The third draft of this article is written for Trinity Sunday, June 7, 1998. The LCMS
reports among 11 pages of proposed resolutions for adoption before the 1998 Convention a
synopsis of the following resolution:
"*urge congregations not to substitute "informal statements of faith"
for regular use of the three historic Christian creeds in public worship."
The LCMS Constitution, according to Article VI.1, states that conditions for membership
in the Synod include unwavering subscription to the doctrinal position of the Synod in
Article II. This includes agreement with the Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
The Church Growth Movement and leadership training are having such a corrosive effect
on the confession of the Gospel in LCMS congregations that many pastors now write their
own creeds and have their congregations confess them. Yet, the ordination vows of all LCMS
pastors bind them not to make or receive a new confession, according to Concordia
Triglotta pages 21, 23, 535, 849, 851.
The question for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is: what did Luther say about the
importance of the Creeds in view of all the Lutheran pastors and congregations who are now
inventing and confessing their own creeds? This writer has a file folder filled with
service bulletins from LCMS congregations which contain invented confessions under the
heading "Creed".
The following quotations from Luther’s Works on the Creeds are divided in six
categories. Each category is followed by a brief commentary by this writer. A concluding
statement appears in part 7.
Luther demands that nothing new be added and that we not change the words or meaning
of the Creeds.
Luther equates the Creeds with the Gospel as the basis for salvation.
Luther equates the Creeds with the most important message and teaching of the Church.
Luther equates the Creeds as the basis of evangelism and conversion.
Luther equates the Creeds as the basis of all prayer in the church.
Luther equates the Creeds with the power of God to identify and preserve the true
Church.
Concluding comments by this author.
1. Luther demands that nothing new be added and that we not change the words or
meaning of the Creeds.
"The pope must not invade the Creed and the Christian faith. I would rather
lose life and limb than relinquish that." LW 22:481
"For one’s faith cannot be better than that which is found expressed in the
Creed. But those who would toy with these words and miss the point of the article of faith
fare badly." LW 23:102
"Therefore we remain loyal to this doctrine of Christ as Scripture teaches it. He
is called and described as both true God and man. They themselves must read, sing, and
preach Scripture in witness to the truth and in refutation of themselves. If others will
not believe this and willfully make blasphemous statements against it, we will let them go
their way with their god, the devil; but despite them we will believe this and adhere to
the test which they themselves cannot deny. We will retain this text unaltered and
unadulterated, together with our Creed, in which we confess: "I believe in Jesus
Christ...." We let all the words mean what they say. They were not given to be double
talk but to supply our faith with a clear and sure basis and confirmation...." LW
24:96
"But we have not introduced a new message; we have simply restored this same old,
confirmed doctrine of the apostles. Nor have we introduced into Christianity a new
Baptism, Sacrament, Lord’s Prayer, Creed, or any innovation at all; we merely contend
for and hold to the old truth bequeathed to us by Christ and His apostles." LW 24:368
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...teaching them to observe all
that I have commanded you...." He does not say, "Teach them to change and cancel
what I have commanded." ...Truly, these and similar passages allow the church no
power to change or cancel Christ’s words, but on the contrary, they subject her to
Christ’s words, and command her to keep them and do them, as an earnest command of
God involving punishment for those who do not keep it. How much more severely he will
punish these who, in addition, cancel and change his words!
"And if, God forbid, the Christian Church had the power to change and cancel
God’s word, then we would not have one single certain word of God left. For this is
clear: if she can change one of God’s words, she can change all the others as well,
even the one by which she is founded and confirmed as a Christian Church. No cause or
distinction remains here as to why she may change one and not the other, because she has
power over them all. Thus she could change and cancel the Ten Commandments, the
Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and even herself. So that she would not have to be
devil’s whore any longer." LW 34:74
"Fifth, nobody can deny that we, like it [the ancient church] do indeed hold,
believe, sing, and confess the Apostles’ Creed, the ancient creed of the ancient
church, and neither make nor add anything new to it." LW 41:196
" Whoever maintains such a distinction between the office and the person, he
can also properly distinguish between false preachers and true preachers, partyspirits and
teachers of the truth. And such a discernment must remain with you. You must be certain of
this--when your pastor and teacher remains in his office and when he steps out of it--so
that you may know whether you should be obedient to him or whether you should avoid him.
