Concord Matters from KFUO Radio

Our Lord Jesus Christ, both God and man, freely justifies sinners by faith that they are received into favor and forgiven for His sake. This gift is made known throughout the Scriptures, both Old and Testament, for the sake of a clear conscience. To understand this article we need to understand the distinction of Law & Promise. The Law is not abolished by Christ, but He has fulfilled it so that we...

When Paul says we are “dead in our sins” (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1), what does that mean? Scripture teaches that we are not only fallen but that we have a strong tendency to sin without the fear of God, called concupiscence. To speak correctly of Christ is to have a correct understanding of our sinful nature. We are fallen, dead in sins, and have no fear, love, or trust in God, including adults,...

When the Augsburg Confession was presented, the political and theological world was in upheaval. The princes were not allowed to read the Catholic response, the Confutation, but they were asked to subscribe to it. The Concordians desired to prepare a defense to show that they did not create a new theology but were continuing the confession of the Christian Church from the beginning. Instead of the...

The Concordians needed to make a defense as controversies quickly arose after the presentation of the Augsburg Confession on June 25, 1530. Within months, Emperor Charles declared that the Lutherans had until April of the next year to concede to the Roman Catholic Church. Melancthon began a thorough defense the next fall while the Smalcaldic League was formed to unite the Reformers around the trut...

The Concordians were bold to present the theological issues of their day to unify the whole Church. It was not to be a rebellion against the Roman Catholic Church, but an ardent desire to bring the Church back to the Truth of the Gospel. The foundational issue centered around a “system of merit,” where the Catholic Church believes that one is saved by the work of Christ, BUT....there is still a ne...

By what authority do our pastors do their work? By what authority does the government do their work? The Church has full authority from the Lord to give a clear conscience to burdened sinners simply through the preaching the Gospel and administrating the sacraments. This authority does not mean that there is no need for good order or that Christians should not be involved in government, but we nee...

Melancthon spoke of monasticism in his days as “wicked.” Everything one sees from the outside it looks good and holy: chastity, obedience, service of the neighbor, poverty, etc. However, if one is looking for justification or perfection by the law they will never be satisfied (Galatians 5:14). We believe that there is Christian perfection, that is righteousness that only comes from the Triune God....

Choosing what to eat and not eat is entirely a matter of Christian freedom. Satisfaction is not what makes me satisfied but was required to be pleasing before the LORD. Satisfaction was made in full for your sins by Christ’s cross and empty tomb (Romans 3:21-26). Christians do not do away with good traditions or dissuade people from bodily discipline for the good, yet these disciplines are done wi...

Individual confession and absolution is retained in the Lutheran Church. The power of the keys (Matthew 16:19, John 20:19-23) is God’s voice sounding from heaven that, in faith, Christ has forgiven your sins. Instead of us making satisfaction by going to confession, Christ has made full satisfaction, so we simply receive the fruits of the cross by His called servants. Absolution is meant to bring...

What is the heart and soul of when God’s people gather around His gifts? The actions done or the faith in the works of Christ? The Roman Catholic Church was allowing various abuses of an unbloody sacrifice to make atonement for sins and to receive “filthy gain” from members for a personal Mass. The Mass was kept so that the focus would be on faith in Christ and to receive the forgiveness of sins b...

What is the heart and soul of when God’s people gather around His gifts? The actions done or the faith in the works of Christ? The Roman Catholic Church was allowing various abuses of an unbloody sacrifice to make atonement for sins and to receive “filthy gain” from members for a personal Mass. The Mass was kept so that the focus would be on faith in Christ and to receive the forgiveness of sins b...

We continually ask, “What is the final authority for the Church?” As God’s Word is the Truth, What does God’s Word say about receiving the Sacrament? When Jesus says, “Drink of it all of you”, Jesus means all (Matthew 26:27). What does God’s Word say about the marriage of priests? St. Peter had a mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31), and Paul exhorts us that an overseer should be the husband of one wife (...

A saint is a “holy one” by faith in the Lord Jesus. We honor, remember, and imitate those who died in Christ that we may live faithfully in all our vocations. At the same time we do not want the focus to be taken away from the full sufficiency of Christ’s cross. As Rev. Bo Giertz says from the Hammer of God, "One ought not talk about oneself, it may hide Jesus from view." "For all the saints who f...

Good works do not reconcile us to God. Only by faith in the blood of Christ are we reconciled to God the Father (I Timothy 2:5). Good works are necessary (Ephesians 2:10). In faith, there are no fractions in salvation. Works without faith will never be enough, but Christ’s cross is enough. Jesus + nothing=everything! “Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to the Thy cross I cling. Naked come to Thee...

God has made me all and creatures and still takes care of us. Yet, God is not the source of sin. We are corrupted by the choices of Adam and Eve while the devil continues to cause chaos like a roaring lion. Our identity in Christ shows us that we are not defined by the world or by our desires, as Christ has called us His own by His blood, and only by God’s grace and mercy in Christ are we able to...

Freedom is a key tenet as Americans, yet is freedom of choice the same as what Scripture tells us? Yes, we can choose to do good things in this life, however, we are unable to choose God as the source of salvation. Where is the emphasis? Is my hope in the action of choosing Christ or the work of Christ choosing us? The law can never justify us before God, but the Holy Spirit, by the Word give us t...

It’s very simple: Christ has come and Christ is coming again (Revelation 22:20). The time of His return is unknown (Matthew 24:36), but Jesus will physically come to judge the whole world separating the sheep (believers in Christ), and the goats (unbelievers)(Matthew 25:31-46) to make all things new (Revelation 21:1). There are many different views of the end times, yet we believe, teach, and conf...

When we follow certain ceremonies in the Church are they distracting to the Gospel or do they help the proclamation of Christ? When we live in the world, how do we engage our government without sacrificing our beliefs? The Concordians asked the question, “What does Scripture say?” and “Where is your hope?” The Christian can follow ceremonies and participate in the government with a clear conscienc...

The Concordians were very aware of the questions that would arise when confessing the truth of the Church and the Sacraments such as: “How do we view faith with the Sacraments?” and “Who should preach, teach, and administer the Sacraments?” As they taught the truth of God’s Word the focus faith takes off the promises of the world and puts on the promises of Christ. The Lord calls qualified men (I...

Jesus tells us why he came, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32).” Repentance needs to have a good understanding of “Worldly sorrow” vs. “Godly sorrow.” Am I sorry that I got caught or am I sorry that I broke God’s commands? The life of the Christian is repentance, that is, sorrow for our sin and assurance of His forgiveness in Christ. When Jesus says repent...

"Private absolution should be retained in the churches”, the Concordians confess.  Yet, for various reasons the practice has been largely absent from most Lutheran congregations.  We want to follow the Lord’s command to forgive and retain sins (John 20 & Matthew 16), but confession should not be a source of more guilt and shame.  Confession/absolution give the benefits of Christ’s cross to the sin...

Jesus’ words are simple with eternal implications.  The mystery of His real presence points us back to Christ’s cross and the benefits of we receive today in the body and blood.  Instead of looking within ourselves to find comfort, we cling to the plain words of Christ to receive what He promises: forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation (Matthew 26:28).  “What is this bread?  Christ’s body risen...

When Scripture speaks, we believe and confess it. Jesus tells us that “whoever believes and is baptized will be saved (Mark 16:16).” Peter tells us “Baptism now saves you (I Peter 3:21).” Jesus tells us to “make disciples of all nations baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20).” According to Scripture, we believe that all the promises of Baptis...

What is the Church? What does the Church do? We need to know what the Church is to make sure that we know where to go. We need to know what the Church is to make sure we know what we receive. The Church begins and ends with Christ and the gifts He gives: The Word, the Sacraments, and the forgiveness of sins on account of Him. Luther lays it out well in the Smalcald articles (Article XII) “Thank Go...

If we are saved by the grace given by Christ’s cross and empty tomb and received by faith, then what? Are we “required” to do anything? Good works are done by the Christian, by the Holy Spirit, and are necessary for the baptized (Ephesians 2:10). The works are not done because the Lord needs them, but for the needs of our neighbor. In faith, the baptized Christian humbly serves others knowing that...