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Allen Pirness | The Voice of Zion September 2019 -- On my recent LLC mission trip to Ghana and Togo I was joined by a fellow Canadian, Ari Mikkola, now of Haapajärvi, Finland. We both arrived on Good Friday evening in Lomé, Togo and began our visits with the congregations on Saturday morning. At those first services, two services guests received the grace of repentance. I marveled at the simple instruction given to them by the lady who hosted services. She had only recently been granted grace to believe and the most important matter that she wished to share with them was to remember to use the gospel. She didn’t want them to just wait for the ministers to come to hear the gospel, but to preach it to each other in daily life. Using the Gospel Preaching the gospel among believers to wash away sin on the journey was a theme that wove its way through the many service occasions and visits among believers on our trip. It was also the message that we needed to hear. This trip made us feel small before God in many ways. On Sunday, after communion services in Lomé, we were joined by Jean Claude Maniragaba, from Rwanda. Jean Claude is the head pastor of his own church in Rwanda. The church consists of 12 different congregations and has around 700 members. He made initial contact with believers via email in October 2018. He received the grace of repentance on a trip to Kenya where he went to meet believers for the first time in person. Ari and I spent Sunday evening visiting with Jean Claude at our hotel, learning about him and also about his call to God’s kingdom. Over the rest of the trip I watched how God helped our dear brother grow in grace. His initial priorities of learning how to conduct a proper church service that would be according to God’s Word changed to the fervent hope and prayer that God’s kingdom would remain in his home. And that together with his wife, they can teach their children by example to preach the gospel in daily life. It reminded me of Jesus’ parable of the treasure hidden in a field, where the finder of God’s kingdom saw how this was the single most important thing that had and would ever happen to him personally. A Level-Headed Flock On the last day of our trip, Jean Claude received a gift of two songbooks from the believers in Ghana. It was encouraging to see how the West African believers welcomed their Rwandan brother so warmly in the many places that we visited. He spoke of this often in his greetings to the congregations and in our visits. He has witnessed a love among believers that is unlike anything that he has seen before. He expressed that it is humbling to see how God’s kingdom is a level-headed flock and the servants of the Word need to live of the same gospel that they preach. We openly wondered together what this means for the gospel work in Rwanda and whether there will be a time of visitation there. We all concluded that God has a plan for His work, but most importantly He has a plan for each of us that we can remain in faith by putting sin away as it besets. Afternote: God blessed the first LLC-SRK mission trip to Rwanda (July 2019), when many were able to hear God’s Word preached for the first time and a number were granted the grace of repentance.

Petri Hotari | The Voice of Zion October 2019 -- But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. – Matthew 22:34–40 In the Bible, there are several passages in which Jesus was tempted by a person’s questions. Jesus often countered these questions with additional questions that revealed the other person’s true intentions. In this case, Jesus answered the lawyer’s question by plainly stating what is known as the dual command of love: love God and love your neighbor. With All Thy Heart Luke writes, “Behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25). In this case, Jesus asks a question in return: “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” (v. 26). The lawyer answered with the same words as in our text: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” (v. 27). Jesus testified that this was the correct answer. This is a commandment that we humans are unable to fulfill, but fulfillment of it is needed to inherit eternal life in heaven. Why did the lawyer ask a question he knew the answer to? The lawyer’s next question is revealing: “who is my neighbour?” (v. 28). Jesus went on to teach the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan. Then He asked, “Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?” (v. 36). The answer given, “He that shewed mercy on him” (v. 37), revealed that the lawyer could not utter the word “Samaritan.” To the Jews, the Samaritans were considered unclean and the lawyer was unable to rise above this and fulfill the commandment of love, which includes loving our enemies. Love One Another Jesus describes clearly the many characteristics of the Scribes and Pharisees who “sit in Moses’ seat” (Matt. 23:2). He warns of their hypocrisy in attempting to closely follow the law while omitting “the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith” (v. 23). We are instructed to show mercy as God has shown mercy unto us. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminded His listeners, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:15,16). He also spoke how a good tree brings good fruit and a corrupt tree brings evil fruit. Paul writes to the Galatians about the fruits of the spirit, the first of which is love. Jesus told His disciples “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34). Power to Love Comes through the Holy Spirit When one receives the grace of repentance and follows Jesus, he or she receives a new heart. This fact is often hidden as the believer often feels doubts and sin. The prophet writes: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh” (Ezek. 36:26). The power to love God and love our neighbor does not come from flesh and blood but from the power of the Spirit. On the final judgment day, the sheep will be separated from the goats. The sheep will receive a call to inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. Jesus explains, “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me” (Matt. 25:35,36). The righteous will ask when they did such things (v. 38,39). Jesus the Great Judge will say, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (v. 40). Let us remember to act as the Samaritan did while we yet endeavor to follow Jesus’ great commandment and to travel by faith with the power of the gospel. Thus will we one day attain the glory of heaven.

Ari Pelkonen | The Voice of Zion October 2019 -- Installment 9 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) Grace distinguishes Christian faith from other religions. We cannot speak of a saving faith without speaking of grace. Grace is the core issue in human salvation and becoming righteous (justification). The Bible teaches that a person is saved by grace through faith, and that this is a gift from God, merited without one’s own works because God has given Christ to believers (Eph. 2:8,9). The reformer Martin Luther emphasized that we are saved by faith alone, through grace alone and for Christ’s sake alone. The doctrine of grace includes the separation of the law and the gospel. The law demands works of a person, but faith owns the grace of God offered in the gospel. It would not be possible to own grace were it not for the atonement work of Christ. What is Grace? According to Christian Doctrine [of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland], grace is defined as God’s incomprehensible love which becomes ours without our own merit (Christian Doctrine, item 36). Grace is the opposite of merit (cf. Rom. 4:4). God’s grace is general grace in the sense that it targets all people (Rom. 5:15). All people are corrupted by original sin and are therefore meritless before God. Grace does not require human merit. If one tries to earn salvation or even a part of it, his or her faith is based on works, not grace. A person cannot do anything for his or her salvation. Grace is God’s favor (favor Dei) for a person. Because people are sinful and due to their sinfulness subject to the wrath and judgment of God, they need to be forgiven of their sins. In His grace, God has made this possible through the atonement and redemption work of His Son, Jesus Christ. God’s law awakens one’s knowledge of his or her sins and drives him or her to seek forgiveness, prepared by Christ, which is offered in the gospel of God’s kingdom. A penitent sinner becomes a partaker of God’s forgiveness when he or she accepts in faith the gospel of the remission of sin. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17). For the sake of Christ’s merit, God gives us faith that justifies us. This faith owns, as a gift from God (donum Dei), Christ and the righteousness He earned. Christ dwells in the heart of a child of God by faith (Eph. 3:17). According to Luther, faith is internal good that is an opposite to sin, which it cleanses. Grace, meanwhile, is external good, God’s favor, the opposite of His wrath (Refutation of Latomus). Grace is the grace earned by Christ and God’s continuously present favor. A child of God can every moment believe his or her sins forgiven. This does not pertain only to those situations in which one hears the proclamation of absolution. Grace also teaches us to live partaking in the gospel and keeping a good conscience. Humans Cannot Influence Their Salvation In the history of Christian churches, there has been and continues to be a wrong doctrine in which the concept of grace is distorted. Over time it has taken different forms, but the fundamental question has always been the relationship between human nature and God’s grace: can humans themselves influence their salvation? Is salvation a joint effort between God and humans or is it God’s work alone? One form of this false doctrine is the notion that a person has free will whereby he or she could fulfill the ten commandments and thus earn salvation. According to this notion, God cannot demand of a person anything that he or she cannot fulfill. Grace is thought to contribute to and facilitate that which a person’s own will is capable of. This concept that emphasizes a person’s own merits can be summarized as follows: when a person makes his or her best effort to be saved, God will reward the efforts by pouring His grace on the person. So the road to salvation would be a process in which human efforts are combined with the effects of grace. Justification is seen as a joint effort between God and humans. On the other hand, grace can be misunderstood to mean internal grace found within a person, which heals the person’s corrupt nature and initiates goodwill. According to this understanding, grace changes human nature such that a person does good works and thus fulfills God’s law. The concept of grace is also distorted