Formula of Concord Repudiates UOJ

J-545

"These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to ourselves. This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteous by God the Father, and are eternally saved."
Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #10. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 919. Tappert, p. 541. Heiser, p. 250.

J-546

"Accordingly, the word justify here means to declare righteous and free from sins, and to absolve one from eternal punishment for the sake of Christ's righteousness, which is imputed by God to faith, Philippians 3:9. For this use and understanding of this word is common in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Proverbs 17:15: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord. Isaiah 5:23: Woe unto them which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Romans 8:33: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, that is, absolves from sins and acquits."
Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #17. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921. Philippians 3:9; Proverbs 17:15; Isaiah 5:23; Romans 8:33. Tappert, p. 541f. Heiser, p. 251.

J-547

"For when man is justified through faith [which the Holy Ghost alone works], this is truly a regeneration, because from a child of wrath he becomes a child of God, and thus is transferred from death to life, as it is written; When we were dead in sins, He hath quickened us together with Christ, Ephesians 2:5. Likewise: The just shall live by faith, Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4."
Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #20. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921. Tappert, p. 542. Heiser, p. 251.

J-548

“But here very good attention must be given with especial diligence, if the article of justification is to remain pure, lest that which precedes faith, and that which follows after it, be mingled together or inserted into the article of justification as necessary and belonging to it, because it is not one or the same thing to speak of conversion and of justification. For not everything that belongs to conversion belongs likewise to the article of justification, in and to which belong and are necessary only the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and faith, which receives this in the promise of the Gospel, whereby the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, whence we receive and have forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, sonship, and heirship of eternal life. Therefore true, saving faith is not in those who are without contrition and sorrow, and have a wicked purpose to remain and persevere in sins; but true contrition precedes, and genuine faith is in or with true repentance [justifying faith is in those who repent truly, not feignedly].”
Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #24-26. Of the Righteousness of Faith Before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921. Tappert, p. 543. Heiser, p. 251.

J-549

"Moreover, neither contrition nor love or any other virtue, but faith alone is the sole means and instrument by which and through which we can receive and accept the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and the forgiveness of sins, which are offered us in the promise of the Gospel."
Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #31. Of the Righteous of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 925. Tappert, p. 544. Heiser, p. 252.

J-550

"Here belongs also what St. Paul writes Romans 4:3, that Abraham was justified before God by faith alone, for the sake of the Mediator, without the cooperation of his works, not only when he was first converted from idolatry and had no good works, but also afterwards, when he had been renewed by the Holy Ghost, and adorned with many excellent good works, Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:8. And Paul puts the following questions, Romans 4:1ff.: On what did Abraham's righteousness before God for everlasting life, by which he had a gracious God, and was pleasing and acceptable to Him, rest at that time?
Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #33. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 927. Romans 4:3; Romans 4:1ff; Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:8. Tappert, p. 545. Heiser, p. 252.

J-551

"For good works do not precede faith, neither does sanctification precede justification. But first faith is kindled in us in conversion by the Holy Ghost from the hearing of the Gospel. This lays hold of God's grace in Christ, by which the person is justified. Then, when the person is justified, he is also renewed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, from which renewal and sanctification the fruits of good works then follow."
Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #41, Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 929. Tappert, p. 546. Heiser, p. 253.

J-552

“...God in His purpose and counsel ordained [decreed]:

That the human race is truly redeemed and reconciled with God through Christ, who, by His faultless [innocency] obedience, suffering, and death, has merited for us the righteousness which avails before God, and eternal life.
That such merit and benefits of Christ shall be presented, offered, and distributed to us through His Word and Sacraments.
That by His Holy Ghost, through the Word, when it is preached, heard, and pondered, He will be efficacious and active in us, convert hearts to true repentance, and preserve them in the true faith.
That He will justify all those who in true repentance receive Christ by a true faith, and will receive them into grace, the adoption of sons, and the inheritance of eternal life."
Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, XI. #15. Of God's Eternal Election. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1069. 2 Corinthians 5:19ff. Tappert, p. 619. Heiser, p. 288. [emphasis added]

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M Schottey has left a new comment on your post "Formula of Concord Repudiates UOJ":

In your last quote..without emphasis added

'That the human race is truly redeemed and reconciled with God through Christ'

If the human race (not only the faithful) is redeemed, how then are they not all justified?

GJ - I am glad these questions are asked (and signed). The citation makes it clear that justification does not take place apart from the Means of Grace, apart from faith. There is only one justification. You are confusing the Atonement/reconciliation with justification. Atonement/reconciliation is the act of God through Christ. Justification by faith is individual, taking place when the Gospel message of Atonement is preached.

Originally I thought that OJ was another word for the Atonement. That is not so. OJ or UOJ means: God declared the whole world innnocent, not guilty, when Christ died on the cross, or when He rose from the dead. They cannot get the Moment of Absolution straight. Some blend the two together.

KJV John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

The wrath of God does not abide on the forgiven. John 3:36 repudiates UOJ, more clearly than any other passage I know. Since the Bible is a unified truth, the Book of the Holy Spirit, as Luther called it, nothing can contradict this clear passage and be called "Christian doctrine," even if Uncle Fritz and Sig Becker taught it in all sincerity.

Church and Change - Its Own Jumpword

One WELS pastor told me, some time ago, "Church and Change is gone. It's over. Dissolved."

He believed it, and I believed he believed it. However, I did not believe it.

Sure enough, the dissolved, vanished, verboten Church and Change convention was being promoted on the WELS website.

While you were napping, Ichabod checked out the WELS.net jumpword list. Sure enough, Church and Change has its own jumpword on the official index. Type the right word into the jump index on the first page and you will have the Church and Change information which is part of the WELS.net website, not separate. Try it and check the link you get.

Jumpword................Result
churchChange..........Church and Change

I get this result:

https://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/WELSForms.pl?&dir=churchChange

I call that official recognition of heresy. How long will it continue?

Trinity 15 Sermon

The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden. 6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

TLH Hymns
321 O faithful God
436 The Lord’s My Shepherd I’ll Not Want
36 Now thank we all our God
339 All hail the power

To Serve One Master

Anyone can see the wisdom of the opening statement. That is true even when someone is trying to hold two jobs at once. We love one and resent the other. That is why companies do not like to have their employees work a second job.

Jesus uses this common sense wisdom to contrast our attitudes. If we love mammon, we will hate God. If we love God, we will hate mammon. But, people are wondering, what exactly is mammon? The word does not mean the possessions and income we need to sustain life. Mammon refers to the accumulation of wealth beyond anything we might need. As Luther says, If God died tomorrow, we would have a way out of the situation.

There are all kinds of situations among Christians. Some people fall into wealth or earn it through their cleverness. Others are poor, no matter what. In Africa, the Muslims persecute and murder the Christians. There a believer is fortunate to live, let along prosper.

The question is what we worship, what we place first. Coveting is an evil sin because someone can be outwardly righteous and still have an evil desire for what belongs to someone else. We can see that with ministers coveting the call of another pastor, hoping to get rid of him to enjoy the work done by another person. False teachers never break a sweat in labor – they always steal the work of another. Some covet the spouse of another person. Others have plenty but covet the money of others, even of those who cannot afford to lose anything. During the Fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the powerful stole food from the starving, even though they had enough food for themselves.

