but Lutherans hardly read his works today.
Start with the Large Catechism.
"We have no intention of yielding aught of the eternal, immutable truth of God for the sake of temporal peace, tranquility, and unity (which, moreover, is not in our power to do). Nor would such peace and unity, since it is devised against the truth and for its suppression, have any permanency. Still less are we inclined to adorn and conceal a corruption of the pure doctrine and manifest, condemned errors. But we entertain heartfelt pleasure and love for, and are on our part sincerely inclined and anxious to advance, that unity according to our utmost power, by which His glory remains to God uninjured, nothing of the divine truth of the Holy Gospel is surrendered, no room is given to the least error, poor sinners are brought to true, genuine repentance, raised up by faith, confirmed in new obedience, and thus justified and eternally saved alone through the sole merit of Christ." (Closing of Formula of Concord, Triglotta. p. 1095) Francis Pieper, The Difference Between Orthodox And Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 65. Tappert, p. 632. Heiser, p. 294. FC SD #94-96.XI,
Missouri, WELS, the Little Sect on the Prairie, and the mini-micro-sects all claim to have a quia subscription to the Book of Concord. The Lutheran Church is the only denomination with a common, world-wide, culture-transcending confession of faith. The Book of Concord is also the best Biblical commentary in one volume. The Triglotta provided an excellent history as well.
There is no middle ground for the Lutheran Confessions. They are either the ruled norm for all doctrine and practice or they are not. Many pastors and leaders pay lip service to the Confessions, but they are hardened in their hearts against this great treasure of spiritual wisdom.
All the DPs and CPs need to be examined for their position on the Book of Concord, not so they can merely repeat the time-worn words, the repeat-after-me phrases that got them through seminary.
The leaders of WELS, Missouri, ELS, and the CLC (sic) have gone over to generic Christianity. These apostates imagine that their indifference is the best approach, but a non-confessional Lutheran is really an Anti-confessional unLutheran.
What have the Anti-confessional leaders of WELS accomplished? I can list them easily in WELS, and the parallels in the other groups are similar:
1. They hide or eliminate the Sacraments.
2. They are ashamed of the name Lutheran and avoid it at all costs. They even avoid church.
3. They despise the historic, Biblical liturgy, and substitute entertainment for the Means of Grace.
4. They rely on Pietistic lay-led cell groups because they do not trust the Means of Grace.
5. They study and worship with unconfessional groups who openly mock the Lutheran Church, the Confessions, the liturgy, and the sermon.
6. They copy the sermons, graphics, and even the promotional notes of Groeschel and other non-Lutherans.
7. They work actively to punish and get rid of faithful Lutherans, laity and pastors alike.
8. They rely on their grapevine of slander, but they howl "Slander! Eighth Commandment! Matthew 18!" whenever someone identifies their false doctrine.
ELCA got to its current stage of degenerate apostasy by becoming Anti-confessional. Those changes also began with little steps, each one barely opposed.
