those pages or that book entirely. In some cases, nothing is left in a book but footnotes— footnotes that no one really reads. Eventually books are tossed out altogether, thrown into piles and left for firemen to arrive and burn.
You can’t read a book like that and not find a hidden message. For many the book serves as a warning against government censorship. Many fear the government may begin limiting freedom of speech until society can no longer freely address so-called controversial topics. Eventually, the government controls not only your words, but also your thoughts on certain issues. Except that’s not what Fahrenheit 451 is about. The author, Ray Bradbury, went on record to say that his book is “a story about how television destroys interest in reading literature.” (http://www.laweekly.com/news/ray-bradbury-fahrenheit-451-misinterpreted-2149125) Already in 1953, Bradbury feared people would grow so addicted to television that they would stop reading books. When Bradbury shared this interpretation at a lecture at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), students protested. They insisted that he was wrong. They told him, the author, that his book only references government censorship. Can you imagine what it must feel like when someone tells you, the author of your own book, that you have it all wrong? More than that, if you reject the author’s interpretation, it means that you have injected a new message into that book—a message never there to begin with. You are believing a message that does not come from the author. You are believing a message that you created. And if you believe a message you created, then you will receive an entirely different outcome than what the author ever intended. When it comes to what you believe about your status before God, look to what God, the divine Author, so clearly reveals. Stand on Scripture. Find God’s heart revealed. Gain certain confidence. You have heard me say it before: You and I live in a postmodern society. That means society teaches there is no absolute truth; there is no set standard of what is universally “right” and what is universally “wrong.” So, if I choose to wear a dress today, you cannot tell me that my clothing style is wrong. By you insisting that I change, you have now created a fixed truth that there is certain clothing reserved only for men and certain clothing reserved only for women. Yet, to me and my thinking, I may feel that dresses are not exclusive only to women or men. If I believe one thing about dresses, then that becomes a truth by which I will live. If you believe dresses do not belong on men, then that is a truth by which you live. We have two differing truths, but two differing truths that are both valid and equal because we feel strongly about our beliefs. Your society feels truth is constantly changing and truth changes based on a person’s individual beliefs. If you feel something is true, then it must be true— and no one can tell you that you are wrong. So, if you feel God will let you into heaven because you are a good, moral person, then this must be true. God must let you into heaven because you think this is correct. Or you may feel that God will give you eternal life because you are sincere in your beliefs— you sit in a church building, you listen to the Pastor, you are dedicated to behaving like a churchy-person. If you feel this is what God looks for in a person, then you must be right; sincerity in religious practice will give you eternal life. Or, you may cling to a tightly-held belief— even if it contradicts what God says. If you do not want to be judged for your lifestyle, then simply say, “I do not think God would judge me.” Therefore, you would believe that God accepts the way you live. If you want God to bring all people to heaven, then say: “I feel God will save everyone.” Your feeling, then, is considered true. If you want to skip worship, then simply state: “I think God knows why I’m sleeping in and he doesn’t care.” You can feel better about your life because you just said God doesn’t care. This is how postmodern thinking not only shapes your civilian life, but also how it can affect our views towards Scripture. We begin telling God, the divine Author, that he has it all wrong! Yet, here’s the question: How do you know if your personal beliefs are right? A roomful of students told Ray Bradbury that his interpretation of his own book was wrong! Yet, Bradbury revealed an undeniable truth: He is the author. As the author, he put down his intentions in writing. Students may believe what they want, but their beliefs cannot change the purpose of his book. When it comes to Scripture, and to its teachings, God reveals an undeniable: He is the Author. You may want God to condone your lifestyle, but God has still said: “Be perfect like me” (Matthew 5:48). You may feel that God loves you because you are a good person and because you are here today, but God still says: “All have sinned and all fall short of reaching heaven with me” (Romans 3:23). If you try to make up reasons as to why God forgives you, you may feel they are right, but God will still call them “wrong.” Clinging to your own personal belief— no matter how much you want to believe it is true— can still leave you standing apart from God forever. A monk named Martin Luther dreaded that. He was terrified that God hated him— because he knew the Bible clearly teaches: God punishes sin— and he was a sinner. Luther never knew how to remove that guilt. His priest told him to confess his sins, to pray, to beat himself, to stare at bones of dead