1. What are these foundation truths of Holy Scripture?

Let the titles of the preceding lessons recall them to your mind:

"What is the Christian Religion?"
"The Holy Scriptures"
"God - Or Chance?"
"In the Beginning God" - (The doctrine of creation)
"God's Holy Angels"
"Mankind Before the Fall"
"Why Man Needs to be Saved"
"God's Grace Toward Fallen Mankind"
"Jesus Christ, His Person and Nature"
"Jesus Christ, His States of Humiliation and Exaltation"
"Jesus Christ - His Offices"
"Saving Faith"
"Justification"
"How Can I Come to Faith?"
"Good Works"
"Three Marks of the Christian Life"
"Be Thou Faithful"
"The Means of Grace"
"The Law and the Gospel"
"Holy Baptism"
"The Lord's Supper"
"The Christian Ministry"
"The Christian Church"
"Eternal Election"
"Death, The Penalty of Sin"
"Will the Dead Rise Again?"
"The Judgment and the End of the World"
"Eternal Damnation - Or Everlasting Salvation"
"Jesus Christ is Coming Again"

2. All doctrines of Scripture are true and inspired,
are necessary "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be holy, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

All Scripture truth, however, revolves around our Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement for our sins.
 
 The Bible clearly emphasizes these three pillar and foundation truths of our Christian faith:
 
 a. The Bible alone:
 
 The firm, sure basis of our Christian faith is contained alone in Holy Scripture, God's sacred and blessed Word, given by divine inspiration as our unerring rule of faith and norm of life.

 " . . . The Scripture cannot be broken." Saint John 10, 35.

 "We have also a more sure Word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." - 2 Saint Peter 1, 19.

 b. By Grace Alone:
 
 Christ has saved us without any merit or worthiness or performance of good works on our part.  Through His suffering and death on Calvary's cross, He has redeemed us by pure grace alone.

 "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." - Romans 3, 20.

 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." - Titus 3, 5.

 c. Through Faith Alone:

 Jesus Christ saves us from sin, death, and hell by faith alone.  Christ's first recorded sermon appealed, "Repent ye, and believe the Gospel!" - Saint Mark 1, 15.

 "We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." - Romans 3, 28.

 "Be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." - Philippians 3, 9.

3. The heart and center of Gospel truth has been beautifully summarized in Martin Luther's immortal explanation of the Second Article of our Christian faith:

 "I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own, and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.  This is most certainly true."

 Memorize these remarkable sentences.  Believe with all your heart the Bible truth which they express!

4. The glorious center of Bible truth is beautifully expressed in many golden passages of Holy Scripture like these:

 "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - Saint John 3, 16.

 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins." - Colossians 1, 14.

 "Christ made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself." - Colossians 1, 20.

 "Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from you fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot." - 1 Saint Peter 1, 18-19.

 "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." - Galatians 2, 20.

5.  a) Christ wants you, who have never known Him.
 Lovingly, pleadingly He appeals: "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!" - Saint Matthew 11, 28.
 
  b) Christ wants you, if you once knew Him, but then fell away from His mercy.
 He promises: "Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out." - Saint John 6, 37.

 c) Christ wants you to remain true, who have come to faith in His mercy.
 "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." - Revelation 2, 10.

6. Do you believe?

 This is the most important question which will ever address itself to you.  It involves eternal life or eternal death, heaven or hell.

 God grant that you will come to faith in Jesus, if you do not already know Him!  Then your study of this Lutheran Hour Bible Correspondence Course will prove to be a course of instruction which, far from involving mere head knowledge, will bring you overflowing blessing in this life and in the life to come.

 God grant that you will come back to Christ, if you have fallen away from His mercy!

 God grant that you may remain faithful to our blessed Savior, if you have already tasted of the sweetness of Gospel promises.
 
 May this be your heartfelt confession:

 Just as I am, without one plea,
 But that Thy blood was shed for me
 And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
 O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Test Paper - Lesson 30

1. Who is the heart and center of all Christian doctrine? ................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................

2. Which are the three pillar and foundation truths of our Christian faith?
a....................................................................................................................................................
b....................................................................................................................................................
c....................................................................................................................................................

3. Complete the following Bible passage: "In Him we have redemption..........................................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................." - Ephesians 1, 7.

4. Memorize Martin Luther's explanation of the Second Article: "I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own, and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.  This is most certainly true."

5. Complete the following Bible passage: "Ye know that ye were not redeemed.............................
...................................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................." - 1 Saint Peter 1, 18-19.

6. Have you come to faith in Christ? .............................................................................................

7. In what way has the Lutheran Hour Bible Correspondence Course brought you spiritual blessing? .......................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................

8. Do you know of anyone who would be interested in taking the Course? ....................................
If so, please give the name and address. ......................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................

9. Complete the following Bible passage: "I am crucified with Christ, ...........................................
...................................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................." - Galatians 2, 20.

10. Complete the following Bible passage: "God so loved the world .............................................
.....................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................" - Saint John 3, 16

Make every effort to fill in the answers from memory.  If you are not sure of certain answers, you may look them up in the lesson.  Your paper will be graded according to the following standard: 10 correct: perfect; 9 correct: excellent; 8 correct: very good; 7 correct: good.