One Body: Guardrails for the Gospel, the Rule of Faith, and Rules for Biblical Interpretation
Lesson 02 in our series (series began September 7, 2025)
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Lesson 02 Summary:
In Week 2 of One Body, we build on last session’s foundation: Scripture is the norming norm for faith and life, and creeds/confessions/catechisms serve as trustworthy normed norms—faithful summaries that keep our reading of the Bible centered on Christ and aligned with the Church. With help from Irenaeus’s mosaic illustration and the regula fidei (rule of faith), we show why “just me, my Bible, and my quiet time” can drift into private interpretations. We also introduce three practical principles of biblical interpretation (context; Scripture interprets Scripture; use clear passages to read difficult ones) and apply them to real conversations—Christ’s two natures, faith & works (James), Israel & the Church, baptism debates (infants, thief on the cross), and talking with LDS friends. Bottom line: doctrine doesn’t stifle; it guards the Gospel, forms one body, and keeps us reading in the Church God gave us.
Key takeaways:
Norming norm vs. normed norms: Scripture alone norms; creeds/confessions witness faithfully to Scripture.
Regula fidei: a historic “rule of faith” that keeps the biblical mosaic arranged to reveal King Jesus, not a distortion.
3 interpretation rules: (1) Context; (2) Scripture interprets Scripture; (3) Clear interprets difficult (sedes doctrinae).
Case studies: Christ fully God/fully man; James on works; Israel vs. Church; baptism & “decision theology”; thief on the cross.
Read in community: God designed the faith to be taught and received in the Church, not as a solo project.
Taught by: Rev. Matt Doebler, pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Norfolk, VA (LCMS)
TLCnorfolk.com
Our mission is to make disciples and make them stronger through Word and Sacrament. (Mt. 28: 18-20)