Tuesday, March 31, 2009

UOJ Questions



C. F. W. Walther brought German Pietism with him to Missouri.


Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Will UOJ Faces Finally Blush As They Confront the ...":

I'm relatively new to your blog, so permit me a question that you may have answered a dozen times. I mean no disrespect, as I have heard your arguments that UOJ flows from Pietism, and that you equate UOJ with salvation without faith. But I've not seen these questions answered:

What is the non-UOJ explanation of 2 Corinthians 5:19, where it says that God "reconciled the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them"? "The world" sounds pretty universal to me.

And Romans 3:24, where "ALL are justified freely by his grace." The same "all" that "have sinned," are the "all" that "are justified." Can the 2 "all"s mean 2 different groups of people?

Thanks for your explanation.

***

GJ - I have covered all these issues in Thy Strong Word, so feel free to read the book from the links provided. I have also addressed the same questions on this blog, although I admit that posts are difficult to find once they are buried in the past.

Reconciliation, atonement, expiation, propitiation, redemption - all are terms used for the objective truth of Christ dying on the cross for the sins of the world.

The message of reconciliation is the Gospel. The Promises of God produce faith through the work of the Holy Spirit united with the Word. That is why we call the Word an instrument or Means of Grace. UOJ Pietists declare that God has given grace or forgiveness or absolution to the entire world without the Means of Grace, without the Word, without faith.

I suggest that you read the fine points in Lenski, who said, "In the New Testament, no one is justified apart from faith."

How does your precious all turn into "many?"

KJV Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

KJV Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

Of course the Gospel has come to all men:

KJV Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

But the rationalistic UOJ explanation is to say everyone is forgiven without faith. I have read many UOJ classic statements. They seem to revolve around logic (if there is an exchange, then everyone is forgiven) or to circle around the Synodical Conference mummies, trying to outdo them in exaggeration.

KJV Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Whoa. I thought everyone was declared righteous, forgiven, absolved. All--as in all--as in the whole world. But Paul says many, not all.

How would the Holy Spirit edit Himself? All who are justified are justified freely, without payment (pace, Holy Father in Rome). There is no way to modify that without destroying the clear meaning of the sentence. UOJ lenses find UOJ where no one else can imagine it, judging from the plain meaning of the verse.

First - the crucifixion of Christ paid the price for the sins of the world. Knowing I am a sinner, I approach God as the gracious heavenly Father who is already reconciled by the blood sacrifice of His only-begotten Son. That message of Atonement has to be universal to be in harmony with the Gospel of the Scriptures. Otherwise we have Limited Atonement, a key doctrine of traditional Calvinism.

Second - this divine gift is a great treasure, but it lies in one heap until distributed by the Holy Spirit through the Means of Grace. Those who believe the Gospel message and guard the Word, abiding in the Means of Grace, receive all the blessings of the Promises - from forgiveness of sin to eternal life. Others hear the Gospel message and find it a way to satisfy their bellies. Others fall away for many different reasons. I have known WELS and other conservative pastors who have fallen away and become haters of God, and several were Church Growthers on steroids.

Others have become Pentecostals. Professors like Valleskey owe WELS a contrite apology for thrusting Schwaermer books into the hands of impressionable students.

---

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Questions":

Anonymous, it's important to see that where you quote Romans 3:24 there are these passages which also declare forgiveness, justification and righteousness only by faith.

Romans 3:22, "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:"

Romans 3:24, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" This verse says that redemption is in Christ Jesus and verse 25 declares that Christ is our mediator (propitiation) against God's wrath only through faith, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Again, verse 26 confirms justification only comes through faith.

Romans 3:28, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

Romans 3:30, "Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith."

In Christ,
Brett Meyer

Here are significant quotes where WELS AZ/CA DP Pastor Jon Buchholz teaches the false doctrine of UOJ to the WELS pastors and laity of the WELS 2005 Convention and admits that Scripture doesn't teach that God declared the whole world forgiven. He states that Scripture doesn't say what he's teaching everyone it says.

"God has forgiven the whole world. God has forgiven everyone his sins." This statement is absolutely true! This is the heart of the gospel, and it must be preached and taught as the foundation of our faith. But here’s where the caveat comes in: In Scripture, the word "forgive" is used almost exclusively in a personal, not a universal sense. The Bible doesn’t make the statement, "God has forgiven the world."

"God has forgiven all sins, but the unbeliever rejects God’s forgiveness." Again, this statement is true—and Luther employed similar terminology to press the point of Christ’s completed work of salvation.16 But we must also recognize that Scripture doesn’t speak this way."

"God has declared the entire world righteous." This statement is true, as we understand it to mean that God has rendered a verdict of "not-guilty" toward the entire world. It is also true—and must be taught—that the righteousness of Christ now stands in place of the world’s sin; this is the whole point of what Jesus did for us at Calvary. However, once again we’re wresting a term out of its usual context. In Scripture the term "righteous" usually refers to believers. "

http://www.wlsessays.net/node/390

Broken Record Cracks Me Up



Church and Chicanery readership is steady but somewhat critical.


Broken Record has left a new comment on your post "Adulterating the Word Means Replacing God's Word":

First of all, I will ask a question that it seems others have asked on this blog and I still haven't seen an answer to. That is, have you heard any of the people you criticize preach? Have you been to a service at their churches? If not, you are criticizing based on assumptions, misinterpretation and hearsay.

Second, find some new material please. I may sound like a broken record, but you all sound like broken records as well. We know you hate the world, we get it. I have an idea, why don't you go start your own synod and live angry divisive lives together?

***

GJ - First of all, not to sound like Broken Record, but...This blog is not required reading. Rather than change it for sourpuss Church and Chicaneries, I would rather expand it for those who were trampled by the clergy galloping to Fuller Seminary, Willow Creek, and Trinity Deerfield.

My researchers and I do extensive research, quote people verbatim, provide photos, and link to the material quoted. I do not have to sit down with a heretic, hold his hand, and explain where he is wrong - when he has published material mocking Christian doctrine. Therefore, I also do not have to attend his or her dreary services to know what they have published on their websites and blogs, especially when they copy the sermon titles, graphics, texts, and ideas of false teachers.

Joe Krohn--a favorite of Kudu Don Patterson--has a blog where he clearly disagrees with me but fails to link my blog. I can live with that. If that is your standard of excellence at Church and Chicanery, then ask Joe why he has to post anonymousely here.

Secondly, you just stated that you could read the hearts and minds of my favorite readers and Ichabod hisself. That is a clear violation of the Eighth Commandment, Luther's Small Catechism, Book of Concord. Repent.

Church and Chicanery Provides Upward Mobility



Kudu Don Patterson no longer gets a free vicar for his congregation.


Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Church and Chicanery Provides Upward Mobility":

So instead of free vicars Patterson brings in free-spending Karl Gurgel.

Watch to see how many more Rock and Roll churches show up in Texas.

Will UOJ Faces Finally Blush As They Confront the Facts about Their Precious Invention?





"This is very conveniently expressed by the terms objective and subjective justification. Objective justification is the act of God by which He proffers pardon to all through Christ; subjective, is the act of man, by which he accepts the pardon freely offered in the Gospel. The former is universal, the latter not." Translator.

