A New Christian Is Sorely Tempted

Q: I recently gave my life completely to Jesus Christ, and promised to walk with Him forever. I have now been getting evil and bad thoughts, such as hurting Jesus, hurting children, etc. Do you believe they are attacks from the devil? I ask God to rid me of these and confess them: Does He forgive?

A: Let’s look at what you’ve written and what you’re facing from a few different angles. First, the evil thoughts themselves: Do they come regularly, at odd intervals, or constantly? How do you envision hurting Jesus or children? Are these general thoughts of malice or are they clear and specific? Have they become any more frequent, vivid, or intense over time?

I don’t examine you so I can deal directly with your problem: You need to take our discussion here to your own pastor and, perhaps, your own family. Whether this temptation comes from within or without, it sounds serious.

I don’t know enough to help determine whether these are direct “attacks from the devil” or whether you are forming them within yourself. (And yes, Christians still have their old, sinful natures struggling against God and His will for us.) Furthermore, living in a fallen, sin-damaged world, burdens many of us with various emotional and mental afflictions which may lead us to think or act in ways contrary to Scripture and rational thought. Some temptations come directly from the devil and the evil angels. Others are demonic forces preying upon our personal weaknesses. Still others flow directly from our own brokenness.

You need to examine the situation carefully so others closer to you can help you make the right decisions concerning addressing and treating these thoughts. With what I’ve already asked, here are some other questions which can help you receive fuller aid and comfort. Have you always had some form of these thoughts? Were you raised in a climate of fear or violence? Following your conversion, were there any other events which might have triggered or released pent-up rage, violence, or aggression? In other areas of your life (family, job, etc.), have you been feeling more pressure or hostility directed toward yourself?

You may be facing a purely spiritual problem. More likely, it involves spiritual and mental issues. You may need ministerial and medical assistance. Your pastor can work directly with you on the sinfulness of the desires, the assaults of Satan, and your need for forgiveness and peace in Christ while a doctor or counselor helps in diagnosing and treating other aspects of your affliction.

As I’ve written before on Christians and mental health, Satan uses our own weakness and illness as tools for temptation. Depending upon our own circumstances, he may tempt us to resist treatment out of guilt or shame, causing us to think, “It’s my fault that I’m not stronger,” or “I’m obviously not worthy of God’s love.” We may be moved to despair, doubting God’s love and His unceasing presence in our lives.

As God works physical healing through doctors and nurses and spiritual health through the ministrations of pastors, so He desires emotional and mental healing and provides counsel and medication. If this is part of what you need, trust that He’ll not love you less nor be less a part of your life. Indeed, if you find yourself more helpless than you thought, you’ll encounter even more completely the God whose “power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)”

Finally, I need to spend a moment with you concerning your giving your life to Jesus. From our perspective, it seems that this is what we do. In actuality, He comes to us and makes us His own: We “give ourselves” to Him only as we respond to Him giving Himself to us.

While we may fail our well-intentioned promises to Him, He will never fail in His promises to us. It’s vital that you understand this as you struggle with temptation!

When we base our relationship with God upon our own thoughts and actions, we set ourselves up for calamity. Especially in times of testing, when we realize how weak and shifting our faith can be, we need to know that God is infinitely unchanging, overwhelmingly powerful, and ever gracious. If we consider ourselves saved because we “decided” to align ourselves with God, we may then “un-decide” and go back to our old, sinful ways. Be confident: God chose you, claimed you, baptized you, and constantly comes to you through Word and Spirit; now He works to continually convince you that He won’t abandon you in your great need.

So, whether the temptation comes from within, without, or through both, know that “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)” Doubtless, Jesus heard the devil’s lies in whispers and in roars. He knew the pain He would face if He stayed the course and delivered Himself up to be crucified. Yet He still did it — out of love for you, me, and all mankind. This love you may call upon in every trouble.

Please, honestly and completely provide yourself with answers to my questions and any others which you might ask yourself. Print out this reply with your response and take them to your pastor and, as you may need, to a competent and concerned physician or counselor. Don’t let Satan talk, guilt, or shame you out of seeking the help you need to address the fulness of your problems so that you might also receive the fulness of God’s healing, both through His Word of grace and mediated through the ministrations of those people He sends to help you. Yes, dear friend, He does forgive. He also heals or gives strength to carry on through all your afflictions.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Reformation and Halloween

Aardvark Alley touches upon both topics in All Hallows' Eve and the Dawn of the Reformation. Includes a humorous view of Luther as originator of the “Reforween pumpkin.”

Becoming a Christian

Q: It seems that I’m being drawn toward the Christian Church through conversations with friends. My question, which it may seem like I'm avoiding, is thus: how do I go about becoming a Christian. Are there prerequisites that would stop me from becoming one or any such thing?

A: It all comes down to belief in Christ as Savior. This means knowing Him as true God and true man, believing that He suffered, died, and was buried, that He bodily rose, and that He will return in judgment to bring the believers to heaven.

Different churches emphasize different things, but true Christians all practice baptism, since it is not only a washing away of sins but also a means by which God names and claims you as His own. Some church bodies deny baptismal regeneration and only treat it as a symbolic act, but even if they don’t realize what God does through it, God doesn’t stop the doing. Thus, if you have not yet been baptized, it will be part of your formal entry into the Christian Church. However, since the Word of God is already actively working in your heart, you may already be a Christian, although one still searching and, perhaps, a bit confused.

Entry and participation in the Church also includes repentance. True repentance means not only knowing that you are a sinner and even sorry, but desiring to turn away from your sins and toward God and a life of righteousness. Since you have already been led in this direction, we have evidence that He is already active in you, for natural man does not choose God. Only when God works in and on us can we work in response. Thus, although you may not be fully incorporated into the church, you are either already a Christian or are standing in the doorway, being led in by the work of the Holy Spirit.

In the Lutheran Church, as in many others, there is a time of instruction, or “catechesis.” If done well, catechesis not only covers basic doctrine (teaching and beliefs) but also many of the practices. When I teach adult or youth instruction classes, I not only speak of what we do in worship, prayer, Bible study, and the like, but also why we do it, what the historical context is, and how God works through these actions.