If we are anxious about what we will wear, what we will eat, what will house us, then we do not have faith in God, because God provides all those things, to believers and unbelievers alike. God’s will is to have us work for those things and enjoy the result of that work. We can see that the worst kind of life is having no purpose, no work to do. The children of the ultra-rich have to invent causes to pursue because they are born into such wealth. Many do not survive it, as we have already seen with Kennedy kids, born with a trust fund in each hand.

Luther observed that mammon was and will always be a weak god. Riches must be guarded or they will be stolen away. Johnny Cash’s famous home burn down to ashes in one night. Every home in America lost some value in the last year. For people who accumulate the metal gold, to provide for the future, special care must be taken to keep it safe. That is quite a god, that must be guarded with iron bars, locks, and appointed servants or guardians.

And this god mammon is very weak. Mammon cannot even cure a sniffle. When I read about the son of one Mayo brother, I was struck by his early death. He had great wealth and influence, the best doctors in the world to watch over him, but he died early.

The god mammon does not offer peace of mind – just the opposite. The more people have, the more anxious they are to keep what they own, far beyond their needs.

Serving mammon, worshiping mammon, is foolish. We can see that from Jesus’ comparison with clothing and food. Clothing serves us – we do not exist to venerate clothing. Food serves us. God provides both for us. Birds are a constant reminder of how God works. Every day they wake up without knowing where their next meal will come from. Nevertheless, they sing Matins first thing every morning. They go to sleep in the trees and bushes, not knowing how they will be fed the next day. Yet they sing Vespers as well. Their water sources are not dependable. One day a lawn is sprinkled. The next day a waterfall is left on, giving them drink and bathing. In Michigan I heated a birdbath all winter and watched the birds line up for their baths. They usually splashed a gallon of water or more out of the dish each day. They could get moisture from the snow, but they really loved a bath to wash the grit away. Word got out in the bird flocks. One day I arrived home to see birds lined up, two by two, to get into the bath. Two hopped in, splashed around, then two behind them jumped in to chase them off. The new pair splashed around. The line included about 20 birds, all the same species.

Thankfulness comes from our knowledge of God’s care for us. Without us asking, He provides all our needs. When we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we are praying for thankful hearts to realize His generosity. Thankfulness is often our greatest shortcoming.

The human eye is the greatest thing in all of Creation. The evolutionists cannot explain it. God gives us two eyes. We should be thankful for only one, but we take two for granted. Every child is a gift from God. Here we can see how little people value God’s Creation. God gives them life, and parents take those lives for granted. The recent example is a husband and wife who drugged their children so they could go out alone, without paying a babysitter. The authorities think one child (Maddie) died from the drug, and her death was covered up. The case is not solved, but the callous nature of leaving children alone, medicated, to save a few dimes…we shake our heads in disbelief.

A UOP graduate (MBA), Shaq O’Neil is going through a divorce. At stake is his $500 million fortune. Of course it is a “bitter divorce” with a fight over the mammon, the money. Could they get along on $250 million each? No, it’s the principle that counts, the principle plus interest.

If we truly believe in a mighty and all-loving God, then we also realize that the difficulties that come our way are part of His wisdom. We are not always thankful for those trials, though we may be more thoughtful later. Our Old Adam screams against the trials we face, but the afflictions are good for us. Our Old Adam in turmoil is reason enough to think about our need for a Savior, the only Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

If I had not been in a personality cult church (First Christian, Disciples of Christ, Moline) I would not have crossed the street and joined Salem Lutheran. I probably would have attended Augustana Lutheran College anyway, because the college was nearby. But had I attended as a Disciples member, I would have made a bad impression on my future bride, Christina. I read Luther’s sermon on this text to her tonight before she fell asleep. We look back on 41 years of knowing each other, 38 years of marriage, 3 children, one wonderful daughter-in-law, 3 fabulous grandchildren. These memories mean so much, and they are all intertwined with each other. Luther’s doctrine means everything to us. All his sermons ring so true, so harmonious with the Gospel and the ancient testimonies.

Jesus says, “Do not be anxious” about daily needs, then shows us how God takes care of the most ordinary creatures. We should look at the astonishing harmony of Creation and see how God has provided for every kind of life form, all living together and balancing each other, mutual dependencies beyond human imagination. One sunflower is a center of life by itself. The roots reach down into the soil to bring up minerals, sending out chemicals to thwart plant competition. These roots serve as elevators for earthworms, drains to let rainwater down. The earthworms till the soil, add calcium to the soil, digest rougher parts of soil (grinding them down), and turn their food into worm-manure to fertilize the plant. Various insects feast upon the leaves, but they cannot chew a sunflower down to nothing. A grasshopper may make a feast, then serve as a feast for a bird who spots him. Ants and aphids may travel up and down. Bees pollinate the flower. Squirrels eat the sweet flowers. If they are patient, they can let the flowers turn into a Feeding of the Five Thousand banquet of sunflower seeds, loved by humans, squirrels, and 40 species of birds. The sunflower is the weediest of weeds, but the finest producer of protein and minerals in the garden, except for the uncommon amaranth and the unpopular broccoli. I used to leave my sunflower stalks up all winter, to give birds a roost. The description above does not touch on soil chemistry or soil creatures. One would need a book to describe all that goes on in an ordinary back yard. All of this works in an orderly fashion and quickly adjusts when man steps in to change it.

Given all that, which is just a hint of what God does daily in the world around us, how can we question God ordering the world for those in His Kingdom? He plans for the least important things (daily living) and in great abundance for the most important (the Means of Grace).

God has provided for our daily lives and our salvation so we can provide for others. We are not to be anxious about what God does, but we should be anxious about the needs of others. We do not worship mammon when we use our wealth to care for others. My neighbor has bought any number of new cars since we have known him. He has a California pension plan and Arizona taxes, an ideal life. When he wanted to employ a yard worker, he want to give the least amount possible. There is someone who would bend over in 110 degree heat (with humidity) and pull witch-grass, and this man would pay him a dog’s wages, taking advantage.

Everyone is helped by someone else in some way. We can seldom help out the giver in the same way we are helped, but we can help others, showing our thankfulness to God. This is how God multiplies the blessings of the Gospel, blessing us in return. The best giving is one-way. Knowing the Gospel means putting it into action as well. Luther’s term was “faith active in love.” He often expressed the teaching of the Bible as two-fold: faith toward God (no anxiety) and love toward our neighbor (anxious about his needs). If mammon is our servant instead of our master, we order mammon to go help our neighbor. The more we take charge of mammon, the less mammon can command us and make us hate God. Instead of selling old furniture, we can give it to those who need it. We could not give away a dishwasher or a gas dryer in Phoenix, but we found people who needed furniture and chairs. It is very satisfying to have someone say, “We could not all sit at family gatherings. Now everyone can sit down.” And our furniture becomes a part of their lives, too.

Books are fun to give away. Because people have donated to print the books, I freely give away hundreds of Martin Chemnitz Press books. They have been sent to people all over the US this way, but especially in Phoenix, Yuma, and Tucson. I also give away all my light reading books, so our house does not fill up completely with books. The light reading books are not religious, but they encourage reading and additional study.

