ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
Friday, June 4, 2010
WELS Troops in Video
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
An Army battalion in Afghanistan, containing quite a few WELS members, is soon to return home to Fort Lewis after sustaining a very high rate of casualties. I am giving the YouTube video that interviews some of the troops. A number of WELS people can be seen in the video, but they are only in the background.
Our Military Contact Pastors serving Fort Lewis will, no doubt, have some very special work to do once the troops return. Civilian Chaplain Jeremy Schulz brought this video to my attention.
May the Lord bless our efforts to serve those who serve our country!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RgOcsUNjlQ
In His service,
Rev Paul C Ziemer
National Civilian Chaplain to the Military
Armed Forces Liaison of WELS
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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "WELS Troops in Video":
About five years ago Gurgle cut the WELS military chaplains off from synodical budgetary support--a trick that he learned from Kieschnick, no doubt. Then he gave everyone in the synodical HQ a raise, I bet. So the last WELS Connection video was about the military chaplains, and they were pleading for cash.
Thrivent Benefits ELCA and Habitat for Humanity
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 2, 2010
ELCA Ministries Benefit from Thrivent Financial Member Vote
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Three ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will receive financial benefits thanks to members of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a not-for-profit financial services membership organization based in Minneapolis.
Thrivent members recently voted how they wanted to distribute $1 million among 10 national charities through a new program called "Thrivent Choice," according to a June 1 Thrivent news release. Funds were distributed to the organizations based on the percentage of votes they received, the release said.
A total of 150,199 members voted in the inaugural "Thrivent Choice Voting Event," between April 19 and May 21, the release said.
Three ministries of the ELCA will receive a combined total of $323,763:
+ $147,242 to Lutheran Disaster Response, a collaborative ministry of the ELCA and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS)
+ $145, 345 to the ELCA World Hunger Program
+ $31,176 to the Lutheran Malaria Initiative, a collaborative effort of the ELCA, the LCMS and Lutheran World Relief, in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, to mobilize Lutherans to fight malaria.
"We are deeply appreciative of Thrivent members who voted for all of these worthy causes," said the Rev. Kevin A. Massey, director, Lutheran Disaster Response and ELCA Domestic Disaster Response. "Lutheran Disaster Response will put this gift to very good use responding to the needs of individuals, families and communities affected by disaster."
The Rev. Daniel Rift, director, ELCA World Hunger Appeal, said the hunger program is grateful for the "help and hope" brought about as a result of the Thrivent initiative. "We estimate that by their selection over 48,000 members provided almost $7 each for ELCA World Hunger or the complementing work of Lutheran Disaster Response and the Lutheran Malaria Initiative. Even more meaningful than these gifts are the votes of confidence and prayerful support of these members. That commitment and prayer for the work of the church is beyond measure," he said.
"We're very appreciative to Thrivent and Thrivent Choice for these funds," said the Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl, coordinator, Lutheran Malaria Initiative, ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop. "We look forward to greater recognition of the Lutheran Malaria Initiative as we roll out this initiative in the coming months."
The 10 organizations and the total funds they received are:
+ LCMS World Relief and Human Care, $192,122
+ Lutheran Disaster Response, $147,242
+ ELCA World Hunger, $145,345
+ Habitat for Humanity International, $114,212
+ LCMS World Mission, $112,315
+ Feed My Starving Children, $99,465
+ American Heart Association, $67,854
+ Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) Committee on Relief - $57,281
+ WELS Humanitarian Aid Committee, $32,987
+ Lutheran Malaria Initiative, $31,176
Thrivent Financial said it will launch a second aspect of Thrivent Choice later this summer called "Choice Dollars."
"Eligible benefit members will be able to help direct funds to thousands of Lutheran nonprofit organizations, including Lutheran congregations," the release said.
Pusillanimous
when a skunk is threatened,
he stamps his feet and sprays his stink onto the target.
Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Trashing Me Will Not Help Your Cause, O Cowardly C...":
"Cowardly DPs, venomous Shrinkers, pusillanimous bureaucrats, do you imagine you can cover up your fellowship with Sweet, Stetzer, Wagner, Driscoll, Groeschel, and Stanley with personal attacks?
pu·sil·lan·i·mous /ˌpyusəˈlænəməs/ Show Spelled[pyoo-suh-lan-uh-muhs] Show IPA
–adjective
1.lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid.
2.proceeding from or indicating a cowardly spirit.
This is a great word and as such needs to be used more. Certainly descriptive of most in the Lutheran churches, otherwise the false teachers could never have achieved so much nor harmed so many.
***
GJ - WELS Church Growth:
never have so many
done so little
with so much (money).
Training the Children To Be UOJ Stormtroopers
WELS church lady has left a new comment on your post "Faith According to Luther - And the Bible":
Good morning Pastor GJ. Let's make Luther's Catechism say somethong that it doesn't say. I hve before me a worn and torn 1956 Doctor Martin Luther's Small Catechism(Revision authorized by the Ev. Lutheran Joint Synod Wis. a.o.s.) No place, and I mean NO PLACE, is there a mention of objection or universal justification. Seeing as how the passages were diligently translated, we would not expect to see the two terms.
Now let us move away from 1956. One of the students that I drive was kind enough to let me glance at her Small Catechism book. Keep in mind that I only had a minute to glance! This is the blue colored book published by NPH and revised by Kuske. Revisions abound! In the glossary, under justification, is also says objective justification.(You don't find that in the old brown book) Understand, I did not have time to look at the pages that discussed justification. Truth and purity need to be restored to these books. What are we supposed to teach our children?
In Christ,
from WELs church lady
***
GJ - The LCMS is the same way. The 1905 Missouri catechism has not a word about UOJ.
KJV Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Trashing Me Will Not Help Your Cause,
O Cowardly Church and Money Changers
The apostate Doctrinal Pussycats are trying to shore up their support by trashing me. I hear interesting stories, which are nothing new. The Boomer DPs are useless, except for propping up their golfing buddies in Church and Change.
Here is the low down. You DPs have buried so much garbage, told so many lies, and ducked so many responsibilities that the backlash is only beginning.
Someone wrote to me, a while ago, "When you finally die, everyone will be relieved."
Whether God wills one thing or another, His Word will continue to be a double-edged sword. The Book of Concord will still be the best exposition of Scripture found in Christendom, whether the clergy confess its truths or not.
God may continue to curse and punish WELS/ELS with false teachers and weak-kneed leaders.