Much of Lutheran catechesis is done on the basis of the Small Catechism, as illustrated by the accompanying graphic. This brief summary of Biblical doctrine covers what we call the Six Chief Parts of Christian Doctrine. The Ten Commandments summarize God’s Law, as depicted by the stone tablets which Moses received on Mount Sinai. The Apostles’ Creed confesses God, including who He is and what He does, with an emphasis on our salvation. The graphic symbolizes the Creed through the outpouring hand (the Father), the central cross (the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord), and the dove (the Holy Spirit).

Prayer, our talking to God, includes the Our Father (or Lord’s Prayer). The visual for this is the praying hands. Baptism in the name of the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is depicted by the shell and three drops of water. The Fifth Chief Part involves repentance, confession, and forgiveness. The key symbolizes Absolution, since forgiveness unlocks heaven for the believer. The Lord’s Supper, wherein we receive the body and blood of our Savior with the earthly elements of bread and wine is shown by the chalice and host — a technical term for the “wafer” of bread often used in Communion.

I don’t know where you are or I’d offer to help find a pastor to sit and talk with you. As it is, I pray that you are led to someone who will feed you the pure Word of God and teach you the blessings of forgiveness and of eating and drinking the body and blood of Christ. May you be taught the truth of Holy Scripture, which, as Paul notes, “is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)”

God give you the humility, the courage, the honesty, and — above all — the faith to continue your pilgrimage into the Church and, through your life in it, to everlasting life.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Purgatory

Q: What is the origin of the word purgatory? What do you think purgatory is?

A: Its origin is the same as our English word “purge.” Some think of it as a place where the debt of sin is paid by those who will eventually go to heaven, but who still owe some penance when they died. The idea of such a place wasn’t new within Christianity; other religions also had ideas about a place where an ultimate purification takes place before souls are allowed to enter their final rest.

In Christendom, the teaching was most fully developed in Roman Catholicism, whose Catechismus Romanus, I, vi, 3 says, “Besides [hell] there is a purging fire, by which the souls of the pious, tormented for a set time, are purified, so that they might enter the eternal fatherland, into which nothing defiled enters.” However, The Greek Orthodox Catechism (New York, 1960) states, “Scripture … has never expressed anything whatever concerning a third state, such as a temporary Purgatory.”

Lutherans consistently deny the existence of such a place and condemn its teaching as being unscriptural, indefensible, and insulting to Christ. The Bible never speaks of us repaying all our debt for our sins against others, since we can never do this. With Scripture, the Lutheran Church teaches that Christ’s death not only removes the guilt of our sins, but also any punishment we deserve or debt that we owe.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Levels of Heaven and Hell

Q: Are there different levels to heaven or hell? If so, what are they?

A. Regarding hell, unbelievers will suffer condemnation and eternal separation from God in both body and soul (see Matthew 18:8; 25:46; Mark 9:43; John 3:36; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Jude 13; Revalation 14:11). While the damned will experience indescribable torment, varying degrees may be determined by the nature of the sins to be punished (Matthew 11:20-24; 23:15; Luke 12:47-48).

As for what some term the “degrees of glory” in heaven, the Scriptures depict eternal life as a state of never-ending “blessedness.” This means that Christians will live forever in perfect freedom from sin, death, the devil, and every evil (Isaiah 25:8; 49:10; 1 Corinthians 15:26, 55-57; Revelation 2:7, 11; 20:14; 21:4). They will also enjoy the never-ending joy of being with God in the new heavens and new earth (e.g., Revelation 21-22; Psalm 16:11). Falling away from God will be impossible.

This blessedness includes the joy of being in eternal communion with our fellow believers. Matthew 17:3 hints that we may well recognize them when we are translated to glory. While all the saints will enjoy unlimited happiness and blessed peace, there will be degrees of glory corresponding to differences of deeds and faithfulness while on earth. This will result in even greater praise to God but will provoke no envy among the saved (see 2 Corinthians 9:6; Matthew 20:23).

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Alone but not Lonely: The Solas of Theology

The Lutheran Reformation: Restoration, not Reinvention

Since I write as a Lutheran, I like to pause once in a while to sum up portions of our theology or history. Since the Reformation began on 31 October 1517, I often devote a column near this time of year to expressing something that makes our confession unique.

In line with Holy Scripture, the Lutheran Church confesses that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ. Solely in the revealed Word of God do we discover that God saves us only by His grace, only through faith in Christ alone, as expressed in Romans 1:17, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Likewise, Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Based on such truth, our theologians made various expressions in order to clarify that human works play absolutely no part in our salvation.

Our Lutheran forefathers were not innovators: They aligned themselves with earlier generations who confessed the fullness of God’s saving work in Christ, denying any authoritative word outside of Scripture, and relying solely upon God’s grace and Spirit-created faith to be forgiven, justified, and at peace with the Father. It’s worth reviewing a bit of what Christians through the ages have said and believed about what came to be known as the “solas” of Reformation Christianity.

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)

“Regarding the things I say, I should supply even the proofs, so I will not seem to rely on my own opinions, but rather, prove them with Scripture, so that the matter will remain certain and steadfast. (John Chrysostom)”

“We are not content simply because this is the tradition of the Fathers. What is important is that the Fathers followed the meaning of the Scripture. (Basil the Great)”

“The holy and inspired Scriptures are fully sufficient for the proclamation of the truth. (Athanasius)”

Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)

“After speaking of the wages of sin, in the case of blessings, he has not kept to the same order: for [Paul] does not say, the wages of your good deeds, but the gift of God: to show, that it was not of themselves that they were freed, nor was it a due they received, neither yet a return, nor a recompense of labors, but by grace all these things came about. (Chrysostom)”

“Let no man glory in works, for by his works no man shall be justified, for he that is just hath a free gift.... (Ambrose)”

Sola Fide (Faith Alone)

“We ... are not justified by ourselves, or our own wisdom or understanding or godliness, nor by such deeds as we have done in holiness of heart, but by that faith through which Almighty God has justified all men since the beginning of time. (Clement of Rome)”

“Human beings can be saved from the ancient serpent in no other way than by believing in Him who, when He was raised up from the earth on the tree of martyrdom in the likeness of sinful flesh, drew all things to Himself and gave life to the dead. (Irenaeus)”

“They said that he who adhered to faith alone was cursed; but he, Paul, shows that he who adhered to faith alone is blessed. (Chrysostom)”

Solus Christus (Christ Alone)