The Christian faith does not teach that deeds merit salvation. The Gospel does not demand works added (fides formata, the Catholic formula). The Gospel energizes and motivates all kinds of giving. The time we give other is the most precious, since people can afford most of their necessities today. What we give to others will reflect what we think about God giving us His Son.

WELS Question on Community Churches

Someone asked AnswerMan about the number of WELS congregations without Lutheran in their title. The matter was not published. I recall that AnswerMan said something like this:

1. Ask the congregation about it. They pick the name.
2. Very few have left out the name Lutheran.

Number 1 is always the response when WELS leaders are dodging their responsibilities. Guess what happens when someone is direct with a false teacher?
A. Denial.
B. Cover-up.
C. Retaliation.

The Love Shack has been covering for false teachers since the famous Theodore Hartwig case. Nothing was ever done. Harwig was chosen to promote the feminist creeds in their ELCA-clone hymnal. So far, no other Lutheran sect has corrupted the creed to have Jesus "fully human," a denial of the Two Natures united in One Person.

Getting back to the fact of dropping the name Lutheran - The simple fact remains that eliminating the name Lutheran is a key component of the Means-of-Grace-hating Church Growth leaders. Lyle Schaller, a liberal Methodist, advocating the elimination of denominational names. Robert Schuller chimed in a long time ago. Dutch Reformed, he named his congregation Garden Grove Community Church, which is not far from Fuller Seminary.

Robert Mueller gave his blessing for Crossroads in Detroit, started as a WELS mission and no longer Lutheran at all. His Ed McMahon, Paul Kuske, started Pilgrim Community Church in Columbus, with the sage advice of Floyd Stolzenburg and Roger Zehms. Prince of Peace in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, semi-kicked out of WELS (the pastor and church, but not the money) dropped WELS from its church sign. Mueller had no problem with that.

WELS has a Church Growth congregation in Chicago: Crossroads Christian Church. The name itself is deceptive, because the Disciples of Christ churches (where McGavran came from) are always called Christian Church with the denomination in parentheses, as in First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Finding out that Crossroads in Lutheran and affiliated with WELS is a chore. I found this:

In an age of anxiety, we believe that real peace comes from Jesus Christ.
In an age of confusion, we believe that the Bible is the word of God, without error.
In an age of doubt, we believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
In an age of guilt, we believe that Jesus died on the cross to remove the power of sin from our lives.
In an age of hopelessness, we believe that Jesus rose physically from death -- and so will we rise.
In an age of skepticism, we believe that God is at work in the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.
In an age of despair, we believe God's promises to heal and transform us.
In an age of violence, we believe that God calls us to embody his love in the world.
In an age of constant change, we believe in the unchanging Holy Trinity -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Crossroads is a Christian community with roots in the Lutheran tradition. We hold the three ecumenical creeds and the Lutheran Confessions to be faithful expressions of God's truth revealed to us in the Bible. Crossroads is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

The first part is adapted from my We Still Believe brochure, used all over Lutherandom, which amuses me no end. CLC congregations also use it. Too bad so few actually believe what they say.

CrossWalk in Phoenix does not offer Holy Communion, so how Lutheran are they? They are contagious, but not sacramental.

What AnswerMan avoided saying is this - WELS has increased its emphasis on stealth congregations in the hopes of fooling people into joining. They create third-rate Baptist congregations, denying their confessional heritage, in the hopes of making a splash.

PS - I missed Comedy Night at Crown of Life Church. Notice the web page does not call it a Lutheran church and the WELS affiliation is sublimated. You may recall the pastor is a big fan of Leonard Sweet, the hero of Church and Change. He was, until I pointed this out on Ichabod. Now his website and blog are unSweetened.

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M Schottey has left a new comment on your post "WELS Question on Community Churches":

My sister is a member of Crossroads in Chicago, and I myself have attended their services many times. In addition, I have sat down and talked to the pastor. Trust me when I say that the Gospel is preached there in its truth and purity and sacraments rightly administered.

GJ Question - So why are they ashamed of the name Lutheran?

Fuller Seminary - Short Version

People write me polite questions via email. They even sign their names. I have tried to explain to my opponents, "That's why I have so many sources." If I have information that would give away the source, I keep it to myself.

One WELS member asked about Fuller Seminary. Later today I will try to muster my Fuller quotations from Megatron, my database of verbatim quotations. For now I will give a brief summary of what I know.

Fuller Seminary is not quite the home of the Church Growth Movement. Fuller was started as a fairly conservative seminary, with a compromised statement on inerrancy, around 1948. At one point they decided to hire Donald McGavran to teach the Church Growth Movement, which he invented.

McGavran was a Disciples of Christ former missionary to India, someone who labored in obscurity for many years at a tiny college. His denomination was and is on the extreme Left of Protestantism. His doctorate was in sociology, so he had little training in theology, beyond seminary. He was long on statistics, but devoid of Biblical knowledge. Besides, he was ardently pro-abortion. He advocated participating in Planned Parenthood as a congregational activity. His circle even had a production called Planned Parenthood for Churches. WELS must have bought that concept, because they murder their infant churches all the time.

Fuller got a marketing genius president who got rid of the conservative traces of Fuller. Church Growth caught on at the same time. Fuller is against inerrancy now and will punish anyone oppose to women's ordination.

McGavran and his Pentecostal-Baptist disciple Peter Wagner cleverly promoted the school by getting the executives of all the denominations at their school for CG training, starting with world missions. Once they suckered all the world mission executives, they started on the American mission bosses. That is how Norm Berg got trained at Fuller.

I listed Fuller vets in another post. Click on the Fuller label for more information. Lawrence Otto Olson (D.Min. Fuller, Church and Change leader) bragged that more LCMS pastors went to Fuller than went to their own schools for extra education. That is why Al Barry would not open his mouth against CG, why Kieschnick followed him.

ELCA leaders went to Fuller too. So did ELS pastors. One ELS pastor wrote a gushing letter about CG and sent it around the Little Sect on the Prairie. I believe he is in ELCA now. He really should be teaching at Martin Luther College, with Lawrence Otto Olson.

The email was saying that WELS professors should not be corrupted by studying at a school that teaches another doctrine. At this point all the Lutheran professors could study at Fuller, no matter which synod. The synods are united in promoting the Church Growth Movement with its manifold false doctrines. The time has come for all of them to merge and let the dissenters leave with their congregations.

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Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Fuller Seminary - Short Version":

Who was the ELS pastor, now in the ELCA, who was caught up in the Church Growth frenzy?

I had never heard that one before.

Norman Teigen
ELS Layman

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GJ - An ELS source sent me the letter. The ELS pastor had just finished studying at Fuller Seminary. He wanted everyone to "spoil the Egyptians," as Valleskey wrote and A. D. Harstad echoed in his ELS Amen conference paper/journal article.

I no longer remember the ELS CG pastor's name. A lot of pastors move through the ELS (Al Barry, Keith Olmanson, Ossie Hoffman, Jack Preus, Robert Preus, Rolf Preus and recent defenestrations). I recall one CG pastor was in Naples, Florida. I was told ELS President George Orvick visited the congregation and acted on it.

