Search Results

Pentti Rentola | The Voice of Zion October 2020 -- Installment 19 of 20, translated from the book Christ Is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever: Writings on the Basics of Faith and Doctrine. (Ed. Ari-Pekka Palola, SRK, 2018) What is Culture? The concept of culture comes from the Latin word cultura, which means cultivation or tending. Later, the definition of culture expanded to include education such as science and art. In a broad sense, culture indeed includes all that people do to manage their environment and society and to express themselves and their relationship with other people. The Christian doctrine of our church [Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland] states: “God has given man the task to cultivate nature so that its powers might better serve the protection and advancement of life. This work and its results are called culture” (Christian Doctrine, item 100). The concept of culture underwent changes in the 20th century when popular culture and various subcultures such as youth culture emerged. According to a new definition, “Culture is a system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the members of a society use to cope with their world and with one another, and that are transmitted from generation to generation through learning” (Plog & Bates). Culture with its various manifestations is learned in one’s community through interaction with other people. We say that a child is born into some culture and society. The first cultural educators are the child’s parents. Parenthood is a God-given task of rearing that among other things includes a Christian upbringing and the transfer of one’s own cultural heritage. The child adopts lifestyles, values and norms from his or her parents. Things that belong to culture form the basis for functioning both in the home and in society. The natural tendency of cultures is to strengthen their own cultural heritage and emphasize their own uniqueness. The cultures of the world are not identical. The identities of nations and regions are born through cultural differences. In addition, the culture of a particular nation or region can differentiate into subcultures: high culture, popular culture, rural culture urban culture, customs, food culture and so on. In our thinking and behavior there is much that we consider natural and take for granted and that we cannot specify or explain. This is our cultural heritage. Culture also includes experiences and emotions that cannot always be expressed in words. Scope of Religion Religion is a universal phenomenon. It has always been part of human life. In all peoples and cultures there is some form of religious thinking and behavior. There are an estimated 20,000 religions in the world. Anthropology professor E. A. Hoebel defined religion as follows: “Religion consists of systems of beliefs, thought and external functions that are fundamental to both primitive and developed cultures. These systems tend to become visible throughout societal constructs, and at times it is difficult to determine where the religious ends and the rest begins. Religion as a phenomenon is so diverse and intertwined with so many elements of culture and so dynamic that it is difficult to outline it within limits that would be wide enough to encompass it in entirety and narrow enough for research. Religion therefore belongs to human life and culture. It affects people’s interactions, habits, thinking, choices and decisions. In different cultures, religious life includes even very disparate characteristics and phenomena. The religions of the world are different, but their common characteristics include belief in the supernatural and in God or gods as well as considering certain things sacred. In addition, there are five factors that can be found in all religions: beliefs, rituals, emotional experiences, communality and ethics. Beliefs are religion’s perceptions of e.g. God, the creation of the world and life after death. Rituals refer to religious rites such as prayer, worship and celebrations. Emotional experiences of religion manifest as experiencing the holy, experiences of love and guilt or liberation and calm. Religion creates a sense of belonging. For that reason those who believe the same way usually form their own communities. Religions also provide guidance on how one should live. Ethics is religion’s understanding of right and wrong. Religions usually interact closely with the surrounding culture and society. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between religion and the surrounding culture. Religion can also be used as justification for war or acts of violence; recent examples of this include terrorist acts by various extremist organizations. The nature of religious activity usually involves some form of communality. Religious behavior conveys, both in word and deed, certain signals, symbols and customs of which the proponents of the religion in question are aware. All religions in the world have created their own art. In many cultures, religion regulates the chronology and annual celebrations. Faith and Culture We are living a time of great upheaval in a diverse and pluralistic world – a world in which uncertainty has increased and belief in authority has crumbled. At the same time, various confrontations become stronger and the way of living according to God’s Word is blurred. Marginalization is a real problem. Use of technology grows stronger and stronger and digitalization enables things that change people’s lives. The world is complex and rapidly changing. What should change? What can’t be changed? The relationship between faith and culture has been much discussed. Religion has not ceased to exist, but rather it remains a major cultural and societal influence. Faith is not culture, although practicing religion may include cultural characteristics. Religion and culture have many similar manifestations. Religion also upkeeps cultural content and meanings. Faith influences people’s concept of humans, worldview, understanding of salvation and life after death as well as a multitude of customs and celebrations. The Bible is a fundamental work in Western culture. Its impact has transcended national borders and thus laid the foundation for a common European culture. Biblical influences are visible in e.g. the Western calendar, weekly rhythms and church celebrations. Legislation in Western countries has also been traditionally based on teachings of the Bible. In recent decades, however, strong secularization and falling away from the Word of God have driven our society further from its Christian foundation. As a result, religion and culture sometimes mix or merge and sometimes are at odds with one another. In a believing home, children are raised and guided in a culture in which the childrearing is based on God’s Word. This includes e.g. Christian values, love and truth, diligence, love for one’s neighbor, respect for authority and honesty. Bible-based faith guides one to make the right decisions regardless of cultural background. A child of a believing home is born into and grows up in a cultural heritage in which biblical faith is a significant factor. This shows in the child’s behavior as well. The cultural landscape of the believing home includes the teaching of the Bible and in addition many other customs and behaviors, such as family traditions. Every person is imprinted with the culture of their own childhood home. A person who has lost faith carries with him or her the cultural heritage of a believing home. Many people consider the growth environment, security and sense of community provided by their childhood home a strong foundation and a valuable matter. Sometimes one hears of other kinds of memories as well. Then it is worth remembering that living faith never advocates isolation, abuse or violence. There are many qualities in modern culture that distance people from faith. The concept of right and wrong is disappearing. Instruction contrary to the Bible and new ways of acting and behaving are confusing. The concept of sin nowadays is based on one’s own reason and interpretations. Abnormal phenomena and customs gradually begin to seem acceptable when they are repeated often enough. The wrong kind of thinking has strongly infiltrated different areas of culture. An overemphasis on entertainment value and on sexuality are commonplace. Entertainment culture has become a sustainer, purveyor and producer of lusts and desires. A distorted culture reflects a concept of humans and the correct way of living that are contrary to God’s Word. This changes a person’s values and affects the person’s concept of faith and the meaning of life. It is important to remember that accepting that which is wrong is not true tolerance. Faith is a question of what is most important in life. Meeting of Cultures In a global world, cultural influences spread and different cultures meet. Ease of travel, increasing migration and the development of technology have contributed to the spread of cultures. Meanwhile, cultures have also become more similar as the same celebrities, trends and music styles are familiar in different parts of the world. When cultures mix, a new common culture is created. There is, however, still prejudice and fear toward foreign and strange cultures. We have not avoided culture clashes. The world is divided on the basis of religion into different cultural circles, and clashes between these continue to seem inevitable. Cultural anthropology’s task is to study human communities and culture. One of its research findings is that cultures are self-centered, self-loving and contemptuous of otherness. We often make the mistake of evaluating other peoples and their customs through our own values, customs and attitudes. It is also common for us to evaluate people from different regions of our own country from our own point of view. Many times we are blinded and held captive by our own prejudices and attitudes. In recent times we have evaluated the attitude of the dominant culture [in Finland] in relation to the Laestadian revival movement. It is also necessary to assess how Laestadians view other people. Are we in a habit of generalizing and labeling others and speaking in a demeaning and offensive manner? We must continuously learn to tolerate and respect differences. This, however, does not mean giving up or compromising the foundations of one’s faith. Faith is inalienable, a matter of the heart. Faith Unites People from Different Cultures The law of the Ten Commandments was the foundation of life already for the people of Israel in the Old Testament times. While the Old Testament societal laws and those that regulated worship were bound to the culture and situation, the law of the Ten Commandments is timeless. It remains the same regardless of era, place or culture, for it expresses God’s will. God reveals Himself and His will in e.g. the fates of nations. God also wants to reveal His plan of salvation to all nations (Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47). The gospel belongs to all peoples and language and cultural groups. The gospel unites people from different cultural backgrounds: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). Everyone can appreciate and respect their own culture. A believer, however, is willing to give up characteristics and customs of his or her own culture that are contrary to faith and a good conscience. We may ponder what things belong to culture and what things are part of God’s salvation plan. Occasionally one hears demands to reform “Laestadian culture.” By this some may mean that it would be time to change the old-fashioned way of thinking for a more modern perception of faith. It would suit the human mind to make the old biblical faith more modern and more suitable and acceptable to modern people and easier for human reason to comprehend. The Apostle Paul, however, warned against the misleading teachings of the last days and exhorted everyone to adhere to that which they have learned of God’s Word (1 Tim. 4; 2 Tim. 3). Faith is not just certain habits, words, behavior or belonging to a certain community, but rather it is a question of faith of the heart and of a personal gift given by God. In a changing time there is yet something that has always been and to which one can still cling: God’s Word and the living faith based on it. It is a heritage that will not tarnish, stain or wither away. Love Not the World It is important for a believer to remember that we live in the world but we are not of the world (John 17:16). The world refers to both God’s creation as well as forces opposing God and humankind that has rejected God. In the world there are simultaneously two kingdoms; God’s Spirit reigns in one and the enemy of souls in the other. The Bible warns against loving the world that has fallen away from God (1 John 2:15–16). Every human lives with two portions, and within each believer there is a constant battle between God’s Spirit and the person’s own flesh. This leads to many conflicts and falls. In all eras the surrounding world with its various cultural phenomena and values has also affected believers’ lives. Even today many people ponder the relationship between faith and culture: which things relate to faith and which are culture-related. The mindset and customs based on Christian instruction have largely given way while a worldly way of living has become more widespread. More and more people live their lives in a way that deviates from the Bible’s teachings. We live in a time in which the meaning of a person’s life is based on the person’s opinions and experiences. An easy, pleasureful, self-centered life has become many people’s main goal. Technology has made our lives easier and created new ways of doing things. Science has been able to explain an increasing number of phenomena with human reason. Human reason and wisdom are gifts from God. Reason is not the opposite of faith, but it must be subordinate to faith. Matters of faith cannot be explained by human wisdom. We can use our God-given gifts for our own and others’ enjoyment in many different ways and enjoy the many things that enrich life. One person gladly becomes refreshed with good music, either listening to or playing music. Another enjoys exercise and nature. For some, writing is a natural way to express their thoughts. Many are energized by reading good books. We are different, and our interests vary. Drawing the line between good and unsuitable hobbies is sometimes difficult. Even believers may have conflicting opinions about what is suitable. The enemy of souls attempts to cast doubt on the Word of God and its significance and in this way to cause a person to fall away from faith. Casting doubt or questioning things fits well with the spirit of the times. The Bible’s instruction may be perceived as old-fashioned, out-of-date, belonging to a past culture. The cultural offerings of our time are largely centered around entertainment. They feed a person’s lusts and desires via the senses and open the way for destructive temptations. Entertainment culture distorts, among other things, sexuality which is seen or heard in dress, speech, music, movies and literature. When entertainment conveys through many different channels a description of immoral life which includes e.g. substance abuse and casual relationships, it subconsciously shapes people’s minds and causes them to consider those things normal when in fact they are not. God’s Word warns against conforming to ways of life that are contrary to the Word of God and cause harm to both the individual and the whole nation (Rom. 12:2). According to Paul, people in the last times only love themselves and money, pleasures more than God. They may be outwardly pious but they deny the power of faith. The apostle exhorts us to turn away from such (2 Tim. 3:1–5). In this situation it is good to remember Jesus’ prayer on behalf of His own: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:15–17). Faith is not separate from life. Biblical faith and living according to one’s faith belong together also in the modern world. A lifestyle according to the Bible includes e.g. keeping the Sabbath day holy, hearing the Word of God and marriage of a man and woman that lasts until death as well as caring for the family and rearing children. We often need to pray to God to increase our faith (Luke 17:5). We can recall Moses’ example: he considered the attainment of eternal life more important that enjoying pleasure for a season. To attain the future award he was willing to forgo riches and an easy life and to suffer affliction together with the people of God (Heb. 11:24–26). We have a personal responsibility for our choices, since as a consequence of wrong choices we may lose the gift of faith. If we become too attached to temporal life and its pleasures and opportunities, eternal life – the goal of faith – easily becomes blurred. Abstaining from that which is wrong is part of a believer’s life. Jesus teaches, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). Paul advised Timothy, “But thou, O man of God, flee these things [greed and harmful lusts]; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called” (1 Tim. 6:11,12). Faith of the heart gives the desire and strength to make the right choices. Bibliography Kristinoppi lyhyesti esitettynä. Suomen evankelisluterilainen kirkko 1948. Erilaisina mutta samanarvoisina. SRK Annual Anthology 2010. Ihmeellisiä ovat sinun tekosi. SRK Annual Anthology 2001. Minä uskon. SRK Annual Anthology 2005. Muutoksen keskellä. SRK Annual Anthology 2007. Rauhaa ja iloa. SRK Annual Anthology 2004. Tulevaisuuteen ja toivoon. SRK Annual Anthology 2000. Vanhurskas elää uskosta. SRK Annual Anthology 2017. Eskola Matti ym. Studia-tietokeskus 3. Kulttuuri ja tekniikka. Weilin + Göös 1995. Hoebel E. Adamson Primitiivinen kulttuuri. WSOY 1958. Parviola Jarno ym. Suuret uskonnot: Kristittyjen pyhä kirja. Weilin + Göös 1994. Plog F. & Bates D. Cultural Anthropology. 1981. Väyrynen Leo Kulttuuriantropologia. Lecture Notes 1993–1994.

