Category: Ask the Pastor
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First names
Ask the Pastor Why are only people’s first names mentioned during the prayers at church?We have a long history of naming people. In the Old Testament, the Hebrews named male children at circumcision on the eighth day after birth. See Luke 1:59. The early church adopted a similar pattern with baptismal names which were given…
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Where was God before the beginning?
Ask the Pastor Let me give a simplified answer. The first thing to note is that God created everything that is not God, even if it is not listed in the Genesis 1 account. This means God created atoms and angels, and time. This is what is meant by creation out of nothing. Other ancient…
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What do we mean when we say that Jesus is Son of the Father?
Ask the Pastor The Nicene Creed states two things about the second person of the Trinity that are equally true. First, that he is “begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.” Second, that “For us and for our…
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Jesus descent to hell?
Ask the Pastor What does it mean when we say that Jesus descended into hell in the creed? Yes, the Apostles’ Creed confesses that “Jesus descended into hell.” It is not alone in that confession for the Athanasian Creed makes a similar confession. The Athanasian Creed, which is named after St. Athanasius, is the third…
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What is the point of incense? Can Lutheran use incense?
Ask the Pastor Incense is the burning of aromatic gums to produce fragrant smoke. It first appears in the Old Testament as a command of the Lord. In the tabernacle and later in the temple, God instructed Moses to build an altar of incense (Exodus 30:1–10). Morning and evening, incense rose before the Lord as…
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What is the unforgivable sin? Why is it unforgivable?
Ask the Pastor Several passages in the New Testament mention sinning against the Holy Spirit, including: Matthew 12:31–32; Mark 3:28–29; Luke 12:10; Hebrews 6:4–6; 10:26–31; and 1 John 5:16. At first glance an unforgivable sin appears to contradict the fact that God can forgive all sins through the Jesus. We read about God’s forgiven throughout…
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Angelic Saints?
Question: Why is the archangel Michael called a saint? I thought only people were saints. Reply: Good question. The word saint simply means holy one. The English word “saint” comes from the Latin word sanctus, which means “holy” or “set apart.” Many of us refer to the hymn, “Holy, holy, holy” as the Santus because…
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Making the sign of cross at start of Gospel
I notice before reading the Gospel that the pastor is cross himself three times, once the forehead, once on the lips, and once over the heart. Why? This practice began between as early as the 9th century. It is the outward sign that correspond to a prayer that silently say. “May the Word of the…
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What does the Bible have to say about cremation and burial practices?
Answer The Bible presents a variety of burial practices. In the Old Testament, we see examples of mummification, burning, and burial. Joseph was embalmed in Egypt (Genesis 50:2-3), reflecting Egyptian customs rather than Hebrew practices. Typically in the Old Testament, burning the dead was associated with judgment and disrespect (Joshua 7:25; Amos 2:1; 2 Kings…
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What is a Sanctuary Lamp?
Answer Ok. No one asked this question yet, but we will soon be installing one, and I thought everyone would like to know about this new fixture. It has various names, Sanctuary Lamp, Chancel Light, and even Eternal Flame. A Sanctuary Lamp is a small lamp or candle holder suspended from the ceiling or mounted…