What about the Bible?
Lutherans confess that “the Bible is the sole authority in all matters of faith and life.” What does that mean? And how are we to view the Bible as Lutheran Christians?
First, we acknowledge the Bible as God’s living Word. It is not the book that we worship but the Savior of whom the book speaks. Jesus is God’s living Word to us. For Lutherans the central theme of Scripture is God’s saving grace which God showers upon us freely, not as reward, or answer to prayer, or as inheritance, but as pure gift. And what is this grace? It is found in Jesus life and work among people. It is contained in the stories of Jesus which Luther called “the Bible in miniature.” Time and time again Jesus goes the extra mile loving us into a relationship with him. He doesn’t beat us over the head with the Bible. He doesn’t use the Bible to prove or disprove the latest controversy. He instead tells stories that can be related to in everyday life.
“I have come that you might have abundant life.” “Go and sin no more.” “No one will ever snatch them out of my hand.” These are but a few of the graceful announcements to us. Someone once said that God’s grace is “on the house.” That’s the lens Lutheran’s use to read the Bible. We acknowledge that the Bible was written by humans and therefore is inspired not inerrant. The Bible is ever new to us if we read it looking for the Christ as the one who holds us up in our lives. The Bible is the sole authority and that authority is made flesh Jesus Christ.
First, we acknowledge the Bible as God’s living Word. It is not the book that we worship but the Savior of whom the book speaks. Jesus is God’s living Word to us. For Lutherans the central theme of Scripture is God’s saving grace which God showers upon us freely, not as reward, or answer to prayer, or as inheritance, but as pure gift. And what is this grace? It is found in Jesus life and work among people. It is contained in the stories of Jesus which Luther called “the Bible in miniature.” Time and time again Jesus goes the extra mile loving us into a relationship with him. He doesn’t beat us over the head with the Bible. He doesn’t use the Bible to prove or disprove the latest controversy. He instead tells stories that can be related to in everyday life.
“I have come that you might have abundant life.” “Go and sin no more.” “No one will ever snatch them out of my hand.” These are but a few of the graceful announcements to us. Someone once said that God’s grace is “on the house.” That’s the lens Lutheran’s use to read the Bible. We acknowledge that the Bible was written by humans and therefore is inspired not inerrant. The Bible is ever new to us if we read it looking for the Christ as the one who holds us up in our lives. The Bible is the sole authority and that authority is made flesh Jesus Christ.