MINISTERS AND BOARD MEMBERS MEETING

2011 LLC SUMMER SERVICESJULY 2 , 2011

The Triune God

The Triune God

“God has revealed Himself to us as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is why we speak of God as the Triune God” (Christian Doctrine 43).

“The matter of salvation requires faith in all of the Articles of Creed. The Holy Spirit gives birth to such a faith. When the Third Article opens up, then the First and Second Articles also open” (By Faith, p.61).

The Triune God

There is one body, and one Spirit… One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Eph. 4:4-6).

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one (1 John 5:7,8).

God, the Father, the Creator

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth (Apostles Creed, 1st article).

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Gen.1:1).

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (Heb.11:2,3).

God, the Father, the Creator

In the first book of the Bible, we find these words, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Gen. 1:26,27). God gave life to man, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Gen. 2:7).

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away (2 Tim. 3:5).

God, the Father, the Creator: God is the Lord over life and death

As knowledge increases and technology advances, man strives to take decisions of life and death into his own hands. This manifests itself, for example, in the prevention of conception, the termination of pregnancy, some kinds of gene manipulation, efforts to clone humans, and euthanasia. People have forgotten that God is the Creator and upholder of all, Lord over life and death. He alone has the power to create life and take it away (1 Sam. 2:6; Job 10:12; Ps. 139:13-16). He has not authorized man to control life. The duty of medicine is to protect life, alleviate suffering, and promote and maintain health while respecting humanity. (LLC Position Statement, Section 2, Item 5).

God, the Father, the Creator:What is God Like?

O LORD our Lord…When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? (Ps. 8:1,3,4).

Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you (Ex. 3:14).

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? (Luke 1:34). Gabriel then said For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said…be it unto me according to thy word (Luke 1:34, 37-38).

God, the Father, the Creator:What is God Like?

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? (Ps. 139:7-10).

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (Rom. 11:33-34).

For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things (Matt. 6:32).

God, the Father, the Creator:God is a jealous God

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image…Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God (Ex. 20:4-6).

God, the Father, the Creator:God is love

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Again John writes in his first epistle, Beloved, let us love one another… for God is love. (1 John 4:7).

Jesus Christ, His Son, the Redeemer

I believe in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead (Apostles Creed, 2nd article).

“God speaks to us in nature, our life's fate, and the phases of nations. He speaks to us in our conscience. But God especially reveals himself to us in the Holy Scripture and in our Redeemer Jesus Christ” (Christian Doctrine 4).

Jesus Christ, His Son, the Redeemer

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. (Heb. 1: 1,2).

Jesus Christ, His Son, the Redeemer:Jesus was with God in eternity

And God said, Let us make man in our image (Gen. 1:26).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. … In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4).

“Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).

Jesus Christ, His Son, the Redeemer:Death reigned

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Rom. 5:12).

Jesus Christ, His Son, the Redeemer:The promise

God is love (1 John 4:8).And I will put enmity between thee and the woman,

and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (Gen. 3:15).

That in blessing I will bless thee… And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice (Gen. 22:17,18).

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6).

Jesus Christ, His Son, the Redeemer:The promise

And she brought forth her firstborn son (Luke 2:7).

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour (Luke 2:11).

 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal. 4:4,5).

Jesus Christ, His Son, the Redeemer:True God and True Man

God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself (2 Cor. 5:19).

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).

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (Phil. 2:5-7).

Jesus Christ, His Son, the Redeemer:True God and True Man

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? (Mark 6:3).

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen (Apostles Creed, 3rd article).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:Jesus foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth (John 16:12,13).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on Pentecost

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence (Acts 1:4,5).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on Pentecost

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:A Mother that gives birth (sanctifies) and sustains her children

But Jerusalem which is [from] above is free, which is the mother of us all (Gal. 4:26).

Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother (Matt. 12:48-50).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:A Mother that gives birth (sanctifies) and sustains her children

“The Holy Spirit effects our sanctification through the communion of saints, the Christian Church...by leading us into his holy communion, in that He lays us upon the bosom of the church which becomes our teacher and leader to Christ”

(Luther’s Large Catechism, p. 87).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:Jesus’ work continues as the work of the Holy Spirit

“Christ’s work in the world continues in His congregation as the work of the Holy Spirit. In the congregation of Christ, we are in living fellowship with Christ and other Christians. For this reason, the Scripture calls the congregation the body of Christ” (Christian Doctrine 44).

God has placed all things under Christ’s feet and given Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body (Eph. 1:22-23).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:Jesus’ work continues as the work of the Holy Spirit

Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained (John 20:22-23).

Who can forgive sins but God alone (Luke 5:21).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:The congregation is guided by the Holy Spirit

These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:14,15).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:The congregation is guided by the Holy Spirit

During this changing time of searching, we have in Christianity expressed opinions on new matters and issues. We may as decades pass and times change look upon these previously expressed opinions with criticism. It is important for us to remember that the Holy Ghost has certainly guided the Christians in their decisions. We can admire the wisdom of the Holy Ghost in these decisions.

Juhani Uljas, The Holy Spirit as our Comforter

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:The congregation is guided by the Holy Spirit

According to the doctrine of Christianity, our conscience is the voice of God inside of us. Our conscience requires us to act correctly and forbids us from wrong. Our conscience works based on God’s Word. However, it is not always reliable in guiding us. It can harden so that we do not hear God’s voice… In support of our valuable and tender consciences, God has allowed the voice of the Holy Ghost to sound in His congregation. It is possible that what we hear from our conscience is different than what we hear from God’s congregation. Which authority do we then obey? In this situation it is better to listen to God’s congregation.

Juhani Uljas, The Holy Spirit as our Comforter

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:The congregation is guided by the Holy Spirit

When the Holy Ghost governs over the congregation, there will be no conflict between the Bible and the congregation. As children of God, we have our responsibility. When we preach, comfort, instruct or teach, it is important to remember the instruction: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (I Peter 4:11). Juhani Uljas, The Holy Spirit as our Comforter, SRK Speakers and Elders Meeting, Summer 2007

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:The Holy Spirit makes the Word a living Word

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 (2 Pet. 1:20.21).

But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost (Mark 13:11).

The Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier:The Holy Spirit will be with us always

Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (Matt. 28:20).

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. (John 14:16,17).

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all (2 Cor. 13:13).

Discussion Points

How does the attempt in our time to separate the three persons in Godhead manifest itself?

What kind of a god do people try to create for themselves in our time?

What are the idols or gods of our time? Relate a personal experience when you have

especially felt the power of God in your life. What does the phrase, “preach the gospel,” mean in

practice? Expand on the following: “When the Holy Ghost

governs over the congregation, there will be no conflict between the Bible and the congregation.”