Another Doctrinal Pussycat Lawyers Up

Joe Krohn:

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Fair Thee WELS 911 If you have been following along, the correspondences in this post need little explanation.

The longer I live I tend to believe less and less that there are coincidences in this world. I do believe and appreciate irony more and more. The Bible is chocked full of it. The final word came down from the DP on...wait for it...9-11.

Our response to DP Glaeske on September 9, 2011:

"Pastor,

I see where this is going and it is deplorable. It is not truly meet, right and salutary for you, Holy Word and WELS since you are acting in their interest to treat us in this fashion. You are culpable since you will not address the issue.

We were never allowed discussion regarding the chief article of faith, namely Justification. We felt Pastor Patterson was in error by preaching that all are forgiven prior to birth; prior to Baptism; prior to hearing the Word of God. During one meeting I asked how this applied to Abraham. I was told that it was the wrong question to ask. You excommunicate us (This is really what it is since we were told to repent of our sin and denied Holy Communion; sin being a breaking of God’s Law of which we were never told which commandment.); and then discuss the issue, your side only, with the whole congregation; you run us down behind our backs and then you have the gall to excuse your dishonest behavior by saying we are not in fellowship if we joined another church when in fact it was YOU that broke fellowship; excommunicated us in the first place! You are criticizing us for the logical consequence of YOUR actions when we were quite willing to talk and repeatedly asked to talk about Justification; not just with the pastors but also with the elders.

We watched the internet stream of the recent WELS 2011 Convention. Pastor Glaeske, you were the only leader who stood up and really opposed the NNIV. (Ironically, the NNIV creates more ambiguity regarding justification by faith.) I praised God and said ‘good on him’. If you are unwilling to address this issue and blame us in the process, then you are condoning the preaching of Objective Justification as Holy Word is teaching it and I would say then that WELS has gone too far, ‘pitching their tent toward Sodom’.

We were extended the right hand of fellowship and have received Holy Communion at a church that is not in fellowship with the WELS. We longed for the means of Grace in Word and Sacrament. What choice did we have? This has been dragging on since before the 21st of May! I have answered your question. Now I have one for you that I would like an answer. Do you believe that all men were forgiven of their sins before they were born; before receiving Baptism or hearing the Word of God? There are Lutheran pastors including some in the WELS that refute this teaching.

Please afford us an answer.

In Christ, Joe and Lisa Krohn"

Pastor Glaeske on September 11, 2011:

"Dear Joe and Lisa,

I wish you both well. The appeal process is an internal procedure for WELS members to redress grievances and would have been available to you had you not chosen to align yourselves with a church not in our fellowship. Consequently I choose not to answer the question you pose at the end of your e-mail.

God grant you peace and joy in serving your Savior in your new church home.

In His service,

Vilas R. Glaeske, President South Central District - WELS"

From where I sit, there is no need for me to make a distress call...on the other hand...there are those who can.

From my Catechism; the one I have been quoting from the last two posts:

371.Why is the ministry of the Keys called the peculiar authority of the Church?

The Church and only the Church has the authority to use the Keys.

372.How is the Church to use the Keys?

The Church is to proclaim the Gospel of full forgiveness of sins and declare the kingdom of heaven opened. (Where there is forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation.) 2 Cor. 5:19, Luke 24:47, Rom. 8:1, Rom. 4:8)

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Another Doctrinal Pussycat Lawyers Up":

I guess that some folks refuse to answer questions which make them feel uncomfortable. What a waste of a potentially good breakfast. There are several individuals who have have egg all over their faces.

Polity Issues Useful for Dodging the Real Problems

narrow-minded has left a new comment on your post "Join Me in the CFW Walther Sainthood Project":

The LCMS Walther venerators are a hoot. Some act as if Christ is not present in Word and Sacrament if received in a parish not utilizing congregational polity. Yet, they pass Resolution 8-08A in 2010, making the LCMS hierarchical. How many LCMS clergy/laity have left for the "utopia" of Rome/Constantinople?

Is episcopal polity perfect? Certainly not, as we have seen from many church bodies; but polity is adiaphorous. Our sin can screw up any form of church governance.

Instead of falling prostrate at the mention of Walther's name, and spitting at the mention of Loehe/Grabau, perhaps Missouri should study Scripture (after getting a decent translation) and the BOC.

