A brother I work with recently left a Missouri synod church for a Wisconsin synod church. I went on their website to get a handle on their doctrinal positions. I was confused a bit by their seeming rejection of reprobation while at the same time affirming sovereign election. If anyone out there is familiar with the L.C.W.S. please clarify this seeming discrepancy.<br><br>In His name and by His grace,<br>Michael
Michael<br><br>From my dealing with Lutherans, it is hard to wrap my mind around their beliefs.<br>For instance they say they believe in sovereign election and also believe that Jesus died for everyone, without exception.<br>When you ask them how they explain this, they say they don't know, but since the Bible affirms that, they don't need to explain it away.<br><br>As far as I am concerned, what they are asking people to do is put their brains in neutral when studying the word of God.<br>They don’t seem to see that their view makes the Bible contradict itself.<br><br>I have no idea however, if this applies to both synods.<br><br>Tom
Tom,<br> Thanks, it certainly seems to be the case with the synod. Their official doctrinal stand on redemption reads as follows " we reject any teaching that says Jesus died for only some people<br>as unscriptural....." and then in the section on salvation they say that God has chosen some from the foundation of the earth. Then in the section on faith they say only by God's sovereign gift to those he has chosen can anyone exercise faith. It is quite confusing.<br><br>In His name and by His grace,<br>michael
Maybe you can answer these questions for me.<br><br>Do you know if Martin Luther believed this as well?<br>They claim he did, but only offer as evidence writing that wasn't even written by him.<br><br>Something else that I believe is even more heretical (if I can put it that way) is their belief in "baptismal regeneration".<br>They also say Martin Luther believed this as well, but I haven't seen any proof of this either.<br><br>Martin Luther played a huge part in the Reformation, but if he actually believed the way Lutherans of today believe. It sure makes me wonder why he is looked on so highly by those of the Reformed faith.<br>It would seem like if he actually believed those things; wouldn’t other Reformers have had big problems with him?<br>But then again Lutherans have been accepted in Reformed ministries like A.C.E. (Alliance of Confessional Evangelicals), which is something that confuses me also.<br><br>Tom
