World Evangelism Broadcast from America

Al Qaeda declares Coptic priest Zakaria Botros "one of the most wanted infidels in the world"


And offers 60 million for his head. More on Islam's Public Enemy #1. "Exclusive: Al Qaeda targets leading Arab evangelist operating in the U.S. for preaching the Gospel to Muslims," by Joel C. Rosenberg for Flashtraffic, September 9 (thanks to Erick):

You have probably never heard of Father Zakaria Botros. But you need to know his story. He is far and away the most-watched and most-effective Arab-American evangelist focused on reaching the Muslim world, and by far the most controversial. The Rush Limbaugh of the Revivalists, he is funny, feisty, brilliant, opinionated, and provocative. But rather than preaching the gospel of conservatism, he is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. And his enemies do not simply want to silence him. They want to assassinate him.

Last week, I had the honor of interviewing Botros by phone from a secure, undisclosed location in the United States, where he now resides. He told me that he had just learned that an al Qaeda website had posted his photograph and named him one of the "most wanted" infidels in the world. The Radicals have even put a bounty on his head. The Christian Broadcasting Network reported the figure was as high as $60 million. Botros does not know for certain. But just to put that in context, the U.S. bounty on Osama bin Laden's head is "only" $25 million.

Why are the Radicals so enraged by an elderly Coptic priest from Egypt who is in his 70s? Because Botros is waging an air war against them, and he is winning.

Using state-of-the art satellite technology to bypass the efforts of Islamic governments to keep the gospel out of their countries, Botros is directly challenging the claims of Muhammad to be a prophet, and the claims of the Qu'ran to be God's word. He systematically deconstructs Muhammad's life, story by story, pointing out character flaws and sinful behavior. He carefully deconstructs the Qu'ran, verse by verse, citing contradictions and inconsistencies. And not only does he explain without apology what he believes is wrong with Islam, he goes on to teach Muslims from the Bible why Jesus loves them and why is so ready to forgive them and adopt them into His family, no matter who they are or what they have done.

If Botros was doing this in a corner, or on some cable access channel where no one saw him or cared, that would be one thing. But his ninety-minute program - a combination of preaching, teaching and answering questions from (often irate) callers all over the world - has become "must see TV" throughout the Muslim world. It is replayed four times a week in Arabic, his native language, on a satellite television network called Al Hayat ("Life TV.") It can be seen in every country in North Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, as well as all throughout North America,Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. And not only can it be seen in so many places, it is seen - by an estimated fifty million Muslims a day.

At the same time, Botros is getting millions of hits on his multiple web sites in multiple languages. There, Muslims can read his sermons and study through an archive of answers to frequently asked questions. They can also enter a live chat room called "Pal Chat" where they are not only permitted but encouraged to ask their toughest questions to trained on-line counselors, many of whom are Muslim converts to Christianity who understand exactly where the questioners are coming from and the struggles they are having.

As a result, Botros - on the air only since 2003 - has practically become a household word in the Muslim world. An Arabic newspaper has named him Islam's "Public Enemy #1." Millions hate him, to be sure, but they are watching. They are listening. They are processing what he is saying and they are talking about him with their friends and family. When Botros challenges Radical clerics to answer his many refutations of Islam and defend the Qu'ran, millions wait to see how the fundamentalists will respond. But they rarely do. They prefer to attack Botros than answer him. Yet, the more the Radicals attack him, the more well-known he becomes. The more well-known he becomes, the more Muslims feel compelled to tune in. And as more Muslims tune in, more are coming to the conclusion that Botros is right and in turn are choosing to become followers of Jesus Christ. Botros estimates at least 1,000 Muslims a month pray to receive Christ with his telephone counselors. Some of them pray to receive Christ live on their air with Botros. And this surely is only the tip of the iceberg, as it represents only those who are able to get through on the jammed phone lines. There simply are not currently enough trained counselors to handle each call.

[...]He does not believe all Muslims are Radicals, but he does believe all Muslims are spiritually lost, and he wants desperately to help them find their way to forgiveness and reconciliation with the God who made them and loves them.

"I believe this is the hand of God," Botros told me. "He is directing me. He shows me what to say. He shows me what to write on…the web sites. He is showing me more and more how to use the technology to reach people with his message of redemption."

Posted by Raymond

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GJ - He does this without conferences in Rio?

Fast Track Pastoral Training

By Larry Beane


Here is an example of what I believe is in store for any church body that pursues a dumbed-down theological track for pastors - especially one that limits personal exposure of candidates to faculty and seminary colleagues, and/or rushes candidates through a truncated academic program based on a delusional and hysterical argument of a "clergy shortage."