None of these guys were perfect, and even the pietist Walther would be condemning the LCMS for what they are doing today. He chewed them out for the suggestion of singing Methodist hymns. Of course, even TLH contains a vast repertoire of Wesley and Watts hymns.

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GJ - 

There is such a gap between the historical and mythical Walther that anyone can justly accuse the LCMS and its Concordia Hysterical Institute of fraud, deceit, and perjury. Walther was a scheming, lying demon who followed a known multiple-adulterer to America and suddenly discovered, to his own advantage, that this same Bishop Stephan was fooling around with several women. Schocking!

Honest clergy would admit that the real issues in the Scriptures are the efficacy of the Word, the Means of Grace, and justification by faith. The vast majority bicker congregational versus episcopal government when all the Lutheran sects are papal - teaching the sect's indefectibility, the Bible's lack of clarity and efficacy, the Synod Pope's infallibility, the necessity of works, and the glories of <s>Mary</s> Walther.

Intrepids, Iver Johnson, Christian Worship

Stand back. This Spanx body stocking is going to explode!

The latest Intrepid post by Lindee cited the ruminations of Iver Johnson, one of the main editors of the Booze and Broads Edition of Christian Worship. Iver was carrying on an affair with the church secretary for 10 years when he was finally caught. He promptly divorced his wife of 50 years and married the secretary. His lovely second wife came to his funeral, but his ex-wife did not.

Iver Johnson, Richard Stadler, and Michael Albrecht served as the pastors of a former WELS congregation. Stadler and his new wife would sit in the same pew with Stadler's first wife and her new husband. Iver also sat there with his new bride. These WELS pastors were playing Open Marriage while Stadler was featured as the main speaker at WELS youth conferences, including the one in Columbus, Ohio. Of course, it is difficult to object to the pastoral Open Marriage game when the Daddy Warbucks are doing the same thing. And how can the synodical leaders object to Daddy Warbucks Open Marriage when their favorite pastors leaders are doing the same thing?

Eastcoast says:
WELS “claims” that “synod (and district) is church,” they practice just the opposite. When is comes to maintaining doctrine and practice both synod and district leaders, from Synod President on down, proclaim over and over again that “there’s nothing we can do about ______________(fill in the blank).” On the other hand, LCMS officials, CPs, DPs, and SPs, toss guys out whenever they feel like it and threaten congregations like Otten’s all the time. So much for the supposed difference between Missouri and Wisconsin on Church & Ministry. It always was a bogus issue!

Ichabod Given Advanced Status at University

The University of Phoenix selected me for a program where only a few faculty were allowed to participate. Academic supervisors had to nominate faculty for the program. Each professor had to complete an intensive four-week program to qualify for the status. I finished the program and was given the title Certified Advanced Facilitator.

I will be allowed to participate in a forum limited to those who have also completed the  same requirements. Fortunately, there were no dangerous initiation rites required...or even expected.

WELS Secret Initiation Rite - GA - Still Active at The Sausage Factory:Six Just Finished

Dateline: Mequon.

The secret, abusive initiation rite called GA has just finished.

WELS synod-minders deny that GA is still being carried out. Silly, stupid, and dangerous sorority tricks are losing ground, due to successful lawsuits and unsuccessful trips to ICU.

Baby Blue Eyes, I hate to tell you, but GA just finished at Mequon, with six hand-picked newbies going through it.

Doubtless the original goal of abusing all the freshmen was trimmed, because some people just cannot keep a secret. Also, a smaller size allowed first-year students to claim, "I was there and I saw no GA initiation. I did not take off all my clothes outside, swim in raw sewage, or do all those other cool things to help me fit in."

And they would be telling the truth, as far as that went. All the students know the truth. News travels faster at WLS than it does at Ft. Leavenworth, the future home for some of their more distinguished graduates.

Eugene Nida's Dynamic Equivalence, The Bull That Sired Moo and the NNIV

Remembering Eugene Nida

Bible translators discuss the legacy of the scholar who promoted dynamic equivalence theory. Morgan Feddes | posted 9/01/2011 10:23AM

Eugene A. Nida's work in dynamic equivalence translation led to the development of such translations as the New Living Translation and The Message. It is a "meaning-based" approach to biblical translation and focuses on translating "thought-for-thought" rather than "word-for-word."