in the thought that faith alone does not justify, but rather justification is accomplished by the gift of grace, i.e. love, that is poured into a person’s heart. According to this notion, one can increase love by keeping God’s commandments. Righteousness is regarded as a human attribute that certainly has divine origin, but which gradually evolves in a person toward ever greater perfection. The aforementioned wrong understandings can overlap each other. They have in common the notion that a person can in some way and to some extent influence his or her salvation. This is one of the most prevalent false doctrines in Christian faith. Grace Is Christ’s Merit The Bible repeatedly teaches that a person’s justification is based on the grace of God and Christ’s merit. The God of all grace has in Christ called Christians into His eternal glory (1 Pet. 5:10). Christ has opened access for us to God’s grace (Rom. 5:2). Grace rules a Christian and leads him or her to eternal life because Christ has given righteousness to His own (Rom. 5:21). God’s grace cannot be owned without Christ and His redemption work (John 14:6). He offers the grace He earned to all to be accepted through the gospel. Grace is not even partly outside Christ. Synergism, according to which people could with their own works contribute to their own salvation in cooperation with God, is not based on God’s Word. Justification is not the joint effort of a person and God, but rather solely the work of God. Life flows from the Christ vine to which Christians are attached as branches. The branch cannot bring forth fruit without a connection to the trunk (John 15:1–5). Jesus taught, “for without me ye can do nothing,” and “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:5,16). God influences both will and actions (Phil. 2:13). Although the Bible in many places exhorts one to repentance and to choose blessing (e.g. Deut. 30:19; Matt. 3:2), an unbelieving person himself or herself is unable to choose grace and faith. Luther rejected the notion that a person has free will and decision-making power in spiritual matters. In temporal matters, a person is able to make decisions and choices, but in matters of salvation, his or her decision-making power is bound (Bondage of the Will). Luther summarized this in his explanation of the Third Article of the Creed: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith” (Small Catechism). Although God takes initiative in the birth of faith, it does not mean that He has predestined some people to heaven and others to perdition. In the history of the Christian church, there has been a so-called doctrine of double predestination. This is not based on the revelation of the Bible. Predestination, election and foreknowledge are different things. The all-knowing God certainly knows in advance the fate of each person in eternity. Predestination and election are Christ-centered issues in the Bible. God’s grace election takes place only through Christ and in Christ: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Eph. 1:4,5). If a person believes, he or she is saved and is God’s elect. If a person is God’s elect, he or she is saved when he or she believes (Formula of Concord). Atonement and Redemption Prepared by Christ The basis of all salvation, righteousness and grace is the atonement and redemption work of Christ. There is no other foundation than the Word of God, which is Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). Because the fall into sin had broken the connection between God and humans, it had to be repaired. God expressed His will for humans in the law of the Ten Commandments. God’s will requires unconditional fulfillment. Since sin-fallen humankind could not fulfill the law due to sinfulness, God in His love sent His Son into the world to fulfill His will. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). Christ atoned the sins of all humankind on the cross. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). He was the mediator between God and humankind. As an innocent surrogate victim He suffered punishment for us and on our behalf; He reconciled God’s wrath that we have earned with our sins. Through His death on the cross and His resurrection, He also redeemed us from the curse of the law. Christ has reconciled our guilt before God and redeemed us from the power of sin and death. The fall into sin made humankind subject to death. The power of death had to be defeated in order to save humankind from death to life, back into fellowship with God. When Christ rose on the third day from the grave, He overcame the ruinous power of death. The resurrection of Christ also meant victory over the power of sin and the enemy of souls. God allowed Jesus Christ to die for our transgressions and raised Him again for our justification (Rom. 4:25). Due to Jesus’ resurrection, at the end of time every person will rise by the power of God to the last judgment (1 Cor. 15:20–23). Overcoming the power of destruction, sin, death and the devil meant humankind was free from bondage. Luther explained the Second Article of the Creed in his Large Catechism: “He [Christ] has delivered us poor lost ones from the jaws of hell, has won us, made us free, and brought us again into the favor and grace of the Father. -- Let this, then, be the sum of this article that the little word Lord signifies simply as much as Redeemer, i.e., He who has brought us from Satan to God, from death to life, from sin to righteousness, and who preserves us in the same.” The significance of Jesus’ atonement and redemption work is often questioned in our time. Preaching of the cross was foolishness even to the contemporaries of Jesus and the apostles (1 Cor. 1:18,23). The message of atonement and redemption, relayed through the authority of the Holy Spirit, can only be owned through faith. Mere knowledge of Jesus’ death on the cross is not sufficient if faith of the heart is lacking. Faith of a Child The grace that comes through Christ’s atonement and redemption is also required for children’s salvation. Every child is created by God, redeemed by Christ and sanctified by the Holy Spirit; in other words every child is a child of God. God has created every person (Ps. 139:13–16), and He does not create children of His adversary, the devil. That would be contradictory to His righteous nature. The basis of a child’s salvation is Christ’s redemption work, which has been done for the whole world and all people. The acceptability of a child before God is not based on innocence or the lack of actual sins but rather on fellowship with Christ. “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” (2 Cor. 5:19). Christ’s atonement and redemption work signified the return of humankind into unity with God (recapitulatio). For this reason each child is righteous and has faith as a grace gift of God. Paul described this in his letter to the Romans when he spoke of Adam and Christ: “For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification…Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Rom. 5:15–18). Christ’s redemption work does not, however, eliminate original sin. A child is also a partaker of original sin and is thus simultaneously righteous and sinful. The child has the gift of justifying faith with which he or she owns Christ. For this reason God does not impute original sin to him or her. God’s immeasurable grace in Jesus Christ has overturned God’s wrath due to original sin. In union with Christ, the child’s faith is the faith of the Son of God. Of this Paul stated, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God” (Gal. 2:20). This is how profound a union exists between a child – and all believers – and Christ. Grace as a Teacher of Christians Under grace and partaking of grace a Christian is free from the demands, judgments and curses of God’s law because in faith he or she owns Christ (Rom. 6: 14–18). Christ has fulfilled the demands of the law on behalf of a Christian and bore the judgment and curse of the law when He suffered death on the cross. Christ has delivered all who believe in Him into the freedom of a grace child (Gal. 5:1). The Christian’s life in faith is life in grace and truth, obedience to Christ, the ruler of the heart and as a result, it is battle against sin. The purpose of this battle is to preserve the gift of faith in the heart and remain in the fellowship of free grace (Rom. 6:18–23). The battle is not easy because a Christian, though righteous, is still sinful. The corrupted “old Adam” – flesh and blood – have not repented nor will they inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:50). The Christian continuously experiences within himself or herself that the flesh battles against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh (Gal. 5:17). In the Christian’s life there are often situations in which one does not immediately know what the proper solution is (1 Thess. 5:21,22). Especially in complex issues it is necessary to consider the issue from many angles and discuss it with other believers in order to find a solution that agrees with the will of God. This is because as a partaker of Christ’s love, the Christian desires to seek that which is true and correct (Rom. 12:1,2; Heb. 10:24,25). The Christian’s teacher is by the Holy Spirit. A child of God puts to death (mortifies) the misdeeds of flesh and sin through the Spirit (Rom. 8:13). God’s grace guides the person to live and to endeavor in faith according to God’s will – and also grants the person strength to do so: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Tit. 2:11,12). Grace is a better teacher than the law that demands but does not give strength to live up to the demands. According to Luther, God’s grace and gift protect the person so that he or she does not want to give in to sin (Refutation of Latomus). The opposite of free life is bondage or slavery. It can be slavery of sin, the “freedom of the flesh” as in worldly lifestyles or the bondage of the law in self-righteousness. If grace is subject to conditions and demands, it becomes righteousness of the law. In Conclusion In our time, God’s grace is often understood to mean tolerance. This interpretation emphasizes God’s love toward all people. The teachings of God’s Word may be regarded as belonging to the Biblical times; in modern times they are not deemed very significant. Nevertheless, grace is always God’s grace, not human’s. God’s love shows sin as sin and grace as grace. God’s will is expressed in His Word, which is unchanging. Grace and truth have come by Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever (John 1:17, Heb. 13:8). Bibliography Christian Doctrine Briefly Presented. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, 1948. Luther Martin Bondage of the Will. Original work ”De servo arbitrio” 1525. Book of Concord. Large Catechism. Refutation of Latomus. Original work “Rationis Latomianae confutatio” 1521.

