Christ at the Center

Well, it's snowing pretty good here today. Supposed to warm up a bit, but so far the temperature has fallen. Supposed to change over to sleet and freezing rain, and then plain rain overnight - the question will be how much snow falls first. We'll see!

But anyway, more words from Dr. Schmauk . . .

The difference between various [Christian denominations] lies not merely in some difference of their component elements, but also in the way in which those elements are set in their relation to each other; and the large and more sweeping difference, which counts on the whole, is to be found in the latter fact.  . . . 

The Roman Confession writes the doctrine of the Church large, and makes it the visible centre on which all else revolves. The original Reformed Confession writes the doctrine of God, our Sovereign and Creator, large, and makes it the centre and goal of the faith. Many of the older sects exalted the doctrine of the individual and his freedom, as the large and controlling element of their faith  . . .  The Lutheran Confession is the one Confession that writes the doctrine of Christ large.  . . .  If Christology is thus the centre, the centre of Christology is Christ's office as Priest, and particularly that of completed redemption through his vicarious satisfaction. In Word and Sacraments it recognizes the means whereby the fruits of his satisfaction are applied.

The Confessional Principle and The Confessions of the Lutheran Church, 

p. 136-37

Faith and Confession Go Together

"As 'faith without works is dead,' so it may also be said that faith without confession is dead."

The Confessional Principle and The Confessions of the Lutheran Church, 

p. 96.

The Good of Confessional Subscription

"The faithful and single-minded fulfillment of such an obligation (a Confessional subscription) is not only not a tyrannical expectation, but it is fair and equitable to all parties. It is fair to the pastor, and protects him in many ways; it is fair to the flock, and is a most important protection to them and their children; it is fair to the Church, and protects her in her most essential principles and work.  . . .  As a co-confessor of the confession of the Apostles and the Church, the minister plants himself upon that same foundation-rock, upon which the congregation is as free from his personal mutability as he himself is free from the fluctuation of his members. For as the minister is no lord of the congregation's faith, so the congregation dare not lord it over his faith by the changing opinions of the majority."

The Confessional Principle and The Confessions of the Lutheran Church, 

p. 86-87.

The Service of the Law

More from Schmauk:

There is a service in the law, which is result and satisfaction; a service above the law, which is joy and freedom; and a service under the law, which is tyranny and bondage. It may be the selfsame service in all three cases. It is a galling service in bondage, to the weak man, the critic, the dissatisfied man, and the thinker of untamed instincts. It is a service in law, to the man of serious conscience. It is a service above law, to the man of [faith].

The Confessional Principle and The Confessions of the Lutheran Church, 

p. 80.

What are the Lutheran Confessions?

"Confessions are Scripture digested, assimilated, and beating in the life pulses of the Church.  . . .  Confessions are the under-framework of the Church -- the spars and the ribs of the ship, resting upon and extending from the centre of strength, the Word, to give protection to any point in the circumference, the Church, where there may be weakness and consequent possibility of wreck. Confessions are the rails; and, let us understand well, not the roadbed or the solid rock, on which the ecclesiastical trains run. The bed is Scripture and the rock is Christ, and they determine the direction; but the rails are of human workmanship, condensing the roadbed to an effective point, and giving guidance, protection and impetus to the moving trains above."

Theodore Schmauk, 

The Confessional Principle and The Confessions of the Lutheran Church, 

p. 9, 12.

Prescient

Hence, while the tyranny of Rome is the supreme authority of the Church over conscience, the tyranny of liberal Protestantism is the supreme authority of every man's conscience over the Scripture and the Church. Both positions are extreme and sceptical [sic]. That of Rome distrusts the Truth in its power over the individual conscience, while that of liberal Protestantism suspects the Truth of Scripture and the Church, and does not believe that there is one objective and stable centre of truth revealed from above in which the consciences of all perfect men can believe and unite. As against the scepticism [sic] of the isolated, thinking Protestant, Rome is almost sure to win in the end, for having tried every position of solitary speculation, the mind, exhausted and unwilling to abide all alone, will yield to the fundamental craving for authority, and fall back helplessly into the strong arms that seem to offer it certainty in a guaranteed and absolute sense. The end of Protestantism without the Word of God as the one common and absolute authority is either skepticism or Romanism. 

~ Theodore Schmauk, 1911 [emphasis mine]

Listen to the Book of Concord

It was passed on to me by a parishioner that the Book of Concord is now available in an audio format for you to listen to. I believe you can even download the files to listen on your iPod or mp3 player. Here's the link to the site. From here you can also access the documents to read, or to read along as they are being read.

Good Sale on Good Books

CPH is having a sale you might want to check out.

First, the Readers Edition of the Book of Concord is on sale. The hardback edition is on sale for $20 (regularly $31). But you may want to check out the "premium leather edition" which is on sale for $25 (regularly $70!!). That's 64% off for you math majors. Click here to see the leather, and here to see the hardcover.

Secondly, a new book called "Lutheranism 101" is on sale. I have not read it yet, but it has been receiving many good reviews. I just ordered one - they're on sale right now for $15 (regularly $25). Check it out here.

Third, the new and improved edition of Walther's Law and Gospel is on sale for $20 (regularly $30). This book contains a series of lectures given by our first synodical president to the students at Concordia Seminary on how to preach, rightly dividing God's Word of truth as Law and Gospel. It is a must read for every seminarian and pastor, and good for layfolk as well. Click here for information.

Lastly, the sale on the Lutheran Study Bible continues. There are many editions to choose from. Go here to check them out.

I'm not sure how long all these sales will last for, so go check them out! And if you want to see any of these books before buying them, just let me know - I will be happy to show them to you. (Unless, of course, you are reading this blog from somewhere across the US or the world. Then you're on your own!)

Sad Words

The following was overheard from an LCMS pastor recently: "A quia subscription to the Book of Concord? I let that subscription run out a long time ago."

If I were to put the best construction on that statement, it would be that it was said in jest. But not only do I seriously doubt it, I am saddened that one would think to make such a jest. The teaching and doctrine that we have in our church is a treasure and something to cling to, not "let run out." We should be encouraging our folks to read and study the Concordia, not make it the butt of jokes. We should be giving it out like candy instead of eating the latest pop-evangelical junk food and suffering from theological tooth decay. Are our confessions meaty? Yes, so let's chew on them and be fed!

And I'll put my money where my mouth is and make this offer to whoever may stumble across this post - if you need a copy of the Concordia, let me know and I'll send you one . . . if you promise to read it.