted to their wives. “…love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” Gal. 3:19 “…live considerately with you wives, bestowing honor on woman as the weaker sex…” I Pet. 3:7. From these passages, we cannot see the husband being cruel to his wife. Although he does rule over her, he is to rule in love.

To each one is given the assignment, a station in the home. “…let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Eph.5:33

Man and Woman in the Church

As God has established the home and family, so He has established His church on earth. Just as He has directions and duties for those in the home, so He has also for those in the church.

As man is the head of the house and over his wife, so man is the head of the church. A bishop, deacon, and elder are offices in the church mentioned in the New Testament. For each of them in turn a requirement is that each be a “husband of one wife.” I Tim. 3:2,3:12, Titus l:6 It is that God in His foreknowledge knew that man would try in these last days to overturn divine order. To be a leader, preacher, authority in the church over men as well as women and children means to be head of the church. Such a head must be a man to rule over the church, just as man is head of the house.

“Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over men; she is to keep silent…” I Tim. 2:11-12.  It is commendable that women teach children and other women. But for them to teach men in church is a violation of the divine order. The authority in the church is vested in men. This principle is well established from the passages we have referred to in Timothy and Titus. If a woman were to be a preacher or pastor, who would be exercising authority over men? If women are allowed to make decisions for the congregation instead of the men, then they are exercising authority over men. If a woman conducts a Bible study or Sunday School in which men are studying, then she is exercising authority over men in the church. To be any sort of an officer over men is to exercise authority over men and that is not God’s order. If instead we are following our own ideas, then we are sinning.

At the Corinthian congregation Paul applied this principle which he expressed to Timothy. ”For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. What? Did the Word of God originate with you, or are you the only ones it has reached.” I Cor. 14:33-36 This must certainly be one of the hard sayings of Paul. What shall we say?

The principle as applied to Corinth was very stringent. The congregation was in confusion on tongues, divided with the party spirit, and with women evidently contributing to the confusion by usurping authority over men. In the public worship the men were to teach and preach. Women at Corinth as elsewhere were to learn in submissiveness, and not to argue or debate in public with the male preachers and teachers.

Today?

Can women hold office in the church as preacher or pastor? God’s Word says, No. Can women hold offices in the church where they would carry out the business of the church and rule over men? God’s Word says, No. If women are teaching other women and children that is commendable. God’s order has a purpose even if some disagree with it. God’s order is for men to rule in the church as they also are head of the house. If there are those who say that what Paul writes does not apply to us today, they must tell us why not. There were customs among the Corinthians which we do not need to hold to today, true enough. But God’s divine order in the home and the church is binding on all generations. It is the loving Savior whose Word tells us the truth. Let us listen to the Word of God and not to the ideas of sinful men in this changeable world, who have ideas which contradict and oppose our loving Lord.

Just in closing, we as Lutherans go as far as God’s Word goes and no further. For instance we do not say that women cannot be involved in business or politics and government. The Scripture does not speak on that, and so we remain silent.

All around we can see fine church buildings. Within those walls, though, the Word of God has suffered. It is not the firm, sure and only basis for teaching and practice among many who may have fine buildings. With the passing of time the devil has inveigled more and more denominations to abandon the Word piece by piece and to accept instead the notions of men.

Discipline has been abandoned as not conducive to what these churches want. True discipline in the broad sense is teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. In the narrow sense it is the correcting. This narrow sense has been abandoned. One of the component churches in the USA in the large Lutheran merger had a teaching labeled ‘sinning in grace’ by which an individual living in open sin could take communion. True concern for such individuals would keep them from communion lest they bring a judgment on themselves. I Cor. 11:27-30.  Inevitably when one disregards the Word in dealing with people it is loveless and not loving.

We have a fine Christian practice which has fallen into disuse in many churches, and the disuse is loveless. It is a ‘public apology,’ which means a public (more or less depending on the circumstances) acknowledgement of open sin and true repentance accompanied by absolution announced as from God and forgiveness from the brethren.

