Thanks, Pastor for this encouraging message. I've been wrestling with much of this for the last few years. Coming from evangelicalism, I've been a little disheartened within confessional circles when my I hear my dear brothers and sisters from previous churches are disparaged because they don't have the same vocabulary. I married a Lutheran school teacher (& PK), appreciating Luther's soteriology. I don't feel any more or less saved in either church. I've been less impressed with my own doctrinal adherence and would rather concentrate on day to day fellowship with Jesus and with the Christians I interact with and getting the Gospel out beyond the walls of the church. Systematic studies may help clarify how God works and moves, but it can seem to miss the point. Being an automotive engineer may help build a car, but the engineer may not be the best driver in a race. Raw knowledge is useful, but not always equivalent to wisdom--and a 19 year old mechanic may be more skillful with a wrench! As an elder in my church, I'm mostly concerned with building up young men to take my place and lead. As fathers, we should be want the next generation equipped and in a proper relationship with our Lord
Very well said. The sabbath for man, not man for the sabbath! Particularly the excellent insights on the spirit vs the letter and “Babel within”, the counterpoint to the Kingdom of Heaven, which is within you. Curious how you would find my recent article, “The Keys to the Kingdom Within”.
Thank you, a very good point addressing the letter pointing to the Spirit. There is a kind of humility and genuinness that comes from those that discovered or those that wrestled with it, a genuineness that crosses translations. It is the difference between reading one who accepted the textbook answer and one that truly understands and seeks not the preservation of tradition or the approval of institutions but the spirit of those following and growing in their walk. Examples I have found is: enjoying reading Luther is a better way to understand him than other peoples books about Him. Reading Jesus is better than Paul if you seek to understand Jesus, and thus as I read Jesus I understand Paul better. The vast majority of books that are written to help you understand something are often less helpful that the sources themselves for they often just add more words and less understanding.
Thanks, Pastor for this encouraging message. I've been wrestling with much of this for the last few years. Coming from evangelicalism, I've been a little disheartened within confessional circles when my I hear my dear brothers and sisters from previous churches are disparaged because they don't have the same vocabulary. I married a Lutheran school teacher (& PK), appreciating Luther's soteriology. I don't feel any more or less saved in either church. I've been less impressed with my own doctrinal adherence and would rather concentrate on day to day fellowship with Jesus and with the Christians I interact with and getting the Gospel out beyond the walls of the church. Systematic studies may help clarify how God works and moves, but it can seem to miss the point. Being an automotive engineer may help build a car, but the engineer may not be the best driver in a race. Raw knowledge is useful, but not always equivalent to wisdom--and a 19 year old mechanic may be more skillful with a wrench! As an elder in my church, I'm mostly concerned with building up young men to take my place and lead. As fathers, we should be want the next generation equipped and in a proper relationship with our Lord
Powerful words.
The mechanic needs the manual, but only for a little while.
“And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” - Philippians 2:11
Very well said. The sabbath for man, not man for the sabbath! Particularly the excellent insights on the spirit vs the letter and “Babel within”, the counterpoint to the Kingdom of Heaven, which is within you. Curious how you would find my recent article, “The Keys to the Kingdom Within”.
Thank you, a very good point addressing the letter pointing to the Spirit. There is a kind of humility and genuinness that comes from those that discovered or those that wrestled with it, a genuineness that crosses translations. It is the difference between reading one who accepted the textbook answer and one that truly understands and seeks not the preservation of tradition or the approval of institutions but the spirit of those following and growing in their walk. Examples I have found is: enjoying reading Luther is a better way to understand him than other peoples books about Him. Reading Jesus is better than Paul if you seek to understand Jesus, and thus as I read Jesus I understand Paul better. The vast majority of books that are written to help you understand something are often less helpful that the sources themselves for they often just add more words and less understanding.