Nida's career in translation spanned the globe, as he traveled to more than 85 countries throughout his life. He served as executive secretary of translations for the American Bible Society from 1946 until his retirement in 1980, and he was involved with the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) from its founding in 1942, first attending and then teaching there each summer until 1953.

Throughout his career, Nida emphasized the need for multiple translations, as well as a desire to understand and spread the meaning of the Bible. "What is really needed is for people to take the message seriously and share it with other people, focused primarily on what this message has meant to me," he said in a 2002 interview with Christianity Today. "So many Christians love to argue about the Bible rather than take it seriously as a message that is important for their own lives."

Here Bible translation executives reflect on his ministry and legacy: Bob Creson, President of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA: "We stand on the shoulders of giants like Dr. Eugene Nida … Bible translation was hugely influenced by [the dynamic equivalence approach] and [Nida] was very influential to our organizations in helping to develop this approach to translation that continues to be used today, giving people opportunities to hear the good news of the gospel in a language and form they relate to best."

Freddy Boswell, CEO/Executive Director of SIL International: "Nida's influence over Bible translation programs in the 20th century, it is very safe to say, is more than that of any other single person. We at SIL are greatly indebted to so much of his foundational work, which he never stopped building upon. … He was phenomenal, moving to Brussels later in his life so he could continue to speak English, Spanish, and French on a daily basis and interact with the young translation scholars of Europe on a regular basis. He felt that Europe was a place where so much of the translation frontier work was being done … particularly at universities, and he wanted to be near that. He modeled for all of us lifelong learning. He modeled continued improvement [and] academic discovery. He was just amazing in that way."

Philip Stine, former director for publishing, marketing and translation services for United Bible Societies, and author of the biography Let the Words Be Written: The Lasting Influence of Eugene A. Nida (2004, Society of Biblical Literature): "Dr. Nida will be best remembered for the revolution he brought about in the field of Bible translation in the mid-twentieth century. The resulting impact on the growth and development of the Church continues to be felt as millions of people in hundreds of languages around the world have access to the Bible because of the approach he developed and promoted."

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Some sources on the topic.

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Christianity Today frowned on the Babtist resolution against the NNIV  - 90% opposed the NNIV and asked that it not even be sold in their bookstores.

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God used Nida - yes, to punish everyone for tolerating apostasy.

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Holman versus NNIV

Billionaire Murdoch would be most pleased if y'all would buy his NNIV:
so would the Sausage Factory and their SpokesPerson Mark Schroeder.

ELCA 911

ELCA NEWS SERVICE
September 12, 2011

ELCA members commemorate Sept. 11 with ecumenical, interfaith partners

     CHICAGO (ELCA) - As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) commemorated the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, many gathered for prayer and remembrance with ecumenical and interfaith partners.

     "My prayer is that we dedicate ourselves to a common mission of reconciliation and restoration, focusing on the larger issues of peace, justice and interfaith encounter," said ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson in a pastoral letter to the church in anticipation of the anniversary.

     "Our local communities can be places of healing. Let us show the world that dialogue is possible and that there is room for voices that represent faith without rushing to judgment and closing off discussion," he said.
     Services at St. Peter Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Manhattan, commemorated the anniversary with faith groups in their surrounding community.

     "In the aftermath of the attacks, we noticed quite a bit of collaboration among of houses of worship in midtown Manhattan," said the Rev. Kaji R. Spellman, a pastor of St. Peter.

     The congregation observed the anniversary yesterday with Muslim, Jewish and other Christian neighbors.
     "We felt that we could not spend the day without each other. We don't understand acknowledging the anniversary without our partners in faith," she said.

     At the conclusion of St. Peter's 11:00 a.m. worship service, members of the congregation moved in a silent procession to Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, where they were joined by people and clergy of Admiral Family Circle Islamic Community and the Mosque of the Islamic Brotherhood. They were also joined by members of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, Christ Church United Methodist, Temple Shaaray Tefila and Central Synagogue. A brief interfaith service of readings, prayers and hymns followed.

     The Rev. Amandus J. Derr, a pastor of St. Peter, recalls the time after the terrorist attacks in New York.

     "In the immediate time and several days after the attack, St. Peter was packed with thousands of people every day who gathered for prayer and Eucharist," he said.

