FaithCapo.com Lutheran Book Club

In this lesson of the book, pages 230 to 234, we examine how Satan attacks the disciples of the Church. His primary way is tempting Christians to sin by attacking their conscience, causing either self-righteousness or despair. Satan also attacks the Church disciples using a subtle, back-door approach. He gets one Christian in authority to sin against another Christian. In either case, Satan's goal is to wrench us away from Christ. We must be aware of Satan's methods to tempt us and be ready to confront it.

This lesson begins Article 5 of the Formula of Concord (FOC) and is titled Law and Gospel. In His Word, God speaks His Law and His Gospel. It is easy for us to confuse God's judgment and grace. We fail to distinguish between what God demands of us and what He has done for us in Christ. Forgiven in Jesus, the Holy Spirit leaves us with the comfort and hope of the Gospel of eternal life and salvation, while continuing to convict us of our sin. As Christians, we must understand how both Law and Gospel terms are used in Scripture and confess with diligence their distinction.