The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church | Page 3

by such influences,
"_his feet had well-nigh slipped--his steps were almost gone_."
Therefore, he can sympathize with those honest questioners, who have
not had the privileges of instruction in the doctrines of sin and Grace,
and who are consequently in the dark. He has, therefore, concluded to
write a series of plain, practical papers on the "Way of Salvation in the
Lutheran Church." It will be his endeavor to set forth the manner or
method through which the Church of the Reformation proposes to
reach the sinner, and apply to him the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus.
The first question that presents itself is: Who are the subjects of
salvation? The answer clearly is: All sinners. But, again: Whom does
this embrace? The answer to this is not so unanimous. The views
already begin to diverge. True, there is quite a substantial harmony on
this point, among all the older Protestant Confessions of faith, but the
harmony is not so manifest among the professed adherents of these
Confessions.
In many of the denominations there is a widespread skepticism as to the
reality of original sin, or native depravity. Doubtless on this point the
wish is father to the thought. The doctrine that, "after Adam's fall, all

men begotten after the common course of nature, are born with sin," is
not palatable. It grates harshly on the human ear. It is so humbling to
the pride of man's heart, and therefore he tries to persuade himself that
it is not true. It has become fashionable to deny it. From the pulpit,
from the press, from the pages of our most popular writers, we hear the
old-fashioned doctrine denounced as unworthy of this enlightened age.
Thus the heresy has spread, and is spreading. On every hand we meet
men who stand high in their churches, spurning the idea that their
children are sinners, and need to be saved. Their creed is: "I believe in
the purity and innocence of childhood, and in its fitness for the
kingdom of heaven, without any change or application of divine
Grace." Ah! yes, we would all like to have this creed true. But is it true?
If not, our believing it will not make it true.
Then let us go "_to the law and the testimony_;" to the source and
fountain of all truth, the inspired Word of God. Listen to its sad but
plain statements. Job xv. 14: "_What is man that he should be clean?
and he which is born of a woman that he should be righteous_?" Ps. li.
5: "_Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother
conceive me._" John iii. 6: "_That which is born of the flesh is flesh._"
Ephesians ii. 3: "_Among whom also we all ... were by nature_"--_i.e._
by birth--"the children of wrath even as others." These are a few of the
many clear, plain statements of the divine Word. Nowhere does it teach
that children are born pure, righteous and fit for heaven.
The Lutheran church, then, teaches and confesses nothing but the pure
truth of God's Word in the Augsburg Confession, Article II., where it
says: "Also they teach, that after Adam's fall all men, begotten after the
common course of nature, are born with sin," etc. Also Smalcald
Articles,
Part III., Article I: "Here we must confess,
that sin originated from one man Adam, by whose disobedience all
were made sinners and subject to death and the devil. This is called
original or capital sin.... This hereditary sin is so deep a corruption of
nature that no reason can understand it, but it must be believed from the

revelation of Scripture," etc. So also the Formula of Concord, Chapter
I., "Of Original Sin," where see a full presentation of our faith and its
foundation. Also Luther's Explanation of the Second Article of the
Apostles' Creed where he says: "Who--Christ--has redeemed me, a
poor, lost and condemned creature, secured and delivered me from all
sins, from death, and from the power of the devil."
This, then is the teaching of our Church, as founded on the Word of
God. That this doctrine is true, beyond the possibility of a doubt, we
can learn even from reason. It will not be disputed that what is in the
child will show itself as it develops. The germs that lie hidden there
will unfold and bring forth their proper and natural fruit. By its fruits
we can know even the child. And what are these fruits? How long will
it be before that helpless and seemingly innocent babe, that slumbers on
its mother's breast, will show symptoms of anger, jealousy,
stubbornness and disobedience? Let that child alone, and, without a
teacher, it will learn to lie, deceive, steal, curse, give pain to others, etc.
But,