Eric Jurmu | The Voice of Zion February 2019 -- In the life of a Christian is God’s peace and joy, but also the weakness of faith, temptations, and oppression. God guides His own along the narrow way of the cross. With sufferings, He wishes to try their faith, keep them humble, and draw them into ever closer fellowship with Him. God also often sees His children worthy to confess their faith by their suffering. When a Christian remains in God’s hands, his life is supported by an ever-deepening confidence that God leads everything for his best benefit. Humble thanks fill his heart because God has been patient to care for him, who is worthless, as His child. The hope of the coming glory also becomes more and more vivid to him. Watching and praying he awaits the final fulfillment of salvation. (CD 84) Scripture often depicts a believer’s life and endeavor as a journey toward a final destination: the glory of heaven. To reach this destination a believer must walk on the narrow road of faith without giving up and turning back. Prophet Isaiah encouraged the believing travelers of his day, “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein” (35:8). Jesus teaches, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). And Paul encouraged his young coworker Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:12). Powers around us would want to wrest this gift of faith from us. Without faith we would lose all hope. The encouragement of the resurrected Jesus rings true yet today, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Rev. 3:11). Escorts in Faith Faith is a personal, God-given gift. It is important and necessary that we care for this gift on the endeavor so we don’t lose it. However, we are not alone. We belong to a living, battling congregation that endeavors together. In this congregation, God unites His children in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and instructs them with His measure of grace. Here among God’s children, we have close and loving escorts who encourage us on the way. Without these escorts we would soon be lost. We can speak to them when it feels we don’t have enough strength to continue, or when we ponder: where do I go from here? Trials and Joy No one escapes trials of life, but what we learn from them is important. I have personally experienced that God’s kingdom shines brightest at the time of heavy trial. In God’s kingdom we have friends and escorts, those who lift and carry us. God also gives strength through the power of the gospel, “for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom. 1:16). Jesus comforts His own, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4) And the psalmist writes, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Ps. 126:5). Faith will carry us one day to the glory of heaven. Does God Remember Me? Name Withheld | The Voice of Zion February 2019 -- Is this really God’s plan for me? Does God truly know what’s best for me and my family? Why would God allow such a painful trial to a believing couple? If I’m living apart from my spouse, who can I ask for the gospel when I’ve fallen into sin? Is there something I’ve done to deserve this? Isn’t love and forgiveness enough to get through this trial and move past it? Unanswered Questions, Loss and Grief These are just some of the questions I’ve had over the years. My spouse has an addiction problem. We met and got married young and have many children together. After years of trying everything I could think of and learning as much as I could on how to be a healthy, supportive wife to an addict, we had to separate. I never imagined this for my life, as I’m sure my husband never imagined it for his. So how could this be? Addiction is like that. It destroys the addict and tears families apart. During this time of separation, I’ve grieved the loss of my marriage and what I imagined my life would be. I’ve also grieved for my children and the fact that they do not have dad in their lives; maybe they never will. This grief has been extremely heavy at times, and I have found that it is in the darkest moments when the devil plants the most doubts. Some days I wondered where I’d get strength to continue another day. It was then that I also wondered: does God even remember me? God Gives Joy, Escorts in Faith I have found, however, that God has known my needs all along, even when I doubted so heavily. I notice now when I’m with my children that I have an overwhelming feeling of joy and love for them. I feel so fortunate. When I’m out for an evening with friends I’ve found that I can now truly enjoy the evening and have joy in my heart. God has given me many believing friends, a loving family and those who have been willing to selflessly help me, even in my lowest moments. It has made the darkest days brighter and taken some of the deepest pain. They have forgiven me all of my sins and doubts and I’ve received strength to continue. Through these escorts in faith, God has given me strength to remain believing. The love of the believers is an amazing blessing. This trial has clarified to me the beauty of God’s kingdom. It has helped me treasure the relationships I have and hold them close. The believers have a love for their own like no other, and this is a God-given gift. God has remembered me! He gave me believing escorts because He saw I needed them. This has been one of the most precious things to me when wanting to keep my faith. I’ve cried and prayed to God that I wouldn’t lose these believing escorts. God Has a Plan for Me This trial has taught me to turn to God in prayer, to trust in Him and to remember that He knows best. When I remember that He has a plan for me and my family, even for my husband, it brings peace and comfort. God knows what we need, and He will give as He sees fit. Although I don’t know what that is, I want to be patient and trust in Him. By caring for my doubts and sins with the gospel of forgiveness I receive strength, even as a single mom, to continue in this trial. I heard something when I was young that has helped me keep faith close: “You can’t battle a trial without a clean conscience.” I don’t remember where I heard it, but I have often thought of it when it feels I can’t fight anymore. Life is much easier when my sins are forgiven. It’s easier to be happy and accepting, even for a moment. It’s easier to be thankful. Even in this trial, I have so much to be thankful for. Discussion Points: 1. Sing song of Zion 367 (O Soul, Let God Forever Guide You). What can we learn from these words? 2. What powers around us today threaten personal faith? 3. Share an experience of how God’s kingdom supported you in a time of trial. 4. Tell about a song of Zion that has been a comfort for you in times of trial.