     The church is near a main subway route, where commuters traveled from the north near the World Trade Center. "We ended up with a lot of people who were evacuating that day," he said.

     An image that remains with Derr is "seeing people coming from the World Trade Center enter the church covered with dust. Many of them washed themselves in our baptismal font, which is a deep pool large enough for full immersions," he said. At the end of the day, "I remember seeing a layer of white ash that rested on top of the baptismal font. It symbolized what we were living with then."

Commemoration at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
     Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Manhattan, hosted a "Prayer and Remembrance" organized by Lutheran Social Services of New York. Members of the ELCA, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the public gathered to remember lives lost, acknowledge survivors who are moving forward and celebrate the response efforts of both denominations in New York.

     "I felt great warmth, especially in seeing the relationships of collaboration and shared service that the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod displayed while responding to Sept. 11," said the Rev. Kevin A. Massey, program director for Lutheran Disaster Response.

     "We gathered at Holy Trinity to commemorate 10 years passing. The lost are remembered. The tears often flow anew. While time assuages some of the sting of the pain, the ache remains. We will always miss those whose absence leaves a space in our souls," he said.

     The commemoration included speakers and participants from the ELCA and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod including Hanson, the Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, executive director of ELCA Congregational and Synodical Mission, and the Rev. David Benke, president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Atlantic District.

     The Rev. Robert A. Rimbo, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod, participated and noted that the service was patterned after a worship service that took place at Holy Trinity shortly after the attacks.

     "The service was very moving," said Rimbo. "It provided a time to remember and reflect what happened 10 years ago here."

     "The service propelled us to move into the future together. While we will never forget what happened, there is new life as God's people move forward," he said, adding that the anniversary is a turning-point and gateway to engage in new opportunities for service.

Join Me in the CFW Walther Sainthood Project

How many synod leaders have been guilty of multiple kidnapping, betraying the secrecy of the confessional, mob organization, and grand larceny?
Matthew 18 and the Eighth Commandment are rules for suckers, not for leaders, Walther would say.

Missourians are so protective of Walther than Loehe is not allowed a little publicity and thanks, because that would detract from the all-surpassing wisdom of the Kidnapper.

The Olde Synodical Conference is gearing up for Walther's birthday. Protestants make fun of Roman Catholicism's sainthood business, but they allow more than one saint in their pantheon. Missouri does not.

I am publicly pushing for Walther to be declared a saint, a honest way of dealing with this business. However, I will play the role of the Devil's Advocate, an actual title in the Catholic sainthood business. The DA gets to bring up all those unsavory details that might impede the declaration, although I suspect it is a formality in many cases, such as the odious Mother Theresa, an unbelieving demon from hell, who tortured the very people she used to raise millions for the Antichrist.

October 25, 2011 is Walther's 200th birthday, so Ichabod will feature him. I am copying quotations into Word for the Justification book. I will post them and link them together.

May is the Month of Mary for Catholics, so October is the Month of Walther for the Syn Conference, with several weeks to warm up for that holiday of holy days.

Who needs the Reformation? Walther had all the answers. All we need to do is return to his consecrated and consecrating essays. If he overturned justification by faith, it needed overturning. If he alienated Lutherans leaders by calling them all false teachers, they deserved it - just for appearing to disagree with him. If he kidnapped minor children from his father's parsonage, they wanted to be kidnapped.

Walther saves a lot of time. Instead of studying Luther or the Scriptures, Syn Conference leaders only need to mention His Holiness and the sheepfold begins to heave, sigh, and bleat with pleasure. There are two possibilities - either no one has ever studied his life and doctrine. Or - they have studied his life and doctrine, so they have added him to the Trinity to cover up his moral failings and his doctrinal poison.

Walther secretly organized a mob against Bishop Stephan, stole his land, threatened his life via the mob, deposed him, robbed him, and kidnapped him.
First Installment - Devils Advocate in Sainthood Case
Second Installment - Bishop Stephan a Pietist, Leader of Conventicles or Cell Groups 
Third Installment - Zinzendorf and Bishop Stephan

The Debt Train Keeps Moving Along

Bruce Church has left a new comment on your post "Bored Has a Message for the Krohn Family":

The European situation is worse than I thought. For example, one large French bank is worth only a tenth of what it was worth in 2007, the German populace is dead set against helping Greece anymore, and the German govt may fall if it does, and Greece is actually collecting real estate taxes through electrical bills, forcing people to pay quick or else have their power cut off. The electrical workers union is highly overpaid, and the most radical union, and thus hates helping the government in this way. It has already caused rolling blackouts to protest government actions back in June:

June blackouts:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=13882352

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/world/europe/13germany.html?pagewanted=2&ref=world

To observers outside Germany, the stern chancellor appears strong, but unwilling to act decisively. Inside Germany she sits atop a fractious and increasingly unreliable coalition of three parties — her Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Social Union of Bavaria and the pro-business Free Democrats.

