The Lutheran Church Is Becoming the Farm Team for Roman Catholicism

Sometimes Rome comes to the WELS college.
Archbishop Weakland was the featured speaker at Willowcreek's Liberal College in Milwaukee.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Hidden Message

Preaching a forgiveness of sins prior to faith; or a hearing of the Word renders the Law useless.  All it leaves is a preaching of works righteousness; or using the Gospel as Law; teaching how you must now live.

As I reviewed the recording from the meeting last Sunday, it was stated that a certain young man was being released to the Roman Catholic Church.  No doubt he will be hearing a message similar to what he heard at Holy Word albeit in a more formal setting.  What is disheartening is that he is the son of one of the Elders.

More Details on LCMS Seminary Fraud

bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Lutheran Seminary Fraud: Students Are Bankrupting ...":

Throughout the interview, Rev. Herb Mueller never said anything about bringing the price of seminary education down so more non-calling congregations could actually afford to call a candidate without monstrous student loan bills. He instead blamed the unaffordability factor on the rising cost of health insurance and benefits.

He did mention that the LCMS should work more with congregations to get them ready to call a pastor, and also pastors should be willing to accept calls where they will need a part-time job to make ends meet.

He did mention that in the past that seminary recruiters did include non-calling congregations in their figures to make it seem as though there were hundreds of long-term unfilled vacancies, and said it was not exactly dishonest to do so, but it wasn't exactly telling the whole truth, either.

I wonder whether, without that bit of misinformation, all the building projects at the seminaries would have been started. Surely that disinformation prematurely shut down any talk of merging the seminaries into one campus, or at least two campuses with one administration, and now those seminaries are as costly as ever with fewer students than ever, too.

He said that LCMS's World Relief (Harrison's old outfit) did help seminary students who didn't receive calls in the past, like the 13 Ft. Wayne students last year for some time.

He mentioned that back in 1939 his father didn't receive a call for two years due to the bad economy then. I say that all those kind of stories are quaint but irrelevant since back then the students weren't greatly indebted by the colleges and seminaries to the federal government. So they could go back to their towns or farms and wait for a long delayed call, and it was no great loss to them. Synod officials should not gauge their conduct by antiquated standards.
----
Issues Etc: The Shortage of Pastoral Calls in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

Interviewee: Pastor Herb Mueller, First Vice President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

http://issuesetc.org/podcast/828083111H1S1.mp3

UOJ and Church Growth Work Well Together: Universalism Under Wraps

div>

Universalism is always on the mind of UOJ Enthusiasts.


Nothing gets WELSian Geneva gowns twisted up faster than charging them with Universalism.

VP Patterson's district head-faked the issue by providing a paper that quoted from the Unitarian-Universalist Association website and concluded, "We do not believe that."

I decided to gather a few links about Universalism. Not long ago I was intrigued by the Universalist hymnal, which was full of traditional hymns. Old Universalism is fairly traditional, Trinitarian, and straight-laced. My neighbor from Columbus stressed that his Universalist church did not agree with the Unitarians about all the radical social issues, such as homosexuality.

The key to tradition Universalism is universal forgiveness and salvation.

The Universalist Church supported a belief in universalism in their "Winchester Profession of Faith" which they kept on their books from about 1800 until their merger with the Unitarians in 1961. However during their last 25 years of their existence (from 1935 to 1961) a new statement of belief held sway which made no mention of universal salvation. Still, the Winchester Profession remained as an alternate optional belief system with the subtle implication that it was passe. Belief in it was strong among the older members, most of whom are not alive today. What Is Universalism?

The Bond of Fellowship and Statements of Faith (Adopted at Washington DC, 1935)

1. The bond of fellowship in the convention [church] shall be a common purpose to do the will of God as Jesus revealed it and to cooperate in establishing the kingdom for which he lived and died. To that end we avow our faith in God as Eternal and All-conquering Love, in the spiritual leadership of Jesus, in the supreme worth of every human personality, in the authority of truth known or to be known, and in the power of men of good-will and sacrificial spirit to overcome all evil and progressively establish the kingdom of God. Neither this nor any other statement shall be imposed as a creedal test, provided that the faith thus indicated be professed.