“Take therefore first, as an indestructible foundation, the Cross, and build upon it the other articles of the faith. (Cyril of Jerusalem)”

“God is a great lover of man. He did not hesitate to surrender His Son as prey in order to spare His servant. He surrendered His only-begotten to purchase hard-hearted servants. He paid the blood of His Son as the price. O the philanthropy of the Master! And do not tell me again, ‘I sinned a lot; how can I be saved?’ You cannot save yourself, but your Master can, and to such a great degree as to obliterate your sins.... He wipes out the sins so completely that not a single trace of them remains. (Chrysostom)”

Conclusion

The Lutheran Reformation begat no novelties but was grounded in and returned to the confession of the early Christian Church. Lutheranism is no “lonely” voice, speaking a foreign language among Christ’s people. By confessing Christ alone, faith alone, grace alone, and Scripture alone, we stand among the faithful and orthodox “cloud of witnesses” as we “run with endurance the race that is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)” True Lutherans of this day continue to believe and confess these ancient truths. In general, these solas form the bedrock of Lutheran theology; in particular, they show the presuppositions this writer will always hold as he answers questions on Scripture, faith, and life.

In keeping with this, and in closing today’s column, I offer one final “lone” statement, used by Lutheran composer and theologian Johann Sebastian Bach: “Soli deo gloria — to God alone the glory!” For only when we confess Christ alone, Scripture alone, faith alone, and grace alone, do we rightly glorify Him who sent His Son to die for our sins.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Quotes from the Church fathers are in the public domain.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Ninth Lutheran Carnival

Be Strong in the Grace hosts the wide-ranging and enjoyable blogging of Lutheran Carnival IX.

Church Membership and Second Baptism

Q: I have two questions. First, do you have to become a member of the Church and is that what Jesus wants us to do? Second, if you were baptized as an infant, do you have to be baptized again?

A: You don’t become a member so much as you are made one by Baptism, the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit. God calls us by the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins through the Holy Ghost to become His children and His Church. Thus, if you are a Christian, you are in the Christian Church and, as able to participate, a member of a specific Christian congregation. A believing Christian wants to belong to a gathering of Christians who truly believe and practice Christ’s Word. We are not called to be free agents, but members of the body of Christ. We are supported, encouraged, and corrected by our fellow believers.

Gathering together as believers is what Christians do. While there are imperatives, the New Man desires this assembly. Unfortunately, the new creature we are in Christ is constantly opposed by the Old Adam, our sinful nature. This wretched creature needs to hear the imperatives and threats of God’s Law.

Drawn by the Gospel and the Holy Spirit, the believer gladly and willingly joins with like-believing people, as evidenced by the earliest Christians: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Acts 2:42)” At the same, our weak and foolish old, sinful selves need to hear warnings such as given in Hebrews 10: “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (vv. 24-25)”

As for Baptism, some church bodies practice multiple baptisms when one joins a new congregations. Lutherans, with the majority of Christendom, confess the truth of the Nicene Creed, which professes “one Baptism for the remission of sins.” This is because in Baptism, God places His holy Name on you and makes you His child. Since He does not go back on His words, no repeat is necessary, even should we withdraw from Him for a time.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

The Humanity and Deity of Christ

Q: Why is it vital to Christianity to believe in the deity of Jesus Christ? I am aware that the Scriptures plainly teach the deity of Christ and for that reason alone I believe Jesus to be God (2nd person or eternal subsistence in the Godhead). My question is why was it necessary that the Redeemer be God? I have read it repeatedly “salvation required that Jesus be both fully God and fully man.” Regarding the “fully man,” I have found detailed explanations for why. As for “fully God,” it never seems to be much more than the statement itself.

A: God demands perfection. He did not find this in man; He had to supply it in and of Himself. Also, the Scriptures tell us that we cannot pay for another’s sins. We can’t even pay for our own sins. Thus, the value of the sacrifice had to meet or exceed the worth of those being ransomed. There’s also the need for the strength and stamina to carry the burden of being Messiah on earth for over thirty years, to wrestle with and win against Satan and his temptations, and to remain absolutely committed to obeying the Father’s will. For these reasons and others, no man could have possibly been Savior.

Yet as you noted in your question, it was also necessary that He be man, since God cannot die, since it was man’s sin and man must pay the price, and the like. These reasons meant that God could not be Savior.

It was only through the God-man Jesus Christ, the Suffering Servant foretold by Isaiah, that our salvation was accomplished.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Losing Salvation and Eternal Guarantee

Q: I am curious: Can you lose salvation? I know that at times I slip away and live my life the way I want to live it and then some event will happen and I’ll come back to Christ. Do I need to continually renew my faith in Him or is my salvation set? Am I guaranteed a “spot” so to speak in heaven even when I am not very faithful? Also, some people say that all you need to do is believe that Jesus Christ is your Savior and you’re in heaven. Others say that you can believe but not necessarily will you get into heaven if you don’t live a Christian lifestyle. Which is it? I’ve always believed that you need to believe and that the more Christ-centered your life is, the more rewards in heaven.

A: Anyone who believes in Christ and who he is and what he has accomplished is saved. This is clear from Scripture. Yet people who have faith may cease to believe and they lose their salvation.

Renewing your faith is not possible — if you try to do it. However, God renews your faith through the preaching of the Gospel, by forgiving your sins, and by feeding you with the body and blood of his Son in Holy Communion. When you know Jesus as your Savior, you then are drawn to God and desire to be where his Word is preached in its truth and purity.

Belief is all that is necessary, yet no one can believe without also acting on that faith. That’s why James could write, “Faith without works is dead.” It’s not that we please God by doing good. Instead, God is already pleased with us because we are his children by adoption in Baptism and we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. And since our Father loves us so much and Jesus did so much for us, the Holy Spirit moves us to respond in true worship and in love for one another.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Modern American Girl Misses "Old Fashioned" Values

Check out Aardvark Alley’s detailing problems with the American Girl company’s support of the Girls Inc. organization, including involvement with abortion rights, in American Girl: Surface Values, Hidden Agenda.

Lutheran-Catholic Differences

Q: Why do Lutherans dislike the Catholics?

A: Some misguided Lutherans dislike Catholics, it is true. Of course, some misguided Catholics dislike Lutherans, too. Dislike, however, is not what should determine our discussion. Instead, we should focus on differences and similarities, especially in doctrine.

