The ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) is a distant spiritual relative of ours; and becoming more distant every day it seems.

For this reason I include this podcast concerning their latest church-wide assembly in which they state that they can no longer affirm that faith in Jesus is the only way of salvation and eternal life. This, though Scripture states that: There is no other name given under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved, than the name of Jesus. (Acts 4:12). Also the Lord's own words: I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me. (John 14:6)

This is not the first time ELCA has gone off the rails, but it is one more egregious step on the road to perdition.

This puts us as LCMS Lutherans into a difficult position. First because many of us have friends and family who for various reasons, usually proximity, are members of the ELCA. And secondly because we share the same family name: Lutheran. 

But their very serious errors in theology (e.g. denial of the truth of Scripture) and practice (e.g. ordaining of women, ordaining of homosexuals and the blessing of homosexual unions) have rendered ELCA toxic.

We as LCMS Lutherans (who are not without our own sins) are forced to walk a tight-rope over the Grand Canyon. We must now try to suss out which ELCA members accept, and which reject, the wrong teachings of their denomination. But this is not merely theoretical. But the rubber hits the road on this matter when ELCA members, our family and friends who were former LCMS members, wish to commune at our altar when visiting. In the past exceptions could be made on an individual basis, but that time may be passing.

Culture will never understand this dilemma. Neither can our own sinful flesh. And so by their pronouncements ELCA has forced us to suffer pangs of conscience, various divisions and at least a soft version of persecution.

These are things of which all our members must be aware.

Lord have mercy!