Lectures on Christian Theology, Christian George Knapp (Halle University, the center of Pietism). Here is the link.

Translated by Leonard Woods Junior, one of the best known Protestants of the era.

This 1833 translation was used by all denominations until the 1890s. The book was in the libraries and used in the classrooms.

From the researcher:

His lectures that were given for years were finally
published in Halle in 1827:
Vorlesungen über die christliche Glaubenslehre

Also here:
Vorlesungen über die christliche Glaubenslehre (Halle 1827, 2 Bde.)
If you look in Google Books, they have an 1827
edition online, and also an 1836 edition.


The original was published in German, so one can see how easily the Pietism of Halle entered the old Synodical Conference.

C. F. W. worked with the Pietists before he came to America. He criticized every Protestant theologian except Spener.

Tholuck belonged to the next generation of Pietists at Halle. He taught Hoenecke.

More later. I owe this link to one of the best researchers around. We have been working separately but in harmony on this issue.

It's time to wake up and smell the Universalism.

UOJ = Enthusiasm.


"For God has already forgiven you your sins 1800 years ago when He in Christ absolved all men by raising Him after He first had gone into bitter death for them. Only one thing remains on your part so that you also possess the gift. This one thing is--faith. And this brings me to the second part of today's Easter message, in which I now would show you that every man who wants to be saved must accept by faith the general absolution, pronounced 1800 years ago, as an absolution spoken individually to him."
C. F. W. Walther, The Word of His Grace, Sermon Selections, "Christ's Resurrection--The World's Absolution" Lake Mills: Graphic Publishing Company, 1978 J-5 p. 233. Mark 16:1-8.

"Christ's Glorious Resurrection from the Dead the Actual Absolution of the Entire Sinful World Here I would point out two things: 1. That This Is Certain And True, and 2. That Therefore Every Man Who Wants To Be Saved Must By Faith Accept This General Absolution As Applying Also To Him,"
C. F. W. Walther, The Word of His Grace, Sermon Selections, "Christ's Resurrection--The World's Absolution" Lake Mills: Graphic Publishing Company, 1978 J-5 p. 230. Mark 16:1-8. [GJ - Does this sound like Decision Theology to you?]

"This doctrine of general justification is the guarantee and warranty that the central article of justification by faith is being kept pure. Whoever holds firmly that God was reconciled to the world in Christ, and that to sinners in general their sin was forgiven, to him the justification which comes from faith remains a pure act of the grace of God. Whoever denies general justification is justly under suspicion that he is mixing his own work and merit into the grace of God. [George Stoeckhardt, Concordia Theological Quarterly, April, 1978, p. 138.]
Pastor Vernon Harley "Synergism--Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 1.

"The chief purpose, however, is to keep this article (general justification) before the people for its own sake. It cannot be presented and studied too often. Its vital relation to the subjective, personal justification by faith, cannot be stressed too strongly. It forms the basis of the justification by faith and keeps this article free from the leaven of Pelagianism. Unless the sinner knows that his justification is already an accomplished fact in the forum of God, he will imagine that it is his faith, his good conduct, which moves God to forgive him his sins. And unless he knows that God had him personally in mind in issuing the general pardon on Easter morning, he will have no assurance of his justification." [Theodore Engelder, Concordia Theological Monthly, July/August/September, 1933. Reissued by the seminary printshop, Ft. Wayne, 1981.]
Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism--Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 1f.

"The entire Pauline doctrine of justification stands and falls with the special article of general justification. This establishes it beyond peradventure that justification is entirely independent of the conduct of man. And only in this way the individual can have the assurance of his justification. For it is the incontrovertible conclusion: Since God has already justified all men in Christ and forgiven them their sins, I, too, have a gracious God in Christ and forgiveness of all my sins." [Quoted with approval by Theodore Engelder, from George Stoeckhardt, Commentary on Romans, p. 264.]
Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism--Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 2.

"The resurrection is God's public absolution of the entire world: 'Your sins are forgiven, all sins of all human beings; and there is no exception.' This is the meaning of the technical term 'objective justification.' The objective justification is central to the doctrine of salvation and derives logically from the facts that God's reconciliation, forgiveness, and declaration of 'not guilty' in no wise depend on the attitude or behaviour of human beings. If objective justification is denied, then it must follow that those who are declared righteous in some way have contributed to God's change of heart; justification is then no longer solely the result of God's grace." [Theodore Mueller, Concordia Theological Quarterly, January, 1982, p. 29.]
Pastor Vernon Harley, "Synergism--Its Logical Association with General Justification," 511 Tilden, Fairmont, Minnesota 56031, August, 1984, p. 3.

"The starting point in presenting the doctrine of the means of grace must be the universal objective reconciliation or justification. This is the procedure of Scripture."
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., trans., Walter W. F. Albrecht, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953, III, p. 105.

"Now, then, if the Father raised Christ from the dead, He, by this glorious resurrection act, declared that the sins of the whole world are fully expiated, or atoned for, and that all mankind is now regarded as righteous before His divine tribunal. This gracious reconciliation and justification is clearly taught in Romans 4:25: 'Who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification.' The term dikaiosis here means the act of divine justification executed through God's act of raising Christ from the dead, and it is for this reason called the objective justification of all mankind. This truth Dr. Walther stressed anew in America. He taught that the resurrection of Christ from the dead is the actual absolution pronounced upon all sinners. (Evangelienpostille, p. 160ff.)…Calov, following Gerhard, rightly points out the relation of Christ's recurrection to our justification as follows: 'Christ's resurrection took place as an actual absolution from sin (respectu actualis a peccato absolutionis). As God punished our sins in Christ, upon whom He laid them and to whom He imputed them, as our Bondsman, so He also, by the very act of raising Him from the dead, absolved Him from our sins imputed to Him, and so He absolved also us in Him.'" [Bibl. Illust., ad Rom. 4:25]
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. 321. Romans 4:25.

"Scripture teaches the objective reconciliation. Nineteen hundred years ago Christ effected the reconciliation of all men with God. God does not wait for men to reconcile Him with themselves by means of any efforts of their own. He is already reconciled. The reconciliation is an accomplished fact, just like the creation of the world. Romans 5:10: 'We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.' When Christ died, God became reconciled." pt. 1 of paragraph
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. 347f. Romans 5:10.

"The resurrection of Christ is, as Holy Writ teaches, the actual absolution of the whole world of sinners. Romans 4:25: 'Who was raised again for our justification.' At that time we were objectively declared free from sin."
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. 348. Romans 4:25.

"As Christ's death lies in the past, so also our reconciliation is an accomplished fact. 2 Corinthians 5:19: 'God was in Christ, reconciling' (namely, when Christ lived and died on earth) 'the world unto Himself.' The katallassein of Romans 5:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:19 does not refer--let this fact be noted--to any change that occurs in men, but describes an occurrence in the heart of God. It was God who laid His anger by on account of the ransom brought by Christ. It was God who at that time already had in His heart forgiven the sins of the whole world, for the statement: 'God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself' means--and that is not our, but the Apostle's own interpretation--that God did 'not impute their trespasses unto them.' And 'not imputing trespasses' is, according to Scripture (Romans 4:6-8), synonymous with 'forgiving sins,' 'justifying' the sinner." part 2 of paragraph
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. p 348. Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19






Adulterating the Word Means
Replacing God's Word



Cover art by Norma Boecker.
The NPH book will be republished on Lulu.com.
When I gave the Cure chapter at a conference, Wally Oelhafen and Fred Adrian wigged out, with Kovo screaming and tossing the paper.
QED: the Cure chapter on the Means of Grace is good.