The Voice of Zion October 2020 -- Working on this issue of the Voice of Zion has impacted the Communications staff deeply. We found ourselves discussing the selected theme, grief and loss, on a daily and extended basis. With each article, some detail reminded us of a time in our lives when death was close and oppressive. We relived pain, and for some of us, we experienced grief that had been repressed for years. Loss of loved ones strikes each of us at some time in our lives. The inevitability of death is assured throughout the Bible, and the knowledge of death gives leverage to God’s law when a person commits sin. But even as death is inevitable, it is also shocking when it happens suddenly. Recent deaths confirm this sad truth. Without preparation afforded by old age or extended illness, sudden death adds another dimension to the sorrow for family and friends left behind to mourn. “We didn’t get to say goodbye” or “I didn’t tell him I loved him often enough” are statements heard at funerals and memorial services. Some therapists recommend that aggrieved people write a good-bye letter or poem to help them in their grief. In God’s kingdom, we can offer comfort of God’s promise for everlasting life in heaven when a person dies in living faith. This is a gift to those who are grieving. However, when death comes to a loved one who did not own faith, we often find a profound emptiness and loss. We may all feel this inexpressible sadness sometime in our lives and that is when it can become difficult to accept that God gives life and God takes life in His time. We cannot comprehend His ways, and therefore, we wish to accept without bitterness His taking of life. Instead of anger or bitterness toward what God has willed, we can remember that God promises to wipe away each tear. God will take the saddest, the weariest, the ones lost in grief – and comfort them. For God, all things are possible, including peace and rest for the sorrowful. Though we feel grief, we can remember with gratitude the deceased one’s time on this earth, the joy and comfort they brought others, good moments and happy memories. For us all, the realization of life’s brief span gives strength to endeavor for a moment, putting away sin and keeping heaven as our goal. In heaven there will be no sorrow, fear or doubt. There will be no memory of life on earth, of those things that weighed on us here. In heaven we will no longer mourn. Instead, there will be joy, everlasting joy. Let us cling to this hope, even as our tears flow in this life. Let us endeavor to believe so that one day that joy will be ours. Christ assures: “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4).

The Voice of Zion November 2020 -- In the world today we hear many calls for unity – from educators, politicians and leaders of all sorts. Unity and agreement are needed to accomplish goals and mutual efforts. In God’s kingdom we speak of unity of the Spirit. The Third Article of the Creed clarifies what the Holy Spirit affects. One result of the Holy Spirit’s work is God’s congregation here on earth, which the Holy Spirit has called, gathered and sanctified and which it protects in mutual faith. A palpable effect of the Holy Spirit’s work is the connection we share, the fellowship of saints, i.e. believers. We are not saintly or holy through our own goodness or innocence or a life well lived, but because our sins are forgiven; the Holy Spirit makes us holy, as Luther reminds us in the Large Catechism. Apostle John in his first letter connects the fellowship of the saints with forgiveness: “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). This is what we simply believe. In this Bible portion, John describes fellowship as a sharing of the path in unity. We walk this path together toward our heavenly home, and the path is illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Fellowship is not just belonging to a church as a member and participating in group activities. Rather, it is unity with God and His congregation. This unity includes a reconciliation with God, the righteousness we own through the redemption work God’s Son did on our behalf. Fellowship is to remain in God and in Christ, owning them by faith of the heart. Fellowship with the kingdom of God means that in addition to partaking in God’s righteousness, we also partake in God’s peace and the joy of believing. When by faith we own God’s grace and love, it affects in our hearts the desire to remain believing and dwelling in the congregation. The Holy Spirit does not direct us to isolate ourselves from church fellowship or to avoid children of God (Heb. 10:25). The Holy Spirit opens the Word of God, leading and guiding the congregation of Christ. Thus, when we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in the congregation, we hear the voice of God – for the Holy Spirit is God. If we reject the voice of the Holy Spirit, we reject the voice of our heavenly Father and His Son, our Lord Jesus. The vital importance of remaining in this fellowship is illustrated by Paul’s image of the congregation, the kingdom of God, as the body of Christ here on earth. Christ is the head of the body, and His followers are members of that body (Rom. 12:5). Staying attached to this body is the only way the members of the body can stay alive spiritually (John 15:1–7). There is no eternal life outside of Christ and His congregation. Christ and His congregation are inseparable. Jesus exhorted His followers to love one another, to carry one another, to avoid disintegration and to live in unison (John 13:34,35; 17:21–23). The members of the body of Christ do not fight against each other and do not remain indifferent toward one another. If one member suffers, all others suffer, and if one member gains glory, all other members rejoice with it (1 Cor. 12:21–26). Unity is not something we ourselves can create; rather the Holy Spirit creates and preserves unity of faith and understanding. It does so across oceans, languages and cultures. And it can do so even in local settings where unity has been tried. When God’s children speak in accordance with His Word, freely and openly in dialogue, then the Spirit shows the pathway. A child of God needs connection with other believers. Love connects us (Col. 3:14). The Holy Spirit gives birth to faith of the heart and love toward God and fellow believers. Love is the glue or mortar that connects different members together. Christ teaches that love is a sign of believers (John 13:35). From the unity and fellowship of the battling congregation of God here on earth, we will once be carried to the kingdom of glory in heaven. There nothing will sever us from God.

Ari-Pekka Palola, Translation: Paul Waaraniemi | The Voice of Zion November 2020 -- Installment 20 of 20, translated from the book Christ Is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever: Writings on the Basics of Faith and Doctrine. (Ed. Ari-Pekka Palola, SRK, 2018) In my article, I briefly examine the history of Conservative Laestadianism. I aim to paint a general picture of the movement’s various periods, but I especially focus on events of significance from the perspectives of the movement’s doctrine and beliefs. I deal only superficially with events occurring after the 1960s since research regarding the period is incomplete. [Note: research on this period was completed after this article was written. The research has been published in Myrskyjen keskellä, Suomen Rauhanyhdistysten Keskusyhdistyksen historia 3 (1962–1980), SRK, 2019.] Laestadianism’s Early Stages in the 19th Century The Laestadian Revival Movement got its name from Lars Levi Laestadius (1800–1861) who served first as rector of the Karesuando and later the Pajala parishes in Swedish Lapland. In January 1844, on an official trip to the church at Åsele, Sweden, Laestadius met a Sámi woman, Milla Clemensdotter. This “Mary of Lapland” helped Laestadius into living faith. Soon Laestadius’ repentance sermons began to echo in the Karesuando church. The Revival began in early spring of 1846, firstly among the local Sámi population and quickly spreading to both Finnish and Norwegian Lapland. The concern for loved ones among those awakened prompted discussion, which contributed to the further spread of the Revival. Nonetheless, it was spread most effectively by Lapland’s mission schools. The Revival achieved a complete change of life in many communities. Drunkards made repentance, tavern keepers closed their businesses, and even lawsuits ceased. One of the main characteristics of Lapland’s Revival was the use of lay preachers who, when called and sent, began covering an ever-widening area. From the beginning some Lutheran Church pastors were also involved in the movement. At the time of Laestadius’ death in 1861, the movement had spread to an area that reached from Hammerfest, Norway, to Jokkmokk, Sweden, and from Vadsjö (Vesisaari), Norway, to near Oulu, Finland. The movement’s new leading figure became Laestadius’ closest work companion, schoolmaster Juhani Raattamaa (1811–1899). The name Laestadianism was first used in the 1870s as mockery. By the end of the 19th century, Laestadianism had spread to most of the northern portions of Finland, Sweden and Norway, to North America, Russia and Estonia. There were already several hundred preachers. The widespread movement did not have any sort of formal organization. The importance of preachers became central to the movement remaining cohesive and maintaining connections. The organization of Laestadianism began at the end of the 1880s at the local level. The main practical reason for Laestadians’ organizing was to obtain their own meeting houses. The first Rauhanyhdistys organizations [called RYs or Associations of Peace] were established in Helsinki, Turku and Tornio. The name association of peace (rauhanyhdistys) referred primarily to the peace of conscience in a Christian’s heart. Laestadianism’s Great Schism Laestadianism’s unity began to crack across the broad area it had spread as early as the 1870s. Keeping a large movement together without a centralized organization proved to be impossible. In the late 19th century, Laestadianism’s Great Schism occurred, in which the movement split into three groups. Juhani Raattamaa and his closest co-workers placed importance on the free proclamation of the gospel, to which was connected an exclusive understanding of the congregation. According to them, “true Christians” were found only among the Laestadians. On this basis Conservative Laestadianism was formed, which became the main branch of the movement in Finland. In Sweden and Norway, the support for Conservative Laestadianism was mainly in the eastern regions, which led to talk of Eastern Laestadianism. The Conservative Laestadians valued the church [Evangelical Lutheran Churches of Finland and Sweden] and had a positive attitude towards it, even though they recognized as brothers in faith only those Church pastors that had repented into Laestadianism. Firstborn Laestadianism began to develop in the 1870s in connection with disputes among North American Laestadians. Emphasis on geographically defined “firstborn congregation” became its identifying characteristic; this congregation was located in the Laestadian Revival’s birthplace in Swedish Lapland. All Laestadians were to show obedience to the firstborn congregation and follow its instructions. The Firstborn Laestadians had a negative attitude toward the church [Evangelical Lutheran Churches of Finland and Sweden] although they did not seek to separate from it. Their ideal was a free, lay congregation in accord with the American model. Firstborn Laestadianism gained a strong foothold in North America as well as western parts of Swedish and Norwegian Lapland, hence the name Western Laestadianism. Gällivare, Sweden, [Finn. Jällivaara] became its central location. The New Awakening’s roots were in Finland’s Awakening revival movement, and it became the most purely Finnish branch of Laestadianism. The New Awakening was influenced by 1870s and 1880s Alliance Christianity. It rejected the exclusive congregation doctrine and held the view that true believers are found in other Christian groups as well. The New Awakening criticized the free proclamation of the absolution of sins and emphasized that forgiveness is to be proclaimed only to “the awakened” and those remorseful over their sins. In addition, the New Awakening approved of the third use of the law, i.e. the understanding that the law belongs to the Christian as a spiritual teacher in Christian life. The New Awakening group had a positive attitude toward the church and felt a special attraction to mission work among non-Christians. By 1906, the division into three separate movements had been established, even though in many localities the groups had not clearly separated from one another. Meanwhile, ingredients for the birth of a fourth group had already begun to form in America, where the division among Laestadians was different than in the Nordic countries. As early as the late 1870s, American Laestadians had begun to divide into supporters and opponents of the Calumet, Michigan, congregation’s lay minister, centrally influential Juho Takkinen (1838–1892). The Takkinen supporters embraced the congregation doctrine of the Firstborn, but only part of them accepted Gällivare’s leadership position. The minority looked to the Lannavaara, Sweden, congregation as the successor to Raattamaa’s work. Consequently the Takkinen supporters divided in the Gällivare and Lannavaara Firstborn, or Large and Small Firstborn – the latter names referred to the relative clout of the two groups. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Small Firstborn, for the most part, outwardly merged with the Heideman group, whose pastor was Arthur Leopold Heideman (1862–1928). The Heideman group most closely corresponded to the Conservative Laestadians. However, doctrinal unity did not result. Beginning in 1908, large service gatherings, the so-called Big Meetings were arranged in America. In these, the Firstborn and New Awakening doctrinal understandings were presented, even though a significant part of the service guests belonged to the Heideman group. By the 1920s, the participants of these services became their own group – the “Big Meeting” group – which had no equivalent in Finland. The Organization of Conservative Laestadianism In their first big services meeting in 1906, Finland’s Conservative Laestadians established their Mission’s Headquarters in Oulu to organize the movement’s mission work. In 1914, to continue its duties and to serve as the central organization of the whole country’s Associations of Peace, the Conservative Laestadians established Suomen Rauhanyhdistysten Keskusyhdistys (the SRK, Central Organization of Finnish Associations of Peace). Following the Mission’s establishment, raising funds proved to be a threshold issue that regulated the possibility of arranging mission work. In 1907, the Mission’s board proposed that a mission paper be established “to raise funds and to make the Mission known.” Siionin Lähetyslehti (Zion’s Mission Paper) began to be published at the beginning of 1912. Income from the paper enabled a significant expansion of missionary work. Common gatherings were generally considered necessary, and “large meetings” began to be arranged on an annual basis. After the establishment of SRK, the meetings became “Annual Meeting services.” These meetings became a forum for Conservative Laestadians in which they could find common solutions to timely questions. Discussions at large meetings and at Annual Meeting services had decisive importance in clarifying many doctrinal understandings and establishing common positions on many questions related to living as a believer. In those discussions, participants were reminded, for example, that humans do not justify, but rather preaches the gospel through the effect of God’s Spirit, and God justifies one who believes. Reading does not bring about faith. The characteristics of righteousness are the fruits of the Spirit, while self-righteousness causes strife, lovelessness and contempt. If the impetus of the work is wrong, the work itself is wrong, “even if it took the correct form.” Believers who have received the Holy Spirit are not under the law of Moses, nor do they consider it their guide, but they do not hate the law. The correct fear of the Lord is not the fear of a slave, rather it’s the desire to avoid grieving the Heavenly Father’s mind. God affects and functions everywhere but justifies only through His congregation. In its essence, God’s kingdom is the fellowship of believers on earth. It is built on the foundation of God’s Word. The duty of the child of God is to rebuke for sin, but it is to be done in the spirit of the gospel and love. Public sin must be rebuked publicly. A demand for confession cannot be made a condition for salvation, but rather the conscience requires confession of sins. Discussions on living as a Christian included admonishments about both the deeds of the flesh and self-righteousness. Both require repentance. God’s grace instructs us to reject ungodly life and to live soberly, righteously and in a godly manner. Parents’ responsibility is to treat children mercifully, as Christ has treated us. Parents should love their children and care for them. In discussing forgiveness, it was instructed that forgiveness be granted to one who asks. In connection with this it was stated, “In time it will become apparent what people have believed.” It was reminded that the use of the key of binding belongs to the congregation in accordance with the Church Law of Christ. The congregation has the right and the responsibility to use it in order to avoid harm. In discussing the congregation, it was noted that a completely pure congregation has never been found on earth. In Christ, however, the congregation is holy and perfect. The Holy Spirit has gathered a congregation of believing people and rules it. One must be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s instructions. Activity within the Church [Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland] The first big meeting in the fall of 1906 especially discussed “being and remaining in the bosom of the State Church.” The background for this discussion was separatist aspirations arising in Karelia. The meeting made a statement in favor of remaining in the State Church. The majority of Conservative Laestadians thought the same as preacher Kaarle Helisten (1848–1915), who in 1909 made the comparison of Christianity’s two protective shells: one being Christian governance and the other the Christian [State] Church. In 1920, proposed legislation on freedom of religion divided opinions among Conservative Laestadians. Some supported the law because they saw it as guaranteeing freedom of religion and conscience for Conservative Laestadians. Others opposed the law on grounds that it made it too easy to separate from the church. After the law was passed, it was brought out how the new law made it possible for Conservative Laestadians to establish their own church according to the American model. The SRK Annual Meeting and speakers meeting determined, however, that Christians had no reason to separate from the church “as long as the sacredness of the sacraments and the doctrine according to the confessional books is preserved in the church, and we are not forced to leave the church for confessing our faith.” The decision to remain within the church did not mean that Conservative Laestadians’ attitude toward the church had become free of critique. For example, the movement’s periodicals addressed doctrines within the church that were considered wrong. Conservative Laestadians also wanted to obtain freedom to function within the church and in the 1920s and 1930s they increasingly achieved this. At the same time, Conservative Laestadianism began to be seen as one of the established revival movements and its activity began to be viewed in a more favorable light. In the post-war period, Conservative Laestadians have often appealed in public statements on behalf of the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confession. They have warned of the dangers associated with relinquishing “the foundation of God’s Word” and “the doctrine of justification that is according to our church’s confession.” Conservative Laestadians have opposed “ecumenical multi-doctrinalism” and resented the church’s secularization. Nevertheless they stated that it does not change their perception of “the national church that contains within it the living church of Christ.” Disagreements about the Doctrine of the Congregation The American Big Meeting group founded the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church Federation (Kirkkokunta), which invited Conservative Laestadian speakers on a speaking trip in 1931. This invitation initiated a series of events in Finland that led to a schism in Conservative Laestadianism. After 1913, Conservative Laestadian speakers [from Finland] had, in America, visited only the Heideman group, but now three speakers answered yes to the Church Federation’s invitation. The Speakers Meetings in the fall of 1932 posited that the three had gone to America “contrary to the decision of the general meeting and God’s congregation,” and decided to demand public repentance of them for their conduct. The speakers who had gone to America also had supporters in Finland who based their position on the understanding that in America there were true believers in both groups. The majority of Conservative Laestadians could not accept such an understanding. They maintained that “one locality cannot have two quarreling groups of Christians.” The Speakers Meeting stated that a person who teaches correctly can be a heretic if he “belongs to the other group that opposes us.” Pastor Arne Vasunta (1891–1943) summed up the matter “Even though America is a land of wonders, it is not so wondrous that there could be two kingdoms of God there.” The opposing group did not accept this view nor the interpretation that they would have, through their actions, torn themselves away from God’s kingdom. Instead they felt they had been expelled by the central organization. Wartime events brought a new twist to the matter. A brothers-in-arms spirit on the warfront also influenced the relationship between Conservative Laestadians and the Small Firstborn by blurring the boundary between these two groups. A key factor in establishing connections was the so-called Cenchrea congregation in the town of Karhumäki in Eastern Karelia. Small Firstborn members serving in Karhumäki also participated in its activity. At the Speakers Meeting in November 1945, a proposal arrived from the Small Firstborn for negotiations to seek a possibility “to heal Zion’s wound.” The meeting was held November 30, 1945. In the discussion, consensus was achieved on the relationship between the law and gospel, but differing views were expressed on the doctrine of the congregation. The Conservatives felt that at the time of the schism it had been a question of an internal congregational matter, but that it was no longer the case. In the end, the Small Firstborn conceded this. Both sides asked for forgiveness for a lack of love and disagreements. It was mutually felt that the two sides had reached reconciliation with each other. News of the reconciliation reached at the “Andrew’s Day meeting” aroused many thoughts and feelings. It was asked that if both sides had to repent, then where had God’s kingdom been for the past ten years. In accordance with the decision at the reconciliation meeting, “Reconciliation Services” were held in various localities, which nonetheless caused mainly confusion and questions. The March 1946 Speakers Meeting held in Tornio noted that the preceding months had shown that the Andrew’s Day meeting had not borne “blessed fruit.” The Tornio meeting issued a statement which emphasized that “Christ’s congregation is one and indivisible,” and stated clearly that repentance from heresy cannot happen as a “group annexing” without personal repentance. In practice, the Tornio meeting meant the end of the reconciliation process. As a result of the process, some Small Firstborn members rejoined the Conservatives, but the majority remained as their own group. Disagreements on the Doctrine of the Sacraments and Significance of the Confessional Writings Among Conservative Laestadians, varying understandings of the sacraments and differing interpretations of the meaning of Lutheran confessional writings existed long before they became a source of dispute at the end of the 1950s. Some of the Laestadian clergy (pastors of the national church) thought that referring to the confessional writings was the right solution in finding agreement. Strong emphasis on the confessional writings, however, was in conflict with Conservative Laestadians’ traditional understanding that all belief and doctrine was to be examined in the light of Scripture. Thus, this did not lead to unification, but rather contributed to disagreement. Gradually certain clergymen’s doctrinal understandings began – on the basis of the confessional writings – to diverge from the laymen’s doctrinal understandings. The central figure in this development was Pekka Tapaninen (1893–1982), who became in the 1950s a leading figure in clergy circles. Attitudes toward the confessional writings had to be reconsidered in a new light when the Kuopio Speakers Meeting presenters in the summer of 1957 came to different conclusions on the significance of baptism. The central question became whether baptism effects forgiveness of sins and whether a child has faith before baptism. Closely related to the baptism question were the understanding of justification as well as the doctrine of the congregation. Some priests considered the church their spiritual home rather than Conservative Laestadianism. The laymen, meanwhile, considered it a serious error that confessional writings were placed above the Word of God. Over the next couple of years, the “Ministers Line” (or clergy line) which emphasized the confessional books, increasingly evolved into its own group that renounced the traditional doctrinal understandings of Conservative Laestadianism. At the same time, the discussion increasingly included the question of God’s kingdom and whether proclaiming the gospel was “the office of the Spirit or the Word.” At the Speakers Meeting in April 1960, there was discussion of the doctrine of justification and of God’s kingdom. The meeting decided to adhere to that “which has been believed and understood up until this time in Christianity” and to “the principle in the confessions of the Lutheran Church that the Bible is the highest authority of doctrine and faith.” During the year 1960, the Conservative Laestadian movement moved towards an inevitable split. On December 29, 1960, about one thousand speakers and congregation elders gathered at the Oulu RY (Association of Peace). The meeting held that “a wrong spirit” was the underlying reason for differing doctrinal understandings. The Ministers Line was publicly called a heresy for the first time and its supporters were urged to repent. However, they rejected the call for repentance. In practice, the Ministers Heresy separated from the SRK at the end of 1960. Mission Work Initiating mission work among non-Christians was discussed in Conservative Laestadian circles many times in the 1940s and 1950s, but plans did not come to fruition. In 1949, the Mission Society of Finland, with which several Conservative Laestadians had privately been in contact, offered to arrange SRK its