Keijo Nissilä | The Voice of Zion February 2019 -- Installment 2 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) Theology, the study of divinity, means on one hand the systematic examination of the fundamentals and concepts of Christian faith. On the other hand, it means the analysis and comparison of different religious understandings. Nowadays theological work is scientific in nature. Theology examines sources critically, evaluates and compares them and then reaches objective conclusions based thereon. The term theology was likely coined by the philosopher Plato (427–347 BC). The word “theology” comes from the Greek words theos (God) and logia, (speech, study, knowledge). Theology therefore means the study of or speech about God. In my article I will examine a few main points about theology’s history and areas of research as well as its research methods. In addition, I will ponder whether theology is science. Phases of Christian Theology Early Christian Theology (50–500 AD) Christian theology is based on the New Testament. The term theology does not exist in the New Testament, but Paul proved to be a theologian in his way of thinking when he defined in his letters the doctrine of justification and demarcated the contents of the Christian faith in relation to Judaism. Paul’s doctrine of justification was the deepest theology of the early Christian period. It clarified the essence of the Christian faith and freed it from the shackles of the Jewish righteousness of the law. Early on, people began to call the writer of The Gospel According to John a theologian. The basis for this was his description of Logos, the Word that became flesh. The unknown writer of the letter to the Hebrews can also be added to the group of New Testament theologians. He defined in a theologically deep manner the nature and essence of Christian faith (11:1–3) and illustrated it with many examples. His narrative of Abraham’s faith culminated in the sacrificing of Isaac. By faith Abraham sacrificed Isaac and thought that God can awaken one even from the dead. He functioned just as a theologian would: in a problematic situation he compiled all the revelation he had received from God, analyzed it and, based thereon, came to the conclusion (logisámenos) that he was to receive his son back as the prophetical sign of the resurrection (Heb. 11:17–19). When Christianity spread into the Hellenistic and Roman worlds, there arose a need to define the contents of faith more precisely. That is how the creeds were born, which were the first theological definitions of Christian faith. The Apostolic creed was originally the confession of faith of one being baptized. It was apparently used in Rome by around the year 200. Many kinds of false doctrines threatened to dim the truths of the Bible. A particular challenge was presented by the Alexandrian presbyter Arius (256–336), who questioned the deity of Christ. Arius taught that the Word that became human in Christ was a different being than the Father: Christ was not eternal but belonged to creation and was the first of the created ones and the mediator of creation. The challenge posed by Arius started a theological pondering to understand the image of God. The Bible clearly refers to the Holy Trinity, but the complete picture was not yet clarified. The bases of the discussion were the Bible and the Apostolic Creed. It was thought to represent the Apostolic doctrine because it was based on the Bible and the baptismal doctrine taught in the early church. At the Council of Nicaea in 325 the creed was expanded to distinguish it from Arius’ false doctrines. Church Father Athanasius (298–373) defined that Christ is God’s only son, who was born of the Father before the beginning of time: “God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.” At the First Council of Constantinople in 381 this definition was expanded to include the Holy Spirit also. God is one Holy Trinity, who has revealed Himself in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Church Father Augustine (354–430) outlined the image of the Triune God in human terms: just as a human expresses himself with his thoughts and words, so also God the Father reveals Himself through His Word, which is His Son. Just as a human thinks about what she loves, so also the Holy Spirit connects the Father and Son together. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, which kindles love for God and join believers to the Father and the Son. Augustine emphasized that the Holy Spirit proceeds of both Father and Son (Lat. filioque). This became the prevailing understanding in Western Christendom and separated it from the doctrine of the Eastern Church. At the Third Council of Toledo in 589, filioque was added to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. The third universal church creed is mistakenly named after Athanasius. It was likely written in Spain at the end of the 5th century and is influenced by Augustine’s doctrine of Trinity. The Athanasian Creed is one of the most significant theological documents in Christendom. In 1537, Martin Luther relied heavily on the Athanasian Creed in the Smalcald Articles, when he gave the Pope a statement of the main, unrelinquishable points of evangelical faith. According to the Athanasian Creed, Christian faith worships “one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.” According to Athanasius’ “true doctrine”, Jesus Christ is both God and human: “God of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man of the substance of His mother, born in the world.” He is “Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.” In Christ there existed simultaneously the divine nature and human nature. The doctrine of Trinity (Lat. Trinitas) as expressed in the three universal creeds is perhaps the most significant theological achievement in the entire history of the church. The doctrine of Trinity is present in the opening and closing blessings in our church’s [Evangelical Church of Finland’s] divine worship service. Theology in the Middle Ages (500–1500) Among theologians in the Middle Ages, scholasticism ruled for quite some time. The scholastics attempted to combine teachings of the Holy Scriptures with science and philosophy of the ancient times. The scholastics based their teachings on those of the Bible and Church Father Augustine and also on the philosophers Plato and Aristotle. The goal of the scholastics was to present the understanding of revealed truth in a logical and systematic form. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) was the greatest philosopher and the best-known scholastic of the Middle Ages. For Thomas, theology—“holy doctrine”—was science for which sources were the Holy Scriptures and the tradition of the church. To him they were God’s own revelation. Faith and reason were separate but connected and they served as tools in processing information. The effect of both was needed in order to attain true knowledge of God. The highest objective of theology, according to Thomas, was through that knowledge to attain the truth about God and salvation. In his main work Summa Theologicae, he tried to make Christianity a logical and solid systematic entity. Due to the influence of the scholastics, theology in the Middle Ages was considered a science that was subject to the same laws of deduction as philosophy. Theology came to mean a field of science that considered religious questions. It expanded to include things other than the doctrine of God, such as doctrines of sacraments, the church and salvation. Theology of the Reformation (16th Century) The reformer Martin Luther (1483–1546) did not write a comprehensive presentation of his theology. For Luther, theology was primarily the Bible-based theology of the cross. It was based on humankind, sin-fallen and condemned to perdition, before the righteous God. Characteristic to Luther’s theology were certain rudimentary thoughts from Scriptures, which he taught in contrast to understandings that prevailed in the Catholic church. In particular he opposed the scholastic doctrine of justification. At the core of Luther’s theology was the teaching based on Paul’s letter to the Romans (1:17) that a person is justified by God’s grace, by faith, through the merit of Christ (sola gratia, sola fide, propter Christum). A pardoned sinner is simultaneously righteous and a sinner (simul justus et peccator). The doctrine of justification by faith developed into the Reformation’s leading material principle. It was paired with the teaching on the authority of the Bible, which became the primary formal principle of the Reformation. Luther emphasized the authority of the Bible as the only instruction for the life of faith (sola scriptura). The authority of the Bible extended into Luther’s teachings on the sacraments. He limited the number of them to two which Christ himself had instituted, baptism and communion. Luther’s teaching on communion was the line of demarcation with both the Catholic Church and the Calvinists. In contrast to the Catholic doctrine on the communion elements’ material change (transubstantiation), Luther taught that the Word unites with the substance and makes it a sacrament. In contrast to the understandings of Huldrych Zwingli and Jean Calvin, according to whom the communion elements had a parable-like nature, Luther taught that there is Christ’s actual presence in the blessed bread and wine of communion. He emphasized Christ’s actual presence in the sermon as well: Christ comes amidst His people in the gospel. Luther raised the issue of the doctrine of universal priesthood, which was based on the Bible but forgotten in the Catholic Church. It is the priesthood of Christ of which every Christian is a partaker through the union of faith in Christ: “In faith, Christ Himself is present.” To care for the universal priesthood, Luther wrote his catechisms, in which he presented the main points of the Bible’s