John has left a new comment on your post "Liturgical Worship Dates Back to the Old Testament...":

I believe that they don't just water down the Word, they totally remove it from their 'worship' by dropping the liturgy. They also try to justify this by saying that all of this is adiaphora.

If something becomes a point of contention, doesn't it cease to be adiaphora?

***

GJ - One elderly man said, "WELS makes everything adiaphora. Soon there is nothing left."

I doubt whether I am the first one to notice how often the word Lutheran has disappeared from the names of congregations, synodical agencies, and even the hymnal.

"Luther didn't want his name used," they shriek or cavil. Church and Chicaneries do not stop to explain why the name Lutheran fills them with fear and loathing.

The Reformer (you remember him from Reformation Sunday) said, "The Antichrist gets his power from substituting for Christ." The Church of Rome substitutes everything Christian for some quasi-Christian but really anti-Christian. The Antichrist substitutes himself for Christ, and there are many little Antichrists to help Holy Father in Rome.

That is how Church and Chicanery earns its nickname. They do not lead by saying, "We hate Luther's doctrine" (but they do), or "We hate the historic, Biblical liturgy," (but they do) or "We trust in our own works," (but they do). They offer a church that is relevant, relational, and not boring. In A-town they spend oodles of money to "shine the Gospel light" while gathering current WELS members and calling it a big, booming mission success.

The Chicaneries hate the Gospel and love themselves, so they take away the instruments of the Gospel to glory in themselves. Those instruments are the Means of Grace, which Chicaneries despise. God appointed those instruments for the benefit of mankind, so we know exactly where we obtain His grace and forgiveness.

Here is more information and a PDF or two about Ski's installation.

---

Freddy Finkelstein has left a new comment on your post "Adulterating the Word Means Replacing God's Word":

John states: "I believe that they don't just water down the Word, they totally remove it from their 'worship' by dropping the liturgy. They also try to justify this by saying that all of this is adiaphora."

I completely agree with this. It has long been acknowledged by Lutherans that our liturgy and hymnody so consistently carry worshipers through the teachings of Scripture, and with such depth and force, as to be of equal or greater benefit than the preaching. It is said of our hymnody,

"But especially in sacred song has the Lutheran Church a grand distinctive element of her worship. 'The Lutheran Church,' says Schaff, 'draws the fine arts into the service of religion, and has produced a body of hymns and chorals, which, in richness, power, and unction, surpasses the hymnology of all other churches in the world.' 'In divine worship,' says Goebel, 'we reach glorious features of pre-eminence. The hymns of the Church are the people's confession, and have wrought more than the preaching. In the Lutheran Church alone, German hymnology attained a bloom truly amazing. The words of holy song were heard everywhere, and sometimes, as with a single stroke, won whole cities for the Gospel'” (Krauth, C.P. The Conservative Reformation. pg. 154).

And this is what the Church Changers eliminate from Divine Worship, leaving only the preaching left as a source of the message of Law and Gospel. Not only do they know this, not only do they admit it, they point to the preaching in defense of themselves, saying, "See, we still have the Word -- we've got good preaching."

The fact is, passing off their Sunday morning entertainments as Divine Worship, they empty the Service of an essential source of the Gospel's message, and its most consistent source -- the liturgy and our time-proven hymnody. In doing so, they claim the right of adiaphora, but I can think of no justifiable reason for eliminating the teaching sound doctrine from the Divine Service -- not even to replace it with seeker friendly entertainments.

John's right. By dropping the liturgy, the Church Changers are not just watering down the Word, they are eliminating the sound teaching it conveys. They know it. But for the love of numbers, they don't seem to care.

Freddy Finkelstein

---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Adulterating the Word Means Replacing God's Word":

I have to agree with my friend "Freddy." I was a member of a WELS church who's pastor boasted of attending Willow Creek and spoke of his reasons for doing so....to learn how to reach more people etc.

In the end, a good friend of mine still attending that particular church will say, "But he still preaches Law and Gospel." My friend is even concerned about the new "pop culture" that has infused the services. My response is: I hope he is still preaching Law and Gospel! But where do we get the idea that the sermon is the only place to make clear the Law and Gospel? It is, or used to be, reflected in the way we Lutheran's worshipped and shouldn't be limited to 15 minutes of the service. I believe that every moment of a public meeting and worship service should be completely devoted to exclaiming the truth of Scripture in every way, song, action and confession. If it doesn't, at minimum it falls short of it's duty and calling. If this is done knowingly, we are abandoning the Grace of God, on an "as needed" basis in an effort to make our actions and efforts more relevant and in the process we replace God's. Remember "anti-Christ" also means "instead of" not just "against."

What's Cooking, Doc?



Installation Service Pastor Jason
On February 8th, our new shepherd, Pastor Jason, was installed. The service took place at the Summit Town Hall at 3:00 pm. Many area pastor participated. It was an exciting time for our Hope members and friends to be able to welcome Pastor Jason and his family to Hope.

Pastor Jason is the one wearing the tie.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What's Cooking, Doc?":

Duh....there's like four guys wearing ties in the picture...

GJ - So you get the joke or not?

Hope in Jesus--WELS--extended a call to Ski at the same time he got the call from Tim Glende to start The CORE.

The former pastor was a chef, who subsequently resigned from the ministry.

http://www.hopeinjesus.org// - [Cached Version]
Published on: 11/2/2007 Last Visited: 11/2/2007
Pastor Al Schleusener A native of Tomah , Wisconsin, Al enjoyed sports, outdoor activities, sports cars and art while growing up.As a young adult, his passion was culinary arts, which motivated him to earn a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, leading to a career as a chef. Although Al had a successful "first" career he decided to return to school and embark on his true vocation, the ministry.From Martin Luther College (where he met his wife, Chanda), Al attended the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, along the way serving a one-year vicarage at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
...
Al and Chanda were married in 1998. After their wedding, they served for two years as missionaries in Taiwan, and had numerous opportunities for travel and exploration.But the ultimate highlight of their life together came in January 2003, when God blessed Al and Chanda with their first child, Kyla Marie.
...
Al is excited and committed to serving his God as Pastor of Hope Lutheran Church.And we are grateful and fortunate to have him and his family with us as we pursue our mission. Blended Worship Everyone has his or her vision of worship.
...
Pastor Al SchleusenerBlended Worship

HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH

Worshiping in the Summit Town Hall

2911 N. Dousman Rd

Office: 143 N Main Street, Dousman

262-965-5762

Sunday Service – 9:00 AM

At Hope, the Bible is the foundation of our faith. We believe that

Christ, through the teachings of the Bible, guides us through all

our actions. We strive to bring to the community real world applications

of the Word of God. Our services are easy to follow and

our messages are relevant to today. Visitors are always welcome!