church leaders, to pay money, to do good things, to give up money— do all these things and his guilt would diminish. It did not. Luther never knew how to remove that guilt. Making up solutions never fills you with peace. Trying to do more good than bad does not erase the bad you did do. How do you remove guilt? How can you be sure you can go to heaven? Stand on Scripture and find God’s heart revealed. Our reading says: For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. How do you remove feelings of guilt? How can you fill your heart with peace? How can you know for sure that you will enter heaven? God says, “Look in the gospel.” The word “gospel” means “good news.” The “good news” is that Jesus rescues you from the consequences of your actions. You will never discover this truth by digging into your emotions. You will never recognize this truth by trying to live as a perfect person. You will only find this truth in Scripture because only in the Bible is a righteousness from God revealed. God reveals to you this one chief truth: Jesus lives a “right” life. Jesus never calls the Bible a book of lies. Every time someone asks him to “prove” his teachings, he points to Scripture. When he needs comfort or guidance, he embraces what God clearly says. Jesus lives a “right” life. Even though Jesus lives the “right” life God demands, Jesus still dies on the cross. He steps into your place, is treated harshly by God, and suffers so that you never will. When it comes to understanding why God forgives you, Stand on Scripture and you find God say: “I forgive you because Jesus paid your punishment. Stand on Scripture and you will find God’s heart revealed. As you see what God so clearly says, you will gain certain confidence. Look again to our verse: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes… This gospel, this good news that Jesus rescued you from the hellish effects of sin, is not just a happy message that you read in a newspaper and then throw away. This news is powerfully life-changing— literally. In the Greek, the word for “power” (δύναμις) is where we get our word “dynamite. That little phrase: “it is the power of God” says Scripture works like dynamite. You read and hear Scripture, and Scripture blasts open your heart to trust that only Jesus makes you “right” before God. When it comes to understanding what you believe, Stand on Scripture. Point to what God, the divine Author, has so clearly said. Point to his clear words which tell that Jesus lived, died, and rose for you! When you Stand on Scripture you will always be certain of how God sees you. You will always know that Jesus has done enough to bring you into heaven. For a man like Martin Luther, he Stood on Scripture for his confidence of eternal life. He did not try to do things to earn God’s forgiveness. He did not try to feel forgiven. He pointed at God’s unbreakable truth. This is what it means to be a Lutheran. Like Luther, when wonder how you stand before God, you Stand on Scripture. Stand on Scripture when you are crushed by guilt and gain certain confidence. In Scripture God says: “I forgive you” (1 John 4:19). He does not say that you must “feel” forgiven— as though your emotions must convince you that all is well between you and God. He does not say that you must earn his forgiveness— that you must do more good than bad. Rather, God points you to the cross and asks: What happened there? Jesus died. That’s a fact, a historical event. Why did Jesus die? Scripture says that he dies as you Substitute, stepping into the punishment you deserved (Isaiah 53). Since Jesus died in your place, it means you do not die forever. You are forgiven— not because you feel this to be true, but because God says it is true (2 Corinthians 5:21) Scripture has that dynamite power to blast away doubts and fears about eternity. Stand on Scripture and gain certain confidence when you confront various ideas about God. Human beings always have and always will create new thoughts about how God should act. Someone may think all religions lead to the same God. Yet, those beliefs, as sincere as they are, are not capable of making people right with God. Someone may feel good works are enough to enter heaven, but that person cannot force God to agree with him. Only Scripture has the ability to free your soul from the pits of despair and to fill you with peace. Scripture has that dynamite power to blast away lies about God. Stand on Scripture and gain certain confidence forever. As you get older, you may ask yourself: “Will God really forgive me?” You may feel that God is lying to you. You may think God wants something more from you. Point to Scripture, stand on what God has so clearly said. God made a specific promise to you— and God will never break that promise. Scripture has that dynamite power to blast away fears that God has hidden something from you. When you Stand on Scripture you will never be wrong. Yes, a postmodern world may disagree with God’s truth. Yet, the fact remains: God is the divine Author. He has revealed his intentions about sin and forgiveness, heaven and hell in Scripture. Scripture reveals God’s heart— the heart which moved him to send a Savior from sin. Scripture reveals the completed action: Jesus died for your benefit. Scripture reveals God’s feelings towards you so that you may have certain confidence in an ever-changing world. When it comes to matters of what you believe about your status before God, look to what God, the divine Author, so clearly reveals. Stand on Scripture. Find God’s heart revealed. Gain certain confidence.