By your question, I assume that you mean members of the Roman Catholic Church. True Lutherans realize that we are also catholic Christians; that is, we are members of the Una Sancta, the one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We disagree with the idea that the Roman Church holds the monopoly on being “catholic” and that “no salvation outside the Church” means “no salvation outside Roman Catholicism.” However, we teach that if you are not a “catholic” Christian, then you are of a sect or a cult.

Our understanding, based on the Scriptures, the Creeds, and our Lutheran Confessions is that the true Church is made up of all believers on earth and of all the saints at rest. This is what “catholic” truly means. With this in mind, we see “Roman Catholic,” in its fullest understanding, as a contradiction: One cannot be both “Roman” and “catholic” &mdash Romanism subdivides and shrinks catholic Christianity.

Christ’s Church is not only universal, but also eternal. Our worship spans time and space as we stand in awe with Moses at the burning bush, are amazed with Gideon at wet fleece with dry ground and dry fleece with wet ground, sing praises and make confession with David, fall in fear with Peter, James, and John as Christ is transfigured, and gather around the throne of God and the Lamb with all the company of heaven.

This Church is not owned, controlled, or founded by any person, entity, or place other than Jesus. It is the Bride of Christ, bought by his blood, called by the Holy Ghost through water and the Word, and nourished by the Gospel of forgiveness and the body and blood of Christ in the Lord’s Supper.

Lutherans (officially and doctrinally) have problems with much of Roman dogma. This includes the papacy, regulations regarding celibacy, diet, and such, required confession and enumeration of sins, invocation of the saints, and an apostolic succession based upon who touched whom rather than the transmission of the apostolic Word which is, again, the Gospel.

Some American Lutherans fell into the Protestant trap of loathing all things (and people) Roman Catholic, rejecting individual confession, clerical vestments, the ancient and holy Liturgy, the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day, and the like. Because they equate these practices with the papacy, they think that everyone who follows them is guilty of “Romanizing” the Christian Faith. These are also more likely to harbor other anti-Catholic sentiments, including dislike of individual members of that church.

This is a far cry from Luther and those reformers who worked most closely with him. “We do not abolish the Mass,” they wrote; instead, they celebrated it every Sunday, feast day, and whenever the people asked for it. They rejected private masses, since they taught that the Supper is for the whole congregation, that it benefits only those who eat and drink, and that it is useless and wrong for priests to eat and drink on behalf of others, whether dead or alive. They also removed the Canon of the Mass with its focus on the merits of the saints and other obscuring of Christ.

They kept and encouraged individual confession and Holy Absolution, abolishing only Penance, forced confession, and the requirement that all sins be enumerated — for Scripture tells us that we cannot make restitution for our sins, that repentance is based on faith and not force, and that no one can number and recite all his sins, for they are too many.

Yet for all the differences in doctrine, we still have much common ground and it is shameful to look down upon Lutherans, Catholics, or any other true Christians who know and believe in Jesus Christ, the God-man as Savior and Lord. However, when genuine doctrinal differences exist, it is also shameful to pretend that they don’t, especially when they touch directly upon the salvation of sinners.

Note: Catholic-Lutheran Comparison, an earlier posting, contains related material.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Interracial Marriage

Q: Do you know how many interracial marriages there are in the Bible and who they are?

A: As noted in a previous post, the Bible doesn’t speak much of race as a factor in marriage. It focuses on belief.

With what I already wrote, I here add a few examples from Scripture: We know that Rahab of Jericho and Ruth of Moab both married into Israel, and both were in Jesus’ human line. So was Bathsheba, whose name means “Daughter of Sheba.” Ruth was sort of a “shirttail cousin” to Boaz, since Moab was descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot through his incestuous relationship with his daughter after Sodom fell. We cannot identify the race of Bathsheba.

As far as the Bible is concerned, it appears that race is a non-issue. While it sounds like a cliche, the only race that truly matters to God is the human race.

Nations might be important at certain times, but relationship with God is the only real factor that is mentioned over and over when the Lord speaks of who should marry whom. A Christian should seek to marry another Christian, as Saint Paul wrote, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)”

In 1 Corinthians 7:12-16, Paul detailed his own thoughts should one spouse come to faith after marriage while the other remains unbelieving: God can work through the believing spouse to convert the unbeliever. However, if the unbeliever decides to end the marriage, the Lord allows the believer to let the other go in good conscience.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Emotions and Faith

Q: How do people’s emotions effect or play a role in their love for Christ?

A: Emotion, like intellect, must be subject to faith. If thoughts or feelings get ahead of trust in Christ and His saving work, they can lead us astray. The negative emotions certainly deserve much blame. Often, because people don’t feel loved or saved or forgiven, but instead feel hated, lost, and guilty, they assume that God ignores or hates them.

Conversely, the positive feelings, such as romantic love, friendship, and loyalty elevate our feelings about ourselves and we can become like strong, rugged, and boastful Peter — who bragged that he would never desert Jesus before running away, then denying Him three times.

So Christians pray that God would take captive all our feelings, using them in a manner that benefits us and blesses those around us. And when feelings point us in one direction or thoughts in another, we ask that God would, instead, guide us by His Word and Holy Spirit.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Increasing Lutheran Visibility

Aardvark Alley’s latest post lists ideas for exposing more good, orthodox, confessional Lutheran blogging to a wider audience. It's as simple as talking about and linking to other Lutheran bloggers.

Translating, Copyrighting, and Profiting from God’s Word

Q: The radio show Issues, Etc. recently covered the topic of the number of different versions of the Bible. The statement that there are so many English translations because publishing houses want to sell study Bibles but don’t want to pay royalties to those holding copyright on existing Bibles surprised me. How can anyone hold a copyright on God’s Holy word? This doesn’t seem like correct use of the copyright laws, at least as I understand them.

A: God never applied for copyright either directly or through Scripture’s human authors. He says, “My Word ... shall accomplish that which I purpose,” and it “shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)” Since most of this column’s readers don’t understand Hebrew, I gave you the words in English. And since I chose to quote the translation of another rather than do the translating myself, I’ll be sensitive to the copyright held by Crossway Bibles, the publisher of the English Standard Version, which I usually use for my preaching, teaching, and writing.

