How Do Repentance, Absolution, and Good Works Fit Together?

[@reformedcatholic457]

I'm waiting for a papist to quote James 2:24 to refute sola fide and misunderstand the evangelical doctrine for the 1 millionth time.

[@juan_xd42]

Me too...

[@SebastianRegus]

Hello dr. Cooper, thank you for all the good work you do on this platform. I was wondering if you can cover the ”Dare we hope” view in one of your future videos. Thanks again and God bless

[@SeanusAurelius]

As a former Catholic, later Baptist, finding a well developed practice of absolution in Lutheranism was neat. Like the sign of the cross, etc, having some sort of practice where a troubled Christian could go to confess their sins to a brother seemed like one of the unnecessary casualties of the Reformation.

[@mossyman789news]

Jordan God bless. I am looking for a good conservative Lutheran church in Los Angeles County South Bay. The only conservative Bible believing Lutherans are in my area is Lutheran-Missouri Synod. I grew up in the ELCA. I don’t buy into their liberalism . God bless Jordan in Christ

[@Thatoneguy-pu8ty]

This is exactly what Paul says “the law was our tutor to bring us unto Christ”

[@shaddjimenez4524]

God bless you Dr. Cooper 🙏✝️

[@ShaneShelldriick]

This might be an area where you Lutherans have us Catholics beat. Our system gives rise to wild legalistic superstitions about tallying up sins, confessing to a priest, and working off time in purgatory. Your system seems to be more about continually receiving the Gospel in "repentant faith"

[@DrJordanBCooper]

Indeed!

[@Ericmccabe1917]

No, people's lack of understanding, darkened intellect, and bad will may lead to superstition, not "Our System". Ecumenical dialogue is one thing, but misrepresenting the Catholic Church is another. Sorry, I could not help but jump in on this comment.

[@ShaneShelldriick]

@@Ericmccabe1917 I agree that "bad faith" is the most direct cause of abuses of our system, but we have few mechanisms in place to deal with that kind of bad faith, and at times, we've even encouraged it

[@MC-dn4qs]

@@Ericmccabe1917 Catholic Perenialist, is that you?

[@ShaneShelldriick]

@@MC-dn4qs what's the deal? Is fatimatriumphs, along with me, also a Catholic-Gnostic hybrid? I wonder what magical power this channel has in attracting our tribe...

[@chadb7694]

Hello. I'd like to learn more about Lutheranism 101; can you please recommend a specific book/resource that aligns with ECLA? Also, I've heard/read that Lutheranism focuses on Jesus and the Gospel more than most other traditions. If accurate, how so (when at church and in one's private/daily life)? Thank you.

[@theflightyfairy4811]

The small and large catechisms are the best books to teach you about Lutheranism, because they’re the confessions of the Lutheran church. They also have versions with explanation/commentary if that helps. If you’re looking for confessional Lutheranism, the LCMS is probably a better place to go than the ELCA, because the ELCA doesn’t have much about it that’s distinctly Lutheran in my experience. It’s said that Lutheranism is the most gospel-focused. I think that’s true. The confession/absolution that Dr. Cooper talked about can help people in their everyday life. And I think another big thing is that the gospel is preached every Sunday.

[@joekey8464]

That's great, the teaching of repentance. Repentance includes the promise not to sin again, meaning a person cannot repent while living in a sinful state.

[@justfromcatholic]

Eze. 33:14-16 says (ESV, emphasis in capital is mine): Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet IF HE TURNS FROM HIS SIN AND DOES WHAT IS JUST AND RIGHT , if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. HE HAS DONE WHAT IS JUST AND RIGHT; HE SHALL SURELY LIVE. The verses say a wicked person must (1) turn from sin (repent) and (2) do what is just and right in order to be back to life again. The latter is known as penance in Catholicism. It does not fit with imputation concept of the Reformers, i.e. all believers' sins imputed on Christ through faith alone whom God already punished for those sins on the cross. How Luther understood mortal and venial sins is expressed in his own words: Therefore it is a pernicious error when the sophists distinguish among sins on the basis of the substance of the deed rather than on the basis of the persons. A believer’s sin is the same sin and sin just as great as that of the unbeliever. To the believer, however, it is forgiven and not imputed, while to the unbeliever it is retained and imputed. To the former it is venial; to the latter it is mortal. This is not because of a difference between the sins, as though the believer’s sin were smaller and the unbeliever’s larger, but because of a difference between the persons. Luther: Lectures on Galatians 5-6, 1535, Luther’s Works, Vol. 27, page 76