2a. The Winchester Profession of Faith: We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain a revelation of the character of God, and of the duty, interest and final destination of mankind. We believe that there is one God, whose nature is Love, revealed in one Lord Jesus Christ, by one Holy Spirit of Grace, who will finally restore the whole family of mankind to holiness and happiness. We believe that holiness and true happiness are inseparably connected, and that believers ought to be careful to maintain order and practice good works; for these things are good and profitable unto men.

2b. Creed and Conditions of Fellowship: The Profession of Faith adopted by this body at its session at Winchester, N.H., A.D. 1803, is as follows: [Here insert 2a. above] The conditions of fellowship in this Convention shall be as follows: I. The acceptance of the essential principles of the Universalist faith, to wit: The Universal fatherhood of God; the spiritual authority and leadership of His Son Jesus Christ; the trustworthiness of the Bible as containing a revelation from God; the certainty of just retribution for sin; the final harmony of all souls with God. The Winchester Profession is commended as containing these principles, but neither this nor any other precise form of words, is required as a condition of fellowship, provided always that the principles above stated be professed. II. The acknowledgement of the authority of the General Convention and assent to its laws.

2c. These historic declarations of faith [2a. & 2b.] with liberty of interpretation are dear and acceptable to many Universalists. They are commended not as tests but as testimonies in the free quest for truth that accords with the genius of the Universalist Church.

3. The conditions of fellowship in the Convention [church] shall be acceptance of the essential principles of the Universalist faith and acknowledgement of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Universalist General Convention.

[End of the "Bond of Fellowship ..." Note that 2c. makes 2a. and 2b. optional alternative statements of belief.] ---

Universalism

by Matt Slick

Universalism is the teaching that all people will be saved. Some say that it is through the atonement of Jesus that all will ultimately be reconciled to God. Others just say that all will go to heaven sooner or later, whether or not they have trusted in or rejected Jesus as savior during their lifetime. This universal redemption will be realized in the future where God will bring all people to repentance. This repentance can happen while a person lives or after he has died and lived again in the millennium (as some "Christian universalists" claim) or some future state. Additionally, a few universalists even maintain that Satan and all demons will likewise be reconciled to God.

Nevertheless, both facets of universalistic belief are in serious error.

GJ - Note that WELS is far beyond this definition of Universalism, because WELS teaches (Jon Buchholz and Mequon faculty) that people are already forgiven and saved. Salvation is not in the future but past, done, finished, period, end of story, as Buchholz solemnly declared at a WELS convention.

---

This is an argument for Christian Universalism.

***

GJ - Three prominent Church Growth heroes of WELS are outspoken atheists or like Mark Frieer - obviously indifferent.UOJ is Universalism in disguise, and Universalism is one step away from honest atheism. Have I mentioned today that Karl Barth taught the universal restoration of mankind? He is the official theologian/adulterer of Fuller Seminary.

Bob Schumann, who plagued Columbus, helped by buddies Stolzenburg and Kuske, is a loud-mouthed atheist today. Oelhaven practically wet himself when Schumann was hired as the second pastor. Some think he drove Keith Roehl to a premature death.

Mark Freier, known as p-boy in his district (for his favorite five-letter topic), was all over the synod spreading his wisdom. He made Ski's current excesses possible. Mark's last roost was CrossRoads in S. Lyons (another Kuske project), which is now an Evangelical Covenant parish. Freier is not a Lutheran pastor now but he rents himself for weddings, any religion or no religion. Hindu - will do.

Curtis Peterson came into WELS Church Growth from LCMS Church Growth. He made a point of defending Church Growth, so he landed on the world missions board with David Valleskey (who never studied at Fuller Seminary). Peterson is now a proud member of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Curtis A. Peterson holds a B.A. from Concordia Senior College, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and a M.Div and STM (l966 and l983 respectively) from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. 

In almost 30 years in the ministry in both the Missouri and Wisconsin Synods, he was an activist with many published articles supporting the orthodox Lutheran cause in the "Battle for the Bible" in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and author of several articles in the Wisconsin Synod between l987 and l995. He also delivered several essays at pastoral conferences during those years. 

He served congregations in Burlington, N.C., Rock Falls, Ill., Garland, Tex. and Gretna, La., in the LCMS and in Milwaukee, Wis. in the WELS. 

A Foundation member, he is now retired, resides in Wisconsin and calls himself a humanist and a freethinker.

He still has plenty of material in the WELS Holy of Holies, the Essay Files. 

