Religion Commons^™

An Outline Of The First Epistle Of John, Martin J. Hasz

Concordia Theological Monthly

The chief isagogical problem of the Epistle is its structure. Dr. R. C.H. Lenski states: “A curious circumstance about the letter is the fact that it seems to have no divisions. Commentators divide it in one way or in another, and state their reasons for such a division; but when one reads the letter, the proposed divisions do not satisfy. They are upset by the series of repetitions and reiterations that occur throughout the letter. That fact makes some interpreters complain about the lack of logic; but this letter has no formal parts, such as we commonly use and expect. …

No Development Of Doctrine For Us, Th. Engelder

Concordia Theological Monthly

The popular theology of today stands for the development of doctrine. C. S. Macfarland declares: "Christian revelation is not confined to a closed canon, to a stereotyped letter, or a strictly defined confession." (Christian Unity in Practice and Prophecy, p. 27.) The Living Church, of Jan. 14, 1933, declares: "There has always been, and under God there always will be, a continual development of experience and doctrine as the Spirit guides the Church into more and more of the truth about Christ. . . Liberal Catholics believe that it is possible to develop a doctrine of Christ in line with …

Notes On Luther's Conception Of The Word Of God As The Means Of Grace, John Theodore Mueller

Concordia Theological Monthly

Largely perhaps through Karl Barth's emphasis on the Wort Gottes, and especially through his admonition to theologians to return to the theology of the Reformation, the doctrine of the Word of God, particularly of the Word of God as it was conceived by Luther, has once more become the special object of theological interest. What Barthian and non-Barthian theologians have written on the point has not always been in accordance with traditional orthodox theology, but the study of Luther in recent years has no doubt contributed much valuable information toward clarifying most historical points and has led many toward a …

The Significance Of Baptism For The Christian's Faith And Life, Bernhardt F. Meschke

Bachelor of Divinity

The very fact that Christ instituted and commanded Christian baptism is already enough to make it necessary. However, Jesus never instituted anything just for the sake of instituting, nor did the Master command for the sake of commanding. Baptism was given for the benefit of sinners. It is our purpose in the following pages to show the significance of baptism for the Christian's faith and life.

All Christians Believe In Justification By Faith, F. Pieper, Th. Engelder

Concordia Theological Monthly

There is a great diversity among the Christians. Some are strong in their faith, while others are weak Christians. Some have an excellent knowledge of the Christian doctrine, others are woefully deficient in this respect (Eph. 4:13, 14; Rom. 14:1 ff.). There are orthodox Christians and heterodox Christians. (See Chap. 1 in "Saving Faith": "Orthodoxy and membership in the Christian Church are not conterminous.") But there is full accord among the Christians on the doctrine of justification. All Christians are at one in believing that God forgives their sins by grace, for Christ's sake, without any merit of their own. …

Sermonic Study On Isaiah 26:19, Theo. Laetsch

Concordia Theological Monthly

The resurrection of Christ is the foundation on which the faith and hope, the very life of every Christian, is built (1 Cor. 15:14-20). The fact of Easter pertains to the New Testament. But the promise of a future Easter dates back to that day on which sin and death entered into the world and on which the Lord gave to sinful Adam and Eve the blessed assurance of the coming of a Deliverer (Gen. 3:15). This promise served as the basis of Adam's hope and faith, expressed in the name he gave to his wife, Eve, the living, because …

Comfort And Encourapment From Election, Victor Mennicke

Concordia Theological Monthly

When we speak of our eternal election or predestination, we are dealing with a clearly revealed doctrine of Holy Scriptures. For this reason we confess in the Formula of Concord (Ep. XI, 5) : "This (predestination of God) is not to be investigated in the secret counsel of God, but to be sought in the Word of God, where it is also revealed." "It … must be learned from the Holy Gospel"

Union Theses, Adopted By Breslau Synod And Saxon Free Church, L. W. Spitz, F. E. Mayer

Concordia Theological Monthly

There is an inseparable union between the two bases of the Reformation, in fact, of the true Church of Christ, viz., between the doctrine that lost and condemned mankind can be saved solely by the grace of God for Christ's sake through faith (sola gratia, sola fide) and the principle that all teaching must be according to the Holy Scriptures (sola Scriptura). There can be no Christian proclamation without the proper distinction between Law and Gospel.