Baptism Sunday

October 22, 2006 at 9:00 am

Hope Lutheran Church will be holding a special Baptism Service.

Christian Baptism will be offered to any in the community who

desire it. This offer is extended to both adults and children who

have never had a Christian baptism. Those interested in baptism

for themselves or for their children are asked to contact Pastor Al

at 262-965-5762 or PastorAl@hopeinjesus.org.

Pastor Al will be available in the weeks ahead of the service to sit

down and discuss the Biblical meaning of baptism with any who

are interested. A special reception will be held following the service

in honor of those who are baptized.

“Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the

kingdom of God” John 3:5

Upcoming events include:

• Women’s “Advent by Candlelight”, an evening to prepare your

hearts and minds for the coming Christ Child -

November 26

• Hayride/Children’s Costume Contest - October

• Nature Hike – Early November

• Bread and Bible cooking class/Bible study – Oct-Nov-Dec

classes.

For more information on these and other activities please call the

church office – 262-965-5762


---

Evidence of Schwaermerism goes beyond the Pietistic cell groups being formed:

Fellowship Team Faye Frederich

Outreach Team Mike Thiele

Powerpoint Team Liz Silkey

Praise Team Dale Dahlke

Prayer Team Vicki Beck and Pam Strunk

Resources Team Scott Wood

Stewardship Team Les Strunk

Worship Team Jeff Neuberger

--

From the website:

Dousman Chili Contest - Meet and Greet
We are so excited that our First Chili Tasting Contest - Meet and Greet was a HUGE success! Over twenty Hoper's participated in inviting the Dousman Community into our Dousman Office. As an added bonus we won second place for Curly and Kathy's Wild Game Chili!!!!

Advent by Candlelight 2008
On Sunday, November 30th, the Ladies of Hope held their 5th annual "Advent by Candlelight" program. This program has been a wonderful way for Hope's women to prepare their hearts for the coming of their Savior. This year Wendysue Fleugge led the women in our celebration of the Advent of Christ with song.

In His Wake
The Thursday Small Group sponsored this tremendous event this summer. Invitations were given to youth from the ROC (Watertown's Recreation Outreach Center) to attend this day of Christian Fellowship and fun on the water. The event was held at the home of members, Cathy and Brian Porter. The day began and ended with prayer and devotion. Inbetween was packed with FUN!

Dousman Parade 2007
Flag Distribution - Hope members walked in the Oconomowoc Independance Day Parade, the Pretty Lake 4th of July Parade, and the Dousman Derby Days Parade. Over 4,000 flags were handed out. Each flag included an invite to our Baptism Sunday. Our Baptism Sunday offers Christian baptism to any in the community. People wishing to be baptized were asked to attend informational meetings with Pastor instructing them of the grace recieved through this gift of God.

***

GJ - Does anyone else suspect there is a database of Growth-Ideas-That-Work?

You Bring the Popcorn,
I'll Bring the Fire Tunnel




The fire tunnel developed from the Pentecostal Toronto Blessing, where the ministers told jokes and the audience rolled on the floor laughing.

Here is one account, which may explain where all the mortgage brokers went.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Liturgical Worship Dates Back to the Old Testament: The Divine Service Glorifies
The Savior, Not Man



The Crucifixion, by Norma Boeckler


John has left a new comment on your post "Typical Church and Change Pastor's Response to Pub...":

I LOVE the Divine Service. I love it because it is The Word. I love that I have it committed to memory because I don't have to concentrate on saying the words, I can concentrate on what the words say.The Word saves. Nothing can be more 'relevant' than that. Neither tradition, nor relevancy, nor style, nor setting saves.

***

GJ - In the name of relevancy, the Church Shrinkers water down the Word and adulterate it to make the Word appealing. Calvinists and Reformed deny the efficacy of the Word.

Before the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock Was Founded, Ski Took a Photo Pilgrimage and Posted the Results



Babtist Andy Stanley (left) hosted the conference. Big money in large conferences? Ask Amway.



Host Andy Stanley (left) posed with star-struck Ski.



Buske (right) is connected with Ski through the Gospel Lutheran Lighthouse
.


No Lutherans were caught worshiping at this media circus for Babtists with short-attention spans.



Church and Change to Ski, Buske, Parlow, et al: "Don't let us catch you praying down there in Atlanta. We are not in pray-ah fellowship with them Babtists...not yet."



No caption required.



"Let me be frank with you."



This could be the man who thought up The CORE.



Some of you thought C and C road trips were not spirit-ual.






Thanks to Ski's Drive 08 blog link.

And a big thanks to Paul Kelm for sending me those pictures. No wonder he is a consultant at The Love Shack!

More of the Same





Anonymouse has left a new comment on your post ""The Only Lutheran Left Standing" in TV":

Brett,

What did St. Marcus or Time of Grace do to you that creates such hatred in your heart? Or does pastorless Jackson have you under his spell and control?

***

GJ - I enjoy the way in which WELS apostates make an objection to false doctrine the very essence of sin. But what is more hateful than posting such comments anonymousely?

This website is read and enjoyed all over the world, perhaps by people who identify with the main character in "The Piece of String." That short story involved a man who picked up a string and was accused of stealing a wallet. The more he told the story of his injustice, the more people laughed at him. Finally, they began asking him about the piece of string just so they could be amused.

He died in the first days of January, and in the delirium of his death struggles he kept claiming his innocence, reiterating:

"A piece of string, a piece of string--look--here it is, M'sieu the Mayor."


The Wisconsin Sect has perfected the art of turning a valid doctrinal objection into the most heinous sin possible, the Sin Against Holy Mother WELS. The apostate hatred of sound doctrine is flipped into your hatred of individuals.

Clearly the internal temperature of Church and Chicanery has reached Wigging Out. They hate being exposed and loathe their inability to fool all the people all the time. They will leave behind a strong odor as they leave the room, like their Father Below.

See Below--Another Loving Response from People "Doing Great Things for Christ"





Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Typical Church and Change Pastor's Response to Pub...":

First of all, my comment wasn't directed at Greg Jackson, it was directed at the person who felt they (sic) no longer had a church home.

Secondly, my post was a response to a comment that was left; quite a different thing than making an assumption and posting on it.

Thirdly, the assumptions I was referring to were not Ski's attendance at conferences with which you take issue. Those are fact, and who cares? The assumptions I'm taking issue with are the inference that somehow by taking initiative to learn outside of official GJ-approved channels, that he's automatically in fellowship with those who teach at the conference! THAT, my friends, is an assumption, and I'll stand by my assessment that the assumption is WRONG.

Here’s more evidence of the assumptions made on this blog. I am not a pastor. I have not been educated in ANY Lutheran institution...ever. I'm not even lifelong WELS - I'm just a midlife convert who has surrendered his life to Christ. I am WELS because I believe that despite the shortcomings, it is still the most Biblically based church out there. If they weren't, I wouldn't stay.

And before you accuse me of not believing in the efficacy of the Word, I do believe it. I also believe that insistence on traditions that have no relevance to those not raised in a Lutheran church can (and often does) prevent people from hearing the Word.