own mission field to non-Christians, but the SRK annual meeting did not consider the project financially possible. At the end of the 1950s, certain clergymen’s negotiations with the Mission Society launched new discussions about mission work among non-Christians. The discussion affirmed that the mission command obligates Christians, but the decision was made to wait for God to open work opportunities. For decades, among Conservative Laestadians mission work mainly meant SRK’s domestic mission work in Finland. Foreign mission trips were made only to Sweden, Norway and America amidst Conservative Laestadians. The situation changed at the end of the 1980s when the disintegration of the Soviet Union opened contact with Russia where there was found interest in the gospel. Mission work in Russia was extensive in the 1990s, but in the 2000s the focus of foreign mission work has shifted to Africa, where opportunities for work opened in Kenya, Togo, Ghana, The Gambia and Senegal. Other Activity Child and youth work started in Conservative Laestadian circles in the 1920s with Sunday school. In the same decade the first Conservative Laestadian folk school (opisto) was founded. After the war, child and youth work began to expand. Its goal was defined as gathering youth “into the bosom of the congregation” and caring for them “in the midst of Christianity.” Confirmation school work began in the 1950s as part of the church’s confirmation school work. Camp work expanded in the 1960s and in the following decade youth Bible class and Day Circle became established. Publications has developed into a broad and multifaceted area of work. The Siionin Lähetyslehti (Zion’s Mission Paper) was augmented in 1931 with Lasten Siioni (Children’s Zion) and in 1954 with the Päivämies newspaper. The SRK has published Biblia, the Old Finnish Church Bible, since the 1920s, and in the 2000s it also published the Trio Raamattu (Trio Bible) which contains three translations of the Bible side-by-side. The Siionin laulut (Songs of Zion) collection, which since 1944 has been published as a joint volume with the church’s hymnal, has sold hundreds of thousands of copies. It has been revised several times over the years, most recently in 2016. Devotional books and doctrinal books have been the core of SRK’s publications, but since the 1980s Christian fiction and books for children and youth have formed the bulk of publications. Publications have for decades been a significant source of income for the SRK. The Annual Meeting services, the name of which was changed in the 1950s to Suviseurat (Summer Services) have expanded to become Finland’s largest religious summer event. Suviseurat are arranged in different parts of the country every year and they are attended by 65,000–70,000 participants annually. The Finnish Public Radio has arranged broadcasting from the services since 1939. Nowadays the whole Suviseurat program can be heard throughout the country via Kesäseuraradio (Summer Services Radio) as well as around the world via the internet. There were as many as 330 Associations of Peace (RYs) in the 1960s. After that the number of RYs has almost halved due to domestic migration, but at the same time the total number of members has increased by half. Today there are approximately 170 RYs in Finland. They have called as their speakers over 800 lay preachers and about 150 clergymen. In terms of membership, the largest RYs are in Oulu, Helsinki and Jyväskylä. The Current Situation Conservative Laestadianism is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s largest revival movement. It includes about 35,000 members of Associations of Peace and a large group of children and youth. The most important activities are services, Sunday school, Day Circle and youth Bible class. These events are open to all. Outside of Finland, Conservative Laestadians have regular activity in eighteen countries. Conservative Laestadians’ beliefs are based on Scripture, for in their view the Bible is God’s Word. Therein God has revealed all that humans need to know to be saved from the power of sin, to live in fellowship with God and to attain eternal life. For Conservative Laestadians, the Bible is the highest authority on faith and life. They think as Martin Luther did that a person becomes righteous, or acceptable to God, alone by faith, alone by grace and alone by the merit of Christ. Conservative Laestadians live as part of society but they want to hold to scriptural instruction and to traditional Christian values and live in accord with them. They welcome societal development and changes, as long as they do not lead to conflicts with faith and good conscience. They value conscientiousness and responsibility and also want to actively participate in improving society. Bibliography Lohi Seppo Sydämen kristillisyys. Lars Levi Laestadius ja lestadiolaisen herätyksen alkuvaiheet. SRK 1989. [Note: this work is available in English as Christianity of the Heart: Lars Levi Laestadius and the Beginning Phases of the Laestadian Revival. LLC 2019. Pohjolan kristillisyys. Lestadiolaisuuden leviäminen Suomessa [Christianity of the North] 1870–1899. SRK 1997. Lestadiolaisuuden suuri hajaannus ja sen taustat [Laestadianism’s Great Schism and its Background]. SRK 2007. Palola Ari-Pekka Kahden kuoren suojassa. Suomen Rauhanyhdistysten Keskusyhdistyksen historia 1 (1906–1945/1946). SRK 2010. Evankeliumin työ laajenee. Suomen Rauhanyhdistysten Keskusyhdistyksen historia 2 (1945–1961). SRK 2011. [Note: Summaries of these two works are available in English as Expanding Gospel Work: SRK Historical Summary and Photographs 1906–1961. LLC/SRK 2012.] Palola Tuomas Amerikkalainen vai pohjoismainen? Amerikan apostolis-luterilaisuus 1884–1929. SRK 2014. [Note: this work contains an English summary.]

Walt Lampi | The Voice of Zion December 2020 -- Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife. – Matthew 1:18–24 The Apostle Matthew recorded the events of Jesus’ birth from Joseph’s point of view. He and Mary were engaged, but the wedding had not taken place. Nevertheless, he was considered her husband. That they had not come together means they had no sexual relationship. When Joseph became aware that Mary was pregnant, he was distressed over what appeared to be her relationship with another man and betrayal of him. The fact of Mary’s pregnancy naturally weighed heavily on Joseph’s mind. He undoubtedly loved Mary and did not want her to be publicly shamed. As a compassionate and just person, he wanted to do what was proper and thought deeply about the matter. He could put her away privily, meaning quietly and privately break the engagement. While he thought about this difficult and hurtful situation, he fell asleep. Jesus, the Savior, a Descendant of David While Joseph slept, an angel appeared to him in a dream urging him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife because she was not pregnant by another man but by the power of the Holy Spirit. The angel announced to him that the child’s name would be Jesus, and His purpose was to save people from their sins. Previously the angel Gabriel had likewise informed Mary that her child must be named Jesus. He would also be called the Son of God and the Son of the Highest. Furthermore, Gabriel informed that His kingdom will be everlasting, and He shall be given the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32–35). Joseph was a descendent of David, and for that reason had to travel to Bethlehem to be taxed so that the prophecy of Jesus’ birth city would be fulfilled. Luther studied the lineage of Jesus and surprisingly discovered it included many persons guilty of gross sins and also those of non-Jewish roots. Why? It is because Jesus died for both Jews and Gentiles and wanted to be born into a family of sinners so that even the greatest sinner would dare approach the grace throne to find forgiveness and peace. Joseph Obeyed the Angel’s Messages In the times of the Old Testament and early New Testament, God sometimes used an angel to bring a special message. The angel messenger often appeared in visible form. God also revealed His will through His prophets at different times and various ways (Heb. 1:1). But it was an angel that spoke to Joseph, giving instruction surrounding the birth of Jesus. No words of Joseph are recorded in the New Testament – only his actions. When he awoke from his sleep he remembered the angel’s urging words and took Mary as his wife. On three occasions, an angel was sent to him with instruction on what to do next (Matt. 1:20; 2:13,19). The New Testament narrators depict Joseph as a quiet and obedient child of God. He wanted to do what was right in the eyes of God. The Prophesy Is Fulfilled The sign of a virgin conceiving and giving birth was an unmistakable fulfillment of the prophecy: “The Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). The long-awaited one who had been promised centuries before “to bruise” the head of the serpent had finally been born into the world. He would be the victor over sin, death and hell, opening the way to heaven. The conception and birth of Christ are perfectly aligned to prophetic scriptures in the Old Testament. At the beginning of the New Testament, God revealed His will through the birth and the ensuing redemptive work of His Son. He suffered, shedding His blood, died and rose again so that all who believe upon Him might have the hope of eternal life. The good news of His birth which was first made known to the shepherds continues to be proclaimed from God’s kingdom in the preaching of the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name and blood.

Rick Nevala | The Voice of Zion June 2019 -- While the Bible does not speak directly of private confession, it is firmly founded in Scripture. In the Old Testament, Solomon wrote: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13). The apostle John in his day confirmed: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Within Zion today we have discussion about the role of confession in the endeavor of faith. We believe that confession is part of the endeavor in faith, and faith – not confession – is what saves us. Let’s examine what we teach about confession. Confession Is a Gift Confession is a gift from God. It is an invaluable tool He has given us. In the Small Catechism Luther explains that it has two parts. One is that we confess our sins. The other that we receive absolution – forgiveness – from the confessor father or mother as from God Himself. We needn’t doubt, but rather firmly believe that our sins are forgiven before God in heaven. Before God, for example in the Lord’s Prayer, we plead guilty to all sins, even those we are not aware of. Before the confessor mother or father, however, we confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts. Christian Doctrine* states that in order to administer the peace of the forgiveness of sins, God has also provided confession for His congregation. It is not the purpose of confession to exhaustively list one’s sins. We confess so we can hear that God also forgives those particular sins that trouble our heart and burden our conscience. If we believe this word of absolution, we own God’s forgiveness. Salvation is not based on confession. It is founded solely on the rock, Christ, and the work He has done on behalf of sinners. His work is most clearly seen in the precious words of absolution, in forgiveness preached in His name and blood. When we have faith in Christ, we have assurance of salvation. Not Required but Necessary Luther battled misunderstanding concerning confession. The Roman church required an enumeration of all sins. Sin that was not expressly confessed was not forgiven. Thus God’s grace order was rendered void. Confession is not required in order to be saved. Rather, living faith saves. Luther battled on a different front as well. Since he preached that confession was not mandatory as Rome taught, but rather voluntary, some began to live with a new freedom, freedom from confession. They no longer found a need for confession, no longer felt compelled to put sin away. Luther, on the contrary, found a great need for confession. The need was not the result of external compulsion, but rather it came from within. A person is impelled to confess and put away sin by a burdened conscience. Lack of a need for confession suggests a hardening of heart and conscience. Absolution Is the Pearl of Confession Luther, though, continued to see the importance of confession. In fact, he treasured it. He rebuked the ones that neglected or despised it. He said those that dismissed confession should turn back to Catholicism and its enslavement, that it would be better for them there. Luther said a Christian who feels the burden of sin would walk a hundred miles to find the confessor father or mother who could preach the good news of the gospel. The pearl of confession is absolution, the forgiveness of sins. The songwriter calls this the pearl of greatest worth, far more dear than gold and gems of earth. Our rational mind could find a foothold in a life without confession as well as in a life of mandatory confession. Both would lead us down a wrong path away from faith. Our doctrine of confession is clear. Confession has a rightful place in the endeavor of faith, but confession in and of itself does not save us. Faith saves us. Luther states that we urge people to confession, not for salvation’s sake, but that we all could live as believers; we can confess and receive absolution such that worries and fears and sins would not weigh us down so much that we give up faith. It pays to continue to believe that Christ suffered and died and was resurrected so that we can believe our sins forgiven and be heaven acceptable! * Christian Doctrine Briefly Presented. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, 1948.