Oddly, the same DPs who are too chicken to address false doctrine will go hormonal when their bad leadership is challenged in the least.
WELS told everyone that Columbus would calm down when I resigned from the synod, because I was tired of the lying adulterous leaders and false
The DPs fear that the clergy and laity can unite to take the Shrinkers' trotters from the trough. Fortunately, the economic crisis is forcing the issue. Unfortunately, the damage is done and the money is gone forever. But the Word works miracles.
As several people have pointed out, many are disillusioned with Church Growth. The fad turns mediocre lazy-bones into atheists. Many of the atheists stay in the clergy ranks because they can ride a congregation or synod all the way down to the bottom. Some are clever enough to get hired back after being fired. Wayne Mueller and Jim Aderman both came back from the dead, raised by the lion's grip of a master mason.
The Ex-Sp, Gurgle, got about $200,000 a year for 14 years, before he was encouraged to leave for parts unknown. That is a total of $2.8 million dollars, sports fans, and does not count the perks, such as free rides to work with the treasurer - whom he fired for doing his job. Gurgle too came back from the dead. Gurgle needed a retirement gig in Texas? Suddenly the teachers at Holy Word in Austin got their pay cut and he has a retirement job. How cosy for him. They take up an offering at the teachers' meeting to pay for the new staffer. Too bad he did not apply for the free vicar job.
And yet Holy Word has money to blow on going multi-site in Round Rock, where WELS already has a mission.
Pardon me for wandering around the fractured landscape of WELS stewardship, but does anyone get my drift?
That kind of wastefulness and self-centeredness cannot go on forever. Missouri is learning the same thing, after the extravagance of Kieschnick and his merry band of CG pranksters.
The free-spending came from a lack of trust in the Word, a profound trust in money. "If only we had enough money to do whatever we wanted!" The money burned a big hole in their nasty little pocketses and made their apostasy worse.
Anyone who thinks I am the cause of unrest should look in the mirror and crack open their dusty old Triglotta, which is probably way below Your Church and Grow! and Management By Objective.
- "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 XI, #94-96.
Each point is extremely significant and needs to be considered with great care, because it is our confession as Lutherans.
In my words:
I. We will never give up the truth of the Scriptures for the sake of the organization, to make it operate smoothly, to fake an immaculate image for a human institution. In fact, it is humanly impossible for us to manufacture unity.
II. Even if we tried, a false unity would never last. Look at the debacle of the church and ministry articles foisted upon the Little Sect on the Prairie by WELS Shrinkers.
III. We are never going to say, "This c-a-n be understood correctly," as if we have permission to hide the foul, stinking errors of false doctrine.There are not "g-r-e-y areas of Scripture," only a lack of grey matter applied to the Word.
IV. Our great love is for the pure doctrine of God's Word, the Gospel of grace, which gives God the glory and rescues sinners from eternal destruction, so they come to repentance and believe in the Promises of God, justified by faith alone in the merits of Christ.
Cowardly DPs, venomous Shrinkers, pusillanimous bureaucrats, do you imagine you can cover up your fellowship with Sweet, Stetzer, Wagner, Driscoll, Groeschel, and Stanley with personal attacks? Where is the logical connection? Why are you constantly engaged in shameful tactics? Why do you need to wipe your hob-nailed boots on every single person, laity or clergy, who gets in your way?
Come clean about your dirty, disgusting lies and ask for forgiveness before the cardiologist pronounces an end to your thieving, dishonest lives.
Faith According to Luther - And the Bible
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Faith is the abundance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews xi. 1)
This is the noblest and dearest virtue of faith, that it closes its eyes and simply and joyfully leaves everything in the hands of God. It does not desire to know why God acts as He does, and it still holds Him to be the Highest Goodness and Justice, although to all reason, the senses and experience, nothing appears but wrath and injustice. That is why faith is called the proving of things not seen, and even the very opposite in what is seen. Therefore this is the highest honor and love towards God and the highest degree of such honor and love, that in these contrary things you can regard and praise Him as good and just. Here the natural eye must be completely plucked out, and there must be nothing but sheer faith. Otherwise there will be a grim and fearful vexation of spirit.
Letter to Haus v. Rechenberg, 1522. [W.A. 10. 323] Via Day by Day We Magnify Thee, pg. 237.
Via Gnesio Lutheran
---
L P has left a new comment on your post "Faith According to Luther - And the Bible":
I notice for UOJers, faith is just the rearrangement of furnitures. Everything is already in the room, the chairs, tables and lamps are already in the room, they are just not in their right places.
Contrary to Luther who found faith a problem, for UOJers, there is nothing to it (faith). It is no problem at all. It is no sweat, it is easy. Hence, to have it requires no miracle. Eventually faith is a Do It Yourself (DIY) activity.
LPC
The Egyptians Rob Us
bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "WELS and Other Lutherans:The Differences Explained...":
The WELS' robbing the CG Egyptians is totally backwards. First the CG gurus rob the WELS, and then the CG initiates get the WELS to spend all it's members hard-earned cash.
Bible study is nearly free compared to the steep prices that the WELS must pay for attending out-of-state CG conferences, and getting Doctor of Divinity degrees at CG seminaries. Then the CG pastor gets his church and synod to spend all their gelt, and ends up with a lot fewer members and churches in the process. On top of that, it gets the CG pastors in trouble with the doctrinal arm-chair cops, even though their DPs might approve, or turn a blind eye.
The CG's "robbing the Egyptians" has many points of similarity to this woman who tried to avoid paying (robbing) at a parking tollbooth, which is relatively inexpensive, like studying the Bible. Whereby she lost her car and her insurability, and her reputation--having been booked by the cops. She nearly lost her life, while CG pastors risk losing eternal life and their listeners eternal life.
First, the woman got drunk and spent all her cash, much like CG pastors get drunk on CG and spend all their money on CG. Then she didn't have enough money to pay at the airport parking lot toll booth. So she tries to ram through, but ends up hitting the barrier launching her car a la Duke's of Hazzard County. Surprisingly, she survives unscathed, but exits car and makes a cellphone call, thereby igniting leaking gas tank. She is un-singed by fireball as one can see from the police booking mugshot:
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2010/06/this_is_not_how_youre_supposed.php
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2010/06/for_those_who_think_that_dfw_c.php
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I Get It!