Can you do what you say? Probably.
That’s right: probably. Not: ‘Yes;’ not: ‘No,’ but: ‘Probably.’ You know milk is in the grocery store. Your mind remembers how to find the store. Your healthy body is capable of traveling to the store. You have resources (like a car or bike or county bus) to reach the store. Chances are highly likely that you will accomplish the desire of your words. You will enter the store and buy milk. But, just how effective are your words? You may intend leaving, but your car’s dead battery prevents you from leaving the driveway. Your brain understands the necessity of your trip, but it cannot convince a sick body to get up and run your errand. You may have one foot out the door, but then your child grabs your attention. Your words reveal your intentions, but your intentions do not always come true. You do not have the power to fulfill everything you say or want to do. It reveals an eye-opening truth: your words have limits. That is why our Old Testament reading does not center on the power of your words. Instead, the prophet Isaiah focuses your attention on the fact that God’s Word Works Results. It belongs to God Almighty. It works for God Almighty. Listen again to our reading. [T]he rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater[.]Don’t rush through these words; God is not teaching another science lesson. Our eyes may be tempted to look only at the results. (1) The earth bud[s] and flourish[es]. (2) Thousands of seeds burst out for next year’s planting. (3) Fields of grain produce bread for the eater. But the results are not the main point. Rather, the chief point is this: What makes the results? What causes the earth to bud and flourish? What produces thousands of seeds for the sower? What brings bread to the eater? The rain! One little seed cannot spontaneously sprout. The soil lacks the power to crack the plant out of its little shell. A farmer does not pry open the seed, take out little roots and stretch out a stem, leaves, and flowers. Plants thrive and flourish from the powerful effect of the rain. The rain produces results! Here’s the comparison:[S]o is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. What produces results in your life? The Word— and not just any “Word.” Look at the pronoun attached to “the Word.” “My Word.” That “My” does not refer to you or to me or to the President of the United States or to the Supreme Court of the United States. That “My” refers to God Almighty. The Almighty God who spoke: “Let there be”— and heaven and earth and land and waters and animals and people instantly come into existence (Genesis 1). The Almighty God who stood in a boat and commanded brilliant flashes of lightning and booming thunder and heaving seas: “Be still!”—and immediately the waters become like glass, the winds gently blow, and the skies unlock the sun (Matthew 8:23-27). The Almighty God who seizes the hand of a dead child and whispers: “Get up”—and she opens her eyes, sits up, and begins walking! (Mark 5:21-43) God’s Word Works Results because It belongs to God Almighty. That means you have a source to silence every fear! When money gets tight and gas prices rise, grab onto the assurance that God daily provides for you. When you are frightened about the future, remember that your Almighty God governs the future. When death takes a loved one and you hurt inside, believe Jesus has welcomed them into heaven. You can live without fear because God’s Word Works Results! Is that how you live… fear-less? Maybe you wake up each day wishing to carry less worry in life. Yet, you feel like marriage cannot and will never offer you the security, the happiness, and the love you truly want. Your mind is consumed with questions about North Korea and their nuclear capabilities. You can even leave worship fretting over the future of your church. Every day we battle fear. Any worry you carry does not come because God somehow did not help you enough. God’s Word Works Results because it comes from the mouth of the Almighty. The reason we feel alarmed is that we think our word can work results. It happens when you push aside the Bible’s blueprint for marriage and listen to your own thoughts— feeling as though your answers are going to make marriage happier and better. Fear creeps up when you doubt God is really in control— that God makes a promise to certain people in the Bible, but those promises are not meant for you. You may treat God’s Word like it is powerless— that you expect God to provide food, but you don’t expect him to pay bills. You trust God can heal your cut, but you don’t know if he’s going to heal your stomach. You see God miraculously control winds and waves, but doubt he does those anymore. That sinful nature inside of each of us strives to push God’s Word off to the side. That sinful nature tries to convince you that God cannot be trusted. If you cannot trust God, then you will look for another object to trust—even if that means you take the place of God. My friends, remember this truth in our reading: God’s Word Works Results. It works because only God has the power to do everything he intends. The instant sin enters the world, God gives his Word: You will have a Savior (Genesis 3:15). He keeps adding Words to this promise. He will be born in a little town called Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). His mother will be a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). People will marvel at his message (Deuteronomy 18:15). He will bring comfort to the world (Isaiah 