A Church That Takes God's Word Seriously

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“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:31–32).

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

From the beginning of the Reformation, Lutherans have taken God’s Word seriously. After being excommunicated for heresy and threatened with death in 1521, Martin Luther appeared at the Diet of Worms, and refused to recant of his writings, stating, “I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. God help me. Amen.”[i]

Fifty years later, a new generation of Lutheran pastors declared to the world: “By God’s grace, with intrepid hearts, we are willing to appear before the judgment seat of Christ with this Confession and give an account of it [1 Peter 4:5]”[ii]

What could be so important that you would stake your life, in fact, your eternal life on it? What gives a person such courage and conviction? Only one thing—the truth, the truth of God’s Word.[iii]

On Reformation Day, the Good News of the sinners’ justification by grace alone, through faith alone, an account of Christ alone is front and center. This usually focuses on the Gospel, for which we give thanks to God for recovering during the Reformation, but we also thank God for recovering the Law. Without the full killing, convicting power of the Law, the Gospel loses much of its life-giving sweetness. We take God’s Word seriously—the Law and the Gospel.

Since the Reformation, Lutherans have often been accused of cheapening God’s grace. We place such an emphasis on justification by faith apart from the works of the Law, that we are sometimes accused of paying little or no attention to God’s Law. But nothing could be further from the truth! The Reformation not only uncovered the Good News of the Gospel, but it also put the Law of God back in its proper place in the life of the Church.

The Law of God in the time of Luther had been diluted. Theologians were teaching that while a person is unable to keep the whole thing perfectly, at least, by trying their best, God would give them an “A” for effort. The Medieval Church came up with all sorts of activities by which you could earn brownie points for things as trivial as saying a “Hail Mary” to more rigorous activities like taking a pilgrimage to Rome. So, on the Last Day when you must give an account you could say, “No, I didn’t do everything You demanded of me but look at what I did do!” This takes God’s Law, which demands perfection, and softens it.

To this cheapening of the Law, the Apostle Paul writes, “Now we know that whatever the Law says it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God” (Romans 3:19). Did you catch that? The Law tells us to “shut up!”

Picture a court of law. The sinner is on trial, and the Law shows him that he has no case. The best he can do is to “plead the fifth,” refuse to answer on the grounds that it might incriminate him. He should not even waste his breath trying to convince God of his righteousness. But unfortunately, every human being seeks to convince God of their own righteousness. There is no desire more fundamental to the fallen human race than the desire to be justified, to be seen in the right.

But to each one of our attempts at self-justification before God, the Law says, “No! It is not enough! All are condemned! Take your filthy rags you call righteousness and get them out of here.” As St. Paul writes in our text: “By works of the Law no human being will be justified in [God’s] sight, since through the Law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20).

In Thesis 1 of the Heidelberg Disputation, Luther writes: “the Law of God, the most salutary doctrine of life, cannot advance humans on their way to righteousness, but rather hinders them.” The Law puts us in our place: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “All who rely on works of the law are under a curse” (Galatians 3:10). When we cheapen God’s Law by assuming we can keep it by our own strength, we risk losing the Gospel!

We take God’s Word seriously. This is why we celebrate not only the Gospel on Reformation Sunday, but also the Law. God’s Law protects the gifts of the Gospel. It keeps us from saying to God, “I realize You want to give me the very thing You demand of me, but I don’t want Your charity. I would rather take a stab at fulfilling the Law myself.” Our righteous and merciful Lord will have none of this. He loves us too much to have us keep thinking we can justify ourselves.

He gives us His Law in order to silence our attempts at self-justification, to knock us to our knees, so we will have no choice but to look outside of ourselves and, instead, to Jesus for our justification before God in Heaven. “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, … the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe” (Romans 3:21–22).

The Good News we celebrate on Reformation Sunday is that our God Himself freely gives us our righteousness as a gift. “There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24–25).

Christ alone is righteous. He alone fulfilled God’s holy and perfect Law. He alone met its demands. He kept the Law because you could not. And He did it all FOR US! Christ, who is the only Righteous One, was obedient to His Father in all things, even unto the point of death, even death on a cross, where He shed His holy blood in order to cover us with His righteousness. To what lengths will our merciful Lord not go in order to give us His righteousness?

He shuts us up with His Law in order to speak to us His Gospel. He takes our unrighteousness in order to give us His righteousness as a gift. Having received such as a gift, we do not have to worry about making our case before God. Instead, we can “save our breath” and use it, instead, to share the Gospel! Rather than worrying about justifying ourselves before God, we are free to love our neighbors with our words and deeds.

The Law always accuses, but it does not only accuse! The Law becomes a good thing for us who have been justified by God’s grace. The Law of God is good and wise! It shows us not only our sin, but also how to love our neighbors. It guides us as freed and forgiven Christians in how to live God-pleasing lives.

