“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9 NIV).
The Apostle Paul wrote these words to Titus to give him direction for appointing elders within congregations. These are words that are applicable to all of us. Simply change the “he” to “we” where it appears above. How can we achieve this?
While I write this, I am pondering the upcoming marriage of our daughter, a new experience for my wife and me. Perhaps a brief refresher on the estate of marriage would benefit all of us. First and foremost, marriage is not an invention of humans. God ordained it, and the Bible is the instruction manual. We must then turn to Scripture for guidance.
God’s Institution
Woman was fashioned out of man to be a helper comparable to him, because it was
(Hebrews 6:1-8) Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
I thought it a bit surprising, if not embarrassing. A lady had commented that it was too bad that the editors of The Lutheran Hymnal didn’t have spell-check available to them. When I raised my eyebrow…
It seems like the perfect business model. Start with products that are donated or deeply discounted. Add volunteer labor and a worthwhile cause. Plug in a community of willing buyers. Reap a handsome profit that…
Of Reformation confessors, there are many whom we generally do not recognize in the context of the Reformation era itself. However, in that the Reformation was about the Word, and further that perpetuation of the…
A few years ago, while Missionary David Koenig and I were visiting pastors around India, we happened to come across two pastors who could not have been more different in some respects. One was young and…
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” (John 14:27). Jesus’ gift of spiritual peace has always been a wonderful and amazing part of God’s steadfast love and kindness to His Church.…
The Youth Conference 2015 was held at Camp Como, just outside Como, Colorado, from July 28 through August 2. It was sponsored by Immanuel Lutheran Church of Mankato, Minnesota. Twenty-eight young people (ages fourteen to…
Whether it is believed or not, truth remains truth. “What a game last night! You should have been there!” you breathlessly tell your coworker the next morning. “The lead changed every inning. Did you hear…