For such evidences you have the ten commandments, the article of the Christian faith,
baptism, the sacrament, the keys. Now if he preaches the ten commandments, the creed, of
baptism, of the sacrament and conducts his office according to the word of Christ then he
walks in his office and observes the arrangement of the Holy Spirit and you are duty bound
to be obedient to him. But if he preaches the command of men, makes up his own creed,
brings new teaching, conducts his own order with baptism, administers the keys outside and
against the' arrangement of the Holy Spirit, then say: "That is not the office of the
pastor, but the person of 'Peter and his own whim, therefore I am not here duty bound to
be obedient, but I should much rather flee and avoid you."
(Weimar Edition, Volume 28, pp. 466-479, paragraph 14)
Author’s Commentary:
In reference to the Creed, Luther uses phrasing such as keeping the Creeds unaltered
and unadulterated; not relinquishing the text; not toying with the text; and not changing
the Creeds. For Luther, changing one’s confession in the Creed was the same as
changing one’s faith and giving up the Gospel. We must remember that the Creeds
predate the Lutheran Confessions. It was the goal of Luther and the writers of the Book of
Concord in 1580 to lead the churches back to the pure fountains of the Scripture and the
Creeds. (See Triglotta 21, 23, 535, 849, 851 and numerous citations in the Augsburg
Confession and the Apology.) The Creeds were the unchanging confession of the Church. In
Volume 28 of the Weimar Edition, Luther tells us not to listen to the pastor who writes
his own creed.
2. Luther equates the Creeds with the Gospel as the basis for salvation.
"The other saintliness is a saintliness of works. It is love, which does what
is pleasing. Here not only God speaks, but I strive to follow God when He speaks. But
because weakness clings to us, this righteousness is not pure. But the Lord’s Prayer
reigns, and it is necessary to pray: "Hallowed be Thy name". This pertains to
our saintliness and the saintliness of works, which is formal and pertains to the
saintliness of the Decalogue and the Lord’s Prayer. But the first saintliness must be
referred to the Symbol, the Creed; for I do not take hold of the promise of the word
through the Ten Commandments. Nor do I do so through the Lord’s Prayer. But with them
I grasp my love and my works. Through faith, however, I take hold of the Word, that is
purity itself." LW 5:214
On John 6:37 - "Christ is not referring to righteousness by works-such works as
might have been performed before the advent of faith--but to the chief righteousness: of
knowing Christ and believing in Him, as the words in the Creed set forth. Whoever accepts
this article of faith has been brought to the Son by the Father." LW 23:58
"This is fundamental, that a man reject all other means, that he get [God’s
Word in the Creed as learned by children], that he cast everything else overboard and say:
"this does not save me; it must all be discarded." LW 23:411
"Just pay attention to My Word; for everything depends on whether My Word remains
in you, that is, whether you believe and confess the article taught in the children’s
Creed: ‘I believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, who was crucified for me, who died, rose
again, and is seated at the right hand of the Father,’ and whatever pertains to it.
If you remain faithful to this and are ready to stake all on it, to forsake all rather
than accept a different doctrine or works, if you thus remain in the Word, then I remain
in you and you in Me." LW 24:238
"There are two types of life and work. The one is my life and work which must be
carried out in accordance with the Ten Commandments; the other is that of Christ my Lord,
which is recorded in my Creed. My salvation and happiness and all consolation for my
conscience depend on the latter." LW 24:296
Luther’s Works Volume 37:
but consistent with Scripture and the Creed (page 69)
as our Creed and the Gospels say, (page 82)
the whole world confess in the Creed ( page 98)
as our Creed confesses (page 115)
since other passage of Scripture and the Creed (page 170)
not consonant with Scripture and the Creed ( page 171)
Here now you have the Scriptures and the Creed (page 178)
but they call it Scripture and the Creed (page 184 )
neither Scripture nor the Creed permits (page 185)
be contrary to Scripture and the Creed (page 185)
Scripture and the Creed for Christ’s Body (page 185)
contrary to the Creed and to Scripture (page 185)
contrary to the Scripture or the Creed (page 186)
contrary to the Scripture or the Creed (page 186)
contrary to the Scripture or the Creed (page 186)
they have Scripture or the Creed (page 186)
not contrary to the Scripture or the Creed (page 186)
not contrary to the Scripture or the Creed (page 186)
not contrary to the Scripture or the Creed (page 186)
contrary to the Scripture or the Creed (page 186)
contrary to the Scripture or the Creed (page 186)
contrary to the Creed (page 186)
and not contrary to the Creed (page 186)
contrary to the Creed (page 190)
"The Creed and the Ten Commandments are also God’s word and belong to the
holy possession, whereby the Holy Spirit sanctifies the holy people of Christ." LW
41:164
Author’s Commentary:
Luther would speak about the Gospel in the narrow sense and the Creed interchangeably.
