Tuesday, August 9, 2011

With Heavy Hearts and Heavier Boots:
Holy Word WELS,
Home of the District VP and Ex-Synod President,
Both Church and Changers,
Kick Joe and Lisa Krohn Out - In Christian Love


Tuesday, August 9, 2011


Beginning the Formal Process of Termination of Fellowship and Our Response

Here is the letter we received from the Elders and Council of Holy Word Ev. Lutheran Church, Austin, Texas.  It is followed by our response that we sent today.  The dialog is long and tedious at times, but necessary.  The Holy Word letter is in the .jpg format and can easily be magnified depending on your browser and mouse settings.  Usually a left click will open the file in a different window and then continued left clicks will magnify if need be.  Our letter will format differently since we composed it in Word and will be much easier to view here.  We did notice a fragmented sentence on the last page of what we mailed to the Elders and Council and we have revised it here.

Kyrie, eleison!


2722 Lovett Lane
Cedar Park, Texas  78613

August 9, 2011

Mr. Matt Wordell
Mr. Brad Johnson
                              Holy Word Evangelical Lutheran Church
10601 Bluff Bend Drive
Austin, TX 78753

Re:  Termination of Fellowship

Dear Matt and Brad:

Thank you for your letter of July 31, 2011.  We pray that your hearts be lifted; for times like these drive us deep into His Word!

Psalm 119:10-16 “10 I seek you with all my heart;
   do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
   that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, LORD;
   teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
   all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
   as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
   and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
   I will not neglect your word.” -NIV

We do not agree with your definition of Excommunication, but suffice it to say we are thankful that you have backed away from your position that our salvation may be in jeopardy as inferred in your communication of May 21, 2011.  Clearly stated; Excommunication is manifest impenitence for the breaking of God’s Law, not just manifest impenitence.  Otherwise you would be excommunicating us.  Neither are we denying the forgiveness of sins or the redemptive work of Jesus Christ as our response will show you.

We are deeply disappointed that the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod, Holy Word Lutheran Church, Pastor Patterson, Pastor Gurgel, Holy Word’s Elders and Holy Word’s Council
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continue to believe (since you are speaking for all) in the peculiar doctrine as laid out in your letter; by the extremely narrow context of three (albeit truncated in the third case) passages and almost three full pages of editorial by mere men.  Clearly you did not substantiate your position by using scripture regarding the chief article of our faith.

Regarding Doctrinal Error and Holy Word’s Impetus for Termination of Fellowship:

You chose to lead with Pastor Schaller’s essay (circa 1910) on 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.  Schaller was one of the Wauwatosa Theologians and it is ironic since their mantra was ’let scripture interpret scripture’; that he would hang his hat on four verses for this doctrine.  I believe it is quite presumptuous to conclude that if one does not believe as such that they may be a Synergist.  There is always a danger in believing we have anything to do with our salvation or even the salvation of others.  (i.e.:  saving souls.)  This is the Enthusiasm that is currently plaguing many ‘christian’ denominations via the Church Growth Movement and the Emergent ‘church’.

Let’s widen the angle a bit, shall we?  Here are the passages in context with my commentary italicized and in parenthesis (It is peculiar that Schaller would use a portion of the Bible that actually was referring to the relationship of the body of believers to each other.):

2 Corinthians 5:11- 21

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, (This is spoken by a believer to believers since unbelievers have no fear of God.) we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us (Who is ‘us’?  Unbelievers are not compelled by Christ’s love.  Only believers are.), because we (Believers) are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.  (Those who live are the believers.  Unbelievers would not live for Christ.  Paul has set the context here and that is all these things are through faith in Christ.) 16 So from now on we (Believers) regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we (Believers) once regarded Christ in this way, we (Believers) do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is (believes) in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us (Believers) to himself through Christ and gave us (Believers) the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was (From a former time; not Calvary but the Garden of Eden; Gen. 3:15) reconciling (Not past tense but present; ongoing; from the Garden; otherwise how could Abraham et al be saved?) the world
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(God’s will is for all to be saved and has made salvation possible for all through faith in Christ as propitiator) to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. (Those who believe; unbelievers die in their sins.) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We (Believers) are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us (Believers). We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  (If all are justified, therefore forgiven and reconciled, why would Paul make an exhortation to ‘be reconciled to God’?) 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him (in faith) we might become the righteousness of God.” -NIV (As in putting on the righteousness of Christ which comes through faith; Rom. 3:22.)

You continue your defense with an excerpt from the 2005 Buchholz essay that has just one Bible reference, which ironically speaks against your premise.  Furthermore, Buchholz is in error when he says that the Confessions equate justification and forgiveness in a general absolution to all mankind.  When the Confessions speak of justification it is always equated with regeneration.  The regenerates are the believers.

Here is the one Bible reference in your Buchholz excerpt with my comment:

“Psalm 32:1 “ 1 Blessed is he
   whose transgressions are forgiven,
   whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the man
   whose sin the LORD does not count against him
   and in whose spirit is no deceit.” (Again, who is blessed and forgiven?  Unbelievers?         No!  Do unbelievers have no deceit towards God?  Of course not.  Only believers are lacking deceit as they are in Christ.)

Proverbs 17:15 “15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
   the LORD detests them both.” -NIV

Unfortunately the Buchholz essay is equating the atonement for sin with the forgiveness of sins.  It is not the same thing.  Christ’s redemptive work (atonement) is Second Article doctrine of the Apostle’s Creed.  The Forgiveness of Sins is Third Article and is the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the Word and Sacraments.  This is why Pastor Patterson and the rest of you are in error when you teach a forgiveness of sins apart from hearing the Word; apart from the Holy Ghost.  If everyone is already forgiven, why bother with anything else?  By Buchholz’s own admission in his essay, he is ‘wresting terms in such a way that scriptures do not speak’.  The message of the Bible has always been that of repentance and the remissions of sins through faith in the Savior, Christ Jesus.
Your third point of defense is pulled from the WELS confession of faith re: Justification, in “This We Believe”.  Again, this (Romans 5:18 and truncated at that) is in the narrowest of contexts.  To put Romans 5 in context one must go back to chapters 3 and 4. 
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In Romans 3:19-26, God’s Word says (Commentary as before and all emphasis mine): 
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (No one is righteous.  Period.)
 21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. (Christ and His righteousness for all who receive Him in faith by the power of the Holy Spirit.) 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. (We are in the context of faith now.) There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (This is a parenthetical thought... All are sinners.  Period.) 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Verse 24 is no longer part of the parenthetical and refers back to verse 22 that all those who believe are righteous and therefore justified in His sight and not all men.)  25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” -NIV

