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.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Father Burger King Counsels a Repentant Ronald McDonald
Cornerstone and Filthy Lucre
rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "The Cornerstone Effect:Robotic Hearts in Focus":
I was not there for the presentation, but my wife was. You have it pegged right. It is cold and calculating. Also, this congregation has contracted the services of Cornerstone. The Council brought Cornerstone on about two years ago. That was the last straw for me. I told the Council President about the connection between Cornerstone and the Church and Change group. He saw nothing wrong with it. The KJV called it filthy lucre.
***
GJ - Although I imagine a large church could use a specific organization faithful to the Scriptures and Confessions in helping with stewardship, I doubt whether any spiritual wisdom comes from Church and Change's Team Tetzel.
In fact, I have had first-hand reports about poor stewardship from this multi-denominational money making group, Cornerstone. A number of WELS congregations have been pushed into massive funding schemes, which fall short, and are left holding the bag for debt incurred for those wild, vain, self-centered plans.
This statement by Jesus is made in the context of discipleship, but it also applies well to stewardship:
KJV Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
Now that a number of WELS congregations are burdened with debt and much larger facilities to support, without the promised of effect of Build It and They Will Come, will Cornerstone refund their impressive fees?
Joe Krohn - On Doctrinal Topics
Monday, June 13, 2011
The Office of the Holy Ministry vs. Priesthood of Believers
Mark 16:15-16 "15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
Interesting that the NIV Mark stays true to the KJV in this passage. The KJV stays consistent with the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19 and that of Mark 16:15 and yet the NIV and many ensuing translations bastardize Matthew 28:19 as 'to make disciples'. Number one, you have to realize who actually 'makes disciples'. It is the work of the Holy Ghost. Called and ordained men are to merely preach the Word as the KJV accurately proclaims in Matthew 28 and Mark 16. Number two; who are these called and ordained men? You have to differentiate between disciples and the Apostles. There were many disciples...as many as 72 (Luke 10). But there were only the chosen "twelve". These were the first duly called and in a sense ordained servants of the Word. It was these "twelve" that Jesus called; these twelve who were present throughout Christ's ministry; these twelve who deserted him during His passion; these eleven that he appeared to in the upper room; these said same who were with Him at Ascension and then received the Holy Ghost on Pentecost. There is a clear delineation between the Priesthood of all Believers and the Office of the Holy Ministry. WELS clearly contends with Scriptures and the Confessions when it elevates laymen to this office thereby exaggerating the Priesthood of all Believers and equating it to the Office of the Holy Ministry. Yes, we know we all are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28) and yes, we are to be ready to give testimony when opportunities present themselves (1 Pet. 3:15), but the preaching and teaching of God's Word rests on those DULY called and ordained.
One of my points of contention with Holy Word was lay led Bible class and lay leaders giving sermonettes prior to the assigned Bible reading/lesson of the day during the worship service. These men; and I am not questioning their faith; are not all equipped as the Bible says they should be; whether it be content and how it relates to the theme of the day or to their oral diction and manner of speech; or answering questions in Bible class with authority. No doubt this is happening all over WELS especially in relaxed worship settings and etc... I was a part of it (regrettably) at Crosswalk in Phoenix and at Christ the Rock in the Austin area. Even staff members from Arizona Lutheran Academy (teachers; male admin staff) preached at Crosswalk. Staff Minister Chad White recently preached (as he does on occasion) during a Lenten Service at Holy Word (3-23-2011). Chad White is not a duly called and ordained servant of the Word.
Supporting Scripture References
MATTHEW 16:18-19
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
JOHN 20:22-23
21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."
ACTS 14:23
23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
ACTS 20:28
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
I CORINTHIANS 4:1:
1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
TITUS 1:4-5
4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—
I TIMOTHY 3:1-5
1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?
I PETER 5:1-3
1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
Supporting Statements from the Book of Concord; The Lutheran Confessions
LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM:
What is the Office of the Keys? The Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His Church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent. Where is this written? This is what St. John the Evangelist writes in chapter twenty: “The Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (Jn. 20:22-23)
What do you believe according to these words? I believe that when the called ministers of Christ deal with us by His divine command, in particular when they exclude openly unrepentant sinners from the Christian congregation and absolve those who repent of their sins and want to do better, this is just as valid and certain even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself.
AUGSBURG CONFESSION – Order in the Church, ARTICLE XIV
Our churches teach that no one should publicly teach in the Church, or administer the Sacraments, without a rightly ordered call.
APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION – The Number and Use of the Sacraments, Article XIII, 11-13
But if ordination is understood as carrying out the ministry of the Word, we are willing to call ordination a Sacrament. For the ministry of the Word has God’s command and has glorious promises,…For the Church has the command to appoint ministers, which should be most pleasing to us, because we know that God approves this ministry and is present in the ministry that God will preach and work through men and those who have been chosen by men. It is helpful, so far as can be done, to honor the ministry of the Word with every kind of praise against fanatical people.
APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION, ARTICLE XXVIII, 13-14
“Therefore, the bishop has the power of the order, that is, the ministry of Word and Sacraments. He also has the power of jurisdiction. This means the authority to excommunicate those guilty of open crimes and again to absolve them if they are converted and seek absolution. [John 20:23]. But their power is not to be tyrannical, without a fixed law. Nor is it to be regal, above the law. Rather they have a fixed command and a fixed Word of God, according to which they should teach and exercise their jurisdiction…They have the Word, the command, and how far they should exercise jurisdiction if anyone did anything contrary to that Word they have received from Christ.”
TREATISE ON THE POWER AND PRIMACY OF THE POPE – The Power and Jurisdiction of
Bishops, 60, 74
“The Gospel assigns those who preside over Churches the command to teach the Gospel [Matthew28:19], to forgive sins [John 20:23], to administer the Sacraments, and also to exercise jurisdiction (i.e., the command to excommunicate those whose crimes are known and to absolve those who repent.)…Certainly, the common jurisdiction of excommunicating those guilty of clear crimes belongs to all pastors [I Corinthians 5]
The Cornerstone Effect:
Robotic Hearts in Focus
LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "When All Else Fails - Try Religion.Message Not Rec...":
"giving unit"...you must have been subjected to a Cornerstone presentation. That is how they refer to faithful souls who offer first fruits. Can you say cold and calculating? Hmmmmmm?