***

GJ - WELS calls it Staph Ministry, and it is spreading fast. Martin Luther College is their "College of Ministry," so every student is a minister. All the women are ministers. They graduate as ministers and the male teachers are ordained.

Not to worry. The Staph Ministers are guided by Lawrence Otto Olson, who studied at Trinity in Deerfield and Fuller Seminary. His limited publications are cries of exultation for the triumph of Church Growth in WELS and Missouri, with various comments mocking the efficacy of the Word.

Larry, thou hast conquered.

Staph infections are deadly and contagious.

Jeske Needs $12 Million

"Everything has to change." Mark Jeske

Jeske featured at LCMS District Meeting

Snapshots

Siebert Lutheran Foundation has provided critical dollars towards capital campaigns to schools like St. Marcus School in Milwaukee that are educating some of the city's most impoverished children.

St. Marcus School, a college prep school serving predominantly low-income African American students, is dedicated to instilling students with wisdom, a sense of dedication and self-discipline, a positive attitude and Christian faith. Over 70 percent of students live in homes with single parent women heading their households and qualify for the federal school lunch subsidy program.

Currently, the school is undergoing a capital campaign seeking $12 million for campus expansion and improvements to the school as well as programs that will enhance their education and outreach services. These additions will allow enrollment to grow to 600 students in a state of the art educational facility.

"The Siebert Foundation values education in a Christian environment and St. Marcus's mission," said Siebert Lutheran Foundation President Ron Jones. "We see this as a privilege to be part of the future of their expansion and for additional students to attend this exceptional school."

In fall 2008, the Foundation made a three-year historic operational and programmatic commitment to support the school: $1,000,000 for the building additions and $105,000 for the College Prep Center (CPC). The CPC provides students with behavioral and academic enrichment from 4:00pm until 8:30pm where individualized small group homework support, a nutritious dinner and light recreation are provided under direct supervision of an educator.

The vast majority of St. Marcus's K4 through 8th grade students participate in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program which allows low-income students to attend private schools.

"Milwaukee is in desperate need of high quality educational options for its children," says Henry Tyson, superintendent for St. Marcus School in Milwaukee. "St. Marcus will succeed in its effort to provide a top quality education for 300 more children because of the bold support of the Siebert Foundation. Before that grant was awarded we thought we could do it. Now we know we can. The impact will be enormous."

In providing funding when times are tight for gifting and donations, the Siebert Foundation's contributions are a major achievement and clear message that they are committed to putting Milwaukee's children on the path to college.


"The Siebert Lutheran Foundation has been a partner with St. Marcus School for over fifteen years," explains Siebert Lutheran Foundation President Ron Jones. "We are grateful for the life changing education opportunity that St. Marcus avails to low-income students."

The Four Horsemen of St. Marcus ride to battle for Church and Change, with an emphasis on Change.

"No WELS in the future" - Blame It on Rio

"The vicar conducted the service today and mentioned in his sermon how bad things are in WELS. He even said that there may not even be a WELS in the future because of all the cutbacks and such."

In past, WELS had four preps, two colleges, a seminary, and very low tuition. But The Love Shack was just a love nest: Carl and Gladys Mischke in an office at the bottom of the stairs at NPH.

Graduation at The Sausage Factory meant getting all the tuition money back that was paid in - prep, college, and seminary. That meant the young shepherd and his shepherdess could have a nest egg to start in their first parsonage. WELS ended the practice because it was "too expensive."

Har, har. No one thought it too expensive to have conferences all over the world for the lucky few. One conference brought missionaries from all to meet in South America. One friend told me a well known pastor fell off the wagon there. Blame it on Rio?

Each year the synod got smaller and The Love Shack staff got larger. I recall 1988 or later being the first year when they suddenly needed an executive to head Perish Services. That had to be Wayne Mueller, recently vamoosed from the seminary. Things got worse, so he was upgraded to Synod Veep, a position WELS has left vacant for months. In fact, many people were visibly relieved when Wayne quit in a huff.

I recall Slick Brenner upset over all the money wasted by Perish Services. No one else was. I suggested buying direct from Fuller Seminary, to save overhead.

People who count the cost have teleconferences and online meetings. How many meetings would take place if each participant paid his own way? I am sure the rebuttal is something like this - "But we had a foundation or Thrivent grant. We had to spend the money or someone else would." I doubt that any grant pays the entire cost. Why would any synod to the right of ELCA want to take Thrivent money?

I plan on attending a conference in California. A company is sponsoring it for free to train us in an Internet business. Mrs. Ichabod and I will go in August, deo volunte, and pay our own expenses.

All our routine meetings are done with GoToMeeting or a similar technology. We talk to each other, see someone operate his computer, send messages, and spend very little of our own money.