Romans 4 goes on in detail in the example of Abraham, the father of our faith and transitions beautifully into chapter 5:

Romans 4:16 to 5:2
 “16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[c] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[d] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (You have to realize that this faith that was given and worked by the Holy Spirit in Abraham enabled him to carry out the sacrifice of his son, Isaac; to the very enth degree.  Abraham already believed in the resurrection and that if Isaac died, God would raise Isaac from the dead to fulfill the promise of the Savior through Abraham’s seed.) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
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23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.  1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” -NIV
So far St. Paul has gone to great lengths to establish that it is Christ’s righteousness that justifies through faith alone.  By faith (worked by the Holy Ghost) we receive His righteousness and are therefore declared justified; forgiven.

Here is Romans 5:18 in context (the context of faith as established in chapters 3, 4 and beginning of 5); commentary again in parenthesis:

Romans 5:12-21

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. (This is key.  Not only is the gift opposite of the condemnation; bringing life, but watch how else it differs.) For if by the one man’s offense many died (all die), much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. (Notice it is to many; or for many but not on all.) 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. (resulted in; not yet imputed to us but on the One who earned it.  On Christ!) 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) (This is the key…those who receive…through the One…through faith!) 18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. (This verse is merely summarizing what has gone before.  Verse 19 is the more important verse.) 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, (all men) so also by one Man’s obedience many (believers, since what has gone before tells you who the ‘many’ are.) will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. -NKJV (This verse drives it home…’through Jesus Christ’, or in Christ; through faith in Christ.)
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A WELS pastor friend of mine succinctly states the problems associated with the confusing verbiage of many of WELS essays; even the statement of faith as laid out in ‘This We Believe’ as you have stated prior.

...We ought not speak of people as being already justified before they are born.  The Confessions equate Justification with Regeneration.  Period.  And the Scriptures do the same.  Justification/The forgiveness of sins are Third Article doctrines, not Second Article doctrines.  The confusion is this, that when some people say "God has justified the world," they mean, "Christ died for the sins of the world."  But our sloppy use of the word "justify" has caused all sorts of problems.  The latter is "redemption," not "justification."  Some go so far as to say that God imputes the righteousness of Christ to all people.  This directly contradicts the passage you quoted above that says that "to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited (imputed) as righteousness." (- Romans 4:5 Ibid)

In Summary

We will not and cannot recant nor repent since we are not in error and we will in fact seek a capitulation from you and those you are claiming to represent; that Christ’s death on the cross did not ‘justify all men’, (nor forgive them before they were born) but rather atoned for their sins (Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed) and that sinners receive God’s grace, forgiveness and justification; Christ’s redemptive work in their place (propitiation) through faith alone in Christ worked by the Holy Ghost as it has been since the fall of man. (Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed)  It is God’s will that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-6).  Christ’s righteousness and forgiveness (that He won for all) is objectively for all men.  But it remains on Christ for the world (objectively) and is received through faith alone that is worked by the Holy Spirit.  To believe that all are already forgiven before faith (as Patterson preaches) or even saved (as the Buchholz paper claims); even prior to hearing the Word (Romans 10:17) through which the Holy Ghost works, you are separating the Word from the Holy Spirit.  This is blasphemy.


Justified by Grace for Christ’s sake through faith,


Joe and Lisa Krohn

A Good NNIV Post Followed by a Synod Minder.
No! No! Ninevah!



Anonymous said...
I agree with the general sentiments. The translation is the soft-sell version of the Historical Critical method. I ask myself, if the translators were willing to mess with the gender, what other things did they change? Do we believe the Bible was inspired word-for-word, or did God inspire general concepts? An eighth grader confirmand would know better. Meanwhile I was told by an shall-remain-nameless seminary professor, regarding the NIV 2011 that "perhaps my faith isn't ready to understand why gender neutrality is okay, and that "every translation is treason".

If the WELS accepts the NIV 2011 it is siding with many other Sects who do not believe in plenary verbal inspiration. May this not be!!

But really, it shows how deep the systemic rot is in the WELS to show that the Synod (on any level) would even consider that translation. The Southern Baptists are even laughing at us--aghast that the WELS is struggling over the matter. (hanging my head)

I would hope that Confessional WELS pastors and congregations would tell the Synod "we will not use nor purchase any materials containing the NIV 2011, nor will we vouch for the orthodoxy of any church who uses the translation.

Tim Meyers
July 16, 2011 5:39 PM
  http://stevebauer.ushttp://stevebauer.usHYPERLINK "http://stevebauer.us"Pastor Steve Bauer said...
Tim Meyers wrote:

"But really, it shows how deep the systemic rot is in the WELS to show that the Synod (on any level) would even consider that translation. The Southern Baptists are even laughing at us--aghast that the WELS is struggling over the matter. (hanging my head)"

I'm curious of where your proof is that Southern Baptists are laughing at us. The Baptists I am in contact with who are studying the NIV-11 (and other bibles) are seriously saddened that their own brothers rushed to a decision on this matter without studying it further. And by no means are they laughing at us. I hope you're speaking hyperbolically. Because if you're not, you'll have to produce evidence that a sizable amount of Baptists even know that the WELS exists (Most I've talked to don't). But in addition to that, you'll have to produce evidence that they are indeed laughing at us.

Also, you'll also have to show how considering the NIV-11 as a translation option for our synod proves that there is "systemic rot" in the WELS.

You bring forth serious charges against our church. Unless you bring forth real and substatial proof, I have no choice but to conclude that you are breaking the 8th commandment.

If you really do think that the WELS is in error for considering the NIV-11 as a translation option, then this is not the forum to speak of such things first. Speak to your pastor, congregational president, circuit pastor, in keeping with Matthew 18.

Why does this blog tolerate such flagrant breaking of the 8th commandment unchecked?

--Pastor Steve Bauer
July 17, 2011 11:34 AM 

Some things don't look right from the start. Ya know what I'm sayin'?