On other occasions he would enumerate both the Creed and Gospel in lists such as
Decalogue, Gospel, and Creed. In this context he often meant the Gospel read from the
lectern or preached from the pulpit and, then, the Gospel confessed by the congregation in
the Creed. I could not begin to record all the occasions on which Luther equated the
Gospel with the Creed, and vice versa. There were so many instances, I thought I would
just quote this rather remarkable list found in Volume 37 above. In Volume 5:214 Luther
refers to the Creed as the cause of the first saintliness, that is the regeneration of the
sinner. In Volume 23:58, Luther speaks about acceptance of the Creed as the acceptance of
Christ.
In Volume 24:238, Luther says that everything in our salvation depends on our faith in
the Creed; not just a part, but the entire Creed. Here is where many in the LCMS part
company with Luther. They have reduced the Gospel to justification by faith alone and no
longer view the virgin birth, ascension, belief in the Holy Christian Church, etc., as
part of the Gospel necessary for salvation.
3. Luther equates the Creed with the most important message and teaching of the
Church.
"For I have enough and more than enough revelations when I know what is to be
believed, and what is to be hoped for, and what consideration is to be paid to others, and
in what way one should pass this life in a godly and honest manner. And this, in
accordance with my slender gifts, I communicate to others so that they may also know and
understand the Decalogue, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, etc." LW 6:229-230
"For I can see every day that there are very few preachers at this time who
properly understand the Our Father, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments and are able to
teach these to the poor people" LW 20:156
Author’s Commentary:
The list of admonitions and charges to teach the Creed to the people and preach on the
Creed in Luther’s Works are endless. (See "What Luther Says" by CPH) Above
are just two statements where Luther insists that teaching the Creed to the people is the
pastor’s most important work.
4. Luther equates the Creed as the basis of evangelism and conversion.
"But you will say: ‘I cannot believe.’ Thus many are troubled by this
trial, and I recall that at Torgau a little woman came to me and complained with tears in
her eyes that she could not believe. Then, when I recited the Articles of the Creed in
order and asked about each one whether she was convinced that these things were true and
had happened in this manner or not, she answered: ‘I certainly think that they are
true, but I cannot believe.’ This was a satanic illusion. Consequently, I kept
saying: "if you think that all these things are true, there is no reason why you
should complain about your unbelief; for if you do not doubt that the Son of God died for
you, you surely believe, because to believe is nothing else than to regard these facts as
the sure and unquestionable truth." LW 5:46
Author’s Commentary:
For all of the occasions this writer has heard that the Lutheran Confessions and the
Small Catechism lack a confession on evangelism, the above citation sets the record
straight. The only seed that grows on plants is also the only seed that grows new plants.
Similarly, For Luther, the only Gospel is an evangelistic Gospel. It serves no other
purpose. The Gospel as stated in the Creed evangelizes the world.
5. Luther equates the Creed as the basis of all prayer in the church.
"In fact, you will never pray successfully in private unless you have preached
to yourself either the Creed or some other passage of Scripture that draws your attention
to the goodness of God as the One who has not only commanded you to pray but has also
added the promise that He will hear you." LW 2:333
Author’s Commentary:
I included this example to show that, for Luther, belief in the Gospel is necessary for
prayer. How else would the one praying know who they were praying to. Hence, confession of
the Creed will also suffice as the basis for prayer.
6. Luther equates the Creed with the power of God to identify and preserve the
true Church.