teachings “as the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household.” Luther also brought to life Paul’s teaching of the two regiments, meaning the two ways God governs: spiritually and temporally. They are like God’s two hands, with which the Almighty governs His creation. God governs the world through the government and the laws; in Christ’s church He governs spiritually through His Word. The Age of Lutheran Orthodoxy (1580–1700) During the period of Lutheran Orthodoxy that followed the Reformation, the correct doctrine and superiority of Lutheran confessional books was emphasized in comparison to the theology of other Christian churches. The theology of Lutheran Orthodoxy originated in the will of salvation that God reveals in the Bible. Its most significant representative was Johann Gerhard (1582–1637). Every chapter of his book Loci communes theologici [Theological Common Places] concluded with a section On Practice, in which the teachings of theology were applied to Christian life. Dogmatics (doctrinal study) began to gain prominence in theology during the period of Orthodoxy. The Bible nonetheless held its position of authority in questions regarding salvation. Theology of the Age of Enlightenment (1750–1800) The development of science in the 18th century resulted in modern inventions that raised faith in people’s ability to solve problems and direct life with their own reason. People’s worldview began to be shaped by natural sciences. The question of how the world was created was no longer solved theologically, but rather scientifically. Scientific research replaced theological and church authorities in other fields of study as well. This shift in values resulted in the Age of Enlightenment. It was thought that religion should be evaluated on the basis of reason, benefit and virtue. Enlightenment philosophers rejected the traditional theological world view and began to strive for a new, more rational society. From the realm of theology they accepted that which was deemed comprehendible by reason, such as the assumption that God created the world, for example. Enlightenment downplayed the doctrinal differences between faiths and emphasized the common characteristics of different faiths. This meant a radical re-evaluation of the doctrinal tradition of different churches. Theology was understood in a new way as the critical study of Christianity. Many core points of Christian doctrine were questioned, such as the doctrine of Trinity and the doctrine of Christ’s divine and human nature. Instead of these, Enlightenment emphasized the ethical aspects of Christianity, such as the Golden Rule (Matt. 7:12). Counterbalancing the Enlightenment was the contemporaneous theology of Pietism, which emphasized personal faith. According to the Pietistic understanding, those who have experienced an awakening and new birth are distinguishable as their own group among “cultural Christians.” According to Pietists, faith of the heart—and the Christian lifestyle it gives rise to—are more important than theological pondering. The Pietists also wished to restore the use of “universal priesthood” of all Christians. The Birth of Liberal Theology (19th century) As a consequence of Enlightenment philosophy, a movement called liberal theology developed and grew. Christian theology was to be rebuilt and made suitable to modern science and lifestyle. Religious experience and feelings became the foundation of Christianity. Referring directly to the Bible was viewed as on old-fashioned way of thinking. Liberal theology gained traction in the 19th century from new currents of Bible research. Adolf von Harnack (1851–1930) was one of the best-known representatives of liberal theology and one of the most significant developers of historical Biblical research. In his research on the New Testament he attempted to clarify the most fundamental elements of Jesus’ original teachings from beneath the dogmas of Christianity. According to Harnack, Christianity could be made more understandable by restoring its original qualities. He maintained that Christianity was at its core a question of the relationship between God and the human soul, without any external doctrines or institutions. One of the most typical characteristics of liberal theology is human exceptionalism. This includes the emphasis on religious experience at the expense of church doctrine and the authority of the Bible. A certain relativism regarding values is also characteristic of liberal theology. This means that no religious truth is permanent, but rather that they change over time according to a person’s personal experiences. The teachings of the Bible are also time-bound, according to liberal theology. Dialectic Theology (20th century) After the First World War, dialectic theology was born in protestant Germany to oppose liberal theology. One of the main thoughts of dialectic theology is that a person is in dialog with God and is always the receiving, listening and learning party. God’s word is something totally different than the human word. Theology cannot consist of mere dogmas, because in them human word and God’s word are equated. Rudolf Bultmann (1874–1976) is known as one of the most significant Bible scholars of all time. Bultmann maintained that the most important thing in the Gospels is not their historical authenticity but rather the proclamation of Christ found in them. According to Bultmann, the divine God speaks to people in the proclamation of Christ. The doctrine of Christ is faith in which one believes. Faith, by which one believes, is realized in the proclamation about Christ, the sermon. Personal and subjective faith “by which one believes” is the core of Bultmann’s theology. The best-known representative of dialectic theology is Karl Barth (1886–1968). Barth emphasized God’s holiness and divinity in contrast to the sinful, earth-bound human. The main pairs of opposites in Barth’s dialectics are creation and redemption, grace and judgement, flesh and spirit, heaven and earth, promise and fulfillment. A person’s religious efforts and works are worthless, no matter how good and pious they are. The immeasurable distance between God and a person can only be shortened by God. He has done this in Jesus Christ, the word made flesh. The Word is hidden and veiled and can only be understood through faith. Barth attempted to return to a theological interpretation of the Bible, in which he nonetheless utilized modern historical-critical methods of Bible research. Barth in his ponderings focused on the main points of Christian faith. His theology originated in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and the consensus on it reached at the Council of Chalcedon in 451. Barth’s life work showed that Christendom made its greatest theological achievement in the form of the creeds that defined the Holy Trinity at the Church Councils in the 4th and 5th centuries. Theological Research Areas and Research Methods Theology has traveled a long road from the culture of Ancient Greece to the cultural context of our postmodern times. Modern theology attempts to objectively analyze questions and ideological currents that belong to or touch on Christian faith. Theology has broadened to include scientific research on other religions as well. Theological teaching and research in Finland has traditionally been divided into five areas: exegesis (the study of interpretation of Scripture), church history, systematic theology, comparative religion and practical theology. Exegesis, the study of interpretation of Scripture, researches what the writers of Bible texts spoke and taught. It clarifies the original message of Bible texts and seeks an answer to the question, “How was it then?” The exegetical position on a given question exists in relation to the applied or hermeneutical position on the same question, which asks, “How is it now?” Answers to timely questions can be presented only after Bible texts are studied exegetically and the original message has been determined. Exegesis focuses on the origins of the Bible, its contents and interpretation in its original languages, which were Hebrew and Aramaic in the Old Testament and Greek in the New Testament. Research methods are based on linguistic research methods, which exegesis has developed and applied to the analysis of Bible texts. The research methods are called historical-critical methods because they aim to attain a true historical understanding of the texts in their original contexts. Church history is the study of the history of Christianity and the Church. The aim of Church history is to determine how we have arrived at the present moment and how a divided, diverse Christendom has come into existence. It uses general history research methods. Church history is not differentiated from general history by research methods, only by the research subject. A history researcher constructs a description of the past based on his or her sources. The sources are usually written material but they can also be oral tradition. The researcher evaluates sources critically. He or she asks how and when the sources originated and for what purpose. The researcher constructs the description of the past based on all known sources. If some source does not match an existing description, the description must be re-evaluated or the source must be verified. Systematic theology means a research approach in which understandings of Christian faith are analyzed using scientific methods and interpreted for current times. Systematic theology also aims to answer timely theological questions. This is done using the method of systematic analysis, through which patterns of theological thought in texts are identified. Systematic theology is interested in the origins of thought and in forming a systematic statement of the whole entity of thought. Its areas of study are dogmatics, ecumenics, theological ethics and philosophy of religion. Dogmatics studies the