“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 2 Corinthians 13:5a

This Word of God calls upon all who call themselves “Christian” to examine and test themselves to see if they are truly in the faith. And this is indeed important, for many deceive themselves and think that all is well with their souls when, in fact, they are living in sin and unbelief!

How can you test yourself? How can you be sure you are a Christian? Consider the following questions, which are based upon both the Scriptures and Luther’s Small Catechism.

1. Are you genuinely sorry for your sins, or are you securely or intentionally continuing on in your sinful ways?

2. Do you trust in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and eternal salvation, or do you rely upon your own works or life to merit God’s acceptance of you and a place in His heavenly kingdom?

3. Do you sincerely desire, with God’s help, to amend your life and live for Christ in accord with His Word, or are you unwilling to give up some sin or evil practice in your life?

If you are not sorry for all your sins, not trusting in Christ Jesus for salvation, or are not sincerely desiring and seeking to amend your life, you fail the test and ought consider the consequence of continuing in sin and unbelief and repent before it is too late. Cf. Psalm 32; Psalm 51; 1 John 1:5 – 2:6.

The Bible tells us: “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).

The Bible also says: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Those who remain impenitent and continue on in their sinful ways will reap the end result: eternal death and damnation. But those who repent of their sins and look in faith to Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world will receive God’s pardon and forgiveness and the eternal joys of heaven for Jesus’ sake.

O Dearest Jesus, for the sake of Thy Holy life and innocent sufferings and death upon the cross, forgive me for all my sins and iniquities, cleanse my heart, and grant me the sincere desire to amend my sinful ways and live for You. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (Read verses 1-18)

God did the most amazing thing: we, being totally dead in our sins and unable to please God or come to Him, God sent His only begotten Son (the eternal Word, true God with the Father and Holy Spirit, the Creator of all things visible and invisible) into His own creation as a man to redeem mankind and give us life!

God’s Son became flesh – a true man with flesh and bones and blood, like you and me – when He was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary through the miraculous working of God’s Spirit. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us….”

Yet Jesus was not only a man, for the Apostle John writes: “we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father….” John and the other disciples witnessed Jesus’ glory in His mighty miracles, in His glorious transfiguration, and in His resurrection and ascension. There is no cause to doubt – Jesus is the very Son of God come into this world a true man.

Jesus is “full of grace and truth.” In Jesus, we see the fullness of God’s grace toward us sinners. In Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross, God’s undeserved love reached down and provided a way of salvation for lost mankind; and, in Jesus, God still reaches down to us lost and condemned sinners, offering us forgiveness of sins and life everlasting through faith in Jesus’ name.

In this sin-darkened world, God’s truth has been revealed through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the truth – only in Him is there forgiveness and life everlasting! He is “the way, the truth, and the life” and no one comes to the Father but through faith in Him (John 14:6; Cf. Acts 4:12).

O eternal God, our heavenly Father, we thank you for the gracious gift of Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior and the only true way to life everlasting. Amen.

[Scripture quoted from the King James Version of the Bible]

In Psalm 130:6-8, we read: “My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

Do you wonder if God’s people ever got tired of waiting? The opening verses of Matthew’s Gospel list 42 generations from Abraham to Christ (this doesn’t even include the generations from Adam to Abraham) – 14 from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the exile, and 14 from the exile up through Joseph, the husband of Mary the mother of Jesus.

And what of Joseph? He was the legal father of Jesus but not the actual father, for Jesus was born by the mighty working of God’s Spirit in the Virgin Mary. She was descended from Abraham and David through David’s son Nathan rather than through Solomon the ancestor of Joseph (cf. Matthew 1 and Luke 3).

Waiting and wondering when and how God would fulfill His promises had to be on their minds and, for many, their most significant role as listed in Scripture was simply being in the Messianic line and keeping that line intact until the Christ should come. Though they may not have even known it at the time, God’s plan of salvation was being fulfilled through them. Though in many cases their lives seemed no different from those of others, God was working through them to carry out His divine work of salvation.