Ichabod International

Ichabod is being quoted in Germany at Blogsburg.

This is the second time Blogsburg has quoted this site.

New contacts continue to come in, via email, from all over.

A. Nony Mouse continues to rant. He stopped for a few days, so I thought his weekend pass was expired and he had to go back in.

Luther's Smalcald Articles - Book of Concord - Justification by Faith

From Thy Strong Word:

The Smalcald Articles

J-541

“Likewise: All have sinned and are justified without merit [freely, and without their own works or merits] by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood, Romans 3:23f. Now, since it is necessary to believe this, and it cannot be otherwise acquired or apprehended by any work, law, or merit, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us, as St. Paul says, Romans 3:28: For we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law. Likewise, v. 26: That He might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Christ.”
Smalcald Articles, The Second Part, Article I. #4. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 461. Tappert, p. 292. Heiser, p. 137.

J-542

“What I have hitherto and constantly taught concerning this I know not how to change in the least, namely, that by faith, as St. Peter says, we acquire a new and clean heart, and God will and does account us entirely righteous and holy for the sake of Christ, our Mediator. And although sin in the flesh has not yet ben altogether removed or become dead, yet He will not punish or remember it. And such faith, renewal, and forgiveness of sins is followed by good works.”
Smalcald Articles, The Third Part, Article XIII. #1-2. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 499. Tappert, p. 315. Heiser, p. 148.

My Confession - Is It Yours?

From Thy Strong Word:

J-531

"Now we will show that faith [and nothing else] justifies."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #69. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 141. Tappert, p. 116. Heiser, p. 37.

J-532

"But to believe is to trust in the merits of Christ, that for His sake God certainly wishes to be reconciled with us. Likewise, just as we ought to maintain that, apart from the Law, the promise of Christ is necessary, so also is it needful to maintain that faith justifies. [For the Law does not preach the forgiveness of sin by grace.] For the Law cannot be performed unless the Holy Ghost be first received. It is, therefore, needful to maintain that the promise of Christ is necessary. But this cannot be received except by faith. Therefore, those who deny that faith justifies, teach nothing but the Law, both Christ and the Gospel being set aside.”
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #69. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. p. 141. Tappert, p. 116. Heiser, p. 37.

J-533

"We do not believe thus {that faith is just a beginning of justification} concerning faith, but we maintain this, that properly and truly, by faith itself, we are for Christ's sake accounted righteous, or are acceptable to God. And because 'to be justified' means that out of unjust men just men are made, or born again, it means also that they are pronounced or accounted just. For Scripture speaks in both ways. [The term to be justified is used in two ways: to denote, being converted or regenerated; again, being accounted righteous.] Accordingly we wish first to show this, that faith alone makes of an unjust, a just man, i. e., receives remission of sins."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #71-2. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 141. Tappert, p. 116f. Heiser, p. 38.

J-534

"But since we receive remission of sins and the Holy Ghost by faith alone, faith alone justifies, because those reconciled are accounted righteous and children of God, not on account of their own purity, but through mercy for Christ's sake, provided only they by faith apprehend this mercy."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #86. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 147. Tappert, p. 119. Heiser, p. 39.

J-535

"In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul discusses this topic especially, and declares that, when we believe that God, for Christ's sake, is reconciled to us, we are justified freely by faith."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #87. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 147. 2 Corinthians 5:19ff. Tappert, p. 119f. Heiser, p. 39.

J-536

"These things are so plain and so manifest that we wonder that the madness of the adversaries is so great as to call them into doubt. The proof is manifest that, since we are justified before God not from the Law, but from the promise, it is necessary to ascribe justification to faith."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, III. #177. Of Love and the Fulfilling of the Law. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 205. Tappert, p. 153. Heiser, p. 60.

J-537

"Scripture thus uses the term faith, as the following sentence of Paul testifies, Romans 5:1: Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Moreover, in this passage, to justify signifies, according to forensic usage, to acquit a guilty one and declare him righteous, but on account of the righteousness of another, namely, of Christ, which righteousness of another is communicated to us by faith...1 Corinthians 1:30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. And 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. But because the righteousness of Christ is given us by faith, faith is for this reason righteousness in us imputatively, i. e., it is that by which we are made acceptable to God on account of the imputation and ordinance of God, as Paul says, Romans 4:3, 5: Faith is reckoned for righteousness."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, III. #184. Of Love and the Fulfilling of the Law. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 205f. Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21. Tappert, p. 154. Heiser, p. 60.

J-538

"But as the Confutation condemns us for having assigned these two parts to repentance, we must show that [not we, but] Scripture expresses these as the chief parts in repentance and conversion. For Christ says, Matthew 11:28: Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Here there are two members. The labor and the burden signify the contrition, anxiety, and terrors of sin and of death. To come to Christ is to believe that sins are remitted for Christ's sake; when we believe, our hearts are quickened by the Holy Ghost through the Word of Christ. Here, therefore, there are these two chief parts, contrition and faith."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XII (V). #44. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 263. Matthew 11:28. Tappert, p. 187. Heiser, p. 81.

J-539

“That absolution, however, is not received except by faith can be proved from Paul, who teaches, Romans 4:16, that the promise cannot be received except by faith. But absolution is the promise of the remission of sins [nothing else than the Gospel, the divine promise of God’s grace and favor]. Therefore, it necessarily requires faith. Neither do we see how he who does not assent to it may be said to receive absolution.”
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XII. #61-62. Of Repentance. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 269. Romans 4:16. Tappert, p. 190. Heiser, p. 83.

J-540

"The Gospel teaches that by faith we receive freely, for Christ's sake, the remission of sins and are reconciled to God."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV. #5. Human Traditions. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 317. Tappert, p. 215. Heiser, p. 96.

Luther on Sound Doctrine

From Thy Strong Word
J-418

"In like manner we will also do to our princes and priests; when they attack our manner of life, we should suffer it and show love for hatred, good for evil; but when they attack our doctrine, God's honor is attacked, then love and patience should cease and we should not keep silent, but also say: I honor my Father, and you dishonor me; yet I do not inquire whether you dishonor me, for I do not seek my own honor."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 176. John 8:46-59.



J-419

"Therefore, do not speak to me of love or friendship when anything is to be detracted from the Word or the faith; for we are told that not love but the Word brings eternal life, God's grace, and all heavenly treasures."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1411f. Ephesians 6:10-17.



J-420

"Consequently, I say to my worst enemies: Where it is only my own person that is involved, there I am very willing to help you and to do everything good for you in spite of the fact that you are my enemy and that all you ever do for me is to harm me. But where it is the Word of God that is involved, there you must not expect any friendship or love that I may have for you to persuade me to do something against that, even if you were my nearest and dearest friend. But since you cannot endure the Word, I will speak this prayer over you: May God dash you to the ground! I shall willingly serve you, but not in order to help you overthrow the Word of God. For this purpose you will never be able to persuade me even to give you a drink of water."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed. Ewald M. Plass St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1480. Matthew 5:43-48

UOJ Questions Answered Here

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Dr. Robert Preus on Justification by Faith":

But doesn't that Calov quote speak of justification in two different senses?

"Although Christ has acquired for us...justification, God...does not justify us prior to our faith."

