Words and their meaning are important. One can say faith, merit, mediator, reward, and gift but still be incorrect concerning salvation. Scripture is clear: without faith, good works do not please the Lord (Hebrews 11:6). However, faith in CHRI

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 5. Good work #9

13 days ago 57m 3s

The Christian never goes beyond saying, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty (Luke 17:10).” God’s mercy upon us in Christ is the confession of the Church. Without His mercy, His undeserved compassion toward us, we are

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 5. Good works #8

20 days ago 1h

Jesus is the only Mediator! Faith in Christ, the only Mediator, is the beginning of a clear conscience, and by the Holy Spirit, good works flow. Melancthon addresses the harmful results of the teaching: One is unable to keep the Law without Chr

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 5. Good works #7

27 days ago 57m 53s

Clarity is key. Clarity gives a clear conscience. We clearly confess that good works are necessary for the Christian, but good works do not merit salvation. The Christian has been reconciled to the Father by the blood of Christ. This promise is

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 5. Good works #6

Mar 16th, 2024 57m 20s

The Law is fulfilled when a person does good works in faith. For the Christian, repentance and good works are never separated from faith in forgiveness won for them in Christ’s cross. Reason may tell people what good works are in society, but t

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 5. Good Works #5

Mar 9th, 2024 58m 2s

To understand good works is to understand vocation. The first call of the Christian is to receive the gifts of our Lord by the Holy Spirit we give gifts in love to others. The charge is to love others with a good conscience. A good conscience o

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 5. Good works #4

Mar 2nd, 2024 58m 48s

The adversaries had many prooftexts to attempt to disprove the Concordians understanding of faith and works. Melancthon patiently teaches that these passages (I Corinthians 13:2; Colossians 3:14; I Peter 4:8; and many more), are grounded in the

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 5. Good works #3

Feb 24th, 2024 57m 32s

If forgiveness of sins depends on our works, it is completely uncertain. If you get justification right, one will get works right. If you get justification wrong, one will get good works wrong. In faith, on account of Christ, our works are holy

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 5. Good works #2

Feb 17th, 2024 57m 51s

In Luke 7, the sinful woman was forgiven by faith and her works flowed by His grace. It is clear that we are unable to fulfill the Law and all fall short of His glory. Our disposition is completely broken and as we receive a clear conscience th

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 5. Good works #1

Feb 10th, 2024 58m 34s

Good works are not necessary for salvation, yet good works are necessary. Good works flow from faith in the good work of Christ’s cross and benefit our neighbors. The heartbeat of the Christian life is the forgiveness of sins, and by the Holy S

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 4. Justification #5

Feb 3rd, 2024 56m 52s

Justification by faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and Scripture alone was nothing new. This truth was proclaimed since the days of the Apostles, and the early Church fathers, like Ambrose & Augustine, agreed. “Let no one boast because of

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 4. Justification #4

Jan 27th, 2024 57m 3s

The Biblical understanding of Justification centers on Christ’s cross and empty tomb. For Christ’s sake, God declares the dead in sin to be alive, the unrighteous now righteous, the condemned are now not guilty, and the sinful are forgiven. Mel

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 4. Justification #3

Jan 20th, 2024 57m 39s

The clear statement from the Augsburg Confession, “People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake (AC, IV), still bring questi

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Article 4. Justification Part 2

Jan 13th, 2024 56m 40s

Christ will come again to judge everyone, and there will be an account. Either one has belief in the promises of Christ and will enter the gates of heaven or a lack of faith in Christ which will take one away from the Lord. The clarity of justi

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Articles 3 & 4. Christ and Justification

Dec 23rd, 2023 59m 3s

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 conscienc

Apology of the Augsburg Confession: Articles 1 & 2. God and Original Sin.

Dec 16th, 2023 52m 42s

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 correctl

Greeting to the Apology of the Augsburg Confession

Dec 9th, 2023 56m 4s

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 pre

Introduction to the Apology of the Augsburg Confession

Dec 2nd, 2023 59m 29s

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 t

Augsburg Confession. Conclusion and Understanding Indulgences.

Nov 25th, 2023 56m 35s

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 fo

Augsburg Confession. Church Authority: Article 28

Nov 18th, 2023 1h

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 administ

Augsburg Confession. Monastic Vows: Article 27

Nov 11th, 2023 57m 13s

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

Augsburg Confession: Chief Articles of the Faith. Article 26: Distinction of Meats

Nov 4th, 2023 57m 18s

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 tom

Augsburg Confession: Chief Articles of the Faith. Article 25: Confession.

Oct 28th, 2023 56m 43s

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 b

Augsburg Confession: Chief Articles of the Faith. Article 24: The Mass

Oct 23rd, 2023 57m 5s

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 rece