This is why I will defend the actions of Ski, Parlow, Doebler, and any other pastor willing to take the risk of angering their "fellow brothers” in the Synod. These people are doing great things for Christ and I am a personal testimony to those actions. Removing those barriers opened a door for my personal walk. Stubborn, bullheaded insistence on tradition would have driven me away at that time in my life.

This is what the anti-Church and Change crowd fails to understand. To many people, the liturgy means nothing. The hymns mean nothing. And it’s not because of the content lacks depth, it’s because the setting is irrelevant to modern ears.

Mind you, I’m not condemning tradition, just supporting more avenues to reach people. I have come to appreciate the traditions over time. For many others though, that same tradition, administered by the same people in the same church and in the same manner can drive people away. I have been to many churches, traditional and otherwise. The greatest thing these pastors deliver is their adherence to Scripture and the Confessions, they’re just doing it differently. The confession is still there. The absolution is still there. The sermons are still there. The creeds and the prayers are still there. These men are doing it in a way that I can translate directly into my life…no barriers.

My assessment is based on fact and FIRST-HAND observation. And that’s the criticism –the hallmarks of this blog include hearsay, assumptions, name-calling, gossip, and a generally vitriolic tone. This isn’t correcting and rebuking – it’s sinful pride, pure and simple.

***

GJ - According to Ski's own Drive 08 blog, hidden from view, he did in fact worship with Babtist Andy Stanley. He provided the photos, but those do not copy and paste. Memo to self - ask Kelm how to do that with certain media.



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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "See Below--Another Loving Response from People "Do...":

I almost busted a gut when I read the phrase, "He improvised again and again." The Word in flesh..improvising!!?? Like when He went to the synagogue and decided not to read the appointed lesson because it wasn't relevant? Like when He opted for prime rib instead of lamb at the Passover because lamb was just too boring?

I, too, am a convert to Lutheranism. I took the initiative to learning the meaning of the liturgy, without the help of my pastor, thank you. And, like fine art, I learned to appreciate it. Sorry, it's really not all about you.

Artie

***

GJ - We are more likely to appreciate a church where God is worshiped and the Gospel comes to us through the Means of Grace alone if we have left a non-liturgical, personality cult sect.

This just in: Babtist Stetzer is OK to teach WELS pastors and laity because he is critical of the Emerging Church. Don't fail to miss his lectures at the C and C conference in November.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Typical Church and Change Pastor's Response to Public False Doctrine Being Rebuked in Public



This is the Mission/Vision Statement of Church and Chicanery. Don't smirk. It has worked for them ever since 1977.


Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Stay in WELS, Enjoy Groeschel's Sermons: At the Po...":

You, of course, have been to the CORE and witnessed all of these misdeeds which would cause you to declare a lack of fellowship?

No?

Well then, GJ must have been there and seen this, and of course, his slanted view of all things Lutheran MUST be accurate...

Hmm, that's not the case either.

Well, SURELY you've spoken with the pastor, then, to understand where they (sic) stand doctrinally? I mean, it's not diificult (sic) to pick up the phone...It would seem you're in no place to criticize...maybe you should actually check things out before making such audacious statements, rather than taking someone elses (sic) word as fact. As someone who has actually been there, I assure you, they are assumptions only, and incorrect.

***

GJ - I found three errors in a few sentences. Yup, that's a Sausage Factory graduate.

But let's hear from Luther in the Book of Concord:

284] All this has been said regarding secret sins. But where the sin is quite public so that the judge and everybody know it, you can without any sin avoid him and let him go, because he has brought himself into disgrace, and you may also publicly testify concerning him. For when a matter is public in the light of day, there can be no slandering or false judging or testifying; as, when we now reprove the Pope with his doctrine, which is publicly set forth in books and proclaimed in all the world. For where the sin is public, the reproof also must be public, that every one may learn to guard against it.
(Luther, The Large Catechism, Book of Concord, The Ten Commandments)



Did this parson pick up the phone and call me? No. He sent a comment to be published anonymously. How brave!

Slander has been the name of the C and C game ever since the gang fell for Church Growth in the 1970s. Anyone who questions them is called, behind his back:

  1. Legalistic
  2. Brain-damaged.
  3. Senile.
  4. Lazy.
  5. Threatened by change.
  6. Unloving.
  7. Unbrotherly.
  8. Unconcerned about the lost.
  9. Slanderous - misusing their favorite weapon, the Eighth Commandment.
  10. In violation of Matthew 18 - another favorite weapon.

However, the anonymous pastor has no problem with a WELS pastor being trained at Babtist Stanley's worship services and copying the sermons of the pan-denominational Enthusiast Craig Groeschel. Ski has bragged openly about both, and so has his pricey executive assistant, who is working 18 hour days getting the soda fountain ready. Both of them were also at another beehive, Granger Community Church, where they saw a former member of St. Markus. GCC probably accepts transfers directly from St. Markus.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Stay in WELS, Enjoy Groeschel's Sermons: At the Po...":

If Ski wanted to put a stop to these "false assumptions," he could simply post his sermons on his website. Or at least have a website that lives up to his motto "Christ is at the core of everything we do."

Christ is pretty well hidden on the site behind jumbled graphics and a garbled layout. (More evidence that presentation, and not content, is his priority...and that even in presentation he is failing.)

These are not "false assumptions." I notice Pastor Jackson has Ski's instructors, materials, and resources well documented. That makes it fact, not assumption.

Ski's backward emphases are evidenced by his website, his emphasis on soda machines, bands, free wi-fi, and everything else that has nothing to do with Jesus.

A good pastor makes his witness plain in everything he does. He does not hide his beliefs in eight trite "We believe" statements buried on a website, and then place the responsibility on everyone else to call him or travel to Appleton, Wisconsin, to find out what he's teaching. How can we assume the best based on that website and his Baptist sermon themes and titles?

Again, if he wants to stop this, he can post his sermons and Bible classes (which are currently for "approved access only") and prove that Christ, and not Baptist doctrine, "is at the center of everything he does." Until then, I'll believe the evidence presented here.

"Christ is at the center of everything we do" is easy to say. If it's true, it should also be easy to prove. So let's see it.

***

GJ - Ski's earlier blog brags about his Babtist training, with loads of pictures, facts about some of the WELS pastors who also went. He also wrote about skipping Deutschlander at the WELS conference down there to attend Andy Stanley's beehive of Enthusiasm.

The link to Drive 08 on his blog disappeared, but the material is still there.

Ski at Drive 08.

He also went to the Catalyst One Day event, shared by his professor of missions Stanley and his homiletics professor Craig Groeschel.

Judica - The Fifth Sunday in Lent



The Trinity, by Norma Boeckler


Judica, The Fifth Sunday in Lent

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time

Mid-Week Lenten Services are Thursdays at 6 PM.

