Luther neither removed the Apocrypha from the Bible nor discouraged its use. Rather, he received and preserved the ancient distinction inherited from the fathers: the Apocrypha is valuable, edifying, and worthy of reading, but it is not Holy Scripture and therefore cannot serve as the foundation of Christian doctrine.
The confessors at Augsburg remind us that every generation of Christians is called to bear witness to the gospel amid the challenges and pressures of its own age. As they confessed Christ before emperors and kingdoms, so the Church continues to confess Him before the world today.
When Jesus washes you with baptismal water, you can rest assured that the Lion of Judah is on the move.

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“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” That word isn't just for Israel; it's also for you.
Grace isn’t fair. It’s reckless and lavish and handed out freely to those who don’t deserve a thing.
This is the third installment in the 1517 articles series, “What Makes a Saint?”
The church does not await a verdict; she proclaims one.
The Fourth in the fire is Jesus.
Repentance is not limited to a season.
As you step into the days ahead, remember this: no matter how lost you may feel, you have a God who seeks you out, celebrates your return, and rejoices over you.
The narrative of the Nativity is what Christmas is all about.
Are you looking for rest? Is your heart cluttered? Are you searching for comfort? Just look at the King-sized bed.
The central message of Christianity is not a worldview, a way of life, or a program for personal or societal change; it is a person and the message of the cross.
There is a bit of Narcissus in all of us. We are all lost within ourselves.
Show me your righteousness, we can only point to Jesus