I can and do cobble together decent translations from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. But in order to share information easily and widely, I like being able to quote and point people to an existing translation. In most circumstances, the ESV does fine for this, although I think there are areas where it misses the point of a word, a phrase, or a concept.

Translation deficiency holds true regardless of the version we choose to cite. The archaic words and sentence structures of the Authorized Version (a.k.a., the King James Version) make it difficult for many modern readers to follow. Some more modern texts are too wooden: They strive so much for word-by-word accuracy that they make easy English reading impossible. Others try so hard for readability that they miss or gloss over important points. Meanwhile, translators carry presuppositions to the task of rendering one language into another. Some will choose obscure alternate meanings or completely botch a text in order to make their own theological points.

Consider Acts 3:19-21 as an example. Speaking of the ascended Jesus Christ, Peter talked about His return to bless us. However, translations vary on Christ’s heavenly dwelling in verse 21. Of Him, the Authorized Version says, “Whom the heaven must receive.” Likewise, the ESV says, “Whom heaven must receive.” However, the NIV editors, seemingly uncomfortable with the communication of Christ’s attributes, appear unwilling to believe that Jesus’ body can be in one location (heaven) while still filling Creation and also being established specifically and locally in Holy Communion. Thus, the NIV says, “He must remain in heaven.” Remain! As if God just parked Jesus until the end of time!

We must choose translations carefully, checking veracity as we are able, for every translation is an interpretation and, ultimately, a paraphrase. Yet God speaks to us through these just as He does when He calls pastors to preach His Word with power. So, if you hear me preach, you might say that you’ve heard God’s Word in the Walt Snyder Version.

Now we return to “rights” and paying for something God gave for free. Nothing in Scripture says that honest labor should not receive fair compensation: Quite the opposite, the Word calls for the laborer to receive his wages. Publishers pay people to translate, edit, typeset, print, bind, and distribute the Bible. Thus God gives people their daily bread.

The program probably was correct about those who retranslate just to save a buck: This doesn’t seem congruent with an unimpeded spread of God’s Word. Yet as long as languages grow and change, words alter in meaning. Compare, for example, the use of “prevent” or “suffer” in the AV with modern usage. Or see Psalm 16:7, where the AV says, “My reins also instruct me in the night seasons.” Modern readers might see the psalmist imagining having straps coming from his mouth like a horse. Yet the ESV says, “In the night also my heart instructs me.”

The translators of the AV understood “reins” to mean the kidneys, loins, or lower back and the Hebrew word is probably best literally translated “kidneys.” Still, this makes little sense to us. We don’t consider the kidneys to be the seat of emotion, as did the ancient Hebrews. Besides “heart,” the modern translator might also choose “gut” (as in “gut feeling”) to make an accurate yet communicative translation. But reins are out, and so, for most people, is the AV’s rendering.

Thus, we’re back to the need for accurate modern translations and the need to fairly compensate those who provide them. God allows free distribution of His Word, yet He also allows those who bring it to us to feed themselves and raise their families. If He encourages fair compensation for those who preach the Word (see 1 Timothy 5:17-18 and 1 Corinthians 9:3-12 as examples), do you think He would starve those who translate these ancient languages into our modern tongues?

Added note: On 2 November 2005, the ESV Blog cited this post, saying that it replaced their “too dull” comments on trademark law and noting that it “addresses the occasionally asked question of how a publisher can justify selling and holding a copyright on a translation of the Bible. He provides a good introduction to the issue.”

Except as noted, Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Passages marked NIV are quoted from the New International Version®, © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society.

Passages marked AV are quoted from the Authorized Version of 1611 and are in the public domain.

Graphic taken and modified from the Copyright Symbol Page at the Copyright Authority Website.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Sinner and Saint: Why Do I Do Wrong?

Q: I try my hardest to live in the truth but sin of course takes over sometimes, so I repent. But if I don’t follow God’s commandments 24/7 then I’m not living in the truth and I’m a liar. I’m so confused; what do I do?

A: God’s divine Law always accuses. Even Saint Paul could speak of what a wretched man he was, saying, “I do not understand my own actions.” The good he knew to do, he didn’t and the evil he knew not to do, he did (Romans 7:15-20). During the following centuries, this teaching became obscured in Christendom. Beginning with Luther, Evangelical theologians refocused the Church’s attention on the state of being simil iustus et peccator; that is, the Christian is simultaneously sinner and saint and the sinner hears and fears.

Yet the saint knows that when these words of condemnation strike home, there is a place to go. And that place is God’s grace in Christ. The forgiveness of sins we receive then becomes motivation, as we desire to thank and praise God by loving Him with all our heart, soul, and strength and loving neighbor as self.

When you hear God tell you through His Word and your conscience that you have sinned and this knowledge deeply hurts you, yet you also know and trust that Christ died for you, then you know that you are a believer, for an unbeliever would not be so wounded, nor have such consolation. Flee to the cross, to the Word, and to the pastor God has called to pronounce Christ’s forgiveness to you.

It’s a paradox of the Faith that those who know most well their sins and shortcomings often also know most well the love of God in Christ and cherish most their forgiveness. These same people are then often the ones who dedicate themselves to service, ever striving for the perfection God demands — not to earn salvation, but to thank Him for the salvation earned by Jesus’ suffering and death.

Looking at the other side of the coin, those who best know their loving Savior and His gracious Father are also most conscious of their sinfulness. And when they fail (as we believers always do) they are genuinely upset and turn again away from their sin and back to the throne of grace. Through this, God builds the endurance and hope that will not be disappointed (see Romans 5).

It’s vitally important that as we accept this Scriptural truth, we don’t drift into some form of dualism. In its most basic form, this philosophy posits that good and evil are co-original and equally powerful in the cosmos.

Concerning individuals, dualism usually becomes some sort of a percentage game, where we see ourselves as part good and part bad. However, when we return to the Word, we return to simil iustus et peccator. Scripture professes that all are born totally sinful and that sin inhabits every part of the believer’s being while at the same time he is absolutely forgiven and a perfect saint in the eyes of the Lord: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. (Romans 7:24-25)”

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Killing and the Death Penalty

Q: The Bible says that the penalty for sin is death, but it also says don’t kill. How is this?

A: You’re not the first Christian to ask this question. Along with others, I’ve wrestled with this myself and have consulted those wiser than I (including Martin Luther, who wrote a great essay to Christians who were soldiers). The short answer is that as individuals we are commanded not to kill. However, as Paul reminds us, the government has the sword, and the right to exact earthly punishment on God’s behalf (Romans 13:1-7).