40) because the weight of the world will be draped across his back (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53). How effective are God’s words? He fulfills them all—including the words that have changed your life forever: “It is finished” (John 19:30). At your baptism, God’s powerful Word brought you into a relationship with him. It is by his command you are made his child. It is by his promise that the consequences of self-trust are washed off from you. It is by his Word you are made his child. God’s Word Works Results. It belongs to God Almighty and It works for God Almighty. Look again at verse 11. [S]o is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty[.] Let me ask you: When it rains, where does the water go? Into the ground. For what purpose? For plants to take in the water, use it, and grow. In the same way, God’s Word always works a result. Some hardened hearts reject the Word. Others listen, but cave into the pressure to deny their faith. Still others hear, but love for worldly wealth chokes the Word out of life. For you, every time you hear the Word, you are growing in your faith (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23). God’s Word works for God Almighty. [It] accomplish[es] what [he]I desire and achieve[s] the purpose for which [he] sent it. If you have ever cared for a plant, you know there is one thing that plant above all else: water. When you water a plant, sometimes you see results. You see new vines, new leaves, new flowers, new tomatoes and peppers and beans. In the same way, God’s Word Works Results. Yes, you can marvel at the many ways in which God has led the most confused soul to faith. You can stand amazed at the comfort it gives to the brokenhearted. You might delight in hearing testimonials how changed a person’s life entirely. Yes, many times we look for the Word to leave spectacular results that we can see! Yet, sometimes when you water a plant, you do not see the results. The plant is still alive, but you don’t know if anything about it has changed. Yet, God’s Word still Works Results--even when we cannot see the results. Those results may not always be what you expect. You may have in mind the perfect marriage with your spouse having perfect conversations and your every need being met in the perfect way. You feel your spouse is the one who needs to pay close attention to God. In reality, it just might be you who needs the Word to refocus your attitude. It is the Word that teaches you to put the needs of your spouse ahead of your own—even if it feels inconvenient. Those results may not always be seen now. You have worshipped here for weeks, months, years, decades— and it might feel like you get little out of worship. But then, one day someone close to you tragically dies. All of your friends and family mourn; grief rips into them. They have no idea where to find comfort. They reveal they have no idea what brings the greatest fulfillment to life. But you know. Because of all your years hearing and studying and learning about a Savior, you can share God’s love. You did not look like you grew, but in reality, you had been growing all along. Those results may not always look successful. God does not promise your congregation will always grow. He does not promise that your world will grow more godly. He does not promise that you will have lots of money and perfect health. It can feel like either (1) God did not keep his Word or (2) something is missing from the Word. Remember this: God sends out his Word to strengthen you. Faith grabs hold of God’s promises—even when you do not see the outcome of those promises. Even if money leaves you, trust God still cares for you more than the birds of the air or the grass in your yard. Even if health fails, understand God the Great Physician holds your wellbeing under his careful eye. Even if it looks as though Satan’s godless agenda is succeeding in this world, remember that Jesus won the war on Calvary. What happens is that your trust, your reliance on Jesus increases. The results may not be something the world praises, but you do not need the world’s praise. The result of the Word is to strengthen your trust in Jesus. Plants are living things; they either grow or they shrivel. To make a plant shrivel up, keep the water away. To make the plant grow, water daily. A plant cannot live without water. Christians cannot live without the water of God’s Word. To make a Christian rely more on himself, stay away from the Word. To make a Christian grow in faith, daily remain in the Word because God’s Word Works Results. So, just how effective are your words? Do you have the power to fulfill everything you say or want to do? No—but you don’t need to have that power. God’s Word has the real power to change hearts and to instill comfort. God’s Word equips you for whatever lies ahead this week. God’s Word tells you that the Almighty is in control. God’s Word tells you that God is powerful enough to make his Word bear results. That is why our Old Testament reading does not center on the power of your words. Instead, the prophet Isaiah focuses your attention on the fact that God’s Word Works Results. It belongs to God Almighty. It works for God Almighty.
telling the truth? Well, you first need to look at the facts, right? Do you have a cat? Does the cat typically strut across the mantel? Is the cat in the room or outside or at a kennel? Did your [grand]child have some object he was tossing around? You find evidence, gather proof, and then form a conclusion.