WELS church lady has left a new comment on your post "WELS and Other Lutherans:The Differences Explained...":
So Satan gets the glory? Using the devil to share the Word! To God Be The Glory. The devil does NOT save. Where is Jesus/Christ crucified listed on that billboard? He who does not believe will be condemned. Faith comes from hearing the hearing the Message. Hey, I get it, this is one of the contemporary Means of Grace.
Plus Which, There Is Thrivent
John has left a new comment on your post "Our Hope Is Built On Nothing Less Than Thrivent L...":
The WELS has Church and Change. The LC-MS has Ablaze and Rev. Kieschnick. The fact is that it's up to the pew sitter to conclude whether the congregation to which he/she belongs is abiding by Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
The first and foremost obligation of a shepherd is to his flock. Period!
In the event that the first and foremost obligation of a shepherd is to anything other than the flock, then it is to the wolf, period!
The shepherd must first and foremost feed his flock.
I will be a member only to a flock where the called shepherd is first and foremost feeding the flock to which he has been called.
The sheep are most important! I want only to be a member of a congregation where that is true!!!
John
WELS and Other Lutherans:
The Differences Explained
The LCMS uses Satan to promote its congregations:
WELS recognizes the efficacy of the Word alone, so its congregations do not need to ape the Babtists and Pesktecostals:
ELCA has an in-house lobbying group that overturns Biblical mandates:
In WELS, SP Gurgel got rid of Church and Change years ago:
The LCMS has spent vast amounts of money promoting the Church Growth Movement:
The Wisconsin Synod recognizes the primacy of the Means of Grace in a worship service:
ELCA ordains women, allowing them to preach and celebrate Holy Communion:
WELS is opposed to the ordination of women and has placed a moratorium on women celebrating Holy Communion:
The LCMS promotes Seeker Services, modeled after Willow Creek, and trains people there, even allowing congregations to be members of the Willow Creek Association:
WELS recognizes the danger of listening to false teachers, imitating their methods, and attending their conferences:
ELCA works with the Antichrist:
WELS still identifies the papacy as the Antichrist:
ELCA promotes homosexuality:
WELS opposes homosexuality:
--
The LCMS did nothing about DP Benke's unionism, except reward him for it:
WELS is opposed to unionism:
The Wisconsin Synod supports Mark Jeske, who preaches and teaches in WELS:
Correction - The LCMS supports Mark Jeske, who preaches and teaches in Missouri:
The LCMS lets the Shrinkers control the synod media:
The Wisconsin Synod carefully selects the orthodox:
Marvin Schwan gave Missouri millions and millions of dollars, but the synod has nothing to show for it:
Marvin Schwan gave WELS millions and millions of dollars, but the synod has nothing to show for it:
---
The MLC gay video is still posted on YouTube
and FaceBook.
If you click on the link, YouTube will suggest other gay videos to watch.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
One Entire ELCA District May Leave, Join CORE's Start-up, NALC
The ELCA clergy changes include transsexual and bisexual ministers.
Exposing the ELCA
Some Good News 06/01/2010
After exposing an anti-Israeli resolution being voted on at Metropolitan Chicago Synod Assembly, (read here) I am happy to tell you that the good people in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod are standing up to the ELCA, while they boldly stand for truth and God's Word.
Below are a number of the resolutions that will be voted on.
Item One: Conference [One] Teaching Statement
We, the members of Conference One of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA teach and believe that marriage is between one man and one woman and sexual activities belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage.
Item Two: Memorial on the Teaching of Marriage
BE IT RESOLVED that this synod teach and [confess] that marriage is between one man and one woman and sexual activity belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage.
Item Three: Memorial to the Synod Assembly
WHEREAS, the decisions of the 2009 CWA in regard to the implemented resolutions of rostered leaders in Publically Accountable Life-long Monogamous Same-sex relationship have wounded the collegial relationships within our synod, therefore be it,
RESOLVED, that the 2010 Assembly of the Southwestern PA synod of the ELCA censure (to critize severely, to blame, as from the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) the decisions of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly in adopting the Social statement, ”Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” and the four resolutions on Ministry Policies (CA09.05.23-24-26 & 27) as violations of the Confession of Faith, Chapter 2, of the ELCA Constitution, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the ELCA Church Council be advised of this resolution.
Item Four: Memorial to rescind the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly
WHEREAS the members of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA regard the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly on Ministry Policies and the actions of the Church Council to implement them to be violations of the ELCA’s Constitution (Confession of Faith, chapter two) be it
RESOLVED, that the 2010 Assembly of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA memorialize the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to rescind the four resolutions on Ministry Policies (CA09.05.23-24-26 & 27) and their implementation.
Item Five: Memorial to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly—Stand with Africa
WHEREAS the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania in its April 29, 2010 press release declared:
“This church does not accept reasons offered by advocates of same-sex marriage and its legitimacy unless it is based on the Word of God and Biblical teaching; therefore, we reject inappropriate and false interpretations of scripture produced to justify the marriage of people of the same gender.
“This church encourages and supports all those around the world who oppose churches that have taken the decision to legalize same-sex marriage.
The statement goes on to say:
“Those supporting same-sex marriages have started to do all they can to destroy one Biblical passage after another in order to legalize homosexuality and affirm that marriage is not necessarily between a man and a woman. They do so by putting forward their new and wrong interpretation – one which displays an attitude and understanding which differs from that which has existed for many years in the Church regarding the meaning of marriage in accordance with the teachings of the Word of God.”
“Some Bible passages that have been misused and given another interpretation to defend same-sex marriage are the following: Genesis 1:27-28, 2:24, Matthew 19:5-7, Romans 1:26-27, Galatians 3:28, etc.”
The statement goes on to say:
“The ELCA and otherpeople worldwide who support our stand on the issue of opposing same-sex marriage believe that the Bible cannot be interpreted according to people’s wishes or according to other authorities of to culture. Rather, the Bible is self explanatory and is merely translated into various languages without altering the meaning.”
BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA stand in solidarity with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania’s statement.
Item Six: Conference [One] Declaration
We, the members of Conference [One] of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA declare this conference to be a Lutheran CORE Conference.
Below are a number of the resolutions that will be voted on.
Item One: Conference [One] Teaching Statement
We, the members of Conference One of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA teach and believe that marriage is between one man and one woman and sexual activities belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage.
