The ACELC exists "to give a united voice against errors that are officially adopted in convention, tolerated, and/or promoted in the LCMS.”

Ecclesiastical Supervision: How God's Name is Kept Holy Among Us

The Small Catechism is a treasure. In its brief pages we are taught everything we need to know for faith and life as God’s children who have been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The Small Catechism is written in such a way that it assumes and necessitates a teacher, “As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household.” In most families, this is the father. But as any father will tell you, teaching is not only a matter of faithfully relating information. There is also the responsibility of godly supervision and discipline of one’s children. Let’s examine this in light of the First Petition of the Lord’s Prayer; first, with the family and, second, in the Church.

 

The First Petition

Hallowed be Thy name.

What does this mean? God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also.

 

How is God’s name kept holy? God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God’s Word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from this, heavenly Father!

 

As you well know, Luther turns the teaching on this petition into a prayer itself, “Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven!” So also, when it comes to false teaching and those who profane the name of God among us in word and deed, we are taught to pray, “Protect us from this, heavenly Father!” Indeed, amen! But how is this accomplished? We appeal to our heavenly Father and He accomplishes this through our earthly fathers or authorities.

 

What does this look like lived out? In the home, fathers teach their children God’s Word in its truth and purity through reading and recitation of the Catechism, reading aloud Holy Scripture, singing hymns, leading devotions, taking the family to Divine Service, and the like. This is also borne out in teaching your children to honor, love, serve, and obey their mother in both word and deed, help with household chores, and to be mindful of opportunities to serve others. When praise is due, give it generously. When discipline is needed, it should be applied in a manner that is faithful, clear, and timely (i.e. soon).

 

So, what happens when God’s name is profaned in word and deed in the home? Godly discipline occurs. In love for God and his child, a father calls his child to repentance, clearly explains the trespass in light of God’s Word, and absolves him when he repents. Fitting consequences should be administered in love. If further instruction is needed, take the time and do it in love.

 

So why rehearse this when so many of you reading are parents yourselves? Because this pattern is fitting for the Church as well. In keeping God’s name holy among us, our Lord works through pastors in congregations, district presidents for districts, and, ultimately, the synod president for our church body. God has given us spiritual fathers in the Church as shepherds, teachers, and stewards of God’s mysteries. But along with these responsibilities, they are also ecclesiastical (churchly) supervisors.

 

Just as in the home, pastors must sometimes administer discipline in the congregation, district presidents in their districts, and the synod president in our church body. When discipline is needed, it should be applied in a manner that is faithful, clear, and timely (i.e. soon). This is no easy task! Pray for your pastors, dear saints! For the sake of hallowing God’s name among us and for the sake of the souls they shepherd, ecclesiastical supervisors should, above all, seek to be faithful to God’s Word when administering discipline in the Church.

 

As is the case for all Christians, God’s Word is to be the sole rule and norm for all doctrine and life. This includes Christian discipline. As confessional Lutherans, we are blessed to have a clear and faithful exposition of God’s Word set forth for us in the Book of Concord. Taken altogether, fathers, pastors, district presidents, and our synod president have all they need to apply Christian discipline in a manner that is faithful, clear, and timely. May God the Holy Spirit lead us by these treasures above all traditions and bylaws of men when it comes to hallowing God’s name among us. When we are tempted to fear men, politics, and “optics” above God, let us consider what Luther has taught us:

 

“[47] Here, now, learn what great need there is for such prayer. Because we see how full the world is of sects and false teachers, who all wear the holy name as a cover and sham for their doctrines of devils [1 Timothy 4:1], we should by all means pray without ceasing [1 Thessalonians 5:17] and cry out and call upon God against all people who preach and believe falsely. We should pray against whatever opposes and persecutes our Gospel and pure doctrine and would suppress it, as do the bishops, tyrants, enthusiasts, and such [2 Thessalonians 2:3–4]. Likewise, we should pray for ourselves who have God’s Word but are not thankful for it, nor live like we ought according to the Word. [48] If you pray for this with your heart, you can be sure that it pleases God. For He will not hear anything more dear to Him than that His honor and praise is exalted above everything else and that His Word is taught in its purity and is considered precious and dear.”

 

From "The First Petition" in The Large Catechism, Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, Pocket Edition. © 2005, 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Source: https://bookofconcord.cph.org/en/large-catechism/part_3/the_first_petition/#paragraph-47

 

The Small Catechism is a treasure. May we never grow beyond its clear and faithful teaching of God’s Word and may our heavenly Father’s name be ever hallowed among us. God grant it for the sake of Jesus. Amen.

 

V Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum V

1 Peter 1:25

 

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