UOJ Fanatics Obscure Their Errors by Splitting Verses, Ignoring Context: Some Examples

Participants at the recent Emmaus conference chuckle as the moderator describes a Tweet he just got describing them:
Helpless (Schroeder), Hopeless (Moldstad), and Hapless (Harrison).

Part One 
UOJ Enthusiasts promote their cause by saying that every single person is forgiven. "He was raised for our justification!" they claim. They cite Romans 4:25 with satisfaction -

KJV Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

They have the Brief Statement, 1932, to back them up, because the section on justification says the same thing and cites Romans 4:25 for support.

But the whole picture changes when the entire section is read:

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

The context, all of Romans 4, shows that Abraham is the centerpiece as example of justification by faith.

KJV Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. One article of the Formula of Concord is "The Righteousness of Faith."

The Apostle is especially clear in this verse as well:

KJV Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

And here: KJV Romans 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness [faith is accounted as righteousness].

This answers the question, How was Abraham forgiven? The response from the Word is - He was justified by faith.

The Apostle applies that lesson to all of us: KJV Romans 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

At this point we can see that citing Romans 4:25 is deliberately deceptive and deceitful, yet Missouri adopted that fraudulent exegesis and raised the Brief Statement of 1932 (unlike the others) above the Book of Concord and the Scriptures. The Syn Conference went along with the deception because Hoenecke and Gausewitz were dead. In time, double-justification from Halle University became canon law.

The situation is even worse than Romans 4:23-25 suggests, because chapter breaks are artificial, imposed much later to facilitate debates. Paul's argument does not stop at Romans 4:25 but forms a transition with the great summary of Romans 5:1-2 -

KJV Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. How this happens is answered clearly in Isaiah 55 and Romans 10.

Part Two

Another UOJ argument centers on one verse, splitting it from the subsequent, explanatory verse. A typical reader can follow the development of Paul's themes in Romans. Justification by faith, apart from the works of the Law, is the theme of Romans 1-5. Romans 6 begins the section on sanctification.

Here the fave verse for UOJ from Romans 5 - 5:18.

KJV Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

The italics show that the translators have inserted words not found in the Greek. Lenski thinks this is a bad idea. He liked the emphasis created by the bare text.

Does this mean: A. Just as one man brought sin and condemnation to every single person, and so One Man brought forgiveness to every single man?

or

B. Just as one man brought sin and condemnation to every single person, even so through the righteousness of One the justification of life upon all people.

That is answered with perfect clarity by Romans 5:19

KJV Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Greek is precise, so many means "many" and not "all."

Anyone can see that Romans 5:18 wars against limited atonement, the concept that Christ died only for the elect. The atonement is for all mankind, but the atonement is not justification. Romans 5:18 is a great Gospel verse, but it cannot be pretzeled into a UOJ seat of doctrine (sedes doctrinae).

UOJ advocates like to shout, "What else could this mean than every single person is forgiven?" It could and it does mean that Christ paid the price for the sins of the entire world. The atonement is not justification because justification is accomplished through the Word of God.

Attaching a universal absolution to the crucifixion is double vexing, because it leaves the Old Testament believers without righteousness and contradicts the entire Tanakh. Even worse - if one can measure such an absurdity - it renders all Christian doctrine worship and doctrine as adiaphora. Everyone is born forgiven, they imagine, so all we have to do is gather them together and tell them to accept this truth of universal forgiveness. That is why Lutherdom has collapsed - not from abandoning Pieper and Walther - but by canonizing their false doctrine of Halle Enthusiasm.

Calov and Gerhard have both been cited as great theologians who endorsed UOJ, but the following quotations prove that is not true. Mequon even has justification by faith quotations that they label in their domatics notes as "misleading."

This Calov quotation obliterates all UOJ claims.

Gerhard was close enough to the Concordists to publish with Chemnitz, who studied under Luther and Melanchthon. This quotation also destroys the claims of UOJ.

Rolf Preus and Jack Cascione use to cite Robert Preus for UOJ, because the Ft. Wayne president was a UOJ advocate (Norwegian Pietism) when Concordia Seminary was in full bloom for Church Growth Enthusiasm. However, Dr. Preus refuted UOJ in the following quotations.

 

Quenstedt was a favorite theologian for Dr. Preus. He wanted to name one of his many sons Quenstedt, so citing this theologian in his last work is especially noteworthy.