The Hymn #291 St. Anne 4.3
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 Hebrews 9:11-15
The Gospel John 8:46-59
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #40 Yigdal 4.94

Mediator of the New Testament

The Hymn #380 St. John 4.12
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 #456 Spohr 4.36

KJV Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

KJV John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? 49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. 50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

O almighty God, who of Thy great mercy didst cause Thy Son to be conceived by the Holy Ghost, and to become incarnate of the blessed virgin Mary according to the angel's annunciation: Grant us by Thy grace, that our sinful conception may be purified by His holy conception, through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Mediator of the New Testament

Preface
I enjoyed the Gerhard volume on Baptism and Holy Communion. Johann Gerhard (not to be confused with the hymn writer Paul Gerhardt) was a brilliant and prolific Lutheran theologian. The extent of his work is difficult to imagine. He wrote 10,000 letters, published enormous volumes of Lutheran orthodoxy, and served the church in various capacities. Most of all, he was a Biblical theologian. This English version deals with every concern or question someone might have about Baptism and Communion. The original date was 1610, only 30 years after the Formula of Concord.

When we encounter a truly great theologian and Biblical teacher, we find that he sees the entire Bible as a testimony of one unified truth. Luther and Gerhard are quite similar in this regard. Gerhard is easy to follow and constantly relies on the Scriptures to show the foundation for his thoughts.
New Testament
This passage from Hebrews reminds us of how God prepared His people for the atoning sacrifice of His Son for centuries before Jesus died on the cross for our sins. In the Temple, the priest entered the holy of holies and performed a blood sacrifice for the sins of the people.

All the descriptions of blood sacrifices in the Old Testament prepared believers to understand the blood of Jesus poured out for the sins of the world.

KJV Exodus 30:10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.

KJV 2 Chronicles 29:23 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: 24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

But we can also observe how God’s own example is far beyond what humans would imagine. In this case, when the Bible teaches about the atoning sacrifice, Christ is both the victim and the high priest who offers the sacrifice. Similarly, we believe in Jesus as the Good Shepherd, but He is both the Shepherd and the sacrificial lamb. I was trying to get this across in a confirmation class many years ago, and one student said about the Exodus, after many questions, “Everything points to Jesus.” He was responding to the fact that the blood of the lamb on the doorposts, the spotless lamb at the Passover, the water springing from the rock, the manna from heaven, and many other aspects of the Exodus prefigured the ministry of Jesus.

We can know everything about the Old Testament and not see this. On the road to Emmaus, the two disciples knew the Scriptures, but Jesus opened their eyes about the meaning of the Word.

KJV Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

Someone can read all day about Old Testament blood sacrifice and not realize that all of the details point toward one moment in time when the Incarnate Word would be the blood sacrifice.

It has been an constant theme of the church, begun in the earliest times, and repeated by the orthodox Lutherans, that the blood and water which flowed from the wound of Jesus represented the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.

"Whoever is baptized in Christ is baptized through His suffering and blood or, to state it more clearly, through Baptism he is bathed in the blood of Christ and is cleansed from sins. For this reason St. Paul calls Baptism a "washing of regeneration" (Titus 3:5); and according to what Christians say and picture, the Sacraments flow from the wounds of Christ. And what they say and picture is right." [Plass footnote: "Thus Jerome (d. 420) sees the Sacrament symbolized by the blood and water that flowed from the side of the dead Christ (John 19:34). Similarly St. Augustine (d. 430). In Luther's days pictures and woodcuts presented the same view. See W 30, II, 527, note; SL 13a, 491f.]
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 46. to Duke George, 1533. John 19:34; Titus 3:5.

Gerhard too refers to baptism as being washed in the blood of Christ.

"Even though the water which is used for holy Baptism continues to retain its natural essence and natural attributes after Baptism, it is nevertheless not just lowly [plain] water, but it is formulated in God's Word and combined with God's Word. Thus it is a powerful means through which the Holy Trinity works powerfully; the Father takes on the one who is baptized as His dear child; the Son washes him of his sins with His blood; the Holy Spirit regenerates and renews him for everlasting life."
Johann Gerhard, A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, 1610, ed. D. Berger, J. Heiser, Malone, Texas: Repristination Press, 2000, p. 56.

We cannot understand God’s forgiveness through our human reason alone. Only the Holy Spirit can show us the love, mercy, and grace of the Holy Trinity in forgiving our sins and declaration to us in so many ways that we can always return to the cross for forgiveness. Human forgiveness is limited and tends to run quite low. The farther our society goes away from the Word, the less evidence we see for forgiveness and patience. Because we resist the truth of the Scriptures, God teaches us the same lesson repeatedly and then helps us with the sacrament of Holy Communion.

The Scriptures teach the forgiveness of sin and that is foremost in every Gospel promise. It is a sign of the age of the Great Apostasy (falling away from the faith) that Christian leaders talk about blessings from God but not forgiveness of sin, because sin is negative and implies that people are sinners. That makes it so much easier to see that the greatest sin of the Bible is unbelief in the Word. When someone makes a conscious effort to talk about the Bible and about Jesus while ignoring the forgiveness of sin, he is promoting and teaching unbelief.

I was thinking about this problem while I was pulling weeds, mostly London rocket and mallow, although plump examples of goat’s head have appeared as well. Pulling weeds will always conjure up in my mind the expulsion of Adam and Even from the Garden.

KJV Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

When I encounter weeds too tough to pull out by hand, I think, “Oh Adam, Adam. Look at what you did.” The nature of original sin is such that all our actions and thoughts are tainted by and changed by the corruption of sin. That much must be believed before we can appreciate and be thankful for forgiveness through Christ. We have a constant need for forgiveness of our sin, because we cannot perfect ourselves and escape this nature.

The Israelites believed in their sin enough to have blood sacrifices for centuries. In fact, I understand that the tradition is still taught in the hope that the Temple will be built again. God has said to us in many different passages, in many different ways, but especially in Hebrews: Jesus is the high priest Who has offered up Himself as the blood sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world.

KJV Leviticus 4:26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

KJV Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

The KJV uses atonement in this passage as a synonym for reconciliation. Holy Communion offers us the visible form of this Gospel promise:

"Accordingly, we say that by virtue of the institution, the holy Supper was established by Christ and was used by the believers chiefly to this end: that the promise of the gracious forgiveness of sins should be sealed and our faith should thus be strengthened. Then, too, we are incorporated in Christ and are thus sustained to eternal life; in addition, subsequently, other end results and benefits of the holy Supper come to pass. Yet, both of the fruits indicated above always remain the foremost."
Johann Gerhard, A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, 1610, ed. D. Berger, J. Heiser, Malone, Texas: Repristination Press, 2000, p. 369.

Quotations

Holy Communion

"And just as the Word has been given in order to excite this faith, so the Sacrament has been instituted in order that the outward appearance meeting the eyes might move the heart to believe [and strengthen faith]. For through these, namely, through Word and Sacrament, the Holy Ghost works."
Apology Augsburg Confession, XXIV (XII), #70. The Mass. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 409. Tappert, p. 262. Heiser, p. 123.

"Our adversaries have no testimonies and no command from Scripture for defending the application of the ceremony for liberating the souls of the dead, although from this they derive infinite revenue. Nor, indeed, is it a light sin to establish such services in the Church without the command of God and without the example of Scripture, and to apply to the dead the Lord's Supper, which was instituted for commemoration and preaching among the living [for the purpose of strengthening the faith of those who use the ceremony]. This is to violate the Second Commandment, by abusing God's name."
Apology Augsburg Confession, XXIV. #89. The Mass. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 413f. Tappert, p. 265f. Heiser, p. 124.