doctrines of different churches and the theological philosophy within them. It clarifies how the points of doctrine—dogmas—have originated. Dogmatics does not take a stand on whether a certain point of doctrine is right or wrong. Its task is not to present binding or normative conclusions. Presenting the normative points of doctrine is the duty of churches and religious communities. Ecumenics is the newest field of study in systematic theology, Its research topics are ecumenical movements, their theology, churches’ creeds and doctrinal discussions between churches. Dogmatics and ecumenics are methodically like two sides of the coin: dogmatic researches the doctrinal understandings of churches based on their own origins which ecumenics researches how these various doctrinal understandings relate to one another. Theological ethics studies morals and values and the lifestyles connected to them. It clarifies different religions’ and denominations’ understandings of right and wrong, good and bad. One of the most central topics of study in theological ethics throughout time has been the interpretation and application of the Golden rule from Jesus’ sermon on the Mount. One of the main questions has been the relationship between Christian ethics and naturalistic morality. Theological ethics is challenged by the question on what ethical obligations are there for human life from the creational theology viewpoint on human being an image of God. Comparative religion is scientific research that compares religious phenomena. It examines people’s religious behavior and is interested in the origin and essential nature of different religions, religious phenomena and traditions as well as customs and beliefs related to them. Comparative religion clarifies the things that connect and separate religions. Practical theology, as its name suggests, researches the manifestation of theology in the life of society, churches and Christian communities. Practical theology is the research of the activities of Christian societies, whereas comparative religion focuses on the study of non-Christian religions. The research questions can nonetheless be similar to a large extent. The most important topics in general practical theology are the research of sacred acts, the divine worship service liturgy, sermon and music, and religious communication. In addition, this field of study includes church architecture, Christian symbolism as well as deaconry and church law. The broad range of topics results in a diverse array of research methods, which are used according to the research assignment. Sociology of religion researches religious phenomena using sociological research methods. Areas of interest include religious movements, people’s religious attitudes, how churches function, and the relationships between church and society. Central research topics are secularization, the effect of urbanization on people’s religiosity, and the relationships between religion and politics. Religious pedagogy researches the teaching of religion using methods of behavioral science. It researches religious education in communities and in society, particularly the special nature of religious learning compared to other learning. Confirmation school is traditionally a main focus of religious pedagogy. Is Theology Science? The practice and research of religion are two different things. The practice of religion includes faith which confesses that the world observed with the senses is not the whole reality and that there exists things which the human mind cannot comprehend. Pausing around unfathomable mysteries is a way of practicing religion. By contrast, the research of religion focuses on that from which one can gather experiential knowledge. Bishop Juha Pihkala has examined the relationship between faith and reason as well as faith and scientific knowledge in his book Johdatus dogmatiikkaan [Introduction to dogmatics] (1992). Pihkala notes that science means an organized collection of data or facts that have been gathered using scientific methods. Pihkala emphasizes that scientific data is gathered in a systematic manner using methods accepted in the scientific community. The question of how scientific theology is focuses above all on the question of theology’s research methods. As previously indicated, modern theology uses many kinds of methods depending on the research task. When asking how scientific the study of theology is, the same question could be posed to the humanities with good reason. Theology focuses on those questions in its field for which data can be collected using modern scientific research methods. The contents of faith can never be perfectly described through scientific methods. It is as Apostle Paul wrote: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” (1. Cor. 13:9–10). Sources Ebeling G. Theologie, I Begriffsgeschichtlich. – Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart VI. 1962. McGrath Alister (ed.). Modernin teologian ensyklopedia. Kirjapaja 2000. Juntunen Sammeli. Postliberalismi. – Teologian uudet virtaukset. Suomalaisen teologisen kirjallisuusseuran julkaisuja 241. 2004. Kettler F.H. 1962. Trinität. III. Dogmengeschichtlich. – Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart VI. 1962. Koch J. Scholastik. – Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart V. 1961. Luomanen Petri et al. Raamattu ja kirkko postmodernissa ajassa: Raamatuntutkimuksen näkökulmia. Suomen Eksegeettisen Seuran julkaisuja 94. 2007. Mannermaa Tuomo. Kristillisen opin vaiheet: dogmihistorian peruskurssi. Gaudeamus 1975. Martikainen Eeva. Teologian perusmalleja klassisesta postmoderniin. Suomalaisen teologisen kirjallisuusseuran julkaisuja 219. 1999. Nissilä Keijo. Katsokaamme uskon alkajaan ja täyttäjään. Heprealaiskirje – kehotuspuhe uskossaan väsyneille. SRK 2015. Pannenberg W. Dialektische Theologie. – Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart II. 1958. Pihkala Juha. Kolminaisuusoppi ja kristologia. – Johdatus varhaisen kirkon teologiaan. Kirjapaja 2005. Pihkala Juha. Uskoa tiedosta ja tietoa uskosta. Johdatus dogmatiikkaan. Edita 2009. Raunio Antti et al (ed.) Teologia: Johdatus tutkimukseen. Edita 2010. Ratzinger J. Theologie, III. Kath. Theologie. – Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart VI. 1962. Schrey H-H. Theologie, II. Ev. Theologie. – Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart VI. 1962. Veijola Timo. Teksti, tiede ja usko. Epäajanmukaisia ekse- geettisiä tutkielmia ajankohtaisista aiheista. Suomen Eksegeettisen seuran julkaisuja 69. 1998.

Eero and Hillevi Nuolioja | The Voice of Zion January 2019 -- A faith as precious as ours: this phrase precisely describes our experiences on our trip to North America in October, 2018. These words are Peter’s. He wrote to those who through righteousness had received an identical, precious faith. Now we had the opportunity to visit on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean and see for ourselves that the Holy Spirit effects the same faith and doctrine in different parts of the globe. Our trip consisted of innumerable encounters with different people, twenty service events, a communion service during three-day fall services, ministers and wives camp, visits and an LLC Board meeting. These all happened in 15 localities in three states and one province. On our flight from Reykjavik to Minneapolis I thought of Abraham, who didn’t know what address to go to in a foreign land. We didn’t know either where we’d be spending the night. When we arrived at the airport, Eric Jurmu met us and wished us a warm welcome and then brought us to his home. After that many other homes became familiar as well. It didn’t pay for us to take everything out of our suitcase each visit, because we generally stayed only two nights in each place. The hospitality we received on our mission trip in the U.S. and Canada is indescribable! We remember with humble thankfulness the service of love that local believers and their families did to make our trip a success. Throughout our trip we noted with gratitude how God has richly blessed North American congregations and believers. The number of congregations has grown. Believers have the desire to attend services, even on weekday evenings. At ministers and wives camp there were about 100 participants, some from thousands of kilometers away. The camp was blessed with an atmosphere of love, thankfulness and unity. There are beautiful churches and homes, schools can be used for services, there is a new camp at Prairie Shores in Canada, there is land in Monticello on which to hold summer services and the congregations’ finances are in order. It was also a joy to hear that the economic and job situation is good in North America. Amidst the plentiful blessings the work of the enemy remains familiar: there is yet four kinds of soil, as there is in all times and all places. God blessed and protected our trip; we had no difficulties. The LLC and local congregations handled the practical arrangements excellently. We were strengthened by the many wishes for blessings that we received in our home country and there beyond the ocean. It felt special when even the airline official wished us a happy mission trip. We remember you North American believers in prayer: May the Heavenly Father protect you and help you keep faith and a good conscience. On our trip we got to meet many families with children. Our prayer rises to the Heavenly Father that the mothers and fathers would remain in faith so that all these little Andrews and Emmas would also be preserved in God’s kingdom. -Hillevi Nuolioja