The Efficacy of Holy Baptism
"Thus it appears what a great, excellent thing Baptism is, which delivers us from the jaws of the devil and makes us God's own, suppresses and takes away sin, and then daily strengthens the new man; and is and remains ever efficacious until we pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory."
The Large Catechism, Part Fourth, Of Baptism. #83. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 751. Tappert, p. 446. Heiser, p. 209.
The Efficacy of the Word in Holy Communion
"For the true and almighty words of Jesus Christ which He spake at the first institution were efficacious not only at the first Supper, but they endure, are valid, operate, and are still efficacious [their force, power, and efficacy endure and avail even to the present], so that in all places where the Supper is celebrated according to the institution of Christ, and His words are used, the body and blood of Christ are truly present, distributed, and received, because of the power and efficacy of the words which Christ spake at the first Supper. For where His institution is observed and His words are spoken over the bread and cup [wine], and the consecrated bread and cup [wine] are distributed, Christ Himself, through the spoken words, is still efficacious by virtue of the first institution, through His word, which He wishes to be there repeated."
Formula of Concord, SD VII, #75. Holy Supper. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 999. Tappert, p. 583. Heiser, p. 270f.
---
A Moline friend from my Lutheran church wrote:
"His precious gift to all. I can't tell you how much having a pastor visit me and share His body and blood with me (when I had pneumonia) meant."
***
GJ - DP Buchholz said that WELS pastors do not visit people anymore. They must not believe in the efficacy of the Word...or in fulfilling their pastoral duties.
When All Else Fails - Try Religion.
Message Not Received
rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Bad Real Estate Investments: How the Syn Conferenc...":
The Love Shack has the model for the local parish to follow. At my former WELS congregation, they committed to a multi-million dollar expansion several years ago. What follows that are the feeble efforts to squeeze blood out of the member turnips. "If only each giving unit gave an additional two dollars per week our operating deficit would disappear."
"Don't forget about electronic giving" (we get your dough even if you are not present). "Our new carpeting in the narthex cost $9,000......." Here is a strange twist on synergism - "we cut one teacher from the staff. Now you must respond with increased givings". "Do not worry, God will bless you in accordance to how much you give."
Bad Real Estate Investments:
How the Syn Conference Froze Its Assets in Crumbling Commerical Buildings
I was trying to calculate how much money WELS, Missouri, and the Little Sect on the Prairie have blown - to no effect.
For example, Missouri is skimming $50-60 million a year from Thrivent, according to SP Harrison. They do not support their world missionaries or their two seminaries. They do have impressive office buildings everywhere. The LCMS Home Office is so impressive that it was nicknamed the Purple Palace from the beginning. Their district offices are marvels in waste management. They manage to waste millions on magnificent architecture.
Let us pause for some theory. Sam Walton (Walmart) did not believe in fancy buildings or any kind of luxury. First-time visitors to Bentonville-Rogers are shocked by the size and plain appearance of the main buildings. Many corporations, like the NY Times, have been dragged down by the cost of their buildings.
The University of Phoenix, which made billionaires out of Sperling and his son, does not buy real estate for the most part. Each campus is leased, so it is easy to open or close a campus. I have taught at two locations they decided not to close.
That is another area of lavish spending for the Syn Conference, the pump primed by Marvin Schwan, who had a thing for women and Cadillacs, his pal in missions said. Luther said, a few centuries ago, we do not need another church. But Marvin built a cathedral at Our Lady of Sorrows Seminary, a chapel at the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie, and a white elephant at Mary Lou College. The humble chapel at the Sausage Factory was given enough splendor to sober anyone up. "If Thou givest me the chapel of my dreams, I will give up demon rum. I vow to stop crossing the center line."
The only campus project left is indoor plumbing at the CLC college, seminary, and live bait shop in Eau Claire.
The Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie and Willowcreek's Liberal College were turned into displays of Marvin Schwan generosity, the power of the indulgence. (Just think how plain the schools would be without the Sixth Commandment!)
When I see a splendid new building, financed by one person, I imagine all the overhead and the future repair bills. Thrivent and foundation money is also easily spent and gone forever. One Love Shack employee said that WELS threw money at projects when they had special offering funds to spend.
Alternatives, But Too Late
The synods could have spent their money on lowering tuition. That would have driven up the student populations they have repelled by charging too much while challenging the faculty too little.
Nobody works less for more money than tenured faculty - except synod bureaucrats.
Mueller-Gurgle jacked up WELS tuition rates about 30%, using the cash flow to keep the synod from the insolvency their free-spending encouraged. As a result, someone claimed, an entire generation of students was lost.
Church government, like secular government, could cut jobs 60% and make everyone but the elite very happy. In the long run, that would benefit the church organizations.
The Syn Conference can only hope for a KMart-Sears merger now, perhaps a quasi-crypto-merger--like the one they instituted with ELCA.
At the moment, they are putting their trust in Stetzer, Groeschel, and Sweet to "Revive Us Again."
Revive us again;
Fill each heart with Thy love;
May each soul be rekindled
With fire from above.
Second Votes To Exit ELCA
The churches below are all scheduled to hold their second votes this Sunday:
St Mark Lutheran Church, Adrian, PA
St Paul Lutheran Church, Bucyrus, OH
Christ the King Lutheran Church, Charlotte, NC
Stavenger Lutheran Church, Seneca, IL
St Paul Lutheran Church, Seven Valleys, PA
Sunday, June 12, 2011
At Least He Writes
And Signs His Name
I get quite a few emails, but I do not mention the names of the writers, for various reasons. Unfortunately, my doctrinal opponents have a tendency to pound anyone suspected of being my friend. I know of two Facebook examples where FB friends fell under suspicious because they knew me.
If you want to waterboard some people, do not skip these FB friends of mine: Waldo Werning, Herman Otten, Gerry Kieschnick, etc. I was alarmed to find that one Church Growth leader and I had 70 mutual friends. Either I or they must be more careful.
Pastor Foster writes me long emails, expecting me to answer a lot of things. He also makes suggestions. Although he can be annoying at times, he is willing to sign his name. Besides that, he strikes me as being less riled up at what I am saying.
To answer a few things - No, I will not list acceptable Lutherans who are alive and working. The reason is - retaliation by the Shrinkers and UOJ fanatics.
Another question was bound to come up. How are Tillich and Bonhoeffer Nazi sympathizers?
