Give it to me straight!

Word from the Center
Written By Dr. Gregory Seltz

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s passage is John 3:16-18, where Jesus declares,   

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

The church of Jesus Christ is in the world for one reason above all else, to proclaim the person and work of Jesus for the salvation of all people as a gift of God’s grace. That’s why people ask me pretty regularly, “So, why is it so important to be in Washington, D.C.? Isn’t sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to anyone who will listen the most important thing to do at this moment?” When they ask that question, they often quote John 3:16-18. Then they add something like, “It’s all about Jesus, Dr. Seltz. So, why tarry in D.C. defending things like religious liberty, the sanctity of life, the institution of marriage, and educational freedom?” My answer is short and to the point, “You’re right; it’s all about Jesus.”

You might respond, “Hey, that’s not answering the question!” But it is. The Bible never sidesteps hard questions. Throughout the Bible, God sets us straight, offers His Word to us straight, and comes straight at us with words of Law and Gospel, the call to repentance and the offer of grace. All of this is about Jesus. People might ask, “What would Jesus do?” Then they tend to focus on those times when Jesus is talking about personal relationships and how sacrificing and serving others as God in Christ serves us is the answer. Even then, we are to “speak the truth in love,” that is, God’s words of truth to those we love and care about (Ephesians 4:15). When questions arise about how things should BE in this world, Jesus doesn’t mince words then either. He tells us that we should honor marriage because God created human beings “male and female;” He then calls us to be faithful to one another in marriage and declares that breaking marriages apart is not God’s will (Matthew 19:4-6). He tells us that “Caesar” (e.g., public officials, law enforcement, etc.) has work that God wants done, but that God has a unique work to save the world in and through His Son (see Matthew 22:21). Straight talk. Our D.C. work advocates especially for God’s ordering of the world so that we can talk about how God saves people who are broken and disordered like us.

When we proclaim that God orders the world to preserve it, that is always in service to proclaiming that God uniquely saves the world in and through His Son Jesus. It’s a salt and light type of thing (see Matthew 5:13-16). It’s a temporal and eternal type of thing. It’s Jesus coming to fulfill all that the Law demands (Matthew 5:17) so that He might offer salvation to the world as God’s free gift of grace. So, while Jesus didn’t come to “condemn” the world (John 3:17), there is condemnation in this world. Some of it is just, imposing necessary judgments to keep sin/sinners from getting totally out of hand. Some of it is unjust, when our rulers abuse their power and authority. The message of Jesus to all is the knowledge that you can ultimately bring all of this to His cross for God’s ultimate sentence of grace alone through the Savior Jesus who fulfilled the Law perfectly in your place, died your just death on the cross in your place, and offers you His eternal, resurrection life as a gift by grace alone through faith. John 3:16 is God’s straight truth and that truth helps us face a sinful, broken world that always seems to want to spin out of control. It helps us when our own sins and guilt overwhelm. It centers us when unjust things happen to us in this world. And, in all things, it points us to a Savior who has done all things well for us and who will, in His time and ways, fulfill all of His promises to all who believe!

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, give us courage and strength to trust all of what You say so that we might know the destructive power of sin, but, even more so, receive the healing power of Your grace each day. And let the difficult issues that surround each of us be things we can bring to the foot of Your cross for our forgiveness, our comfort, and our courage to live each day in You for others. AMEN.

See Also
Abortion Is a Biblical/Political Issue
Abortion Is a Biblical/Political Issue

Soft people in the church, those who are double minded and wish to run from the truth, will tell pastors not to preach about abortion. The disconnect is real, surely in the LCMS too. These folks will tell pastors not to bring political issues into the pulpit, and far too many otherwise faithful pastors comply. But, of course, as a popular meme says, abortion is distinctly a biblical issue.

December Bulletin Insert
December Bulletin Insert

The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

December Bulletin Blurbs
December Bulletin Blurbs

The dates identifying the LCRL bulletin blurbs are only suggestions. Please feel free to use any and all of the bulletin blurbs as your ministry needs allow.

