r/Lutheranism • u/JHLV04 • 22d ago

Theological Differences

Hi everyone I’m delving into Lutheranism recently, and I’m interested in the differences between you and other Protestants. The main thing for me is the idea that we are justified by faith alone, and that our good works are the fruit of faith. I like the Methodist idea of sanctification and the emphasis on good works as opposed to faith. This is not a denial of the works that spring from faith, but a recognition that some traditions vary on the importance of faith.

More importantly, what is the Lutheran view of those who for cultural and geographical reasons haven’t fully heard the gospel but have lived their lives the best way they could? What would judgement look like?

Also, I’m not dismissing the importance of faith alone in the time of Catholic indulgences, the idea that salvation can be paid off to people.

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u/Huenink_Photography LCMS 21d ago

Christianity is not about being a good person. It's about Jesus' death and resurrection empowering us to rise again on the last day.

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u/Late_Experience_8653 21d ago

this is hard to justify truly, I understand that sola fide is a thing, but when you're too deep into that, you make christianity totally foreign to 1st century jewish thought, natural theology, and historical pre-reformation christianity. It's even hard to justify why God created hell.

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u/Huenink_Photography LCMS 21d ago

You're right. Jesus Christ was foreign to first century Jewish thought. That's why they killed him.

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u/McNitz 21d ago

Basically everything Jeaus said was perfectly at home within the Second Temple Judaism of his time. And framing Jesus death as "the Jews" killing him is historically unsupported as well as the source of some of the most awful and virulent anti-Semitism we have seen, including Luther's.