Mauno Soronen | The Voice of Zion June 2019 -- Installment 6 of 20, translated from the book Christ Is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever: Writings on the Basics of Faith and Doctrine. (Ed. Ari-Pekka Palola, SRK, 2018) The most important matter in a person’s life is to know God. No one has ever seen God, nor can His existence be proven by observation or experiments. The human mind and reason do not easily accept God’s existence. Why would one believe in God if there is no sure evidence of Him? People everywhere are interested in the same questions: why does something exist rather than nothing existing? How did life come to be? What is actually behind this visible reality? When pondering fundamental questions, a person inevitably encounters the question of God. What Can We Know About God? God’s existence cannot be scientifically proven – neither can it be proven that God does not exist. Scientific knowledge does not bring God into existence, neither does it negate His existence. At its best, science reveals the majesty of God. Nonetheless people desire to rise to God’s level or to surpass Him. People want to know everything. God-given reason easily becomes a stumbling block rather than a way to approach God. So it was in the beginning also. According to Lutheran confessional writings, understanding is given by God, and therefore it is possible to a certain extent for humans to understand the good works of God. Human reason, however, is insufficient to know God fully. Reformation theologians nonetheless felt that reason is a tool for understanding Biblical writings. The Holy Spirit “opens the understanding and heart to understand the Scriptures” (Formula of Concord). Reason and understanding are gifts from God and He has intended them to be used in serving God and His creation. Knowing the Mystery of God It was difficult for the scholars in Jesus’ time to believe in God, even though they witnessed God’s miracles with their own eyes. God has seen fit to reveal Himself in a manner that the wise and prudent scorn, but which the childlike accept (Matt. 11:25). The wise and learned know of God, but only the Son knows the Father and reveals Him to us. There is a significant difference between the words “to know of” and “to know”. The former indicates objective knowledge while the latter signifies a personal relationship. God never reveals Himself completely. The essence of God remains a mystery even when a person takes refuge in Him through faith. He is always more than we can know. The Idea of Revelation Revelation is a basic concept of the Bible, Christian faith and instruction. Revelation (from Latin revelatio) as a religious concept emphasizes the thought that a person can only learn to know God to the extent that God reveals Himself. Revelation means an action of God in which God reveals His essence, His plans and His will to people. On the other hand it also means knowledge of God which is relayed to a person through God’s actions. Humans belong to the realm of this life and are bound to time and place. God, meanwhile, is beyond the boundaries of place and time (transcendental), omnipresent, existing in and of himself (Exod. 3:14). The subject of revelation is God. Humans are the object, the recipients of the revelation. God is the initiator even when people seek God. God has not left people in darkness, but rather reveals Himself and draws people unto Him through His everlasting love (Jer. 31:3). The revelation has traditionally been divided into the general and special revelations. The concept “general revelation” (revelatio generalis) indicates that this form of revelation is known by all people. Special revelation (revelatio specialis)means God’s supernatural revelation which occurs through Christ and God’s Word. Special revelation can be divided into direct and indirect revelation. Direct revelation (inspiratio) means the revelation that the writers of the Bible had. The foundation of the indirect revelation is the written Word of God, the Bible. General Revelation In the general revelation, people see God’s work. Creation is proof that there exists a Creator of everything. Throughout time God has spoken to people in nature, fates of nations, phases of life and in their consciences (Christian Doctrine, item 4). Creation in its entirety is a great miracle of God. It testifies of the Creator’s glory and magnitude. The miracle of creation is not only that something has been created, but that humans have been given the ability to observe it. For those who believe in God, creation is indisputable proof of God’s existence. Even though people do not see God, they see God’s works. All people can sense the presence of God. The created being has awareness of its creator. According to Paul, God has revealed Himself in nature since the beginning of the world so His imprint should be obvious to all (Rom. 1:19–20). On the basis of the general revelation, however, we cannot get very far since God remains a mystery. Seeking God through the general revelation is mere fumbling around (Acts 17:27). The general revelation does not lead a person to true knowledge of God or to salvation. At its best it can lead to superficial knowledge of God, but without the special revelation – the gospel – a person always remains in unbelief and hopelessness. The person’s conscience can be cleansed and freed only when God acts through the special revelation. Faith is born of the hearing of the gospel, when God in His grace, renews a person’s innermost. Therein the essence of God approaches a person and the person enters unity with God. Without faith a person is a slave of God’s opponent, the enemy of souls. If the person does not realize this, he or she is unable to comprehend Christ’s grace. A person in his or her natural state has no saving knowledge of God. The person cannot by nature comprehend the speech of God’s Spirit because to his or her mind it is utter madness. He or she cannot comprehend it because it may be examined only through the Spirit. Special Revelation God has revealed Himself especially in the Bible and in His Son Jesus Christ (Christian Doctrine, item 4). The culmination of this revelation is Christ who has become flesh. According to Luther, “God will and can be known in no other way than in and through Christ” (Commentary on Galatians). The core of the revelation that occurred in Jesus is the so-called theology of the cross. In the world God is hidden in His opposites. God’s love does not seek the good and pious but rather the sinful. Christ’s death on the cross becomes a victory in the resurrection. God is hidden, but He has revealed to people all that is necessary so that they can find Him and become His children. According to Paul, it is possible to understand the special revelation only through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2). The special revelation breaks down obstacles and enables a person to hear God and His will. One cannot deny the effect of general revelation on the birth of faith, but the general revelation can truly be understood and accepted only via the special revelation. In Luther’s theology, the special revelation occurs by means of understanding the law and the gospel. In emphasizing God’s holiness and mercifulness, Luther created the concepts of the hidden God (Deus absconditus) and the revealed God (Deus revelatus) [Bondage of the Will]. The tool of the hidden God is the law, which “frightens” sinners. The tool of the revealed God is the gospel, which “makes alive and comforts” (Apology of Augsburg Confession). The law reveals that God hates sin. The gospel, in turn, pronounces the forgiveness of sin. The law therefore condemns while the gospel uplifts. The law is God’s “alien work” (opus alienum), and the gospel is God’s “own, proper justifying work” (opus proprium). In this manner, God reveals to humankind both His holiness and His grace (Heidelberg Disputation). The gospel is not only a word about God, but in the gospel God Himself becomes the Word. Through this Word faith is born. Faith that is born of the gospel owns the forgiveness of sins. Owning the grace of God and fellowship in God’s kingdom are based on the perfect merit of Christ. The Bible: The Revelation of God’s Will The Bible is God’s revelation to humankind. It carries the message of God to people of this time as well. For this reason the Bible is the highest authority of faith and life for an individual Christian and the congregation of God. The revelation is not dependent on individual words, but rather its content is in the complete message of the Bible. The purpose and meaning of life is revealed in the message of the Bible, which centers on Jesus Christ. The revelation of God has existed before the Bible, but now the congregation of God is guided by the exhortation to adhere to the Scriptures. Paul stated that knowing the holy Scriptures helps one to believe and brings salvation in Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 3:15–16). A person will go astray if he or she does not know the Bible or the power of God (Mark 12:10, 24). According to Luther, the central message of the Bible is the message of God’s grace. The written Word is not born of human will. It has been written by believing people inspired and guided by God’s Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). The key to the Bible and its salvation message is the Spirit of God. All revelation, given at various times by prophetical inspiration, focuses on Christ. Revelation history begins on the first pages of the Bible. According to Luther, the first chapters of Genesis contain the entire Bible (Table Talk, 1533). In Genesis, God’s promises and His grace are present (Commentary on Genesis). Lutheran teaching emphasizes the effectiveness of God’s Word. The Word not only tells of faith but creates faith by the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s congregation itself is not the revelation but the servant of the revelation. The congregation is a creation of the Word (creatio verbi). The power of the keys given to the congregation also rise from the revelation, and its authorizer, Christ, is Himself the Word. In modern and postmodern theology, there is a desire to deny the authority of the Bible and to replace it with people’s divine experiences. The Bible is seen only as the product of certain people’s divine experiences, not as God’s revelation of Himself. In this case, the entire Christian concept of revelation is rejected and replaced by personal human experience. Christ as the Revealer of God, the Fulfillment of Revelation Christ revealed His Father’s will and told what God expects from people and what God gives to people. Christ joined with the Old Testament revelation (Matt. 5:17). The prophets’ promises were fulfilled; now the Son was speaking. He enlightened that which had been revealed before. Jesus proclaimed in the synagogue of Nazareth: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). God’s actual revelation is His work in Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth was God revealed in human form. God is not only holy and righteous, but also a merciful and loving Father. The New Testament emphasizes God’s temporal being. Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). Even though He has ascended to heaven, He is with us “always, unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). God’s kingdom is at the center of Christ’s revelation. It is the core of the revelation because the gospel is the gospel of the kingdom. In God’s kingdom, God’s will is fulfilled. God’s kingdom is eternal, but it has come near us in Jesus Christ. The goal of the revelation is that a person would go from sin to grace, into the fellowship of God’s kingdom. God wishes that all people would be saved and would come to know the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). Jesus’ work in this world continues as the work of the Holy Spirit (Christian Doctrine, item 44). The gospel is to be proclaimed to every creature (Mark 16:15). The centermost word of the revelation proclamation is the gospel. The gospel contains the entire contents of Jesus’ life work. On that basis a person is able to call the holy and righteous God his or her Father. Receiving the gospel gives birth to faith, which is the work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s heart. When faith is born, the holy and secular meet one another – God’s reality is present in the human world. Heaven hears earth and the earth hears heaven (Hos. 2:21). When faith is born, a miracle of God occurs. God does not have to be proven nor does one need to think about Him beyond what is revealed because He is active. He speaks and listens and is a Father to His children. We know God when we know the content of His revelation. Christ is the core content of this revelation, “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15). True knowledge of God can occur only in Jesus Christ, who has taught us to know Him (John 1:18). Jesus is the way, truth and life: “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Understanding Special Revelation At the center of God’s special revelation is the proclamation of His holy, righteous and saving love and its fulfillment. The revelation winds through the holy Scriptures as a unified message and its center is Christ. That is why the holy Scriptures must be examined through Christ. For an individual person, the purpose of this revelation is that the person can become a partaker of God’s righteousness. This happens in faith of the heart in the fellowship of God’s kingdom. The special revelation does not open to human understanding. The birth of faith is always the work of the Holy Spirit. “I believe that I cannot of my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me by His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith, even as He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the true faith” (Luther’s Small Catechism, 3rd Article of Creed). A person cannot become convinced of God and His grace using his or her own rational mind. The birth of faith is a miracle of new birth that surpasses understanding; it is caused by the Holy Spirit. Revelation and faith belong together. The God of revelation comes at a special moment in history, when the old vanishes and the new begins. When God’s grace encounters the human heart, the person begins to live a new life following the Lord and His own. God’s kingdom and its fellowship become important to him or her. For Martin Luther, faith was the cornerstone of spiritual life and teaching. The correct relationship with God is a relationship of faith (Gen. 15:6), because only by believing are we able to live the way God intends (Luther’s Commentary on Galatians). Saving faith is trusting that Christ was born for me and His salvation work affects me personally. Faith is not dependent on how strong our faith is but rather on how great God is. In faith, Christ is present. Will the Revelation Continue? In terms of its contents, the revelation of God is perfect in Christ and His atonement work. Jesus was the fulfillment of the revelation. Did the revelation end in Him or does it continue, and if so, how? According to the Roman Catholic understanding, the revelation continues in the form of church tradition. The Lutheran understanding, however, is that God’s Word contains within it the fulfilled revelation. The revelation no longer continues. The New Testament congregation lives by the given revelation. No new revelation will be given. The message does not change. It is valid always and everywhere. On the basis of the completed revelation the congregation of God proclaims the message of God’s grace to all creation. Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom with the mandate His father gave Him. The mandate the disciples received was given by Jesus (John 20:21–23). It is sufficient. We preach the Word without adding anything to it or taking anything from it (Rev. 22:18–19). The Bible clearly differentiates between the revelation of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, which continues in God’s congregation. The Holy Spirit opens God’s Word according to His will and the need of the congregation. When the Holy Spirit enlightens the Word in the congregation, the Word opens to a person. This is not, however, a question of a new revelation, but rather of the Holy Spirit assisting one in possessing the revelation. Part of the essence of the congregation is to ask for the Lord to speak such that the servant hears. When the Holy Spirit guides God’s congregation, its understanding and teaching are preserved on the solid rock foundation of God’s Word. The idea of a continuing revelation leads to relativism, a world view in which all truths and values are relative. According to the Bible, the fulness of the Godhead was in Christ (Col. 1:19). If one demands more than this, the person does not understand that Christ is the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15). He is God’s perfect revelation. Faith in Christ is faith in the unique revelation of God. The revelation of God was fulfilled in Christ, and from Him shines the light of the revelation into the world. No proclamation, song, prayer, form of spiritual life or custom represents the divine revelation beyond that which has been revealed in Jesus Christ. After Him no new revelation has been given. Even Luther did not attain the position of the bearer of a new revelation, even though he spoke so clearly about justification by faith. The revelation gives us the image and the knowledge that God is holy (Exod. 3:14). God is present in the essence of Christ (John 17:11). In order to own this essence, no human resources are needed. To all that receive the word of revelation, God gives the power to become His child (John 1:12). The grace of God cannot be earned, but one can own it. In this way, God reveals Himself and enlightens His existence to people. The fulfillment of God’s revelation – the Word – occupies a person and joins him or her to the congregation. This way of receiving the revelation leads to becoming assured by the revelation. Bibliography Luther Martin Apology of Augsburg Confession. Augsburg Confession. Bondage of the Will. Original work ”De servo arbitrio” 1525. Book of Concord. Christian Doctrine. Evangelical Church of Finland 1948. Commentary on Galatians. Original work ”In epistolam S. Pauli ad Galatas commentarius ex praelectione D. Martini Lutheri collectus” 1535. Commentary on Genesis. Original work ”In primum librum Mose enarrationes” 1535–. Heidelberg Disputation. Original work ”Disputatio Heidelbergae habita” 1518. Large Catechism. Small Catechism. Table Talk. Original work ”Tischreden. Weit Dietrichs Nachschriften. Frühjahr 1533.”