And, imagine Joseph’s shock when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream while he was considering quietly giving Mary a certificate of divorce rather than publicly accusing her of adultery!

The angel’s message? “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:20-21).

After generations of waiting for the LORD God to “redeem Israel from all his iniquities,” the LORD God – the eternal Son of God and ceator of all things – had taken on human flesh and blood and was in the womb of the Virgin Mary that He might “save his people from their sins.”

And, of course, we know from God’s Word, how the LORD God performed what He had promised. He was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered and died under Pontius Pilate. He was crucified, dead and buried. He rose again on the third day and ascended to the right hand of God the Father in heaven. And from there, He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

And Joseph’s role? to be the husband of Mary and the caretaker and protector of the Christ Child. Joseph did what any good husband and father would do! But God chose Joseph; it was a part of God’s plan.

Followers of Jesus have been waiting and waiting for Christ Jesus to come back to establish His glorious kingdom and keep His Word. Nearly 2,000 years have passed since Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension. Generations have come and gone. Believers say with the psalmist: “My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.”

As we await the Lord’s return, our lives may seem pretty mundane. It may appear that nothing significant is taking place. We read our Bibles at home and gather Sunday after Sunday to hear God’s Word proclaimed, to offer up our prayers and praises and to receive in the Lord’s Supper the body and blood of Jesus which was given and shed for us on the cross to redeem us from all our iniquities. We come away with the assurance of sins forgiven and the promise of eternal life in heaven.

And generations pass. We too may pass before Christ returns. It seems nothing is happening.

But all who wait in faith are a part of God’s plan of salvation. We are brought to Christ in Baptism, we hear the Word proclaimed and receive Christ’s Supper and are kept trusting in Christ and awaiting His return. We bring our children to Christ in Baptism. We share with them God’s Word and point them to their Savior.

And, though our lives may seem pretty insignificant, and though we might not see it, God is carrying out His plan. Through Word and Sacrament, our children and others are brought to faith in Christ and preserved in that faith. Christ is building and establishing His eternal kingdom in plain sight though we often don’t even see it.

We are not the Messiah and we’re not even in the Messianic line, but like John the Baptist we point people to Christ, and like Joseph we stand against the assaults of the world against Christ and His Word that future generations might still hear the saving Word, receive the Sacraments and trust in Christ their Savior.

Attending church services on Sunday and partaking of the Lord’s Supper, again and again, might seem pretty mundane and insignificant, but it isn’t. God comes to us through His Word and convinces us of our sinfulness and then points us to Christ Jesus and the redemption He accomplished for us. Through Baptism we are joined to Christ and guaranteed the blessings of forgiveness and life He won for us on the cross. And, in the Lord’s Supper, we partake of Christ’s sacrifice for the sins of all that we might be assured the price has been paid, atonement made, and that we are partakers of the pardon He won when He died upon the cross for our sins and rose again.

We gather again tomorrow. We come to hear God’s Word and to receive Christ’s Supper. What happens as we gather is significant and important. God will be at work though we may not see it.

Christ would have us examine ourselves and prepare ourselves for tomorrow. And so, I ask you before God: Do you acknowledge that you are a sinner and have sinned in thought, word and deed? Do you confess and agree with God that you are guilty and deserving of his wrath and punishment? Do you trust that Christ Jesus has truly redeemed you and made atonement for all your sins? Do you also believe that Jesus, in the Sacrament, gives you to partake of His body and blood which were given and shed that your sins might be forgiven you? As a fruit of your faith, do you truly desire and seek God’s help to amend your life and live it in accord with God’s Word?

If you are truly sorry for your sins and look to Christ and His atoning sacrifice upon the cross for pardon and forgiveness, I announce unto you the grace of God and, in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

1. Why do we study the Bible? About what does it teach us?

2 Timothy 3:14-17: “Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

1 Peter 2:2: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

We study the Bible because it is the inspired Word of God and it teaches us about salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Through the study of the Bible, we learn the true doctrine and teaching of God, and we are taught how to walk in His ways.

