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John 15:1-11
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"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."
(ESV)
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Confess the Truth
The Presentation of the Augsburg Confession
25 June 2012
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Those who will confess the truth against all comers are always subject to the accusations that they are inflexible, unloving, unforgiving, unspiritual, and callous. And while no Christian ought to seek to be these things, those who hate the truth will often use these accusations as a way of circumventing the faith and watering it down. This is an ad hominem argument used in theology. This is especially powerful in our culture where the original sin is the lack of inclusivity; everyone is right about their own personal spirituality, because it works for them. If you say anything against, not the other person, but their faulty and unbiblical conceptions of the faith you are a brute and a maniac, a disturber of peace and tranquility. They are not interested in talking about your points. Theology isn't really an issue. You are just a bad person.
Such an approach to theology has its roots in the one statement considered to be absolutely and infallibly true in our day: "There is no such thing as truth." For most people, therefore, statements can only be useful or nice, they cannot be true or false. No one ever seems to notice, however, that the statement "there is no such thing as truth," is invalid on its own grounds; it is a self-contradiction. Applied to itself the statement would work this way: "It is not true that there is no such thing as truth." I dislike emoticons, but one is tempted to add a smiley face after that!
Attack me all you want, the truth is the truth when it is God's. God's Word must be true, because God's Word tells us what the attitude of God is toward us; it establishes our status in His sight. It establishes the gospel. If God's Word that says we are His children, forgiven for the sake of Christ our Mediator, is not the truth, then we are yet in our trespasses and sins. God has staked his own reputation upon the statements in the divine Word about us. We are what He says we are, not what we think we are. This is the power of faith; it trusts what God has said about the believer. There is no basis for unbelief in this matter, for if God is God what He says must be true and when human contradict it, they must be in error. Doubt of God's Word is already a transgression of the first commandment. The unbeliever has made his own judgment superior to God's and thus made himself his own god. Rejection of the truth is a form of self-deification.
No one wants to reject the truth outright. We humans still have an inkling that there is a God and that He might think differently from us. This is why the vilification of the church and her children is so necessary, because it gives those who hate the truth an excuse to do so. Recently, with the battles over sexual morality heating up those who reject the divine truth about the relationship between man and woman, ask questions of those who defend the truth this way: "Why do you Lutherans hate homosexuals so much that you refuse to affirm their loving lifestyle?" We are called haters when we love people so much that we are willing to warn them against their sinful way of life, so as to snatch them from the jaws of the devil, by leading them to repentance. This is no surprise, for our Lord Jesus was so treated during His earthly ministry. "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed" (1Pt 2:21-24). All we can do is confess the truth and let our heavenly Father take care of the rest.
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Martin Luther
"'Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted' (Gal 6:1).
"This beautiful moral precept is especially necessary in our own time. The Sacramentarians rip this passage out of context and from it they infer that we ought to condone with patience everything from our lapsed brothers and cover their error on account of love, which believes all things, trusts all things, and tolerates all things (1Co 13:7). When Paul used these words he did chiefly for those who were spiritual, that they should restore those who err in a spirit of meekness. They contend that this not so significant that on account of this one article we should unravel Christian concord, which is most beautiful and useful to the church, etc. This is how they extend us the remission of sins and stubbornly accuse us because we refuse to concede to them even a hair's breadth, nor to bear with their error (about these things they do not want to confess openly), much less do we wish to receive and to accept them with spiritual gentleness. So these most agreeable men embellish themselves and their cause and create resentment among many people.
"Christ is my witness that nothing has so completely crucified me over the years, as this discord in doctrine, of which I know very well I am not the author, if only they would confess the truth. That which from the beginning of our cause I had believed and taught about justification, the sacraments, and all the other articles of the Christian doctrine today I believe and confess except with greater certainty (with increasing zeal, use and experience, often by great and close-run trials). Every day I pray to Christ, that in this faith and confession He would preserve and support me, until the day of His glorious coming. Amen.
"It was manifest through all of Germany that at first the only ones fighting the doctrine of the gospel were the papists. Among those who took up the doctrine there was the highest concord on all the articles of Christian doctrine, which endured until the sectarians arose with their new opinions not only about the sacraments, but also all the other articles of doctrine. They were the first to disturb the churches and unravel their harmony. From that time on, many sects arose, from which greater disturbances of souls followed, as could not but happen. Therefore, they greatly wronged us even against their own consciences and before the whole world they heaped upon us intolerable resentment beyond what we deserved. It is most burdensome for the innocent to undergo such a penalty, which another has deserved, especially in such important matters."
Martin Luther, Lectures on Galatians, 6.1
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Prayer
O Lord God, heavenly Father, pour our Your Holy Spirit on Your faithful people, keep them steadfast in Your grace and truth, protect and comfort them in all temptation, defend them against all enemies of Your Word, and bestow on the church militant Your saving peace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
For Oliver's wife, that she might be able to leave the Congo, and be reunited with her husband
For Pastor Bill and Melinda Heine, that the Lord would give them many blessings in their new home, community and field of service
For all pastors wives, that they would be patient with their husbands and that the Lord would give them every joy and blessing in the life of the church
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Art: CONFESSIO AUGUSTANA Gedächtniskirche, Speyer, Germany
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 © Scott R. Murray, 2012
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