[@dallasbrat81]

What’s the definition of sins leading to death . Yes what’s death ? If I shoot at someone I can expect to be put to death . Are we talking physical death or something else

[@aussierob7177]

By the Sacrament of Penance which is the liturgical celebration of God's forgiveness of the sins of the penitent, who is reconciled with God and the Church. The acts of the penitent...contrition, the confession of sins, and satisfaction or reparation....together with the prayer of absolution by the Priest, constitute the essential elements of the Sacrament of Penance.

[@j.g.4942]

Does that mean that the prayer of absolution is ineffective unless the person completes their satisfaction/reparation? For example, the woman caught in adultery; was she forgiven at Christ's word or when she "went and sinned no more?"

[@aussierob7177]

@@j.g.4942 Are you having trouble understanding what i wrote ?

[@j.g.4942]

@@aussierob7177 yes, that's why I was asking for clarification.

[@shaddjimenez4524]

Hey everyone! I'm 17 and exploring. Don't you think God would have made the Scriptures more clear in supporting infant baptism since baptism saves? The fact that this is even a debate shows infant baptism is not clear enough in the Scriptures, and judging that baptism saves as Jesus and Peter says, it would have been important enough to make clear [Also I'm not completely solid on my stance on infant baptism, I just wanted to start the discussion. Obviously God has grace for infants to be in the Kingdom of God if they pass away as infants, but the credobaptist (while holding to the view of baptism saving) view would be that while there is that grace period, there is a time where they do need to believe and get baptized] “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” ‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

[@SibleySteve]

As a former Baptist seminarian you raise a good point. But they don’t teach you in Baptist class how scripture was RECEIVED by the community in the years after the Bible - when you read church fathers you will see how they equate baptism with circumcision for babies. Baptism is more than salvation it is also identification. Babies and children are welcomed into the people of God with baptism. Their sins are washed. The apostolic writings make clear how things WORKED in the New Testament. In the Didache, first century, you even see that baptism had a flow chart of methods to use when there isn’t enough running water (river). They certainly did immerse (Romans 6) but they also poured. In the Book of Acts you will notice that the ancient church was a little bit Wild West - they shot first and asked questions later.

[@plantmanoj319]

Dr. Cooper has several videos on this topic and also did a long format debate with Dr. Gavin Ortlund about both baptismal regeneration and infant baptism. I would highly recommend checking those videos out for a thorough discussion of your questions. My short answer would be that it seems there is a lot more scriptural evidence for infant baptism than against it. Specifically that circumcision is a precursor to baptism and babies were circumcised, entire households were baptized in Acts 16, and Luke 18:16 which says, "But Jesus called them to him, saying, 'Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God." (ESV). If baptism in an enrollment into God's kingdom, then it makes sense that children can be enrolled based on these verses. Finally, just as there is no single verse commanding infants to be baptized, there is definitely no single verse commanding that they should not be, so for either position, you have to look at the broader context and consider many verses in tandem. Hope this helps and again, definitely check out those other videos from Dr. Cooper.

[@shaddjimenez4524]

@@plantmanoj319Well of course people who do credobaptism believe there is a grace period for infants. Thanks, I checked out the Gavin Ortlund ones but not all of Dr. Cooper's individual videos yet!

[@shaddjimenez4524]

@@SibleySteveFrom Google Search AI: "However, some say that there isn't enough direct evidence from the first century to conclusively establish whether the apostolic church baptized babies. They suggest looking at the practices of the post-apostolic church, which show a variety of practices from the third century onwards, with children being baptized at any age. Some also say that the evidence in the second and third centuries is inconclusive, because it's difficult to know how old the children were when they were baptized."

[@shaddjimenez4524]

@@SibleySteveFrom Google Search AI: However, some say that there isn't enough direct evidence from the first century to conclusively establish whether the apostolic church baptized babies. They suggest looking at the practices of the post-apostolic church, which show a variety of practices from the third century onwards, with children being baptized at any age. Some also say that the evidence in the second and third centuries is inconclusive, because it's difficult to know how old the children were when they were baptized.