Valde Palola, Chairman of the Editorial Committee | The Voice of Zion January 2019 -- Installment 1 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) Christ is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever: Writings on the Basics of Faith and Doctrine was published by the SRK, Suomen Rauhanyhdistysten Keskusyhdistys—our sister organization in Finland, in 2018. Ari-Pekka Palola edited the book, which is a collection of articles by different authors. There has been much interest in seeing the book published in English. Therefore we intend to publish the book in the Voice of Zion chapter by chapter, which will allow readers access to the book sooner than if we were to translate the entire book before publication. The articles are translated by Markus Lohi and Esa Vilkama. They are reviewed and finalized by Russell Roiko, Jon Bloomquist, Keith Waaraniemi and Matthew Keranen. Our prayer is that the book’s freshly written articles on timeless topics will edify the congregation and help each of us in our endeavor of faith all the way to heaven’s home. Foreword The book Christ is the Same Yesterday, Today and Forever opens to the reader the Bible’s message and Reformation’s message of how God justifies sinful human beings. The core message of the book stems from the words of Apostle Paul: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” In 2017 we observed the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation. We thank God that the heritage of the Reformation is yet alive in our midst. Its two principles—the formal principle and material principle—remain the core content of our Church’s [Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s] Confession. According to the formal principle of the Reformation, the Bible—the written word of God—is the highest norm of faith and life.This principle is also defined in our Church order [Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland]: “The Church holds as its highest authority the principle that all doctrine in the Church shall be studied and evaluated according to the holy Word of God.” According to the material principle expressed in the Confessional Writings, God justifies a person alone by faith, alone by grace, alone through the merit of Christ. Thus the formal and material principles together express the core message of the Reformation, which is unrelinquishable in terms of faith and doctrine. According to the Bible, God is merciful toward sin-fallen humans. He gave His Son Jesus Christ as the atonement sacrifice on behalf of us sinful ones and redeemed us from sin, death and the power of the enemy of souls. Paul writes that God has sent Christ, who became our “wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” In Conservative Laestadian Christianity, the most central and unrelinquishable matter is the teaching on justification. Joining with Luther’s teaching, we teach that God makes a sinner righteous with His own righteousness. God in His eternal form and righteousness has, through Christ’s merit, shown His grace toward the sin-fallen one and restored him or her to unity with Him. Justification means that every child is born a partaker of the God-given gift of faith. The child is a partaker in the righteousness that Christ has earned even though he or she is also a partaker in original sin. God, in His righteousness and grace, thus creates every human anew in Christ, just as He created the first human in the beginning. According to the command of Christ, a child is brought into the grace covenant of baptism to own by faith God’s promise of the forgiveness of sins. Meanwhile, baptism also means the sanctification through grace that occurs in the life of the baptized one. He or she can endeavor in penitence and repentance and thus mortify the sin-human within himself or herself, so that in its place the new human would emerge every day. This new human lives in righteousness, holiness and purity before God in the fellowship of His congregation. In God’s grace the baptized one, made righteous by faith, can endeavor and own in his or her heart the internal essence of God’s kingdom: “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The doctrinal review provided above is the basis and starting point for this book. The perspective of righteousness of faith is a central perspective throughout the book. It creates the context for the various authors’ articles. This book is published as part of the anniversary year of the Reformation. For many years prior to the anniversary year, however, it had become evident in various ways that nowadays there is a clear need for a comprehensive discussion on doctrinal questions. This book, for its own part, responds to the challenges of our time. A need for doctrinal discussion has become evident within Conservative Laestadianism. Questions of how we believe and teach have arisen especially among younger generation but also among the older generation. For example, it has been asked how varying theological concepts, which have developed over the course of Christianity’s long history, apply to our doctrine. Meanwhile, within the Evangelical Lutheran Church [of Finland] some have criticized the Conservative Laestadian teachings, implying that they contain elements that deviate from the Confession of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. We have desired to point out that our teaching is based on the Bible and the Confessional Writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The aim of the book is to describe clearly and understandably how we believe and teach, and to tell what the basis for our understanding is. The book also aims to open to the reader the meaning of concepts related to central questions of faith. The goal is also to encourage believers who endeavor in these times and to show them that our Christianity travels “in the footsteps of the former saints.” The contents of this book were planned by an editorial committee that was selected by the Finnish Central Organization of the Associations of Peace (Suomen Rauhanyhdistysten Keskusyhdistys). The committee was chaired by Valde Palola and its other members were Viljo Juntunen, Johannes Leppänen, Juhani Liukkonen, Markku Seppänen and Seppo Särkiniemi. Ari-Pekka Palola served as the committee secretary and as the editor of the book. The committee invited sixteen authors to contribute to this book, and each of them thoroughly delved into his or her topic. We wish to thank the authors for their significant contribution to this book. Our prayer is that this book will serve the work in God’s kingdom by sparking interest in and discussion on the fundamentals of faith. We hope that this book provides and deepens knowledge of our understanding of faith and doctrine within Conservative Laestadian Christianity and also more broadly among all who are interested.

Jim Frantti | The Voice of Zion January 2019 -- The Lord’s Prayer is familiar and often recited by believers. Both Matthew and Luke recorded how Jesus taught this prayer. According to Matthew, Jesus concluded the prayer with the words, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (Matt. 6:13). It is not only a fitting ending to the prayer, but also a very comforting one. We acknowledge that the kingdom in which God’s children dwell is God’s, that God is almighty and that all glory belongs to Him. Kingdoms built by men will crumble and fall, but God’s kingdom will never fall. God has given to His own a secure dwelling place. “Fear not, little flock,” Jesus says, “for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). The psalmist also experienced the security of God’s kingdom, and wrote, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock” (Ps. 27:4,5). God’s kingdom has a sure foundation. It is built upon God’s holy Word. The foundation was laid by the prophets and apostles, and the chief cornerstone is Lord Jesus Christ himself (Eph. 2:20). “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). This foundation is not only secure, but it is unchanging. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). Just as Jesus Christ is unchanging, the Word of God is likewise eternal and unchanging (Luke 21:33). Jesus teaches that when a house is built on a sure foundation, it will not fall, even during stormy times (Matt. 7:24–27). God’s Holy Spirit guides the work of building, although it is done by weak and faulty workers. Because we know that the enemy of souls is always opposing the work of God’s kingdom, prayers of the faithful rise continually to the Heavenly Father. We pray that He would bless and guide the work and that the efforts of the enemy would come to naught. In the Bible, the time of Nehemiah was a time of building. “So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work” (Neh. 4:6). When we think of the builders, many of whom were probably not skilled professionals, working on each half of the wall, we could wonder how the two sections would meet. It could easily happen that the widths of the two halves, or their alignment, would be different. What would happen then when the two halves met? Would they meet together properly? In the end, the walls did meet together. How can we explain that? It seems that the explanation is that they built on the old foundation. Yet today, in the work of God’s kingdom, we build upon the old foundation. It has not changed. Gifts are many and varied, but the Spirit is one. When we build on this foundation, it brings unity in our work. We take comfort today that the kingdom of God yet rests upon the tried and sure cornerstone, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus promises His own, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). It is comforting to remember that the kingdom is God’s, and His also are the power and the glory. God will not allow His kingdom to crumble and fall. The believer’s prayer is to remain in this secure shelter. There also the fountain of grace is found from which flows the forgiving gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). One day the weak traveler can lay down the staff of faith and be taken from this kingdom of grace to the kingdom of glory in heaven. “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (Matt. 6:13). May your New Year be one of health, happiness and great blessing!