2. What is unique and special about the Bible?

2 Peter 1:19-21: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

1 Corinthians 2:13: “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

2 Samuel 23:1-2: “Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.”

The Bible is special and unique because it is God’s Word to man. It was not written by the will of man. God Himself moved men to write and guided and directed them in the thoughts they expressed and in the words they wrote.

3. Does the Bible have mistakes and errors in it?

Proverbs 30:5: “Every word of God is pure.”

Psalm 119:160: “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”

John 17:17: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

John 10:35: “The scripture cannot be broken.”

All that the Bible teaches and says is true because it is inspired by God Himself and is His Word.

4. Has the Word of God been corrupted or lost?

Psalm 119:89: “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

Isaiah 40:8: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

1 Peter 1:24-25: “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

Not only did God give His Word by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He has and continues to preserve His Word as a true and faithful witness to all the people in the world of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

5. What does God say about changing His Word – adding to it or taking away from it?

Deuteronomy 4:2: “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”

Matthew 5:18-19: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot [smallest Hebrew letter] or one tittle [smallest part of a Hebrew letter] shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Revelation 22:18-19: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Jeremiah 23:28: “He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.”

God forbids us to change His Word – to add to it or to take away from it. We are to speak and teach it faithfully. For this reason, we use great care to teach nothing more and nothing less than what God has revealed to us in the Bible. And we seek to use translations of God’s Word which are fully faithful to those texts which God has preserved and which have been widely used by the churches down through the centuries.

6. What use should we make of God’s Word?

Luke 11:28: “Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

Psalm 119:97: “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.”

We should read and study the Bible, learn its teachings and meditate upon it because it is God’s Word to us. It teaches us of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and it also teaches us how to live for our Lord and Savior.

Look in the front of your Bible at the listing of books there. You will find our Bible has a total of 66 books – 39 Old Testament Books and 27 New Testament Books. Memorize these books of the Bible in order so that you can easily find them when studying God’s Word. Also, memorize the Bible passages listed above – if you can, memorize them all – they are God’s Word and will help you learn of Him and grow in your faith in Christ Jesus.

SUMMARY

We believe that all of the Bible and each and every word of the Bible (the 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament canonical books) were given by inspiration of God and are therefore the true and unerring Word of God (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13; John 10:35; 17:17; 2 Samuel 23:1-2). We also believe that the Word of God has not been lost or corrupted, but has been faithfully preserved by God down through the centuries as a witness to all the nations (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:25; Matthew 24:14,35). We believe that it is still accurately recorded in the Hebrew Masoretic and Greek Majority (or Received) Texts, and that it can be read and studied in faithful Bible translations, such as Luther’s German Bible, the King James Version and New King James Version of the Bible, and other faithful translations. We reject and discourage the use of texts and translations of the Bible which are unfaithful and thus corrupt the Word of God (Deuteronomy 4:2; Jeremiah 23:28; Matthew 5:18-19; Revelation 22:18-19).

Since all of the Bible is God’s true and unerring Word, we teach that the Bible is to be the source and judge of all Christian Doctrine. What is not in accord with God’s Word is not to be taught as Christian Doctrine (Isaiah 8:20; Jeremiah 23:28-32; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Acts 17:11).

The Bible is also its own interpreter; thus, passage interpretations which are not in agreement with other clear passages of Holy Scripture are to be rejected (2 Peter 1:20-21; Isaiah 8:20). We teach that the Bible is to be diligently studied and heard; for it reveals to mankind the only way of salvation, which is through faith in Christ Jesus, and it guides the Christian in living according to God’s Holy will (John 5:39; 20:31; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Psalm 119:105).

“Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” Matthew 11:2-3 (Read v. 2-15)

Whether John the Baptist had questions concerning Jesus or wished to point his own disciples to Jesus we don’t know for sure, but he did, from prison, send two of his disciples to Jesus with the question: “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?”

Notice that Jesus’ answer was not just an affirmative claim but clear evidence of fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. After healing many and casting out evil spirits in their presence (Luke 7:17ff.), “Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” (Matt. 11:4-6; Cf. Isa, 35:4ff.; 42:5ff.; 61:1ff.)

