QnA: Is sin God's will? Does Lutheranism cause people to sin more? Do Lutherans do evangelism?

Pastors Bryan Wolfmueller and Andrew Packer answer your theological and Biblical questions. In this episode we take up questions about:

Is sin God's will?
Does Lutheranism cause people to sin more?
Do Lutherans do evangelism?

Mentioned in this episode: "A Lutheran Theology of Evangelism"

Pastor Wolfmueller serves St Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX.
Pastor Packer serves Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Collinsville, IL.

[SolSkinn]

I was an abused child. So much, my father was handed an 18 year prison sentence for what he did to me. This was not God's will. I struggled with the 5th commandment because it's dangerous to my body and soul to have a relationship with him. I can't honor him. But God said to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. So I honor him by praying for his salvation, and I'm a daughter of the God of mercy. So I don't harbor hatred or anger for my earthly father. I just can't have a relationship with him. Still, Lord have mercy on his soul.

[marciamazuryk]

Terrific podcast. FYI - I am a Catholic who joined the Lutheran Church, thanks in large part to you, Pastor W. PEACE!!!

[debhalld]

Evangelizing in a world, country that has soooo many people who haven't grown up in church is imperative. Reaching the never churched. Many have never heard The Word let alone read it. Telling of and showing God's love, Christ's sacrifice, the Holy Spirit in us, salvation. Jesus is Lord, Alleluia!

[mikvan]

@12:20 As a Reformed Christian, I'm always surprised how Lutherans characterize our view of suffering as though we are "trying to discern God's will in it". I don't have to, I just have to trust that my loving God know what is best. "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord". "What you [Joseph's brothers] intended for evil, God intended for good so many lives would be saved." Christ's suffering on the cross was also a an example of allowing evil to be perpetrated for the infinite good of the believer.

I love Lutherans on so many different subjects (The supper, for example) but they always seem to get befuddled on how God's Sovereignty is used in the Reformed world for comfort. Election and Sovereignty are THE MOST comforting doctrines the Bible provides, when I suffer I rest in the finished and certain work of Jesus.

I've been reformed for at least five years (and Calvinistic for about a decade) and I've never heard a Reformed pastor or congregant "try to discern" the reason for their suffering. It's not for us to know the secret things of God, just to trust that our Loving and Infinitely Powerful Father will take care of us just like He cares for the Sparrows.

[BrandonReid-ju]

Divine determinism really hurt my faith, please pray for me ❤

[barefootinroann]

You said something about evangelicals who convert to Catholicism, that they approach Catholicism with that evangelical, protestant mindset. I see the same thing in you and your approach and instruction about Lutheranism. I’ve known LCMS Lutherans all my life and I have never met one who can explain their faith in detail, and with clarity the way you can. I very much appreciate your ministry, the ministry of Pastor Packer, and your insights to Faith.

[sierragrey]

As I Reformed believer I very much appreciated the very pastoral answer as to the problem of evil and God’s sovereignty. Often people new to Reformed teaching can have an unbalanced view of sovereignty. What should bring comfort ends up presenting God’s sovereignty without the Cross.

[joshupole]

Hi Pastor Wolfmueller. I am a college student and I often find myself being responsible for explaining Christianity to people for the first time, and answering their questions. A difficult question that I got recently was why are there no miracles in today’s day and age? I usually respond that I witness a miracle every Sunday at communion but that isn’t a good enough answer for them most of the time. I know Catholics claim a lot of interesting miracles, such as the miracle of fatima in Portugal, I’m wondering what the Lutheran position on these Catholic miracles is and what our theology says about them, as well as miracles at large. Watching your videos from OHIO!

[runcmt]

Job asks why to God and God answers him in the book of Job. God's answer is very interesting. He basically asks where was Job when the foundations of the earth were laid. God has wisdom and reason we may not understand. What we can understand is God's love for us.

[jeremyfoster]

The idea that God has two (potentially conflicting) wills, the perfect and the permissive, seems biblically rediculous to me. I've heard it preached quite a bit, but the only attempt to prove it from Scripture that I remember was the assertion that if God has a "good, and acceptable, and perfect will" (Rom. 12:2) then He must also have another will that is not good, acceptable, and perfect—an assertion that is both logically fallacious and inconsistent with the character of God as taught in Scripture.

[solosaloon]

Such interesting talk! Loving God with our minds!

[srice]

In high school at an Armenian theology believing youth group, we were told that if we didn't tell someone the Gospel they might never hear and it would be our fault they went to Hell! What a horrible weight of guilt I had all the time. Thankfully God taught me His Truth through His Word and I became Reformed and then Lutheran.

[jmh]

I enjoy all your Q&As, but this one is my favorite so far. Very edifying!

[jabeilke]

Pastor Packer, could you share the name of the Catholic commentaries that you've read that talk about the doctrine of Justification by Faith? Thanks for the podcast! God bless you both!

[DALhsm]

God be Praised for these caring pastors answering interesting questions.

[mattscarpelli]

Pastor Wolfmuller and The Other Paul would make the best video

[wijim]

The Gospel will not be abused if the Gospel is properly taught and understood. The fact is that there is no Justification without Sanctification and the end of Justification and Sanctification is Glorification. When we come to faith in Jesus we come to Him as Lord and Savior. Read the Large Catechism on Baptism.

"Lastly, we must also know what Baptism signifies, and why God has ordained just such external sign and ceremony for the Sacrament by which we are first received into the Christian Church. But the act or ceremony is this, that we are sunk under the water, which passes over us, and afterwards are drawn out again. These two parts, to be sunk under the water and drawn out again, signify the power and operation of Baptism, which is nothing else than putting to death the old Adam, and after that the resurrection of the new man, both of which must take place in us all our lives, so that a truly Christian life is nothing else than a daily baptism, once begun and ever to be continued. For this must be practised without ceasing, that we ever keep purging away whatever is of the old Adam, and that that which belongs to the new man come forth. But what is the old man? It is that which is born in us from Adam, angry, hateful, envious, unchaste, stingy, lazy, haughty, yea, unbelieving, infected with all vices, and having by nature nothing good in it. Now, when we are come into the kingdom of Christ, these things must daily decrease, that the longer we live we become more gentle, more patient more meek, and ever withdraw more and more from unbelief, avarice, hatred, envy, haughtiness."

Luther had it right. Baptism is daily dying to sin (and our own righteousness) and being raised daily to newness of life in Christ. If we are not daily dying and rising in Christ we have abandoned Christ.

[janetdinkelman]

As a Lutheran I may not stand on the street corner to tell others about Jesus, but I do listen to people's thoughts on God, and I tell them what I believe from God's word. I know that my Pastor can't be everywhere so it's my job to care for and speak to people I meet, whether it's talking to someone who doesn't know Jesus or even those who do know Jesus but who might be feeling confused about their faith.

[juandrevandenberg]

God chooses to permit humanity to live in Sin because he desires us to have free will, yet there has been stamped in time a day that all will be held to account.

God has ultimate control over all of creation, ultimately permitting us to disobey is still within his will and one day all of creation will be fully redeemed. This is what might be meant by God's permissible will?

[thegracecast]

Ok so question: if a person is having doubts should they fight those doubts consciously? Because you said our will isn’t involved?