Krista Simonson | The Voice of Zion January 2019 -- What is grace? What does it mean? Oxford Dictionary defines it this way: Grace is the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. Grace is God’s unmerited love for us. When I think of the word “grace,” I also think of the word “infinite.” Grace is too big and vast to adequately put into words. Without God’s grace, I am helpless: it is impossible for me to know the way to heaven. But by and through the grace of God, when I can believe my sins forgiven, my heart is able to see the final destination. God’s Grace Teaches Through His Word Have you ever pondered the journey through the wilderness that the children of Israel were on, with the God-appointed help of Moses and Aaron? When the children of Israel grew tired, they were encouraged. When they questioned and asked “Why?” they were reminded to trust in God’s plan and in His good care. They depended on the daily-provided manna for sustenance. So it is for us today. We need the gospel daily in order to remain on the right pathway to heaven. God, through and by His grace, shows to us the direction our footsteps should take. When we study the Bible, whether it be about Job or Jonah from the Old Testament, the book of Matthew or the letters from Paul to Timothy, we are reminded that the former believers, even way back to the very beginning of man’s time on earth, have fought the same battles with the same three-fold enemy. Grace, this same teacher that teaches me, also taught the believers of times past and yet teaches all who believe, no matter where they live on this earth. Such teachings are unified and unchanging. They are from the Holy Spirit, from God himself. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isa. 40:8). God’s Grace Pulls Close with Gentle Love I recall a time when I was feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. I had not yet found the strength nor the words to share my thoughts and experiences with anyone. It was the weekend of our special spring services. With a very tired heart, I dragged myself to church. Actually, in hindsight, I believe it was God himself who coaxed and carried me there. God had an angel waiting to uplift me—a dear sister I had just met. She didn’t know what was going on in my life, nor did she ask any details. She just offered a warm hug and a few simple words: “God bless you! God bless you and your family!” This dear angel friend reached out to comfort me with unconditional love. It was as if God himself was reaching out to embrace me and encourage me: Keep on, keep on! You do not have to bear this on your own! You are not alone on this journey! God works through His people. God’s grace wants to pull us close and lift us up when we are weak and weary. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:9). Grace Teaches to Look Ahead There was a time, when in the midst of heavy trials and a turmoil of doubts, I started to look backward and go over past experiences with a fine-toothed comb. My past sins, mixed with endless faults and failings, came harshly to the surface to stare me in the face, to taunt me and tease me. What a dangerous hole to fall into! If I look at myself (or at my neighbor) with such critical and unforgiving eyes and heart, is this not belittling the power of forgiveness, the grace of God? The enemy slyly sneaks in through the weak spots! In such a place, a bitter thought can quickly come, and then another. Contentment and trusting in God are quick to fade away. How was I able to realize where I had fallen at that time? What pulled me up out of that hole? Through discussion with a dear believing friend, God helped me see. He lifted me from that place. Through the proclamation of the gospel, I could believe that my sins and doubts were washed away. Not just partially washed away, but fully and completely, drowned in God’s bottomless sea of grace. Its waters are so deep that whatever goes into it can never be retrieved. Forgiveness is forever, even if our minds have trouble forgetting. Such is this great and immeasurable love of God. If we spend our time focusing on what is behind us, we soon lose sight of where we are going. Can we see where we are stepping if we are looking backward? The same danger comes if we focus on someone else’s journey. We soon forget to look after our own matters. The enemy of souls rejoices over this. God’s grace teaches us to put sins and wrong watching and doubts away. In this way, God helps us to correct our vision, to refocus. He teaches us to look ahead, to keep our gaze turned upward, toward heaven. We can pray to God for a forgiving heart—toward ourselves and everyone, and for a forgetting mind. He helps. He hears our prayers. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him” (Ps. 103:11). God’s Grace Encourages From outside comes the rumbling sound of the school bus. Children hustle and bustle, finishing up cereal, digging in the front closet for matching pairs of shoes. One little boy drags his heels. I put his pack on his back and lift him up for a piggyback ride. At the bottom of the driveway, he does not jump down and run for the bus. He stands beside me, head down, leaning into my leg. Sparks of impatience flare up within me. The driver looks at us, waiting. I look down at our son, who looks back up at me. I pull him close. The gospel message flows from mother’s heart to child’s, from child’s heart to mother’s. “Remember that God is with you today,” I find myself whispering to him. He hugs me again and smiles broadly. “Will you wave at me when I’m sitting on the bus?” And off he goes, ready to face his day out in the big world. It is much easier for me also to face my day, believing my sins forgiven. My heart can look forward, trusting that God will guide and look after me this day. God’s grace is like a blanket that wraps around me as I travel. It is also like a gentle light. Through the forest and the fog, beyond known and unknown turns in the road ahead, God allows me to see the final destination. This is a miracle. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Discussion Points: 1. When thinking about God’s grace, what is the core message God wishes to extend to us, and to every person? 2. Share about a time in your life when you felt God’s love closely and personally. 3. Which Bible story or verse pertaining to God’s grace speaks strongly to you? 4. In what ways does the enemy try to belittle God’s power and try to turn us away from God’s grace?

Matthew Keranen | The Voice of Zion December 2018 -- Peace is a central part of Christmas and its message. We may feel moments of peace when we gather at Christmas services or visit loved ones in a festively decorated home. Perhaps peace settles over us when we listen to Christmas music and read the Christmas in Zion. Or at a Christmas Program, when a child’s voice begins reading, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus…” These special, holy moments help us pause during the darkest days of the year to remember. We remember the fearful shepherds in the field, terrified and marveling at the heavens opening above them. God’s angel told the trembling ones, “Fear not!” A skyful of angels then sang out a Christmas greeting that reverberates across the ages and reaches our ears and hearts yet today: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This message is still current, even though the first Christmas was over two thousand years ago. Is there peace on earth? We live in a time when religious values lose their meaning and their place in people’s lives. God’s teachings have become strange to many, who may observe Christmas without considering the true meaning of Christmas. Merchants and advertisers market Christmas as a celebration of joy and peace. Their idea of Christmas peace, however, may be devoid of Christian meaning. There are many who have not been able to feel the true peace of Christmas. Christmas can be a restless, clamorous season. Music, noise, hubbub, Christmas markets, shopping, gifts, sleigh bells, decorating, baking, twinkling lights and partying may drive us farther away from observing the birthday of our King and Savior. There is a time for everything, including merrymaking and holiday preparations, but do we remember to reserve time for calm and reflection amidst the tinsel-hanging and goose-stuffing? Is there peace in our hearts? As we tidy our homes and hang fir boughs and lights, let us also prepare our hearts to greet the Christchild. The angel message bade good will to all humankind. Do we embody good will towards our loved ones and neighbors, friends and acquaintances? It seems that in recent times, people’s attitudes toward others have hardened. This is evident in malicious, critical speech. There is merit in voicing problems and grievances and addressing them in a constructive way. But offending others deepens conflicts and makes discussion more difficult. Let us recall how God’s grace teaches us to live in peace with all people, regardless of their opinions and outlook on life. God’s will is that we would treat one another mercifully, with a forgiving mind. He wishes this on us every day, not just at Christmas time. Every one of us, through our own speech and behavior, can bring the gift of good will into our personal relationships. Christmas peace may be external or internal. A person bustling and shopping and baking may feel the restful, unhurried peace of Christmas in her heart. Or one whose job requires its doer to report for duty, holiday or not, may find their heart imbued with Christmas peace even on the job. Meanwhile, another who sits in quiet solitude, listening to Christmas carols and sipping cinnamon tea while surveying his beautifully decorated home, may long for genuine Christmas peace in his heart. There may be those who don’t even seek Christmas peace. Quiet calm may reveal their sore, restless consciences to them, whereas frenzied activity drowns the pangs. For some, alcohol or drugs drive a wedge of sorrow and wrong priorities into the peace they might otherwise feel. Some people may be saddled with work burdens and worries even over the holidays. We remember with compassion those to whom, for one reason or another, Christmas peace is out of reach. If you are lacking peace, where can you find it? There is a clue in the Bible’s Christmas Gospel. Recall how the angels that night long ago promised the shepherds that they would find something wonderful in a stable nearby. This invitation to look into the manger and see a miracle is still valid today! The warmly wrapped, innocent Jesus-child is a helpless baby who became a child and then a man, a man who obeyed His Father and bore our sins for us. He died so we could live. In His name and in His blood—the gospel of the forgiveness of sins—we find Christmas peace. Those who hear the gospel and believe receive true peace that lasts through all the days of the year. Faith of the heart gives each of us genuine Christmas peace. Faith opens before our eyes the deep meaning of the events of that first Christmas night. A good conscience brings calm into our lives. As one year ends and another begins, we can trust in God’s safe guidance. We pray that God, in His goodness, will once gather us all in His gentle arms and bear us home for Christmas that never ends. On behalf of the LLC Publication Staff, I wish you a healthy measure of Christmas cheer, and boundless Christmas peace.