Tag: Faith

This We Believe, Teach and Confess

On By Reverend Gino Marchetti II, Pastor St. Peter's Lutheran Church of Warsaw

by Timo Matero, Elder at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church of Warsaw

 At St. Peter’s, we are a confessional Lutheran congregation, meaning we accept the Scriptures as the inspired and inerrant Word of God and subscribe to The Lutheran Confessions as articulated in the Book of Concord of 1580 because they are drawn from the Word of God and when rightly taught, are a pure exposition of the Word of God.

In this post we will look at two articles in the Augsburg Confession that clearly explain the one and only way a person can be justified before God…

Augsburg Confession Article IV: Of Justification.

1] Also they teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for 2] Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. 3] This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4.

Augsburg Confession Article XX Of Good Works.
9) First, that our works cannot reconcile God or merit forgiveness of sins, grace, and justification, but that we obtain this only by faith when we believe that we are received into favor for Christ’s sake, who alone has been set forth the Mediator and Propitiation, 1 Tim. 2:5, in order that the Father may be reconciled through Him. 10] Whoever, therefore, trusts that by works he merits grace, despises the merit and grace of Christ, and seeks a way to God without Christ, by human strength, although Christ has said of Himself: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14:6.

In Summary
We believe, teach and confess that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord, and that only through faith in Him we receive forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation. In no way can our works reconcile us to God or merit forgiveness of sins. Faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning death for our sins on the cross is the only way to heaven, and all who die without faith in Him are eternally damned.

If you want to learn more about this faith in Jesus Christ, justification, and salvation please contact Pastor Barnes. And please consider joining one of our instruction classes where we explore these wonderful subjects further in depth from the Scriptures.

What about those Resolutions?

On By Reverend Gino Marchetti II, Pastor St. Peter's Lutheran Church of Warsaw

The New Year Resolution… often times made, but never kept for long! Each New Year, one hears talk about resolutions. To lose weight. To exercise more. To spend more time with the family. Maybe it is more spiritual; read our Bibles more, attend church more faithfully or stop doing a particular sin. But soon, all those resolutions to do a good work for ourselves or others turn into failure, disappointment and shame.

But don’t be discouraged. Although we are weak and unfaithful to ourselves, others and towards God, there is one who is faithful and true in everything He does, says and promises… the Lord Jesus Christ. And he remains faithful for us, even when we are not. God is forever faithful. He will not leave his promises unfulfilled or his work unfinished (1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23; Romans 8:28-30)

2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”

So this New Year, don’t put faith in yourself or make promises you have no lasting power to keep. Rather, rely on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to finish the good work he started in you and you will never be disappointed.

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

by, Timo Matero – Guest blogger