The Fortress Press bio of Tillich (a friendly but revealing one, by his friend) described how he wrote back to Germany about getting a teaching job because he was one of the pioneers of the national socialist movement. The author hastened to say this was baloney, since Tillich was no more than a coffee shop talker. Tillich was dismissed from his teaching post when Hitler came to power. He came to Union Seminary in NYC soon after. I suspect he was lonesome for Germany and burdened with trying to make it in academics in a new society where he had to learn English. Being fired did not make him a Hitler enemy, but that probably looked good on his resume once the war started.
The Bonhoeffer information came from a huge bio about him. I do not own it at this point. The book made this point - that Bonhoeffer was not against the Nazi movement, just against Hitler.
I imagine anyone could dispute the two stories. History is messy and easy to debate. But I did not make up the information.
The more I read, the more I see how two different worlds exist. There is the world that really happened and the world portrayed by thumbnail histories and PR blitzes.
For example, JFK was married before he wed Jackie. The stories are well known. The woman he married kept silent about it. When someone brought up Nixon during the campaign, the family's cardinal brought up Jack's first marriage, which was erased from the books but not dissolved by marriage.
I did see one TV show about Jack's first marriage. I have read about the facts in various books. No TV feature will deal with it - not that it matters much now. But most of history is just like that.
Lastly, I use the term apostate in the New Testament sense - one who has fallen away from the faith after being a believer. Foster is correct - it is a popular term today. The Braaten-Jenson gang used to employ it from time to time. But this is the Age of Apostasy, and Ichabod is a blog about apostasy.
Acey 5 Debuts on Joe Krohn's Blog
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Pentecost, What Better Time...
Today's text at the church I attended had John 16:5-11. Here is an excerpt: "Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."
We also recited The Nicene Creed. I am beginning to like this one more and more. Regarding the Holy Ghost and His work of faith and the forgiveness of sins and where the forgiveness resides:
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets. And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
And may I add this from Luther's Large Catechism, The Apostles Creed, Article III:
54] We further believe that in this Christian Church we have forgiveness of sin, which is wrought through the holy Sacraments and Absolution, moreover, through all manner of consolatory promises of the entire Gospel. Therefore, whatever is to be preached concerning the Sacraments belongs here, and, in short, the whole Gospel and all the offices of Christianity, which also must be preached and taught without ceasing. For although the grace of God is secured through Christ, and sanctification is wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Word of God in the unity of the Christian Church, yet on account of our flesh which we bear about with us we are never without sin.
55] Everything, therefore, in the Christian Church is ordered to the end that we shall daily obtain there nothing but the forgiveness of sin through the Word and signs, to comfort and encourage our consciences as long as we live here. Thus, although we have sins, the [grace of the] Holy Ghost does not allow them to injure us, because we are in the Christian Church, where there is nothing but [continuous, uninterrupted] forgiveness of sin, both in that God forgives us, and in that we forgive, bear with, and help each other.
56] But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness [sanctification]. Therefore all who seek and wish to merit holiness [sanctification], not through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but by their works, have expelled and severed themselves [from this Church].
CLEARLY the work of the forgiveness of sins is that of the Holy Ghost in the Church and NEVER apart from the Word and Sacrament. But here is WELS indoctrinating the young falsely:
Anonymous poster AC V had this to say concerning the extreme false teaching of OJ:
WELS ChristLight Sunday School Teacher's Guide; Grades 5-6; New Testament; Week 5; Lesson B; Discussion Point, Option 1 (apply); p. 70:
God wants us to forgive others just as he has forgiven us, but we often find excuses not to forgive. How would you answer each of these excuses?
1. Katie makes fun of my clothes every day and refuses to stop. Why should I forgive her? (A: God forgives our sins, even the ones we repeat every day.)
2. John hates me and tells lies about me behind my back. Why should I forgive him? (A: God forgives even those who hate him.)
3. When I accidentally hurt Sarah, she was mad for weeks. Today she pushed me on purpose. Why should I forgive her? (A: God forgives even those who don't show a loving spirit.)
4. Kurt totally ruined my new sweater and didn't even apologize. Why should I forgive him? (A: God forgives us even before we say we're sorry.)
(Note: God forgives everyone in the whole world - those who love him, those who hate him, those who reject him, and those who don't even know about him [objective justification]. We receive his forgiveness when the faith he has given us accepts that forgiveness [subjective justification].
Do you see how points 1 - 3 warm you up for point 4 and the notes? I was aghast reading this. This is not a teaching of the Bible. This is not a teaching of the Book of Concord. This is a teaching of a different spirit. When I read the extreme false teaching of objective justification I am reminded of Genesis 3:4 when Satan tempts Eve...You will not die!!! The teaching of all men being forgiven prior to faith is from the devil. It has infiltrated the Lutheran Church and will one day steal men's souls. For if there is forgiveness before faith Christ, one day faith will be discarded (and Christ with it) and Satan will have fooled mankind again. Rob Bell and Mars Hill Church in Michigan has already been fooled.
No church is immune from the devil's attacks. Look at history. It is in WELS. Over lunch today while we discussed today's message and Pentecost, my wife had another incident to share from a WELS pastor who while he was at Sem witnessed future pastors using a ouija board. He opined that because of what he witnessed, early on in his ministry, he was contacted by a man who said he was possessed. The pastor immediately knew the caller was possessed by the way he was talking...evidently he had prior experience from Sem. It is time to wake up and smell the smelling salts, folks!
It is not that we don't have a heart to forgive. Nothing is further than the truth, for this is the way with God. (John 3:16) And I would point out that from my blog post from yesterday concerning the example of my wife; that it was not that she didn't have a willingness to forgive. She did. You have to realize it is impossible for forgiveness to take place with someone if there is not contrition and remorse and a willingness to change. This is what repentance and the remission of sins is. It is like a transaction completed. If you were to make an Italian Soda...you need three ingredients...milk, soda water and a flavoring. Without any of those parts it is impossible to make Italian Soda. It does your brother no good to forgive him without him being sorry and it enables bad behavior! Matthew 18:15 - 18 is crystal clear on this!
"15 “If your brother sins against you,[b] go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven."
Again as referenced in verse 17...the forgiveness of sins is with the Holy Ghost in the true Church on earth. Happy Pentecost!
LutherQueasies Avoid the Question for Two Months
to attack justification by faith, and to ignore the Means of Grace."