We are a Church that takes God’s Word seriously. We neither add to it, nor subtract from it. This understanding gives us great comfort and counsel as we live in a world that is hostile to our faith, allied with the devil and our own sinful flesh.

The world tells us, “Follow your heart.” God’s Word says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

The world says all truth is relative, there are many paths to God. Jesus says, “If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32). “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except by Me.”

We are a Church that takes God’s Word seriously. When faced with a mystery or paradox, we don’t seek to explain it away or fill in the blanks with human reason, we acknowledge God’s wisdom is much higher than ours.

Some will argue against Christ’s real bodily presence in the Lord’s Supper, saying it is only an outward sign by which Christians are known. They hold that nothing else is offered in the Supper than mere bread and wine. Christ’s body is not in the Supper on earth, but only in heaven. Therefore, Holy Communion is just a reminder of what Christ did on the cross, but not a tangible means of receiving God’s grace now.

We take God’s Word seriously. Jesus says “Take, eat; this My body… this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:26-27). We believe Christ’s body is essentially present here on earth in the Supper, although invisibly and in a way beyond our understanding. It is received orally, with the consecrated bread, even by hypocrites or those who only appear to be Christians. Those who receive Christ’s body and blood in faith receive it for their blessing, those who do so in unbelief receive it for their judgment.

We don’t try to explain how this is so because Scripture doesn’t. We accept that it is so, because we take Jesus at His Word: “This is My body … this is My blood.” Is. Is is the linguistic version of an equal sign. Jesus said that in the Lord’s Supper the bread is His body. The wine is His blood. Under the bread and wine, we also receive Jesus’ body and blood—the same body that was nailed to the cross and the same blood that was shed for our sin. It’s also the same body and blood that Jesus showed to His disciples after He rose from the dead. Beyond that, we can’t explain the real presence: We just trust that in that bread and wine, Jesus gives us His body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins.

Some will argue for “believer’s baptism” and reject the Baptism of infants (or those with severe cognitive disabilities) often wrongly maintaining that (1) infants are not guilty of (accountable for) sin or able to commit sinful acts; (2) faith is a human decision that infants cannot make; and (3) Baptism is primarily our promise to God rather than God’s promise to us. Not one of these views is based on Scripture but relies upon fallible human reasoning.

We take God’s Word seriously. The Lord Christ says in Matthew 28:19: “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,” (Matthew 28:19). Likewise, in St. Mark 16:16: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” These are the words upon which Baptism is founded. Baptism is the way in which we are first received into the Church.

Faith is not to be confused with intellectual ability. It is a gift, given to us, regardless of age or capabilities. In fact, Jesus holds up little children as example of faith. When one is baptized, he or she is joined to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The old Adam is put to death, and a new person, who lives by faith in Christ is raised up. This death and resurrection sets the pattern and rhythm for the daily life of the baptized, for repentance and faith. Daily, the baptized child of God of every age is to repent, that it, to turn away from sin. Daily, the baptized then turns to Christ and clings to Him in faith for the forgiveness of sins. This is the rhythm of the new life given in Holy Baptism. It is the life of the Christian.

In conclusion, as we reflect on the truth that Jesus imparts through His Word, we are reminded of the profound significance of abiding in Him. The call to be His disciples is not merely an invitation; it is a command that leads us into the depths of freedom that come from knowing the truth of God’s grace. As Lutherans, we stand firm on the conviction that the Law and the Gospel work together in our lives. The Law reveals our sinfulness and incapacity to meet God’s perfect standards, while the Gospel offers us the unmerited gift of righteousness through faith in Christ. This is the foundation of our faith, and it empowers us to live lives that reflect His love and mercy.

Moreover, we recognize that taking God’s Word seriously includes embracing the mysteries of our faith, particularly in the sacraments. The real presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper and the transformative power of Baptism serve as tangible reminders of God’s promises to us. These sacred acts are not merely rituals; they are vital means by which God connects with us and strengthens our faith. Just as Luther defended the authority of Scripture, we too are called to uphold the truth of God’s Word, trusting in its power to guide us in our journey of faith and to shape our understanding of His will for our lives.

Finally, as we celebrate Reformation Sunday, let us remember the courage of our forebears who stood firm in their convictions, declaring that salvation is found in Christ alone. May we be inspired by their example to boldly share the truth of the Gospel with others, knowing that it is the only source of true freedom and hope. As we abide in His Word, let us not only seek to know the truth for ourselves but also to proclaim it in a world that desperately needs to hear it. In doing so, we fulfill our calling as true disciples of Christ, living out our faith with confidence and compassion, empowered by the Holy Spirit to love and serve our neighbors as He has called us to do. Amen

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

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[i] G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 85.

[ii] Paul Timothy McCain, ed., Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2005), 618.

^[iii] Paul Timothy McCain, ed., Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2005), xiii.