If a government abuses this authority, those responsible must answer for their sins. But God does allow (and in places commands) death for certain crimes and doesn’t forbid Christians from taking up arms to fight for their nation or to defend their own families. We are not allowed, by God or by government, to exact revenge ourselves on our own behalf. “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. (Hebrews 10:30)” Eternal punishment is only in His hand. Earthly punishment likewise is in His hand, though veiled in the flesh of earthly rulers and laws.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Baptism and Church Attendance

Q: Can you be baptized by any pastor from any church or do you have to be baptized by the pastor of the church you are attending? Do you have to join a church? Is it absolutely necessary? How do you know that you are chosen to be saved? I know this is my insecurities talking here but I was just wondering.

A: In general, Christian Baptism is Christian Baptism. However, the Church has generally encouraged baptism by the pastor of the congregation which one is joining. Exceptions are sometimes made when a family member or close friend is a pastor. Even then, it’s normally done in what will be the “home” congregation unless special circumstances dictate otherwise. These might include a health emergency or inability for the baptismal candidate or parents to travel to church in a timely manner.

As for joining, the church — particularly the local congregation — is where God gives His gifts, as I note in the previous post. It is where sinners are baptized and washed of their sins, where forgiveness is given in the words of absolution and in the sermon, and where we are given Christ’s body and blood to eat and drink.

To remain Christian outside the Church’s congregational life is almost as difficult as remaining a fish out of water. The spiritual nutrition and shelter aren’t there for us anywhere else. We might last for a time, but the discipline necessary for staying in Scripture is missing, as is the “mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren,” a Biblical idea espoused by Martin Luther in the Smalcald Articles.

Knowing that you are saved comes from knowing the Savior. Sometimes you may not feel saved, but if you know Christ Jesus as the Scriptures testify of Him, believe that He died for you, and have been baptized into the Christian faith in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, you are saved. Being active in a true Christian congregation will reenforce these things, that you might know Him and know your salvation all the better.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Scripture Interpretation and Church Attendance

Q: Where does the Bible say anything about using the Scriptures to get closer to God?

A: The Bible is full of references to Christ and the Word of God. He told His hearers that the entire (Old Testament) Scriptures testified to Him (see John 5:39). Paul reminds Timothy (2 Timothy 3:16-17), “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”

How this works out is not always so simple. Discernment and application are important. As Paul says in Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” If you read the surrounding verses in Romans 10, you see that the “hearing” is that of sheep to shepherd or parishioner to pastor. Nothing replaces good, sin-condemning Law and sin-forgiving Gospel preaching or Christ’s Absolution spoken through the voices of His pastors.

In other words, being a member of — and a regular participant in — a solid Christian congregation, with a pastor who proclaims and teaches God’s Word in its truth and purity in his sermons and Bible classes, is essential. If forced to choose, opt for the sermon over the Bible class, since a true pastor of Christ’s Church will always let you leave knowing that your sins are forgiven. Thus, you get closer to God as His Word pours into your ears.

Yes, reading Scripture is also valuable, but receiving the proclaimed forgiveness of sins that is part of any true Biblical sermon has been the core of the Christian Church from its earliest days. That’s why, after Pentecost, the Christians banded together and remained in “the apostles’ teaching” (including the sermons of the disciples and their followers). They also remained in the “fellowship” (the Christian assembly or Church, not individuals struggling to interpret the Bible), the “breaking of bread” (Holy Communion, where the group is joined as one with Christ and each other), and in “the prayers” (since they are the prayers, these must be ones known to and used by the entire group), as Acts 2:42 states.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Narnian Insights

Visit the Cranach blog to read several of Dr. Veith’s initial impressions of the upcoming Narnia film after a special screening of selected clips and visits with some of the film’s production people.

The Silence of the Lamb

Q: After Jesus was arrested they asked Him if He was the Son of God. He said, “You say that I am.” I’ve never understood this. It was a straight question so why didn’t He just say “Yes”? Was He ashamed or scared to admit it?

A: Jesus displayed reticence during His entire questioning. None of the four Gospels quote Him giving extended answers to High Priests, Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council), or Herod. Your example from Luke 22:70 is one of several opportunities where He had opportunity to reply and either said nothing or responded with a minimum of words. Yet while using these few words, Jesus also connects Himself with the God of Israel, the great “I Am Who I Am” of the burning bush (see Exodus 3:14).

Scripture is largely silent concerning the why of Jesus’ silence. However, a few clues help us gain insight. In the last of Isaiah’s four Servant Songs, we read, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)”

Surely for many who expected a glorious Messiah, appearing with divine justice and might of arms to free Israel, such passages confused and perplexed them. No loud commands, no bold statements, no marching armies or golden crowns and thrones — instead, the Lord’s chosen Servant would suffer and die. He would silently bear the punishment for our sins, and the sins of the whole world.

This very passage captured the attention of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40. Led by the Holy Spirit, Philip the deacon approached the eunuch’s chariot in time for the latter to quote Isaiah. He then asked Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else? (Acts 8:34)” Philip seized the opportunity and “beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. (8:35)”

While Jesus’ silence fulfilled Messianic prophecy, it also served other purposes. By not speaking of Himself, He forced His enemies to testify of Him. While it may have left a bitter taste in their mouths to even utter the words, He forced them to mention Him in the same breath as “Son of God,” “Son of man,” and “Christ,” and then told them that they’d just confessed Him as “I Am.”

In my mind, this foreshadows what will happen when He returns in judgment. While only the believers now willingly confess His name, at His Second Coming, all will be forced to accept who He is. The believers will continue their willing confession even as they are translated to eternal bliss; the unbelievers will be forced to submit physically and verbally to Him: “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11)”

Returning to the Passion, we note that when He thought it necessary, Jesus answered more fully. He saved much of His “silent treatment” for those who should have known better, recognized Him from Scripture, and followed Him willingly: “Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said, ‘You have said so.’ But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. (Mt 27:11-12)”

When before the Roman governor, Jesus first led Pilate on a verbal chase concerning His kingship (see John 18:33-35). However, He also plainly told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world (18:36)” and went on to proclaim Himself as “witness to the truth. (18:37)” This led Pilate to ask one of Scripture’s most famous questions, “What is truth? (18:38)” Sadly, Pilate was looking Truth in the eye and didn’t recognize Him.