Timothy Blank (Timothyblank)
Intermediate Member
Username: Timothyblank
Post Number: 418
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Monday, April 04, 2011 - 2:56 am: Edit Post Delete Post Print Post
quote:
"I understand these two passages to be a repudiation of UOJ and an apology for all the harm done in the name of that fad." - Gregory Jackson
I just started reading Gregory Jackson's book, Luther versus the UOJ Pietists: Justification by Faith in which he quotes Justification and Rome by Robert Preus. He says the same on his website - the quote from Dr. Preus' book is on the website as well.
I think G.J. is quite confused, to say the least. G.J. says, "Preus clearly repudiated UOJ late in life."
I'm wondering if there are any reactions out there?
Timothy
***
GJ - This is quite funny, because the LutherQueasies could not address the question, which was really an accusation, in two months.
Instead, like frightened gorillas pounding their chests, they ranted about everything wrong with me and Bethany Lutheran Church.
One LCMS pastor pointed out to them that all their criticisms of Bethany could be applied to their own synod practice.
Of course, Rolf (son of Robert) weighed in with an angry denial, but no facts. All I have is:
1. Robert Preus' initial essay, lovingly produced by Jack Casione (ex-LCMS), answering me by avoiding the question. That was 100% UOJ, dated from the 1980s, when Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, offered a DMin in Church Growth.
2. Robert Preus final book, Justification and Rome.
Those are documents, not anecdotes. They cannot be altered to suit the mood of the moment.
I have published four graphics quoting Robert Preus where he pointedly rejected any justification apart from faith. These great MDiv scholars (Blank, Webber, Kurtzahn, Cascione, Rolf Preus) should offer a direct answer instead of more bile.
I believe the graphics have made them hyper-ventilate. I also created an Abraham Calov graphic, because Robert Preus quoted Calov with approval. Calov is good for fixing a late date (post Book of Concord) on justification by faith, where UOJ is excluded with the most precise terms possible. I cannot be sure if Calov was answering something specific, but his words do not allow for God "justifying everyone before birth" (R. Preus.1 quoting Eduard Preuss) and similar nonsense.
Quenstedt was another Robert Preus favorite. I remember him mentioning that as a possible name for one of his many sons. I will try to get that graphic done soon.
---
| Michael Bryant (Mike) Senior Member Username: Mike Post Number: 2380 Registered: 1-2005 |
"I think this discussion is coming to a close as we are close to simply repeating ourselves." [Art Bolstad, LCMS Missionary] Except you have yet to actually say anything of substance. Rather, you have "examined" and no one has given you the ammunition you were hoping for in order to use against your brother, but instead the contrast between them and Dr. Jackson is ever more clear. For this, we can all be grateful. The wayword (sic) and poor practices among us are not the schismatic practice some wanted initially to say they were equal to. |
***
GJ - You have it right, Brer Mike.
UOJ opposes the Gospel and substitutes Halle Pietism for Biblical doctrine. You OJers hate Luther's Gospel and cannot defend your own. The gulf is great indeed.
The Feast of Pentecost, 2011
The Feast of Pentecost, 2011
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship
Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time
The Hymn #231 We Now Implore 3:38
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
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #246 Holy, Holy, Holy 3:35
The Holy Spirit and the Word
The Communion Hymn #294 O Word of God 3:31
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 # 283 God’s Word 3:90
KJV Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
KJV John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
Pentecost
O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou almighty Son of God: We beseech Thee, send Thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, through Thy word, that He may rule and govern us according to Thy will, comfort us in every temptation and misfortune, and defend us by Thy truth against every error, so that we may continue steadfast in the faith, increase in love and all good works, and firmly trusting in Thy grace, which through death Thou hast purchased for us, obtain eternal salvation, Thou who reignest, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.
The Holy Spirit and the Word
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Man’s eternal quest has been communion with God and peace of mind. Both are clearly revealed in this Gospel.
My Father will love him
Every passage in the Bible is connected with all others, so any given verse is explained many times over in other parts of Scripture.
“If a man love me…” How does it happen that someone loves God? The Gospel alone produces that love, so we have the inspired Word planting faith in God through the Gospel and producing love, which is the first fruit of the Spirit.
This is always a Spirit/Word effect. The Holy Spirit works only through the Word, and the Word is never without the power and effect of the Holy Spirit. If someone says, “I do not feel God’s love” or “I do not seem to love God,” the answer is the same – “Abide in the Gospel and you will experience God’s love, which will make you respond in love.”
This does not happen because of man’s will or virtue, but solely because of the Word. Even though man may obstinately refuse to hear the Gospel, the Good News always has an effect. For many, years of refusal are accompanied by an agitation from the Word. Compelled to study what bothers them so much, they are converted by the Word.
Still, it is not God’s fault when people hear the Word and reject it from their hardness of heart. We can see that effect in mainline theologians, who reject the basic articles of the faith but blame the extreme radicals for making matters even worse (Carl Braaten blaming Seminex for ruining his seminary, LSTC!)
Hypocrisy also hardens the heart. One man used to be profoundly grateful for the Gospel whenever his heart threatened to stop working altogether. The closer he was to death, the more he loved the Word and pastoral visits in the hospital. But the healthier he became, the colder he was toward the Word. At home, still on disability, he wanted nothing to do with the Gospel.
Also, we have to wonder about those who rightly ascribe nothing to man’s virtue, will, or merit, but never stop telling us how long they have been in the same synod or who their parents and grandparents were. Pedigrees are impressive – in pets and horses – but not so much in humans. “To this man will I look, who trembles at my Word.”
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
There are two themes in this verse, and both are important. One is the relationship between loving Christ and keeping (guarding) His Word. The other is the relationship between the Father and the Son. Hearing the Son means hearing the Father, loving the Son means loving the Father.
Those who profess to love the Gospel of the Son are also constrained to tell the truth. Many in the visible church will argue that they must manipulate and lie in order to protect Holy Mother Synod from harm and bad PR. But we should not worship the visible organization and despise the Word.
One of my favorite books described the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Church in John Calvin’s writings. The author (Benjamin Milner) was a friend of my advisor (Hommes) in the program at Notre Dame. For Luther, the relationship was Holy Spirit and Word. We can see that emphasis in the Book of Concord and later generations as well.