Item Two: Memorial on the Teaching of Marriage
BE IT RESOLVED that this synod teach and [confess] that marriage is between one man and one woman and sexual activity belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage.
Item Three: Memorial to the Synod Assembly
WHEREAS, the decisions of the 2009 CWA in regard to the implemented resolutions of rostered leaders in Publically Accountable Life-long Monogamous Same-sex relationship have wounded the collegial relationships within our synod, therefore be it,
RESOLVED, that the 2010 Assembly of the Southwestern PA synod of the ELCA censure (to critize severely, to blame, as from the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) the decisions of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly in adopting the Social statement, ”Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” and the four resolutions on Ministry Policies (CA09.05.23-24-26 & 27) as violations of the Confession of Faith, Chapter 2, of the ELCA Constitution, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the ELCA Church Council be advised of this resolution.
Item Four: Memorial to rescind the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly
WHEREAS the members of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA regard the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly on Ministry Policies and the actions of the Church Council to implement them to be violations of the ELCA’s Constitution (Confession of Faith, chapter two) be it
RESOLVED, that the 2010 Assembly of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA memorialize the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to rescind the four resolutions on Ministry Policies (CA09.05.23-24-26 & 27) and their implementation.
Item Five: Memorial to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly—Stand with Africa
WHEREAS the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania in its April 29, 2010 press release declared:
“This church does not accept reasons offered by advocates of same-sex marriage and its legitimacy unless it is based on the Word of God and Biblical teaching; therefore, we reject inappropriate and false interpretations of scripture produced to justify the marriage of people of the same gender.
“This church encourages and supports all those around the world who oppose churches that have taken the decision to legalize same-sex marriage.
The statement goes on to say:
“Those supporting same-sex marriages have started to do all they can to destroy one Biblical passage after another in order to legalize homosexuality and affirm that marriage is not necessarily between a man and a woman. They do so by putting forward their new and wrong interpretation – one which displays an attitude and understanding which differs from that which has existed for many years in the Church regarding the meaning of marriage in accordance with the teachings of the Word of God.”
“Some Bible passages that have been misused and given another interpretation to defend same-sex marriage are the following: Genesis 1:27-28, 2:24, Matthew 19:5-7, Romans 1:26-27, Galatians 3:28, etc.”
The statement goes on to say:
“The ELCA and otherpeople worldwide who support our stand on the issue of opposing same-sex marriage believe that the Bible cannot be interpreted according to people’s wishes or according to other authorities of to culture. Rather, the Bible is self explanatory and is merely translated into various languages without altering the meaning.”
BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA stand in solidarity with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania’s statement.
Item Six: Conference [One] Declaration
We, the members of Conference [One] of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA declare this conference to be a Lutheran CORE Conference.
***
GJ - If the final resolution passes, it will have the effect of saying the entire district is leaving ELCA.
For decades various parts of the LCA, ALC, and ELCA have declared themselves dedicated to the homosexual agenda as "Reconciling in Christ." Entire agencies have done this. So have congregations. I heard barely a murmur about it.
This CORE resolution will will bring on the fireworks. Division of some type is certain.
This conflict is similar to the one in WELS, as I have stated many times before. The Church and Money Changers finally went too far in rubbing their apostasy in the face of traditional Lutherans. Now the Confessional Lutherans are willing to organize and fight back. The clueless WELS DPs want to promote the old Shrinker issues, just as the ELCA hierarchy wants to advance the gay agenda of the 1970s.
Our Hope Is Built On Nothing Less
Than Thrivent Loot and Tax Largesse
Republican governor candidate started HOPE Christian Schools
Republican businessman Mark Neumann started his first taxpayer-funded school with 49 students, and in eight years enrollment has mushroomed to nearly 1,000 students in four schools.
Neumann, a candidate for governor who preaches smaller government and fiscal conservatism, has used his entrepreneurial skills to tap private and public funds - including federal stimulus dollars - to start schools in poor neighborhoods.
The former member of the U.S. House operates three religious-based schools in Milwaukee, a fourth nonreligious school in Phoenix and has plans to build clusters of schools across the country.
The Nashotah businessman is part of a growing national movement from the private sector that is providing poor neighborhoods an alternative to traditional public schools.
There are signs the schools are achieving one of their primary goals of getting students into post-secondary schools.
HOPE Christian's high school has had two graduating classes before this spring, and has posted acceptance rates at post-secondary schools of 85% in 2008 and 92% in 2009.
By comparison, a Milwaukee Public Schools study of graduating classes in 2005 to 2007 showed a post-secondary enrollment of nearly 46%.
Neumann has used education and his business experience to contrast himself with his two opponents - fellow Republican Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Walker and Barrett have spent most of their professional life in government.
Neumann's three HOPE Christian schools have received nearly $22 million since 2002 under the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, records from the state Department of Public Instruction show.
The Milwaukee schools have about 685 students and this year received $6,442 per child, state figures show. The Phoenix school - called Eagle College Prep - started in 2008 and has about 275 students.
Through Neumann's Waukesha-based nonprofit, Educational Enterprises Inc., Eagle College Prep tapped $174,007 in federal stimulus funds last year.
Neumann was critical of stimulus legislation in one of his TV gubernatorial ads and has lambasted the state's acceptance of $810 million for a high-speed passenger rail line that will link Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison.
When told by the Journal Sentinel that the school had received stimulus funding, Neumann said he wasn't aware of it.
Arizona Office of Economic Recovery spokeswoman Tasya Peterson said her state used stimulus dollars to replace state money for funding private schools such as Neumann's to ease Arizona's fiscal problems.
Neumann's son Andrew, a co-founder of the HOPE schools, oversees day-to-day operations.
After looking into the stimulus funding, Mark Neumann said that Arizona "plugged the budget in an inappropriate way - it's exactly the wrong thing to do."
Still, the company accepted the money and has no plans to return it unless Arizona finds another source of funding "to honor its contracts with us," Mark Neumann said.
Outside funding
Neumann's company also received $907,757 from the State of Arizona to run the schools, according to the 2009 tax return of Educational Enterprises.
The 2009 return shows that Educational Enterprises also obtained a $324,783 start-up grant from the U.S. Department of Education for Eagle College Prep, which in Arizona by law cannot provide religious instruction as a public school.
Neumann says his schools can operate at a lower cost than MPS. But the voucher payment through the Milwaukee parental choice program isn't enough, so the company pushes for funding from other government sources and foundations.