Or, let’s think back to November. You had two presidential candidates trotting around a stage with microphones in hand. A moderator asked questions of each one. One candidate claims to have voted a certain way on healthcare legislation. Another candidate points back to a promise made on immigration. Both candidates dust off a statement on college tuition and claim to have always stood behind their statement. How do you know if what you are hearing is the truth? Well, you have fact-checkers. During every presidential debate, certain individuals scour every past voting record, every promise, and every statement and compare those proofs to the words given now. You gather evidence, examine the proof, and then form a conclusion. I find it safe to assume that people want the truth. No one wants a false report. You know that building your life on a lie can have long-term results. You may punish an innocent cat. You can vote for an elected official who will change the campaign promises you support. Having proof allows you to determine if what you hear is the truth. So, when it comes to your faith, how do you know if what you are hearing is the truth? How do you know if what I am telling you is truth (and not a lie)? How do you know if Jesus truly removed sin’s consequences free of charge (or if you must do something to earn forgiveness)? Since so many different teachers share so many different teachings on the same Bible, you are encouraged to Fact-Check Your Faith. Use Scripture for proof. Examine Scriptures for truth. Paul the missionary does just that. He travels along the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, pass[ing] through Amphipolis and Apollonia, [and] came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. There, Jews read the Old Testament Scriptures, hear a sermon, and offer up prayers. Yet, their attentions still fixated on a Christ to come. Yes, even though Jesus had already died on the cross, rose on Easter, and ascended into heaven, some did not (1) know these events happened and (2) others believed the man Jesus was not God’s promised “Christ.” So, for three Sabbath days [Paul] reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. How will those Jews know if Paul is telling them the truth? Well, do you see how he taught? [H]e reasoned with them from the Scriptures. Paul’s beliefs do not come from preconceived notions; he is not teaching his personal opinions. They ask questions and Paul points to the Old Testament prophecies to (1) explain what it means that the Messiah must die. In the Old Testament, the prophet Zechariah predicted: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered” (13:7). Jeremiah the prophet set the price of Jesus’ betrayal at thirty pieces of silver (32:7; Matthew 27:9-10). Isaiah says: He [God’s appointed Son] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (53:5). King David knows the Christ would be forsaken by God, men would gamble for his clothing, the wicked would scowl at him (Psalm 22:1-18). These are clear prophecies. So, Paul takes them and (2) gives evidence that these events are fulfilled by Jesus. His disciples scatter when he is arrested (Matthew 26:31). Judas betrays Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (which the chief priests used to buy a field). Jesus suffers on a cross for our sins, being forsaken by God while men gamble for his clothing (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:24). Yet, not only does the Christ suffer, but he rises again. Paul opens to Psalm 16, where it promises: you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay (Psalm 16:10). This man Jesus not only dies, but so many witness that he lives! So, Paul could say with certainty: “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ. He Fact-Checks Faith by using Scripture for proof. But the Jews were jealous. They are not merely upset Paul’s preaching gains followers; they feel Paul tells lies. Doesn’t that sound odd? Paul points to the Bible, uses clear prophecies and connects them to clear, factual events of Jesus, and still many reject his words. Why? Because some Jews had already made up their minds of what they wanted in the Christ. They wanted a Christ who would chase the Romans out of their land, give the Jews free reign to rule their country, and feed them forever (John 6:14-15; Acts 1:6). And since Jesus appears to completely fail at this task, then (they conclude) he could not be the Christ. Yes, you might be shaking your head, wondering: “How could they ever believe that?” Well, when you divorce the Bible from your beliefs, then you will create anything to believe. The constant temptation in life is to form your beliefs first and then to use the Bible to defend those beliefs. The Bible teaches: “Husbands, love your wives as Christ selflessly loved the church” and “Wives, listen to your husbands as believers listen to Jesus” (Ephesians 5:25-27). Yet, how easy for husbands to change those clear words and say: “Well, I will only put the needs of my wife ahead of my own if she earns my love first.” Or for wives to say, “Well, my husband does not deserve me following his leadership.” The Bible is clear and yet the mind feels free to change its clear meaning. God calls you to live a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:7)— to stand out from a world which cares so little for