Sanctification the act of making holy. The Holy Spirits work is that He takes what is unholy by nature and makes it holy.

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1 Adult Instruction The 3 rd Article I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Sanctification the act of making holy. The Holy Spirits work is that He takes what is unholy by nature and makes it holy. Issue #1 The relation between the Holy Spirit and the human will: Noteworthy Element of Lutheran Doctrine Total corruption People are born sinful (original or inherited sin). This sin that sticks to our nature is not a mere taint, but a genuine soul destroying opposition to God. Many theologies teach that man is born basically good (even Roman Catholicism), Lutheranism teaches that man is born corrupt. It is within the teaching on the Holy Spirit that Scripture tells how we can be saved if we are born opposed to God s holiness. Luther states in his Large Catechism: Neither you nor I could ever know anything of Christ, or believe in him and take him as our Lord, unless these were first offered to us and bestowed on our hearts through the preaching of the Gospel by the Holy Spirit. This echoes: Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Romans 8:6-9 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. * As the Ephesians passage above indicates the state of the human heart prior to conversion is likened to death. * A corpse cannot do anything to become alive * In a state of spiritual death the natural man cannot do anything to gain life. 1

2 * The Holy Spirit gives spiritual life as He gives the gift of faith. It is 100% his action. * In conversion then we are completely passive recipients and the Holy Spirit is the active giver. Competing theologies: Pelagianism That mankind through the force of his own will (choice) and moral perfection lays claim to God. Original sin is denied in Pelagianism. Synergism (semi pelagianism) That mankind, though weakened and imperfect still cooperates with God in conversion. God responds to a beginning good will in mankind. These teachings form the theological backbone of a great deal of Christian contemporary music. i.e. I have decided to follow Jesus. In a lot of contemporary lyrics the main actor portrayed is I. God is portrayed as the one who responds to what I offer Him. On Free Will: Q Is conversion an act of God or an act of man? Q - Of what then is mankind s free will capable? Prior to conversion nothing but enmity against God (Cf. Luther s Bondage of the Will) After conversion the human will can choose what is right by God s will. Luther s meaning of the 3 rd article in his small catechism: I believe that by my own reason or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church he daily and abundantly forgives all my sins, and the sins of all believers, and on the last day he will raise me and all the dead and will grant eternal life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly true. Issue #2 The means and methods of the Holy Spirit Luther s Large Catechism: Learn this article, then, as clearly as possible. If you are asked, What do you mean by the words, I believe in the Holy Spirit? you can answer, I believe that the Holy Spirit makes me holy, as his name implies. How does he do this? By what means? Answer: Through the Christian church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. In the first place, he has a unique community in the world. It is the mother that begets and bears every Christian through the Word of God. The Holy Spirit reveals and preaches that Word, and by it he illumines and kindles hearts so that they grasp and accept it, cling to it, and persevere in it. The ways and places God chooses to act upon us have been defined by God. That is God works through specific things to create and sustain faith. He does not work through our own personally chosen means. The Church is His chosen place to give His gifts of grace. Within His Church, His Word, Supper and Baptism are His chosen things through which He reaches out to us. 2

3 Views Does God work through things? * A burning bush * A pillar of cloud and fire * A cloudy mist over the ark of the covenant *Balaam s donkey * prophets * the flesh and blood of Christ * The disciples That is God has placed the working of His grace in objective things available to everyone at any time. There is no mystery where to find God or how to receive His gifts. They are available independent of our emotional state. If God s gifts were subjective, available individually through each person s own personal experience and feeling, then God s grace would a very uncertain thing. The Charismatic Controversy Charismatics believe that God continues to give miraculous signs to people individually the same as in the days of the apostles. Examples of typical signs Charismatics claim to have, the gift of tongues, miraculous healings, gifts of interpretation, prophesy, direct revelation. Some Charismatics have claimed recently to have miracles involving gold dust and holy laughter. Q What was the apostolic gift of tongues? Cf. Acts 2:4ff How was it verified? Acts 2:5-12 (note too that many of the healings in the NT were verified Jn. 9:13ff., Matt. 8:1-4) What was the purpose of these NT miracles? 3

4 2 Cor 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. 1 Cor 14:22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. Acts 2:22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know-- What is the purpose of the present day claim of miraculous gifts? What we are NOT saying: That God can t or doesn t do miracles today What we ARE saying: That God hasn t promised to work through miracles today. Miracles do still happen The claims of charismatics to practice regular miraculous signs is false That is makes more sense to look for God where He has promised to be than where he has not promised to be. Issue #3 The Need of the Church Luther s Large Catechism: But outside the Christian church (that is, where the Gospel is not) there is no forgiveness, and hence no holiness. Therefore, all who seek to merit holiness through their works rather than through the Gospel and the forgiveness of sin have expelled and separated themselves from the church. An expression in early Christendom was He who does not have the church as his mother, does not have God as his Father.... the reason being that the things through which God works are things God has placed in his Church. Q What is the Church? What is the difference between God s view of the Church and ours? How does one establish where the true Church is? Is it possible for the true Church to be found if the outward institution of it is corrupt? Why do we need the Church? That is can t we have personal faith in our heart without having to be part of the outward institution of the Church? Whose idea was church? 4

5 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION VII. [THE CHURCH] It is also taught among us that one holy Christian church will be and remain forever. This is the assembly of all believers among who the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy sacraments are administered according to the Gospel. For it is sufficient for the true unity of the Christian church that the Gospel be preached in conformity with a pure understanding of it and that the sacraments be administered in accordance with the divine Word. It is not necessary for the true unity of the Christian church that ceremonies, instituted by men, should be observed uniformly in all places. It is as Paul says in Eph. 4:4, 5, There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. The Church as a road: False Church: A Church whose teaching is not biblically correct True Church: A Church whose teaching is biblically correct False teaching is like a pothole; it holds the potential for damage. The more severe the pothole, the more likely there will be damage. The more numerous the potholes, the more likely there will be damage. Each car is different. One pothole might be enough to destroy a weakened vehicle. Another car might be able to weather hitting several without being ruined though it might be left in a weakened state. The true Church is a clear road. The car is not damaged because of the road but can drive safely. Yet even here, someone might be a bad driver and drive off the road and be hurt. In that case it is not the fault of the road that the driver didn t make it to the destination, but the fault of a poor driver. 5

6 Our biblical obligations when it comes to Church: 1. That we are sincere in faith and do not come to church for show or mere habit 2. That we should be discerning in doctrine. Being part of that Church which teaches Christ s truth correctly John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 3. That we should avoid churches where the teaching is not biblically correct Romans 16:17-18 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world Issue #4 The Forgiveness of Sin A. Given by Grace Alone Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. B. Given only through the Gospel, not through feelings Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek C. Necessity of Personal Faith (Not ex opera operato) 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. D. As a certainty, not a matter of doubt Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 6

7 Issue #5 The resurrection of the body and the Life everlasting A. The resurrection is a belief found in the Old Testament. It is not a New Testament creation. Job 19:25-27 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. B. It was a central element in early apostolic preaching Acts 2: "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. C. Is necessary to saving faith 1 Corinthians 15: Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Contrary Ideas: Reincarnation, Annihilationism Q When does everlasting life start? John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 7