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Brian Johnson | The Voice of Zion February 2023 - Home and Family Article -- Fruits of the Spirit are characteristics, traits, and actions of a believer. They are gifts given by God and are results of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ parable of the fruit tree is a good depiction of which type of fruits are good and which type are bad. Good fruits are desirable and we ask God to give that which is acceptable to him. “Even so every good tree bringeth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit” (Matt. 7:17). It’s been said there is not a giftless child in God’s kingdom. Fruits of the Spirit are evident in each even if we cannot see them in ourselves. God gives to each one different gifts, according to His measure. I recall my mother’s life. Her life of service was an inspiration to me. She endeavored to keep faith and a good conscience. She helped raise her siblings after her mother’s death and later raised us, her own children. As a sole caregiver, her faithful labor, dedication and love to others and her abiding trust in God were hallmarks that came from the heart of a believer. To Mother, paying her dues was a priority and an obligation, but not a basis of salvation. She sent us children to Sunday school with a few coins for the collection as an example. Scripture says God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7) and she gave freely. When she was unable to meet her monthly dues, she cooked and prepared meals as a fundraiser. We children helped with house chores and with joy anticipated receiving company. The doors of my mother’s house were open to all. She also went out to visit others frequently. Fellowship with believers was important to her. We are a flock of sheep, guided and fed by the Shepherd (Ps. 100:3). We are encouraged to gather all the more as we see the day approaching (Heb. 10:25). May we, like my mother, live our lives as open books, revealed to all. The fruits of the Spirit come forth as gifts from God. We are thankful for these and we ask for strength to use them to serve others and to serve God. Our endeavor is often poor and faulty, as was my mother’s, yet God blesses the obedient ones. In His kingdom grace is found, and forgiveness for faults of the journey. Even in this we can serve one another. Our Fruits Set Us Apart Wyatt Kesti | The Voice of Zion February 2023 - Home and Family Article -- As we journey through life, believers tend to gravitate toward fellow believers for conversation, entertainment and comfort. Nonetheless, we encounter those who are not in God’s kingdom on a daily basis. Whether at school, work or in a grocery store, those in the world may see or feel something different about believers. Why is this? The fruits of the Spirit are present in each and every one of us. I along with most others attended public education where interacting with those on the outside of God’s kingdom is commonplace. Often questions came up, such as: why don’t you watch movies or attend sporting events or drink alcohol or use contraceptives? Usually I answered, “I try to do things that will edify my faith.” I tell the one who asks that doing such activities will hinder my walk of faith. Frequently the response is accepted cordially, but occasionally the individual does not understand or appreciate the response and criticizes or even ridicules me. Possibly their conscience is pricked as they try to defend their own lifestyle. I am now in the workforce and questions about my lifestyle continue. I have found it is good to be upfront with new coworkers about my faith instead of evading questions. At times I have evaded a coworker’s questions about my lifestyle, but that makes it more difficult to explain later on. In my profession, interacting with the public occurs during every hour of my day’s work. The field of law enforcement requires me to communicate with those of varying morality. In speaking with people who live a very immoral lifestyle, it may be easy to judge their choices and actions. However, Jesus teaches us, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matt. 7:12). This instruction guides me at work to treat everyone with dignity and respect, no matter the poor choices they’ve made in their life. As Jesus teaches, treating others with respect is one of the fruits the world sees in us. God blesses those who are obedient. It is important to not hide those fruits, the gifts of the Spirit, that set us apart from the world. Questions for Discussion: The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. How do these fruits manifest in a believer’s endeavor? What is the role of the Spirit in producing these fruit? Why do believers feel unsuccessful in showing any fruits of the Spirit? If we thought we were good or that we did good works, what would that say about our life of faith? The first fruit is love. What kind of love does this refer to? How does Jesus say we should love?

Tina Jurmu | The Shepherd's Voice February/March 2023 - Home and Family Article -- One book of the Bible is Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians. In the fifth chapter of that book, it says that love is a fruit of the Spirit. You can read in verses 22 and 23 of chapter 5 what the other fruits of the Spirit are! What do you children think of when you hear the word “love?” In what ways can we show love to our family, friends and neighbors? Love can be shown and felt in many ways. Think about when Mom and Dad make good food to fill your belly, or when they clean and fold your clothing, or when they create a safe and warm living space for the whole family. These are acts of love for you! Remember that parents work hard to serve their families and they show love when they do this. You can return the love by helping them and thanking them for all they do. Sometimes love is shown by our parents through teaching a life lesson or through discipline to help us make good choices. Mom and Dad try to teach us right from wrong. Many adults, like grandparents and teachers, help teach us how we live our life as believers, and even this teaching is done because they love us. We can show love to our family, friends, and neighbors by using kind words, helping someone in need, and thinking of others before ourselves! We can show love in our congregation and community by serving one another. We may hold a door open for another person, we can help with cleanup and we can be respectful of others and their property. We can sit with someone who is grieving, and we can listen to one who needs someone to talk to. All this comes from a heart that has love. Love can be broken at times. That happens if we fall into disobedience, if we use unkind words, if we do something hurtful to another person or if we see someone in need and ignore them. We want to fix that broken love by having our sins forgiven in Jesus’ name and precious blood! Remember to use the gospel often in your home so that love is there, and that way we can help each other get to heaven! “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2, NIV). Things to Visit About: 1. How do you show love to your family and friends? 2. Tell about a Bible story in which someone cared for another with love. 3. Sometimes we hear ministers say, “Love your neighbor.” What does this mean? Who is our neighbor?