In one sense, says Calov, justification has already been acquired for the world. In another sense, that justification doesn't benefit us until we come to faith.

That sounds awfully similar to the WELS/ELS/LCMS teaching to me.

I'm still convinced that this is merely an issue of terminology. You see, there are two sets of passages that we deal with.

One says things like "Christ reconciled the WORLD to himself. God so loved the WOLRD. God wants ALL men to be saved, etc..." One group calls this UOJ. The other calls this atonement.

The other set says things like, "You are saved through FAITH. BELIEVE and you will be saved, etc..." One group calls this subjective justification. The other calls simply calls this justification.

***

GJ - I am glad this question was asked. I will address it later today. A comment came in, reciting WELS dogma, so I am posting it below.

***

Mike Schottey has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Question":

1st let me apologize that it has taken so long to respond. I am recently married and that seems to take quite a bit of my time. In addition I work part-time, and am a full-time theological student. Greek and Hebrew vocs leave little time for blogging.

I feel that the argument needs to focus on the truth of two statements.

God hates all people.
God loves all people.

Both statements are true statements. One is true law. "For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God" No one is righteous in his sight. Proverbs 6:16 and following...God hates you he hates everything about you, he hates everything about me.

God loves all people. Pure Gospel. Are you a sinner? Am I sinner? Yes. God loves us. Why? Because of the all-sufficient sacrifice of his son. "For God so love the world..."

God loves you and me because of his son, not because of our faith. Faith is the means by which that promise is grasped and taken advantage. It is not the object, it grabs the object.

Christ's atonement, his holy blood, covers all of humanity. Sin no longer has any power to condemn. This is not to say everyone is saved. Subjective Justification deals with those who will be saved. I am saved by grace through faith.

(Universal)Objective Justification
deals with a proclamation from eternity. God through his mercy has declared ALL not guilty by the death of his son.

Saying otherwise, that is, denying UoJ walks a fine calvinist line (I would know, I am originally from western Michigan). For if you say that only those with faith have been declared righteous, then you say that only some were predestined, and then you must logically say that those who were not declared righteous (the etymological meaning of Justification) must have been declared not righteous on the basis of their lack of faith. And then salvation is based on a quality, not the all-sufficient merit of our savior.

Now, all of this hinges on the WELS teaching of such things. Which as we all no, when dealing with failible men (some moreso than others) will never be perfect.

One must understand however, that while The Proper Distinction of Law and Gospel is a very fine book, it is not a evangelism handbook. For instance...you as a pastor wish (of course) to spread the Word. Which glorifies God more? You standing on the street corner screaming "God hates homosexuals."--Or a new message that they haven't heard from the religious right--You are saved.

Now, do they need to hear the law? Most certainly. Do they need to hear the Gospel? Most certainly. And if the words "I'm saved so are you" even crack the door open and let in the opportunity to further planting of the seed of salvation. And that allows me to be an instrament of the Holy Spirit who is creating faith in that person's heart, then so be it.

It can also be understood to be misinterpreting scripture. Certainly some believe that "God is too loving to damn anyone to hell." And I can look at a statement of the WELS and perhaps wonder if this pamphlet is heading down that road.

However, I know what that statement means to me on the basis of scripture and the Lutheran confessions. I cannot look into my brother's hearts yet I know that they also have said on oath to uphold scripture and the Lutheran confessions. I must, put off all dispariging thoughts, and as a Christian, my first thought must be that they mean it correctly.

***
GJ - Of course a UOJ fanatic will quote a shortened form of the Calov citation, which is similar to how we got "in view of faith."

The complete citation from the Preus book:

Although Christ has acquired for us the remission of sins, justification, and sonship, God just the same does not justify us prior to our faith. Nor do we become God's children in Christ in such a way that justification in the mind of God takes place before we believe.

1. Lutherans do not have a quia subscription to the works of Calov, not even to the complete works of Luther, so proving Calov an OJ fan, with or without pulp, is irrelevant.
2. Nevertheless, Calov speaks about justification being acquired as a synonym for atonement.
3. Still, Calov says that we not children of God, we are not justified until we believe. This is what Luther and the Book of Concord say in harmony with Scriptures.

UOJ false doctrine is distinguished by various toxic claims, making it clear that UOJ is not atonement, but a special, apostate, anti-Christian opinion:
A. Two thousand years ago, the entire world was forgiven. This is the heart of UOJ, endlessly repeated in various forms.
B. This forgiveness was declared by God, although no one can find it once in the Bible or in the Book of Concord.
C. This forgiveness has already taken place apart from the Means of Grace (Enthusiasm, repudiated by the Smalcald Articles).
D. This universal forgiveness happened the moment Christ rose from the dead, or the moment He died. The fanatics are certain about UOJ but not certain about the Moment of Universalism.
E. Anyone who questions UOJ is accused of being a TULIP Calivinist or an advocate of "in view of faith." In fact, UOJ is limited to a few Midwestern sects of the last century and ELCA.
F. UOJ Enthusiasts claim their false doctrine "protects the Gospel." That proves they are Schwaermer. God's Word does not require protection.
G. UOJ Enthusiasts are always at war against faith, although the Bible constantly commends faith, especially in the New Testament (the most common word in the NT). They rave against faith when they get coffeed-up and clearly have no sense of faith, no grasp of God's activity exclusively through the Word. That is why they love to fellowship with ELCA, Fuller, Willow Creek, and Rome: Schwaermer all.

Let's look at the Easter Absolution passage of Romans. Walther's Easter Absolution sermon is fodder for the ELS UOJ view and echoed in WELS. The Wisconsin Synod would rather parrot Sig Beck and J. P. Meyer since they generally hold that all of Missouri is wrong all of the time.

Here is the verse they cite, a favorite of Rolf Preus:

KJV Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

They say, "Aha. UOJ." This verse by itself does not contain Mike Schottey's proclamation from eternity. (Fine words, repeating Calvin's doctrine of double-predestination, which was God's horrible decree from eternity.) Notice that UOJ fantics always say or refer to verse 25, but I am saying they clearly cannot get their alien opinion from that verse. We can see what "raised again for our justification" really means by including the previous verse. After all, Romans was composed as a letter, not as a series of sound bytes.

KJV Romans 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Yes, Christ is the righteousness of God. He has already earned forgiveness through His death and resurrection. But His righteousness is imputed to us when we believe. That is why the only justification in the Bible--the only justification in the Book of Concord-- is Justification by Faith.

So, it is just a matter of terminology? "Error loves ambiguity," as Krauth said in his forgotten and neglected book. If we are all saying the same thing, why have UOJ fanatics everywhere have freaked over my critique of their favorite false doctrine. Pastors are afraid to touch the topic, either due to ignorance (being brain-washed in seminary) or fear of retaliation.

My experience so far has been:
1. All UOJ fanatics are pastors. The laity do not buy UOJ for a moment.
2. UOJ fanatics are remarkably devious, double-tongued, and vindictive. But of course, they were forgiven without faith and apart from the Word, so the basics of Christianity are foreign to them. I do not include Mike Schottey, who is not yet a pastor and is honest enough to sign his name. If he ever expresses doubt in OJ, he will be squeezed, pulped, and frozen out until he relents.

