Peace, Taboo Topic readers!
It has been some time since I last wrote an article. In fact, the last article written was on a topic that I do not even agree with anymore—double predestination. At that time, I was part of the Presbyterian tradition, Biden was president, and I was more into politics than theological conversations. The article was a sign of a season of change that was transpiring inside my soul. As my interest in scripture grew, faith and theological discussions grew bigger than politics.
If you wanted an update on my life, besides Biden not being president anymore, I am no longer Presbyterian, but have found my spiritual home in Confessional Lutheranism. I should say my wife and I have found our spiritual home, because she had grown up in Presbyterianism. She would testify that when she began learning more about what Lutherans believed to be faithful to Scripture, she was persuaded by their exegesis and felt at home. We came to this conclusion from intense studies of the Divine Scriptures and church history. I briefly want to share this transition from writing an article that said that God did not intend to die for the whole world (but only for the elect) to affirming that God did love the whole world and made satisfaction for the sins of the world through Jesus (instead of for only a select few). Then I will share the direction God has led me regarding Taboo Topic.
The article will remain published, since it is a good inside scoop of the Calvinist doctrine on double predestination, at least from one perspective. Though I do not completely disagree with everything in that article, it is not an accurate representation of my beliefs anymore. I had originally planned to make it a two-part series, with the second one centered on predestination unto damnation. However, every time I began writing the article, something stopped me. It was probably the Holy Spirit, but every time I began to write the piece, all motivation would vanish. Additionally, I did not see that there was a reason for this given in scripture. I did not want to write about something that I saw as having no basis for why He predestines some to damnation by decree. I was torn! Do I write something that was purely speculative, or find the clues as to “the why,” and then base my thesis on those passages?
One of the main issues with that article was that it was based on speculation fueled by my bias regarding certain passages. In other words, I was reading some of the passages through the lens of double predestination. My reason said Jesus could not have possibly made atonement for the whole world (1 John 2:2), while at the same time have some people be eternally damned (Luke 16:19-31), and faith being purely a gift, preceeding regeneration (Ephesians 2:8-9). In the words of a Lutheran pastor, my “reason [could] not be content with that.” It is the “crux theologorum,” or the cross of the theologian. And during this season of my life, double predestination made the most theological sense. If God predestined people to salvation, and faith is a gift, then it did not make sense to say God made atonement for the whole world if there were going to be people who would reject this grace. Right?
On the flip side, I could have gone the synergist route and said it does not make sense to say God elected people to salvation if He desires all to be saved. Therefore, it is our choice to accept God’s grace in this cooperation of wills. However, scripture does not reveal this either. Thus, I hit the pause button and began to read. And I mean, really read. I started with one theological book, on top of another, and another, before I finally began to read the church fathers. I needed to know what path to take at this crossroads. Did I need to make a U-turn? Does God not predestinate some to damnation? Is it possible that there is one will, and that is the salvation of all? Is it possible that only God does the saving and not our free will? Can someone reject this grace, too? Had I been reading into these scripture passages?
These readings slowly shifted me away from reformed thinking towards a more Lutheran way of thinking. With scripture being my main guide, I eventually gave up limited atonement. There was no way to make sense of these realities in the Bible. How could God’s atonement be for the whole world if we are saved by grace alone? It made no earthly sense to believe these two realities and the idea of Hell. However, to take my own advice, “no one can fully understand God’s nature.” I stopped leaning into my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) and submitted that God’s way must be higher than mine (Isaiah 55:9). I was convinced that it was not my place to reach that conclusion, since His word never speaks of predestination unto damnation. God only spoke of salvation concerning those topics, thus, it was not my place to go beyond that. Lutherans consider this to be single predestination!
This was liberating! The ability to look someone in the face and say God loves them, without any hesitation on my part, was incredible! My conscience was freed! God’s love overflowed in abundance. It also gave me a new sense of assurance, not asking myself, “Am I in?” because of this doctrine. However, God didn’t stop there, as He wanted to show how great and big His mercy was, and how unconditional His love was for humanity. Limited atonement was just the first domino to fall. It was here that God confronted me about something else—the sacraments.
It must first be said that I have been raised in American Protestantism, with a mostly Baptist understanding of the sacraments. Even most non-denominational churches have a Baptist basis in their interpretation, as I have yet to observe a non-denominational church that believes and agrees with Lutherans on the sacraments. However, this influenced how I understood the sacraments of the Lord’s Supper and baptism. Never, in my 15 years since confirmation, had anyone expressed to me how the church for the first 1500 years believed about the reality of these sacraments. It was always, “baptism does not save you,” or “the bread and wine are just symbolic”, because to say otherwise would be to sound too “catholic.” This left me with a feeling of, “What is the point?” if it was simply symbolic. Even when I was Presbyterian, these sentiments echoed in my mind and left me with that same feeling. And I remember in particular one night praying to God concerning the Lord’s Supper, “show me.” I needed to know what the point was of doing communion if it was just symbolic. I wanted to know what God’s purpose was of having Jesus institute and instruct us to “do it in remembrance” of Him. This is where things for me took a sharp pivot away from American Evangelicalism.
