Radio Transcript

Denominational Doctrines (06)

The Lutheran Church

Our study of denominational doctrines continues with the Lutheran Church. The Lutheran church is one of the earliest of the Protestant denominations. There are actually several different groups of Lutherans. At one time there were about one hundred and fifty different Lutheran bodies in America; today there are approximately twelve. In the United States, their numbers are concentrated mostly in the North and Midwestern parts of the United States.

Martin Luther, founder of the Lutheran Church, was born in Germany in 1483. He became an Augustinian monk and sought salvation through works of human merit. He later became a university professor, a parish priest, and an official in his order. In the year 1517, Luther published ninety-five propositions to debate. These propositions opposed the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences in order to raise money for the building of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. It is generally believed that Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, although many who have researched Martin Luther’s life have dismissed his doing so as legend. Martin Luther was called to appear before the Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521. When Luther refused to withdraw his statements against the Catholic Church, he was excommunicated.

Luther came to be recognized as the leader of the German Reformation movement. After his excommunication, he was kept in hiding at the Wartburg Castle, where he translated the Bible into German. Luther emphasized the priesthood of believers, justification by faith alone, the Scriptures as the authority in religion, and the right of every man to interpret the Bible for himself.

In 1530, the Augsburg Confession was adopted as the Lutheran creed and the Lutheran church became a recognized denomination. The first European Lutherans to come to America and stay arrived on Manhattan Island in 1623. A Lutheran congregation met in New York in 1649. For the next 250 years, thousands of Lutherans came from Europe to settle in America. By 1870, Lutherans were the fourth largest religious group in the United States. Today there are approximately 10,000,000 Lutherans in the United States, divided into approximately twelve different groups. The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod has about 3,000,000 members.

The Lutheran Church, like most religious bodies, does teach some truth. They have traditionally taught the truth concerning the Godhead, that is, one God consisting of three distinct beings, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Most Lutherans believe the scriptures are verbally, plenary inspired. Most Lutherans teach that the Bible is the sole authority in matters of religion, yet they have several creeds they follow.

However, the Lutheran Church teaches a number of things that are contrary to the Bible. First, the Lutheran Church was obviously founded by a human, Martin Luther. But the New Testament church was founded by Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18).

Second, the Lutheran church was established in the 1500’s. But this was hundreds of years after Christ’s church was established on the day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts the second chapter.

Third, the Lutheran Church follows the Augsburg Confession, the Nicene Creed, the Apostles’ Creed, the Athanasian Creed, the Smalcald Articles of Faith, and the Formula of Concord instead of the Bible alone. The Bible teaches that the scriptures alone are able to completely furnish, or equip, man unto all good works (II Timothy 3:16-17).

Fourth, members of the Lutheran Church call themselves Lutherans, a name that gives honor to Martin Luther rather than Jesus Christ. Acts 11:26 teaches that those persons who are seeking to follow Christ are to simply call themselves Christians, a name that gives honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Fifth, Lutherans hold to the Ten Commandments as binding today. But the Bible teaches the Ten Commandments have been nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Also notice Romans 7:4 where Paul wrote that we are dead to the law. There is no doubt Paul was including the Ten Commandments for in verse seven he made specific reference to Exodus 20:17, one of the Ten Commandments.

Sixth, the Lutheran Church teaches that the Lord’s Supper is a sacrament through which a person can receive forgiveness of sins. Notice the following quote from the Large Catechism of the Lutheran Church, "Thus we have briefly the first point which relates to the essence of this Sacrament. Now examine further the efficacy and benefits on account of which really the Sacrament was instituted; which is also its most necessary part, that we may know what we should seek and obtain there. Now this is plain and clear from the words just mentioned: This is My body and blood, given and shed for you, for the remission of sins. Briefly that is as much as to say: For this reason we go to the Sacrament because there we receive such a treasure by and in which we obtain forgiveness of sins." But the Bible teaches that the Lord’s Supper is not a sacrifice of Christ, but is a memorial of his sacrifice. Notice the following from I Corinthians 11:24-26, "And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me. In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes."

Seventh, the Lutheran Church teaches that the bread and fruit of the vine contain the real presence of Jesus. Again notice the following quote from the Large Catechism of the Lutheran Church, "Now, what is the Sacrament of the Altar? Answer: It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, in and under the bread and wine which we Christians are commanded by the Word of Christ to eat and to drink. And as we have said of Baptism that it is not simple water, so here also we say the Sacrament is bread and wine, but not mere bread and wine, such as are ordinarily served at the table, but bread and wine comprehended in, and connected with, the Word of God. It is the Word (I say) which makes and distinguishes this Sacrament, so that it is not mere bread and wine, but is, and is called, the body and blood of Christ. For it is said: "If the Word be joined to the element, it becomes a Sacrament." This saying of St. Augustine is so properly and so well put that he has scarcely said anything better. The Word must make a Sacrament of the element, else it remains a mere element. Now, it is not the word or ordinance of a prince or emperor, but of the sublime Majesty, at whose feet all creatures should fall, and affirm it is as He says, and accept it with all reverence, fear, and humility."

But consider the following from Matthew 26:26-28, "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." When Jesus said, "This is my body," and "This is my blood," he was using a figure of speech. The bread and fruit of the vine does not actually become or contain the body and blood of Christ, but is symbolic of that body and blood.

Eighth, the Lutheran Church teaches that a sinner can be justified by faith alone without any acts of obedience. Notice the following quote from the Augsburg Confession, "It is ordained of God that he who believes in Christ is saved, freely receiving remission of sins, without works, by faith alone." In fact, Luther added the word "alone" to Romans 3:28 in his translation of the New Testament. But notice the following from James 2:17, "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." Also notice from James 2:20-22, "But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?" Now notice verse 24, "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." In verse 26 James wrote, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." I understand that Martin Luther attacked James’ writing as "a right strawy epistle." But whenever a person attacks James’ writings, he is attacking the inspired word of God.

Ninth, the Lutheran Church practices infant baptism. Notice the following quote from the Lutheran Catechism by Stump. "Christ has commanded that little children should be brought to him and we obey this command by baptizing them and teaching them." It goes on to say, "They (children) have inherited a sinful heart, and the germs of sin in them will soon grow." But infant baptism is contrary to what the Bible teaches. Little children have not inherited a sinful heart. Notice these words from Ezekiel 18:20, "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself." The Bible teaches that baptism must be preceded by hearing and believing the gospel (Mark 16:16). Can an infant believe the gospel? The Bible teaches that baptism is to be preceded by repentance (Acts 2:38). Is it possible for an infant to repent? The Bible that baptism is to be preceded by a confession of faith in Jesus (Romans 10:8-10). Is it possible for an infant to confess his faith in Jesus?

Tenth, the Lutheran Church practices sprinkling and pouring for baptism. Notice the following quote from the Lutheran Catechism by Stump. "Christ does not specify the mode of baptism. It may be performed in any one of three ways; namely, by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. One mode is just as valid as another." But the Bible teaches that baptism is a burial. Notice Paul’s words in Romans 6:4, "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death." Our English word "baptize" is actually a transliteration of the Greek word "baptizo" which means to dip, plunge, or submerge. It is unreasonable to argue that a person can be buried by sprinkling or pouring.

Eleventh, the Lutheran Church teaches that baptism replaced circumcision. Notice the following quote from Luther’s Small Catechism, Question #335. "Circumcision was received by children as a token of the covenant--so now children are to be baptized and receive the token of the new covenant, the seal of the righteousness of faith." The Lutheran Catechism by Stump refers to circumcision as a type of baptism. But the Bible teaches that circumcision of the flesh was a shadow of circumcision of the heart (Hebrews 10:1; Romans 2:29). The scriptures never compare water baptism to fleshly circumcision.

There are numerous other errors practiced by the Lutheran Church, such as their form of government, their use of mechanical instruments of music and choirs in their worship, their teaching that Sunday is the "Christian Sabbath" and their observance of "holy days" such as Lent. But these are more than sufficient to demonstrate that the Lutheran Church is not the New Testament church we read about in the Bible. It is not the church for which Christ shed his blood.