Laymen encouraged me to pursue this topic. They asked many tough questions and provided me with good sources to use. I gathered all the quotations in this chapter of Thy Strong Word. I have analyzed all the arguments for UOJ in the chapter. No one has ever answered the chapter.

Saved by Polity Alone

Mad Jack Cascione has made a career out of championing the Supremacy of the Voters' Assembly. How he graduated from a Lutheran seminary remains a mystery to most people.

On the other hand, ELDONA will save the Lutheran Church with a diocese arrangement and a bishop, even if most of their congregations are "meeting at..." In other words, they are renting a room at a Holiday Inn or Millard Filmore Grammar School.

First of all, the New Testament is rather sparse on polity matters. One can find plenty of material later, as the Christian Church took on characteristics of the Roman Empire, where it first grew. Of course, they knew nothing of democracy, which was long dead when Christ rose from the dead. Julius Caesar was stabbed to death decades before the Day of Pentecost, so the last shreds of the Roman Republic were gone and forgotten when the Christian Church began.

The Lutheran Reformation took place in Medieval Europe, which made the Roman Empire look positively liberal in comparison. A rotten, corrupt church was mortally wounded by the Word of God, not a different polity. Once the Lutheran Church came into being via defenestration, polity devolved into caesaropapism - the local ruler supervising the church. Martin Chemnitz tried to be independent of the ruler in religious matters, but he was bounced for one critical comment about the ruler aping Rome.

There is nothing wrong with the title bishop, but I doubt that the current baggage of the title has the same meaning as the New Testament term. The word means supervisor in Greek, not Fancy Hat, Curved Cane, Clouds of Incense, All Rise.

I wonder how many are going to rush to join a congregation because it calls itself episcopalian in governance. Will Lutherans and prospects say in unison, "That is the answer"? I doubt it.

Likewise, Casione's congregation gets to vote only to agree with him. When they wanted to leave the Missouri Synod, he refused. Those who disagree are not allowed to vote. Old Missouri even has a handbook which directs the pastor to excommunicate anyone who disagrees with the excommunication. That has to be fun. "Now vote!" How everyone must tremble!

I find those getting involved with trappings and crypto-congregationalism will always neglect the efficacy of the Word alone.

Chameleon Lutherans

I recall Pastor Richard J. Neuhaus (LCMS, then Seminex, then LCA, then ELCA) writing in Lutheran Forum Letter about being a Confessional Lutheran. Neuhaus is a high profile Roman Catholic priest now. Leonard Klein was also a Confessional Lutheran when I met him in York, Pennsylvania. Klein is now a Roman Catholic priest.

Paul McCain and Al Barry were going to save the Missouri Synod from the howling heretics of the Left, but they passed up their golden opportunity with DP Benke. But now we can see where McCain's heart is. As publisher of CPH, he has invited his old friend Benke to write a book for the wealthy, cash-gushing publication house. Maybe Benke will call the work, It's OK to be a Confessional Lutheran. I hope so.

ELDONA, the tiny sect with the big, big name (Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America - or, Malone Texas and Adjoining Counties), left Missouri in a huff over Benke's outrageous unionism at Yankee Stadium. Nevertheless, their Niles, Michigan branch venerates a liberal, unionistic, Romanizing monastery almost as much as it does vestments. Have the bishops of ELDONA given him the Left Foot of Fellowship? No. Has the link been removed (the Ichabod effect) from the Niles website? No.

The Left is never a danger to orthodox Lutherans. (How seldom we hear that term!) Dorsal stab wounds are best delivered by those who are closest, the Confessional Lutherans who have another spirit.

One of the best ways to advance one's career in the apostate synods is to pose as a Confessional Lutheran. Looking troubled and making witty, mild remarks is crucial for the campaign. Then, when it matters most, the Chameleon Lutheran switches sides and denounces his friends, gloating while he delivers punishment in the name of his new boss. The apostates love having a convert as their lapdog or finger-puppet.

Waves of Nausea Swept Over Me - Church and Change

Waves of nausea swept over me as I read the schedule for the official, WELS sponsored and WELS supported (via their website) Church and Change Conference. I exposed the speakers and topics before, but I could not get at their information again. ("We're on lockdown, everyone. Ichabod has our link in his sites. DefCon 5.")

Thanks to ELS Bad Boy, I could review the entire brochure for the upcoming conference, which starts on my birthday. Insensitive! Here are the speakers, two of which are ELS. I am not sure which two. All of the photos show people in a state of bovine stupor or ovine giddiness. Bailing Water also posted information and a link on his blog. Let me know if the WELS website links Issues in WELS or Ichabod!

In a suprise move, Church and Change invited a WELS member to be the keynote speaker!

Sunday, October 14 (for those arriving early)
6:30-7:30 p.m...... Contemporary worship at St. Marcus, Milwaukee. GJ - I prefer Lutheran worship.
7:30-8:30 p.m...... Learn about St. Marcus and Time of Grace ministries
Monday, October 15
10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m..... Registration
1:00-2:00 p.m...... Opening worship/Welcome/General session
2:15-3:30 p.m......Workshops
106...... Meeting the Needs of Today’s Families
–Bill Heiges
107a.... Creating a Culture of Generosity in Your
Church–Jeffrey Davis
109...... Learning to Teach Adults Today –Dave Kehl
202a.... WELS “Women Leaders–No Longer an
Oxymoron”–Kathie Wendland. GJ - No, ordination is around the corner.
204...... Planning and Developing a Women’s Group
Bible Study and Becoming a Student of the
Word–Susan L. Hopkins
302a.... Your Sunday School is Dead–Who will do the
Funeral? –Bob and Mary Beth Knippel. GJ - SS was a Baptist movement copied by the Lutherans. WELS should experiment with Luther's doctrine and the Means of Grace.
402...... Community Involvement Outreach Events
–Tim Gauger
501...... Creating Irresistible Environments
–John Parlow
503...... Oh the Drama of It All!
–John and Angela Stelljes
3:30-4:30 p.m...... Break/Displays open
4:30-5:45 p.m......Workshops
101...... Extreme Makeover: Church Edition
–Adam Mueller. GJ - Original title.
104a.... Priming Passion and Performance –Jeff Gunn
105...... Grant Writing 101–Ken and Kim Fisher
110a.... Unlock Your Leadership Potential with
Coaching–Mike and Christy Geiger. GJ - This fad is dead. How do I know? WELS is just discovering it.
202b.... WELS “Women Leaders–No Longer an
Oxymoron”–Kathie Wendland
303...... Why are WELS Youth Leaving?–Joel Nelson
304...... Lighthouse Youth Center–James Buske
401...... Luna Blue –Agora and Areopagus
–David Russow
504...... Dramalogue–John and Angela Stelljes
6:00-7:15 p.m...... Dinner
7:30-8:00 p.m...... Devotion
8:00-9:30 p.m...... Table Talks / Hospitality
Tuesday, October 16
7:00-8:00 a.m...... Continental breakfast
8:00-8:30 a.m...... Devotion
8:30-9:00 a.m...... Open session (showcase of two-minute
presentations)
9:00-10:15 a.m.... Keynote Address: Breakthrough Thinking in
WELS Ministry– John DiFrances
10:15-10:45 a.m..........Break
10:45 a.m.-Noon ........John DiFrances: Breakthrough Thinking
concepts & breakout discussions
Noon – 2:00 p.m ........Lunch/Displays open
2:00-3:45 p.m...... John DiFrances: Breakthrough Thinking Q & A
3:45-4:15 p.m...... Break
4:15-5:30 p.m......Workshops
104b.... Priming Passion and Performance–Jeff Gunn
107b.... Creating a Culture of Generosity in your
Church–Jeffrey Davis
108...... Talk Positively about Believers–Mark Cares
110b.... Unlock Your Leadership Potential with
Coaching–Mike and Christy Geiger
201...... A Piece for You and a Peace to Share
–Jane Schlenvogt
301a.... Which Niche?–Paul Steinberg
302b.... Your Sunday School is Dead–Who will do the
Funeral? –Bob and Mary Beth Knippel
403a.... What’s Going On?
–Ed Schuppe and John Huebner
506...... In the Beginning…Your Guide to Starting
Your own Alternative Worship Experience
–James Skorzewski and Brian Davison. GJ - Here's one: TLH, page 15. Lutheran hymns and chorales, plus a Lutheran sermon emphasizing the grace of God and the efficacy of the Word. No, that will get a pastor canned or caned in WELS.
6:00-7:15 p.m...... Dinner
7:30-8:00 p.m...... Devotion
8:00-9:30 p.m...... Table Talks/Hospitality
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
7:00-8:00 a.m...... Continental breakfast
8:00-8:30 a.m...... Open Session (showcase of two-minute
presentations)
8:45-10:00 a.m....Workshops
register online at www.churchandchange.org
102...... When Oprah Came to Class–Tadd Fellers