Eric Mattila | The Voice of Zion March 2023 - Home and Family Article -- Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. – SHZ 219 Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians tells us that love is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). It joins believers’ hearts and minds together. This is a different love than we are accustomed to thinking about. It’s more than a love of attraction or admiration; rather, it is a holy love of the Spirit. We could say in this way, that it is an effect or result of true living faith. It is not forced. It does not come from the mind, but it flows naturally out of a Christian heart, a heart that has accepted the good seed, God’s Word. The Spirit joins hearts in the bond of unity with God’s congregation here on earth. This heavenly love flows from one believing heart to another. As Jesus has taught, “A new commandment I give unto you that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34,35). This love is only possible when we are God’s children and own the gift of faith. It does not come from within us ourselves. Jesus emphasized this when He said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me” (John 15:4). This is how the Holy Spirit exposes false prophets to believers. We will be able to see that they are false by their fruits. This has again and again proven true even when the other gifts have sometimes been great. Apostle Paul understood the same matter when he wrote, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1). Dear brothers and sisters, the words of John tell us: “Herein is Love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:10,11). Let us remain in this love. And let us put offenses between us away so this love does not diminish. God Is Love Randy Haapala | The Voice of Zion March 2023 - Home and Family Article -- The Triune God – God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit, three in one – is love. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:8). What comes to mind when we think of love? We know there are different types of love, a temporal love that includes deep affection for someone. There is also a type of love where we don’t want to hurt nor offend another with our actions or words. This love serves our lives well. But God’s love is a different type of love, a love for the undying soul. God’s love is truth in all things. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Often situations arise where we ask what it means to show love. When people misunderstand God’s love, they may feel that showing His love means that we overlook wrong speech or action. Simply put, this wrong love would mean not saying anything when another is headed down a dangerous pathway, for fear of causing hurt feelings. This kind of love is not according to God’s Word. True love is correcting one another even when it is most difficult to do. We remember Jesus’ story of that man that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves. There that good Samaritan came and helped the hurting man. He was heading down a path to destruction. This good Samaritan, Jesus Himself, gave the type of love we want and need. This is God’s love for you and me when care for the undying soul is needed. This is the love of God through the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, which is a gift from God when one believes sins forgiven. Through the love of God, we are cared for by believers at the inn, in God’s kingdom. When cared for at this inn, we say we are in the love of the congregation, endeavoring to keep the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. This is how we wish to remain in the love of the congregation. It isn’t by our own power or strength. The Bible tells us that through the power of the gospel we will remain in the love of God and His kingdom. Through this precious gospel our desire is to remain obedient to God and His Word. Obedience to His Word reveals the love of God. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom. 1:16). Remain believing in that core message of the gospel. In this way the love of God will remain till we attain our goal in heaven. Nowhere else do we find this kind of love. It pays to believe, dear brother and sister! Serving One Another in Love Diane Barber | The Voice of Zion March 2023 - Home and Family Article -- As a child in kindergarten, my desire always was to be a school nurse. During high school I went to a vocational school for nursing. After graduating, even though I still had the desire to be a school nurse, I got married and started a family. I put my plans on hold. Yet I never lost my desire to be a nurse because I have a deep love for children. Many years later, I was able to go back to school to get my nursing degree. I was 50 years old. My first job was school nursing, and I enjoyed serving the school children. However, my greatest joy has been to serve as a nurse at church camps. At camps, I receive so much. I hear the gospel in the morning and at evening, and during the day, I visit with believers and can discuss the way and the journey. Others have served me abundantly, in so many ways. Because of vision problems, I cannot drive. I need help with rides to visit believers and to get to services as well as shopping. I get help in doing projects around my home. Sometimes when I am feeling lonely and tempted, when it seems like nobody remembers me, someone may call or stop by to visit me. At those times, it seems like an angel has come to share the gospel and to bring me comfort. God sees the needs of His children and calls people to serve Him with the gifts that He has given. We may feel shy, unworthy, timid and maybe even overwhelmed, yet we receive joy, comfort and care in serving. It seems that we receive more than we can give. The most important matter is that we care for one another spiritually. Questions for Discussion: 1. Love is the first fruit of the Spirit. Discuss what love is, and what it isn’t. 2. God is love. List ways God shows His love to us. 3. Jesus says we are to love our neighbor. How can we show this? What obstacles might we feel to showing love to a neighbor? 4. Enemies are also neighbors, and we are to love them. Discuss.

Jim Frantti | 2012 LLC Home and Family Workshop (SLC) --

Keith Waaraniemi | The Voice of Zion February 2012 -- Love, Commitment, and Work Keep Marriage Strong Marriage is like holding on to a treasure that increases in value. It re­quires a lot of effort, but its rewards are immeasurable! A faithful spouse - a friend of the heart who understands, listens, supports, and forgives - is a treasure worth cherishing. Luther prized his wife. “I would not want to exchange my Kate for France, not for Venice to boot; to begin with (1) be­­cause God has given her to me and me to her; (2) because I often find out that there are more shortcomings in other women than in my Kate; and although she, of course, has some too, these are nonetheless offset by far greater virtues; (3) because she keeps faith and honor in our marriage relationship” (WLS 888). We all value close, warm, and secure relationships, but many times fall short in their care. Marriage is a covenant be­­tween two different people. Like other relationships, there are problems that can break the tie between husband and wife, but working through them can show the direction to a happy life together. God established marriage and has said that it is not good for man to live alone. Marriage is a gift of God. The Bible says, “a prudent wife is from the Lord” (Prov. 19:14). Challenges in Married Life Change In the beginning of marriage, a couple lives in good feelings. However, challenges usually don’t take too long to come as the couple adjusts to living together. When God blesses with children, there is great joy, but now the couple must also take the children into account in everything. Preg­­nancy can also bring uncertainty, concerns, and fears. A wife’s physical and hor­­monal changes can be confusing to her husband. The husband’s concern about providing may not be understood by his wife. As the family grows, the focus on children and lack of time for each other can try the relationship. Lack of time for oneself can also cause stress. When children move into adolescence, parents are often at a loss on how they should react to the changing teen. Disagreements and resentment can arise. New adjustments can also come later in life when the nest empties. Another trial some couples experience is that of not being blessed with children at all. Other challenges