A common fallacy today is this obsession with the visible church, whether the congregation or the larger structure. The obsession is measured in business terms – money owed, balanced budgets, and PR. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod did a self-study which predicted that the Little Sect on the Prairie will be no more than a historical footnote in 20 years. Because of tiny parishes and an elderly population, the ELS will cease to exist, fairly soon. The answer – “We have a new program to solve that problem.” Doubtless the new program is the old program, all based on business rather than the Word.
The Festival of Pentecost is one where the Holy Spirit’s work through the Word is emphasized, not the charter membership of First Lutheran Church in Jerusalem. The Church does not create the Word: the Word creates the Church.
The true Church is invisible and exists wherever the Word is proclaimed in truth and the Sacraments are administered faithfully. A visible structure does not produce the Word of God. Unfortunately, in these dark times, the organizations suppress and persecute the Word.
Nevertheless, the Word produces faith, believers, and pastors. I have told many men that – you do not need a synod. Start a Bible study if and when you are kicked out. That will lead to a congregation and you will have a church.
The Word preached and taught will gather people, convert people, and make some people madder than wet hens.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
How do we know this Gospel is true? Because God Himself inspired the Word and caused the disciples to remember and write down what was necessary for salvation.
The entire Bible teaches the same story with various writers, and yet there are no errors or contradictions. That alone illustrates the divine nature of the Bible, unique among all books, religious and secular.
Paul reminded his members that the Word was more than that – it was effective in converting them. They knew that the Gospel produced faith and gave them forgiveness. They experienced that themselves.
In English class we would write down, “Best poem in Eng lang.” That praise did not move us necessarily. “I stood tiptoe on a little hill” is not a poem for most guys.
Or – “MD considered best novel ever in Am.” I hated Moby Dick as a student but came to appreciate its weirdness much later in life. All the praise in the world did not make me like MD in class.
In contrast, the Gospel moves people and they cannot deny this. I had two Hong Kong members who laughed at the Gospel all through school, mocking it as they read the comic books inside their textbooks. But all that study, created by a private Lutheran school, led to their conversion. Their Asian, pagan families felt utterly rejected because this couple became Christian and loved the Gospel. The couple could not deny the power of the Word, because the Word overcame their resistance.
So why have ministers moved from the assured effectiveness of the Gospel to the shortcomings of entertainment and marketing? They have removed themselves from the Means of Grace, despised the Means of Grace, and hardened themselves against the Gospel. They really give themselves away when they plagiarize the false teachers they admire, denying what can be so easily proven in these days of the Net and Google.
The divine nature of the Word alone should make us cherish every phrase in the Scriptures, because God Himself is speaking to us. If God Himself would appear at the nearest store, would people show up to hear Him? They would block traffic for miles around. And here is God speaking and showing us His Word in this passage.
Would people like to meet and hear Jesus, the Son of God? That would create a bigger sensation. Instead of “God To Speak at Walgreens,” put up a few posters that say, “Jesus To Appear at Neighborhood Drugstore.” That part of town would be mobbed and come to a standstill. But that is true any time the Word is heard, read, or remembered. The Holy Spirit and Word are never separated. What we hear about Christ and from Him are Spirit-inspired, true, faithful to the facts, and powerful in effectiveness.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
This verse should be inscribed on every confirmation Bible and on every Thrivent trinket given as a confirmation gift.
The peace given by Christ is eternal, just the opposite of the world’s peace. The peace given by Jesus is accompanied by the cross, His cross, so people are tempted to lay both down – the cross and salvation.
It does not matter who you might be – the Word brings the cross, often through the same people who claim to be believers. This comes in various doses and measures, depending on the person.
Luther said something so profound and simple about this that I created a graphic for it. God does not take turmoil from your heart; He takes your heart away from the turmoil. The turmoil still exists, but God turns it into a paradise so that we think we are in a rose garden.
I know many who have experienced it from their new-found love of the Book of Concord, Luther, and the Word. Only conflict and turmoil can produce that reaction.
Jesus says, “Do not be troubled, nor let it be afraid.” Faith is the opponent and the antidote to fear and anxiety. That is because faith is trust in God, in His power and compassion. His Promises, blessings, and forgiveness change troubled hearts even though opposition and turmoil continue.
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
All these things came true, so the disciples were confirmed in their trust of Christ. He rose to heaven on Ascension Day and sent the Holy Spirit, as He promised. These were astounding events which they witnessed and experienced.
Once again we see in this Gospel that believing is good. Everything has happened so that we believe in God, that we see Him in Christ, and know the Holy Spirit is at work in the Word.
The Gospel is Christ crucified for the sins of the world. This Gospel treasure is distributed through the Means of Grace, the Word and Sacraments. Those who deny this are enemies of the Word, no matter how saintly their appearance.
WELS SS Barf-o-rama: UOJ for Kiddies.
Or, Roll Over, Gausewitz
AC V has left a new comment on your post "Joe Krohn on Forgiveness - The Gospel as Law":
"Or the woman who is verbally and physically abused (malicious abandonment of vows) who is seeking a scriptural divorce and is told she must forgive and not file for divorce. If she does not forgive and continues towards divorce, she will be excommunicated."
The following is why she was told to do so. In WELS it is taught at a young age.
WELS ChristLight Sunday School Teacher's Guide; Grades 5-6; New Testament; Week 5; Lesson B; Discussion Point, Option 1 (apply); p. 70:
God wants us to forgive others just as he has forgiven us, but we often find excuses not to forgive. How would you answer each of these excuses?
1. Katie makes fun of my clothes every day and refuses to stop. Why should I forgive her? (A: God forgives our sins, even the ones we repeat every day.)
2. John hates me and tells lies about me behind my back. Why should I forgive him? (A: God forgives even those who hate him.)
3. When I accidentally hurt Sarah, she was mad for weeks. Today she pushed me on purpose. Why should I forgive her? (A: God forgives even those who don't show a loving spirit.)
4. Kurt totally ruined my new sweater and didn't even apologize. Why should I forgive him? (A: God forgives us even before we say we're sorry.)
(Note: God forgives everyone in the whole world - those who love him, those who hate him, those who reject him, and those who don't even know about him [objective justification]. We receive his forgiveness when the faith he has given us accepts that forgiveness [subjective justification].