"Whoever denies the Real Presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper must pervert the words of Institution where Christ the Lord, speaking of that which He gives His Christians to eat, says: 'This is My body,' and, speaking of that which He gives them to drink, says: 'This is My blood.' [Also 1 Corinthians 10:16]
Francis Pieper, The Difference between Orthodox and Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 40. 1 Corinthians 10:16.

"If Reformed theology wishes to free itself from the confusion of self-contradiction and its other Christological errors, it must by all means eliminate its rationalistic principle that the finite is not capable of the infinite."
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. p. 275.

"And all these are established by the words by which Christ has instituted it, and which every one who desires to be a Christian and go to the Sacrament should know. For it is not our intention to admit to it and to administer it to those who know not what they seek, or why they come."
Large Catechism, The Sacrament of the Altar. #2. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 753. Tappert, p. 447. Heiser, p. 210.

"For it is not founded upon the holiness of men, but upon the Word of God. And as no saint upon earth, yea, no angel in heaven, can make bread and wine to be the body and blood of Christ, so also can no one change or alter it, even though it be misused. For the Word by which it became a Sacrament and was instituted does not become false because of the person or his unbelief. For He does not say: If you believe or are worthy you receive My body and blood, but: Take, eat and drink; this is My body and blood."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #16-17. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 757. Tappert, p. 448. Heiser, p. 211.

"On this account it is indeed called a food of souls, which nourishes and strengthens the new man. For by Baptism we are first born anew; but (as we said before) there still remains, besides, the old vicious nature of flesh and blood in man, and there are so many hindrances and temptations of the devil and of the world that we often become weary and faint, and sometimes also stumble."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #23. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 757. Tappert, p. 449. Heiser, p. 211f.

"Therefore it {communion} is given for a daily pasture and sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself so as not to fall back in such a battle, but become every stronger and stronger. For the new life must be so regulated that it continually increase and progress; but it must suffer much opposition. For the devil is such a furious enemy that when he sees that we oppose him and attack the old man, and that he cannot topple us over by force, he prowls and moves about on all sides, tries all devices, and does not desist, until he finally wearies us, so that we either renounce our faith or yield hands and feet and become listless or impatient. Now to this end the consolation is here given when the heart feels that the burden is becoming too heavy, that it may here obtain new power and refreshment."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #24-27. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 759. Tappert, p. 449. Heiser, p. 211.

"For here in the Sacrament you are to receive from the lips of Christ forgiveness of sin, which contains and brings with it the grace of God and the Spirit with all His gifts, protection, shelter, and power against death and the devil and all misfortune."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #70. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 769. Tappert, p. 454. Heiser, p. 214.

"Therefore, if you cannot feel it {the works of the flesh, Galatians 5:199ff. above}, at least believe the Scriptures; they will not lie to you, and they know your flesh better than you yourself...Yet, as we have said, if you are quite dead to all sensibility, still believe the Scriptures, which pronounce sentence upon you. And, in short, the less you feel your sins and infirmities, the more reason have you to go to the Sacrament to seek help and a remedy."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #76-78. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 771. Tappert, p. 455. Heiser, p. 214.

"Calvin was dissatisfied with Zwingli's interpretation of the Lord's Supper, but his own interpretation was also wrong. He said that a person desiring to receive the body and blood of Christ could not get it under the bread and wine, but must by his faith mount up to heaven, where the Holy Spirit would negotiate a way for feeding him with the body and blood of Christ. These are mere vagaries, which originated in Calvin's fancy. But an incident like this shows that men will not believe that God bears us poor sinners such great love that He is willing to come to us."
C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1928, p. 185.

"Is the Lord's Supper the place to display my toleration, my Christian sympathy, or my fellowship with another Christian, when that is the very point in which most of all we differ; and in which the difference means for me everything--means for me, the reception of the Savior's atonement? Is this the point to be selected for the display of Christian union, when in fact it is the very point in which Christian union does not exist?"
Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: 1911, p. 905f.

"For in Confession as in the Lord's Supper you have the additional advantage, that the Word is applied to your person alone. For in preaching it flies out into the whole congregation, and although it strikes you also, yet you are not so sure of it; but here it does not apply to anyone except you. Ought it not to fill your heart with joy to know a place where God is ready to speak to you personally? Yea, if we had a chance to hear an angel speak we would surely run to the ends of the earth."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983 II, p. 199.

"In addition there is this perversion, that whereas Christ instituted the use of His Supper for all who receive it, who take, eat, and drink, the papalist Mass transfers the use and benefit of the celebration of the Lord's Supper in our time to the onlookers, who do not communicate, yes, to those who are absent, and even to the dead."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 498.

"However, you will be sure as to whether the sacrament is efficacious in your heart, if you watch your conduct toward your neighbor. If you discover that the words and he symbol soften and move you to be friendly to your enemy, to take an interest in your neighbor's welfare, and to help him bear his suffering and affliction, then all is well. On the other hand, if you do not find it so, you continue uncertain even if you were to commune a hundred times a day with devotions so great as to move you to tears for very joy; for wonderful devotions like this, very sweet to experience, yet as dangerous as sweet, amount to nothing before God. Therefore we must above all be certain for ourselves, as Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:10: 'Give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure.'"
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983 II, p. 211. 2 Peter 1:10.

"Hence it is manifest how unjustly and maliciously the Sacramentarian fanatics (Theodore Beza) deride the Lord Christ, St. Paul, and the entire Church in calling this oral partaking, and that of the unworthy, duos pilos caudae equinae et commentum, cuius vel ipsum Satanam pudeat, as also the doctrine concerning the majesty of Christ, excrementum Satanae, quo diabolus sibi ipsi et hominibus illudat, that is, they speak so horribly of it that a godly Christian man should be ashamed to translate it. [two hairs of a horse's tail and an invention of which even Satan himself would be ashamed; Satan's excrement, by which the devil amuses himself and deceives men].
Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII, Lord's Supper, 67, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 997. Tappert, p. 581f. Heiser, p. 270.

"Dr. Luther, who, above others, certainly understood the true and proper meaning of the Augsburg Confession, and who constantly remained steadfast thereto till his end, and defended it, shortly before his death repeated his faith concerning this article with great zeal in his last Confession, where he writes thus: 'I rate as one concoction, namely, as Sacramentarians and fanatics, which they also are, all who will not believe that the Lord's bread in the Supper is His true natural body, which the godless or Judas received with the mouth, as well as did St. Peter and all [other] saints; he who will not believe this (I say) should let me alone, and hope for no fellowship with me; this is not going to be altered [thus my opinion stands, which I am not going to change]."
Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII, Lord's Supper, 33, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 983. Tappert, p. 575. Heiser, p. 267.

"Besides this, you will also have the devil about you, whom you will not entirely tread under foot, because our Lord Christ Himself could not entirely avoid him. Now, what is the devil? Nothing else than what the Scriptures call him, a liar and murderer. A liar, to lead the heart astray from the Word of God, and blind it, that you cannot feel your distress or come to Christ. A murderer, who cannot bear to see you live one single hour. If you could see how many knives, darts, and arrows are every moment aimed at you, you would be glad to come to the Sacrament as often as possible."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #80-82. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 771f. Tappert, p. 456. Heiser, p. 214.