France, as a presidential republic with a majority party in Parliament, has fewer domestic political problems than Germany, with its federal system and negotiated coalitions.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/12/us-eurozone-idUSTRE78B24R20110912

The storm on Monday forced SocGen, the hardest-hit French lender in recent weeks, to announce further drastic measures it denied only last week were under consideration, speeding up asset disposals and deepening cost cuts to free up 4 billion euros in fresh capital.

The bank's market value has shrunk from 110 billion euros in mid-2007 to just 12 billion on Monday. The bank's chief executive said there were no discussions regarding possible state intervention.

Seibert added that if Athens did not meet its fiscal commitments to the EU, ECB and IMF, that would automatically lead to nonpayment of the next tranche of aid.

Greece's deputy finance minister said the government had cash to operate until next month, highlighting the urgent need for the next emergency loan.

Greek power workers threatened to sabotage the new property tax announced by the government on Sunday as a last-ditch effort to please foreign creditors. Authorities plan to collect the tax through electricity bills to ensure swift payment.

The ECB disclosed that it bought another 14 billion euros in euro zone government bonds last week, the biggest amount in three weeks, under a controversial policy to hold down troubled peripheral countries' borrowing costs.

The central bank holds a total of 143 billion euros in Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and Irish bonds under its securities market program, which drove Stark -- a traditional German central banking hawk -- to resign.

WELS Cannot See the Writing on the Wall

Joe Krohn:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

Mene, Mene, Tekel u-Pharsin

First the fine print from the SC District constitution Article XXIV, Section 3;"The review shall be conducted, therefore, to determine whether the process leading to the disciplinary action and the doctrinal basis of the disciplinary action were scriptural."  Did you catch that?  In other words, there would be no investigation into an alleged teaching of false doctrine, but only a determination that there was no malfeasance regarding the disciplinary action in light of Scripture.  And there was just that and I have proof of it!  It has seen the light of day here on LR!  By the 3rd of September, the date of Holy Word's letter re: Appeal, 105 days had elapsed.  How many of the readers of this blog would abstain from Word and Sacrament for that long on purpose?  But this would be a condition of the appeal.  We were seeing the handwriting on the wall.

On Monday, September 5, 2011 we responded:

"Dear Pastor Glaeske,

Thank you for your response.

We understand Article XXIV; Sections 3-6 from the Constitution that you have provided and we do affirm our need for the District Board of Appeals to assist us in this matter.

To your second point; it has no bearing on this case so we will not discuss it.  Holy Word Lutheran Church broke fellowship with us for a doctrinal reason.  This is the issue and not what we have been doing with our worship life since May 21, 2011.  Furthermore, had there not been a breaking of fellowship, there would be no need to inquire of this.  Our point of contention from the very beginning is Holy Word’s correct teaching of Objective Justification.  We do not think it represents Scripture accurately, nor the WELS.  We exhort you and the Board of Appeals to examine the proper teaching of the chief article of faith, namely Justification, and to determine if Holy Word is in error.

In His Grace,

Joe and Lisa Krohn"

We heard back from the District President on September 8, 2011.

 "Dear Joe and Lisa,

 I agree that where you have been worshiping may be none of my business.

However, if you have joined a congregation outside of our fellowship, you are no longer in a position to appeal for relief from the district panel of review. If you have been communing in a congregation outside of our fellowship, by so doing you have identified yourself with that congregation and are no longer in a position to appeal.

 So, my question does become relevant relative to your appeal. 

Please forward your answer.

Pastor Glaeske"

More from Luther's Small Catechism (NPH 1956) Originally edited by Gausewitz; Pages 190-212 re: Means of Grace; Ministry of the Keys.


"324.  What is meant by the Means of Grace?