103...... Growing Your Congregation’s Staff from
Within–Lawrence Otto Olson, D.Min. (Fuller Seminary)
111...... Develop the Courage not to Plan your
Ministry–Steve Witte
203...... Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places
–Sharon Buck and Karen Harmon. GJ - This wins the Original Title Award.
301b....Which Niche?–Paul Steinberg
403b.... What’s Going On?
–Ed Schuppe and John Huebner
502...... A Movie is Worth a Million Words
–Nathan Krause
505...... Seeing Visions–Peter Schaewe. GJ - Or, WELS Gone to Pot.
507...... What do you Mean, “Blended Worship?”
–Mark Jeske. GJ - He means - Pentecostal-Baptist Worship.10:30-11:30 a.m..........Closing worship with celebration
of the Lord’s Supper
11:30 a.m -Noon ........Closing comments
Noon.................... Box lunch, followed by projectile vomiting.

ELS Bad Boy Is Back

I do not know who the ELS Bad Boy is, but he is posting again. I have copied his post below.

September 02
contemptible "change your church for the worse" conference
I think they need a new video game for X-Box and other gaming systems. We could call it, "Reformation 2: Church and Change down in flames." We could have Luther, Chemnitz, Gerhard, Walther and other great Lutherans armed with Scripture and the Confessions beating the WELS church and changers (with ELS participants) over the head. With each strike, bolts of lightning could shoot out, giving the heretics a jolt they'll never forget.
I hate to give publicity to whackos, but I think their kind of trash speaks for itself. Christ warned of the false prophets that are in the world. Take a good look at the faces at http://www.churchandchange.org/home/2384/2384/files/CanCprogram.Web.pdf and you'll know what they look like. I feel creeped out just looking at the page. A portion of the WELS has been taken over by the Reformed contemptible service crowd. The ELS is yapping at its heels by contributing to this abominable church and change conference with two of her pastors.
I could and probably should go on, but just take a look for yourself. Maybe I'll have another late evening when I can give a critique of this horrible event.
God have mercy.

Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant Is Now Published

I have published Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant on Lulu.

People will be able to download a PDF or order any number of books printed. The book is $24.95 on Lulu, plus shipping. The PDF file is $15.

Christian News will distribute the book, as soon as I check out the proof copy and order their copies.

I will have Lulu print some books for me to fulfill orders I received already. I will send a mailing out for initial orders, but I encourage impatient people to order from Christian News or Lulu.

I have plenty of plans for more publishing, so I cannot run a bookstore at the same time. I am always happy to oblige someone, such as the gentleman who just ordered Thy Strong Word. Still, writing and mailing are two different activities.

I would like to thank everyone for the encouragement and help. My chief executive editor, Mark Ochsankehl, is superb to the point of annoyance, laughing at my typos. Inspiring artwork was provided by Norma Boeckler. A Michigander did a fine job in looking for and finding my goofs. Our son Martin helped too. I had to gloat at the end when I found mistakes everyone missed. As Martin said, "Books are not finished, they are abandoned."

Rewriting the book reminded me of how much fun this was. Publishing it helped me realize how much time Tim Otten put into the first edition.

Some advantages in using Lulu are:
1. I can revise the book easily.
2. Their wholesale cost is not much different from the low-cost printer I was using in Michigan.
3. Anyone can order the book or PDF at any time.
4. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and others will also be able to take orders.

If you are an independent book seller, I will be glad to provide books on consignment.

Trinity 14 Sermon

FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity

The Hymn vss 1-5 #331
The Invocation p. 15
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual Gal 5:16-24
The Gospel Luke 17:11-19
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn vss 6-8 #331
The Sermon
Fruits of the Spirit

The Offertory p. 22
The Hymn #307
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #54

Christians in all denominations make the same mistake. The liberals believe, teach, and confess that the conservatives are inherently sinful for various reasons. The conservatives believe, teach, and confess that the liberals are inherently sinful for other reasons. Both sides establish a legalistic framework and make their decisions based upon that and not God’s Word.

Legalism means inventing a law and making that man-made law a requirement for salvation. We are all legalistic Pharisees by nature. Our sinful nature seeks to create a scheme that makes us comfortable. The Spirit is at war against this, as St. Paul teaches here. In other words, the Word of God battles against our legalism:
First – by showing us our own sinfulness, so we cannot condemn others;
Second – by showing us the Savior, who has died for our sins and daily gives us the power to love the Ten Commandments and to follow them willingly.

Condemning legalism among the conservatives is absolutely essential, because legalism can only resolve itself in two ways. In one sense, it ends up being exactly the opposite – hedonism (pursuit of pleasure) and anti-nomianism (anti-law). The Assemblies of God used to be against makeup, cards, dancing, movies, and so forth. The same denomination ended up creating headlines with its fleshly scandals. Children raised in legalism will say to themselves, as adults do, “The Bible doesn’t condemn (fill in the blanks).” They are correct, so they tend to toss out the Ten Commandments with the legalism they hate.
Another resolution of legalism is the downward spiral of hatred, anger, strife, pride, and so forth. St. Paul was pointing this out in the works of the flesh. If people want to claim salvation on what they do, then they should look at this list. The Word of God clearly teaches that our best intentions and noblest motives are never free from sinfulness. Any claim of being superior--because of what we do--must be lined up with the works of the flesh.