I will not get into great detail about how and why this new perspective was convincing, but these are other changes in beliefs that have transpired since that last article. It is here, that I want to boldly confess two truths which scripture reveals.
First, baptism saves. 1 Peter 3:21-22 makes the reality of baptism clear. There have been various attempts to explain the passage in 1 Peter 3:21-22, to speak of a waterless, “Spirit baptism;” however it does not work when we see Peter make the connection with the waters of Noah. Additionally, the sister verse in Hebrews 10:22 makes it impossible to divorce the Holy Spirit from the element of water, as it uses baptismal language and makes the connection with water again. It is water with the Word (Ephesians 5:26). One may read this and ask what it means then to be saved by “faith alone,” if baptism saves? What about all of those passages that speak about faith being the instrument God uses to justify us? Good questions, but for a different article!
I consume Christ’s true body and blood in the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins during communion. When Jesus says, “this is My body” in the Gospel of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (and John 6:53-58 hints at it as well), He meant what He said. This is confirmed with Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10 &11. Mysteriously, His disciples consumed His body and blood. This is not carnal, like how a person would consume a french fry. However, He is truly bodily present. It is food for the soul, with both natures of Christ present. Also, contrary to popular belief, Lutherans do not hold to the doctrine of consubstantiation, as it is a philosophical attempt to explain the miracle. What makes our view of the real, bodily presence different from the Roman Church is that we do not say the bread and wine cease to be those elements (transubstantiation), nor do we believe that we are re-sacrificing Christ. Thus, the term we use in our confessions is sacramental union, or as some have called it a “mystical” union. It’s a reflection of the incarnation of Christ.
I know there are many questions and potential objections to these beliefs. It sounds catholic, but is it biblical? It certainly is taboo to confess these beliefs in American Protestantism, but have you ever wondered if something was missing? Have you wondered if there was more to your baptism than just a past event to declare your commitment to God? Have you sensed apathy within yourself towards the Lord’s table? Have you felt burdened at the Lord’s table? Have you felt burdened about your conversion experience? Have you felt restless about the state of your faith? This leads me to discuss the state of Taboo Topic next.
When I first wrote and created Substack, it was in response to Biden’s presidency. I was not interested in theological or biblical discussions at the time. It was all about politics! I wrote some articles that attempted to bring Christianity into the picture, however it was through the lens of secular conservatism, with Christianity sprinkled into the articles. The article on double predestination was my first attempt to write anything of that nature. I enjoyed it, despite my change of positions afterwards. I do not have any regrets about writing that article and love my Reformed saints.
The Reformed and Arminians have dominated the conversations in Protestantism, and I believe it is time to give Lutherans more of a voice in these spaces. However, this will not primarily be done through Taboo Topic anymore. This will be done through a new publication I have published—The Liberated Lutheran.
The Liberated Lutheran will discuss confessional, dogmatic, and biblical theology from a Lutheran perspective. I will also speak on church and cultural matters from a Lutheran perspective. This is an invitation to join me in my new adventure in learning more about this tradition of Christianity. I say join, because I am still learning! I am by no means an expert, however I want to share with you all the world of “Word and sacrament.” It is my conviction, that faith alone and the Gospel have been dehydrated because of their divorce from the sacraments. It is time to remarry Word alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and Glory to God alone, with the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper. It is time to remarry the sacraments with the Gospel as well.
It is time for Confessional Lutherans to engage in these evangelical spaces and restore the “evangelical” name. American Evangelicals, whose conversations have been formatted and dominated by the Baptist vs. Presbyterian, Charismatic vs. Cessationist, Reformed vs. Arminian, and are seeking a new voice that is not Roman Catholic nor any of the Eastern Churches, this is for you, too. It is not just for Lutherans. The best part of this? It is completely free, just like Taboo Topic.
Taboo Topic will crossover at times, as there are beliefs from the Lutheran perspective that fit the theme of Taboo Topic. It will just not be the main source of my writings anymore. Taboo Topic served as a vessel to express my political thoughts, but my main interest does not lie there anymore. My prayer is that people who read future articles, whether from Taboo Topic or The Liberated Lutheran, will read with an open mind without presumptions. I want to give people a place to feel liberated, while at the same time being challenged in their thinking, and revealing God’s grace found in the Gospel of Christ. I pray that anyone who reads future articles, whether here on Taboo Topic or The Liberated Lutheran, will be edified. I am excited to share more about what God is revealing through His word! This is for you, my neighbor. I hope you all will be excited too!
May the God who liberated us from the kingdom of darkness, bless and illuminate everyone by the power of the Spirit, the intercession of His Son, according to the Father’s will, now and forever, Amen.
