I love Jesus that's why I love Lutheranism!

I love the Gospel. That is why I love Lutheranism. I don't receive Jesus and His Word and His teachings (doctrine) anywhere else like I do in Lutheranism. I don't get nearly enough of the Gospel in Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy, neither of which is fully catholic or orthodox. I don't get enough of the Gospel in Calvinism, with its fixation on God's "sovereignty" instead of Gods' love in Christ. I don't enough of the Gospel in Arminianism, which throws me always back on my "decisions for Jesus." I don't get it enough in the Charismatic movement with tongue-speaking emotionalism. I surely don't get enough "Evangel" in Evangelicalism, that's for sure, with hand-waving nonsense and endless legalisms. I'm not saying the Gospel is not to be found in these places, I just don't get enough of the Gospel from these sources. I don't get enough of the water of life and the bread of life in those place. I'm told sometimes by well intentioned people, "You just don't understand, the Gospel is really at the heart of these confessions." I wish that were so.  I've seen enough of all of these to know what I want. I want Jesus. I want the Gospel. I want pure doctrine. That's why I want Lutheranism.

I can almost hear some people saying, "But doesn't Lutheranism have problems?" Of course it does. Welcome to life in this fallen world! Welcome to the result of the fall into sin. The last time I checked the church is  full of people who are just like you and like me. You know, full of people who are poor, miserable sinners, just like us. We make mistakes. Sometimes incredibly stupid mistakes. Indeed, more than mistakes, we daily sin much and are in need of forgiveness. When I talk about Lutheranism, I 'm talking about the real deal, the good stuff, the 1oo% proof, unvarnished, unfiltered, pure Lutheranism as we find it so powerfully confessed in the Bo0k of Concord and in the many wonderful doctrinal and devotional writings of Orthodox Lutheran fathers which offer the burning the blazing hot, glowing fire of Lutheranism, in all its spectacular glory and truth, the truth of the very Word of God itself, the Gospel of Jesus.

I was reading recently in a collection of essays by Robert Preus titled "Doctrine is Life: Essays on Justification and the Lutheran Confessions."  Preus provides a powerfully beautiful quotation from Johannes Quenstedt, the great Orthodox Lutheran dogmatician. Quenstedt is buried on the grounds of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, where precisely is now unknown, but on the wall, faded and almost unrecognizable, on the northeast corner of the church, is a large memorial stone, and in the Luther House in Wittenberg, now the world's greatest Luther museum, you can enter the room used as a lecture hall when the house was converted into a seminary, and you will find there a portrait of Quenstedt, staring out at you with all seriousness.

Here is that quote. Quenstedt was commenting on 1 John 3:16: "This is how we know love: that Christ laid down His life for us."

This is the love of God; rather than banish men eternally from heaven He removed Himself from heaven, clothed Himself with flesh, became the Creature of a creature, enclosed Himself in the womb of the virgin, was wrapped in rags, laid in hay and housed in a barn. Nor does His love stop here; but after a life spent in poverty and adversities this love drives Christ to the ground on Olivet, binds Him in chains, delivers Him to jailers, cuts Him with the lash, crowns Him with thorns, fastens Him with nails to the Cross, and gives Him to drink the cup of bitterness. And finally this love compels Him to dies, to die for adversaries and enemies (Rom. 5:6). Continuously and in these sundry ways Christ, who thirsts so greatly for our salvation, declares His love and mercy toward the human race. (p. 44).

This is what preaching Jesus is all about. If you want something other than Jesus, there are lots of options. If you want as much of Jesus as He gives to you, then Lutheranism is where you need to be. I love Jesus. I love His Word and His doctrine. That's why I love Lutheranism. And I believe you will too, my friend. God grant it! Amen.

 

Comments

[Tim Kuehn]

Being Lutheran is like having a multi-course steak dinner, while everyone else is trying to make nothing more than a peanut-buffer and jelly sandwich all the while claiming thinking it's a steak dinner.