Pride is bitterly opposed to this practice. The prevalent attitudes of ‘doing your own thing’, ‘minding your own business’ and ‘not sticking your nose in someone else’s affairs’, these all line up to ridicule public apology. Yet it is pride that goes before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction. A humble and contrite sinner will bow to Scripture’s direction in public apology. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you.” I Pet. 5:6 “Toward the scorners He is scornful, but to the humble He shows favor.” Prov. 3:34

Confession

It is well established in Christendom that we should confess our sins to God. Also, we should confess our sins to one another. “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” James 5:16. Truly, confession is good for the soul, for your spiritual health. We should make a clean breast of it to God above all. If we have sinned against a brother in the faith, we should confess to such and seek his forgiveness. The offending party should not hold to the foolishness of ‘love is never having to say you are sorry.’ Far from it, love itself requires an attitude from the heart expressed in words of sorrow over sin. The offended party in turn should let the repentant sinner know that he is forgiven by God and the brother. We forgive as we have so abundantly been forgiven.

Our love for a brother who sins against us must move us to “go and tell him his fault” first individually and the follow the procedure our Lord lays out for us, depending on the sinner’s response, in Matthew chapter 18 verses 15-20. Notice that it becomes more public as the procedure is carried out. Incidentally, Matthew 18 is very clearly becoming a less and less used portion of Scripture for after all the worldlings say, ‘you don’t want to be judgmental.’

Probably the most public confession recorded in the New Testament took place at Ephesus. “Many also of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily.” Acts 19:18-20

Take note how truly ‘public’ this was. How healthy for the individuals and for the church! How costly to the pocketbook and to dear old pride! It was done “in the sight of all,’ the flaming destruction of the hideous books. This was proper because it was certainly well known among the people just who practiced black magic. This showed there was a clean break with the old evil ways. These were Christians who came to realize that black magic was incompatible with Christ. An open confession followed this realization.

Unity

We should be eager to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all…” Eph. 4:3-6.  Interestingly, this was written to the Ephesians where there was that dramatic public confession in the magic books’ case. We each are not islands unto ourselves. We are part of the body of Christ, His church. As such we affect each other. Our unity is not a written on paper thing, but a heart and mind and word thing. If one brother sins and falls into the snare of Satan of an open sin, that is doing it incessantly, in this above all we must rebuke him.

If he does not repent, we publicly in the congregation acknowledge him to be out of fellowship, “as a Gentile and tax collector,” that is an unrepentant sinner facing hell. If he does repent, likewise we acknowledge his repentance before the congregation and praise our God. We assure him that he has the Lord’s forgiveness and ours. A public apology is simply the sinner rejecting that open sin, saying he is sorry before God and the brethren and being assured of forgiveness. “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.” I Tim. 5:20 It is just as important to acknowledge publicly when one has repented. And what a tearfully joyful announcement that is!

Purposes

Forgiveness is the first and foremost purpose of a public confession or apology. A rule of thumb has been that as public as the sin is so should be the forgiveness. Of course the penitent is assured privately that the Lord forgives. We are members one of another and thus it should be public also among the brethren. He should be forgiven by the congregation because he has sinned against it too by going to contrary to God’s Word.

Secondly, it clears the air so that gossip may be stifled. We would not want to hide a joyful thing as repentance and cause some to talk about what they think is the case. We all know how we are, so willing to speak evil of one another. A public apology pulls the rug out from underneath that devilment.

Thirdly, a public apology upholds to any and all who would hear the integrity of the Word and the witness of the congregation. There is a lot of hypocrisy around. People can say of us Christians, ‘sure, sure they say not to do wrong, but when they do it they cover it up.’ A public apology does not cover anything up. We don’t want the Word and the Lord mocked.

Practice

As open as the sin is, so should be the confession and absolution. Obviously, if only the pastor and one member know of it, we don’t go public with an apology. Human judgment is called for and it may make mistakes. If a man has been openly drunk and arrested, that is public and should be followed with public apology. If a woman is pregnant out of wedlock, that is seen by many and is pretty public and so accordingly a public apology is called for.

As to the public manner, it could take the approach of the Ephesians appearing in public and showing personally their repentance. A pastor might speak for a person. A statement might be read publicly. One could appear just before the men of the congregation. In this we have freedom.

Conclusion

From the Word we have seen the importance of public confession and absolution, that is a public apology. We will be called various names by the worldlings for practicing this. But that does not bother us. They said our Lord worked by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. What concerns us is that we are true to our God and His Word. As we seek to do what is pleasing to God, it may not be pleasing to men. But we operate with the Gospel of Christ’s love. “For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,…He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom…” I Cor. 1:26-31