Confessional Lutheran Theology Does Not Tolerate Weasel Words

Pastor Steve Spencer asked me to comment on his upcoming sermons, to be posted on the Intrepid blog.

Brett Meyer commented already, and I posted it. I wanted to go over the sermon, line by line, before I said anything. Since the sermon is published, I do not need to sit down with Steve, hold his hand, and tell him his sins (Matthew 18).

First of all, I am extremely disappointed that the Intrepids vowed to unite against Church and Change, but devoted most of their energies to teaching against justification by faith. Rydecki began by reversing himself, within hours. Lindee caviled and joined the retreat. Jay Webber should be renamed Blister, because he always shows up after the work is done.

Their blog has been eager to republish the non-Lutheran opinions of the UOJ circle of favored authors: Zorn, Kretzmann, etc. They carefully avoid the real issues.

Spencer's sermon reminded me of the one written by Kretzmann. The favorite slogans were muted but present. As they once said about Paul and emancipation, "UOJ trembled on their lips but was not spoken."

Here is the critical paragraph from Spencer:

Yes, according the Bible Christ had to rise again. The Victor over death could not remain a prisoner of death. Peter told the Jews, "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the FACT!" (Ac. 3:15) God did this because He was pleased with the Son's work on earth on behalf of all people. And through Jesus' resurrection God made known His divine pleasure. "Christ was raised for our justification," Paul tells us. (Ro. 4:25) We know that God has totally forgiven all our sins. Therefore, by our faith, given to us through the Means of Grace – the Gospel in Word and Sacrament – Christ's resurrection assures us that our religion, which preaches Jesus' resurrection, brings to us sinners victory over death. We do indeed have the "sure and certain" hope of everlasting life!

The partial citation of Romans 4 is dishonest, especially because the verse has been used fraudulently ever since the 1932 Brief Statement to prop up universal absolution. There is nothing wrong with the passage, so why is it truncated and used as a UOJ motto?

KJV Romans 4:22 And therefore it [faith] was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

The ending of Romans 4, an entire chapter about Abraham being justified by faith, transitions into this classic statement:

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Quoting Spencer again - "God has totally forgiven all our sins."

Our is ambiguous. All the sins of believers, or all the sins of the world? The statement is double-minded. UOJ fans will say "of the world," but the Bible teaches "of believers." One must reject UOJ to teach justification by faith; one excludes the other.

As Reu noted, using a statement two ways at once is one sign of unionism.

The treatment of the efficacy of the Word is lacking, although there is a passing mention of the Means of Grace, one which is also ambiguous, taking its clue from Jon Buchholz, who wants to eat his cake and still have it. Everyone is forgiven, according to DP Jon, so people need the Means of Grace to tell them this.

The UOJ fanatics merge and confuse atonement and justification.

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Much worse they teach a Gospel separating the Spirit from the Word and the Means of Grace. I know this as I was told that my sins were forgiven before I was born. I ask you then...for what good was my baptism?

Intrepids Attack Justification-by-Faith Rather Than Church and Change.They Fight Without Courage and Run Without Shame

The Intrepids are preaching the false gospel of UOJ again. This time Pastor Spencer is teaching, in complete harmony with the false teaching of UOJ, that Christ did not die for the sin of unbelief. He teaches that no one in the whole world will ever go to Hell because of their sin. They only go to Hell if they die guilty of the unforgivable sin of unbelief.

Intrepid Pastor Steven Spencer:
Christ's resurrection assures us of the truth of our religion in His victory over death, and it also assures us of the victory of our religion over this evil world. Christ is the savior of the world, that is, He has covered the sins of all people of all time, yes, even those who reject Him. No one goes to hell because of their sins. Those that go to hell do so because of their unbelief. This is why He commanded that His Gospel be preached to everyone everywhere until the end of time. There is no reason for anyone to be damned. All sins have been paid for. All can be saved. But the true and beautiful Gospel of Jesus Christ must touch them so that the Holy Spirit can do His work and turn their hearts to faith and salvation.
http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2011/04/festival-of-christs-resurrection-sermon.html

There are clear and Scripturally faithful responses to the public false teaching of Pastor Spencer.