can affect and try the marriage relationship: economics, unemployment, work stress, accidents, illness, mental weariness, and loss of life. Stress can make one accuse the other. In everyday life it does not take much for the flesh and blood to rise to the surface. My weak and faulty “home side” makes me relate more and more to the words of the Apostle: “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Rom. 7:19). In spite of our own faultiness, the estate of marriage that God has established is not diminished. We often remember at weddings that the holiness and permanence of the estate is “not a burden, but a lasting foundation for its constructive continuation.” For that reason, we do not want to allow our flesh to get the upper hand to diminish the gift God has given, but in order to keep it, we must practice humbleness, patience, kindness, forbearance, and forgiveness (Col. 3:13, Eph 4:2). Caring for the Relationship The bond between husband and wife stays strong if each remembers to care for it. Burdens, trials, and difficulties are part of life. The Apostle reminds us that there is also something good in tribulations. They remind us to be patient, to endure, to trust God who gives us hope in Christ. Life’s trials and experiences teach us to be patient with our self and our spouse (Rom. 5:1–6). They teach us that we are sinful and small, but God is almighty and merciful. How do we care for the marriage relationship? Showing understanding for one another and taking time to lovingly listen and speak to each other from the heart are of utmost importance. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). Married life is continuously learning to better know one another. Honesty toward oneself and the other builds the relationship. In this way we get through difficult matters. The marriage bond is a tender one that is fed by a positive, kind, and tender approach to one another. Complimenting and thanking one’s spouse for smaller and bigger things, as was done in courtship, rekindles the desire of the recipient to serve the other. Doing so in front of others is also good. Laughter and joy also deepen the relationship. It is important to accept, love, value, and honor our spouse for who he or she is. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another” (Rom. 12:10). Remember to lovingly fulfill the needs of your spouse. Making a concerted effort todo what the other likes engenders warmth and harmony. “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Phil. 2:4). In spite of our best efforts, problems do arise. When arguments develop, both are at fault. To resolve differences, it is important to be open and to listen to one’s spouse. Matters are resolved in a peaceful, kind, honest, matter-of-fact, and loving way (Prov. 15:1, James 1:19). We may not understand everything, but forgiving from the heart is key. Sometimes it is necessary to discuss matters deeper even though they are forgiven. In marriage it is also very important to remember that all problems are not faith-related. Speaking of matters with a close friend or a professional can in some situations be irreplaceable. It isn’t easy to reach out, but there is blessing in doing so. Because we are faulty human beings, both spouses should be a little blind. Luther has said that “it is impossible to keep peace between man and woman in family life if they do not condone and overlook each other’s faults but watch everything to the smallest point…Therefore those who are married should be prepared to condone and forget their mutual offenses, no matter how great they may be, and should resume their customary loving behavior in their association with each other” (WLS 905). In marriage, the lesson of “forgive and forget” needs to be learned again and again: “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). When a couple can learn to forgive from the heart, then there is no need or desire to return to matters that have been cared for with the gospel. The gospel is the power of God in marriage also! Discussion Suggestions: 1. What characteristics do you most value in your spouse? 2. What challenges are you currently facing in your marriage? 3. What do children learn from the marital relationship of their parents, and what aspects of the relationship give children a feeling of security? 4. What does it mean to forgive and forget? Sources: Eero Salin: “The Stages of Marriage,” VZ, June, July, August 1996 What Luther Says, (WLS), Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Jouko Haapsaari | The Voice of Zion March 2012 -- A Place of Protection “I remember from my youthful years, how especially good it sometimes felt to come home.” A brother reminisced of the years of his battles in faith when growing up. Possibly many of us can join with his memories. A believing home is a refuge for all of its members. God has meant it to be such a place. We need a place of protection as our faith is little, our strength small, and the enemies many and powerful. The psalmist writes about the protection of God’s kingdom for the family: “Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house” (Ps. 84:3,4). The home has been called the nucleus of a healthy society. It is also a small congregation. Therefore, God has protected the office of mother and father so carefully. When He gave the Law to His people, one of the commandments mentioned very specifically that children are to obey and honor their parents. That is God’s good and wise will. It will bring a blessing to those who follow it. The command is connected with the office of the parents, not their individual skills or capabilities in parenting. Home Life Teaches Home life is our natural teacher; it is a place where the rising generation should receive proper and healthy advice on how to live with other people. All of us carry our childhood homes with us throughout our lives. When newlyweds establish their own home traditions, they bring their own home life experiences to this process. Home is a place where we should also learn how to ask for forgiveness and how to forgive one another. There is no home where sin doesn’t affect. We need to forgive one another often; everyone needs forgiveness from his or her close ones. Happy is the home where forgiveness is used often! If a quarrel between parents takes place in front of the family, it is beneficial for the children to also see that it has been forgiven. One of the best lessons and examples is when mother and father care for their own shortcomings and sins with their children. Many of us have precious memories of service occasions at home or other special home activities. It may have taken place at a baptism, a birthday celebration, a Thanksgiving meal, or at the Christmas table. It is good to take time to read Scriptures and to pray together. “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Ps. 119:103). More than a Dwelling Home is the relationship of its members, not a physical building. Our family learned that in a very concrete way when we sold our Finland home and moved to the United States. Now, when our children have come to visit us, they have mentioned how interesting it has felt to come to home on the other side of the world. Home was not connected with the house that we built and where we lived for over 20 years. After all, it was only an abode, a place to live. The “home” was something deeper; it was connected to the people who lived there. When the people moved, the home moved with them. A Place for Forgiveness and Love Forgiveness sets the atmosphere at home. There are other factors, too, that create a warm, loving, and inviting atmosphere at home. One is the songs and hymns of Zion. As technology has advanced, we have good opportunities to have this kind of music in our homes. Another factor in the home atmosphere is the bond of love between the parents. As the saying goes, “The best gift that a father can give his children is to love their mother.” It is true what John writes: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18). When there is no fear, there is trust and a gracious atmosphere. Who wouldn’t want to live there? Discussion Suggestions: 1. Why do you think the psalmist compares the believing home to a swallow’s nest? (Ps. 84) 2. How can we foster open and free discussions at home? 3. What factors threaten the positive, forgiving atmosphere in our homes? 4. Why is it important that we try to arrange services in our homes (ex. at birthday gatherings, engagement parties, family celebrations, or other special occasions)?