Go to Canada Now Rather Than Later
Some have said that I should not have taken out the federal student loans if I couldn’t pay them back without a hassle. Like everyone else, I assumed all along I’d graduate and receive a call. Plus, before I enrolled and took out the loans, I was told that Concordia U and seminary students hardly ever defaulted on their student loans. Now I found out too late that the Dept of Education and higher education are in cahoots, so what’s reported as the default rate is only those who defaulted within two years or so after graduation. With the six-month grace period and easily approved deferments, it would be hard for anyone to default in the first two years! The real default rate per school is kept top secret, but overall one out of five student loan debtors default. One reason Americans owe more on student loans than on credit Cards is student loans can’t be discharged through bankruptcy.
The main reason that other countries have less expensive education is that other countries collect more taxes from their corporations, and these taxes go to fund education at all levels. In the US 81% of US govt revenues comes from income and payroll taxes, which is twice as high as other industrialized countries, and likewise, the US has half the effective rate of taxation on corporations and the very wealthy as other countries. So while the mood in the US is anti-taxation, only the rich and corporations receive dramatically lower tax rates since they have lobbyists.
Links:
The True Default Rate for Federal Student Loans, July 20, 2010
Last week, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported that 1 in 5 students graduating in 1995 have since defaulted on their student loans. Second: The American Public was, for decades, exposed to consistent, repeated claims by the universities, student loan companies, and even the Department of Education that the default rate was low (between roughly 4 and 7 percent) during the same time period….The fact that the recovery rate for defaulted federal student loans is 123 percent (compare this with the 20-30 percent rate for credit cards) should provide a clue.
---------------
Student Loan Default Rate Is Continuing to Increase
By TAMAR LEWIN
Published: September 13, 2010
The default rates represent a snapshot in time, examining only borrowers whose first loan repayments came due from Oct. 1, 2007, to Sept. 30, 2008, and who defaulted before Sept. 30, 2009. Those who defaulted later were not included in the data; over time, default rates increase substantially.
---------------
US Govt makes money off of student loan defaulters, Aug 6, 2010
---------------
Search school’s default rates (but only first two years of repayment period are shown): http://www.nslds.ed.gov/nslds_SA/defaultmanagement/search_cohort.cfm
---------------
7 Things They Don’t Tell You About Student Loans
By Jane Bryant Quinn | Dec 7, 2010
The default rate is much higher than the government leads you to believe….You have no idea how fast an apparently modest student loan can build, if you skip payments.
---------------
The Student Loan Scheme
Concordia Ft. Wayne library and food pantry expansion costs:
The library addition is part of a $15,000,000 capital campaign that also includes $5,000,000 in added endowment and $2,000,000 for a family life center to house the Food and Clothing Co-op following construction of the library.
Student Loan costs for life of a loan calculator
See also Table 2 here:
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/background/numbers/revenue.cfm
CEOs and board members are often paid in stocks, and capital gains associated with those stocks are taxed at only 15%:
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc427.html
You have taxable income or deductible loss when you sell the stock you received by exercising the option. You generally treat this amount as a capital gain or loss.
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_pay#Tax_issues
Corporate taxation and excise (“sin”) taxes (cigarettes, alcohol, gasoline, etc) barely are taxed anymore compared to their historical rate, while individual tax payers must assume the burden the corporations and commerce once had. While the statutory tax rate might be high, corporations have received tax breaks and deductions and credits so their “effective” tax rate is the lowest of any industrialized nation—27th out of 27:
http://reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate_welfare/real_tax_rates_plummet.php
Corporate taxes paid for more than a quarter of federal outlays in the 1950s and a fifth in the 1960s. They began to decline during the Nixon administration, yet even by the second half of the 1990s, corporate taxes still covered 11 percent of the cost of federal programs. But in fiscal years 2002 and 2003, corporate taxes paid for a mere 6 percent of federal expenses.
Only 12% of US federal revenue comes from corporations as of 2009, up from the start of the decade, while payroll and income tax account for 81% of US federal revenue:
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/background/numbers/revenue.cfm
In Canada only 41% of federal revenues come from personal taxes, half the US rate:
http://www.moneyandwealth.ca/222/source-of-canadian-government-tax-revenue/
US barely taxes its corporations compared to other industrialized countries:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget
…the U.S. ranked 27th lowest of 30 OECD countries in its collection of corporate taxes relative to GDP, at 1.8% vs. the average 2.5%.[27] Bruce Bartlett wrote in May 2011: "...one almost never hears that total revenues are at their lowest level in two or three generations as a share of G.D.P. or that corporate tax revenues as a share of G.D.P. are the lowest among all major countries. One hears only that the statutory corporate tax rate in the United States is high compared with other countries, which is true but not necessarily relevant. The economic importance of statutory tax rates is blown far out of proportion by Republicans looking for ways to make taxes look high when they are quite low."[28]
The personal plus corporate taxes together amounted to only 40% of German state revenue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Germany#Tax_revenue
Lutheran Seminary Fraud, May 16, 2011
---
bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Go to Canada Now Rather Than Later":
The last item/line in the above post is missing the link. Here it is:
Lutheran Seminary Fraud, May 16, 2011:
http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2011/05/lutheran-seminary-fraud-students-are.html
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Joe Krohn on Forgiveness - The Gospel as Law
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The Gospel as Law
An anonymous poster commented on a previous blog concerning the forgiveness of sins not being in the Second Article of the Apostles Creed which speaks of the atoning sacrifice of Christ; His propitiatory satisfaction for the sins of the world. But that the forgiveness of sins is the work of the Holy Ghost given through faith."I believe you may be on to something, highlighting the location of "the forgiveness of sins" in the Creed.
It does not read, "...was crucified, died, forgiving the sins of the world whether they believe it or not, and was buried."
It does not read, "On the third day he rose again from the dead, distributing forgiveness to the entire world."
The Gausewitz catechism did not speak of a blanket forgiveness of the world, apart from the Means of Grace.
"263. To whom does God forgive sins? To me and all believers.
264. Where are sins forgiven? In the Christian Church on earth."
There was a noticeable change in the Kuske catechism's treatment of the forgiveness of sins. Strangely, the word "forgiveness" is not even used in the following questions/answers from the "Forgiveness of Sins" section!
"253. How many people did God declare righteous? God declared all people righteous (Objective justification).
255. Why is it important, then, that the Holy Ghost work faith in me? It is important that the Holy Ghost work faith in me so that I do not trust in my own works but only in the righteousness God gives me by grace in Christ (Subjective justification).""