Join These Jolly People in Mocking the Means of Grace



But, can anyone get lower than WELS Pastor Scott Oelhafen preaching, I Am So Glad Jesus Rode a Hog - to celebrate the Harley Davidson franchise?
Steve Jobs is a nominal Lutheran. How about an Apple Sunday? That would be suitable for The CORE - they use Apples.

---
California:

Re:The youtube of the "mocking of the Means of Grace" .   The choice of Dr. Seuss characters complete with costumes may not be be so far out considering the context of where synods are heading.   Dr. Seuss books may have more to do with the lowered literacy of recent generations  in general when phonics method of teaching reading was abandoned or diluted in favor of "look say" method.   The timing wasn't too far removed from the timing of the KJV having been dispatched to the waste baskets.

Dr. Theodore Geisel, the real name of the author of the Dr. Seuss books, wrote the books in response to a request of someone from a text book company.   The request was that he write a book (books) for early elementary grade reading, using no more than 348 words, limited to 225 words per book.  The Cat in the Hat was the first.  That can be documented on Wikipedia and many other sources with a simple google search. The books were instrumental in supporting the replacing of phonics with "look say" method of teaching reading which contributed mightily to the dumbing down of a couple generations. In later life,  Dr.Geisel is reported to have said he regretted the association of his work with the "look say" method of teaching reading.

So it's not  too much of a stretch that Dr. Seuss characters would be featured  by that pathetic display, when the NNIV is being seriously considered as acceptable.  If it weren't for copyright obstacles, NNIV could be promoted as the  Dr.Seuss Bible for literacy challenged pew occupants.

---

This style of writing also appeared to be in Dr. Geisel's nature. During WWII, he was assigned to write training manuals for the US Army. He was re-assigned when the manuals sounded too much like what we would call a "Dr. Suess" book today.

Baazboy
 

When WELS Offers Money Management Courses,
Think Prairie du Chien:
Millions Spent for a Prison



bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Judgment Day Approaches for the LCMS Seminaries":

http://www.wi-doc.com/prairie_du_chien.htm

INSTITUTION INFORMATION
The State of Wisconsin purchased this facility in 1995 to be used as a Juvenile Correctional Institution for non-assaultive male youthful offenders. The main grounds and the majority of the buildings were originally constructed in the mid 1900s. The facility originally served as a Jesuit High School and later as a Lutheran Preparatory High School. Due to the decreases of juvenile offender population in the Division of Juvenile Corrections, the Legislature in the 1997 Senate Bill 113, authorized the Department of Corrections to temporally utilize this facility for the Division of Adult Institutions.

The Importance of Original Preaching


The post below, Faith Comes from the Preached Word of God, should lead all ministers and laity to the same conclusion as Luther's - the preaching of the Word is the most important aspect of the Christian Church.

Each week offers plenty of time to prepare a faithful sermon and write it out. That is the first priority. Second is pastoral visitation and education of the young. Gym workouts are acceptable if the minister gives the Word a workout during the week.

One way to prepare is to ditch the ridiculous Church of Rome three-year lectionary and return to the historic one-year, which is used in The Lutheran Hymnal and Lenker's Sermons of Luther. Then, read this sermon to the family, during the week, as leader of the household. Lenker often has long versions of the sermon and multiple copies. Ideas, illustrations, and Biblical interpretation are wrapped into one inexpensive but priceless package.

Starting perhaps on Thursday or Friday, the sermon should be written out completely. Writing is the most organized form of communication. Our thoughts are a jumble. Conversation is wordy and repetitive. Writing puts all the thoughts in order and develops them. "Writing makes a precise mind." The sermon should be delivered without the manuscript. The minister may need a short outline to stay on track. Walther wrote about having the complete manuscript there, but preaching freely. Many of us are too anxious and will fall into reading from the manuscript rather than simply using it as our blankie.

A Biblical text has its own outline. Each verse is a point. Stop when finished. A well prepared sermon will have an hour's worth of material available in spoken form. Good writing is more like an iceberg. Most of the preparation is concealed. Getting up in the pulpit and winging it does not work but the minister has a lid of ice under him, not an ice mountain. When preaching without preparation, he is likely to sink "beneath the waves with watery groan, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown."

The Book of Concord and Lenski have many good insights to add. Thanks to the Net, a minister can drop Luther quotes, Book of Concord citations, and Lenski into the text. The digital Lenski and Luther will give the exact citation with the copy and paste. Does Groeschel offer that? No.

I may be unusual in this regard, but I like to put a lot of good quotations at the end. The quotations I use are ones that I have collected over the years. All of them have citations, and they are free for anyone to use. I would rather read good material over and over than look for a fresh and exciting heretical statement designed for itching ears.

The printed sermon ought to be posted for everyone to read. Mark 4 (Matthew 13) teaches us to scatter the Word the way the Sower broadcasts the seed. Google Blogger makes it easy to post the sermon. The Bethany Lutheran Worship blog has sermons only and almost nothing else. Look at the map. People all over the world are using it daily. Plagiarists are not going to blog their sermons, because it is too easy to match them up with the original authors - who are never Lutheran.

I do not think that linking the audio is adequate. That will not work for many people. I never bother with someone's audio file. I doubt whether Granny in Wachahootchie Falls is going to use it either. Video files can be useful because the home-bound person is a part of the church service that way. As one man with ALS said, "I feel like I am there with you when I watch the video." Previously we had audio files for him to hear.

Video is fairly easy to manage, inexpensive to start. We are using Ustream right now. Bumping off the ads is going to cost members $4 a month. A large church could do that by paying the group fee, which is $100. There are other approaches, but all it takes is broadband and a $100 camera. One independent congregation uploads the file later. We broadcast live and save the file.  

The Sermon is the Big Picture If the Christian Church is the way in which people receive grace, then the congregation and pastor are obliged to provide this grace as lavishly as possible. People do not come to church to be beat up by the Law and handed more Law as their medicine. That works with cults but it does not advance the Gospel.

The sermon is the primary Means of Grace in the Christian Church. The neo-crypto-papists want to elevate Holy Communion to that position. We provide Holy Communion each week for various reasons, but the preached Word is first. Holy Communion as the visible Word has far more meaning if it follows a real sermon that conveys Christ to the audience.

The congregation has many ways to support or undermine the sermon. I receive nothing but support from the readers and listeners, but my situation is unusual.