The apostle was addressing the issue of circumcision in this case and with meat offered to idols in writing to the Corinthians. Both issues involve legalism, because the Word of God does not require circumcision or condemn eating food offered to idols. Therefore the Galatian trouble-makers are called Judaizers because they wanted to impose Jewish ritual law upon Christians as essential.

Many issues of today can be approached in the same legalistic fashion. Unfortunately, they are. The Law always condemns, and we can see the limitations of the Law in legalism. One certain item is denounced and made to seem essential for salvation. Either it must be done or it cannot be done. However, in each group, the item is different, so it cannot be God’s universal or natural law, the Ten Commandments, but a narrow issue. Among the Lutherans, one group insists on women wearing hats. In another one, no one is allowed to have an insurance policy from one of two fraternal insurance companies. The sins of these companies are great, but are they worse than Prudential, a company whose fraudulent practices led to a book called Serpent on the Rock?

Another aspect of legalism is turning something good into Law and then thinking only in terms of condemnation. One example is the King James Version of the Bible. Do we use it because it is the best translation or because it a rabbit’s foot to protect us from all harm? Some Lutherans think that all problems stem from not using the KJV. So I am glad to have my sinful nature surgically removed simply by the translation I use.

I can condemn anyone who does not like to garden, or I can tell people that I enjoy gardening. The Law response makes people duck for cover. (Wow. Does ever he hate people who don’t have gardens!) As one person wrote to me, he felt everyone not using the KJV was condemned on the spot. This binds people’s conscience and makes them obey out of fear or to make a show of piety. That is why legalism causes a lot of anger, strife, and hypocrisy.

When I write or discuss gardening, those who love gardening join the discussion. Some who hate gardening (my mother made me do it – one explanation) will at least listen and try. The Gospel approach opens up discussion and motivates through love.

When I was sure that the New International Version was a bad translation, based on my own experience and the comments of my son in seminary, an elderly gentleman asked me why I had NIV citations in my published articles and books. I said, “That’s the only computer Bible I have right now.” He did not condemn me. He first asked why and then said, “I have a KJV computer Bible for you. I will give it to you for free.” He did that and from then on I used only the KJV. This retired engineer, Jacob Kunstman, had more influence on my articles than a pastor who published letters in Christian News asking how anyone could belong to a denomination NOT using the KJV. The pastor said at one point that all other translations should be burned. As Walther taught, “The Law always condemns.”

Commanding and forbidding are the functions of the Law. In contrast, the Gospel moves us to follow out of love. John Calvin, the Swiss Reformer had city ordinances passed in Geneva, Switzerland, commanding daily worship. The laws were passed and soon were ignored. It was an embarrassment. In one famous case, a Lutheran man was excommunicated because he took his son out of the church’s parochial school for one year, with the intention of putting him back in. This was to provide the child with some English schooling instead of German only.

One could condemn legalism all day, but that would be contrary to the emphasis of Christian worship. The Gospel must dominate our lives and our worship. The Savior is not a new Moses, a new law-giver, but our Redeemer from sin, our Good Shepherd who gently guides us.

In this light we can see that the Holy Spirit has given us a list to examine each and every day, the nine-fold fruits of the Spirit. The number is not accidental. In the Bible, the work of the Holy Trinity is given to us in groups of three. This reminds us that, for instance, faith, hope, and love originate in God, not us.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law.

Christ came to us to die on the cross for our sins. He takes away our sins by planting faith in our hearts. The one single thing we must have is faith. The Holy Spirit creates faith through the Gospel. That is why Lutherans emphasize so often that faith means trust. Our minds reject the concept that the perfect Son of God atoned for our sins. This is not against Christ, but us. Because of our sinful nature, we think, “Not my sins! No, my sins are too great. I have not done enough, believed hard enough, been contrite enough…” But the Gospel repeatedly says to us,

A) A) Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

B) B) Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, [gross or open sinners] Christ died for us.

C) C) Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Therefore, in Paul’s most important letter, we have a three-fold affirmation of the Gospel, establishing the atonement apart from any quality or virtue in ourselves. Christ died for the ungodly, for those who commit the most obvious sin. He died for us while we were still His enemies.

Only the Gospel can produce fruits and these fruits are God’s work through the Word. The fruits grow from “abiding in Christ,” as John 15:1-8 teaches us. If we abide in Christ, we will be fruitful. Abiding in Christ means hearing His Word and receiving the Sacraments. If we do not abide in Christ, we will wither away spiritually and be cast away.

Because the Gospel only gives comfort, it produces the fruits of love, joy, and peace. We have often seen the effect of romantic love. When a couple is engaged to be married, the future bride glows with happiness and peace. If a girl is newly engaged and cranky, then something is wrong, because the pledge of love and commitment by itself changes one's outlook on life.

The atoning death of Christ tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Trusting in God’s love causes us to be loving as well.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that goes beyond the happiness that so many people promise us. One cannot be happy during bankruptcy, in jail, or one a hospital bed waiting for surgery. But a believe can be joyful during times of great trial and distress, knowing that God works everything for the good for those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

We have as much difficulty with success and power as we have with difficulties. To be joyful when things go well means attributing all good things to God and not to ourselves. The Pharisee within us is tempted to say, “Well, I deserved this good fortune. I worked for it.” After living a few years, a believer knows that nothing happens apart from God’s will.

Peace is most importantly the peace that comes from knowing our sins are forgiven through Christ, that we will enjoy eternal life with Christ and all believers in Him. If everything has been done for us, what is left to worry about? All our anxieties are based upon ourselves, and they are wiped out (at least reduced) by the knowledge of salvation through Christ.

Longsuffering means enduring through great hardship and not giving in to despair. Anyone can be patient for a few days or years. Longsuffering can exist only when someone receives from God the message that everything has a purpose, whether we can see that purpose or not.

Gentleness comes from the love God places in our hearts. A loving person is gentle. Paul told the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 2:7) that he was “gentle as a nurse” among them, because even then a nurse was known as the prime example of gentleness. A nurse must care for the sick and disabled, not despising the disgusting (dis-grossting, as one child said) work of the profession. No one wants to have a nurse or physician who is rough in manner and action. We remember leaving a medical office throbbing in pain, especially when it is needless. We also appreciate gentleness in people. The Gospel makes people in conflict treat issues with gentleness, knowing every believer is a forgiven sinner, a redeemed trespasser.

Goodness is closely related to gentleness. It is a quality of looking for something good to do for others, without expecting praise or reward. The Gospel-led person cannot help doing things for others, because the divine energy of love does not stop to say, “And what will I get out this?”

Faithfulness is highly valued because it is so rare. Being trustworthy means doing what we say we believe. It is the opposite of hypocrisy and pretension. Only God can give us the power to be faithful or trustworthy.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Meekness is one of the prime qualities of Christ, often mentioned and held up for our edification.

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Titus 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

1 Corinthians 4:21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

Temperance or self-control – that refers to reigning in our passions, our temptation to let anger, lust, or any other emotion lead us into sin. I have mentioned to a number of people that it is a sin to doubt God’s goodness. Someone who despairs is sinning against God, no less than someone who punches out a policeman or seduces another person.

The Gospel moves us to love what is good, so the yeast of forgiveness influences us to be more fruitful in our daily lives as Christians. May God bless us in glorifying His name in all we do.