Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions

Scripture Text: 1 Timothy 4:1–5

Click for larger image

Image  • Index

  Click for a recording of today's lesson. 

1 Timothy 4:1–5 

From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession

Concerning the Marriage of Priests – part 24

Paul says that marriage, food, and similar things are sanctified by the Word of God and prayer (1 Tim 4:5)—through the Word which makes consciences certain that God approves—through prayer, that is, by faith that uses it with thanksgiving as a gift of God.

Pulling It Together: Efforts to be holy through anything other than Christ are denials of Christ and of his justification of us. Devoting ourselves to religious things such as abstinence—whether foods or marriage—is to deprive ourselves, not only of foods and marriage but, of Christ himself. God created these good things for the benefit of those who put their trust in Christ alone. Indeed, they are not merely good, but holy also, because the believer receives them with thanksgiving, since they have been sanctified through the Word of God.

Prayer: Give me faith to always trust in you alone, God, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

A Reading and Discussion of the Augsburg Confession is a more challenging study series based on assigned readings from the Book of Concord and related Scripture texts. Each study is comprised of eight sessions, plus an optional introductory session, presented in a question and discussion format. The Leader's Guide that accompanies this study is a resource for those facilitating group discussion, or may serve as a reader's commentary for those who are studying the Book of Concord on their own.

Leader's Guide


Share this post


Click Here For Content Archives