Tag: Augsburg Confession

OUR FIRST FREEDOM

Because this coming U.S. Independence Day (Saturday, July 4th, 2026) is the 250th birthday of our United States of America, I’ve decided to make it the topic of my June newsletter article.

Two and a half centuries ago in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, delegates to the Continental Congress declared independence from Britain, appealing to “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” and holding as self-evident the truth that we are “endowed by [our] Creator” with the “unalienable” right to life, right to liberty, and right to pursue happiness. As American Citizens and Lutheran Christians, we pause to give thanks to God for the remarkable blessings of liberty that we enjoy in this land of the free, and especially for the principle that stands as the primary foundation of American civics, society and culture: that is, The Freedom of Religion (our “First Freedom”).

The great First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution begins not with the freedoms of speech, press, or assembly, but with the freedom of religion and religious expression: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Our founders placed religious freedom at the top of the list, first and foremost, because they understood that this right is the root from which all other liberties grow (including speech, press and assembly). When the human heart is free to respond to God’s call to righteousness and piety, the whole society flourishes. Remove that foundation, and even the best-written constitutions eventually become empty words. Religious liberty is not merely one freedom among many; it is the soil in which our American Republic was planted.

This truth resonates deeply for our Lutheran confession. Martin Luther taught that the gospel of Jesus Christ must be proclaimed freely, that faith is a matter of our human conscience transformed by the Word of God freely shared and heard, and that the Church and the State each have their proper God-given spheres. So, generations of Lutherans have not only valued the many economic opportunities afforded by our industrious nation but also the freedom to confess, profess and assemble “in accordance with the divine Word” (Augsburg Confession). Here, under the protection of our First Freedom, our congregations have been able to baptize, teach, worship, and serve, without fear of interference or forced conformity by the State.

Moreover, freedom of religion has shaped our national character far beyond the church doors. It fostered a culture that values the dignity of the individual, encourages free association and voluntary charity, and insists that government itself is under God (in a general non-sectarian sense). It has allowed people of every creed and religion (or none) to contribute their best gifts of citizenship while protecting all from coercion by the State in matters of the spirit. In a nation of diverse ethnicities and traditions, our First Freedom has been the principal foundation that makes “E Pluribus Unum” possible without tyranny of conscience and soul. In fact, every single totalitarian system (such as Marxism) always targets the free exercise of religion for destruction, because a people who look to a higher power and authority than the State is a people who cannot be subjugated. Therefore, we sing in My Country, ‘Tis of Thee…

My native country, thee,

Land of the noble free,

Thy name I love;

I love thy rocks and rills,

Thy woods and templed hills.

My heart with rapture thrills

Like that above.

As we mark this coming Semiquincentennial (or Quarter-Millennium as I prefer to say), let us commemorate this national anniversary with deep gratitude for our imperfect yet exceptional and laudable nation. Additionally, let us observe it with heartfelt prayer and good citizenship. For the Holy Scriptures declare: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone… and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Consequently, giving thanks to God for the liberties we enjoy, we pray for our leaders and our fellow citizens. And we resolve to use our freedom rightly as it says in Galatians: “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for sin, but through love become enslaved to one another… If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:13-15).

On Sunday, July 5th, many congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ throughout our country will gather for worship with national songs and patriotic hymns. May these celebrations be marked by joyful thanksgiving, recognizing that “every good and perfect gift” — including the gift of our First Freedom under the Constitution of the United States — comes “from the Father of lights” (James 1:17).

May the Lord continue to preserve this First Freedom for generations yet to come, that the good news of Jesus Christ may be freely proclaimed and that we may serve our nation as Christ’s Kingdom Ambassadors in a world that still groans for the ultimate freedom from enslavement to death and decay (see Romans 8:18-23).

Together in Christ, Pastor Tim

CALLED TO WORSHIP & FELLOWSHIP

As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, our Christian faith is not meant to be lived in isolation. The Bible clearly emphasizes the importance of believers gathering in regular communal worship and actively participating in a local church fellowship. And as Lutherans, we confess that God has called us to live out our faith in community, gathering regularly for grace-filled worship and fellowship. Rooted in the Holy Scriptures and guided by the Lutheran Confessions, this call reflects God’s gracious design for his people to receive his good gifts, grow in faith, serve one another, and witness to Christ within our fallen and sinful world, united as the Body of Christ.

The Scriptures make clear that gathering together for worship is a divine command for believers. In Hebrews 10:24-25, we receive firm exhortation for this purpose, where it states the following: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day [of the Lord’s return] drawing near.” This passage emphasizes the necessity of regular assembly, where believers receive God’s Word and Sacrament, and where they give one another mutual encouragement in faith, especially in view of Christ’s imminent Second Advent to come.

The Lutheran Confessions affirm this biblical mandate. The Augsburg Confession (Article VII) defines the Church as “the congregation of saints in which the gospel is purely taught and the sacraments are rightly administered.” Regular communal worship is the context where these powerful means of God’s grace (i.e., Christ’s Word and Sacrament) are faithfully delivered, sustaining and strengthening us in true faith and hope. In addition, we as Lutherans believe that the Lord himself is at work in our assemblies of worship forgiving sins, creating faith, and renewing his people through his gifts. And as we gather together in praise and prayer, we participate in a foretaste of the heavenly worship described in Revelation 5:9-14.

No Christian is meant to function alone. Our faith is not solitary but lived out in the context of a local church fellowship. We are baptized into the community of Jesus Christ where we depend on one another and serve with our God-given gifts. The Small Catechism teaches that the Holy Spirit “calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth.” And this calling, gathering, enlightening, and sanctifying happens concretely in the local congregation, where believers hear the biblical Word of God proclaimed (both law and gospel). Moreover, the local church is also the place of mutual care and accountability. For Galatians 6:1-2 calls us to “bear one another’s burdens,” which requires active involvement in a fellowship where relationships foster love and support.

Faithful participation in a local church yields profound spiritual benefits. First, it anchors us in God’s grace. Second, it strengthens us to live out our various vocations of family, work, citizenship, and so on. Third, the local church is God’s primary instrument for mission. Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) is a corporate call, fulfilled as believers work together to evangelize, support missions, and amplifying our impact for God’s Kingdom. By being faithful members of our own congregation, Mount Olive Lutheran Church, we contribute to this work of the Kingdom.

Despite the clear biblical mandate, too many Christians at this present time neglect communal worship, citing their busyness or personal preferences, or their disillusionment with imperfect human organizations. Yet, Scripture warns against this in Hebrews 10:25, as isolation seriously weakens our faith and hinders our growth in Christ. While no congregation or organization of the Church of Jesus Christ is perfect, God nevertheless calls us to commit to a local congregational assembly and “to bear with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).

In our digital age, some may argue that online services or private devotions are sufficient. But while these digital and private alternatives can help supplement our faith, they cannot replace the embodied, relational nature of the Living Church of Christ gathered in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The biblical vision of divine worship involves physical presence, shared sacraments, and personal ministry — elements that virtual platforms cannot duplicate.

God commands his people to gather regularly for worship and to be faithful members of a congregational fellowship, because it is his design for our spiritual flourishing. As Lutherans we rejoice in this command and calling to prioritize corporate worship, engage actively in our congregation (including participation in one of our two small group Bible studies), and use our gifts to serve one another. So let us heed the call of Scripture: Do not neglect meeting together. And in this, we honor God, encourage one another, and prepare for the great “Day” when we will worship him forever in perfect fellowship and eternal joy.

Happy Summertime! Pastor Tim