Indeed, the one who does not stumble and fall in regard to faith in Jesus as the Messiah (the Christ) and Savior is blessed, as Jesus said.

What about you? Do you ever have questions or doubts about Jesus as to whether He is the promised Messiah and Savior of the world? Consider His works! He opened the eyes of the blind, healed those who were lame, cleansed lepers, opened the ears of the deaf and raised the dead, including rising from the dead Himself on the third day after being crucified and dying for the sins of all. And Jesus proclaimed the gospel to the poor – to those destitute of their own righteousness before God, to those who were guilty and stood condemned under the holy law of God. To them, Jesus preached release, forgiveness and entrance into God’s kingdom through faith alone in His name.

And who was John? Jesus asked the multitudes what they went out into the wilderness to see? Was it a reed shaken with the wind – one that easily swayed in his teaching to accommodate the popular winds of doctrine? No, John was unbending in his doctrine, calling upon all, including kings and religious rulers, to repent. Was it a man dressed in soft, expensive clothing like that worn of kings or of the priests and rulers of the Jews? No, for John dressed coarsely in a garment of camel’s hair, much like Elijah, and wore a leather belt around his waist. In fact, in many ways, John and Jesus were opposites in their food and drink. John drank no wine and ate locusts and wild honey, and Jesus drank wine and ate a variety of foods, and many of their hearers were critical of both (Matt. 11:16-19).

Jesus said John was a prophet, greater than all the Old Testament prophets because he was sent to prepare the people for the coming of the LORD God, their Messiah and Savior.

Jesus said (Matt. 11:9-11): “But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Jesus called John the Elijah who was to come (v. 14).

Jesus said (Matt. 11:12-13) “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”

Though many of the Jewish leaders rejected both the baptism of John and the ministry of Jesus (cf. Luke 7:29-30; 36ff.), many people – including tax collectors and known sinners – were pressing their way into God’s kingdom. They took hold of the Gospel in faith and looked to Jesus as their Messiah and Savior and took God’s kingdom of grace for themselves with the same fervor as conquering soldiers take a kingdom and seize the spoils of war.

And what about us? Do we receive the preaching of John the Baptist and of Jesus and repent of our sinful ways, looking to Jesus and his cross for mercy and forgiveness? John preached a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4); and Jesus preached that all people should repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15). Jesus also commanded His disciples to preach “repentance and remission of sins … in his name among all nations” (Luke 24:46-47), and so we preach today.

Are we, like so many of Jesus hearers, rejecting the idea that we need to repent? Are we critical of Jesus for offering mercy and forgiveness to the religious traitors and lowlifes of His day? Or, do we take the preaching of John and of Jesus lightly and go about our lives impenitent and seeing no need for repentance and faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus?

Sad to say, I don’t see people breaking down the doors to get in and hear the Gospel. Though, as Jesus said, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John because we can proclaim the fulfilled Gospel – the message that Christ died on the cross to atone for our sins and the sins of the world and then rose again in victory on the third day – how many desire to hear that Gospel?

Instead, people criticize the preachers – some for being too formal and liturgical and others for being too casual and contemporary. Preachers are required to be faithful stewards of God’s Word, of Christ’s message (1 Cor. 4:1ff.). Whether dressed in formal robes or a garment of camel’s hair, they are commanded and required to preach “repentance and remission of sins” in Jesus’ name among all the nations (Luke 24:46-47; Mark 16:15-16; Matt. 28:18-20; John 20:22-23). Woe unto preachers if they don’t – if they are like reeds shaken with the wind! And, woe unto the hearers who fail to repent of their sinful ways and look to Jesus and His cross for mercy and forgiveness!

Blessed is the one who is not offended in Christ Jesus!

O dearest Jesus, grant us ears to hear and hearts to believe the Gospel. By Your Holy Spirit’s working through the Gospel, grant that we repent of our sinful ways and to look to You and Your sacrifice on the cross for mercy, forgiveness and life everlasting. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]