The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

Way of Salvation in the Lutheran
Church, The

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Title: The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church
Author: G. H. Gerberding
Commentator: M. Rhodes
Release Date: July 13, 2005 [EBook #16285]
Language: English
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THE WAY OF SALVATION IN THE LUTHERAN CHURCH.
BY

REV. G.H. GERBERDING, A.M., PASTOR OF ST. MARK'S
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, FARGO, DAKOTA.
____________
WRITTEN FOR THE COMMON PEOPLE. ____________
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY REV. M. RHODES, D.D.
____________
PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR. ____________
ELEVENTH THOUSAND. REVISED AND IMPROVED
LUTHERAN PUBLICATION SOCIETY, PHILADELPHIA, PA.
____________
COPYRIGHTED, 1887,
BY
G.H. GERBERDING. ____________
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ____________
TO
THE UNITED ENGLISH LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE FUTURE;
JOINED TOGETHER IN THE BONDS OF ONE FAITH,
ACTUATED BY ONE SPIRIT, WORKING HAND IN HAND AND
HEART WITH HEART IN ONE GENERAL BODY, THIS BOOK IS
HOPEFULLY DEDICATED
BY
THE AUTHOR ____________

CONTENTS. ____________

PAGE INTRODUCTION ................................................... 9
PREFATORY SCRIPTURE PASSAGES ................................... 11
CHAPTER I.
All are Sinners ................................................ 13
CHAPTER II.
All that is Born of the Flesh must be Born of the Spirit ....... 19
CHAPTER III.
The Present, a Dispensation of Means ........................... 26
CHAPTER IV.
Baptism, a Divinely Instituted Means of Grace .................. 33
CHAPTER V.
The Baptismal Covenant can be kept unbroken--Aim and
Responsibility of Parents .................................... 41
CHAPTER VI.
Home Influence and Training in their Relation to the Keeping of the
Baptismal Covenant ....................................... 48
CHAPTER VII.
The Sunday School in its Relation to the Baptized Children of Christian
Parents ............................................ 55
CHAPTER VIII.

The Sunday School--Its relation to those in Covenant Relationship with
Christ, and also to the Unbaptized and
Wandering ................................................ 63
CHAPTER IX.
Catechisation .................................................. 69
CHAPTER X.
Contents, Arrangement and Excellence of Luther's Small
Catechism .............................................. 75
CHAPTER XI.
Manner and Object of Teaching Luther's Catechism ............... 82
CHAPTER XII.
Confirmation ................................................... 89
CHAPTER XIII.
The Lord's Supper--Preliminary Observations .................... 97
CHAPTER XIV.
The Lord's Supper, Continued ................................... 103
CHAPTER XV.
The Lord's Supper, Concluded ................................... 109
CHAPTER XVI.
The Preparatory Service, Sometimes Called the Confessional
Service ......................................... 120

CHAPTER XVII.
The Word as a Means of Grace ................................... 130
CHAPTER XVIII.
Conversion--Its Nature and Necessity ........................... 138
CHAPTER XIX.
Conversion--Varied Phenomena or Experiences .................... 145
CHAPTER XX.
Conversion--Human Agency ....................................... 154
CHAPTER XXI.
Justification .................................................. 163
CHAPTER XXII.
Sanctification ................................................. 174
CHAPTER XXIII.
Revivals ....................................................... 183
CHAPTER XXIV.
Modern Revivals ................................................ 191
CHAPTER XXV.
Modern Revivals, Continued ..................................... 200
CHAPTER XXVI.

Modern Revivals, Concluded ..................................... 209
CHAPTER XXVII.
True Revivals .................................................. 220
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Conclusion ..................................................... 229
My Church! My Church! My dear Old Church! ...................... 238

INTRODUCTION.
I take pleasure in commending this unpretentious volume to the
prayerful attention of all English-speaking ministers and members of
the Lutheran Church. The aim of the author is to present a clear,
concise, and yet comprehensive view as possible, of the way of
salvation as taught in the Scriptures, and held by the Lutheran Church.
That he has accomplished his task so as to make it throughout an
illustration of the truth as it is in Jesus, and a correct testimony to the
faith of the Church of which he is an honored minister, I believe will
appear to all who read with an unbiased mind, and a knowledge of the
sources of information from which he has drawn. There is always need
for such a candid and considerate statement of fundamental truth as this.
The signs of the times clearly indicate that there is no security for the
Church save in maintaining the Apostolic faith and spirit--not the one
without the other, but the one with the other. The supremacy of the
Scriptures needs to be recognized with a mightier emphasis, not only of
the intellect, but also of the heart. This vital conjunction is maintained
in this book. I am certain that a clear view of the way of salvation as
taught by the Scriptures and held by the Church will go far not only
toward correcting wrong impressions, but will tend to the relief of
much mental perplexity, and to the increase of that much-needed spirit
of unity throughout our Church, the want of which is not only the
greatest reflection on her noble history and holy faith, but the greatest

hindrance to her important mission. A kindly Christ-like spirit pervades