Members undermine the sermon by making the pastor the Keeper of the Flower Chart, the Man Responsible for Why the Church is Dirty on Sunday Morning, and the Main Reason Why Aunt Matilda Quit.

I am convinced that a Means of Grace congregation will exemplify what Luther taught about the Scriptures.



Faith Comes from the Preached Word of God


The Universal Objective Justification fanatics have no concept of the Gospel. Their screams of rage prove it, whenever they are challenged. Romans 10 is a powerful refutation of their Enthusiastic fantasies. People without any knowledge of Christ, without any faith in Him, are declared forgiven, absolved, and saved! - even before they are born.

"Faith comes from hearing" is far too truncated to encapsulate what Paul teaches in Romans 10.

KJV Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The Word (rema) is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the Word (rema) of faith, which we preach; One might translate (rema) as utterance.

Understood with Paul's many statements about one, harmonious, God-given doctrine, the term has the sense of being the solemn declaration of God's truth, as revealed by the Holy Spirit.

KJV Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Once again, Paul teaches justification by faith, which is not the same at the atoning death of Christ. One must be carefully trained in the double-back flips of warmed-over Pietism - to start with salvation without faith and descend to the necessity of works. Oh yes, the UOJ fanatics plunk their victims into cell groups and order them to study the eructations of favored dungeon-masters. You cannot transform your life unless you perform your works of atonement in your cell group.

KJV Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The next verse clearly reveals the salvation story: KJV Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report (akoe)? The report is the proclamation, the message. Luther translated, "Who has believed our preaching?"

This citation connects the most famous Suffering Servant passage in Isaiah to Paul's lesson:

KJV Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report (akoe in the Greek Septuagint)? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4 Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Paul is teaching the importance of preaching the pure Word of God, not the ravings of Groeschel and Stanley, because faith comes from preaching the utterances of God.

KJV Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing (akoe), and hearing (akoe) by the Word of God. Luther translated, "So then faith comes from preaching, and preaching from the Word of God."

LUO Romans 10:17 So kommt der Glaube aus der Predigt, das Predigen aber aus dem Wort Gottes.

Notice the flow of Luther's words - "So comes Faith from Preaching, Preaching however from the Word of God." Although the phrasing is a bit odd, we could translate, "Faith comes from hearing the proclamation, this proclamation from the Word of God."

Luther preserves the original intent better than the English, which keeps going downhill. Here is the Nineveh, Murdoch's New

NNIV - Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. The Mequon Sausage Factory, so named by Jay Webber and the ELS, is hotter than Georgia asphalt about the NNIV. The Murdoch Living Bible is by idiots, for idiots.


Monday, August 8, 2011

How About This, Sports Fans?



Anonymous said on Intrepid Lutherans
hm. Interesting. I certainly didn't mean to put you on the spot. That's a mighty coincidence. I still say you made a mighty fine point in that letter.

And that of course brings up the question: If that's what you believe about Objective Justification, (and there are certainly many who agree) then it's time to call an ol' Reformation-style Council so that we Orthodox Believers can reaffirm Justification as taught by the Lutheran Confessions--and condemn and repudiate the sectarian belief of Objective Justification.

And wouldn't that make the job of reforming the WELS easier? I mean, if we currently have an Enthusiastic Justification (one where people are justified apart from or before the Means of Grace) is it any surprise that Enthusiasm is popping up everywhere? And conversely, if we repudiate UOJ because it IS Enthusiasm the tone of the conversation will be set so that we can eliminate so many other heterodox practices.

If we fight for a major reform of the doctrine of Justification we will have all the tools at hand to teach the people to apply the idea that 'God only works through the means of Grace' to everything we as WELS churches do.

Tim Meyers

Proof Copy of The Story of Jesus in Pictures
Availab, Free Download


The Martin Chemnitz Press storefront at Lulu.com

The children's book is almost done. I have sent some proof copies to a few people. Anyone can download all the MCP books for free, from the link posted above. Lulu offers short-term discounts.

I posted the latest discount offer above.

I am especially interested in opinions about the new book. It has a lot of potential for mission work because it is the basic Biblical story in beautiful four-color pages.

The entire book is in color. Each painting by Norma Boeckler has a simple caption, aimed at explaining the context as simply as possible. A condensed version of the Biblical Gospel is found at the end. I am thinking of adding the Biblical citation for each picture, following the caption.

This represents a lot of labor for the artist, but Norma says this is her favorite form of art.

Right now it is available all over the world for free.

That says something for this little congregation, held in such contempt by the Lutheran leaders who have to peddle Thrivent insurance to stay in the black.


David Barnhardt Added To Blog List


I added the David Barnhardt blog to the blog list on the left (farther down). I may do more of Blog This! in the future, when I put a link up to feature stories.

Pastor Barnhardt and I were early refuseniks who did not go along with the ELCA merger. Barnhardt exposed what Herb Chilstrom was doing in Minnesota, which probably helped Chilstrom become ELCA Bishop.

This is the core of the story. The Minnesota district of the LCA had a program to treat young sex offenders. The entire family was assaulted with x-rated pornography for several days. Chilstrom refused to view the films, but defended the program, part of Lutheran Social Services.

Chilstrom's adopted son committed suicide. Some think that event was behind Herb's gay activism campaign. Long ago and far away, I had lunch with Herb at one of those clergy gatherings for pastors ordained a certain length of time. He was quite pleasant, interested in my dissertation about A. D. Mattson, his professor at Augustana Seminary in Rock Island.

The Minnesota radicals (Chilstrom, Hanson) leveraged the NWC-Jungkuntz potential of ELCA. David Preus and James Crumley--the ALC and LCA presidents at the time of merger--now regret the formation of ELCA. Big egos, big plans - big mistake.

Readers should pay attention to the LCMC and NALC as they form. Both groups have women's ordination established. Missouri and WELS wink at their own examples of women pastors. They will switch rather than fight.

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Kansas Lutherans

Bishop Crumley made the statement to a gathering of over 500 clergy and laity last Saturday, Jan. 9, at a gathering sponsored by Orthodox Lutherans of South Carolina. You can read more about them here.

