I’ve typed out these handwritten notes from my father, Pastor Reiny Mayer, former college chaplain and Qld District President. He has been part of the Lutheran Church of Australia since the beginning in 1966, and has been part of the sometimes fierce debates on what is the right way to deal with God’s Word. Those issues are still current in the LCA, as the inability to sort through the issue around women’s ordination from the recent General Synod in Melbourne shows. As you can see, he is adamant that we have to understand all Scripture through Christ. I hope this is helpful for you. Pardon the Latin tags.

Pastor Michael Mayer

 

‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!’
The heart of the Lutheran faith: Solus Christus   Christ alone.
Verbo Solo        In the Word alone.
Sola Gratia        By grace along
Sola Fide            Through faith alone.

Verbo Solo    In the Word alone.

1. The Bible is our only source of revelation of God.

• From the universe and nature we can learn God is powerful;
• From experience we know of live/death, good/evil, love/hate etc;

Only the Bible shows God as a Person who loves us, cares for us, frees us from sin and death. (Hebrews 1:1-2).

2. Therefore all Lutheran doctrine is based on the Bible only.

• Not on tradition (eg Roman Catholic teachings on Papal Infallibility, Mary’s Immaculate Conception).
• Not on new revelations (Sects, cults etc).
• Not on new scriptures (Book of Mormon).

3. How do we know the Bible is God’s true Word and not others e.g. Koran?

Lutherans accept 2 main factors, each equally valid:

Because God is the author (2 Timothy 3:16) AND because of its witness to Christ (John 5:39).

(In other words, without the Bible we would not know of Christ, and without Christ the Bible would be just another sacred book.)

4. Is the Bible accurate?

• We say the Bible is inspired. (Not only the message, but actual words. 2 Timothy 3:16.)
• We say the Bible is inerrant (Every word is God-given and true. John 17:17).

5. How do we understand/ interpret the Bible correctly?

• All parts are true, but not all are equally important. Christ is the heart of the Bible, therefore all witness to him is of prime
• We distinguish between doctrines (clear teachings) and opinions. Doctrines are based on clear passages, to which the rest of Scripture bears witness. No doctrine is based on one passage only (e.g. Primacy of Peter, taken from Matthew 16:13-20; Millenium as literal 1,000 years (Revelation 20) etc.)
• Only a right understanding of the Gospel can give a right understanding of the Bible.

Summary

God’s Word is

• Truth (John 17:17)
• Life (John 6:63 & 68)
• Power (Isaiah 55:10-11; Hebrews 4:12)
• Light (Psalm 119:105)
• Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17)
• Salvation (Romans 1:16)
• Christ (John 1:1)

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