"Here are examples, in some cases already alluded to by District Presidents: 1. Performing weddings, funerals and baptism without first consulting his successor or the pastor of the congregation; 2. Still striving to retain a leadership role in the congregation from which he retired. RX: The retiree is essentially and actually a lay member and must not serve in any pastoral role unless he is requested or directed so to do; 3. Giving counsel or advice to his successor, or the pastor where he is a member in retirement. RX: If the latter wants or seeks counsel or help, let him ask for it. 4. Giving comfort or support to malcontents who are not satisfied with the present pastor. RX: Be courteous and advise the dissatisfied individuals that you are not the pastor and that they need to bring their concerns to the shepherd of the flock."
Kurt Brink, Overcoming Pastoral Pitfalls, Albuquerque: 1992, p. 126.

"For Scripture never calls either Baptism or the Lord's Supper mysteries or sacraments. Therefore this is an unwritten (agraphos) appellation."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 29. Chapter Four.

"The purest and best part of the human race, the special nursery and flower of God's Church, is tender youth. Youth retains the gift of the Holy Spirit which it received in Baptism; it learns eagerly the true doctrine about God and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ; it calls Him God with a chaste mind and with a simple, pure faith; it thanks Him with a quick and joyful heart for the blessings received from Him; in its studies and the other parts of life, it carries out the duties commanded it; and it obeys God and parents reverently. Particularly God-pleasing, therefore, are the studies of one's earliest age: prayer, obedience and praises which honor God, regardless of how weak and stammering its voice may be."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 9. Chapter Four.

"On the contrary, with the Anabaptists and the Reformed Church in general, the Mennonites are Enthusiasts, lay great stress on the immediate working of the Holy Ghost, who is said to 'guide the saints into all truth.' In his Geschichte der Mennonitengemeinden John Horsch, a prominent Mennonite, states that the Holy Spirit is the 'inner word,' who enables Christians to understand the Scriptures. Without the inner word, or the light, the Scripture is a dead letter and a dark lantern."
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 260. Chapter Four.

"Naturally, Universalists deny that the Sacraments are Means of Grace. Some Universalists observe three sacraments--consecration, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. The act of consecration of children consists in the parents' pledging themselves to rear their children in the admonition of the Lord."
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 409f.

"The Anabaptists, the mystics, and other fanatics spoke of Scripture only as the external word, a dead letter, and contemptuously pronounced those who adhered to Scripture as 'worshipers of the letter.' They separated the activity of the Spirit from Scripture, from the Word, and held that the Spirit operates immediately, producing an inner illumination, etc."
E. Hove, Christian Doctrine, Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1930, p. 27f.

(6) "For the joy Thine advent gave me, For Thy holy, precious Word; For Thy Baptism, which doth save me, For Thy blest Communion board; For Thy death, the bitter scorn, For Thy resurrection morn, Lord, I thank Thee and extol Thee, And in heaven I shall behold Thee." Thomas Kingo, 1689, cento, "Like the Golden Sun Ascending," The Lutheran Hymnal, trans., George T. Rygh, 1908 St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #207. Acts 2:32.

(1) "He that believes and is baptized Shall see the Lord's salvation; Baptized into the death of Christ, He is a new creation. Through Christ's redemption he shall stand Among the glorious heavenly band Of every tribe and nation. (2) "With one accord, O God, we pray: Grant us Thy Holy Spirit; Look Thou on our infirmity Through Jesus' blood and merit. Grant us to grow in grace each day That by this Sacrament we may Eternal life inherit." Thomas Kingo, 1689, "He That Believes and Is Baptized" The Lutheran Hymnal, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #301. Mark 16:16.

"As distinguished from the Gospel, Sacraments are acts, we apply water in Baptism, and we eat and drink in the Lord's Supper. They are sacred acts, and must, as such, be distinguished from ordinary washing, eating and drinking...A Sacrament which offers God's blessings cannot be instituted by man or the Church, but by God alone."
Edward W. A. Koehler, A Short Explanation of Dr. Martin Luther's Small Catechism, Fort Wayne: Concordia Theological Seminary Press, 1946, p. 254.

"In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. For God wished to appear even to Moses through the burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet, neither Elijah nor Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments [or spoken Word]. Neither was John the Baptist conceived without the preceding word of Gabriel, nor did he leap in his mother's womb without the voice of Mary."
Smalcald Articles, VIII. Confession, 9-10 Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 497. 2 Peter 1:21.

"Thus we do also in infant baptism. We bring the child in the conviction and hope that it believes, and we pray that God may grant it faith; but we do not baptize it upon that, but solely upon the command of God. Why so? Because we know that God does not lie. I and my neighbor and, in short, all men, may err and deceive, but the Word of God cannot err." [Ego et proximus meus et in summa omnes homines errare possunt et fallere, porro autem Verbum Dei nec potest errare nec fallere.]
Large Catechism, Infant Baptism, 57, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, J-9 p. 747.

"The same is true of other factions--the Anabaptists and similar sects. What else do they but slander baptism and the Lord's Supper when they pretend that the external [spoken] Word and outward sacraments do not benefit the soul, that the Spirit alone can do that?"
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 208. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. Chapter Four.

"Regarding the baptizer--who may be a woman even--and the baptized, we certainly can see nothing wonderful. The humanity in the case does not effect any great work; the work is wrought by Him who is God, Lord, and Spirit."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 218. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11;

"But the discerning Christian can with satisfaction boast on this wise: 'My baptism or my absolution is not of my own devising or ordaining, nor of another man's. It is of Christ my Lord."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 219. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11;

"It is a glory which every preacher may claim, to be able to say with full confidence of heart: 'This trust have I toward God in Christ, that what I teach and preach is truly the Word of God.' Likewise, when he performs other official duties in the Church--baptizes a child, absolves and comforts a sinner--it must be done in the same firm conviction that such is the command of Christ. He who would teach and exercise authority in the Church without this glory, 'it is profitable for him,' as Christ says, (Matthew 18:6), 'that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.' For the devil's lies he preaches, and death is what he effects."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 227. 2 Corinthians 3:4-11; Matthew 18:6

"The first class of disciples are those who hear the Word but neither understand nor esteem it. And these are not the mean people of the world, but the greatest, wisest and the most saintly, in short they are the greatest part of mankind; for Christ does not speak here of those who persecute the Word nor of those who fail to give their ear to it, but of those who hear it and are students of it, who also wish to be called true Christian and to live in Christian fellowship with Christians and are partakers of baptism and the Lord's Supper. But they are of a carnal heart, and remain so, failing to appropriate the Word of God to themselves, it goes in one ear and out the other, just like the seed along the wayside did not fall into the earth, but remained lying on the ground..."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983 J-209 II, p. 114. Luke 8:4-15 (par. Mark 4: Matthew 13:)

Saturday, March 28, 2009

"The Only Lutheran Left Standing" in TV




That is Mark Jeske, describing himself at Concordia LCMS, Mequon.

Pardon me, but does St. Markus have a product recall program that would ship Ski back to Milwaukee so they can repair his Lutheran doctrine?

No, St. Markus would have to sub-contract the work. The man who hired Bruce Becker is not going to make Ski a Lutheran.