“I conclude that there is no evidence based on the text of Scripture which permits or mandates the change as stated in the new policy adopted at the assembly(churchwide). The action rather was unconstitutional and violated a part of the Confession of Faith. On that basis, the appropriate question is whether the ELCA is still without question a faithful and confessing church. I conclude that the ELCA has placed itself in a precarious position.”

Luther's Sermon on Matthew 7:15-21.
Can Figs Grow from Thistles?

Christ's Warning of False Prophets A Sermon by Martin Luther; Taken from His Church Postil, 1522


Part I. The Foundation and Reason of This Warning 

1. As the Lord in the three previous chapters, the 5th, 6th, and 7th, explains the commandments of God, he finally concludes with these words, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should to you, do ye even so to them," v. 12. This is a Christian doctrine, and the sum and total of Christianity. Immediately follows this Gospel lesson, in which the Lord exercises the office of a good shepherd and teacher, and warns us to beware of false prophets. As though he would say, Now you have heard the truth, from henceforth therefore beware of other doctrines. For it is certain that false teachers and false prophets will arise wherever this Word is preached.

2. We must boldly consider the two kinds of doctrine, the true and good, and the false and erroneous, and that they will always accompany each other, for thus it has been from the beginning, and thus it will continue to the end of the world. Hence it will not do for us to creep along in silence, and resort to a safe and secure manner of life. The evil teachings of men and the doctrines of devils, and all our enemies oppose us without ceasing, and hence we dare not think that the issue is settled. We are not yet across the river. Therefore the Lord diligently warns us and says: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

II. The Warning Itself 
3. We should well consider this passage, for Christ our Lord here commands and gives all Christians the power to be judges of all doctrine, and he gives them power to judge what is right and what is not right. It is now well on a thousand years that this passage has been perverted by false Christians, so that we have had no power to judge, but had to accept what the Pope and the councils determined, without any judgment of our own.

4. Now this Gospel here overthrows the very foundation of popery and of all councils, for we are not bound to keep what the Pope commands and men decree. Therefore I say again, firmly grasp what this Gospel teaches, for the authority has never been given either to the Pope or councils, or anyone else, to sit and determine what is faith. For Christ says: "Beware of false prophets." Either the Gospel lies, or the Pope and the councils do. Christ says we have the right to judge all doctrines, and whatever is proposed for us to keep or to reject. Here the Lord does not speak to the Pope, but to all Christians. And as the doctrine is proclaimed to all: "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do even so to them;" so likewise the words exclude no one: "Beware of false prophets." From which it clearly follows that I may indeed judge of the doctrine.

5. Hence I can say: Pope, you together with the councils have resolved, and now I have to decide whether I may accept it or not. Why? Because you will not stand and answer for me when I die, but I must see to it myself how I stand before God, so that I may be certain of my fate.

6. For you must be so certain in regard to the matter, that it is God's Word, as certain and more certain than you are that you are living, for on this alone your conscience must rest. Even though all men should come, yea, even the angels and all the world and pass a resolution, if you cannot grasp it and decide for yourself, you are lost; for you dare not base your decision on the Pope or anyone else; you must yourself be prepared so that you can say: this God says, and that he does not say; this is right, and that is wrong, otherwise it is not possible for you to stand.

7. For when you are about to die, and you rely on the Pope and the councils and say: The Pope said this, the councils have resolved that, the holy fathers Augustine and Ambrose have thus determined, then the devil can easily put a hole in your drum and insinuate: What if this were false? What if they had erred? And when such a temptation enters your mind, you are already overcome. For this reason you must act conscientiously, so that you can boldly and defiantly say: This is God's Word, on this I will risk body and life, and a thousand necks, if I had so many. This St. Peter also means when he says in his first Epistle 4:11: "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." And St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 2:3-5: "And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling; and my speech and my preaching was not with the enticing words of men's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

8. Then they began to say: Yes, but how can we know what is God's Word, and what is right or wrong? This we must learn from the Pope and the councils. Very well then, let them conclude and say what they please, yet I will reply, you cannot put your confidence in that nor thus satisfy your conscience, for you must determine this matter yourself, for your very life depends upon it. Therefore God must speak to your heart: This is God's Word; otherwise you are undecided.

9. But our bishops, Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod insist upon it and rage so terribly, that a person must think them insane. They bring forth St. Augustine's declaration: I would not believe the Gospel, if the honor of the church did not move me; and think they have already won. Then you answer: What does it concern us whether St. Augustine or Jerome, St. Peter or St. Paul, or even the archangel Gabriel from heaven, who is still greater, said it; yet it will profit me nothing, for I must have God's Word, I will only hear what God says.

10. And God commands this Word to be told you through men, and especially has he permitted it to be proclaimed and written for you by the Apostles; for St. Peter and St. Paul do not preach their own word, but God's Word, as Paul himself testifies in 1 Thess. 2:13: "When ye received the Word of God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you who believe." Surely, a person can preach the Word to me, but no one is able to put it into my heart except God alone, who must speak to the heart, or all is vain; for when he is silent, the Word is not spoken. Hence no one shall draw me from the Word which God teaches me. Of this I must be as certain as two and three make five, for this is so certain, that if all the councils would say otherwise, I know they lie. Again, that a yard is longer than a half a yard is certain, even though all the world denied it, I still know that it cannot be otherwise. Who shall determine this for me? No one but the truth alone, which is entirely and wholly certain, that no one can deny it.

11. Therefore you must come so far as to say: This is true, no man shall persuade me differently. When you hear: Thou shalt not kill; and again: Thou shalt do to others as you would have them to do you; then you must know in the face of all councils, that this is the teaching of Christ, although all men said otherwise. So also this doctrine: You cannot help yourself, but Christ is you Savior, who has obtained for you the forgiveness of your sins; this you must know and confess in your heart that it is true; and if you are not conscious of it, then you have no faith, and the Word only hangs about your ears and swims on your tongue like foam on the water, as Hosea the prophet says, 10:7, "As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the waters." All this you must now believe, not as a word that Peter preached, but that God has commanded you to believe. All this I say therefore, in order that we may return to the Gospel and observe where the foundation has its source, that ye must be judges, and have the power to judge over all things that are offered you; hence I can and dare not build on any man, for I must answer for myself when death comes.

