• About

Monk of Milwaukee

Monk of Milwaukee

Monthly Archives: February 2013

Beating myself with Theology

09 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by Jon Kohlmeier in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

I WANT to get dragged in. Every single bone in my body is crying to beat people with my theology. Fight people who I disagree with just about anything on. Wipe the floor with them!

I’m right! They’re wrong! I know the answers and apparently they just don’t. They’re mistaken. I can win. I will win. This is just like some Theological Trivial Pursuit game.

This happens all too often. Theology becomes my hobby. I can beat other people at this Lutheran theology game. I win! I’m the champion!

It scares me when it happens. Theology becomes my hobby. Theology becomes this thing that I can use to place myself above others. It happened in High School. It happens when there are disagreements with just about anyone today.

I really enjoy talking about theology, but all too often I put my trust in my knowledge, in my rhetoric, and in myself.

Where’s Christ? Where is Christ for me? Where is Christ for the world? Those are the questions I try to ask myself when I can feel myself falling back into theology as a hobby. The temptation is great. People disagree on something here. People disagree on something there. Someone who has left the Lutheran Church takes a bible passage out of context and my first instinct is to beat them. Beat them with my superior theology arguing skills.

Unbelief. That’s my sin. I don’t believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for me. I believe in my reason. I believe in me! I believe that I can come out on top. I don’t need help. I have great rhetoric. I CAN wipe the floor with any opponents who come my way. I am the champion, my friend! And, I’ll keep on fighting till the end! (Too cheesy? Yeah.. maybe.)

Death. Resurrection. That’s where Lutheran theology hinges. Not my reason. Not my rhetoric. Not even my beating other people’s bad theology.

Christ died for me! Christ died for you! Christ died for the sins world! Christ died for your neighbor who you disagree with! Christ died for the sins of the atheist, the pentecostal, the mormon and the satanist who thinks you and I are complete morons.

You die too… You have been baptized into Christ’s death. You die daily in your baptism! Your Old Adam is daily drowned. No, not just in the morning. Not just at night. Not when you remember to say your prayers. Your Old Adam is drowned CONTINUALLY in that baptism given to you! Your Old Adam dies! He dies with your lust, your slander, and your hatred of your brother. He dies with your false testimony and your coveting. Your Old Adam dies with your unbelief, in your baptism! Mine too! Dead. Dust. Gone!

You are raised. Raised with Christ. No longer you and your sinful flesh who lives but Christ living in you! Not you living. Not your theology winning. Christ! Christ! Christ! Christ! Christ! Living in you! Christ’s life given to you! Christ’s faith given to you! Christ’s theology GIVEN TO YOU! (Me too!)

That gets lost in the wanting to win. When I want to beat other people with my theology. It’s all about me and me being better than everyone else.

The Gospel, pure theology, gets lost. Lutheranism gets lost when it becomes my hobby.

I like to make theology my hobby. It happens far too often and it is a symptom of unbelief. It’s not a hobby. It’s all about death and resurrection. Daily dying and being raised in Christ.

I fall into unbelief often. My baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection delivers me from that unbelief and from eternal death and the power of the devil. The waters of my baptism work the forgiveness of sins and grant me eternal life.

Theology is death and resurrection.

Christ’s for you.

And yours in Christ!

Advertisements

You’re Doing it Wrong

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by Jon Kohlmeier in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom,
but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
– 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

christ-concord-smallIf you talk about being a true Christian/Lutheran without mentioning Jesus Christ and Him crucified…

…you’re doing it wrong.

If you’re trying to convince someone that they need to do something in the liturgy without mentioning Jesus Christ and Him crucified…

…you’re doing it wrong.

If you talk about faith without mentioning Jesus Christ and Him crucified…

… you’re doing it wrong.

If you talk about righteousness (or kinds of righteousness) without mentioning Jesus Christ and Him crucified…

…you’re doing it wrong.

If you talk about the Gospel without mentioning Jesus Christ and Him crucified…

…you’re doing it wrong.

If you talk about the Law without mentioning Jesus Christ and Him crucified…

…you’re doing it wrong.

When Christ is living in you through faith bestowed by His Word, water, and body and blood, you can’t be doing wrong for in Him there is no condemnation and He is your wisdom, righteousness, redemption and sanctification.

All theology flows from Jesus Christ and Him crucified, for you and crucified for the sins of the world. That should always be your focus when talking about theology with your friends. Christ and Him crucified for you is how you should judge your pastor’s sermons and what he does in the Divine Service.

A true Christian/Lutheran confesses his faith in Christ alone because he has been given that confession and faith! It’s not his at all. Christ’s perfect faith given to that poor miserable sinning Lutheran. Christ’s perfect confession given to you and me!

Talk about Christ and Him crucified. Everything else flows from there and falls into place.

And thanks be to God that Christ saves us even when we’re doing it wrong.

Advertisements

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • September 2014
  • May 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • May 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • March 2010
  • August 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006

Categories

  • books
  • Computer Stuff
    • Social Media
  • Personal
    • Photography
    • Pipes
  • Quotes
  • Random
    • Music
  • Theology
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy