Our Lutheran churches teach that man’s will has some liberty for the attainment of civil righteousness and for the choice of things subject to reason. However, it does not have the power, without the Holy Spirit, to attain the righteousness of God — that is, spiritual righteousness — because natural man does not perceive the gifts of the Spirit of God (1st Corinthians. 2:14); 3 but this righteousness is wrought in the heart when the Holy Spirit is received through the Word.. . . Our Lutheran churches condemn those who teach that without the Holy Spirit, by the power of nature alone, we are able to love God above all things, and can also keep the commandments of God in so far as the substance of the acts is concerned. Although nature is able in some measure to perform the outward works for it can keep the hands from theft and murder, yet it cannot produce the inward motions, such as the fear of God, trust in God, chastity, patience, and so on.

Mankind has the free will in earthly matter, but not in spiritual matters. We are able to apply ourselves to temporal concerns, but not matters of divine revelation. Free will was lost in the fall into sin. Now our nature is totally deprived of even taking the first step to faith. The wages of sin is death [period]. We are like Jesus' friend Lazarus who died and was in the grave for four days prior to Jesus' coming. Lazarus’ dead body was totally helpless. Jesus spoke the words "Lazarus, come out!" Then Lazarus came out.

The apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, declared: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV) Whenever one thinks or believers that he or she can and must do something to merit salvation then first one is in doubt, that leads to despair as one wonders did I do enough. This is especially troubling when one realizes that he has once again sinned.

The second consequence of thinking that must do his or her part is to deny Jesus of His saving work. In other words, it is to call Jesus a liar when he said: "It is finished!" Jesus was proclaiming the good news that the sin of all mankind had been paid in full by the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

--Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Our Lutheran churches also teach that at the consummation [or final end] of the world Christ will appear for judgment and will raise up all the dead. To the godly and elect he will give eternal life and endless joy, but ungodly men and devils he will condemn to be tormented without end. Our Lutheran churches condemn those who think that there will be an end to the punishments of condemned men and devils. They also condemn others who are now spreading opinions to the effect that before the resurrection of the dead the godly will take possession of the kingdom of the world, the ungodly being suppressed everywhere.

The writer of the book of Hebrews began with these words: 'Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world' (Hebrews 1:1–2 ESV). The last days according to God's Sacred Word began in the first coming of Jesus. Jesus began His reign when He rose victoriously from the dead. Forty days later He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of His Father. The reference of 1,000 years reign symbolizes that Jesus reigns now until His one and only second coming.

When we pray in the Lord's Prayer these words: "Thy kingdom come." We are asking that God's kingdom would come to us, to others, to others through us. It comes to us, solely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

This petition "Thy kingdom come" has a fourth request: "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

For the believer in Jesus, we can hardly wait for His glorious return. I pray that you are ready and waiting as well, you are when you believe in Jesus as your Savior!

--Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Our Lutheran]churches teach that lawful civil ordinances are good works of God and that it is right for Christians to hold civil office, to sit as judges, to decide matters by the federal, state or local government and other existing laws, to award just punishments, to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers, to make legal contracts, to hold property, to swear oaths when required by elected officials, to marry, to be given in marriage. Our Lutheran churches condemn those who forbid Christians to engage in these civil functions. They also condemn those who place the perfection of the Gospel not in the fear of God and in faith but in forsaking civil duties. The Gospel teaches an eternal righteousness of the heart, but it does not destroy the state government or the family. On the contrary, it especially requires their preservation as an ordinance of God and the exercise of love in these ordinances. Therefore Christians are necessarily bound to obey their elected officials and laws except when commanded to sin, 7 for then they ought to obey God rather than men.

One insight of the Lutheran Reformation was to understand that there are two kingdoms or realms. There is the Spiritual kingdom of which Jesus is the Head of the church. And then there is the Realm of Government. God has established governments in order that you and I could live in peace and safety. Elected officials are placed in their position in order to ultimately serve God and the people under their authority. There are also times that one may serve his or her country in the armed forces in just wars.

A third state that is not addressed in this chief article would be that of family. Marriage is not listed as one of the first twenty-one chief articles of faith. Marriage was instituted by Creator God from the very beginning as He created a male and then a female in His image and united them as husband and wife for life.

Please pray for devout and faithful rulers, good government as we do in the Lord's Prayer as we petition God to 'Give us this day our daily bread.'

--Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Our Lutheran churches teach that those rites should be observed which can be observed without sin and which contribute to peace and good order in the church. Such are certain holy days, festivals, and the like.  Nevertheless, men are admonished not to burden consciences with such things, as if observances of this kind were necessary for salvation. They are also admonished that human traditions which are instituted to propitiate (or appease) God, merit grace, and make satisfaction for sins are opposed to the Gospel and the teaching about faith. Wherefore vows and traditions about foods and days, etc., instituted to merit grace and make satisfaction for sins, are useless and contrary to the Gospel.

In our Lutheran Churches, we refer to Sunday morning worship as Divine Services. In other words, the focus is on God serving us and on those who gather to receive God's good gifts, served up totally by His grace. God is the One who places His name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through the waters of Holy Baptism. God speaks His Word through the Sacred Scripture readings from the Old Testament, the Epistle or Second readings, as well as the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. God's chief service in a Lutheran Church is preaching the Gospel in the sermon.

God also announces the forgiveness of sins to those who humble themselves, offer up their rebellious ways, and seek God's strength to overcome temptation. God also gives the gift of His Son's very body and blood through the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper. Christ's body and blood are given and shed for the forgiveness of sins and received by all who believe His words and promises.

God gives good gifts in His houses of worship each and every Sunday and on special Holy Days and festivals. You are most welcome!

--Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Our Lutheran churches teach that nobody should preach publicly in the church or administer the sacraments unless he is regularly called.

Lutheranism desires to maintain whatever best contributes to good order, peace, and harmony in the Church. Therefore, Lutherans insist on a rightly ordered call and ordination for those who will serve the Church as ministers, servants of Word and Sacrament.

These ministers or servants are often called pastors. The Latin word 'pastor' means 'shepherd.' Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd or Good Pastor. Jesus said, " I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep." [John 10:14–15 (ESV)]

Pastors serve as called under-shepherds of The Shepherd, Jesus Christ. As an under-shepherd, a pastor is called by God to be like John the Baptist, unworthy even to untie the sandals of Jesus; but rather to point others to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Another way to describe the role of a pastor is to be an overseer, tending God's flock. The apostle Paul wrote these words regarding the qualifications for such an overseer: "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach. [1st Timothy 3:1–2 (ESV)]

--Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Our Lutheran churches teach that the sacraments were instituted not merely to be marks of profession among men but especially to be signs and testimonies of the will of God toward us, intended to awaken and confirm faith in those who use them.  Consequently the sacraments should be so used that faith, which believes the promises that are set forth and offered, is added.  [Our churches therefore condemn those who teach that the sacraments justify by the outward act and who do not teach that faith, which believes that sins are forgiven, is required in the use of the sacraments.]6

The Bible reveals the key to the Sacraments is that they are means to distribute God's grace and promises. God attaches His Word of promise to the element of the Sacrament. The Latin word 'Sacrament' means 'mystery.' God's gifts are given in God's mysterious ways through water, wine, or bread. These ordinary items are connected to God's promises and strengthens the faith of those receiving them.

In the Lutheran understanding, a sacrament is a sacred act that was 1) instituted by God; 2) in which God Himself has joined His Sacred Word of promise to a visible element; 3) and by which He offers, gives, and seals the forgiveness of sins earned by Jesus Christ. So by the Lutheran definition, there are two sacraments: Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Sometimes Holy Absolution is counted as a third sacrament, even though it has no divinely instituted visible element. It does offer, gives, and seals the forgiveness of sins earned by Jesus Christ.

--Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Our Lutheran churches teach that those who have fallen after Baptism can receive forgiveness of sins whenever they are converted, and that the church ought to impart absolution to those who return to repentance. Properly speaking, repentance consists of these two parts: one is contrition, that is, terror smiting the conscience with a knowledge of sin, and the other is faith, which is born of the Gospel, or of absolution, believes that sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, comforts the conscience, and delivers it from terror. 6 Then good works, which are the fruits of repentance, are bound to follow.

Repentance, in other words, is not about "paying off" God or making some satisfaction for our sin. Repentance is recognizing the reality of our sin and turning to God in faith for His mercy. God reveals our sin through His Law; He forgives our sin and restores us to the right relationship with Him through His Gospel. While we affirm there is the fruit of repentance, the focus of the Gospel must be clear: our sins are forgiven only because of Christ. Our lives in Christ are lives of repentance, returning again and again to the fount and source of all mercy, our Savior.

Repentance should produce good fruit. These good fruit are what the commandments teach: prayer, thanksgiving, the confession of the Gospel, teaching the Gospel, obeying parents and rulers, and being faithful to one's calling. We should speak the truth. These fruit have God's command and should be produced for the sake of God's glory and command. They have their rewards also.

--Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,