"Also the words of the Decalogue, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, as
well as Baptism and one kind in the Sacrament have survived under the pope’s devilish
regime." LW 22:102
"He may answer: ‘The Holy Spirit, of course, never forsakes the church; hence
whatever she decrees is true.’ Not by any means! This does not follow at all! But
come with me to the proper touchstone; let us apply a reliable yardstick. Let us see
whether they are in harmony with the Lord’s Prayer and the articles of the Christian
Creed, and whether they believe and teach the forgiveness of sins." LW 22:265
"There are some saints, but these still have many shortcomings. I say: I remain
wherever the church remains, and I believe what the church believes. That is, with the
church I believe the articles of the Christian Creed." LW 22:270
"That is our Creed, and that is what we must believe. Let him who believes it
thank God for it and pray that He may preserve him in this faith." LW 22:329
"The only God and the only Son of God I recognize is the one of the Christian
Creed: ‘I believe in Jesus Christ, etc....’" LW 23:102
"Who, then, would fear and lose heart, when it is certain that they can find no
other fault in us than that we believe and teach what our children pray in their Creed,
namely, this chief doctrine of salvation through Christ?" LW 24:120
"...although they themselves must confess in the Creed: ‘I believe in a holy
Christian Church, the communion or congregations of saints.’ And yet they can and
dare not say this in praise of a single living person. But if our confession of faith in
‘a holy church,’ is to be true, then we must not doubt that we are holy, just as
you must not doubt that you are baptized and that Christ shed His blood for you. If you
believe this, then you must also confess that you are holy. For it is the Holy Spirit who
gives you Christ and His holiness and who works faith in you." LW 24:171-172
"Yet the proclamation of this text-together with Baptism, the Sacrament of Christ,
and the articles of the Creed remained even in the papacy, although many errors and
devious paths have been introduced alongside it." LW 24:309
"Outwardly they [the true church] may be scattered here and there, but they meet
in the words of the Creed: ‘I believe in God the Father...’" LW 24:310
"For even under Antichrist, Christ has forcibly preserved Baptism, the simple text
of the Gospel in the pulpit, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Creed; whereby he preserved
many of his Christians, and hence also his Christendom, and said nothing about it to these
devil’s teachers." LW 35:201
"For there must always be saints on earth, and when those died, other saints must
live, from the beginning to the end of the world; otherwise, the article would be false,
‘I believe in the holy Christian church, the communion of saints,’ and Christ
would have to be lying when he says, "I am with you always, to the close of the
age." There must I say always be living saints on earth--they are wherever they can
be- otherwise, Christ’s kingdom would come to an end, and there would be no one to
pray the Lord’s Prayer, confess the Creed, be baptized, take the sacrament, be
absolved, etc." LW 41:107
"Where you see and hear the Lord’s Prayer prayed and taught; or psalms or
other spiritual songs sung in accordance with the word of God and the truth faith; also
the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the catechism used in public, you may rest assured
that a holy Christian people of God are present." LW 41:164
Author’s Commentary:
Article VII of the Augsburg Confession tells what the marks of the true church are. If
the Creed is our symbol of the Gospel, then the Creed must also be a mark of the true
church. The same people who selected our books of the Bible out of many hundreds of
pretenders to the Word of God also wrote a statement of what they thought is necessary for
eternal life. It is called the Nicene Creed.
In Vol. 24:310 Luther clearly locates the identification of the true church where the
Creed is confessed. The Creed is the symbol of the Gospel and at the same time contains
all the doctrines of the Gospel necessary for salvation. Hence, in Vol. 41:107 Luther
concludes that the Creed must be confessed until the end of time because the Church will
exist untill the end of time and it can’t be the Church unless it confesses the
Creed.
7. Concluding Comments:
According to Luther, the Missouri Synod cannot be the Church of Christ if it invents
new creeds from one congregation to another. The question is: who has the problem
confessing the Gospel, Luther or the LCMS? The desire to gain new insights and/or relieve
boredom with invented creeds is nothing more than the devil’s temptation to Eve.
Among the more than 100 resolutions for consideration at the 1998 Convention the delegates
will deliberate on constitutional structure, interdenominational relations, issues of
close communion, fellowship, human relations, missions, finance, and, Oh yes, a resolution
which states, "*urge congregations not to substitute ‘informal statements
of faith’ for regular use of the three historic Christian creeds in public
worship." It just so happens that this little resolution, that may or may not
make it to the Convention floor, concerns the very reason why the Synod exists. It just so
happens that this little resolution is about the confirmation vows that most of the laity
made, swearing to die rather than give up the confession of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church after confessing the Apostles’ Creed. It just so happens that this little
resolution is the basis for doctrinal fellowship at the Communion rails of the LCMS.
