QnA: Is Justification a one-time event? Perfectionism sin? The liturgy in different cultures?

Pastors Bryan Wolfmueller and Andrew Packer answer your theological and Biblical questions. In this episode we take up questions about:
Is Justification a one-time event?
Is perfectionism sin?
Can the liturgy work in different cultures?
Submit your questions here: www.wolfmueller.co/contact.
Also, don’t forget to sign up for the free weekly email, Wednesday What-Not, www.wolfmueller.co/wednesday
Pastor Wolfmueller serves St Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX.
Pastor Packer serves Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Collinsville, IL.
Upcoming events: www.wolfmueller.co/events

[@osmoregulatoryorgan]

Hymns are made for the congregation. Modern worship is made for the band.

[@fannyl6881]

36:01 this was exactly my experience when I encountered contemporary worship for the first time as a late teen. I LOVED the first 2-3 sessions because it felt so good. But the feeling faded and I was left with nothing.

[@debimaclean7601]

Pastor Wolfmueller, can you please help us to respond in a way that is helpful when we are trying to encourage someone who is facing a tough situation or the loss of a loved one. Many times, we do not know what to say or we say the wrong thing. Thank you Pastor Packer and Pastor Wolfmueller. I have only been in the Lutheran Church for a year and a half and have learned so much from your videos. God Bless you!

[@negativedawahilarious]

Have u checked John Piper's sermon about suffering ?

[@user-jj4iz4nq2h]

It's more than just the music it's the way it's presented in some cases. We visited a church where the walls/ceiling were painted black so during worship time the lights were off and all you saw were the flashing colored lights on stage. It became more like a concert setting about entertaining an audience instead of the people reflecting on Christ...they were just there for an emotional experience with themselves.

[@masonmitchell56]

I got married ON my 20th birthday and college graduation day, beat that!

[@joroland]

We were just talking about the striving for perfection thing just at our bible study today So very helpful to think about that as stoicism

[@peakperformancetiming2267]

7:07 I love this explanation!

[@garyzakian8901]

Thank you so much for this discussion. It greatly helps me to better explain to my congregation.

[@soundimpact4633]

Justification comes through belief in Christ as our savior, but sanctification is ongoing.

[@jgeph2.4]

Doesn’t seem to matter how many times I hear these clear explanations of Christ for us , I always seem to feel whoever it is that is explaining it must have it together better than me . They can’t sin in the same manner as me.. 😞

[@kgebhardt1187]

All fall short of the glory of God. Jesus came to save sinners! Wonderful news! Each day, we must turn to Christ and try to love God with our whole heart and mind. We need to love our neighbors as ourselves. We fail, but we try to do better and press on. A contrite heart is good. Feeling sorrow over our sins is good. Asking God to forgive us is good and essential. Please do not dwell on what you do wrong, for God is full of mercy and grace! I have to actively turn from sin and seek God daily. Some days are better than others. I hope this message is encouraging. With peace and love I write this message. Praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! - from a common sinner and Christian ❤✝

[@ProLifeBryce]

Absolutely encouraged by this good doctrine, but also to listen to two brilliant (in my opinion) theologians struggle to articulate these things, because I STRUGGLE TOO! And if too wiser men than I struggle, I know it’s ok for ME to struggle. 👍

[@br.m]

I heard a rumor that when pastor Packer is all alone, he likes to watch his own videos with a Prophecy Bingo card

[@mroxannevh]

😮😮😮

[@peakperformancetiming2267]

16:40 Amen!

[@RichardByrd-my3vs]

Peter says be ye perfect in his epistle. I would think that means to at least try to be perfect even though we can't be in this life. Also, I like knowing that the hymns we are singing were also sung by christians throughout the history of the church. Also, when we come to church shouldn't our focus be on worshiping God for his glory instead of focusing on whether or not we like the music?

[@MrGassemann]

We are not meant to feel the presence of God. We are meant to hear the presence of God. ❤

[@marchelomanchev5317]

No we are meant to feel it

[@stevedailey4943]

Could you please look up a place called Wharehouse church in Parkersburg Wv and tell me what kind of church or even if a church it is please!

[@joroland]

Your comments on music were good too. It’s hard when you have a small church and no choir , but honestly the music could be better.