Jon Bloomquist | The Voice of Zion October 2004 -- All Saints’ Day falls on November 1st in our church calendar. The origins of this holy day go back the Early Church’s practice of commemorating the death of Christian martyrs. By the 3rd century, because the number of martyrs was so great and the identity of many unknown, it was more practical to establish a single day for the commemoration of all martyrs. All Saints’ Day was first set on May 13th in the West. After Christianity spread to the British Isles, the holy day was moved to November 1st, apparently to coincide with the celebration of Samhain, the Celtic New Year. The placement of All Saints’ Day with Samhain was logical since one of the primary elements of Samhain was remembrance of the year’s dead. Later, in the fourteenth century, the Roman Church added another church holiday, All Souls’ Day. It was observed on November 2nd. Whereas, All Saints’ Day was set for the commemoration of martyrs, All Souls’ Day was for the commemoration of all the departed believers. All Souls’ Day also accommodated the Catholic doc-trine of purgatory and the practice of praying for the souls of dead Christians trapped in purgatory. Lutherans rejected the doctrine of purgatory because of its unscriptural grounds. Following the Reformation, All Souls’ Day was dropped from the Lutheran calendar and both Christian martyrs and other former saints are remembered on All Saints’ Day. The Purpose and Message of All Saints’ Day The primary purpose of the church calendar is to remember the life of Jesus and significant events in church history. It began with the observation of Easter and Pentecost and gradually developed to include other events from the life of Jesus and the church. In some cases, the dates of Christian holy days were fixed as a counterpoint to pagan holidays. Christmas and All Saints’ Day are two examples of this. In doing so, the Church sought to give believers an alternative holiday, one that would focus on salvation history and the message of the gospel rather than pagan worship and superstitions. The message of All Saints’ Day is the message of victory over death through trust in Christ’s grace and mercy. The Bible itself gives us a good example of how we ought to remember the former saints in the Letter to the Hebrews. The author lists many former saints, a “cloud of witnesses,” and reminds us of the faith by which they “obtained a good report” (Heb. 11). This message was obscured under the cult of saints that had developed in the medieval church. The Reformation again sounded the true message of All Saints Day. The Augsburg Confession states: “It is also taught among us that saints should be kept in remembrance so that our faith may be strengthened when we see what grace they received and how they were sustained by faith. Moreover, their good works are to be an example for us, each of us in his own calling… However, it cannot be proved from the Scriptures that we are to invoke saints or seek help from them. ‘For there is one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus’ (1 Tim. 2:5), who is the only saviour, the only high priest, advocate, and intercessor before God (Rom. 8:34). He alone has promised to hear our prayers. More-over, according to the Scriptures, the highest form of divine service is sincerely to seek and call upon this same Jesus Christ in every time of need. ‘If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous’ (1 John 2:1)” (Augsburg Confession: Article XXI). The Connection Between All Saints’ Day and Halloween In North America, the secular holiday of Halloween coincides with All Saints’ Day. In fact, Halloween takes its name from All Saints’ Day, which was earlier called All Hallow’s Day. Because Christians have traditionally observed holy days from sundown on one day until sundown the following day, it has become common to begin the observation of the holy day on the preceding evening, thus our Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve observations. The evening before All Hallow’s Day was called All Hallowe’en and eventually Halloween. It is both unfortunate and ironic that while the name Halloween has its roots in the Christian tradition, the Christian element has largely disappeared and the pagan traditions and the commercial aspects prevailed in the observation of the holiday. The History of Halloween in America The seeds of our Halloween tradition arrived with Irish immigrants in the late 1840s. In recent decades Halloween has become a major holiday and retail event, trailing only Christmas in terms of consumer dollars spent. A component of pranks and mischief has always been associated with Halloween. It has come from the traditions of Samhain. The Celts had a highly structured social order that was typically relaxed during the Samhain celebrations. This allowed the powerless majority to engage in mischievous pranks and petty vandalism without consequences. The tradition of mischief and pranks has prevailed in our own era. Periodically, the vandalism and pranks become more mean-spirited resulting in the costly destruction of property and cruelty to animals. One of these more destructive phases occurred during the 1970s. Com­munities and groups have responded by trying to organize safer, more constructive alternatives. In the 1970s, the conduct of some Christian youth at Halloween caused concern in God’s kingdom. This concern led to heightened discussion of Halloween. It appears that many believers had participated in the secular Halloween traditions for years without giving the issue much consideration. The roots and nature of Halloween were more closely examined and discussed among believers. The Dark Side of Halloween Many Halloween symbols and traditions are associated with mischief, divination, death, evil, and the powers of darkness. They include ghosts and goblins, trick or treating, witches, black cats, bats, goblins, jack o’ lanterns, skeletons, ghosts, evil spirits, and demons. Because the Celts passed on their history orally, written records do not exist and it is not possible to fully determine the origin or development of all of these symbols and traditions. In the modern era, most people do not take the various myths and legends associated with these symbols and traditions seriously, dismissing them as superstitions and folklore. For years the context of earlier pagan worship and the occult weakened in society’s collective awareness. During the last fifty years, however, there has been resurgence in a wide range of pagan religions including neo-paganism and Satan-ism. These groups have been accused of animal and human sacrifice, sex and drug orgies, and the like, especially in connection with Halloween. Generally, these groups deny these accusations, and it may well be that they are inaccurate or exaggerated—at least where most of these groups are concerned. On the other hand, many neo-pagans readily acknowledge that Halloween is for them a day when they worship their gods and goddesses, and practice necromancy and divination. Whether or not the darkest and most extreme charges directed at witches and Satanists are accurate or not, their beliefs are clearly contrary to the teachings of God’s Word and Christian faith. With the resurgence of pagan religions and the incidents of vandalism and destruction, Halloween lost much of its innocence. In recent decades, many religious groups began to re-evaluate their stance on Halloween. Living Christianity’s Position As a result of the Halloween discussions in our American Zion, the then AALC Work Committee wrote a letter to member congregations in October 1980 that summarized the understanding that the discussions had produced. There was widespread agreement about the need for watchfulness in Halloween observances. The pagan connections and dark components of Halloween were disturbing and worrisome. Believers wished to heed the scriptural admonitions to avoid the appearance of evil (1 Thes. 5:22). Establishing the “distinctions of Christian soberness” was more difficult. The Work Committee noted that a zealous and restrictive attitude at work on the one hand, and leniency and fleshly tendencies on the other, made finding solutions more difficult. The understanding that emerged was “that we abstain from participating in the ‘traditional’ celebrations of the worldly Halloween, not only on the basis of its pagan mixtures, but even more because of the evil excesses now associated with its observance.” Two issues that were frequently discussed were trick or treating and school Halloween festivities. Questions on these two issues have resurfaced from time to time. The October 1980 letter did not specifically address trick or treating. It fell under the general statement regarding traditional celebrations, their pagan mixtures and associated excesses. The understanding emerged that believing homes would not