[@thegracecast40]

I guess as a non Lutheran it’s hard for me to see how this fits in with faith alone. Primarily because it sounds like an additional thing one must do

[@thegracecast40]

@Bible43 yes but that’s a fruit of neon saved. Not how you get saved. Unless you’re denying salvation by faith alone?

[@fighterofthenightman1057]

We Lutherans coined the phrase by faith alone, and evangelicals have simplified it down to a ridiculous level. It doesn’t mean throw everything else out.

[@ninjason57]

Because it depends on how you define faith. Is it solely mental agreement with the truth of the gospel? Or is it that plus living Gods way?

[@ninjason57]

@@fighterofthenightman1057they took the literal meaning without the context or nuance.

[@thegracecast40]

@@ninjason57 I define it as trusting Jesus to save you… and so do Lutherans. I’ve heard Cooper say that. So is it trust alone or trust + baptism? I truly mean this in good faith. I can’t understand how it isn’t a contradiction…

[@Ericmccabe1917]

The Law doesn’t drive us to despair, sin does.

[@amirsmith9269]

the point of the Law is to expose our sin and show how we don’t measure up, which is why we say the Law drives us to despair

[@Ericmccabe1917]

@@amirsmith9269 the Law only exposes our sin...when we sin, which is one element of the Law. The Law is given for our happiness; temporal and eternal. The Fourth Commandment and Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount illustrate this very well, as do Our Lord's words in Luke 18-30.

[@drewpanyko5424]

​@@Ericmccabe1917do you believe that you can fulfill the law in this lifetime? If so, how?

[@Ericmccabe1917]

@@drewpanyko5424 yes, God cannot command the impossible, it would be against His nature. Through the Spirit, bro. Check out Romans 8:4-5.

[@SeanusAurelius]

Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” But sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from the law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. So I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through the commandment put me to death.

[@RealityConcurrence]

Hi Dr. Cooper! Do you have any resources you can point me towards for Nietsche? My 18th century philosophy class is going to be going over him pretty heavily soon and since you haven’t quite got to him yet in the western philosophy series, I’m looking for a Lutheran take. Any help would be great, and thanks for all you do!

[@ShaneShelldriick]

Probably depends on your learning style. Once you have an overview of Nietzsche, you might look for resources that combine Nietzsche with Carl Jung

[@pete3397]

If you have time, you might check out John Betz's book on J.G. Hamann, "After Enlightenment" that has a discussion of Hamann in relation to Nietzsche, Heidegger and Derrida (as well as being an extensive look at Hamann's critiques of Kant) from a solid Lutheran perspective.

[@hopelessstrlstfan181]

Doctrine according to Dr Cooper. Thanks much, but I prefer to follow the Truth in the way Christ intended. As Christ said, he established a Church, that those who heard his Church, heard He who sent them, Christ would be with His Church until the end of time, and the Church would be guided by the Holy Spirit unto All Truth. No where in Scripture is there mention of Christ preaching Sola Scriptura, or Christ preaching Luther's theory of the process of Sanctification being distinct from Justification, or Christ preaching Luther's denial of free will, and etc.

[@Catholic-Perennialist]

Repentance is a work.

[@jessemeier3447]

Very interesting. Where can I find this idea in Scripture?

[@j.t.1280]

It's just a difference in tradition. Most evangelicals would say that Baptism isn't a work, that it's the acceptance of a free gift. It's like being handed a gift and assuming that opening it is a deed of some kind. It's also that you dont do anything in Baptism, God is the one doing things.

[@ShaneShelldriick]

​@@Cattleman16479 Excellent! I thought I'd be the only Catholic with Gnostic tendencies in this Lutheran theology channel's audience

[@jessemeier3447]

@@Cattleman16479 I'd still like to hear their response, but only with Holy Scripture.

[@Chulama-qk9fo]

Matthew 4:17 NASB1995 [17] From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus is basically telling people to repent to enter the kingdom of heaven; to be saved. If repentance is a work then that means we are saved by works. However: Romans 3:21-28 NASB1995 [21] But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, [22] even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; [25] whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; [26] for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. [27] Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. _[28] For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law._ So which are we saved by? Faith or works? Going by what you said, either Jesus (God) is wrong and we are saved by faith, or the Holy Spirit (God) is wrong by speaking through Paul to say we are saved by faith.