12. Consequently do not allow yourselves to be persuaded that you must believe what the Pope says or the councils decree. When you know God, then you have the proper rule of judgment, the measure and rule by which you can judge all doctrines of the fathers; namely, when you know that Christ is your Savior, who rules us sinners. So when one now comes and says: You must become a monk, and do so and so, if you want to be saved, for faith alone is not sufficient for salvation; then you can truly and assuredly say: You lie, your doctrine is false; for whoever believes in Christ shall be saved. Who teaches you this? Faith in your heart, which believes this alone and nothing else. Therefore no one can beware of false doctrine unless he be spiritual. For Paul says this in 1 Cor. 2:15: "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." So no one can judge false doctrine, but the spiritual man.

13. Hence it is very foolish for the councils to wish to determine and establish what a man must believe, when there is often not a single man present who ever tasted the least of the divine Spirit. So it was in the Council of Nice, when they undertook to enact laws for the spiritual orders that they should not marry, which was all false because it has no foundation in the Word of God. Then a single man arose, by the name of Paphnutius, and overthrew the whole affair and said: Not so, that is not Christian. Then the entire council, in which undoubtedly were many distinguished and learned individuals, were compelled to drop the resolution, and give way to this simple and honest man. For God is a great enemy to high titles and human wisdom, hence he allows them at times to be handled roughly, and puts them to shame in their speculations, that the truth of the proverb may appear: The learned are the most perverted.

14. Thus we are to remain free judges, to have the power to decide and judge, to accept or reject everything that Pope establishes and the councils determine. But when we accept anything, we should so accept it, that it harmonizes with our faith and the Scriptures; and not just because the Papists say it. This St. Paul teaches in Rom. 12:7, Whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith." For all prophesy based on works, that does not lead to Christ alone as our only comfort, precious as it may be, is not according to the proportion of faith; as for instance to rely upon the revelations of hobgoblins, the mass, pilgrimages, fastings, and the merits of the saints. Even here so many holy fathers have erred like Gregory, Augustine and others, in that they taken from us this right of judgment, for this torment and misery began far back in history, that we must believe the Pope and the councils. Hence you must be able to say: God said this, and that God has not said. As soon as you say: A man has said this, or the councils have determined that, then you are building on sand.

15. Hence there is no judge upon the earth in spiritual things concerning Christian doctrine, except the person who has in his heart the true faith, whether it be a man or woman, young or old, maid or servant, learned or unlearned. For God is no respecter of persons, since all are alike precious to him, who live according to this commandments, Acts 10:34, hence they alone have the right to judge.

16. But if one should come who knew the sense of the Word better than I, then I should close my mouth and keep still, and receive knowledge from him. This is what St. Paul desires in speaking to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 14:29-30: "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge. If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace." That is to say, if the hearer knows and understands more than the preacher, then the preacher should allow him the privilege to speak, and he should hold his peace. In the worldly government of course the rule holds, that the older is wiser than the younger, a learned man than a layman; but in spiritual things a child or a servant, a common woman or man can have the grace of God as well as an old person or a lord, a priest or the Pope. To sum up, let no learned person take from you the right to judge, for you have this right as well as he.

17. Now let me tell you who the false prophets of our times are. For no one can judge or know this unless he has the Spirit. But the brief summary is, though much may be said on the subject, it is the Pope with his entire government; for they all have taught what is opposed to God. A lengthy proof of this is not necessary, for you can observe this nearly everywhere you turn. Yet we will give a few examples. God commands in Exodus 20:12: The child shall honor father and mother and be subject unto them. But the Pope has approved the view that a monk or a nun is no longer under their father, and says: The child is now under spiritual dominion and in the service of God; God is more than father and mother; hence it is no longer bound to serve father and mother, and the father is bound to call it a nobleman by grace.

18. Well, when I ask, what is the service of God? they reply: Dear Sir: It is the ringing of bells; lighting of candles; putting on beautiful robes for the celebration of mass, and more such similar monkey tricks. Yes, indeed, you have surely hit the mark! But I say to honor father and mother and to keep God's commandments, that is to serve God. Therefore you must say here that Antichrist has taught such things, and boldly say and declare he lies. Do you not see here how God's commandment is opposed to the obedience of priors and abbots? God gave you father and mother that you should honor them, serve them and be subject to them. The Pope gives you another, whom you must honor more than the father God has given you. If this is keeping God's commandment, I do not know what it is.

19. And so it is further with the other commandments of God. Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not hate or be angry. This God has commanded. But the Pope teaches thus: A man must defend the property of the clergy and the treasures of the church, and if he cannot do it, he shall call to his aid the sword of the civil government to protect the papal chair and St. Peter's inheritance. Behold, thus these commandments are opposed to each other, which I hope every one easily understands. So also in regard to the married state.

20. God commanded, Gen. 2:24, that man and wife should be one flesh, and that no man should put them asunder. Now the Pope has given many commandments contrary to this. For instance, when a woman takes a husband who is not baptized, the marriage is to be dissolved.

21. Then again when those in spiritual orders marry, they are to dissolve their marriage, according to the demands of their order. Again, if any one falls into the sin of incest and marries either her friend or any of his friends, the Pope commands that they must stay together, yet both must live chaste together. Here he lets the two sexes lie naked in bed together, and neither shall have the right to require of the other the duties of married life. This is nothing else than putting the straw and fire together, and then forbidding them to burn.

22. God says further: Thou shalt not steal. But who steals more than the Pope and his servants? They are the greatest thieves, because they appropriate unto themselves daily all the treasures of the world.

23. Again, look at the first commandment, which says that we should trust in God alone, and call upon him alone. But their entire doctrine is nothing else than to lead us to trust in human works, and to command us to call upon the saints. Do you not see that such people are the real false prophets, of whom we must beware? For they abolish the commandment which God has given. Now follows the other part of this Gospel where Christ speaks thus: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

24. As I said before, no one knows others by their fruits, except he who is spiritually born again. Therefore, he who has not the Spirit, cannot have this knowledge. Let no on think that he can know this from the fruits unless he be spiritual. The fruit by which we are to know them is unbelief. One can know them to some extent by open sins, yet this judgment is deceptive, for Christians also fall.