[Richard P. Janke]

It is so good to have you back blogging again. Thanks for a very edifying blog that truly does build me up and also brings a smile to my face.

[Don Fehlauer]

Thank you for this uplifting reminder of the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God that is found in Christ and confessed in the Lutheran confessions. I needed to hear this again this morning. BTW, I agree that there is little Evangel in Evangelism as well as Evangelicalism.

[J. Curtis]

Keep it up, this is a powerful and informative resource. Thanks for your hard work and insight, Godspeed~

[Walter W. Raffel]

This is a great article. The quote from outstanding! This is what we need to hear each and everyday.

PS How may I print this in a friendly format?

[Another Kerner]

As an adult convert who has been in all the places you have so faithfully described, as one who has fled Romanism, agnosticism, legalistic bible fundamentalism, and five point Calvinism, may I join you in your shout of joy at being a confessional Lutheran!

As one who has visited in both Rome and Geneva, and finally, joyfully come to rest in Wittenberg, I need to add my voice to the chorus of Amens!

Here the Christ of the Gospel is to be found.
Here, in the Word and Sacraments, here with the fulness and richness of the Gospel, here I rest my weary and broken heart.
In Lutheranism is the Christ whose strong arm is fully extended to steady my step and yours when we stumble.

I will go home to the Lord a confessional Lutheran, heart flooded with gratitude for the "unspeakable gift."

Home at last in Wittenberg.
And when the pilgrimage is done, home to Zion, city of our God, into the arms of Christ, my Redeemer.

[Susan LaRue]

Wow! It's good to remember why I became Lutheran and why I'm still Lutheran after 15 years.

[Vikki]

Gosh, that was good. I've been to all the kinds of churches you described except Eastern Orthodox. Even been to the "plain" Mennonite/Amish type church. I grew up in legalistic fundamental churches; the good ones fine, but that bad REALLY bad, and sometimes cruel. And never really feeling "fed" in any of them.

That said, my only visit to a Missouri synod Lutheran church was not like you described. There was a rock band, hand waving, the "praise team" dancing, people everywhere looking like they just got off the soccer field, no hymnals in sight... where is this kind of church you speak of? I want it!

[organshoes]

Vikki: keep looking! And God bless your search.
You might go to the pastor of that church you went to, and ask him where there's a good liturgical, confessional Missouri Synod church. I'd love to know his answer.

[Christine]

Hi Vikki, please don't give up in your search!
When I left the ELCA congregation where I was attending several years ago the only LCMS Church in my area was pretty much like the one you described, having a strongly "evangelical"
culture with praise bands, etc. etc.

The longing for a Confessional LCMS church gave me the impetus to keep looking; through searching the internet (the official lcms.org website provides a directory) you can find lots of information about LCMS congregations around the country.

Through the internet I did find an LCMS Church in my area and after corresponding via e-mail with the pastor, who could not have been more gracious in answering my questions, attended Divine Service this past Sunday. This congregation is firmly rooted in the Lutheran Confessions, worships using the historic Lutheran liturgy in Word and Sacrament and is faithful to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.

My search was well worth it and I pray that yours will be as well!

[Lawrence Isbell]

I fell in love with the Lutheran "way" in the late 1970's. I was raised Pentecostal and found the emphasis on the objective Word and the Sacraments to be "just what the doctor ordered" in my life.

As a Lutheran pastor I have been frustrated many times to see apathy winning the day in the Lutheran churches.

However, good, solid Lutheran theology offers good counsel to the this ongoing frustration. The paradoxical, both/and nature of Lutheran teaching shows that we still have ground upon which to build. Our buildings, at times, fall. Yes. But at least our theology is honest enough to face the failures.

Lutheran Christianity may the the modern and post modern equivalent of "Israel"-----"one who wrestles with God".

Signed:
Still Lutheran and still struggling