AC VIII: The Church (Part 1)
Properly speaking, the Church is the assembly of saints and true believers. However, since in this life many hypocrites and evil persons are mingled with believers, it is allowable to use the sacraments even when they are administered by evil men, according to the saying of Christ, “The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,” etc. [Matthew 23:2]. Both the sacraments and the Word are effectual by reason of the institution and commandment of Christ even if they are administered by evil men.
Commentary
Article VIII recognizes that both believers and unbelievers make up the membership in a church organization. For church membership is outward and revealed. However, the Catholic (universal) Church is inward and hidden, so we can’t honestly know who is a genuine believer and who isn’t. We cannot observe the faith within a person; we can only observe someone’s outward actions. That’s why Christians are to look for the marks of the Church, not other indicators to find “Church.”
- According to Article VIII, what are the marks of the Church?
- Discuss: What if a church (as an earthly organization, for example, a Baptist or Methodist congregation, etc.) does not have all the marks of the Church?
AC VIII: The Church (Part 2)
Our churches condemn the Donatists and others like them who have denied that the ministry of evil men may be used in the church and who have thought the ministry of evil men to be unprofitable and without effect.
Commentary
The Donatists were 4th-century Christians who denied the validity of the sacraments of a pastor who apostatized under persecution (that is, he recanted the Christian faith). In their view, any who had been baptized by someone who had apostatized had to be re-baptized, and the Lord’s Supper they had served was not a real Lord’s Supper, just bread and wine. The Donatists refused to accept someone who repented of his apostasy back into the Church.
Reacting to the Donatists, Augustine (354-430 AD, Bishop of Hippo, today in Algeria) emphasized that the validity of the Sacraments does not depend on the character or faith of the individual performing the Sacrament. If the proper form is used according to Christ’s Word and institution, the Sacraments are valid even when administered by immoral priests and heretics. He explained that it is the Word of God (the meaning attached to those words, not the mere vocables or sounds) that makes a Sacrament a Sacrament, a point vitally important to a biblical understanding of the Sacraments.
- What do you receive in the Lord’s Supper if you are at a Church that holds that Jesus’ words, “This is my body” really means “This represents my body”? Is the Supper being celebrated according to Christ’s command?
- Is baptism salvific if the words “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” are used in a baptism but the persons referred to actually refer to someone else (for example, the “Son” refers to the brother of Lucifer)?
As Lutherans, we agree with Augustine. We teach that if the Word is joined to the element according to Christ Command, it is a Sacrament (LC V, 10-11). For example, the Words of Institution, because of Christ’s original institution cause the presence of Christ’s body and blood in the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper (FC SD VII, 75).
Rome’s Response:
The eighth article of the Confession, concerning wicked ministers of the Church and hypocrites–that their wickedness does not injure the sacraments and the Word–is accepted with the Holy Roman Church. . . .
Discussion
- Discuss baptism
- What is the Word?
- What is the element?
- Discuss the Lord’ Supper
- What is the Word?
- What are the elements?
- Discuss: What if we changed the elements of the Lord’s Supper. Would the Supper still be done according to Christ’s institution?
- Discuss Absolution
- What is the Word?
- Discuss Preaching
- What is the Word?
Excursus: How the New Testament uses the Word “Church”
The Church is the communion of all those who at all times and in all places have been led to faith in Christ as their only Lord and Savior, and who have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13; John 3:5; Matt. 28:19). That is why the Church is made up of only believers and all believers at all times and places. No unbelieving, unregenerate person, no hypocrite, belongs to the Church, strictly defined (Galatians 3:26, John 15:6, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 1 John 2:19).
The term “church” is also applied in the New Testament to local manifestations of this one church: the true believers at any locality who are gathered around the Word and the Sacraments (Acts 2:42-47; 4:4, 32; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2).