[@villarrealmarta6103]

We as Christian’s strive to want to be like Christ since he raised us to a new hope. In James 4 he speaks to those who were backsliding and living outside God’s will. “When the gospel dies in our hearts and we get fed up with it, then our former lusts draw us back into friendship with the world out of which Christ has called us. Then we revert to our worldly, sinful nature, again becoming enemies of God.”-H.W. Koch It is not our attitude towards the law, but our attitude towards the gospel of God‘s grace that causes us to live in such disobedience to God and lovelessness towards our neighbor .

[@mrs.teilborg649]

Basing it on feelings is taking your eyes off of Christ. The music is supposed to focus us on what we are singing and the teaching that is in the hymns and liturgy.

[@oliverlamie3449]

So then it's at least reasonable to desire the music to fit the words, and not to hinder what they communicate. Because there are certainly ways the musical setting can hide good content.

[@br.m]

I thought the music is supposed to shake the walls, played on a big loud pipe organ...

[@mrs.teilborg649]

Well, that is how I like to play the organ 😁.

[@stevedailey4943]

How do you get on the single cruise.

[@tammywilliams-ankcorn9533]

Jesus’ death is one and done. But in our humanness we forget or feel guilty for sins we commit during our lifetime so the forgiveness we receive in baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or in prayer, reminds us we are forgiven-not just in the past but now and in the future.

[@thenoobmastar3367]

Can somebody point me to the video referred to in the last question? "Reason (why) LCMS Churches retain the liturgy and do not have praise bands" 21:12

[@williamstein5125]

I am new to Lutheranism and seriously considering joining the LCMS church I’m going to. The church I’m attending has a traditional service and contemporary service and it also doesn’t practice fully closed communion. I’ve been allowed to partake in communion upon agreeing with the Lutheran doctrine. I get the feeling that from some places online, even if you go to a LCMS church, it’s not confessional enough if it doesn’t practice fully closed communion or is not super liturgical (Having contemporary service). Can someone explain to me if I’m right or wrong about how Lutherans would view the church I’m going to because it’s causing me to be confused and uneasy about the diversity and disagreement within the LCMS?

[@amcasci]

I think there is a simpler answer. James says plainly we are nOt justified by faith alone. We are to daily work out our salvation with fear and trembling. That means daily repentance, daily prayer, daily works of mercy and regular attendance at the Eucharist. The paradox is that on any given day I can have full confidence in Christ and on any given day I can wander from Christ and lose that assurance.

[@thejoshuaproject3809]

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” St. Paul Ephesians 2:8-10

[@amcasci]

And…what is your point? Whether justification is a one time legal declaration or a process, it is only by grace either way and good works are necessary either way.

[@thejoshuaproject3809]

@@amcasci For further study I would suggest Law and Gospel by C.F.W. Walther to under the Lutheran perspective on this topic.

[@amcasci]

@@thejoshuaproject3809 hi, thanks for the suggestion. I have read Walther several times over the last 40 years. Here is a suggestion for you. Read “Consuming the Word” by Scott Hahn. I think we Lutherans need a strong dose of Catholic theologians and Bible scholars. I am amazed at how Biblical they are and since we are a protesting movement in western Christianity we should give ear to our older brother, the Church of Rome.

[@amcasci]

@@thejoshuaproject3809 I have read Walther several times over the last 40 years.

[@treystevenson9872]