The painting Agnus Dei was done by Francisco Zurbarán c. 1636-40.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

The Marys at Jesus’ Tomb

Q: Why did Mary on Easter day go to see Jesus’ body? The guards were there and nobody would be allowed to see his body. Were the soldiers there at that time?

A: Actually, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James both “went to see the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)” They went hoping that the guards or someone else would allow them to finish the preparations of the body for proper Jewish burial. Evidently, by the time they arrived, the guards had fled at the time of the resurrection and all they found was the open tomb. It must have been fairly close in time between Christ’s leaving the tomb and the women arriving, judging by the text of Matthew 28.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Ashes to Ashes

Q: When we are at the grave site, what does it mean, “ashes to ashes”?

A: I think this is just a poetic way of emphasizing our return to that from which we were created (earth and dust are also used). At the same time, it also hearkens to the use of ashes as a sign of repentance and of mourning in the Scriptures.

I checked with some brother pastors to see if I could find any more. They pointed out that the words are in the English rite in the Book of Common Prayer and in various German church orders. This seems to be a threefold way of showing the decomposition of the body after death as the result of sin and God’s judgment. Perhaps the earth, ashes, and dust are all used to indicate divine involvement, since three is the number that often symbolizes the Triune God and His works.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Whose Funeral Do I Officiate?

Q: Why do some Lutheran pastors officiate funerals of people outside their congregations and others do not?

A: Some few might act out of narrow-mindedness but many restrict funerals just as they do other rites of the Church to those sheep who are under their pastoral care. Normally, I will only officiate for members of my congregation, but will look at the circumstances before making a final decision. One thing I do is talk with their own pastor.

I will not give a Christian burial to someone who did not live as a Christian. Thus, if the person avoided his own church and pastor in life, I will not seem to condone this in death by presiding over the funeral. I have had funerals where the deceased wasn’t a member of my church, but for whom I provided pastoral care prior to death, or who were former members and whose family had ties to the church. At other times, I have had committals for former members whose funeral services had been elsewhere and whose bodies had been returned for burial.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

The ATP Blogroll

The list has grown considerably since I first took Ask the Pastor into the world of blogging. If you haven’t visited the people I've blogrolled, I invite you to try a random sampling of the thoughts of these folks. You’ll find esoteric and practical entries from clergy and lay folk alike. I imagine there are other gems I've not yet discovered: When I find more that I want to read regularly, I'll add them, too. (And if some of them don’t start posting again, I may start deleting one or two from the list!) You may not like them all, especially if you don’t have my slightly off-kilter sense of humor, but you won’t know until you try.

With this in mind, I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome Dr. Gene Edward Veith’s Cranach Institute to the list. Dr. Veith isn’t new to blogging; he contributes regularly to World Magazine. However, with the Cranach blog, he can focus even more on the interplay of Christianity and culture.

Finally, as a courtesy, if you find your blog on the list, I ask you to consider a reciprocal link to Ask the Pastor.

Lutheran Carnival VIII

The newest Lutheran Carnival of Blogs is hosted by Full Throttle & and Emptly Gas Tank. Over two dozen entries await your reading.

Tubes Tied

Q: Is it a sin to get your tubes tied? If so, where in the Bible did you find that?

A: Some would say yes, absolutely and under any circumstances. However, they seem to be reading an awful lot into Scripture. Yes, God wants us to “be fruitful and multiply, (Genesis 1:28)” but He’s also granted a lot of discretion and discernment. I think that the question is not, “Should I get my tubes tied (or, for men, get a vasectomy)?” but, “Why do I want to do this?”

If selfish motivations outweigh all else, then there could be a problem. If you’re absolutely sure that you’d not be a good parent, or if genetic tests indicate an almost certain chance of major problems, or if your health is not good, these may be good reasons to consider voluntary sterilization. However, if the concerns are over free time and disposable income and the like, then I think that another evaluation is in order.

For more on birth control, please refer to this previous column, which further discusses selfishness and selflessness in the decision-making process.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Crucifixion Outside Jerusalem

Q: What was the Jewish reason why Jesus was not crucified within the city?

A: It was more a Roman reason: They often set convicted criminals or rebels along a road near a main gate of a city for maximum visibility. The thinking was that this would teach would-be felons and insurrectionists a lesson.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Old Testament Faith and the Holy Ghost

Q: I understand that faith is not something that we come to on our own, but it is a gift of the Holy Spirit — a gift given when we are converted, gift accompanying the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I have always thought that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a fulfillment of the “New” Covenant promise put into effect through Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension.

Many places in the New Testament name Old Testament persons of faith as examples for us (e.g., Hebrews 11). How did the Old Testament persons of faith come to their faith without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Clarify for me Hebrews 11:39-40. What did the Old Testament persons of faith not receive that we now receive, and in what sense are they now made perfect with us?

A: Hebrews 11:39-40 sums up the account of the Old Testament faithful: “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”

There are two ways of understanding “apart from us.” One is that the New Testament believers were somehow necessary for the perfection of the Old Testament saints. The other is that the writer is saying that they would not be perfected in a manner differently than we; that is, we all receive the same benefits and blessings.

This latter makes more sense, both in context of the passage and of all Scripture. They did not receive the fulfillment of the Messianic promises. The Christ was still to come. Perfection is only through Him. Now that Jesus has come, all the saints receive the same fulfillment, for all receive eternal life in Christ. This will be ultimately realized when Christ returns in judgment and brings all believers, Old and New Testament, to eternal life.

As for the creation of faith being the work of the Holy Ghost, this was as true in BC as it was in AD. God doesn’t change His methods, although he may reveal more of His divine plan. Were it not for the Spirit, no one would believe in Jesus Christ or come to Him.


Ultimately, when we observe God’s faithful people in Old or New Testament Scriptures and those living today, the Spirit calls us to see the light of Christ shining in them. That’s why Paul encouraged the Philippians (and us), “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. (3:17)” The author of Hebrews similarly commended for our observation the “cloud of witnesses (12:1)” who were displayed in the previous chapter. He then went on to remind us that in viewing and emulating them, we “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. (12:1-2)”

Illustration is a public domain Bible card from 1902. To find similar cards and other illustrations, please follow the clipart link from The Bread Site.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Are Dinosaurs in the Bible?