Last year, Educational Enterprises had a profit of $301,275 after recording a loss of $38,027 the previous year, tax records show. About half of 2009 revenue came from Milwaukee's voucher program and other government payments.
Neumann, a former high school teacher who has earned millions of dollars building homes, has also dug into his personal wealth to underwrite the schools.
In 2008, he made a five-year loan of $921,146 to the company at an 8% interest rate, federal tax returns show.
He says the interest he is receiving for his loan is more than made up by his personal donations to the schools. He and his wife, Sue, donated $362,873 between 2007 and 2009, his company's tax returns show.
HOPE schools are aligned with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and religious instruction is part of the curriculum.
"Religion is voluntary, but I am happy to say that the vast majority participate," said Neumann, who describes himself as a "strong practicing Christian."
Neumann served two terms in the U.S. House in the 1990s. He said the experience convinced him that public schools in poor neighborhoods were failing their mission.
"I watched millions of dollars go through Congress for inner-city problems, and all it seemed like we were doing was creating a generation of welfare," Neumann said.
He started the nonprofit in 2000 and opened the first school in a strip mall at N. 25th St. and W. North Ave. two years later.
The other HOPE schools in Milwaukee are a high school at 3215 N. King Drive and the latest addition, a newly constructed $3.27 million building serving grades five through eight at 3601 N. Port Washington Road.
At the school on W. North Ave., a sign in the hallway says, "Hard Work Pays Off."
Students from kindergarten through eighth grade are required to walk quietly down the halls and follow a painted green line. But the strict decorum evaporated in a first-grade class as students gleefully shouted out words for their teacher.
At all of the schools, students are given the cell phone numbers of teachers. Voluntary Saturday school is held twice a month.
Different experiences
Lekeisha Reynolds, an 18-year-old HOPE High School senior, will attend Wisconsin Lutheran College in the fall - the first in her family to go to college.
Her mother, Cornelius Kirk, echoed the sentiments of several parents who said they are pleased with HOPE.
"They always pushed Lekeisha to strive for excellence," Kirk said.
But Shanyce Matthews, the parent of another graduating senior, said that her enthusiasm for the school waned over time.
Her son wasn't required to write a full-fledged research paper, she said. Matthews also said that women and non-Lutherans weren't held in as high regard as men and members of the faith. Matthews worked at HOPE, but she said she was fired when she began raising concerns.
A spokeswoman for HOPE declined to comment on Matthews' comments.
One of HOPE's local funders has been PAVE, a Milwaukee-based organization that provides financial support to urban schools
Typically, students arriving at voucher schools are a grade or two behind, according to Dan McKinley, president of PAVE. He praised HOPE's emphasis on discipline and creating an environment where students are expected to learn.
"An urban school that is successful is really quite an achievement," McKinley said. "That is why the culture of the school is so important."
Mark Neumann is one of three directors of the company and is not paid.
Andrew Neumann, who has a doctorate in math education, is president. He received compensation last year of $116,610, records show.
The third director is James Rahn, president of the Kern Family Foundation of Waukesha. He was formerly director of the Center for Urban Teaching at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Andrew Neumann said the company uses proven techniques, such as the phonics program for early grades that was pioneered by Chicago educator Marva Collins.
The performance of students remains slightly behind the state average, according to the school.
HOPE prefers to measure performance by testing how well students are improving. Test results show students are making progress ahead of the national average: in language at its high school, in reading and language in grades three through eight at the school on W. North Ave. and math and reading in grades five through eight at the school on N. Port Washington Road.
All voucher schools must give state standardized tests next year and make those results public.
Andrew Neumann said HOPE schools are built around the concept of providing a Christian education, developing character and preparing students for more education after high school.
"Money Love is at the center of what we are doing," he said.
Aggregator Link Is Back
Lutheran News (not Otten's) is back. I added it to the list, for now. That depends on how it works and what it links. I find it convenient to see the apostates linked, saving time and trouble in searching for heart-stopping stories.
Ichabod is supposedly linked again.
Truth Defeats Deceit and Corruption
The faces represent WELS' favorite religious leaders.
Luther is missing, of course.
Chemnitz - who he?
Chytraeus? Spelling?
People email each other and send links to stories and websites. Once they had a confidential outlet, the lies stopped working. I used to think, "If only the Lutherans had the equivalent of the Roman Catholic network of clergy abuse victims (SNAP)." The journalists did not expose Roman Catholic cover-ups. SNAP did, and the journalists feasted on the facts.
When a journalist asked SP Gurgle about the adulterous pastor who was promoted to a posh job, the Schwaermer Pope wanted to know, "Who told you?" He phoned around, "Did you tell the journalist?" That is all he did about it. WELS discipline - promote the guilty while giving Lutherans the Left Foot of Fellowship. No wonder WELS grew so fast under Gurgle.
One pastor asked me, "Did you tell the journalist?" No, that was a typical WELS maneuver, staying in the background. I do not really blame anyone for avoiding a summary execution by the guardians of false doctrine. But the old regime is finished off, and I do not merely mean one attached to a name. Denominations simply cannot get away with it anymore.
Going back to the Roman Catholics - now the trail of evidence has reached Pope John Paul II, fast-tracked on the road to sainthood. It is clear that he stonewalled any investigations, including the clear evidence indicting his pal, the head of the Legion of Mary. That man was a bi-sexual dynamo, with a bastard kid and a group of his boy followers abused as well.
Every Roman Catholic bishop story seems to include a case of massive cover-ups, just like the WELS DPs. Let me remind the forgetful - the only priest punished in the Boston debacle was the one who objected to the abuse. Cardinal Law was promoted to Rome. That is not Milwaukee, but he had to settle for the Eternal City rather than Tabor's love nest.
Recently a conservative Catholic and an anti-Catholic liberal agreed on one fact. Exposing the scandals is the only way to end them. The day will come when bishops will fear the results of a tempting cover-up more than the backlash from telling the truth...for once.
WELS is so corrupt that WLC invited the homosexual predator Archbishop Weakland--and his priests--to a series of public lectures. Weakland was totally smitten by his male lover and paid him $400,000 out of embezzled funds to keep the young man quiet. WLC featured public lectures from Weakland and a clutch of priests, then lied about it. In the Wisconsin sect, embezzling funds is not a crime. It is a hobby. Talking about it is a crime. Promoting the Antichrist is not a crime. Talking about it is a crime. Paying a homosexual, embezzling false teacher to speak is not a crime. Publishing the facts is a crime.