While the LCMS looks aghast at the ELCA’s agreement with the Reformed on the
Lord’s Supper and with the Catholic Church on justification in 1997, has the LCMS
thought that, just perhaps, the ELCA might be equally horrified that Missouri, for the
first time in its history, is voting to "urge" congregations to agree with its
public confession of the Gospel? Yet, Missouri is so certain of its own uncertainty in an
almost mundane perfunctory order of business it now urges its congregations to agree with
what Article II and Article VI claim are the very basis of its salvation, the Synod’s
existence, membership, and fellowship. The perception of many is so blinded to the reality
of what is happening that they no longer equate the act of confessing the words about
their faith with their real faith. They meant what they confessed when they confessed it
but don’t hold them to it after they confessed it.
Evidently the proposed resolution threatening to expel congregations from the Synod who
hold dual membership and other disciplinary issues require more direct action than
"urging" voluntary agreement to the Synod’s public definition and
confession of the Gospel. Hopefully, "urging" will restrain the number of
congregations confessing Mormon and Pentecostal friendly creeds while the Conventions
addresses the more serious issues more forcefully.
If the Synod can only "urge" agreement with the Creeds, why doesn’t it
follow the same practice in all its resolutions? The headlines in heaven may read,
"Synod betrays Martyrs : Urges Voluntary Agreement with Gospel within its Own
Membership." At least "urging" is consistent with the congregation’s
separation of faith and practice when confessing creeds. Floor Committee 3 Chairman will
urge the Convention to mean what they confess about the Gospel and to all confess the same
thing. Then the other Floor Committee Chairman will say "you congregations with dual
membership are out of here." Then another Floor Committee Chairman will say
"District Presidents who participate in joint worship are fired." Why isn’t
"just loving Jesus" enough in every instance? All LCMS Convention resolutions
should just "urge" everything we do in the LCMS, just like we confess the
Gospel. Let’s be consistent.
This writer thanks God that the Synod may now finally bring its own public confession
of faith in the Gospel to a vote, even though this effort is perceived as a bone thrown to
the Synod’s extremist right wing. Let’s be honest. Let the world see what we
believe and how we believe it. Let the world see that the church of the "Lutheran
Hour" regards public confession of invented creeds as a matter of congregational and
personal choice. Everything is now adiaphora, including the Synod’s confession of the
Gospel in the creeds.
A Wisconsin Synod pastor who heard me speak at Freedom Hill Center in Detroit on
"Reclaiming the Gospel in the LCMS" was kind enough to send me a letter. I
called and we spoke for more than half an hour. In his letter he wrote, "I am
probably most confused because you do not define the Gospel." I explained that I was
talking about the Creeds and they are my definition and confession of the Gospel. He felt
this was poor practice on my part and the Creeds are not the Gospel. He did not believe
that confession of the Creeds was the same as confessing the Gospel.
I explained that the confession of the entire Creed is necessary for an adult baptism.
He responded that WELS believes in the Bible and that a belief in John 3:16 is sufficient
to baptize an adult. Obviously, we both use the Trinitarian formula. I countered that
belief in the virgin birth, ascension, the holy Christian Church, etc., were also
necessary for adult baptism. Each pastor can’t make up his own definition for who is
a Christian. The virgin birth, ascension and Holy Christian Church are part of the Gospel.
He disagreed. I again tried to explain that a church cannot confess the Bible as its own
statement of faith. The Bible is God’s statement. Like Christ asked Peter, every
church body must answer what we believe about Christ. We must confess the unity of our
faith in our words as one church. Again he disagreed.
Mat 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Mat 14 And they said, Some
[say that thou art] John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the
prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered
and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
"Furthermore, Christ does not ask what the people think, but what they themselves,
his disciples, think of him, and says, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ Matt. 16:13ff
(Notice here that he asks all of them together, ‘Who do you say that I am?’)
Then Simon Peter said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Peter
gave this answer on behalf of all the apostles, for when a crowd is asked something, they
cannot all reply at once; rather, one must speak for the sake of all...." LW 41:312
After our cordial conversation, I wondered how much of the Wisconsin Synod is
positioning itself with the right wing of the Baptist Church. His reasoning was so close
to many of the pastors I speak with, particularly the views of the Michigan 102. Biblicism
and fundamentalism are leading much of American Lutheranism to a Reformed view of doctrine
and the church. Personal testimony and faith are often preferred over confesssing and
conforming to historic, traditional, rigid, and public doctrinal formulations, such as the
Creeds.
