In response to a recent post on Baptism, I was asked how old is my Lutheran heritage or study? Here was my reply, in case any of you are interested in this same topic and find this blog post:
My grandparents on my mother’s side were both Lutheran from NC. I have no idea how far back it goes on my granddad’s side of the family. My understanding is that my grandmother was the first believer in her family. She went to church on her own since she was 5 or 6 years old and always did until she was married to my granddad.
They then raised my mom in a Lutheran Church. My mom married a Roman Catholic and so my dad’s whole side of the family was Roman Catholic, and now they are splintering into other denominations, but the bulk is still Catholic.
I initially was brought up going to Roman Catholic masses until second grade when we went to a Presbyterian Church, then we landed Lutheran when I was in 7th grade. I had a horrid confirmation and I didn’t learn what Lutherans actually believe. I grew up in TN so I was heavily Baptist influenced and from my background I didn’t think it mattered what denomination you went to. I thought the differences was mostly in the worship styles at services. In high school I visited other churches on Wednesdays and I quickly found that there were plenty of differences doctrinally, and it wasn’t until after high school when I was hounded by a group to be baptized because my first baptism didn’t count because I was an infant and because I continued to actively deny the command to be baptized I wasn’t saved or a Christian, that I really dug in with my pastor and learned what the Scriptures said and finally claimed Lutheran as the denomination that was right (not the one I preferred, which to be honest based on my experiences, it wasn’t the one I preferred).
I went to Concordia Irvine when I was 21 and it was there that I discovered that I wasn’t actually a Lutheran. I agreed with the sacraments, but I didn’t know anything about the doctrine of election. I had essentially been taught Arminian (Decision Theology) my whole life. After a lot of wrestling with God and professors, I came full swing I can say that I am in agreement with Lutheran theology. My heart actually aches for those who confess Christ as Lord, speak of his salvation for us, but still live under the yoke of the law. I pray that the Lord sees them as believing, but needing help from him with their unbelief.
Andy Wrasman 
What is it about the Lutheran Faith that separates it from other denominations and draws you to it, as opposed to say, Presbyterian or Baptist?
Sola Scriptura. I believe the Lutheran tradition strives to support all teachings on the Bible alone, thus we are not Calvinists who teach and preach double-predestination and we are not Arminians who deny total depravity and ultimately involve humanity in our salvation. I know other groups claim Sola Scriptura, but often times what I find is they ignore parts of Scripture to get to their doctrines, or they use reason or experience equal to or above Scripture to form their Doctrine, though they are often unaware of it. It comes out when you ask these groups questions about why they believe something and their subjective feelings and thoughts emerge in their answers and not Scripture Alone.
Also, I know you read the previous blog post about the Means of Grace. I do see promises of forgiveness of sins attached to baptism. It’s not man’ work, but Christ’s work.