And all the WELS church workers are straight.
Criminal church workers will continue to frolic in the sheepfolds, as long as their bosses cover up for them. Every church worker deserves a fair trial when charged with a crime, but the members also deserve the truth when a pastor, DP, instructor, or church workers is indicted. Until then, the felons will have fun the garden of good and evil.
Someone likes my Weakland graphic. All I did was add an imaginary thought.
Extra Nos - On Intrepid Lutherans
Intrepid Lutherans
Over here it is not unusual to have granny flats. It is a type of bungalow where a member of the family can stay with you but not with you. Well they are sort of staying with you in that they are in the same compound but not in the same roof.What has this to do with granny flats? Well Christians and in particular most Lutherans, treat doctrine like a grandma living in a granny flat. She is there but nobody dares to bring her into conversation. She is ignored but everyone knows she is still alive. She is just avoided. No one talks to her, no one talks about her.
I am glad that some WELS folk have decided to blog about what everyone in WELS knows but no one bothered to talk about. I congratulate the people at Intrepid Lutherans for being so bold to face up and debate issues that matter to them the most.
In a way, I see this as analogous to recognizing that grandma is out there in the granny flat, now what are we going to do about her?
Good on Intrepid Lutherans, I admire their courage. I hope they produce a lot of meaty discussions. I made it a point to read the blog daily.
Lesson from Colossians: God Will Punish Deceit
We have gone generic New Age, WLC explained.
We have been studying Colossians, at our little church, where people all over the world read the sermons and watch the videos.
Two passages came up last Sunday -
- KJV Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
- KJV Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
The clergy deceive people all the time. They pride themselves on their ability to get what they want by lying and manipulating others. They elect Doctrinal Pussycats who do even more lying than the normal quota.
This could apply to Missouri, the ELS, or the mini-micro sects, but I will focus on WELS, where lying is an art, a habit, perhaps an addiction.
The Wisconsin Synod is lying when it claims to be Lutheran. The same people who use the term when it is convenient will hide it. But that is not the fundamental issue. The leadership of WELS is almost entirely anti-Lutheran and thoroughly corrupt.
It is a lie that the colleges are Lutheran. They are packed with Fuller/Willow Creek wannabees. The last mission event featured heresiarch Paul Calvin Kelm and almost sneaked in their WELS female pastor (from Latte
It is a lie that the seminary is Lutheran. The Sausage Factory has been promoting Reformed doctrine for several decades while the clergy, the boards, and DPs, and the influential laity joined in pretending to be orthodox and faking fellowship principles. When I was there, a poster on Panzer's door advertised the Billy Graham School of Evangelism. Wanna go? "See Paul Kelm." Of course, Kelm had to be the mission speaker each year. Worse than that, the faculty filled the mushy heads of the Kinder with required reading from anti-Lutherans.
The man who sinned most in this regard was David Valleskey, who was promoted to the Mequon presidency for this work. The new guy is no better. The seminary board members are liars. The DPs are liars. And the Love Shack drones are liars. They cannot even run a Lutheran seminary.
SP Schroeder just advertised the feminist conference Church and Change is running, courtesy of the seminary president's wife. WELS does not ordain women? True, but that is also a lie, a clever one. They just set up women pastors who lead the worship services and celebrate Holy Communion. Larry Olson's entire program at Mary Lou College is aimed at blurring all distinctions until women are ordained by default.
See ELCA for the methods used so successfully in gay ordination. WELS parallels ELCA in using the same methods, including an in-house lobbying group whose tentacles include the Love Shack, the Sausage Factory, both colleges, and the synod magazine. WELS has that in Church and Change. Nothing has been done about that beehive or any other beehive.
WELS even lies about GA, which is a festival of lies. There will be more comments, perhaps, that GA is done. That is a lie. The secret GA continues and the Sausage Factory knows it. So do the others who pretend not to know.
Woe, woe, thrice woe upon anyone who tells the truth about the liars. The same spineless DPs and CPs who cannot deal with rank heresy will pound the truth-teller into the dirt. These leaders pretend to be helpless imbeciles who cannot remember their own last names, but they turn into savages when their apostasy is threatened. And they have such high and lofty knowledge that they read people's thoughts and motives, which are evil. And they talk while the slaves are supposed to listen. Wormtongue turns into a wrathful wizard in the stuffy confines of a pastor's office.
Here is a non-WELS example of DP behavior. One Missouri pastor was trying to keep a known sex offender from serving in another parish. The DP screamed at the top of his lungs at the pastor, in the pastor's own office. He slammed his briefcase down on the desk for emphasis. On the way out of the building, the DP said to a parish member, "You have one of the finest ministers in the whole district." No, it was not SP Jerry, but a DP known to be "conservative." Ha.
There are as many other examples as well.
Why are the Lutheran synods in epic fail mode? Forget all the sociological excuses. They are lies purchased from experts to excuse the corruption, dishonesty, and venality of the organizational leadership. Here is a great one from WELS - "The Masonic Lodge is losing members, too." As the lodge goes, so goes WELS, it seems. Why is no one laughing?
The Boomer DPs are telling the pastors, "You are not going to recognize the synod in five years." The heritage of the past has been squandered, to a large extent by the Boomer DPs. They are not useless. They are useful in backing Church and Change. Lots of perks, too.
I do not think much will change. It can, with God's Word and the Confessions. But I think people are too comfortable in the sleazy methods of the past. The ministry is pure socialism. If they get rid of pastors in a limited job market, there are more calls available for Pastor Hategood. The apostates circle the wagons. The conservatives form a circle and start firing.
The funny thing is - Church and Change telegraphs its intentions and hides very little.
Jeske is WELS? That is a lie. He is not even a Lutheran.
Something is being done about Jeske's anti-Lutheran "LCMS media ministry"? That is a lie.
Kelm was disciplined with two calls at the same time.
God has been punishing all this. I heard Mequon professors squeaking about how much they have lost in budget perks. Exactly what have they done to protest the doctrinal aberration of their fellow professors, their seminary presidents? Nothing. It is a good gig. Teach a few hours a week, finish at noon, take four months for vacation. Housing provided. Very few slots. Instant infallibility once appointed. Why rock the boat, especially when the skiff is so small? The classes are now so small that the faculty can finish their graduate work.