Q: Are dinosaurs mentioned in the Bible?

A: The Bible actually mentions very few animals among the thousands upon thousands that exist or have existed. It may be that Behemoth and Leviathan were land and sea creatures that we moderns would term dinosaurs.

Some theologians speculate that what came into our mythology as dragons may be a distant memory of creatures such as Leviathan. I suggest we consider going one step farther: When I read the extended description of Leviathan (Job 41), the Lord’s words make this beast sound exactly like I’d imagine a dragon to look.

Addendum: I wrote a later post that goes into much greater detail. Please see Biblical Dragons from February 2006.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

Were Jesus or Moses Black?

Q: Were Jesus and Moses black? What role did black people have in the Bible?

A: As far as anyone knows, both were probably medium- to dark-tan. Considering that they were Semitic — that is descended from Noah’s son Shem and, as are modern Arabs and Jews, from Abraham — they probably didn’t look unlike many people now living in the Middle East. While there are some fairer complexioned Jews and Palestinians, this isn’t the norm.

If it makes any difference to anyone, Jesus may have had ancestors from lower Africa or elsewhere, since some of those mentioned in his genealogy were not Hebrew. We don’t know all of those married into the family. As for others in the Bible, no one is specifically named as black, although the Ethiopian met by Philip in Acts most likely was. Others may have been, as well.

Of course, Scripture tends to not dwell on skin color, as I discussed in a previous column, Mixed-Race Marriages.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

That’s the Spirit (and the Soul)!

Q: I’m seeking understanding of the ways in which God “put us together” as humans. Are “soul” and “spirit” similar concepts? Also, what is the relationship among soul, spirit, mind, and emotions?

A First of all, although their meanings overlap somewhat on the pages of Scripture, “soul” and “spirit” aren’t synonyms for each other. Neither is easy to fully define, but we can examine them in some detail.

Most Bible translations use three different words for the Hebrew ruach and the Greek pneuma. Depending on context, you might read “breath,” “wind,” or “spirit” in the English text. When you realize this, it’s easier to appreciate the interplay of words and actions in Scripture. For example, when God “breathed into Adam,” you could say God “spirited” or “inspired” the lifeless figure, making him a “living creature. (Genesis 2:7)” Jesus paralleled this as He “breathed” on His disciples and said to them, “‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’ (John 20:22)” At Pentecost, the sound of the rushing “wind” gave announcement to the disciples of this manifesting of the “Spirit” (see Acts 2:1-4).

Spirit can mean life itself, especially since breath is essential to life. We see this in Jesus’ death: Matthew 27:50 says, “Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.” Mark 15:37 says that Jesus “uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.” The same root word is used for breath and spirit, both letting us know that He gave up His life.

Scripture sometimes uses “spirit” to mean one’s desires which are in tune with the divine will. This happens especially when spirit and flesh are contrasted. While flesh and blood beings are not condemned because they are composed of matter, “flesh” does stand for all base desires and all wickedness that clings by conception and birth to individuals. In contrast, “spirit” stands for the ongoing changes worked in the believer by the Word of God and his Holy Spirit.

“Spirit” can also mean that which does not have physical being. Angels are “ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14)” and “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)” Among the powers of darkness, “demon” and “evil spirit” are used interchangeably.

“Soul” likewise defies simple definition. It relates to life or being alive. When God made Adam and breathed into him, Adam became a “living soul”; many newer translations render “soul” as “creature” or “being.” An important thing to note: Adam didn’t receive a soul; he became one. Too often, we divorce body and soul, or thing of one as central and the other as an attachment or an accessory. God here reminds us that to be fully human is to be an enfleshed soul possessed of the Holy Spirit. What we lost in Adam’s fall, we received back in Christ’s death and resurrection.

In New Testament readings, as people are converted and “souls” brought into the church, they don’t leave their physical bodies behind. After Peter’s Pentecost sermon, “Those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41)” This doesn’t mean 3000 disembodied believers but flesh and blood creatures whose lives belonged to Christ.

Sometimes “soul” takes on a narrower meaning. Once a person is alive, some part of that person persists even after physical death. In our Western way of thinking, this is the “soul” that usually comes to mind. Revelation 6:9 mentions martyrs’ souls kept beneath the altar and Jesus warns us not to “fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)”

The Bible is vague as to exactly what this soul is, or what it does in the interim between death and resurrection. Perhaps the transition seems instantaneous, since eternity is not bound by time. Whatever the case, we know that the souls of departed believers are kept safe until the resurrection of all flesh, when the believers will be raised to live forever with Jesus — body, mind, and soul together.

Finally, we touch on emotions, an integral but often misunderstood part of human life. They may be triggered by thoughts, beliefs, or physical condition; likewise they influence thoughts, beliefs, and physical condition. The safest thing to say is that emotions are expressions of ourselves, of our living beings, and let it stand right there. Spirit and flesh both desire: Faith wants to please God; self wants to please self. Emotions are good or bad depending upon their source, their object, and their content.

God likewise expresses Himself in anger, in grief, and in love. In the Person of His Son, He felt friendship, sorrow, and loneliness. God-created human flesh became the chosen dwelling of our Savior. Lowering Himself to our level, He lifted our flesh out of the ashes, dust, and mud and guarantees it a heavenly dwelling through His death and resurrection. So also, He continually uplifts our hearts and minds, our souls, spirits, and emotions — all that we have and are!

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.

From Where Did God Come?

Q: Going through the Bible, I wonder, “Who created God?” On the first page it says, “In the beginning, God created.” But what happened before? Things do not just come to exist; is there someone else? Have you ever wondered this or is it just I?

A: Many people wonder this at some time or another. However, you finally must settle on one conclusion among three possibilities: Everything has been going on forever; everything came into being from absolute nothing; or else there is Someone behind everything — an uncreated Creator — who has always been.

Since I believe in Jesus Christ and, through Him, in the God of the Bible, I believe that our God is the One who has always been. As Psalm 90:2 says of Him, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

Many times in Christian art, the circle represents the never-beginning, never-ending nature of God, as it is a shape with no particular beginning or ending point. Often, to represent God’s Triune nature (three Persons yet one God), a triangle, a trefoil, or a triquetra (pictured here) is used.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Send email to Ask the Pastor.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.