send their children out to participate in the traditional trick or treating. God’s children have endeavored to follow this understanding since then. When unusual or exceptional situations arise, it is hoped that Christian freedom would prevail. Here, too, believers want to be mindful of the dangers of both over-watchfulness and leniency. Above all, it is important that Christian love not be broken. The 1980 letter did address school Halloween issues. It pointed out that because holidays, including Halloween, are a part of our culture, Christians have not objected to instruction within this cultural context. Neither have they found reason to oppose or abstain from such instruction or activities unless they are contrary to faith and good conscience. While occasional concerns with regard to Halloween movies, some party activities, or objectionable costumes remain, it appears that school issues have become less difficult in recent years since many school districts have scaled back or modified their Halloween festivities in response to concerns from churches in general. In recent discussions about Halloween, the LLC Work Committee reviewed the October 1980 Work Committee letter and whole-heartedly supported the spirit of the letter and the positions it presented. Do We Celebrate the Christian or the Secular? In its October 1980 letter, the Work Committee suggested that congregations schedule song services, Bible class, or services in order to establish a wholesome Christian alternative for our youth and children. The desire was to focus attention on the Christian holiday rather than the secular, that is, on All Saints’ Day rather than Halloween. It was clear then, as it is now, that if the focus were placed on All Saints’ Day most of the Halloween related concerns and questions would dissipate. In a world that is increasingly battered by secularism, the need for Christian toe-holds increases. Consider the changes wrought by secularization since 1980: prayer is now forbidden in public schools; count-less stores remain open on Sundays; plaques, emblems, and monuments containing biblical quotations are being removed from government buildings and property; an effort is being made to remove “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance; and the traditional Christian view of marriage and human sexuality is ridiculed and challenged. The Christian calendar provides toe-holds that families and individuals can cling to in the face of secularism’s onslaught. The events of the Christian calendar pro-vide opportunities to carve moments from daily life for the purpose of turning our attention to life’s most important matter. The message of All Saints’ Day stands in contrast to the message of the secular Halloween. It gives us comfort and hope in the darkness of this world and the struggle against our own sin-corruption. The victory of the former saints and their experiences assure us of God’s help in the midst of trials and suffering, of His grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, of our Savior’s victory over the powers of darkness, and of His promise of eternal rest and peace to those who believe.

Dan Rintamaki | 1994 LLC Longview Summer Services - Speakers and Elders Meeting - June 30 -- The teachings of Martin Luther testify, in accord with the Holy Scriptures, that God has given two holy proclamations from heaven-the Law and the Gospel. ln the gospel of John, it is written, "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). These two proclamations are pictured in the Letter to the Hebrews: "For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Heb. 4:12). One edge of the sword represents the Law and the other the Gospel. Each has its own office. Luther has pointed out that through the rigid requirements of the Law, God demands what we are or are not to do. Through the Gospel, God reveals His love and offers grace and the forgiveness of sins unto life eternal. The Law and the Gospel are as different one from the other as light is from darkness, but without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to differentiate between them. ln the light of God's Word, we will study a little further the purpose and use God has intended for the Law and the Gospel. The Law God gave His Holy Law through His servant Moses on Mount Sinai. God wrote them on tables of stone in the form of the Ten Commandments. They were delivered in the midst of thunder, lightning, and quaking and brought terror and fear into the hearts of those present. The Ten Commandments are divided into two parts. The first three commandments require love for God. The remaining seven require love for our neighbor. The Book of Leviticus defines the requirements of the Law with about six hundred ordinances which are to be kept faultlessly. The Apostle James wrote in his epistle, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). ls it then possible to attain a righteousness acceptable to God, a righteousness meriting souls salvation, by the works of the Law? The Apostle Paul answers in his Letter to the Galatians: "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. The law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Gal.3:10-13). Paul also wrote to the Romans, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). Could we say then, that if one had no knowledge of the law that he is excused from it? The answer is no. The Apostle explains, in the second and third chapters of Romans, that it has been written into the hearts of all mankind: "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness" (Rom. 2:12-15). God in his love saw it necessary to give His Holy Law to awaken sinners from the sleep of sin and death. Thus the Apostle Paul writes, "Moreover the law entered that the offence might abound." The Law prepares a sinner to the receive the gospel. Paul explains this purpose in Galatians 3:24, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." The Law is preached to the unbelieving, as the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing this, that the law is not made for the righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murders of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for mensteelers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine" (1 Tim. 1:8­10). Luther has said that the Law should be preached to an unbeliever as if there is no Gospel. Then when he has sorrow over sin and the wrath of God's Law condemns him to eternal death, preach the good news of the Gospel as if there is no Law. The Law is not preached to the believing: "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Romans 10:4). lnstead, to them is preached the gospel of the Lord Jesus, the forgiveness of sins in His name and blood. The Gospel The word gospel means "good news." Luther has defined the Gospel as the ministry of grace, because it proclaims the saving doctrine of life, the divine promise, and offers grace and the forgiveness of sins. When it is received by faith in the heart of a sinner, it brings peace, joy and freedom. Through the proclamation of the forgiveness of sins in Jesus' name and precious blood, the heart is filled with the peace of God, which passes all understanding. (Phil. 4:7). The living hope of eternal life brings unspeakable joy! God in His fatherly love prepared the Gospel of salvation in His Son: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16) The promise of the Savior was heard first by Adam and Eve in Paradise. After they fell into sin, God called them and clothed them with coats of skins. These picture God's grace and forgiveness and the righteousness of the Lord Jesus, of whom John the Baptist said when he first saw Him, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). The perfect redemption work of the Lord Jesus satisfied the Heavenly Father. ln Matthew 17:5 it is recorded, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Jesus left nothing undone when He prepared the Gospel. ln perfect obedience to the Heavenly Father, He fulfilled the Holy Law, was tempted in all points just as we are, but was yet without sin. He took the lowly form of a Servant, the likeness of man. He submitted himself to mockery, scorn, and all manner of persecution, even to the death of the cross, where He shed His holy and innocent blood for the remission of sins. There He cried, "lt is finished" (John 19:30). His resurrection Easter morning overcame the power of sin, death, and Hell and concluded the preparation of the Gospel of life. Dear brothers and sisters in faith, we have hope at this moment through the Gospel of peace. From grace we have permission to believe the forgiveness of all our sins in Jesus' name and precious blood. The Apostle Paul wrote, ""For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2: 8-10). Lastly, we join with Paul's words the Romans: "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16).

