What Do We Stand On?

Rev. Peter Bauernfeind is the Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Palisades Park, NJ. He is also an amateur translator of German, and often translates Christian materials. On his blog, German American Lutherans, he recently posted his translation of a sermon by Rev. Dr. Gottfried Martens on the commemoration of the Augsburg Confession. Here is a portion of Dr. Martens’ sermon, as translated by Pastor Bauernfeind:

If in our Divine Service we no longer stand upon what our Lutheran Confessional writings stand, and even the Augsburg Confession stands upon, then we cannot describe ourselves as a very confessional Lutheran Church. Let us continually study anew the Confessions of our Church – not because they are interesting historic documents, but because by them we are trained to pray, to celebrate the Divine service, to worship the Triune God, to which all the Confessions ultimately aim. Yes, to Him, the Triune God, be honor and eternal power! Amen.