WELS has slowly strangled its own schools for a chance to look like ELCA - to have a large staff and meetings around the world. The synod will find many ways to get by without spending on so many luxuries.

The pastors who enjoyed a free education took that away from the younger students so the elders could have free trips to exotic locations (but not Apache Land) and fat synod positions.

The Feast of the Holy Trinity

The Shepherd and his sheep, by Norma Boeckler.

The Feast of the Holy Trinity

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time

Note – if you are having trouble reading Ichabod or the Bethany blog, Google is reporting problems not yet fixed - as of this post. One solution is to download and use the Firefox browser (much faster working than Internet Explorer). The free download site is : http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ie.html
I made changes to Ichabod, which have helped.

The Hymn #246 Holy, Holy, Holy 3.35
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 Romans 11:33-36
The Gospel John 3:1-15
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Athanasian Creed p. 53
The Sermon Hymn #245 God Loved the World 4.6

The Little Gospel and Justification by Faith

The Hymn #378 All That I Was 4.4
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 #27 Oh, Bless the Lord 4.21

KJV Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

KJV John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Tuesday of Whitsun Week
KJV John 3:16 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. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Trinity
O Lord God, heavenly Father: We poor sinners confess that in our flesh dwelleth no good thing, and that, left to ourselves, we die and perish in sin, since that which is born of the flesh is flesh and cannot see the kingdom of God. But we beseech Thee: Grant us Thy grace and mercy, and for the sake of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, send Thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, that being regenerate, we may firmly believe the forgiveness of sins, according to Thy promise in baptism; and that we may daily increase in brotherly love, and in other good works, until we at last obtain eternal salvation, 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.

The Little Gospel and Justification by Faith
KJV John 3: 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 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.

Tuesday of Whitsun Week (after the Day of Pentecost) obscures one of the great passages of the Bible, John 3:16-21. The most famous passage of the New Testament is reserved for a day that is seldom observed today

Some think of John 3:16-21 as the Apostle’s summary of what Jesus said. There were no quotation marks in the original texts. The paragraph, 3:16-21, is the logical continuation of the discussion with Nicodemus, John 3:1-15.

The beauty of this passage is that it could easily be Jesus speaking or John summarizing, because there is no difference between the Word of Christ and the doctrine of the disciple He loved. But I agree with Lenski that everything points to this great passage being the actual words of Christ. The meaning may be the same, but the authority is even greater when we give credit to Christ for saying it.

I ran verses 14 and 15 together with 16 to show how the Little Gospel summarizes so well the discussion with Nicodemus.

Verse 14 – The crucifixion of Christ is like Moses lifting up the serpent to bring people back to life, by death trampling on death, as the Greek Orthodox say.
Verse 15 – Faith in Him means not perishing, but rather enjoying eternal life.
Verse 16 – The reason is encapsulated in the Little Gospel.

The Scriptures teach us that the Word of God conveys Christ to us, to show us the Gospel, to create and sustain faith.

A. For God so loved the world

First we have the motivation – For God so loved the world…
This is the mystery of God’s grace. It is a mystery because we only know it through the Holy Spirit’s revelation. Human reason cannot comprehend it. Proof is the attitude of all world religions toward God. In each and every case God must be appeased by man’s sacrifices and good works, self-torture and human sacrifice. God’s basic state is anger toward man, according to these pagan religions. His anger may be lessened, but man is always at fault, so more works must be done.

In contrast, Jesus re-emphasized what we know from the Old Testament. This was largely lost by His time, since Judaism had devolved into a religion of works, for many people. The Old Testament shows us that love is God’s basic attitude toward the world.

KJV Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

KJV 2 Chronicles 30:9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

KJV Psalm 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

KJV Joel 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

KJV Jonah 4:2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

In the fullness of time, God revealed how He would show that love.

B. that he gave his only begotten Son

This is the simplest clause, describing the crucifixion as an act of giving. This was foreshadowed in Genesis, when Abraham gave his only son on Mt. Moriah.

Genesis 22: 11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

For centuries God taught His people about sacrifice an only son, and providing a substitute. The Angel of the Lord told him about the substitute.

This Angel was not an ordinary angel, but the pre-incarnate Son of God, as we can tell from these verses:

KJV Genesis 22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

The Father-Son relationship was emphasized already with the first patriarch, the man of faith (Romans 4). So we see the father-son relationship on the human level with Abraham and Isaac, which helps us understand the giving of the Son by the Father.

The Little Gospel has always been used as a brief summary of the entire Bible, and we can understand why.

C. , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

There are two alternative – perishing and eternal life. Dying might have been used as one alternative, but that would have been in harmony with many pagan religions and cults, where Hell does not exist. Eternal life is the alternative to perishing in Hell, always languishing in the knowledge of God’s power and deriving no comfort from it.