25. Hence, the true fruit by which they are known is an inner fruit, here I must have the Holy Spirit and judge according to his guidance. The fleshly eye and reason are not sufficient. You may see two persons go the Lord's Supper, the one is a believer, the other not, and yet their external work is the same. What then makes the difference? Faith in the heart and unbelief, because the one regards it as a good work, the other not. In short, from external works you can decide nothing. Tauler also acknowledged that believers and unbelievers were often so similar in external appearance, that no one could distinguish them, no is reason able to judge unless we have the Spirit of God. Yea, the unbelievers often appear far more excellent in their works than believers, as it is written in Job 39:13: "Givest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?" Yet the peacock can fly and the ostrich cannot. So also the believer and unbeliever are indeed similar to each other in their external appearance, but in their hearts they are quite different. [Note: In a later sermon on this text, Luther wisely changed his interpretation of "By their fruits you shall know them." In this sermon he says in paragraph #24, " The fruit by which we are to know them is unbelief" and in paragraph

#25, "In short, from external works you can decide nothing." But in the latter sermon (early 1530's) he says, "So stick to the principle that bearing good fruit refers to the kind of life and good works that are in agreement with the Word and the commandment of God" (Luther's Works 21:261). This is a good change because faith or unbelief are invisible and cannot be observed whereas Christ's words, "You shall know them by their fruits" assume that we can tell who the false prophets are by observing something visible. Faith in the heart cannot be seen by us, but behavior, good works, and one's public confession of faith (my addition) can be seen, observed and evaluated . . . Pastor Bucher]

26. However, by the fruits of the Spirit true prophets are known, which fruits St. Paul mentions to the Galatians, 5:20: "Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Yet these fruits no one can see or know without the Holy Spirit. For this reason the decision and judgment of spiritual things should not be based on external things, as on the work and person, but on the inner condition of the heart. One knows another indeed by his fruits, but only in the Spirit. The fruits and good works do not make any one good or pious; but he must first be good and pious at heart. As the apples do not make the tree, for the tree must first be there before the fruit.

27. If I understand this, then I notice there is no work so bad that it will necessarily condemn a man, nor none so good that it will save him. But faith alone saves us and unbelief alone condemns us. For one to commit adultery, the deed does not condemn him, for the adultery only shows that he has fallen from the faith, this condemns him, otherwise it would not be possible. Nor does anything make one good in faith, but nothing makes one wicked but unbelief. Therefore our Lord also says, that the tree shall be cut down. He does not say that the fruit shall be cut down. Thus the works of love do not make me good, but faith alone, in which I do these works and bear this fruit.

28. Thus we must begin with faith. But the Pope begins with works, and commands persons to do good works that they may become good. Just as if I should say to the tree: If you want to be a good tree, then begin and bear apples. Just as though I could bear apples before I was an apple tree. But I must say: If you want to bear apples, then begin and be an apple tree. Hence the tree must be there before it can produce fruit.

29. From all this it follows now that there is no sin on earth except unbelief, as Christ says in John 16:8-9: "And the Holy Ghost, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, because they believe not on me."

***

GJ - Thank you for making this available to everyone on the Net.

There is a rumor out there that no Church and Changer has ever plagiarized Luther.



UOJ Study Would Threaten the Rat Temple


Sure, you do not like this boy sharing milk
with the rats at the Rat Temple in India.
Kokomo is no better. Y'all are just used to it.



rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Building Better Prisons":

If there were a serious study of UOJ within the WELS, the results may be disastrous for some. The Enthusiasm that is so rampant in the WELS may fall like a house of cards. There may be a lot of Fiefdoms that could topple. False teachers given the left foot of fellowship would strike terror in the hearts of those who cannot cope with earning an honest living.

***

GJ - UOJ is also a good way to maintain the priesthood. One must be initiated into the mysteries of UOJ and GA to keep the sheep sheepish.

UOJ allows for any doctrine and any behavior. It is the Pietistic version of Mormonism, ideal for dominating and destroying lives.

The WELS UOJ hero is J. P. Meyer, who taught a version of Decision Theology. NPH printed it in his Ministers of Christ.

Once people are taught unquestioning obedience to the power structure, anything can happen.

The Wisconsin Sect is just a version of the Church of Rome.

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LPC said...
Pr. GJ,

The Wisconsin Sect is just a version of the Church of Rome.

This is what Richard Neuhaus deduced for the case of Missouri, that is why he went to Rome. He must have deduced, if his Synod was going to act like Rome anyway, why not go for the real McKoy. So he became a Roman priest.


LPC

*** GJ - You are right, Dr. Cruz. I used to correspond with Neuhaus, when he was still in the LCA. James Crumley, as LCA Bishop, curled up in the pope's lap. He sent a color booklet to each LCA pastor, copies of his correspondence with the Antichrist, photos of his face-time with the Holy Father! Yet, at Ad Fontes, Crumley seemed disturbed as he talked privately to Neuhaus. Crumley sat with me and Mrs. Ichabod at lunch, revealing at once that he knew I had joined WELS. Neuhaus joined Rome soon after.

Neuhaus found the Church of Rome inviting while his liberal pals in the LCA kept pounding him for turning conservative. Those labels are so twisted and confused that I will not even begin to unravel them.

Neuhaus went from Viet Nam radical to becoming a critic of the World Council of Churches. He was pro-life and against women's ordination. All those positions meant he did not belong in the LCA or ELCA. Rome honored him at once and the Antichrist had lunch with him.

I may rewrite my essay on Roman Catholic doctrines taught by Lutherans. Neuhaus correctly saw that Missouri was a bad imitation of Rome.

Lutherans should expect a significant increase of their clergy joining Rome or Eastern Orthodoxy. If my intuition is correct, the numbers and names will be shocking - to everyone except me.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

No Substitute for Pastoral Care:
Shepherds Are Not To Beat the Sheep into Submission


In two districts, both infamous for promoting Church and Change, members have been excommunicated. The pastors involved in this hideous action are DP Doug Englebrecht, Tim Glende, VP Don Patterson, and Ex-SP Gurgle. Patterson and Glende are Facebook friends, as of May, 2011.