By the Means of Grace are meant those things by which God offers and gives His gifts of forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. 2 Tim. 3:15, Acts 2:38

What is the Ministry of the Keys?
The Ministry of the Keys is the peculiar authority of the Church, given by Christ to His Church on earth, to forgive the sins of penitent sinners unto them, but to retain the sins of the impenitient as long as they do not repent.

Where is this written?
Thus writes the holy Evangelist John, chapter twentieth:  The Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost!  Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained.

373.  Who has forgiveness of sins through the Gospel?

All penitent sinners.  Luke 18:9-14

374.  Who has no forgiveness?  

The impenitent has no forgiveness because by his very impenitence he rejects the Gospel, and thus his sins are retained as long as he does not repent. Prob. 13:13, John3:18, John 8:24"

To teach mans justification and forgiveness of sins aside from justifying faith; before birth; that the world has been saved and all has been forgiven, you just need to believe it, goes against the Bible and the Book of Concord.

Bored Has a Message for the Krohn Family

bored has left a new comment on your post "WELS Is an Un-Appealing Sect: Those Kicked Out Can...":

After seeing this thing play out with Joe and his family I just have to make a comment:

James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

What I think is particularly interesting is how James 2 plays into all this, and it makes me wonder how the UOJ storm troopers might react. Here they are, saying that ALL people are justified apart from faith and apart from works--so much so that they withhold Grace from someone for saying different. Yet the book of James is a cell-group favorite. UOJers use the book of James to prod people towards legalism, even though James, in an aside, destroys UOJ in verse 2:24. They interpret James incorrectly, but then forget that incorrect interpretation when they move into the book of Romans. It sorta shows the schizophrenic nature of the WELS theological premise. On one hand they are antinomialists and on the other they are legalists. Liberally legalistic and legalistically permissive? One week they withhold grace from someone who says justification comes from faith, but the next week plant seeds of doubt by making people wonder if their works reflect real faith? EEEEEVIL.

I think Joe, you'll get the same schizophrenia from the WELS chain of command--no matter how high you go. It's inherent in their doctrine. I think at this point you should only try to make the biggest waves as possible. You ain't gunna change the WELS muckidy mucks--no sir--but the bigger the waves, the more laymen will study. The WELS (and the LCMS too) is a nasty little sect--a kidnapper of souls, like their father Walther, the child kidnapper. It's a doomed organization. I hate to say it, but the House always wins. Unless the remaining good pastors throw down their cards and leave the table the dealer will clean 'em out. (That metaphor could use some work...)

GJ - Part II in this saga is also important. That begins when WELS starts to insist that Joe and Lisa return to the same nest of vipers that expelled them without cause. Here is a new approach to pastoral visitation. Patterson, who deftly avoided dealing with any issue--except to excommunicate--has sent Gurgle, the ex-SP, to visit with the prodigals. First there was a rush to expel them. Now they want to embrace the prodigals?

If someone suffers from a serious case of Stockholm Syndrome, he will like the person who kept him captive and abused him over a period of time. WELS takes advantage of this. They call it "playing mind games."

Wikipedia
In psychology, Stockholm syndrome is a term used to describe a real paradoxical psychologicalphenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them. These feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims, who essentially mistake a lack of abuse from their captors for an act of kindness.^[1][2] The FBI’s Hostage Barricade Database System shows that roughly 27% of victims show evidence of Stockholm syndrome.^[3] The syndrome is named after the Norrmalmstorg robbery of Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm, in which bank employees were held hostage from August 23 to August 28, 1973. In this case, the victims became emotionally attached to their captors, and even defended them after they were freed from their six-day ordeal.

It all starts with GA, the secret initiation rite at Mequon based upon earlier abusive ceremonies.

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Bored Is Correct - Says California:
Bored is correct in his remarks re: the Krohn's appeal of their termination.  If a congregation terminates  individual congregation members who protest what is recognized  by synod and/or synod leaders, appealing to have the termination reversed is an exercise in futility.  For unless the congregation itself is in agreement with the contention of the "terminated" (whatever it may be),  the appeal process only kicks the issue up the ladder of organizational entity.   With WELS doctrine of church and ministry, synod is "church", with congregations comprising the aggregate church.   Even if an individual were to prevail in appeal, and have membership reinstated, then the congregation which terminated the membership, would  necessity have to be excised from the synod in the name of synodical fellowship.   That won't happen if the pastor and congregation leaders maintain the positions (synod's positions) re: the issue of contention.   Should the jurisdiction hearing the appeal, demure about the Krohn's objections, the Krohn's reinstatement would automatically result in the congregations being at odds with the synod, and be subject to suspension itself.

