You’ll find the words justification and sanctification used hand-in-hand in sermons and Christian books, describing what Jesus has done for us. We use these words often, but do we really understand them? The two terms have a nice ring next to each other, but it’s important to differentiate the terms. Keep reading for an overview of what justification and sanctification mean and how both words describe our lives as Christians. 

All Saints’ Day is a time to reflect upon and honor the saints who came before us. But what do Lutherans believe about the saints? In his book Celebrating the Saints, author Rev. William Weedon shares the Lutheran teachings on saints.

Justification by grace alone through faith alone is a core Lutheran belief, but what does this really mean? Breaking this up into three parts makes it easier to understand: the great exchange, justification, and grace alone through faith alone. Read on to explore these concepts.

What does God think about me? This is, at the most basic and personal level, what the doctrine of election is about. Election, or predestination, is how the Church has historically referred to the question of who goes to heaven (or hell), how they get there, and God’s role in the decision.

Most of the other people in the churches I’ve attended grew up going to a Lutheran Church. It has seemed pretty rare to find people who do not have a background of belonging to the church. So when I found out that Author Molly Lackey also converted to the Lutheran Church in high school, I knew that we shared something unique.

It is a complicated question. What makes a Lutheran? Belief in grace alone, faith alone, and Scripture alone is often used to describe the essence of a Lutheran. These three “solas” are a good overview of what Lutheranism is and what defines our relationship with God. Dr. Daniel E. Paavola addresses this and other questions about his new book Grace, Faith, Scripture: Portrait of a Lutheran.

People know only so much about you. Your neighbors, the people at work, even your friends—they all know only a part of you. However, what they know paints their picture of you.

This blog post is an excerpt from Sincerely, Luther, our forthcoming set of fictional letters from Luther's perspective.

What are your memories of growing up Lutheran? How has growing up Lutheran impacted your life?

A few years ago, I wrote this blog about why our family loves Lutheran schools. Every year, this post circulates among Lutheran educators and parents. I’m so glad for those of you who also love your Lutheran school.