And yet God proclaims in Proverbs 17:15 "Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent — the LORD detests them both." In Isaiah 5:23 "who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent." And this from Exodus 23:6 "...for I will not acquit the guilty."
This from Martin Chemnitz 'Loci Theologici' II, 251 states: "Luther correctly said, God remits no sin unless justification has been rendered for it to the Law. . . .And so because God does not justify out of fickleness or carelessness or mistakenness or injustice and because nothing can be found in man by which he can be justified by God - and yet the righteousness of the Law must be fulfilled in the one to be justified (Rom. 8:24) - it is necessary that a foreign righteousness intervene. This foreign righteousness is such that the payment of guilt and the complete obedience of the Law satisfied divine wrath. And the result is that there can be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. To this righteousness the sinner, terrified and condemned by the voice of the Law, flees with true faith." (emphasis mine)
Our perfect God who was, is, and forever will be has never changed. All men are guilty before God prior to faith, repentance and the remission of sins. The extreme false teaching of Objective Justification proclaims that the ungodly who are still outside of faith (hence not in Christ) are forgiven. As the Children of Israel in the Old Testament looked to the brazen serpent in faith to be saved, in like manner all believers of all time look to Christ in faith for salvation. Extreme OJ falls flat on its face when one tries to reconcile it with OT believers as well as unbelievers. How could a condemned dead unbeliever's sins be forgiven before Christ paid for them? They weren't...he would have needed to hear the Word and the promise of the forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ all worked by the Holy Ghost.
The problem with this extreme false teaching of OJ is that it has done away with the Law. Since all are already forgiven, the preaching of repentance can go out the window. The very issue (Antinomianism) that OJ is trying to avoid (even exacerbates) still remains...you just have to believe it. The message of all times in scripture is repentance and the remission of sins. But OJ makes it all about forgiveness and then there are all kinds of schisms wrought with a warped sense of responsibility to forgive someone whether they are repentant or not. How responsible is that to the offending party? (Much worse an unbeliever who comes to church and hears the message of OJ and figures...'hey I'm golden, what do I need to come here for?'...but that is another issue)
About three years before I met my wife, she was in a physically abusive relationship (to her and her boys and dogs); malicious abandonment of vows; and embroiled in counseling with a WELS pastor who ranted uncontrollably (when she refused to forgive) that even though her husband did not admit what he did, nor was he sorry for what he did, she was still obligated to forgive him...and if she didn't, it was her fault for the broken marriage. Where does this come from other than OJ; that Christ has forgiven all sinners and therefore we are required to do the same...without contrition from the offender? The accusation from pastor was 'what did you do to make your husband so angry that he had to hit you...and I've gotten rough with my wife before and she never called the cops on me'. She ended up leaving that congregation after that same pastor bashed her in the tooth so hard (she thought it was broken) with the common cup during communion that it splashed down her clothes.
I have heard of similar situations where a woman has had to endure years of her husband viewing porn (adultery) all the while being counseled by the pastor and being told she has to forgive...even though it goes on. Or the woman who is verbally and physically abused (malicious abandonment of vows) who is seeking a scriptural divorce and is told she must forgive and not file for divorce. If she does not forgive and continues towards divorce, she will be excommunicated.
Even God forsook His people after a time when they broke His covenant with them.
Another problem is the preaching that says since Christ has forgiven you, now you have to do this for Him. (Guilt - Gospel as Law) We have sermons that have the pastor sounding more like a life coach instead of a servant of the Word. We are told to live our lives sacrificially and that includes forgiving other people whether they are sorry or not. Not that good works are bad but it reeks of a self righteousness and is just plain upside down theology.
Worship and church life to a Lutheran is a sacramental life. We can't do anything on our own that is why we look to Christ (in Word and Sacrament) because He has already done it all for us. It lets us off the hook so to speak. It is enough to have faith...and we know He will give us good works to do. It's a package deal that comes with the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Peddling Insurance for Thrivent.
Supporting Hab/Hum and Salvation Army!
Note Pan-Religion Stained Glass
More information is posted here.
Everyone in the LCMS is peddling life insurance, but from only one company - Thrivent.
In return for the monopoly granted to Thrivent Insurance (Appleton, WI) for promoting its products and gaining the membership lists of congregations, Thrivent gives Missouri $50 to 60 million a year.
That makes the synod, the districts, the congregations and schools little business centers for Thrivent. The agents get membership lists from the pastors. Failing that, they get the lists from one of them members.
The members and pastors think they are best off giving their insurance money and investments to Thrivent, because they are getting all that loot back again in grants.
The same can be said for WELS. I am not sure how deep the Little Sect is.
Thrivent takes but does not give back so well. Thrivent gives money to the Salvation Army, which is another denomination, not just a charity.
Thrivent has an enormous ongoing grant to Habitat for Humanity, over $100 million. So much for "our" insurance company!
The multi-religion stained glass window (pretty ugly, eh?) is another Thrivent project.
Best of all - Thrivent channels a lot of money to ELCA. If Missouri gets $50 to 60 million, how much more does ELCA get. The ELCA is about twice as big as Missouri.
If the branch system works the way it did under AAL, the Syn Conference is completely enmeshed in ELCA at the local level, just as it is at the national level.
Thrivent likes to get everyone together at once, at all levels. Wave a $100 bill in front of conservative Lutherans and they are suddenly more ecumenical than Ghandi, more evangelical than Jesus.
Thrivent has united the Big Four already, helping them collapse toward one another. Make that Big Five, since the CLC has some participation too (on the sly).
Ontario Reader Comment on Pope Paul Without a Call
Anonymoose:
My sympathy of having to listen to the likes of Paul McCain -- the man's comments were vile.
Modern Philosophy Is a Construct:
So Is Modern Theology and UOJ
I used to wonder why I wasted all those years studying modern theology. One thoelogian leads to studying another, just like following college and pro football. If someone follows the Packers, every pro game has significance. College football is just the same. I get emails about Notre Dame, with multiple Big Stories each week. For Domers, the alcholoic wide receiver is big news, and so is latest recruitment success or failure. For that reason, I watch very little football all year, college or pro.
My seminary professors were very big on Tillich, but my advisor at Notre Dame (Hommes) and his colleague (Fiorenza) were Tillich fanatics. Thus I read and took notes on Tillich. Karl Barth was important for Hauerwas, my dissertation advisor, but Barth actually taught my dissertation director, John Howard Yoder. In addition, Fiorenza (now at Harvard) was president of the Barth Society, so he was considered an expert on the Communist pastor of Safenwill.
