Lutheranism Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ====Efficacy==== Lutherans confess that Scripture is united with the power of the Holy Spirit and with it, not only demands, but also creates the acceptance of its teaching.<ref>{{bibleverse||Romans|1:16|50}}, {{bibleverse|1|Thessalonians|2:13|50}}, {{cite book|last=Graebner |first=Augustus Lawrence |url=http://showcase.netins.net/web/bilarson/bibliology.txt |title=Outlines of Doctrinal Theology |page=11 |location=Saint Louis, MO |publisher=Concordia Publishing House |year=1910 |isbn=978-0-524-04891-7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060712193848/http://showcase.netins.net/web/bilarson/bibliology.txt |archive-date=12 July 2006 |url-status=dead }}, {{cite book|last=Engelder |first=Theodore E.W. |url=https://archive.org/details/MN41551ucmf_1 |title=Popular Symbolics: The Doctrines of the Churches of Christendom and Of Other Religious Bodies Examined in the Light of Scripture |page=[https://archive.org/details/MN41551ucmf_1/page/n56 27] |location=Saint Louis, MO |publisher=Concordia Publishing House |year=1934 }}</ref> This teaching produces faith and obedience. Holy Scripture is not a dead letter, but rather, the power of the Holy Spirit is inherent in it.<ref>{{bibleverse||Romans|1:16|50}}, {{bibleverse|1|Thessalonians|1:5|50}}, {{bibleverse||Psalm|119:105|50}}, {{bibleverse|2|Peter|1:19|50}}, {{bibleverse|2|Timothy|1:16β17|31}},{{bibleverse||Ephesians|3:3β4|50}}, {{cite book|last=Graebner |first=Augustus Lawrence |url=http://showcase.netins.net/web/bilarson/bibliology.txt |title=Outlines of Doctrinal Theology |pages=11β12 |location=Saint Louis, MO |publisher=Concordia Publishing House |year=1910 |isbn=978-0-524-04891-7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060712193848/http://showcase.netins.net/web/bilarson/bibliology.txt |archive-date=12 July 2006 |url-status=dead }}, {{cite book|last=Engelder |first=Theodore E.W. |url=https://archive.org/details/MN41551ucmf_1 |title=Popular Symbolics: The Doctrines of the Churches of Christendom and Of Other Religious Bodies Examined in the Light of Scripture |page=[https://archive.org/details/MN41551ucmf_1/page/n57 28] |location=Saint Louis, MO |publisher=Concordia Publishing House |year=1934 }}</ref> Scripture does not compel a mere intellectual assent to its doctrine, resting on logical argumentation, but rather it creates the living agreement of faith.<ref>{{bibleverse||John|6:63|31}}, {{bibleverse||Revelation|1:3|31}}, {{bibleverse||Ephesians|3:3β4|31}}, {{bibleverse||John|7:17|31}}, {{cite book|last=Graebner |first=Augustus Lawrence |url=http://showcase.netins.net/web/bilarson/bibliology.txt |title=Outlines of Doctrinal Theology |page=12 |location=Saint Louis, MO |publisher=Concordia Publishing House |year=1910 |isbn=978-0-524-04891-7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060712193848/http://showcase.netins.net/web/bilarson/bibliology.txt |archive-date=12 July 2006 |url-status=dead }}, {{cite book|last=Engelder |first=Theodore E.W. |url=https://archive.org/details/MN41551ucmf_1 |title=Popular Symbolics: The Doctrines of the Churches of Christendom and Of Other Religious Bodies Examined in the Light of Scripture |page=[https://archive.org/details/MN41551ucmf_1/page/n57 28] |location=Saint Louis, MO |publisher=Concordia Publishing House |year=1934 }}</ref> As the [[Smalcald Articles]] affirm, "in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bookofconcord.org/smalcald.php#confession|title=Smalcald Articles β Book of Concord|access-date=5 March 2015|archive-date=31 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731111923/http://www.bookofconcord.org/smalcald.php#confession|url-status=dead}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page