The Universal Priesthood And The Pastor, Richard R. Craemerer

Concordia Theological Monthly

The Universal Priesthood. The centennial year of our Synod re-emphasized the doctrine of the royal priesthood. The Missouri Synod, and before it the Saxon settlement, regarded itself as a Church because of the universal priesthood. That principle was given a fresh statement in the Reformation, and is a particular heritage of the Lutheran Church. The growth of our Church and the routinizing of its ministry causes this principle to lose some of its vitality. One would expect the laity of the Church to be more energetic than the ministry in safeguarding this principle. Actually we need not expect this to …

Is Doctrinal Unity A Luxury?, Th. Engelder

Concordia Theological Monthly

Some time ago this view was expressed in the Christian Century: “In a world like ours, nothing seems to me to be less important than agreement about our theology. . . . Struggling to get such an agreement is a luxury which, perhaps, we can return to when the times are less desperate." (See Conc. Theo. MONTHLY, 1945, p. 569.) Unity in doctrine is here called a luxury; it may be a good thing for the Church to have, but the Church can get along very well without it. Her health does not require it.

The Ethics Of Jesus, Alfred M. Rehwinkel

Concordia Theological Monthly

The heart and center of the Christian Gospel is Jesus and His atonement. “God made Him sin for us who knew no sin." "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself" That is the essence of the Gospel according to St. Paul and all the other New Testament writers. Any attempt to change or modify this truth means to distort the Gospel and to dishonor Christ.

The Word Principle In Martin Luther, Carl Walther Berner

Concordia Theological Monthly

Lucid as sunlight are the verses of the Holy Bible which declare that all spiritual life is from the Holy Spirit in the Word. We are born anew by the Word; we are kept in the faith by the Word; we are led to a fruit-bearing life by the Word; we are armor-plated against enemy forces by the Word. Simon Peter lifts his voice majestically to say that we are "born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." Earlier in the same chapter he had reminded those who were …

The Blessed Results Of Justification, H. J. Bouman

Concordia Theological Monthly

In human affairs the results often are not in proportion to the preparations. There the old saying "The mountain labors and brings forth a ridiculous mouse" is frequently true. It is never thus in divine affairs. There the results always are commensurate with preparations, even though our limited vision and understanding fails to see it. Let us remember this as we study the blessed results of justification according to Rom. 5:1-5.

Lutheran Sola Fide Vs Roman Catholic Ex Opere Operato Of The Basis Of The Confessions, John G. Deterding

Bachelor of Divinity

Opposed to the sola fide is the doctrine of ex opere operato, i.e., that the sacraments mechanically confer grace upon all who receive them. Faith is not necessary to receive this grace, but the mere outward ceremony effects it mechanically for all those who do not place an obstacle in the way.

Saint Paul's Use Of The Old Testament In Romans, Harold Elmer Heinlein

Bachelor of Divinity

This thesis designs to consider some of Paul's quotations in an analysis according to letter and content. · For purposes of limitation I have singled out the book of Romans as a representative section of Paul's writings - partly because of the great importance attached to that book; mostly because of the great wealth of quotations which he uses in that book, exceeding in number (by proportionate size of the books) even those found in the Gospel according to St. Matthew.

Why Should Our Pastors, Teachers, And Professors Subscribe Unconditionally To The Symbolical Writings Of Our Church?, C. F. Walther

Concordia Theological Monthly

The Symbols are confessions of faith or of the doctrine of the Church and never were intended to be anything more nor less; therefore an unconditional subscription to the Symbols can be interpreted in only one way.

Outline For A History Of The Old Testament Canon, Rudolph Gehle

Concordia Theological Monthly

At one time or another all of us have picked up a magazine to find an advertisement screaming at us that we now have a chance to buy the missing pages from our Bible, pages that for centuries have been forbidden or lost, but now available for a few cents. As a result many have asked the question: Is our Bible really complete? Is something essential perhaps missing from our Bible as we have it?

Dr. Walther's Foreword For Volume Xiv Of Lehre Und Wehre, 1888, C. F. Walther, Alex Wm. Guebert

Concordia Theological Monthly

J. Conrad Dannhauer, the venerable theologian of Strassburg and teacher of Spener, wrote the following words a few years before his death in 1666: "Q. Curtius expressed himself correctly when he said: 'You cannot despise any point in an enemy with impunity; for in despising him you neglect him and so strengthen him.’ This very neglect in a former era gave birth to the Antichrist and, while people slept, enabled him to sow his injurious seeds. Because of indolence, weariness, or an eye that is not sufficiently trained, the same neglect fails to see the tricks of the syncretistic spirit …

The Limitations Of Christian Preaching, J. H. Fritz

Concordia Theological Monthly

The objective which one seeks to accomplish and his means for that purpose determine the limitations of his doing. The practice of medicine is limited to a correct diagnosis of the case under consideration and the drugs or other remedial agents that will, if possible, effect a cure. A physician may relate some interesting news events to his patient, speak of his own experience in the recent war, and crack a few good jokes that will produce a hearty laugh, but that will not cure the patient of his tuberculosis or pneumonia or tonsilitis. For the production of a good …

The Developments Of Home Missions In North America, F. C. Streufert

Concordia Theological Monthly

As we look back upon the century of Synod's history that will soon be completed and think of the developments both in the history of our country and of our Church, we stand in wonderment. We marvel at the tremendous changes in every phase of activity, be it in the social, in the economic, in the political, or in the scientific field. It was a century that saw at its beginning the westward trek of the pioneer by oxcart and by covered wagon and at the close the use of the streamlined train, the auto, the airplane, the radio, and …

Luther The Reformer, Th. Engelder

Concordia Theological Monthly

Luther would say: I did not reform the Church. He said: "It was God's Word which, while I slept or made merry, accomplished this great thing." (XX: 20.) The gracious and almighty God accomplished this great thing. "What is now going on in the world is not my doing. It is not possible that a mere man should begin and carry forward such a movement. . . . Another man is at the wheel [Ein anderer Mann ist's, der das Raedlein treibt]."