All of the above is why I didn't appeal my termination from the membership in a WELS congregation in 1977 (with different issues) Prior to that, one of the couples with similar issues,  protested the Wisconsin Lutheran High School's taking government grants which made headlines in Milwaukee and elsewhere.   That couple, Bill and Jane Kerner appealed their termination to no avail as synod representatives closed ranks even more tightly.  

Even if an appeal restored memberships of recently expelled members of a WELS congregation,  all the other issues re: WELS remain, including the most important one of all. It would mean being restored to a synod in which the NIV was the "official" unofficial source of their reason to exist, with potential for replacing that with with the even worse, NNEW.
 

WELS Is an Un-Appealing Sect: Those Kicked Out Cannot Appeal

 

 

Joe Krohn posted on Monday, September 12, 2011:

Appeal?

On September 3, 2011, we submitted the following to the President of the South Central District of the WELS.  Although we had accepted the right hand of fellowship locally with an LC-MS church prior, nevertheless we were moved to challenge the decision of Holy Word as we have always held that they were teaching false doctrine and that if we did not appeal, we would be shirking our responsibilities to our Christian brothers and sisters.


"Dear Pastor Glaeske, 


Peace in Jesus. 


The Voting Assembly of Holy Word Lutheran Church made disposition of our membership/ fellowship upon the recommendation of the pastor, elders and council to terminate fellowship with us in their meeting of August 28, 2011 on the grounds that we reject the teaching of Objective Justification as the WELS teaches it; when in fact we have held to the belief that the way Pastor Patterson is preaching and teaching it, with full support of the elders and council is in error according to the Scriptures and even the Wisconsin Ev. Luth. Synod.  Pastor Patterson has maintained that per his sermon of January 30, 2011 that all men are forgiven of their sins, even before they were born; before hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17); before being convicted by the Holy Spirit through the Law and subsequent contrition and repentance also worked by the Holy Spirit through faith (also worked by the Holy Spirit) for the sake of Christ’s redemptive work.  (See Second and Third Articles of the Apostles Creed & Luther’s explanations) 


We feel that there is no need to ‘reinvent the wheel’ so to speak and that the letter of appeal that you received prematurely in June (as well as the copy sent to Holy Word) is still viable in this case. 


We add to the attached letter the following; that the behaviors of Pastor Patterson, the Elders and the Council President of Holy Word have acted in a deplorable fashion by: 


·         Conducting ‘bible classes’ designed to create a consensus against what we (the Krohns) believe to be the true teaching of justification as presented in the Bible and even in the WELS. 


·         Telling members publicly that they are not judging whether we have saving faith or not and then telling members privately that the Krohns have fallen away from the true faith and angrily so. 


·         By their letter of May 21, 2011, they refused to discuss the doctrine of justification with us going forward and insisted to only meet with us to discuss the subject of fellowship (which we refused since fellowship was not the issue); while the Council President, attorney Brad Johnston falsely declared in the Voters Meeting that we were offered to have a doctrinal discussion and that we refused.  This was a blatant misrepresentation of the facts. 


We pray for an expeditious and God pleasing conclusion as we appeal the decision by Holy Word Lutheran Church. 


In His Grace,

Joe and Lisa Krohn"

Here is the formal letter we submitted in June:

"June 18, 2011 


Pastor Vilas Glaeske 
District President
South Central District of the WELS 
C/O Grace Lutheran Church 
6788 Farm Road 115 
Scroggins, TX  75480 


RE:  Appeal to the Termination of Fellowship 

Dear Pastor Glaeske: 


I am writing to you as a matter of appeal in reference to our expulsion from Holy Word Lutheran Church, Austin Texas and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod on May 21, 2011.  We had taken issue with certain practices and teaching at Holy Word that were leading the church farther away from what is taught in the Bible and the Book of Concord.  These practices included abolishing Confession and Absolution in some worship services; selection of music not Biblically sound; calling and installing a female with proper title (Deaconess) which denotes an authority; public preaching and teaching of God’s Word by non-ordained men; poor stewardship of finances; questionable leadership practice and shepherding of the flock; a dropping of the name ‘Lutheran’ in the school name for the sake of marketing the school; and a closer look at the non-confessional practices happening at Holy Word’s sister congregation, Christ the Rock.  