God will continue to punish the lies. One of the worst New Testament sins is "a respecter of persons." That means looking at the bank account of the layman or the DNA of the false teacher. WELS is very keen on both, but so are the other failing Lutheran groups.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Bruce Church Straightens Out the Crooked Church and Money Changers
bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Intrepid Lutherans Blog":
Dr. Jackson wrote: "The participants, whoever they may be, are working on their own."
The guy who runs Bailing Water now says that "Aaron" started Bailing Water and the new Intrepid Lutherans blog--at least that's what I infer from the excerpt below:
http://bailingwater.blogspot.com/2010/06/taking-up-sword-of-faith.html
excerpt: "I commend to you http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/. This is a blog that takes up the sword and mantle of Confessional Lutheranism in the WELS.
Several years ago Aaron started this blog, Bailing Water, as a way to open up discussion on the inroads of the Church growth methods in the WELS. Bailing Water provided fruitful discussion on important topics and brought to surface many hidden agendas. For many the true agenda and players list of the Church and Change group was revealed."
***
GJ - Every time a good idea comes up in WELS, I get blamed for it. I am not part of the new blog. What they write and do is on their own.
I can guess that the Church and Money Changers are eager to use the guilt by association logical fallacy. I wrote a whole chapter on apostate logical fallacies in Liberalism, Its Cause and Cure. Of course, anyone can gather a trainload of logical fallacies by listening to a Doctrinal Pussycat for a few minutes.
Freddy's Post about Intrepid Lutherans
Lutherans of Intrepid Heart: Standing on Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions
This is the sort of thing that makes one's Lutheran heart race: Lutheran clergymen and laymen offering their good names and reputations in a public stand on Scripture and the Confessions. It appears that the men of Intrepid Lutherans are calling for open theological discussion on several matters that have been at the center of public controversy for a number of years now -- matters of issue which we will recognized as having been featured and debated at length in forums like Bailing Water, analyzed here on The Finkelsteinery and sometimes exposed on Ichabod and in other forums. They are also calling upon fellow members of the WELS clergy and laity to publicly stand with them.
This is very exciting. I would encourage any and all WELS clergymen and laymen of stout heart and firm confessional conviction to lend their names, and thus also their support, to this bold public venture.
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GJ - I have had non-members attend my adult class simply because I advertised that I would have a series on Christian doctrine. I cannot imagine anything more effective than the efficacious Word of God.
Norman Teigen Likes the Intrepid Lutherans Blog
Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Intrepid Lutherans Blog":
Well, it's always good to see a new blog. I have already put it into my 'Favorites' file.
I will read what these Wisconsin people have to say. I wish them well. The question seems to be: is the WELS an open enough place to allow an open discussion of issues which are of concern to the membership?
There is no such openness within the ELS.
The ELS is in fellowship with the WELS. I am not, necessarily, in such fellowship as I never go to a WELS church and never read any of their publications.
The only things I know about the WELS are filtered through the ELS publicity bureau and your blog, Ichabod.
This blog should be a good read.
Norman Teigen, ELS layman and, by special appointment, official spokesman for the ELS
What Matters in Eternity
Lutherans have labored under the Reformed translation of Matthew 28 -
"Go and make disciples, baptizing..."
The KJV correctly states - "Go and teach all nations, baptizing..."
The false teachers fight for their false doctrine. One way to detect Shrinkers is to ask about Matthew 28. Like Joel Gerlach (WELS Shrinker), they have obsessed about "making disciples." The unifying theme of the Shrinkers, learned at Fuller and Willow Creek is: "Make disciples by forming Pietistic cell groups."
The false teachers are never so blunt, but that is their message. They use smooth words, like, "We need small groups in our church," or "You need small groups in your church, plus a rock band. My consultation fee is $10,000."
The ordained wolves are most concerned about their security and creature comforts, so they sow weed seeds and brag about how quickly the weeds grow. Weeds do produce with abundance, but who values the fruit formed - thistles, goathead, ragweed seed?
Sound doctrine is the term we use for the literal Biblical term - healthy doctrine.
The opposite of sound doctrine is sick, unhealthy doctrine. The politicians tell me this sick doctrine must be tolerated and overlooked because of friendships, blood ties, and PR for Holy Mother Synod. That is why the ordained wolves get two calls when others are told there are no calls.
Tolerating false doctrine is just as bad as teaching false doctrine. It can be worse, because one bad DP can harbor and protect dozens of false teachers. One bad DP gives the impression that all of these wolves are tame while the dissenting shepherd is a danger to his own congregation, his circuit, his district, Holy Mother Synod, and the Church Universal.
False Teachers Use Work of Others
J-635.1
"Note the master hand wherewith Paul portrays the character of false teachers, showing how they betray their avarice and ambition. First, they permit true teachers to lay the foundation and perform the labor; then they come and desire to do the work over, to reap the honors and the benefits. They bring about that the name and the work of the true teachers receive no regard and credit; what they themselves have brought—that is the thing. They make the poor simple-minded people to stare open-mouthed while they win them with flowery words and seduce them with fair speeches, as mentioned in Romans 16:18. These are the idle drones that consume the honey they will not and cannot make."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 110. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9; Romans 16:18.
False Doctrine Tolerated
J-636.1
"And such false teachers have the good fortune that all their folly is tolerated, even though the people realize how these act the fool, and rather rudely at that. They have success with it all, and people bear with them. But no patience is to be exercised toward true teachers! Their words and their works are watched with the intent of entrapping them, as complained of in Psalm 17:9 and elsewhere. When only apparently a mote is found, it is exaggerated to a very great beam. No toleration is granted. There is only judgment, condemnation and scorn. Hence the office of preaching is a grievous one. He who has not for his sole motive the benefit of his neighbor and the glory of God cannot continue therein. The true teacher must labor, and permit others to have the honor and profit of his efforts, while he receives injury and derision for his reward."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 110f. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. Psalm 17:9.
God Punishes Ingratitude by Allowing False Teachers
J-637.1
"In the second place such teachers are disposed to bring the people into downright bondage and to bind their conscience by forcing laws upon them and teaching works-righteousness. The effect is that fear impels them to do what has been pounded into them, as if they were bondslaves, while their teachers command fear and attention. But the true teachers, they who give us freedom of conscience and create us lords, we soon forget, even despise. The dominion of false teachers is willingly tolerated and patiently endured; indeed, it is given high repute. All those conditions are punishments sent by God upon them who do not receive the Gospel with love and gratitude."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 111. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. John 5:43.