Barth is important for all Lutherans, because he remains the official theologian of Fuller Seminary. Barth's students at Fuller were responsible for turning Fuller from mild inerrancy to anti-inerrancy.
Bonhoeffer is a modern who seems safe for all synods. SP Harrison quotes him adoringly. Bonhoeffer taught at Union Seminary in NYC, aka The Devil's Playground. Tillich tuaght at Union as well. Both men were Nazi sympathizers, if you look below the talking points about both theologians. Is that better or worse than being an advocate for Communism, as Barth and his hawt mistress (Kirschbaum) were.
Don't get me started on Schleiermacher, another rationalist from Halle. He never settled his doubts about the Christian faith, so he became the pivotal theologian for the moderns. He learned to write elegantly about the Christian faith without believing in the Word of God. Some wits call this faith without belief. ELCA oozes faith without belief, and the Syn Conference is dominated by it via Fuller.
All these theologians and many more are indebted to Kant, the 19th century philosopher. Modern theology--with a few rare exceptions, like Sasse--is a combination of rationalism from philosophy and Biblical terms from the past.
Jesus was born during the beginnings of the Roman Empire, since the Republic was already dead. The Roman Empire's culture was Greek, and all educated people spoke and wrote Greek, quoting it liberally in their letters. Greek was the soi-disant French language of the time. Therefore, the Christian faith was often articulated in the language of the philosophers. Augustine was a genius in this culture, and his conversion meant that all future theologians would share the language and thought of the philosophers.
Luther was suspicious of philosophical thought, but not because he was untrained in it. As an Augustinian monk of the Middle Ages, he knew Medieval philosophy and theology better than the pope. He also realized where that mindset could lead, based on assumptions. The ultimate Medieval philosopher and theologian was Aquinas, part of a college course in Medieval Latin. The Angelic Doctor, as he is called, used syllogisms to form his massive works.
Although Luther could argue with the best of theologians, using his vast knowledge of history and philosophy, he chose to use the Word alone as the basis for all assumptions.
For instance, if we accept the assumption that God would not let His vicar (the pope) make an error, then anything from the Antichrist is true. With a few changes in place, this is the assumption of Syn Conference and ELCA pastors: God would not allow Whorely Mother Synod to make a mistake. Therefore, any deviation from Holy Mother is a breach of fellowship, worthy of excommunication and shunning.
Fuller Means Barth and Kant
Laity have trouble with the agenda of the Lutheran synods (ELCA on down) because most people think in Biblical terms, like Luther, rather than in secular terms, like the Fuller-trained businessmen who run the synods.
They are not very good businessmen, because they have run their organizations into the ground. Any other retailer would fire them, offering many of them up for prosecution on felony obstruction and fraud charges. But these yahoos know how to take care of one another while fooling the laity.
UOJ Means Schleiermacher and Kant
Those who spend their time with Luther's sermons and the Bible have an immediate allergic reaction to Universal Objective Justification.
UOJ depends on logic, beginning with rationalistic assumptions. The Stormtroopers are unfazed by their own side-stepping of Biblical revelation and Confessional clarity. They do not realize they are channeling Barth, Schleiermacher, and Knapp because the Syn Conference con artists have portrayed a very select group of writers as the ultimate in orthodoxy. They also try to fool people into thinking that Means of Grace theologians embraced UOJ before it was invented by the Pietists.
I can go through my database and find UOJ people mentioning Calov, Gerhard, and Luther as their allies in "God declaring the entire world forgiven." But actual quotations prove otherwise.
UOJ, like ELCA, Is All Condemnation
The most energetic UOJ guardians are also the most condemning. In the name of all-grace and all-forgiveness, they spend most of their time reviling and excommunicating. As Luther said, lacking faith means there is nothing but Law.
For example, ELCA condemns anyone who questions the necessity of ordaining homosexuals and performing homosexual marriages. Although ELCA questioned those policies only a few years ago, to do so now is an invitation for scorn, abuse, and shunning. I told 29a he was a bigot, then a racist, for doubting ELCA's wisdom. He laughed, knowing what I was doing.
Tim Glende's anonymous blog is nothing but condemnation, albeit carried out in a clownish and illiterate fashion. Everyone is forgiven without faith, so he condemns with the law (his law) because he is all law. St. Peter in Freedom will die without Groeschel being plagiarized. But if someone identifies plagiarism as such, Glende will fire him (the circuit pastor) or excommunicate him (Techlin) during Holy Week.
Likewise, Kudu Don Patterson is open minded about all religious teachers. He gathered WELS church workers together to hear the pan-demon confab at Orlando, Florida. Let us spoil the Egyptians and rob them of their precious gems, gold, and silver. Confidential to VP Patterson - it costs a lot of money to carry out this spoiling, no?
But such diversity of thought is not to be tolerated in the congregation. If someone questions UOJ or criticizes blowing $35,000 on Cornerstone, he is cut off, excommunicated. The VP of the district, Patterson hisself, will be glad to visit with Joe and Lisa Krohn, as long as the newly excommunicated simply sit and listen. Only a short time ago, Joe was appointed an elder in the congregation. That means he can be an elder as long as he follows orders with glazed eyes and an empty mind.
But -
In the midst of this, there is love. Yes, there is no love like that of one UOJ Stormtrooper for another. Nothing binds people together like the joy of kicking out sincere members who want to discuss doctrine.
Get your Shamwow hankies out. Kudu Don Patterson and Tim the Bully Glende became Facebook friends in May of 2011. Blest be the tie that binds.
Luther to Zwingli - You Have Another Spirit
Luther knew that Zwingli was a rationalist, an Enthusiast who did not attribute all things to the Holy Spirit working through the Word. He refused to shake Zwingli's hand, saying, "You have another spirit."
That is true of the UOJ/CG Enthusiasts of today. They have another spirit. They are making plans, marketing the Gospel, entertaining the seekers, popping popcorn and brewing coffee for the Old Adam and Old Eve.
The Syn Conference pastor says, "My future rests in the hands of Holy Mother Synod. I must obey or I will starve to death. I must submit or I will not have a congregation."
The Word of God says that the Triune God is more powerful than any synod official, that the treasures of the Gospel are worth far more than a bowl of lentil soup.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)