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS
TELLING IT LIKE IT IS

Do you remember the 60’s song by Aaron Lewis, “Tell It Like It Is?” It was smooth and soulful. It invited those in love to “tell it like it is,” and to let “conscience be your guide.” But, truth be told, people as a rule don’t like to “tell it like it is,” and they don’t like to hear the whole truth much either! Why? First, truth often hurts. It reminds us of the reality of the sinfulness of our world and, worse, the deeper reality of our own sinful hearts. The truth shines God’s exposing light on the hidden shadows of our own sinful pride, lust, and selfish desires. Secondly, truth often exposes our incapacity to do what we know we should do. Unfortunately, even when God’s Law guides us and our own consciences rightly also “tell us what to do,” we often don’t do it. Think about the all-too-common failures of our heartfelt New Year’s Eve resolutions!

Facts, Fiction, and the Media: Reading and Watching the News as a Lutheran
Facts, Fiction, and the Media: Reading and Watching the News as a Lutheran

As Christians, we live as strangers even in our own land. We live in a tension between being a Christian and an American. Our aims and the country’s aims will sometimes diverge. But God also calls us to work for the good of our neighbors, as far as we are able. In America, where citizens participate in the task of bringing about just government, Christians have a vocation to participate in the political life of the nation.

Straight Talk about What Matters
Straight Talk about What Matters

Brutal facts. We all have some brutal facts to face in life, facts that must be overcome for our own well-being and freedom. Such facts might be the troubles (even the elections) of the day. They might be the obstacles we face in life, whether those are under our control or out of our control. But this Bible verse goes further, telling us about the ultimate “brutal fact” of life. Because of our sin, all people are destined to die once and after that to face judgment. That’s a sobering thought for sure. But that final fact, if faced in Christ, can change your life both then, as well as here and now.

Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips

This morning I sip coffee from one of his mugs: "Masterpiece Cakeshop: Yeah . . . that cakeshop." What cakeshop? If you don't know, you're not informed, and you're watching the wrong news. Jack has been embroiled in legal battles since 2012, when the baker declined to use his talents to create a custom cake celebrating a so-called gay marriage. Phillips, mind you, served all people, no matter what. But he did not wish to use his time and talents to commemorate that which he believed was wrong. This is what the First Amendment is all about, freedom of speech, which means the freedom from compelled speech, along with the free exercise of religion.

November Prayer Partner Thursday
November Prayer Partner Thursday

Prayer Partner Thursday provides a month-long prayer emphasis in one of the four Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty areas of emphasis: Religious Liberty, Sanctity of Life, Educational Freedom, and Marriage as an Institution (family).

TWO KINDS OF FREEDOM - ONE’S HELPFUL; ONE’S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!
TWO KINDS OF FREEDOM - ONE’S HELPFUL; ONE’S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!

There are two kinds of freedom in the world. One is the earthly freedom that humans can achieve on our own. There are times when it seems like that freedom is secure in our hands. There are other times when it seems like it is always slipping through our fingers or beyond our reach. The other freedom is the kind of freedom that only God can make happen by His work on your behalf. Can you guess which one lasts? Can you guess which one is absolutely indispensable? Right, it’s the one where “the Son makes you free” by His life, death, and resurrection for you.

TIME TO VOTE – SO EXERCISE YOUR GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILTY
TIME TO VOTE – SO EXERCISE YOUR GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILTY

What do these things have in common and why does it matter for us this election? The “Sinicization movement” in China towards religion, the Bishop Johanna Pohjola trial in Finland, and the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act” law in America? All these are examples of a growing, secular statism growing abroad and now—here. When people ask me, “For whom or for what should I vote this election?” Amidst all the rhetoric and rancor, my main advice is that you vote for the platform that limits government’s coercive power, and the platform that more clearly defines a more limited role of government in the lives of ALL Americans.

IN CHRIST, THE BLIND REALLY DO “SEE”
IN CHRIST, THE BLIND REALLY DO “SEE”

I’m always amazed at the healings Jesus performed during His ministry. The deaf would suddenly hear, the blind would see, and the lame would walk. There were even times when dead people were raised again to life! Many of these healings were amazing, seemingly beyond belief. One, of course, was the ultimate healing. That’s the time when Jesus took upon himself the sin of the world, suffered the eternal death we all deserved on the cross, and then rose so that we might have the promise of eternal life with Him as a gift of grace.