False Teachers Flay Disciples to Bone
J-638.1
"In the third place, false teachers flay their disciples to the bone, and cut them out of house and home, but even this is taken and endured. Such, I opine, has been our experience under the Papacy. But true preachers are even denied their bread. Yet this all perfectly squares with justice! For, since men fail to give unto those from whom they receive the Word of God, and permit the latter to serve them at their own expense, it is but fair they should give the more unto preachers of lies, whose instruction redounds to their injury. What is withheld from Christ must be given in tenfold proportion to the devil. They who refuse to give the servant of truth a single thread, must be oppressed by liars."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 111f. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.
Avarice in False Teachers
J-639.1
"Fourth, false apostles forcibly take more than is given them. They seize whatever and whenever they can, thus enhancing their insatiable avarice. This, too, is excused in them."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.
They Lord It Over Us
J-640.1
"Fifth, these deceitful teachers, not satisfied with having acquired our property, must exalt themselves above us and lord it over us...We bow our knees before them, worship them and kiss their feet. And we suffer it all, yes, with fearful reverence regard it as just and right. And it is just and right, for why did we not honor the Gospel by accepting and preserving it?"
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.
We Are Dogs and Foot-Rags
J-641.1
"Sixth, our false apostles justly reward us by smiting us in the face. That is, they consider us inferior to dogs; they abuse us, and treat us as foot-rags."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.
False Teachers Are Peacocks
J-642.1
"The peacock is an image of heretics and fanatical spirits. For on the order of the peacock they, too, show themselves and strut about in their gifts, which never are outstanding. But if they could see their feet, that is the foundation of their doctrine, they would be stricken with terror, lower their crests, and humble themselves. To be sure, they, too, suffer from jealousy, because they cannot bear honest and true teachers. They want to be the whole show and want to put up with no one next to them. And they are immeasurably envious, as peacocks are. Finally, they have a raucous and unpleasant voice, that is, their doctrine is bitter and sad for afflicted and godly minds; for it casts consciences down more than it lifts them up and strengthens them."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 642.
Satan’s Work
J-644.1
"Just as true doctrine is the greatest gift we can enjoy, so false doctrine is the most baneful evil that can beset us. False doctrine is sin, it is the invention of Satan, and it imperils and destroys salvation. False doctrine is every teaching contrary to the Word of God. Scripture enjoins upon us to proclaim only the truth."
W. A. Baepler, "Doctrine, True and False," The Abiding Word, ed., Theodore Laetsch, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1946, II, p. 501.
J-645.1
"Faith is a tender, subtle thing, and we so easily make a mistake and are liable to stumble; but the devil is watchful, and unless men exercise watchfulness, he quickly gains his point."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 265. Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity, John 4:46-54; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:12
J-646.1
"Thus also the devil is angry because God wants to trample him under foot by means of flesh and blood. If a mighty spirit were opposed to him, he would not be so sorely vexed; but it greatly angers him that a poor worm of the dust, a fragile earthen vessel defies him, a weak vessel against a mighty prince. God has placed his treasure, says St. Paul, in a poor, weak vessel; for man is weak, easily aroused to anger, avaricious, arrogant, and weighed down with other imperfections, through which Satan easily shatters the earthen vessel; for if God would permit him, he would soon have utterly destroyed the whole vessel."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 268. Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity, John 4:46-54; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:12.
J-647.1
"The devil does not sleep, he will do many more such things, he looks around and exerts himself to exterminate the pure doctrine in the Church and will finally, it is feared, bring it to this, that should one pass through all Germany he would find no pure pulpit, where the Word of God is preached as in former days. He tries with all his might to prevent the pure doctrine from being taught, for he cannot endure it."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 266. Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity, John 4:46-54; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:12.
J-648.1
"The devil also is able to present to the factious spirits the idea that they regard themselves as right, like the Arians who thought their cause was right."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 266. Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity, John 4:46-54; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:12.
J-649.1
"Indeed, more factious spirits shall arise and it shall come to pass that they will not regard Christ as God, nor as the son of a virgin. For the devil is so cunning and skillful that, if one thing is taken from him, he makes use of another. Thus it has been from the beginning, and it will continue to be so in the future."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 269. Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity, John 4:46-54; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:12.
J-650.1
"Satan torments you until you conclude that you are lost and ruined, that heaven and earth, God and all the angels, are your enemies."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 247.
J-651.1
"For that rogue, the devil, has a sharp vision and easily becomes conscious of the presence of a true Christian. Therefore he exerts himself to entrap him, and surrounds and attacks him on all sides; for he cannot bear that anyone should desert his kingdom."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 264.
J-652.1
"When you preach or confess the Word, you will experience both without, among enemies, and also within, in yourself (where the devil himself will speak to you and prove how hostile he is to you), that he brings you into sadness, impatience, and depression, and that he torments you in all sorts of ways. Who does all this? Certainly not Christ or any good spirit, but the miserable, loathsome enemy...The devil will not bear to have you called a Christian and to cling to Christ or to speak or think a good word about Him. Rather he would gladly poison and permeate your heart with venom and gall, so that you would blaspheme: Why did He make me a Christian? Why do I not let Him go? Then I would at last have peace."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 928.
J-653.1
"Neither is he [Satan] truthful; he is the spirit of lies, who, by means of false fear and false comfort having the appearance of truth, both deceives and destroys. He possesses the art of filling his own victims with sweet comfort ; that is, he gives them unbelieving, arrogant, secure, impious hearts...He can even make them joyful; furthermore, he renders them haughty and proud in their opinions, in their wisdom and self-made personal holiness; then no threat nor terror of God's wrath and of eternal damnation moves them, but their hearts grow harder than steel or adamant."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 302.
J-654.1
"The deeper a person is sunk in sadness and emotional upheavals, the better he serves as an instrument of Satan. For our emotions are instruments through which he gets into us and works in us if we do not watch our step. It is easy to water where it is wet. Where the fence is dilapidated, it is easy to get across. So Satan has easy access where there is sadness. Therefore one must pray and associate with godly people."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1243.
J-655.1
"It is not the devil's aim to plague us physically; he is a spirit who is always thirsting for the tears and the drops of blood that come from our hearts. He wants us to despair and to perish from sadness. This would be his joy and delight. But he will not succeed."What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1244. John 15:19.
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