Christ and His Apostles use the term “church” both for the Church catholic and for the local congregation (Matthew 16:18; 18:17). The local church may be:
- a congregation assembling regularly in one building (Romans 16:4, 1 Corinthians 16:19)
- the Christians living in one city, even if assembling in several buildings (Acts 5:11; 8:1; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19)
- the Christians living in one city and its smaller or larger environment (Acts 9:31; 2 Corinthians 1:1)
2 Thessalonians 2:15: So then, brothers stand firm and hold on to the traditions we [the Apostle Paul and Pastors Silvanus (Silas) and Timothy] passed on [“traditioned”] to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
Romans 16:17-18: Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you learned. Avoid them! For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own feelings [or desires].
- When it comes to worship, how are you to deal with those who do not follow Apostolic tradition (2 Thessalonians 2:15) and doctrine (Romans 16:17)?
AC IX: Baptism
Our churches teach that Baptism is necessary for salvation, that the grace of God is offered through Baptism, and that children should be baptized, for being offered to God through Baptism they are received into His grace.
Our churches condemn the Anabaptists who reject the Baptism of children and declare that children are saved without Baptism.
Rome’s Response:
The ninth article, concerning Baptism–that it is necessary to salvation, and that children ought to be baptized–is approved and accepted, and they are right in condemning the Anabaptists . . .
Commentary
The average Protestant church in America is a spiritual descendant of the Anabaptists, who hold that baptism does nothing but is, instead, something the Christian does. For them, one is baptized to show he is a Christian; thus, baptism is part of sanctification, not justification.
If pressed, most Lutherans would consider themselves as Protestants. However, that description of who we are is woefully incomplete and only understands the Lutheran Church in terms of history, not theology.
Passages that say that baptism does nothing
- still looking for them
Passages that speak of what Baptism does
- Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 22:16: [Saul’s/Paul’s baptism] “And now, why delay? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away as you call on his name.”
- Galatians 3:26-27: You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
- 1 Peter 3:21: Corresponding to this [the floodwaters saving Noah and his family], baptism now saves you, not be the removing the filth of the flesh but as the appeal of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 5:25-26: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word.
- 1 Corinthians 6:11: That is what some of you used to be! [Those who willingly chose to live in sin] But you were washed and made holy, you were justified [dikaioo-ed, made righteous] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
- John 3:5: Jesus answered [Nicodemus], “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
- Titus 3:4-5: But when the kindness and love of God our Savior for mankind appeared, he saved us, not by works of righteousness that we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
- Romans 6:3-4: Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were, therefore, buried with him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life.
Passages that specifically command adults to be baptized
- still looking for them
Passages that specifically command infants to be baptized
- still looking for them
Passages that command that baptism is for “all”
- Matthew 28:19-20: [Jesus speaking to His Apostles,] “Therefore, after you go, disciple the nations by baptizing them into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and teaching them to keep everything I have commanded you.
- Acts 2:38-39: Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you, your children, and for all who are far away–for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
The “How” of Baptism
- Discuss meaning of baptize, baptize.
- Baptizo in classical Greek
- Baptizo in koine Greek (the Greek of the New Testament)
- Acts 22:16: [Saul’s/Paul’s baptism] “And now, why delay? Get up, be baptized [baptizo] and wash [apolouo] your sins away as you call on his name.”
- Mark 7:4: When they [the Pharisees] come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash [Greek word for baptize]. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing [baptizing] of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches.
The Didache is the earliest Christian writing outside the New Testament with instructions on baptism. The Didache states:
7:1 As for baptism, baptize in this way: After explaining all these things, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in living [moving] water. 2But if you do not have living water, baptize in other water. And if you do not have cold water, then use warm water. 3But if you have neither, pour water on the head three times in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Hippolytus (160-235), a presbyter in the Roman Church, in his The Apostolic Tradition (215 AD), allowed either triple immersion or affusion (water poured on the head) as the types of baptism allowed. Hippolytus wrote, “The water should be flowing or be poured down into it. It should be so if there is no necessity, but if there is continuous and sudden necessity use any water you can find” (Apostolic Tradition, 21:2, Stewart-Sykes translation)
If there is time: read Chapter 21 of Hippolytus’ Apostolic Tradition.
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