Christian View of Interracial Relationships

The Holy Scriptures clearly forbid all forms of racism. God created all men. And all men are descended from one man. Further, "The dignity of all human beings is given by God, not achieved or earned," as the LCMS president A.L. Barry has said. Barry also stated, "Any and all attempts to identify certain people or groups as some how lesser members of humankind are therefore a blasphemous affront to our Creator."

All men are created in God's image (Gen. 1:26-28). All men are identified with Christ. "Racism grounds the identity and security of human life in self rather than God, in creature rather than the Creator, apart from whom a human being has no identity or security. Self-indulgent pride in "race," therefore, must be regarded as idolatry in one of its crassest forms," says Barry. Thus, we can see the true danger of racism in all of its forms. Racism endangers our very souls.

Christ died for all men equally.

As for interracial marriages, we must again see every person as being in the image of God - valued through God in his identity with God and not distinguished or set apart by any physical characteristic.

We can also look to the book of Ruth, among other things. Ruth, the great-grandmother of King David, was a foreigner. Ruth was a Moabitess. Moabites were looked down upon by other races. Yet Christ specifically identifies Himself with David's line and therefore, Ruth. Yes, David was of mixed blood, so to speak. And our Savior identifies Himself with that line.

It is morally and ethically acceptable to have an interracial marriage. Anything to the contrary is ethically wrong from the Christian perspective and is a form of racism of which President Barry so eloquently warns.

Confessional Church

Confessional Churches are Church bodies that require the confession of certain beliefs or doctrines. For example, the Lutheran Church is a confessional Church so each individual church must adhere to and teach the beliefs of the Lutheran Church as a whole. No matter which church you attend, whether in New York, California, Russia, or South Africa you will hear and learn essentially the same things.

The benefit of this uniformity is to be certain of what is being taught. The pastors or teachers cannot teach anything contrary to the Lutheran belief system. This leaves no room for people to make things up as they go or make erroneous assumptions. The things being taught have been agreed upon by thousands of formally educated Lutherans throughout the world.

In a Confessional Church, you have thousands of pastors making uniform decisions, not just one.

What exactly do Lutherans confess?

First and formost the infallible Word of God as recorded in the Scriptures
The Ecumenical Creeds
The Augsburg Confession
The Defense of the Augsburg Confession
The Small Catechism
The Large Catechism
The Smalcald Articles
The Epitome of the Formula of Concord
The Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord
The Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope

Pizza or Lasagna?

What's better pizza or lasagna? This is very tough decision. Initially, I say lasagna. It tastes better. However, pizza is more nutritious and has a greater variety of options. Also, you can eat pizza hot or cold. More people like pizza. Well, lasagna tastes better! So, rethink pizza people! Lasagna is better.

Theological Sites

Here are some of my favorite theological sites:

LCMS http://www.lcms.org/
official site of Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

Project Wittenberg www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-home.html
works by and about Martin Luther

Issues, Etc. http://www.issuesetc.org/
various Christian issues, etc.

Scholia http://www.scholia.net/
resource site for visitors, vicars, parishioners, pastors, teachers, chaplains, parents, homeschoolers, seminarians and congregations

Lutheran Confessions http://www.bookofconcord.org/
the Book of Concord

Youth E-Source http://www.youthesource.com/

Lutheran Hymnal http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/

Concordia Historical Institute http://chi.lcms.org/
LCMS department of Archives and History

Concordia Publishing House www.cph.org/cphstore/default.asp?ct=true
LCMS bookstore

Logia Journal http://www.logia.org/
journal of Lutheran Theology

Higher Things Magazine for teens http://www.higherthings.org/

Lutheran Hour radio http://www.lutheranhour.org/

KFUO radio http://www.kfuo.org/

e-sword free Bible software http://www.e-sword.net/
free Bible software which includes numerous translations, commentaries, Bible dictionaries, maps, charts, and much more

Focus on the Family http://www.focusonthefamily.com/
Christian family website

Audio Bible www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html
listen to the Bible for free

Talking Scriptures.com http://www.talkingscriptures.com/
Bible studies

Once Saved, Always Saved?

No doubt, you've heard it asked, "Are you saved?" or "When were you saved?" And all to often you'll hear a response like, "I was saved back in '78."

First of all, no one was saved back in '78." Salvation is a gift of God--God alone. No decision a person makes can facilitate salvation. (Please see post entitled "Decision Theology").

Some believe that once a person is saved, that person can never lose their salvation. The second clause in this belief is often contingent upon an erroneous first clause. Let's give the benefit of the doubt and assume a correct assumption of the nature of salvation (again, see "Decision Theology").

The question then must be, "Can a person lose salvation?"

If not, then Christ becomes a disposable need. Use Him once and you're done needing Him. Some will argue that we still need Him to guide and teach us. But I ask, why? If your salvation is sealed and secured why do need guidance. You don't. Essentially, you could do whatever and it wouldn't matter ultimately. Get saved and then become a hateful mass murderer. It's not impossible; it's happened to people before.

One of the greatest theologians of the modern era, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, wrote extensively on the topic in a book entitled "Cheap Grace." The name may give away Bonhoeffer's position.

Consider the verses: 1 Cor. 10:12; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Peter 3:17; Heb. 2:1-3; Heb. 12-19. All attest to the fact that we can fall out of salvation.

How then do we regain our salvation? The LCMS says it this way, "A person can be restored to faith in the same way he or she came to faith in the first place: by repenting of his or her sin and unbelief and trusting completely in the life, death and resurrection of Christ alone for forgiveness and salvation.
Whenever a person does repent and believe, this always takes place by the grace of God alone and by the power of the Holy Spirit working through God's Word in a persons heart."

Poison Oak

I've recently conducted a study on Poison Oak.

Poison Oak can affect you any time of the year. Leaves do not have to be present in order to take effect. The leafless stem of the plant will get the job done just fine.

This study consisted of taking one goat and placing him in a large area of Poison Oak. The animal did, in fact, eat the leaves of the poison; however, the plant was not eliminated and continued to be potent.

For more information click here.