Eternal life is based upon one thing along – faith in Christ.

"Nowhere in the Bible is any man constituted or declared righteous ‘without faith, before faith.’” R. C. H. Lenski, Romans, Augsburg Publishing House: Minneapolis, 1963, p. 382. Romans 5:19-20.

"They [the false teachers] fared like a man who looks through a colored glass. Put before such a man whatever color you please, he sees no other color than that of the glass. The fault is not that the right color is not put before him but that his glass is colored differently, as the word of Is. 6:9 puts it: You will see, he says, and yet you will not see it."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 644.

"To this incline your ears, and be persuaded that God speaks through men and forgives you your sins; this, of course, requires faith."Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 200.


"It is a faithful saying that Christ has accomplished everything, has removed sin and overcome every enemy, so that through Him we are lords over all things. But the treasure lies yet in one pile; it is not yet distributed nor invested. Consequently, if we are to possess it, the Holy Spirit must come and teach our hearts to believe and say: I, too, am one of those who are to have this treasure. When we feel that God has thus helped us and given the treasure to us, everything goes well, and it cannot be otherwise than that man's heart rejoices in God and lifts itself up, saying: Dear Father, if it is Thy will to show toward me such great love and faithfulness, which I cannot fully fathom, then will I also love Thee with all my heart and be joyful, and cheerfully do what pleases Thee. Thus, the heart does not now look at God with evil eyes, does not imagine He will cast us into hell, as it did before the Holy Spirit came...." Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 279. Pentecost Sunday. John 14:23-31.


"Faith is that my whole heart takes to itself this treasure. It is not my doing, not my presenting or giving, not my work or preparation, but that a heart comforts itself, and is perfectly confident with respect to this, namely, that God makes a present and gift to us, and not we to Him, that He sheds upon us every treasure of grace in Christ." Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #48. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 135. Heiser, p. 36.


"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.


"For neither you nor I could ever know anything of Christ, or believe on Him, and obtain Him for our Lord, unless it were offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Ghost through the preaching of the Gospel. The work is done and accomplished; for Christ has acquired and gained the treasure for us by His suffering, death, resurrection, etc. But if the work remained concealed so that no one knew of it, then it would be in vain and lost. That this treasure, therefore, might not lie buried, but be appropriated and enjoyed, God has caused the Word to go forth and be proclaimed, in which He gives the Holy Ghost to bring this treasure home and appropriate it to us. Therefore sanctifying is nothing else than bringing us to Christ to receive this good, to which we could not attain ourselves."The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #38, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 689. Tappert, p. 415. Heiser, p. 194.

If the UOJ Stormtroopers had this verse alone, they might be able to shoehorn their favorite opinion into the clear meaning of the Word. Unfortunately for them, Scripture interprets Scripture. The verses following make hash out of their crypto-Universalism.

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Those who turn Jesus into the Lawgiver are mistaken, because God’s sole purpose was to send His Son for the salvation of the world. Those who believe are not condemned, but unbelievers are condemned already – because they do not believe in the Name of Christ.
Justification means the declaration of innocence. That cannot happen apart from faith, as all faithful Lutherans taught until the Age of Pietism mixed Calvinism with orthodox doctrine.

Unbelievers are condemned and God’s wrath rests upon them. It is true that God’s only-begotten Son has died for all people, but when the treasure of this Promise is distributed by preaching and teaching, man’s obstinate will and the snares of Satan cause the treasure to be brushed aside.

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 state of righteousness can only come from God, but righteousness is not declared to the entire world apart from the Means of Grace. That is the purest form of Enthusiasm – to say the entire world lives in a state of grace without the Means of Grace. Strangely, the Stormtroopers like Pope John (Moldstad0 the Malefactor condemn those who do not join them in teaching Universalism. Who has kicked out more pastors and congregations as a percentage of his realm than Pope John?

The Stormtroopers tell me, “Everyone in the world is forgiven, but they are not really forgiven until they have faith.” Forgiven but not forgiven = nonsense. Lutheran UOJ ends up with Universalism and complete doctrine apathy.

That is like the Roman Catholic Gospel of “forgiven, but not paid for, and you will pay for those sins for thousands of years in Purgatory.”

Separating the Holy Spirit from the Word is always going to lead to foolishness, because the errors arising are going to be defended, not the truth of the Word.

Jesus teaches us in Little Gospel about justification by faith, the simplest and clearest possible doctrine. Even though the unbelieving world hates God, God’s nature is love. That is a startling revelation but also a comforting one. The crucifixion of Christ is God giving His Son for us, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

To make His teaching even more vivid, plain, and compelling, the Savior gave us the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion to convey this forgiveness
in visible form, united with the power of the Word.