GUIDELINES FOR YOUR VOTE – VOTE PRINCIPLES, PLATFORMS, NOT PEOPLE
GUIDELINES FOR YOUR VOTE – VOTE PRINCIPLES, PLATFORMS, NOT PEOPLE

Is it alright for Christians to be involved with politics?

The Bible contains no specific command that either requires or forbids Christian involvement with politics. However, through the prophet Jeremiah, God teaches His people that they should, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf” (Jer. 29:57). In other places, God teaches that Christians should obey and pray for those in positions of civil authority (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:17; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13).

November Bulletin Insert
November Bulletin Insert

The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

November Bulletin Blurbs
November Bulletin Blurbs

The dates identifying the LCRL bulletin blurbs are only suggestions. Please feel free to use any and all of the bulletin blurbs as your ministry needs allow.

WITH GOD, THINGS ARE ALWAYS “IMPOSSIBLY POSSIBLE.”
WITH GOD, THINGS ARE ALWAYS “IMPOSSIBLY POSSIBLE.”


Have you ever been so overwhelmed by something that you finally gave in? In a moment of exasperation, you concluded, “There’s nothing else that I can do; I can’t handle this.” I think we’ve all faced that to some degree. There are issues in life that so overwhelm us it seems as though life itself has become impossible to face. Jesus often shakes us up by pointing out “the impossible” in our lives, while at the same time offering God’s possibilities even then. Amazing! Unclean lepers are healed instantly. People blind from birth suddenly see clearly, both physically and spiritually. Who is this Savior who shows us the depth of our depravity just so that He can demonstrate even more clearly God’s gracious salvation? He’s the Savior who, when it comes to eternal life and salvation, reminds that “with man this is impossible, but not with God; with God all things are possible.”  

Reformation Reflections about Liberty and Freedom: They Still Matter!
Reformation Reflections about Liberty and Freedom: They Still Matter!

Every year on October 31, Christians from around the world are reminded of a “reforming” movement that brought back to light the central message of the Bible, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Freedom, life, and salvation were again heard as God’s gifts offered to sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Martin Luther’s rediscovery of the uniqueness of the freedom of the Gospel as God’s saving work in the world for all shook the foundations of the medieval world. It ushered in many of the precious freedoms that we enjoy in this world today. It clearly identified and distinguished the uniqueness of the eternal freedom that comes from knowing and trusting in God’s gracious work in Jesus from the cultural/political freedoms that come from public policy, citizenship, and good government. Distinguishing, cherishing, and engaging both freedoms is part of what it means to be a Christian citizen in the world for the sake of the culture and the mission of the Church.

CAST AN INFORMED VOTE – PLEASE
CAST AN INFORMED VOTE – PLEASE

The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

DON’T FORGET YOUR VALUABLE!
DON’T FORGET YOUR VALUABLE!

I know, I know, you are worried about my grammar. You think the title should be “Don’t Forget, You’re (You ARE) Valuable,” right? Or, you might think my title should be “Don’t Forget Your ‘Valuables,’” not “Valuable!” Well, I wrote the title as it was meant to be written. For this devotion, the word needs to be VALUABLE. I meant to write that word in the singular because this lesson is talking about the ONE thing in your life that is the key to it all. In our lesson for today, an individual comes up to Jesus and asks the million-dollar question, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” That’s the big question; that’s the one that really matters. You see, the Bible talks about life as precious, purposeful, and eternal. Those three all go together. Jesus wants you to know that your life is eternal; you are not just here today and gone tomorrow. He wants you to know that you are precious to Him, that your life matters to Him.

Abortion Exceptions
Abortion Exceptions

Former President Donald Trump has come out in favor of the rape and incest exception [with regard to abortion], and that's a pity. And yet a friend says we need to have abortion precisely because some women are raped or are victims of incest. What that shows is that people are not listening or are confused by the propaganda press, which is the only press half the country ever gets.

