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Walther (at 200), Reformation and Where Lutheranism Needs to
Be Today
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October 25 marks the 200th
birthday of the Reverend Doctor C. F. W. Walther, the first president of
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Lest you think life has changed or
that there is something new under the sun with all that goes on under
the name “Lutheran” in our country today, consider Dr. Walther’s words.
They were written in 1846, the year before the formation of The Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod. As the true “evangelicals”—those who hold to and
proclaim the pure Gospel of forgiveness, we at Trinity and in the LC-MS
have much for which to fight in our own day. Let us take up the “sword
of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17) and use it
mightily by the power of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ and of God
our Father!
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Reformation Sunday 2011
Matthew
11:12-15
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“From the days of John the Baptizer
until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent
assault it [and all who like John are willing to bear the assault].”
In the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
How does Matthew 11 begin
but with John the Baptizer imprisoned, because he is willing to
suffer violence for the sake of the message of salvation entrusted
to him. John was in the prison of the violent one ready to assault
him for Jesus’ sake. The chapter ends with Jesus’ invitation to
everyone who labors or is heavy laden to come to Him, who Himself is
meek, but who will suffer great violence to save us. Jesus is
our Rest. He is, in His person, the furthest
thing from violence.
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"The custom has been retained among
us of not administering the sacrament to those who have not
previously been examined and absolved." (AC XXV, Tappert, p.
61) [emphasis added]
This article from the Augsburg Confession is
part of our basic confession from the start as Evangelical Lutherans. To
abide by it is to be an Evangelical Lutheran. To dismiss it is to turn
from Evangelical Lutheranism.
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