Three Types of Justification From a sermon by Elder Chris McCool Only by understanding the different courtrooms can we understand the various aspects of justification as taught in Scripture 3 Courtrooms: Justified By Grace-Blood of Christ (Eternal)-Romans Chapters 4 and 5: Romans 4 explains we are not justified by works eternally and chapter 5:6-10 explains that man could not have performed the conditions of eternal salvation if he would have, and would not have performed the conditions even if he could have. Christ made one offering for sins forever (Hebrews 10:14) and that one offering went up to God (Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 9:14). In doing this Christ made the elect family of God accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6). Christ therefore made us acquitted of all charges before God. When Christ paid the sacrifice on the cross the “sweet smelling savour” immediately went up to God (Ephesians 5:2) signifying that “It is finished!” (John 19:30). It is by the righteousness of Christ that we are eternally saved and not ours. That’s why all of our righteousness are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We can do all the righteousness that we want to and present them to God but it will only be a filthy stench to God’s nostrils in an eternal context. Whereas the righteous sacrifice that Christ made on the cross was the sweet smelling savour to God’s nostrils finishing the work. Justified By Faith-Romans 5:1. In our heart (Eternal-heart purified by faith in the new birth [Galatians 5:22;Acts 15:5-9])-Through the faith given us by God, Christ’s blood is applied to our hearts purifying us. The applied blood acquits us of all charges eternally in this life. Romans 5:1 says that by being justified by faith we have peace with God. When we see the sinners that we are, instead of trying to work our own way out, we trust God because we have faith in Him and therefore have peace. 1st John 3:20-21-"For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." James 2:18-“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” When we show good works to the world it is the evidence that we have faith. One must have faith placed in him by God in order to do good works. Justified By Works-Courtroom of Public Opinion (Here and Now-Timely)-James 2:21. When we sometimes fail to do God’s work in this life, when we do not forgive people of their trespasses against us, when we fail to do good works in the sight of God our works are not justified. We therefore should do all of these things to be justified by our works in this life. None of these works justify us eternally (Romans 4) but timely as we live our lives on this earth. Matthew 11:28-“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Christ did not tell all of Adam’s posterity to come to Him but “all that labour and are heavy laden”. There are many that do not have a burden of sin and therefore are not heavy laden. Christ tells His children that if they go to Him they will find rest that eases that burden. Matthew 5:16-“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” When we shine God’s light that He has placed within us we are justified by these good works that we do. James 2:18-“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” When we show good works to the world it is the evidence that we have faith. One must have faith placed in him by God in order to do good works. “In the courtroom of public opinion would there be enough good works to convict you?” AMEN

[@gloriajordahl1086]

Hello, I think the only way to be perfect is to abide in Christ.

[@basedincali8707]

We need topics to equip our young white men on how to deal with the displacement / genocidal agenda against us. Thank you

[@doriesse824]

What I need to figure out is all the different beliefs on who the law and gospel are even for. Most Christians believe it's for everyone everywhere, but there are those teaching that only the 12 tribes of Israel who went under the law in the first place are the ones who needed to be redeemed. Jesus did say He had only come for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, so that doesn't include -- or need to include -- anyone not of those tribes. They say the words "all", "any", "whosoever", etc. only apply to the 12 tribes, and those are the audience to whom Jesus is speaking. When we read it today, we all apply it to ourselves, but their teaching is that it was not originally the case. The words "Jew" and "Gentile" are also brought into question, and it is postulated those words were never in the original manuscripts. "Jew" is supposed to mean House of Judah, and "Gentile" is supposed to mean those of the other tribes in the dispersion who had gone into Paganism in the European countries. When Jesus said He had other sheep not of this fold ("THIS" fold), they say He was referring to those other 10 tribes, and no one else. When He said "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature", that "all the world" phrase meant the known Roman Empire where the dispersed Israelites were living. The word "world" is supposed to mean "land" or "territory". Even the scripture in John 3:16 is supposed to mean "cosmic order" where the word "world" is used. How can this finally, once and for all, get sorted out? Is it even possible?

[@SeanusAurelius]

""Gentile" is supposed to mean those of the other tribes in the dispersion who had gone into Paganism in the European countries. When Jesus said He had other sheep not of this fold ("THIS" fold), they say He was referring to those other 10 tribes, and no one else." Absolutely not. The references to the Gentiles (same word as nations) is used throughout the OT *all the time* and are blatantly a reference to all other pagan nations, both before and after the Israel and Judah split. A good example is the promise to Abraham - in his seed all nations would be blessed, etc. Psalm 2 is another. There's probably 100 of them, they're everywhere. "it is postulated those words were never in the original manuscripts." Those postulations are wrong, and if you believe that the scriptures are corrupt in really significant ways, you'll leave orthodoxy one way or another. In other words: Decent bible study can actually rule out some of the sillier distortions. You can't stop a fringe from existing, but you can stop the church at large from being bothered by it.

[@doriesse824]

@@SeanusAurelius The whole point is, who is Abraham's seed that will bless all the nations of the earth? It is a PHYSICAL seed. There had to be a pure and unbroken physical bloodline (seed) through which Jesus would be born.