One Lutheran said recently, referring to the Wauwatosa myth, "They claim orthodoxy can be taught from the Word of God alone."
I said, "It can, but it isn't. They start with all the traditional Holy Mother WELS assumptions and work back to their proofs."
Nevertheless, the Word of God is sufficient, clear, and effective in all Gospel work. God has appointed the Means of Grace so we know exactly where forgiveness is to be found. As Lenski said, fads and programs come and go - only the Word builds the Church.
Here are some positive suggestions about relying on the Word of God. At the very least, as someone wrote, at least the pastor will end up a believer:
- The KJV is used consistently, because the NIV and similar monstrosities obliterate the Sacraments. The KVJ is ideal for public reading, to preserve the gold standard. If people want to read a modernized version, there are many KJV updates. The traditional KJV is directly linked to Luther, which is probably why the Shrinkers hate it so much.
- The pastor has only three jobs: a) conduct the liturgy and preach an original sermon based on his study of the Word; b) teach the Word, especially to catechumens; c) visit the membership, especially the sick, shut-in, and spiritually inert.
- All desired social activities in the congregation are run by those who want them, not organized and managed by the pastor: youth activities, ladies' groups, WWII discussion groups.
- Cell groups are shut down because they are breeding grounds for Enthusiasm, fostering Pietistic superiority complexes and Pentecostal outbreaks. Do I hear an Amen?
- Stewardship manipulation is dropped in favor of relying on the Gospel. A new building or renovation is not a Means of Grace, so commission-earning salesmen are not hired.
- The Book of Concord becomes a regular focus of pastoral study and adult education. I favor starting with the Formula of Concord. The Large Catechism is also an excellent choice.
- Schwaermer books are tossed from the church library and the pastoral study: Fuller, Willow Creek, Trinity Deerfield, Driscoll, Groeschel, Beeson, Sweet, Valleskey.
- Luther's sermons and his Small Catechism are regularly promoted and distributed throughout the congregation and among prospects. An entire set can be bought for about $40, less than the cost of one toxic CG seminar.
- The Word is broadcast faithfully in as many ways as possible. For example, a web camera can send the service via the Internet for free through Ustream or other services. A blog allows sermons to be published easily and quickly for the entire world to read. (See the map on the Bethany blog. The dots appear all over the world.) No one needs a web design certificate to blog.
- Pastors and laity start addressing false doctrine directly and boldly, facing down the false teachers, who keep demanding that they be addressed personally.
- Congregations and pastors trust the Word alone to bring about God's will.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Synod and Congregation - Based on the Word of God":
Sounds good, short of mandating the KJV. There are other translations out there, including the ESV. Older historic manuscripts were not available to the KJV translators back in a.D. 1611. Why not "An American Translation", or the NET that preceded "GOD'S WORD?" As for the N.T., Koine Greek was street Greek, not the beautiful, refined Greek of the bygone Classic era. In most parts of the U.S.A., KJV is not the street language, and in many parts it is a foreign language. While the Word itself is efficacious, must we throw in a barrier such as archaic language? Bible Translaters in foreign lands translate the Hebrew & Greek into the current language of the people, not some archaic form of it. While we should not feel a need to dummy-down the language of the KJV and TLH, is there anything wrong with supplementing it with a more understandable translation where available? Unless you want to form a subculture where words like "vouchsafe" jump off the lips of children with ease (and comprehension), is there anything wrong with modern language with the KJV?
-rde-
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GJ - Lutherans might have updated the KJV, as the Baptists did, without squashing the Sacraments. I like the New KJV among all the popular new ones, but here are the problems, with the NIV displayed too:
KJV Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
NIV Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [GJ - Why teach all nations when we can be manufacturing disciples? Horrible translation.]
NKJ Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [Ditto]
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KJV 1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
NIV 1 Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [GJ - Baptism is just an ordinance for the Reformed, who deny baptismal regeneration and the efficacy of the Word]
NKJ 1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us -- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [GJ - Babtists like this rendering. As one Lutheran said, "The NKJV people know their audience."]
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KJV 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
NIV 1 Corinthians 10:16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? [GJ - Communion is a bad word for the Reformed]
NKJ 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
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KJV Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
NIV Acts 3:21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. [GJ - Stuck in heaven, obviating the Real Presence]
NKJ Acts 3:21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
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GJ - Missouri and WELS got behind the NIV and mandated its use. WELS excommunicated pastors for favoring the KJV over the NIV. Try to find a WELS/LCMS publication without the NIV.
Missouri and WELS have cooperated about many different things, all of them wrong: following the Roman Catholic calendar, using the NIV, aping the Church Growth Movement.
A new Lutheran KJV would be good, but the Lutherans would rather plagiarize Fuller, Willow Creek, Driscoll, Sweet, Beeson, and Stanley.
The two foundations of the English language are Shakespeare and the KJV. But now everything has to be dumbed down for the kids, making them even dumberer.
Latin names are dropped from the liturgy - boy that brought in the kiddies.