I checked "The Shepherd Under Christ" by Schuetze, published by Northwestern,
to learn about WELS pastoral practice in baptism, liturgy, and confirmation. The word
"Creed" or the words "confession of the Creed" did not appear. On page
122 Schuetze writes "And to use the oath made in confirmation at a later time as a
reason for remaining with the church, pointing to the seriousness of breaking an oath,
will lead to legalistic practice." This contestant answers Alex Trebk, "What is
the law?" Walther used to teach that a pastor should not even take a call to a church
that confesses anything but the Creeds.
The WELS pastor in his letter wrote, "The LCMS has many legacies from Walther,
most good, some misapplied. For example....Walther cited orthodox Lutheran dogmaticians
almost to excess." At the moment, it appears the WELS and LCMS are coming
closer together than many realize. The unifying principle is Reformed theology and the
Church Growth Movement. I also attended a WELS baptismal service that used their new
hymnal. The Creed was not published in the Baptismal Service and was not confessed at the
Baptism. I witnessed the same practice in an LCMS, Michigan District Church Growth
congregation.
When the delegates meet they will all say they agree with and believe the Gospel. But,
how many different definitions and confessions of the Gospel do they all hold? Actually,
they may only be agreeing to use the word "Gospel" as a kind of shorthand for
referring to their own individual opinions of the Gospel. At the Saturday evening
Communion Service there will be a mass confession of the Nicene Creed. At that point the
service should be stopped and a survey should be taken of how many other creeds they all
confessed within the past year. There really is no fellowship of a unified confession of
the Gospel at the Convention. They will then vote on making Orv Mueller the goat for
breaking the rules on fellowship as if confession of invented creeds is not as important
as the visible association in joint worship.
The world doesn’t understand that when Missouri confesses a Creed it is more a
matter of habit for many than an act of unwavering faith in specific doctrinal content.
Many in Missouri feel no allegiance to the Creed being confessed and would just as easily
confess any number of creeds. Most of the COP haven’t met an invented Creed in a
worship service they would not confess. The Michigan District President, William Hoesman
believes confessing invented creeds is good pastoral practice. He told this writer he has
confessed creeds written by other pastors that bring tears to his eyes.
The Mormons I spoke with were quite amazed at this practice in Missouri. They were
seeking fellowship with an LCMS Bi-Circuit in Michigan because the invented creed the
pastors confessed in a Communion Service left out the two natures of Christ. The Mormons
thought that the pastors actually meant what they were confessing.
After 150 years at the turn of the Millennium, the best Missouri can do is
"urge" the congregations and pastors to use three Creeds, the ones they once
promised to die for rather than change.
In Galatians 2:11-14 Paul does a lot more than "urge" Peter and the others
who were confused about the correct definition of the Gospel. He confronts them right to
their face. Peter wanted to include Jewish law, including circumcision, as part of the
Gospel.
Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because
he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the
Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which
were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch
that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they
walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before [them]
all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews,
why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Our fellowship at the Communion rail is based on our unified confession of three and
only three Creeds.
Whenever we confess the Creeds and receive the Lord’s Supper we are saying we all
have the same Gospel and all agree that this is the only way to salvation. Other wise we
will have the Communion chaos Paul says they had in Corinth and we will be a divided
church.
1Co 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that
there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 1Co 11:19 For there must be also
heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
Redeemer Lutheran Church has known the Gospel since it was founded in 1921. The
congregation is not dependent on the pastor to tell them what the Gospel is and what they
believe. They knew that before the pastor arrived and God willing they will know it after
the current pastor has died or retired.
The current pastor at Redeemer is supposed to keep reinforcing, maintaining,
administrating, proclaiming, teaching, defending, and focusing the faith of the entire
congregation on what it has always believed and confessed. There is no fourth creed. When
it says Lutheran on the front door there should be no question about the content taught
inside the church. To be a Lutheran is nothing more than confessing and believing what the
early church believed and confessed. The Bible is God’s word and the Creeds are the
Christian Church’s confession of what we believe about the Bible as the way to
eternal life. There is nothing to change, add, or delete, so help us God. God save
Redeemer Lutheran Church from the Michigan District Office and the Board of Directors who
are still trying to discover what they believe and confess about Christ.
We pray that we may continue peacefully in our individual walks of life as God gives us
the opportunity, certain of our salvation in Christ.
The revelation of the Trinity is intended for our eternal salvation.