Keith Kariniemi | The Voice of Zion June 2019 -- God made men and women different. One of the ways these differences may be apparent is in the way they communicate about personal matters. Although we tend to think stereotypically concerning such communication differences – women being open and willing to share and men being reluctant to share – this is not always or entirely true. Men and women both need friends they can rely on to communicate with about personal matters; each individual goes about it in different ways. As a man and a father, I have experienced many times in my life how I have had to lean on good friends to communicate personal matters. Whether this has happened over a cup of coffee, a sheet of ice, a hot sauna stove or just plain visiting, these moments of communication are necessary. The conversations have included matters of faith and the journey, and I’ve been strengthened and uplifted in visiting about these important matters. I’ve also found great benefit in visiting with my friends concerning other personal aspects of life, such as my role as a husband and as a father. A Meaningful, Spontaneous Visit A visit that comes to mind is one I had with a dear friend the night before I got married. As I find to be the case with many meaningful visits I’ve had with friends, it was a spontaneous conversation. We were walking to our vehicles after a gathering with a number of mutual friends. We began to discuss the approaching chapter in my life. I relayed my excitement, my apprehension, my hopes and my fears to this dear brother, and he provided me much support and comfort. After a couple-hour delay in our departures, I found that I was heading home with much peace and contentment in my heart. I went to bed my last night as a single man more than ready to be joined together, by God’s Word and before His congregation, with my better half. Such is the power of the blessing of friendship between believers, especially when the forgiveness of sins and doubts can be freely preached. A Special Bond No matter how well a man communicates with the women and children in his life, he still needs other men with whom he can share personal matters. Men often have a special bond with other men, regardless of our station in life. Our common life experiences allow us to support and encourage one another. Although we may not necessarily hear men openly communicating about personal matters, men nonetheless need and cherish peer visits with other believing men. Men, Friendship and Escorts Jeff Raisanen | The Voice of Zion June 2019 -- Emotions can be tough to deal with for some men. Nobody wants to feel like a crybaby or feel like he hollers or gets angry a lot. Growing up we try to fight it and not let anyone see how easily we cry. Sometimes we grit our teeth so hard we think they might break to try keep from crying. As I get older, I realize it’s okay to be an emotional person. Or maybe I’m just not as self-conscious about it anymore. Once I was driving a visiting minister to the airport. I didn’t know him very well before he came to speak in our congregation. We were visiting about a sensitive issue and soon I realized I was hollering angrily and banging on the steering wheel, and then crying and asking for forgiveness. I’m surprised he didn’t ask me to pull over! “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another” (James 5:16). An Escort in Faith In my twenties, during a darker time of my life, a believing man I had known since my childhood called me out of the blue and wanted to come to visit. I respected him and would have rather avoided him. I dreaded his visit, but he came. We sat at my kitchen table and he related to me about his life, his trials and his troubles during his early years. I expected him to lay into me and tell me what I was doing was wrong. He didn’t; he was a good escort for me. At that time in my life I might have responded with anger, but the more he related, emotion built inside me and soon I was crying. I tried to relate some of my own trials, but I couldn’t even talk. He asked me if I wanted to hear the gospel. All I could do was nod my head. He preached the gospel and all the pain and anguish was gone. Years later he came to my wedding. Emotions overwhelmed me again as he congratulated me. I tried to thank him for that visit; I think he understood. I imagine he likely came to that earlier visit with heavy feet, doubting his ability to be a brother’s keeper. His life was busy at the time, but he was truly an escort for me. He showed me I am not alone in my trials and troubles. In sharing his experiences, he showed that God still had grace for me also, and I could believe all my sins forgiven. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). Another time a friend was facing heavy family trials. I asked my wife to pick up a card; I wanted to write something to him. I carried that card for days trying to come up with words to send him. Finally, I sat down and wrote, “I cannot come up with any words, just know we are thinking of you.” I felt self-conscious of what I wrote and didn’t mail it for many days. A couple years later, I saw him at services. He told me the card had stood out to him; he found comfort in its simple message. He related some of his trials and all I could do was cry. We blessed each other. It was strengthening to my faith to hear how God’s grace and love had helped him through his trials. He felt as I had experienced previously, that the believers were remembering him through this difficult time in his life. Words Aren’t Always Needed Not all men can easily show emotions outwardly; sometimes we just need silent support. During our second pregnancy, my wife and I found out we were expecting twins. At first it was hard to envision how we could raise twins, but soon we were picturing twin boys growing up together. But then we lost the twins at 17 weeks of pregnancy. This was so hard. We had gone through emotions from fear and doubting to joy to the sorrow of miscarrying. I remember going to my brother-in-law’s home; he and his wife were watching our two-year-old. He asked how I was doing. I said I just needed to spend some time with the kids. He understood and puttered around the yard as I talked and played with them for a while. We parted with God’s peace, and he asked if I was alright. I responded, “Yes! I am, thank you.” He said, “any time!” He knew and understood I would break down if we tried to talk. Through discussions and sharing, we become escorts for each other, as the Bible verses here tell us. We can hear how God gives others strength to fight their battles and this in turn gives us strength. The most important thing is to encourage one another to believe all sins forgiven in Jesus’ name and blood. Discussion Points: 1. Relate of an emotional time in your life. How did you get through this time? What helped to give strength and renew hope? 2. Relate of a time when your faith was strengthened when visiting other believers about trials or matters in their lives. How did this help you? 3. What do you think of the phrase, “Real men don’t cry”? As a man, how has that kept you from speaking your thoughts?‍

Pauli Niemelä | The Voice of Zion August 2019 -- Installment 7 of 20, translated from the book Christ Is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever: Writings on the Basics of Faith and Doctrine. (Ed. Ari-Pekka Palola, SRK, 2018) In this article, I will examine the origin of the biblical writings, how they became a collection of books, and the significance of the canon. I will present Bible translations, focusing on translations into Finnish. In this article there is an emphasis on Luther’s Bible interpretation and the principles of Lutheran Bible interpretation. I will also address the relationship between the written and spoken Word and the effectiveness of the sermon of God’s Word. The Bible Was Written as Inspired by the Holy Spirit The Bible itself describes the significance and nature of the sacred writings. Peter encourages us to trust in the prophetic word. We are to fix our gaze upon it as onto a lamp shining in the darkness. He also states that the holy Scripture cannot be explained by any person on their own, for “the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:19–21). According to Paul, “all scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). God’s Holy Spirit has thus guided the writing of the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit can also open the understanding of the written Word of God. According to Christian Doctrine (1948), “We should read the Scripture thus, that praying we seek from them the living God and are obedient to His voice when He speaks to us in His Word” (Christian Doctrine, item 8). The Holy Spirit’s work also includes the birth of faith in Christ. The Bible has a divine aspect and a human aspect. In the Bible the divine and the human aspects are unmixed and unchanging. The Bible is the instrument of God’s revelation. The Origin of Bible Writings According to current understanding, the writings in the Bible have, almost without exception, gone through a long process with multiple phases before assuming their current written form. This is especially true for the writings of the Old Testament. Many narratives existed in oral format long before they were put into the written form found in the Bible. The Old Testament contains poetry and prose. The poetry is probably an older literary form. Its most important characteristic is parallelism (parallelismus membrorum), which is structured on dual lines of poetry. The second line either complements the premise in the first line, or else it presents an opposing premise. The basic form of prose is a story or narrative which is usually about ten verses in length. The narratives have a straightforward structure, with a beginning and an end. Individual poems and narratives became parts of larger literary works and ultimately, after many editorial phases, became books in the Old Testament. Nowadays the role of the editors in the creation of the Bible books is considered central. Editorial work has likely continued for centuries. The Book of Psalms, for example has gone through at least three editorial phases. Of most importance to the Bible reader, however is what the writing contains and proclaims as a completed entity. The New Testament books were written in a significantly shorter period of time, over the course of less than a century. In addition, there has been less editing done than in the books of the Old Testament. Paul’s letters, for example, are Paul’s actual letters as they were originally written. The evangelists used various sources in writing their unique books. Mark was the first to present the joyous message of Jesus Christ around 70 A.D. Matthew and Luke used the Gospel according to Mark as the basis for their writings. The Gospel according to John is the most recently written gospel and is by nature almost a sermon-like, theological take on Jesus’ words and deeds. John describes the purpose of his writing thus: “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). The Biblical Canon Our current Bible contains 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. In addition, the old Finnish Bible (Biblia, 1776) contains fourteen books of the Apocrypha. Apocryphal means “hidden” and refers to the fact that these books never belonged to the collection of books in the Hebrew Old Testament. In the Lutheran church, the apocryphal books have no canonical status. Luther states that they are beneficial to read but they should not be considered to have equal status to other books of the Bible. The word canon means a normative collection of books. The earliest definition of the Christian canon is from the year 367 when Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, listed the books that belong to the current Bible and then stated, “These are the wells of salvation…Let no one add to these. Let nothing be taken away from them.” This is, therefore, a normative collection from which books cannot be removed and to which new books may not be added. This also implies a great respect for the contents of the books that have become part of the canon. The Origin of the Old Testament Canon The Biblical Canon was formed over a long period of time. Due to the fact that the Old and New Testament canons were formed in different ways and at different times, I will examine them separately. The Law (also known as the Torah, the five books of Moses), was the first set of writings to be established in approximately 300 B.C. The Prophets were established in about 200 B.C., and the Writings were the last to be established. Ben Sira (in approximately 180 B.C.) was familiar with the law and the prophets, but otherwise he only knew the Psalms. The final writings to be considered for inclusion were Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon and the books of Esther and Ruth. This took place at the end of the first century A.D. The decisive event that caused the Old Testament canon to be formed was the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The Jewish people lost their national existence and the temple in Jerusalem, which was the symbol of their religious identity. Following that the Jews had to establish their identity based on a “portable homeland”, i.e. the Scriptures. The early Christians read the Old Testament in what language they were able to read: Aramaic speakers in Hebrew, Greek speakers in Greek, and Latin speakers in Latin. The Greek Septuagint translation influenced the Bible such that the Old Testament writings came to have a four-part structure: the Torah, historical books, wisdom books and prophetic books. The positioning of the prophetic books at the end of the collection allowed Christians the opportunity to read the New Testament as a fulfillment of those prophecies. Formation