First, Pastor Spencer declares, "No one goes to hell because of their sins." In Scripture Christ rejects this teaching when He declares in John 8:24, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." Romans 14:23, "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." And, here in Mark 4:12, "That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them." Contrary to the false gospel of UOJ those who do not have faith in Christ are not forgiven of their sin and dying in this condition they stand judged by God for their sins and are condemned to Hell.

Second, Pastor Spencer declares, "Those that go to hell do so because of their unbelief." So Intrepid UOJ Pastor Spencer teaches that Christ didn't pay for the sin of unbelief. He teaches that all other sins Christ died, paid for and forgave but not the sin of unbelief. Yet, the whole world, Pastor Spencer included, was born in unbelief! Outside of the Means of Grace working contrition and faith all men are guilty of the sin of unbelief. So is unbelief the unforgivable sin as UOJ teaches? No. Christ declares in Romans 11:23, "And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again." UOJ perverts the Scriptures and Christ's atonement, God's righteousness, man's sin and teaches another gospel.

In contrast to the false teaching of UOJ, Christ died and paid for the sins of the whole world, yet, He is only our propitiation through faith in His blood worked graciously by the Holy Ghost through the Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament. Through faith in Christ an individual instantaneously dies to sin, is raised as Christ was to live under God's grace, has Christ's righteousness and the forgiveness of all sins, including the sin of unbelief, is declared justified and has salvation that comes from the forgiveness of sins. All this He bestows to those He has called through righteousness of faith.

Yet, UOJ and it's advocates continue to teach that the whole world was justified, forgiven of all sins, before and without faith in Christ worked by the Means of Grace.
BOC: 6] Let any one of the adversaries come forth and tell us when remission of sins takes place. O good God, what darkness there is! They doubt whether it is in attrition or in contrition that remission of sins occurs. And if it occurs on account of contrition, what need is there of absolution, what does the power of the keys effect, if sins have been already remitted?…" http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_10_repentance.php

ELCA Pastor Appointed at Valpo To Work with LCMS Pastor

Planet of the Apes, Episode IX, The Nightmare Continues

ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 21, 2011
Valparaiso University Appoints ELCA Pastors to Campus Ministry Roles
11-059-JB
     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Valparaiso (Ind.) University has appointed the Rev. Charlene R. Cox as university pastor.
     Cox, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was appointed this week and will join the staff of the Chapel of the Resurrection in mid-July, according to the university.
     Last month, the university appointed the Rev. Brian T. Johnson, also an ELCA pastor, to the new position of executive director of campus ministries. Johnson will join the Valparaiso University staff June 6.
     Both Cox and Johnson have extensive experience in campus ministry.
     Cox will succeed the Rev. Darlene E. Grega, who pioneered the role of ELCA ministry leadership at the university. Grega died in April 2010. The Rev. Phyllis N. Kersten, Forest Park, Ill., has served as interim pastor during the 2010-2011 academic year.
     "Part of what drew me to Valpo (Valparaiso University) is that Valpo is trying to model how to do something different," Cox said. "After hearing President Mark Heckler's concept that we must move beyond hospitality and embrace a table large and wide and fully include all voices in faith and the search for truth, I'm very excited to be a part of an institution and academic community with such a central focus."
     Cox will work collaboratively in chapel ministry alongside the Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod university pastor, the Rev. James Wetzstein, and the chapel staff.
     For the past two years, Cox has served as campus pastor at Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa, one of 26 ELCA colleges and universities. From 2004 to 2009, Cox was campus pastor at Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa, formerly of the ELCA. She was campus pastor for University Lutheran Ministry at Illinois State University, Normal, from 1997 to 2000. She also served ELCA congregations in Bellevue, Wash.; Richland, Wash.; and Brooten, Minn.
     Johnson has served 15 years as campus chaplain and as artistic director of "Christmas in Christ Chapel" at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn. He is widely recognized for his work in enhancing worship, music and the arts.
     Previously, he was chaplain at the Lutheran/Episcopal campus ministry at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, pastor of St. James Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, and chaplain at United Hospital, St. Paul, Minn.

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