Some Remarks On The Question Of The Salvation Of The Heathen, Th. Engelder

Concordia Theological Monthly

''In order to save universal grace before the forum of the human understanding, some have thought that the Gentiles will be saved for Christ's sake, without faith in the Gospel, on account of their moral aspirations (thus, for example, Hofmann). Others have assumed that after this life an opportunity to hear the Gospel and to believe will be offered (Martensen, Kliefoth, etc.). But these are human speculations, without any basis in Scripture" (Pieper, Christliche Dogmatik, II, p. 35). Millions of men have died who never in their life heard the Gospel of Christ, their Savior. Shall we say that they …

Christian Fellowship, C. August Hardt

Concordia Theological Monthly

After having dwelt at some length on the manifestations of Christian fellowship, we now come to consider restrictions upon such manifestations. Let us begin by stating the obvious: There are restrictions; not man-made, originating in the decrees of church councils or in synodical resolutions, to be sure, but imposed by God Himself, the Head of the Church. To us this may seem self-evident, yet it is not conceded by all who lay claim to the name "Christian." There are those who aver that Christian fellowship must be unrestricted.

Christian Fellowship, C. August Hardt

Concordia Theological Monthly

The following article on "Christian Fellowship" is the second part of the essay “The Scriptural Content of χοινωνία, Its Manifestations and Restrictions upon Such Manifestations," the first part of which: Fellowship with God," appeared. in the CONCODIA THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY, Vol. XV, 505 ff. To give the reader an overview and enable him to follow the line of thought more easily, we epitomize the contents in the subjoined outline.

The Apostle Paul As A Model For Our Preaching And Writing, Ahlert H. Strand

Bachelor of Divinity

The purpose of the apostle Paul's preaching and writing, as well as the method he pursued to accomplish his purpose, establishes him as a model worthy of our study and emulation.

The purpose of his preaching was threefold: the glory of God, the salvation, the sanctification of man.

The Lord's Prayer, The Pastor's Prayer, G. H. Smukal

Concordia Theological Monthly

The Kingdom is the kingdom of the Father, for the Father is addressed. And since Jesus teaches us to pray for the coming of the Father's kingdom, the Father must have a kingdom. This argument is sustained by the conclusion of the prayer: Thine is the Kingdom. Since the Father has a kingdom, He is a King. Though He is the King, we are to approach Him as our Father. Jesus teaches us to believe with a rejoicing heart that we are children of a king and encourages us to seek better acquaintance with, and greater knowledge of, the King …

Propositions On Unevangelical Practice, H. C. Schwan

Concordia Theological Monthly

Evangelical practice consists not in this, that we teach and treat nothing except the evangelical message (the Gospel), but in this, that we treat everything in evangelical fashion.

The Sola Scriptura And Its Modem Antithesis, John Theodore Mueller

Concordia Theological Monthly

It is indeed correct to say that the outstanding achievement of Luther's Reformation was the recovery, clarification, and vindication of the sola gratia (sola fide). That truly was a pre-eminent accomplishment, an almost miraculous attainment, as it appears to everyone who considers how thoroughly Rome had succeeded in burying this articulus omnium fundamentalissimus under the rubbish of its extreme work-righteousness program.

The Mystery Of The Trinity, N. Friedmann

Concordia Theological Monthly

"I believe with sincere faith that the Creator-Blessed be His name! - is One and that there is no other unity such as He is." These words, confessed by Jews, form the second of the thirteen articles of faith drawn up by Maimonides for the purpose of combating the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. This article of faith is the chief basis of the obstinate opposition of present-day Jewry to the Christian religion. They assert that believing in a Triune God is the same as believing in polytheism, forbidden by God in the First Commandment. It is our purpose to …

The Right And Wrong Of Private Judgment, Th. Engelder

Concordia Theological Monthly

Satan has brought untold woe upon the Church by inducing the Pope to deny the right of private judgment and suppress the exercise of it. And Satan brings additional woe upon the Church by inducing men to turn the God-given right of private judgment into a license to sit in judgment on Holy Scripture, to criticize and discard it. That is our second proposition: There is an exercise of private judgment which God absolutely forbids and condemns.