of the New Testament Canon Although for Jesus and His disciples the Old Testament was the holy book, new writings came to exist alongside the Old Testament over time. Paul was the first to write letters to the congregations. The gospels were a new literary genre written based on the Lord’s words and deeds. The Acts of the Apostles told about the apostles’ journeys as the gospel was spreading. All of these books were given canonical status by the end of the first century. The New Testament canon reached its current state by 200 A.D. The last books to be accepted were the letter to the Hebrews and the Revelation. The writings selected for inclusion in the Bible spoke to their listeners and readers, and therefore they began to be considered normative. Professor Timo Veijola posits that the birth of the canon was guided by the community’s understanding of what faith is. After the fact it has been possible to determine three bases for inclusion: the writings of prophetic and apostolic origin were first accepted into the normative collection. Next came the writings that were in use throughout Christendom, and finally those that otherwise represented correct doctrine. This third basis meant that e.g. Gnostic texts were left out of the canon. The Significance of the Canon From a historical viewpoint, the biblical canon has had a significant effect on preservation of ancient Israeli and early Christian literature. This is how Paul’s letters, for example, have been preserved for us to read. In a spiritual sense, the significance of the canon is much greater. The Bible must be read and interpreted in its entirety. Faith must not be built on the basis of one Bible portion or one book in the Bible. Individual books must be read along with other books, in which case they complement and correct one another. The individual pieces of a puzzle are interesting per se, but only when they are put together do they form a meaningful whole, which is more than the sum of its parts. According to this so-called canonical reading method, an individual portion of the Bible takes on a new, broader meaning when it is placed alongside another portion. For this reason as well the Bible is an extremely rich work. The red thread throughout the book is the great salvation works of the Triune God, which are manifested in Jesus Christ. The Translations of the Bible The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, except for some of the most recent portions, which were written in Aramaic. Approximately 200 B.C. the Jews translated the Old Testament into Greek, the predominant language of that time, for the Jewish diaspora (Jews living outside Israel). This Septuagint translation became especially significant since the first Christians used it and it became part of the Christian Bible. Paul’s Old Testament references were also based on the Septuagint translation. Early on the Bible was also translated into Latin, which had become the new predominant language. The Vulgate, a Latin translation of the Bible, was used by the entire western church until the Middle Ages. Only after the Reformation were there any large-scale efforts to translate the Bible into local languages. Luther began translating David’s seven Penitential Psalms in 1517. The New Testament was published in German in 1522, and in 1534 the whole Bible was published in German. Soon thereafter the New Testament was translated in the Netherlands (1526), France (1530), Sweden (1541), Finland (1548) and Denmark (1550). Luther was not the first person to translate the Bible texts into German, but he was the first one who made use of original biblical languages in his translations. Luther’s translation can be characterized as theological in nature. Its main goal was to emphasize the principal of justification by faith: alone by faith, alone by grace, alone by the merits of Christ. Luther attempted to translate the Bible into good, clear German which the ordinary people would understand. It is said that he often interrupted his translation work and went out to the field to ask the peasants how they would express a particular item. One of Luther’s students was Mikael Agricola from Finland. Along with other Finnish students, he began translation work with the Psalms. Following the publication of the New Testament (1548), the translation of the Psalms was published in 1551. Agricola used the Latin Vulgate, Luther’s German translation and the new Swedish translation as the basis for his translation. He translated one fourth of the Old Testament before he died. The translation of the entire Bible was completed in 1642. The translation committee also used Hebrew and Greek texts in translating the remaining books. This work continued in the form of Henrik Florenius’ translation (1685), in which the Finnish text was edited and some portions were revised based on the Hebrew text. The verified translation by Antti Litzelius (1758) and its revised edition (1776) continued along the same lines. The 1776 translation is known as the Biblia. Language revision was continued in 19th century editions of the Biblia (1862, 1878), which however did not contain any changes to contents. In 1886, the [Finnish] Church Council appointed a committee to prepare an entirely new Bible translation. The long, complex process finally resulted in a new translation of the Old Testament (1933) and of the whole Bible (1938). The committee aimed for a literal translation and avoided interpreting the text. A new Bible translation committee was appointed in 1973. They took a new approach to the translation work. Their goal was a translation into modern Finnish that would adhere to the content and style of the original texts. The translation work considered the latest findings, such as the Qumran texts found between 1947 and 1956 and the latest findings in Bible research. Translation work is demanding and always requires interpretation to a greater or lesser degree. There is no sense in simply comparing translations or ranking them because they are based on differing principles and viewpoints. The SRK has published the so-called Trio Bible which contains three translations (Biblia, 1938, 1992) side by side. This gives readers a good opportunity to compare the translations and ponder their contents. Luther as a Reader and Interpreter of the Bible Luther was an eminent scholar and interpreter of the Bible. At the University of Wittenberg, he lectured on e.g. the Psalms, Genesis and the letter to the Galatians. Luther considered the Bible a single, unified work in terms of its doctrinal content. Here he referred to the doctrine concerning Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is “divinely inspired doctrine.” In this respect, the Bible is unerring, for faith does not err. For Luther, the biblical inerrancy did not pertain to how the writings came to be but rather to its Christ-centered grace doctrine. For Luther, God’s Word was that “which gives me Jesus Christ bright and pure.” The following thought of his has become well known: “What does not teach Christ is not apostolic, even though St. Peter or Paul taught it; again, what preaches Christ would be apostolic, even though Judas, Annas, Pilate and Herod did it” (The Prefaces to the New Testament). Luther noted that there are clear and obscure portions in the books of the Bible. He instructed, ““Leave the obscure [portions] and hold to the clear ones.” According to Luther, the Bible is “clear enough for as much as is needed for salvation.” Meanwhile, it is nonetheless obscure enough for “pious souls to examine” (Refutation to Latomus). Luther’s interpretation of the Bible was part of the long tradition of the church. The method he used was an ancient church method of interpretation, in which four levels of explanation were sought for the text in question: first the literal interpretation, secondly an allegorical interpretation, thirdly the moral interpretation and fourth of all an analogical interpretation. The problems associated with such a mechanical manner of interpretation were already known in Luther’s time. Therefore he adapted them in his own way. He condensed the four levels of Bible interpretation in the ancient church into one prophetical Christ-centered interpretation. This method was very useful due to the fact that Luther valued the Old Testament very highly. In his preface to it he wrote, “And what is the New Testament except an open preaching and proclamation of Christ, appointed by the sayings of the Old Testament and fulfilled by Christ”. The principle of “what makes Christ” (quid Christum agit) became the core of Luther’s Bible interpretation. In Luther’s words, “Christ is the Lord and King of the Bible” or “Christ is the King and the Light of the Bible”. The Reformation’s Christ-alone principle (solus Christus) means that in examining and interpreting the Bible, attention is paid to Christ’s person and duty. This is explained by e.g. the following words of Paul: “The grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many” (Rom. 5:15). According to Luther, the Bible is the highest authority for faith and life. He based his teaching on the Bible and rejected the abuses of the Catholic church by citing portions of Scripture. No doctrine or order which was not found in the Bible could not, according to Luther, bind the Christian conscience. He created the “by Scripture alone” principle (sola scriptura) to oppose the Catholic church’s tradition of “the Bible and church tradition.” Luther only rejected those church traditions that went against the Word of God. The Bible is indeed the highest authority of faith and life, but not the only one. Earlier we referred to the church tradition (traditio), which includes the early church creeds and the decision of Church Councils, confessional books, liturgical texts and writings of the Church Fathers insofar as they are consistent with the Bible. Faith and life belong together. Faith shines light into one’s life. But it is also important to emphasize that human reason and experience also have their own place in everyday life. According to Luther, human reason must be given a dominant role in areas of temporal life, such as politics, science and judiciary issues. Meanwhile, in the realm of faith reason must be harnessed to serve faith (Bondage of the Will). The reformer is said to have used two or three hours a day studying the Bible. Luther says that the Catechism is like a road into the Bible. The Catechism contains the law (what God demands), the Creed (what God gives as a gift) and the Lord’s Prayer, which explains how we can own that which God gives as a gift. Luther recommended spending time with the Bible, to ruminate and ponder on it and even to repeat words and phrases out loud. According to Luther, the Holy Spirit may begin to reveal God’s Word to its reader as he or she prayerfully ponders it (Large Catechism). Principles of Lutheran Interpretation of the Bible According to the instruction of our Church [Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland], the Bible reveals to people who God is and what His will is. To this end the Bible has a special status which is evident in church law and order: “The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church confesses that Christian faith, which is based on the holy Word of God, the prophetic and apostolic books of the Old and New Testament and which is expressed in the three Creeds of the Ancient Church and the unaltered Augsburg Confession and the other Lutheran confessional documents of the Books of Concord. The Church holds, as its highest authority, the principle of the confessional books that all doctrine in the Church is to be examined and evaluated according to the holy Word of God” (Church Order, Section 1) First, this means that anything that is contrary to the Word of God cannot be accepted. Secondly, this means that faith and doctrine must not be based on something of which there is no revelation in God’s Word. Thirdly, the Bible sentences cannot be arbitrarily combined without considering the textual context. Lutheran interpretation of the Bible can be condensed into five principles: First the Bible must be interpreted from the viewpoint of its message of salvation. The Bible testifies of God’s great salvation works, which culminate in Christ. This principle defines what is central in Christian faith and what is peripheral. In addition, it means that some portions of the Old Testament (for example the ordinances of worship), no longer pertain as such to Christians. After examining the teaching of the Old Testament, one must always ask what the New Testament teaches about the same matter. Secondly, the Bible is explained with the Bible. Individual portions and themes find their place in the overall context when they are placed alongside other Bible portions. This principle therefore rejects a method of interpretation in which a certain viewpoint is adopted in advance based on which only certain Bible portions are selected. Nothing can be filtered out of the Bible; even portions that seem charged or contradictory must be understood with the help of other text portions or in the overall context. Different texts’ backgrounds and historical contexts may have differed greatly. This is the case in e.g. Paul’s instruction on righteousness of faith (Rom. 3:21-31) and James’ teaching on works effected by faith (James 2:14-26). They are to be understood as being parallel with one another and as such do not contradict each other. The third principle of interpretation is that the Bible is a spiritual book. It is God’s Word, and correct understanding of it requires faith. Earlier we discussed the work of the Holy Spirit in understanding the Bible. The Bible places its reader and interpreter into the place of a learner, into Mary’s role (Luke 10:42). Only through faith is born the internal assurance