the Word. Yet, the mind quickly wonders: “Would God really be angry over my words, my lifestyle, my drinking?” The Bible is clear and yet the mind finds reasons to excuse behaviors. Jesus teaches, “If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples” (John 8:31). Still, the moment you realize a friend does not agree with Jesus’ teaching of baptism, how quickly you may want to remove Jesus’ teaching so that you do not anger your friend! The Bible gives a clear teaching and yet the mind feels it has enough authority to cancel out God’s Word! How tempting it is to change the clear meaning the Word of God to fit your beliefs! Yet, if you do that, then how do you know if what you believe is the truth? Basing your faith on your personal feelings of “right” and “wrong” really provides no truth. You have no certainty that what you believe is true. At best, you can only guess. You will never have certainty that you are on the right path to eternal life. Fact-Check Your Faith. Recognize the Bible exposes our heart’s rebellious condition. A part of us will always find fault with God. So, that is why it is necessary for the Christ to suffer and die. When Jesus lives in this world, he sees the words of Psalm 14 come to life: All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good not even one (Psalm 14:3). Yet, Jesus has done good; he alone is perfect. Never does he change the Word to gain popularity; never does he form his behavior first and then use the Word to defend it. Instead, God promised the Christ would die, Jesus goes ahead to be pierced and crushed for our rebellion. Yet, Christ had to rise… because your debt to God had been paid in full. No more debt means no more death. So Jesus can promise you a room in his Father’s mansion (John 14:2-3). The only Way into heaven is by trusting Jesus (and only Jesus) has removed your sins. You can be sure this is true because Scripture gives clear proof. Paul continued using Scripture for proof sharing with everyone (1) that the Christ had to suffer and die and (2) that Jesus is the Christ. This is his custom— even when arriving to a new city called Berea. He shares this marvelous truth in another synagogue. As these Christians listen, they examine Scriptures for truth. Instead of simply listening to Paul and assuming his words were automatically correct, they fact-checked his teachings with the Word of God. If Paul called Jesus “the Son of God,” then they read Psalm 2:7 where God calls Jesus my Son. If they wanted to know if Jesus had to suffer, they could turn to Isaiah 53 or Psalm 22. Psalm 16 reveals God’s promise to raise Jesus from the dead. They paid close attention to Paul’s teachings and compared them to the Bible clear teachings. They Fact-Checked Their Faith by examining Scriptures for truth. It never offends the preacher if the congregation wishes to fact-check his words. In fact, a Godly preacher delights in seeing a congregation place their allegiance to the Word over their allegiance to a denomination or a personality. When we start saying: “I believe because Pastor so-and-so said” or “This is the way we’ve always done it” or “It just feels right,” that is when you do well to return to the Word and learn again the reasons you believe the teachings you believe. The devil knows the more he keeps you out of the Word, the more you will create your own God to follow. Either you rely too much on what you think you know or you grow so lazy that you do not care what you do know. Fact-Check Your Faith by examining Scriptures for truth. This is what makes you “Lutheran.” Being “Lutheran” is more that applying a name to your denomination. It means you follow the approach to the Word of God that Martin Luther had. Luther pointed everyone back to the Word of God and demanded that life and teachings are founded on the Word. So when the Catholic church declared you could be forgiven by paying money or praying or traveling to holy places, Luther asked: “Where does the Bible teach this?” When friends taught the Lord’s Supper simply pretended Jesus’ body and blood were present, Luther declared: “But Jesus, in the Bible, says: ‘This is.’” When you are confronted by an unfamiliar teaching, scour through the Bible. When social issues flare up: same-sex marriage, divorce, how to raise children, how to help those in need— how tempting to stop and blurt out what you think. (What you think might be entirely wrong!) Instead, start with the Word. What has Jesus said? Do your beliefs line up with his teachings? Only then will you know the truth. This truth will place you on the path to Life. Fact-Check Your Faith by examining Scriptures for truth. No one wants a false report. Building your life on a lie can have long-term results. You could base your hope on something that will never come true. You may believe an event (or fact) that simply did not happen. Having proof allows you to determine if what you hear is the truth. So, when it comes to your faith, how do you know if what you are hearing is the truth? How do you know if what I am telling you is truth (and not a lie)? How do you know if Jesus truly removed sin’s consequences free of charge (or if you must do something to earn forgiveness)? Return to the Word and Fact-Check Your Faith. Use Scripture for proof. Examine Scriptures for truth. |
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