Brett's Discernment

From the question asked and answered by others on www.lutheranzephyr.com.

What does it mean to be Lutheran?

I am a cradle Lutheran, but only just. My parents were both raised strongly catholic. They switched and decided to be Lutheran not too long before I was born. However, that background, as well as going to mass whenever extended family was in town, does color who I am as a Lutheran, and who I am not.

To me being Lutheran means that I (try to) acknowledge, as both Paul and Luther did, that I am the worst of sinners. As Luther said, "God does not save people who are only ficticious sinners." I feel that as a Lutheran it is my call to be very open and giving of my faith. My faith, my individual beliefs, and my hermeneutic of the Word (in every sense of it) is very personal, but my faith and joy in my relationship with the Lord should never be private.

That is balanced with the exuberance that lies in grace! We are all "saved" (I hate that word), not by what we do, but what has been done for us, without deserving even one grain of His grace. However, although such unrequited grace would seem to grant some a free pass for sin, Lutherans know that instead: Romans 3: "8For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. ²⁹Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. ³¹Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law."

As a Lutheran, I see the world through a triangular sort of theology - the Spirit works through a variety of ways which create "right relationship" -
- God to me
- through those "nudges," through others to me
- through me for others
- and also the comfort in prayer when I communicate directly myself to God.

No sin separates me from God, but it is the grace which saves me which also pulls me back, day after day, to the Lord to remember that I am baptized and called. As a Lutheran I believe that God calls all of us to ministry to others.

As a Lutheran I do not see my faith system as either a set of rules or a salve which will give me the answer that I want. Grace is the most incredibly humbling concept in light of how much we need it when we truly realize. But of course it is also our greatest gift.

As a Lutheran Jesus is my one and only Savior. I have personal access to a personal relationship with God through Jesus. I approach the bible with a historical and grace-colored hermeneutic.

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Well, I meant for that to be a short answer! Oh well!
I have a variety of very liberal social beliefs that are a part of my faith system, but I believe that they are congrous with what being a Lutheran means, written above.

I feel so un-educated about my faith sometimes, although I feel it has matured greatly and I have many "gifts of the Spirit" to express faith and serve the Church. I can't wait to go to seminary and learn!

Ugh I am so wordy!

Pasted in this icon from W&M LSA - I love y'all! My college home! :)