Many people were concerned about Englebrecht's Anything Goes! district, so he responded by:
  1. Ducking the promised meeting.
  2. Blaming me for the problems he caused.
  3. Excommunicating the member who followed WELSian Talmudic demands.
Joe and Lisa Krohn wanted to discuss their concerns about justification with Pastor Don Patterson. At the time Joe was an elder with the congregation. This is public knowledge via Joe's blog. Patterson responded by saying he would meet with them only to talk at them, not to listen to any concerns. Joe and Lisa were supposed to simply sit there silently as Patterson and his stooges told them off. For some reason, Joe and Lisa did not desire to volunteer for the Stalinistic Re-education Camp experience. Patterson hastily ordered their defenestration while cutting them off from all communication from Holy Word. Patterson has a free vicar each year, paid for by WELS, so he can run around the synod being a big-shot. Nevertheless, he is too important to do pastoral work at home when he is needed. Joe Krohn has an excellent and concise summary of the issue on his blog post. In case anyone wonders, I did not contribute anything to that post. In fact, I did not read it until it was published. Joe writes his own material, on his own, and I just kelm it.

Many pastors would be glad to have a lay leader so involved in Biblical, Lutheran doctrine - but not Patterson and Gurgle.

This reminds me of the great shame of WELS pastors today - they do not visit their own members, whether active, troubled about doctrinal issues, hospitalized, or shut-in.

One WELS member wrote me, "Our pastor and his wife are always at the gym but they do not visit the widow of our member, who was a WWII hero. She cannot get to church on her own, but she still supports it. I am happy to see the pastor and his wife working out, but could they give the Word a workout during the week too."

DP Buchholz says his pastors do not visit their members.

A layman from another area said his pastor was always looking for more income but could not involve himself in visitation.



This is a double-loss for the pastor. First of all, he is obligated by his divine call to visit members all the time. The immediate visits should be for the grieving, the shut-ins, the hospitalized, and those with spiritual concerns. A visit could save a marriage, or get a couple living in sin to get married, or enhance the teaching of the Gospel.

The second loss is worse for the pastor. He cannot look back upon his work with satisfaction. Committee meetings and synod posts are empty honors. It is good to look back over the decades and say, "Here and there, the Word took effect and brought forth the fruit of the Spirit."


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grumpy has left a new comment on your post "No Substitute for Pastoral Care: Shepherds Are Not...":

Many pastors would be glad to have a lay leader so involved in Biblical, Lutheran doctrine

Not all the time...some (not all) pastors have pretty big egos, and when they see a non-degreed individual who knows as much (are almost as much) as they do through self-study, they get pretty nervous.

So while they might say they want people to be knowledgable in doctrine, so they can determine whether they sermon is doctrinally correct, this is not always the case.

Regarding non-visitation while having time to hit the gym...many pastors take the same approach British officials did in Britain's colonial empire....the seemingly modest salary of empire officials (which only would have provided a lower middle class existence back in merry old England) allowed them to live like princes in the colonies. However, they only gave a "half a day's work for half a day's pay"...

Again, I emphasize, SOME, not ALL...the problem is, for every one that does act like this it destroys the reputation of five that work hard for the Gospel.

Update on Joe and Lisa Krohn:
Excommunicated in Christian Love
By Church and Changers Patterson and Gurgle








Sunday, August 7, 2011
Latest Update on Membership/Fellowship

We received our formal certified letter from the Elders and Council of Holy Word regarding our membership. In their initial email of May 21, 2011, they inferred as to the uncertainty of our salvation when they stated, "Our highest goal is to see you in heaven some day." By saying such a thing, one could only deduce that they were readying us for excommunication; further compounded by the suspension of membership privileges including the Lord's Table. The reader must understand that we were correct in our assumptions to this point. Excommunication is punishment for manifest impenitence for breaking God's Law; the Ten Commandments. In essence the church is carrying out the Ministry of the Keys and damning someone to Hell. I was relieved to find that Holy Word has backed away from this posture since we have broken no law and in their letter to us are now referring to our situation as a "Termination of Fellowship". We were never bearing false witness.

I understand there is a Bible Study going on at HW on the subject of Objective Justification. I pray that it is a truthful study of God's Word and not a consensus forming session for the upcoming Voter's Meeting. Public error deserves public rebuke...and I did go to my brothers in private first; so there is no error against Matthew 18.

I'm in the process of a response to their letter. Both letters will be forthcoming in a future blog.

Regarding Objective Justification, here is some food for thought:

"We contend that to define justification as Meyer and most of the proponents of an alleged universal justification do is to use the term in a strange, unusual way, and it certainly is not the justification presented in Scripture and our Lutheran Confessions. That which took place prior to and apart from faith is the Vicarious Satisfaction of Christ, the Redemption. Justification, according to Scriptures and our Confessions, is by grace through faith. Truly Objective Justification is the forensic activity of God by which He through the Gospel creates faith in Christ’s redemptive work, clothes the sinner in Christ’s righteousness and so makes the sinner righteous in His sight and in His forum accounts this righteousness of Christ to faith as He did with Abraham. God declares His believers to be what He Himself has made them to be in His sight -- righteous and holy for Christ’s sake. These are the ones He has given “the status of saints.” Justification belongs where our Lutheran Catechism has it in the Third Article of the Creed."

- Vernon H. Harley
511 Tilden
Fairmont, MN 56031
January, 1986

And:

"...So to say that God justifies the ungodly does not mean that he has justified all people. The tense of the very (sic - verb) also speaks to that. Those who teach the extreme of UOJ want to say that God already justified all people. Past tense. This is a misunderstanding. Christ already died for all people. Christ already redeemed all people. Yes, true. Christ has offered a pure offering to the Father that has satisfied his wrath against sin. Yes, also that. Forgiveness has already been acquired by Christ for the world. Yes, but that forgiveness is in Christ and should not be spoken of with respect to those who are not in Christ. Christ is the Savior of the world in the same way that the bronze serpent was the Savior of the whole Israelites community. All who looked up at it were saved from the snake bites. All who look to Christ in faith are saved (forgiven, justified, etc.)...

...We ought not speak of people as being already justified before they are born. The Confessions equate Justification with Regeneration. Period. And the Scriptures do the same. Justification/The forgiveness of sins are Third Article doctrines, not Second Article doctrines. The confusion is this, that when some people say "God has justified the world," they mean, "Christ died for the sins of the world." But our sloppy use of the word "justify" has caused all sorts of problems. The latter is "redemption," not "justification." Some go so far as to say that God imputes the righteousness of Christ to all people. This directly contradicts the passage you quoted above that says that "to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited (imputed) as righteousness."

-A WELS pastor who has asked for anonymity