AN “ALL IN” SAVIOR!
AN “ALL IN” SAVIOR!

When I first came to Washington, D.C., in 2006 for a class in my PhD program, we were privileged to speak with many congressional leaders personally. Bill Hecht, a Lutheran pastor-turned influential lobbyist in Washington, lined up various leaders from the House and the Senate to speak with us about the things that mattered to us as Christians in the politics of the day. I remember visiting with the head of the House Ways and Means Committee at the time. He talked about various legislation saying, “We’re trying to make sure that the Congress has to live by the same rules that they foist on everyone else.” I remember my reaction. I was shocked. I had never thought about the fact that government officials often pass laws that we must follow, while living by another set of rules themselves. Incredible. Health care?

Beyond the Booth
Beyond the Booth

One of the cherished notions that typically guides the lives of Americans is that politics and religion do not mix. Of course, there are some areas of overlap that Americans accept and even expect, like a prayer at a presidential inauguration or candidates ending speeches with “God bless America.” But, on the whole, it is taken for granted that there needs to be a clear distinction or even a wall of separation between church and state. People do not want the government telling them what to believe about God, and they do not want the church telling them how to vote. Actually, they do not want anyone telling them how to vote.

October Prayer Partner Thursday
October Prayer Partner Thursday

Prayer Partner Thursday provides a month-long prayer emphasis in one of the four Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty areas of emphasis: Religious Liberty, Sanctity of Life, Educational Freedom, and Marriage as an Institution (family).

Evangelicals lurch leftward, merging the Gospel with political action…in Jesus name? Hardly.
Evangelicals lurch leftward, merging the Gospel with political action…in Jesus name? Hardly.

Join me and Doctor Everett Piper on The Liberty Action Alert as we uncover why America’s Evangelical churches are lurching leftward—and what this means for Christians striving to be faithful 2 Kingdom citizens.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE - FASHIONED FOR SERVICE!
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE - FASHIONED FOR SERVICE!

It’s always a challenge for me to fully understand what Jesus means in Matthew 5:13-14 when He says that believers are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” I don’t think we realize how inept, yet vital, we are to being conduits of God’s preserving and saving message for the world. In a world of constant refrigeration because of electricity and easy illumination where the lights come on and remain on with just the flip of a switch, being called “salt” and “light” can seem rather mundane. But being described with those terms wasn’t mundane then or now.

How Can You Call Yourself Pro-Life
How Can You Call Yourself Pro-Life

How can you call yourself pro-life and not support free lunches, open borders, socialized healthcare? Well, you fill in the blank. First, off, such talk is a diversionary tactic, disingenuous. Can we simply agree that we ought not to be killing babies, whether they are in the womb or have been born? It really is that simple.

Life is on the Ballot – Christian Citizens rise to the Occasion!
Life is on the Ballot – Christian Citizens rise to the Occasion!

Listen as Nicole Hunt and I discuss the crucial 'Pro-Life' movement and why now is the time for Christians to rise for the culture and the Church!

UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE!
UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE!

In today’s lesson, Jesus talks about some “tough going” that was above and beyond anything we can handle. Every man, woman, and child in this world is on the path that leads to judgment due to our common sin and rebellion against our Creator. It’s a path that even the toughest among us can’t avoid, period. But then here comes Jesus the Christ. Though He was without sin, He chooses to take up our path. And when the going gets eternally tough, the Savior of the world gets going!

The Ethics of Designer Babies
The Ethics of Designer Babies

“Every day in every way, we’re getting better.” This mantra emerged in the first decades of the twentieth century, a hallmark of the optimistic mindset that prevailed in many circles of academia and government. New scientific discoveries and technological innovations seemed to promise a brighter future. However, two world wars, the Great Depression and the Holocaust shattered that positive view of humanity — at least for a time.

October Bulletin Blurbs
October Bulletin Blurbs

The dates identifying the LCRL bulletin blurbs are only suggestions. Please feel free to use any and all of the bulletin blurbs as your ministry needs allow.

October Bulletin Insert
October Bulletin Insert

The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

Dr. Gregory Seltz
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