of the divine nature of the Bible (testimonium internum Spiritus Sancti). This results in obedience to the Word of God in everyday life. Fourthly, the Bible is a book that belongs to all Christians. No one individual Christian has the ultimate wisdom with which to interpret the Bible’s texts; rather the truth must be sought together. The church has the right and the obligation to examine and interpret the Bible from the standpoint of the church’s understanding of faith. The church and the Bible belong together, but the church cannot rise above the Bible. The church must not be the master of the Bible, but rather as a hearer and believer of it. Paul taught that the instruction that edifies the congregation is always grounded in love (1 Cor. 13:1,2,9). The separation of the law and the gospel can be considered the fifth principle. God’s revelation in the Bible exists as an expression of God’s will (the law) and a proclamation of God’s saving works (the gospel). The duty of the law is to show people their sin. The law awakens awareness of one’s sins and in this way drives one to Christ. The gospel—God’s promises—frees the sinful one and comforts him or her. The gospel brings joy and peace to the heart. It was of utmost importance to Luther that the law and the gospel not be mixed in order to maintain the purity of the gospel. Responsible Interpretation of the Bible The interpretation of the Bible is both a responsible and challenging task. The Bible has often been misinterpreted and used to support ideas that are foreign to the overall message of the Bible. In order to be able to interpret Bible texts responsibly and correctly, we must first attempt to determine what a given writer was originally trying to express. The better we can answer that question, the better prepared we are to apply the text to our own time. Meanwhile we must note that the Word of God can nourish the Bible reader even if he or she does not have knowledge of the historical context of the text portion. Bible research has produced a wealth of knowledge about life and the world during biblical times. There are many additional tools available that help one learn about the world of the Bible: maps, dictionaries, reference books, commentaries and scientific articles. When using such tools it is necessary to understand their role as research tools. They in and of themselves are not God’s Word, nor are they food for the soul. When a Bible reader has comprehended what a text meant in biblical times, the next step is to ponder what the text in question means to me, to us in modern times. This is known as hermeneutic reasoning. Responsible Bible interpretation is based on the premise that the text in question and its application to the modern day correlate to one another, i.e. they must speak of the same issue. It is necessary to acknowledge the difference between the biblical world and the modern world, but that does not mean that Bible texts would no longer have a relevant message. We people today with our fundamental questions, fears and hopes are the same as people two thousand years ago. Many modern phenomena were already familiar to people in those times, though perhaps partially in different ways. Of course there’s also phenomena which were completely unknown in those times, such as the environmental crisis or questions of medical ethics. Nevertheless, the Bible’s creation theology and its overall message offer clear insight even on these types of questions. In order to understand and interpret Scripture, God’s Holy Spirit is necessary. The Relationship Between the Written and Preached Word It was previously stated how Luther taught Christians to spend time with the Word of God. He greatly valued the daily reading of God’s Word. His reformational findings were made in studying God’s Word. A Christian of today as well is strengthened in faith by reading the Word of God. It gives one wisdom (2 Tim. 3:15) and weapons to battle against the attacks of God’s adversary (Matt. 4:1-11). God’s Word gives strong roots that hold fast in many kinds of storms. Luther gave a special significance to the spoken Word of God. He called it the living voice of the gospel (). In the Large Catechism he wrote: “We, you and I, could not obtain any knowledge of Christ nor could we believe in Him and receive Him as our Lord, unless the Holy Spirit would offer that treasure, through the sermon of the gospel, and would gift that in our bosom.” The sermon of the gospel, effected by the Holy Spirit, gives birth to faith. God may have also already done His work in the person earlier. God’s Spirit works how and when He wills (John 3:8). According to Paul’s instruction, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Paul also spoke of the office of reconciliation: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Cor. 5:19,20). Jesus sent His own into all the world to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; John 20:19-23). In 1919, preacher Matti Suo aptly described the relationship between the written and spoken Word: “If a person were able to become a believer by reading, all we would have to do is send Bibles all over the world and everyone would have been able to read their way to salvation.” In Lutheran theology, the Word of God is understood to be sacramental. It means that the Word of God and its sermon relay God’s grace. The gospel is not a mere description of God’s grace and forgiveness, but rather—as Luther tells it—the chariot of the gospel brings before us all the gifts of salvation, Christ Himself. Bibliography Luther Martin Bondage of the Will. Original work ”De servo arbitrio” 1525. Christian Doctrine Briefly Presented. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, 1948. Evangelical Lutheran Church Confessional Writings. Kirkkojärjestys 8.11.1991. Introduction to the Old Testament. Large Catechism. Preface to the New Testament. Refutation of Latomus. Original work “Rationis Latomianae confutatio” 1521. Jolkkonen Jari Luterilaisen reformaation synty ja keskeiset vakaumukset. –Armon horisontit. Huomisen luterilaisuus. Kirjapaja 2016. Kinnunen Pekka Kristus on Raamatun Herra ja Kuningas. Martti Lutherin Raamatun esipuheita ja reunaselityksiä. SRK 1983. Mannermaa Tuomo Luther Raamatun lukijana. – Raamattu ja kirkon usko tänään. Kirkon tutkimuskeskuksen julkaisuja 87. 2004. Niemelä Pauli Antti Filemon Puukko. Suomalainen Vanhan testamentin tutkija ja tulkitsija. Suomen eksegeettisen seuran julkaisuja 74. 1999. Palola Jukka Sanatarkasti vai kokonaisuuksia tavoitellen? Raamatun kääntämisellä on pitkä historia. – Siionin Lähetyslehti 1/2017. Peura Simo Solus Christus. – Raamattu ja kirkon usko tänään. Kirkon tutkimuskeskuksen julkaisuja 87. 2004. Ruokanen Miikka Lutherin Raamattukäsitys. – Johdatus Lutherin teologiaan. Toim. Pekka Kärkkäinen. Kirjapaja 2001. Smend Rudolf Vanhan testamentin synty. Suomeksi toimittanut Martti Nissinen. Yliopistopaino 1989. Talonen Jouko Raamatuntulkinta Suomen herätysliikkeissä. – Raamattu ja kirkon usko tänään. Kirkon tutkimuskeskuksen julkaisuja 87. 2004. Veijola Timo Kaanonin synty ja teologinen merkitys. – Raamattu ja kirkon usko tänään. Kirkon tutkimuskeskuksen julkaisuja 87. 2004.

Elaine Nikula | The Voice of Zion August 2019 -- “It is I; be not afraid” (John 6:20) was the comforting motto for the 2019 LLC Summer Services, held July 4–7 at Silver Springs near Monticello, Minn. At the first service, Ron Honga (Menahga, Minn.) assured doubting believers they need not fear, “Come, dear one, and believe the forgiveness of all your sins,” he said. Be Not Afraid Honga reminded the timid visitor that there is nothing to fear because Jesus, the One who calms the storm, is here. When the disciples of Jesus were afraid for their lives because their ship seemed about to capsize in the winds and tempest, Jesus came walking on the water. Not recognizing Jesus at first, the disciples were again fearful, but Jesus reassured them with these same words, “It is I; be not afraid.” “With Him (Jesus) we are everything; without Him we are nothing,” Jouko Haapsaari (Hanover, Minn.) said. “Be of good courage,” he urged speaker-brothers who came to serve. The congregation has come hungry and prays for food. “God will provide,” he assured, referring also to the comforting motto. Song Services, Additional Sermons Augment Summer Service Schedule A new addition to the Summer Services schedule was song services at four separate times, two with selected themes. One was centered around the services motto. Songs such as “A home in heaven is prepared for me,” “Be not dismayed, O little flock,” “You are my Savior, Jesus Christ,” and “The Lord’s my Shepherd” encouraged and comforted the traveler on the way to heaven. “This message is what we needed to hear,” Aila Kallinen (Buffalo, Minn.) said. Vesa Tahkola, of Pattijoki, Finland, also reinforced that message of comfort: “Be not afraid, Jesus has promised to be with His own.” His sermon was one of 25 during the weekend services, up from 18 sermons in previous years. “It’s nice to have more sermons,” Joyce Martin (Brainerd, Minn) said. “I hardly even noticed there were more as they fit nicely into the schedule.” Chad Wuollet (Epping, No. Dak.) summarized the weekend, “Services were just amazing, so uplifting and encouraging!” Music Notes: A Singing People Karen Kariniemi | The Voice of Zion August 2019 -- Scriptures relate how singing has always been a part of the lives of God’s children. Early believers sang for comfort, for strength, to be uplifted and to praise God. They understood music to be given by God and used it often. Many of their songs are recorded for us in the book of Psalms and today we sing those same psalms in our lives. The music of God’s children, whether from Scripture or from our own Songs and Hymns of Zion, comforts and encourages me in my walk of faith. The song writers have put into words my heart’s voice and when I sing alone, in a small group or – as we did recently during our Summer Services weekend – as a large congregation, the words and music bring calm and comfort. Many of our songs are prayers, and singing them allows me to pray when I may not even know what to pray for. Hearts Join in Praise When I join my voice with the other believers, I feel I belong to this large throng of people. I don’t feel alone. We all become one voice singing praises to God, pleading for His grace, asking for His comfort and seeking His guidance. Occasionally I sit quietly and listen to the others and I still feel a connection. After all, it’s not just voices that join together, but rather hearts as well. I’m not alone in these feelings, as was evidenced at our recent Summer Services at Silver Springs. There the music and songs of the believers were heard and sung throughout the weekend in the services, over the sound system, and in the new addition to the service schedule, song services. Song services were scheduled four times over the weekend, two in the afternoon and two in the evening. The evening song services, followed by a devotion, were mostly attended by the youth. Their voices filled the service tent and drifted out into the night, pulling in those that were at the campers settling in for the night. Music Draws Us Together It was nice to have the opportunity to sing a lot at Summer Services, which the many scheduled song services made possible. (Nicholas S. – Saskatoon, Sask.) We enjoyed song services because singing in a large group sounds beautiful. It was awesome to have a short period of singing before services – we would like it to continue! (Belle S., Laryssa H., Kylie H. – Outlook, Sask.). Song services were beautiful and comforting. I loved sitting in the chairs among my friends and fellow believers singing praises to God. He is the one allowing these services to happen, and hearing voices of thankfulness and prayer comforted me and made me feel there is no other place I’d rather be. (Maddy S. – Rockford, Minn.) At the closing service, we heard from Psalm 33: “Sing unto him with a new song…” We can sing to God those familiar, beloved songs again and again. Every time we sing, they are new words of praise and fresh words of comfort. Sunday School at Summer Services! Kathy Waaraniemi | The Voice of Zion August 2019 -- Approximately 500 children attended the first Sunday school held at LLC Summer Services. Jim Moll, of Prescott Valley, Ariz., gave a lesson on the services motto: “It is I; be not afraid” (John 6:20). Students actively answered questions. Moll told the story about how the disciples were rowing in a boat late at night and they saw someone walking on the water. They were afraid. Jesus said, “It is I; be not afraid.” Peter said, “If it is you, Jesus, let me walk to you.” Peter started to walk on the water but was overcome with fear and doubt and he began to sink. “Did Jesus leave him in his doubts?” Moll asked. “No, Jesus helped him back into the boat. He will help you, too.” Moll also told about David and Goliath. Goliath was big and fierce – the whole army of Israel was afraid of him. Moll explained how David found five smooth stones, with one of them he hit Goliath in the forehead. How did David overcome Goliath? By faith. “When you’re tempted and fearful, ask for the gospel. The gospel will help your doubts and fears go away,” he said. Moll explained how the enemy of souls is sometimes like a roaring lion but also sometimes like a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing, ready to quietly deceive us. He told a story about a time he stepped on a rusty nail and it made a tiny hole in his foot. He didn’t clean the wound but just covered it with liquid tape. It got infected. He got very sick and had to go to the doctor to get a shot to get better. Moll compared this to sin. “Sometimes sin is so small we want to cover it up,” he said. “Clean your wounds of sin with the gospel.” The gospel is our power.