Matti Kontkanen | 1994 LLC Longview Summer Services - Youth Discussion - July 2 -- Nobody has strength to live if there is no joy in life. Everybody seeks to have joy in their life: children do, young do, elders do. Believers also seek joy. A main question in seeking joy is, where from and what kind of joy does one seek. In the following story we will listen to what happened to two girls who were seeking joy. . . . (Story read by young person. “As Two Blossoms on the Slopes of Mount Zion”) – from At Daybreak book. What happened in this story? We often hear news how someone has given up his or her faith. Why does this happen? What is the sin that separates the young from God’s kingdom? We will look at the story one more time from the point of view of joy. The girls had the desire for joy. The story told us that the girls rejoiced in their hearts that they could be children of God. They also made many new believing friends in their new location where they started their schooling. They were happy to greet Maria’s uncle, a speaker brother, a confessor father. Then a short while later, they found joy in different places, in functioning in the student government, in an unbelieving friend, and in having loud parties in the evening. What made the reason for joy change? Was it something similar to the reasons to the first fall in Paradise? The serpent told the first couple: Did God really say so? Did the enemy of souls in the girls’ case make them doubt that there is no joy or less joy in the kingdom of God than in the world? Did the girls error in listening to this sermon which made them start wondering about it in their thoughts? The second main question is: What do we do when the enemy teases us and makes us doubt about the joy of believing? It happens during the many trials that we have to go through. How do we get from the trials and doubts into free and joyous believing? I will briefly relate a story about a boy whose name was Allen. He had failed his final exam at school. Questions whirled in his mind: Why does it have to go like this for me? Why must I be so unsuccessful? It seemed like all the others had fun, but he had no reason for joy. His parents tried to comfort him but it didn’t help. Then his believing friends contacted him. . . . (Story read by young person. “Why Does it Always Go Like This for Me?”) – from At Daybreak. Here we can see that the enemy of the souls took away the joy of believing by thoughts of hopelessness and depression. Notice how important it is to keep in touch with believing friends, even and especially during hard times. Remember in trials to be steady, humble yourself under the guidance of God, and rejoice even when you don’t succeed. The third main question is: What are the joys of believers and how do we rejoice in everyday life? In everyday life we live in the world and continuously see unbelievers looking for joy in the joys of the world. It certainly effects our flesh so that we might become puzzled as to how we as Christians are to be joyous. We will begin by mentioning that believing itself is and brings righteousness, peace, and joy to ones heart. In this righteousness we are happy and rejoice of all the gifts which God grants us according to His will. There certainly are a lot of them: There is the home and parents, brothers and sisters, love and care of the home, unity and fellowship of the family members – don’t let the strive for money destroy this source of joy in our Christian homes – There is the possibility of learning and going back to school, there is the beautiful nature, free and independent fatherland – we may pray for the good of our country. We may rejoice for being able to work for our country– there is daily bread–there is enough money even to give some of it to those who are in need. There is the fellowship of the Christians – I have seen many of you joyously meeting each other here in these days –There is the treasure of righteousness in Jesus in the kingdom of God. There is the joy of a good conscience. There is the joy of the hope of a better future. The Bible exhorts us to rejoice even in trials, in sorrow, and under ridicule. There is the work of the kingdom of God – we may do it willingly and with joy like the disciples of Jesus did–There will be the fulfillment of joy in Heaven. In order to have joy, you do not need to have all of these joys listed above. Only one of them is absolutely necessary – it is faith, the foundation of all joy. Being in faith, you may have joy even if you have only one gift of God.

