So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
golter's mussings October 2019
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God’s Creation Days…24 Hours?
October 3, 2019
Well, if God’s creation days in Genesis 1 are long periods of time…there’s a problem.
What is it? You’re going to have to work longer, like a nearly un-ending work week.
The author, Moses, also wrote the second book of the bible, Exodus.
Moses writes to Israel: “You have six days to do all your work. The seventh day is the day of worship dedicated to the Lord,” (Exodus 20:9).
If a “day” was millions and billions of years, well, it would be a loooooooong work week!
When approaching God’s Holy Book, it’s best to let it stand on its own. God is the Author, not you. A simple, plain reading of the text is best and most safe for your soul.God is all about soul-care, your soul.
Oh, yes, there’s the “one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” writing by St. Peter in his second book (2 Peter 3:8). But it’s clear this is a simile, and is to be read that way. This “day” is not literally a 1000 years. The point is this: God’s perspective of time is different than yours, especially in reference to the second coming of Christ on Judgment Day.
A deep humility is best when approaching the Lord’s Word. Reign in your reason, letting it be completely submissive to the Lord’s way.
Like the Virgin Mary, she only knew of the ordinary way to become pregnant. So she asks the angel Gabriel of the “how” while not questioning the fact that she is now pregnant by the angel’s word. Remarkable! Little Jesus hadn’t even kicked yet in her womb! He was microscopic in size. Mary went by her ears, what she heard!
We do the same, as we hear of the way the Lord created this whole cosmos in six ordinary days.
Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
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Baptism doesn't save!
October 20, 2019
It sure doesn’t appear to be so. I only see water poured on a baby or a big person.
Words are spoken. Nothing happens that I see.
And, how can a baby believe. They can’t do anything.
Another thought must be said. God doesn’t use anything physical to save us.
But the Bible goes against all of these criticisms.
God used the water of the Red Sea to deliver His people in Exodus 14. He spoke the most ridiculous promise of healing to a bronze serpent fixed to a pole (Numbers 21:4 f.).
And, most silly, He put the promise of saving sinners to His Son’s body nailed to a Tree. Jesus ties the serpent story to His own crucifixion in John 3:14. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.”
Wood, bronze serpent, Jesus’ body…all by God’s command, for saving through physical means.
The same goes for water, of course. John the Baptizer directs his audience to baptism “for the forgiveness of sins,” (Acts 2:38). And, he makes it clear as to who are to be baptized. “For the promise (of the forgiveness of sins) is for you and for your children,” (v. 39).
But babies can’t believe! They can’t believe, of course, this is true! By their own power. Neither can big people. By their own will. St. Paul makes it clear as to the powerlessness of the human will in conversion. “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy,” (Romans 9:16, emphasis added).
Faith should not be confused with intellectual ability or reason. Faith is the ability to trust in Christ, which is God-worked and God-delivered.
Baptism does save, as God says.
It’s a miracle.
Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
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Pop Quiz
October 24, 2019
On what? The Reformation, that event which caused the splitting of the Christian Church in the early 1500s. You have a fifty-fifty chance, pretty good odds, I would say.
1. T or F: The name “Lutheran” started out as a disrespectful label for Luther and his followers.
2. T or F: Martin Luther said no church should ever be named after a mere man.
3. T or F: At the end of Luther’s life, he became very disappointed of the German people. They didn’t appreciate the pure Gospel of Christ.
4. T or F: It was not Luther’s intent to start a brand new church.
5. T or F: Luther said, “I see nothing in Scripture except Christ Crucified.”
6. T or F: Luther said, “Christians are people who believe in the forgiveness of sins.”
7. T or F: Ten days after Luther signed the Ninety-Five Theses, he changed his signing name to Eleutherius, the Greek word for the “freed man.” By Jesus’ blood, God made him free from all sin.
There you go, your pop quiz on the Reformation.
By the way, if you marked all “true” you finished with a perfect score!
Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
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Martin Luther as Hero on this Reformation Day!
October 31, 2019
Little boys look to their daddy. Students trend toward their favorite teacher. To whom do you look?
Many a Lutheran looks to Martin Luther. I do.
Before you suddenly dismiss this, have you ever read any of Luther’s writings?
Every time I read Luther, I get fired up. Why? He’s so real, down-to-earth. By the Spirit’s prompting, he knows he’s a big sinner, but one for whom Jesus Christ joyfully died (see Hebrews 12:2 on Jesus’ mindset heading to the Cross. “Who for the joy that was set before Him…).”
He calls things as they are: Sin is sin and grace is grace, and forgiveness is forgiveness, all real and true, because God said so. It’s that simple. Believe it. Don’t get fancy.
The sinner needs certainty.
Luther loved the Gospel more than he loved his own life.
Emperor Charles the V in 1521 called Luther to meet with him for one purpose: For Luther to deny his writings on Christ and Scripture. Luther refused.
Everyone knew that if he did not, the Emperor would have his head. No matter. He was in Christ’s hands. He could not deny basic Christian truths.
When debating the Lord’s Supper in 1529, whether Christ is really present in, with and under the Bread and the Wine, Luther simply stuck to Jesus’ simple words. Before a debate, he wrote on the table hidden by the table cloth, four words. “This is My body.”
Jesus said it, that’s it. God’s Word is always the trump card.
Today is the 502nd year, marking Luther’s posting of the Ninety-Five Theses in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther stood strong before the world yet humble before the Lord and His Word.
That’s a pattern worth following.
Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
