I Return to Melbourne

I returned to Melbourne lost and confused.

Logically, an infallible truth needs an infallible guarantee. The infallible guarantee Lutherans appeal to and rely on is the ‘clear’ Word of God. My problem was that I doubted my ability to infallibly interpret the Word, and I doubted everyone else’s ability to do the same.

So several possibilities presented themselves;
1. There is no truth, everything is relative
2. The is truth, but we can never be sure we know it
3. There is truth, and God has provided a means of knowing what it is.

The first answer is meaningless. In philosophy, science and theology it simply does not hold water. Besides, if it is true, it would logically disprove itself! On a practical level, it would mean that I could no longer preach and teach, claim to know truth, nor hold any sure hope of salvation.
The second answer is meaningless since it is (practically speaking) the same as the first. What is the use of absolute truth if our knowledge of it is relative? And how can we even assert that such truth is absolute if we can only ever know it exists by relative means? This is the main logical problem with the ‘Scripture alone’ argument. While never doubting Scripture’s infallibility, what use would an infallible Scripture be without infallible means to interpret it?

For anything in life and faith to ‘work’, to make sense, to provide surety, we must conclude that the third option is the only option. The other choices logically result in nihilism. (Which is why Protestant systems never make sense, they can’t make sense!)

Besides, what sort of God would set out to save His people and provide salvation for them, but leave them uncertain as to how to receive His gift of eternal life, unsure even if they are on the right track?

A God who says, “I came to save you, but I’m not going to show you how exactly – have a guess and we’ll all find out on judgement day” can hardly be described as a gracious God.

Assuming that there is truth revealed by God and that we can know it certainly, the next question is: “How do we know truth?” Several answers presented themselves immediately and, being a Lutheran pastor desirous of retaining my excellent friends and occupation, I considered the various ‘Lutheran’ answers first and foremost.

Next: The First Lutheran Answer