Marcus Korpi | 2003 LLC Marquette Summer Services - Youth Discussion -- In God’s Kingdom we say and believe that confession is a grace gift yet the enemy of souls attempts to deprive us of this grace gift by sowing seeds of confusion and misunderstandings. We often hear questions related to confession and to the care of our conscience, for example: What are name sins? Do I need confession in order preserve faith and a good conscience or is the general proclamation of the gospel sufficient? What about caring for offenses we have caused with a brother of sister? The topic of our discussion this evening is Confession. We are going to focus on the confession of sins in the Kingdom of God. In the beginning of this introduction, I would like to first define some basic terms. Two terms sometimes used interchangeably are ‘repentance’ and ‘confession.’ For the sake of this introduction, the use of these terms is as follows: Repentance – When one comes into the Kingdom of God. Confession – True Confession of Sins With Absolution That Happens Inside the Kingdom of God To help follow the presentation, we need to define what confession and absolution mean. Keep these in mind as we examine confession this evening. CONFESSION – To acknowledge or to admit. It is the opposite of denial, and it negates denial. ABSOLUTION -When we confess our sins, the gospel assures our sins are forgiven. We will talk about ‘General Confession” and ‘Individual Confession.’ Individual Confession includes Silent Confession, Private Confession, Confession of Love, and Public Confession. General Confession ‘General Confession’ is when we collectively confess in the communion liturgy. The Communion liturgy contains the following: first, an exhortation to confess sins; second, the actual confession of sins; and the third, the absolution, by the gospel, which the minister proclaims to the congregation (communion guests). By this confession, we acknowledge and confess ourselves to be part of the redeemed, sinful humankind for which Christ gave himself, and are part of the Body of Christ. Through faith, we are partakers of the eternal salvation. We are simultaneously sinful and righteous. (Sacred Acts) Individual Confession Silent Confession This is Confession that springs from faith. Silent confession takes place daily when we acknowledge sin in our hearts during prayer, and when we are open before God. We acknowledge ourselves guilty of all manner of sins, even of those which we do not perceive, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We are all sinners by nature. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”(1 John 1:7) We want to confess all before God even those faults we do not understand and see. “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” (Psalm 19:12) We want to be open before God and acknowledge our sinfulness and not deny our sins. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13) Why do we not believe our sins forgiven through prayer as some do in the world? God does not directly reply to us in our prayer, but God answers our prayer with His forgiveness in His congregation with the preaching of the precious Gospel. In hearing the general gospel preached, as we have heard so many times during these services, we can believe our sins forgiven. This gospel sounds repeatedly in God’s Kingdom to the sinner. God has given us the Gospel, which is the good tidings of our Lord and Savior Jesus and the salvation He has prepared for us. The Lord Jesus has suffered and died for our sins and has taken all the sins of the world so we do not need to burdened by sin. As Jesus says: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28) His blood is what cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7). Jesus has taken that burden of sin and we do not need to carry sin. When we hear this gospel, we receive power. The general preaching of gospel often gives us power to care for particular sins that trouble our heart or to care for offenses we may have caused between brothers or sisters. Hardening to sin in the world is very dangerous and has its effect on us. The attitudes of the world can easily attach to believers. Sin becomes a matter of opinion instead of what God’s word teaches us is right and wrong. Sin is diminished and sin has become permissible in society. Because of this, believers are easily drawn and attracted to sin. Many years ago in society, certain behaviors were sin. Today the same behaviors are “no big deal” and have become acceptable in society and sometimes even encouraged. Sin becomes familiar, acceptable and justified by the world. It creeps into the life of a believer and we no longer acknowledge sin as sin before God. Private Confession According to Luther in the Small Catechism, confession consists of two parts: the one is that we confess our sins; the other, that we receive absolution from the confessor as of God Himself, in no wise doubting, but firmly believing that our sins are thus forgiven before God in heaven. Absolution is the most important part of confession. Absolution is the freeing from sins so we can believe freely and we can make new promises. When we fall into sin and we have not offended another person, we also have private confession in addition to collective and silent confession. In James it is written: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, they ye may be healed.” (James 5:16) We live in God’s grace Kingdom. Often we have such little faith that God has given the grace gift of Private Confession. In Private Confession, we can confess a sin or sins that trouble our conscience to a confessor father or mother. He or she then proclaims God’s forgiveness by the gospel for those particular sins that we have confessed. Confession helps us stay in faith but does not give us faith. Confession is given as an aid to the believer to care for his or her conscience. It is comforting that we can go and speak of our sins and our temptations to another believer. We can then be reassured by the gospel. Luther writes: “Privately confessing sin to a confessor father is a refuge. Peoples whose consciences the devil holds captive in his snares and has fascinated and worn out so thoroughly that they do not know how to release and extricate themselves but only feel and see that they are bound to perish. For there is no greater misery in this life that the pains and anguish of a heart that lacks advice and consolation. Therefore such people should be given an open door to confession so that they may seek and find consolation from the ministers of the church. Or if the matter is so repulsive that one is ashamed to confess before a minister, let him confide in some other Christian and pious person, whoever he may be, whose faith is apparent.” (What Luther Says) Often in God’s kingdom, we talk about the term “name sins.” What are name sins? These are sins we can put away in private confession. The Holy Spirit that dwells in the heart admonishes us to put away all matters which prevent us from believing freely. It seems to me that Luther speaks of what we refer to as name sins when while writing about Private Confession in the Catechism, he answers the question: What sins should we confess? Luther writes: “Before the confessor, we should confess those sins alone of which we have knowledge and which we feel in our hearts and which trouble our conscience.” These sins then we can put away in Private Confession. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” (Heb 12:1). While it is true that the general gospel promises the forgiveness of all sins, the common experience of God’s children is that their faith is so weak that they have needed private confession and its absolution. Some may claim that their faith is so strong that they are able to free their conscience from the burden and accusation of sin under the general proclamation of the gospel and that they thus have no need for private confession. When discussing the obstacles to confession, our brother Juhani Uljas has described his own experiences in this way: “What if I do not speak about transgressions to anyone, but try to believe the matter that particularly bothers my conscience forgiven through the general preaching of the gospel? In my experience, I can say that one cannot reach peace or freedom this way. No matter how much I have tried to believe that particular matter gone, it has kept on bothering me. It has been like a rock in a shoe and made the travel troublesome. Then when I have spoken of these matters which have troubled me to my confessor father, I have experienced a surprise. First of all, my confessor father has understood me and nothing has indicated he would not carry me as a believer. As he has on behalf of God, proclaimed all sins forgiven in Jesus’ name and blood. I have experienced a relief. The sins that have troubled me have no longer come to mind to accuse me. The rock has been removed and the journey has felt easy. The only thing I have regretted is that I have carried burdens on my conscience in vain.” Here we want to remember that in order for a conscience to operate properly it must be enlightened and guided by the word of God. We also want to remember the dangers of ignoring the rebuke of our conscience and the resulting hardening. Bloomquist writes “If man continually ignores the prompting of his conscience and allows it to become a reservoir for sin, his conscience will harden. It will cease to function properly. His understanding of right and wrong soon becomes clouded, then finally it is lost. His sense of shame and sorrow begin to disappear. Paul tells Timothy that this disdain or neglect for the care of conscience causes spiritual shipwreck, in other words, spiritual death. It is for this reason Paul urges Timothy to keep “faith and a good conscience.” (Keep Faith and a Good Conscience, Bloomquist 1998 Phoenix) This is so our conscience would remain tender and continue to speak to us and teach us so we could remain believing. The enemy of souls wants to spoil this grace gift of confession. There is a danger of making confession our salvation. Confession is a grace gift given by God intended to help us in the endeavor of faith. It should not enslave us as believers. We cannot make our confession more important than absolution. The word of absolution, which is part of confession, releases us from burdens weighing our conscience. Confession as an operation does not cleanse our conscience, but by faith we are absolved of our sins. God does not cleanse our hearts by confession but by faith. “…purifying their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:9) Luther says, “As I exhort to confess it means that I exhort to live as a Christian.” Absolution is the medicine that lifts the burdens, sadness, sorrow and remorse of sin. It makes our journey in faith easier. “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved.”(Jeremiah 17:14). The gospel heals our wounded conscience, and frees us from the bonds of sin. A person can have the wrong motives for confessing sins. Rather than sorrow over sin, perhaps he is trying to please the person that rebuked him or wants to “get him off his back.” This is confession of the lips, pseudo, or fake confession. It is confession without penitence. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalms 51:17) When we talk about private confession, we also talk about to whom we can confess our sins. To whom can we turn to in private confession? “But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels.” God has given us angels along the way in his Kingdom as escorts to help us on our journey. It is a Kingdom of forgiveness. It is good that we can find a true friend in the Kingdom of God to open our heart to. We can speak of the way and the journey. We can hear the forgiveness of sins preached. It is a kingdom of grace and mercy. When someone comes to take care of matters with a confessor father or mother, we want to have the mind of Christ. “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 5:36 Matt. 10:10) Juhani Uljas also writes: “I have also been a confessor father. Those believers that have told me of matters and to whom I have consoled with the word of absolution have been close and dear to me. I have not regarded them as poor travelers. I have learned to know them as Christians to whom the matters of faith are important and who endeavor to preserve faith and good conscience. I also acknowledge as a confessor father I have an obligation to keep all matters confidential.” As a side note, our general experience is that sin makes us feel bad, and confession and absolution makes us feel relieved. In the case of depression, we might experience similar bad feelings, which will not go away by taking care of our conscience. It is vital to distinguish between the bad feelings caused by depression and the bad feelings caused by sin. Someone may in vain try to take care of depression through confession, finally become desperate, and conclude that they do not have faith any more or believing does not help them anymore. Confession of Love Confession of love is confessing and asking forgiveness when we offend a brother or sister, regardless how we feel about it. God’s Word requires us to care for offenses against a brother or sister. This preserves and strengthens mutual love and makes our journey with our brothers and sisters easier. When we know that we have offended a brother or sister in faith, the love has been broken between two individuals. We are obligated to put matters away with the brother or sister. We want to approach the person to correct the offenses we have caused. The carnal mind battles against this. When the gospel is preached, the love between brother and sister is restored and there is peace in their hearts. Sometimes we do not know that we have offended another brother and that is why God has given us the Church Law of Christ. Jesus instructs the offended person to approach the one that as offended. “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Most times, this is enough to take care of matters, but sometimes the person does not understand and we use the other parts of the Church Law of Christ. “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he neglects to hear them, tell it unto the church:” and so on. (Matt 18:15-17) When the gospel has been preached in these cases, we receive their forgiveness and God’s forgiveness. At times, we receive God’s forgiveness but the person has not been able to forgive. Later the person has asked for forgiveness for their inability to forgive. It is sometimes difficult to forgive. But remember Jesus’ words “if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”(Mark 11:26) We may also want to put a limitation on how often we will forgive a brother. Peter asked Jesus: “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? ‘Til seven times?” before. Jesus answers: “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but Until seventytimes seven.” (Matt 18:22-23) We have reason to pray to our Heavenly Father that we would have a forgiving, and merciful heart. Public Confession At times, a sin may be of such a nature that it should be confessed before the congregation. The believers then preach forgiveness of absolution with the gospel openly. People sometimes wrongly think that public confession is better and more complete. This is not so. We only need to confess our sins as far as they have offended. Conclusion Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1) Our salvation is in believing the absolution of the forgiveness of our sins. All sins are washed away with the bloody gospel message. They are forgiven and we are heaven acceptable before God. We can thank Jesus that He has taken my sins away and all the sins of the world. We can praise God that he has given us his only Son and that we can be a child of God. “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou has put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto the for ever.” (Psalm 30:11-12) By the gospel, we receive the comforting assurance that these sins are forgiven. “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” Matt; 9: 2. Our sins are drowned in the sea of grace. We can put them behind us. Sometimes our natural mind has a better memory than God does. Satan wants us to remember our faults and sins, but God forgives and does not remember them. We also do not want to remember our sins and wish to be a free child of God without sin. We are as holy as any angel in heaven when we can believe the Gospel message that all sins are forgiven in the name and the blood of Jesus. Then there is peace in our hearts and we are no longer troubled by the burden of sin. This is the mystery of the Gospel. “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103: 12) References: Näin on kirjoitettu, Erkki Reinikainen What Luther Says By Faith Introduction “Confession,”Matti Kontkanen 9/2002 Phoenix Introduction “Keeping Faith and a Good Conscience,” Jon Bloomquist 1998 Winter Services Article “Confession,” Voice of Zion 11/1998, Siionin Lähetyslehti no. 10 1997, Juhani Uljas Manual of Sacred Acts Small Catechism, Martin Luther He has Entrusted Us with the Word of Reconciliation The Grace of the Caller, Heikki Jussila