Furthermore, Pastor Patterson is teaching an extreme doctrine of Objective Justification whereas the entire world has been forgiven their sins prior to faith by the work of the cross; even before they were born.  This is in direct conflict with the scriptures as confessed in the Third Article of the Apostles Creed where the work of the forgiveness of sins is ascribed to the Holy Ghost through faith and the hearing of the Word of God.  We were excommunicated for denying the doctrine of Objective Justification when in fact we were objecting to his understanding and teaching of the doctrine namely; that the forgiveness of sins takes place apart from the Means of Grace...


Page 1 


Pastor Vilas Glaeske

June 18, 2011

Page 2 


...The devil will war against Christ’s Church until the end of time and certainly these times are not pleasant.  But with God’s help we must stay vigilant for the truth in worship, practice, teaching and preaching.


In His Grace,


Joe and Lisa Krohn


CC:  Pastor Patterson, Elders of Holy Word"

Pastor Glaeske responded on September 5, 2011:

"Dear Joe and Lisa, 


Grace and Peace in Christ. 

Before I set the panel of review in place I want to be sure you understand what the panel will be charged to. 


The panel will only consider whether proper procedure has been followed in arriving at the decision reached by the congregation.

The District Constitution states:  ARTICLE XXIV

Section 3.  The constitution for the districts affirms that “in intracongregational matters the district shall have purely advisory authority” (Article “ IX, Section 2).  The review shall be conducted, therefore, to determine whether the process leading to the disciplinary action and the doctrinal basis of the disciplinary action were scriptural.

Section 4. The conduct of the review shall rest solely with the District Board of Appeals. The board shall have the right and power to examine all documentary evidence and to require such testimony that, in its judgment, is relevant.

Section 5. The district Board of Appeals shall submit its decision in writing to the appellant with a copy to the disciplining body, circuit pastor, and district president. The decision of the District Board of Appeals shall be the final disposition of the appeal.

Section 6. Within 30 days of the board’s decision, the complete records of the board shall be filed with the district president, who shall act, if necessary, in accordance with his responsibility for the district’s doctrine and practice. 


It is important that you understand this from the outset. I would like you to affirm this before the onset of the panel’s work. 

A second point that I would like you to affirm is that you have not joined a congregation of another fellowship, or have been communing in a congregation of another fellowship.  I would also like to have you answer in one way or another before the panel is put to work. 


I am praying that a brotherly solution can be reached. 


In His service, 


Vilas R. Glaeske,

President – South Central District, WELS"

From Luther's Small Catechism; Originally edited by C. Gausewitz; Copyright 1956 NPH:

'The Forgiveness of Sins (Pages 153-156)

254.  Which is the most precious gift that the Holy Ghost by the Gospel bestows on the Church?

The most precious gift is the Forgiveness of Sins or the righteousness of Christ, by which we are justified before God. (Justification)  Rom. 4:7-8, Rom. 1:16-17

260.  Why do we say that the Holy Ghost forgives sins, whereas we are made righteous before God through the redemption of Christ?

The Holy Ghost brings the righteousness of Christ to us by the Gospel and gives us the faith to believe it.  1 Cor. 12:3, 1 Cor. 6:11, Acts 2:38

261.  To whom does God forgive sins?

God forgives sins to me and all believers.  Acts 10:43, Rom. 3:21-28, Rom 10:4

262.  Where are sins forgiven?

Sins are forgiven in the Christian Church on Earth.

263.  Why do we say, In the Christian Church on earth?

We say this because Christ has given the Gospel to His Church on Earth; in the Gospel we have the forgiveness of sins."

To say there is forgiveness of sins (righteousness) and justification outside of the church apart from the Holy Spirit is heresy.  Christ's objective righteousness and justification is His to distribute through faith and we know that Christ is in His Church with the Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament.

LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "WELS Is an Un-Appealing Sect: Those Kicked Out Can...": 

"to determine whether the process leading to the disciplinary action and the doctrinal basis of the disciplinary action were scriptural."

That's what you'd call 'fine print'. We knew we were dead meat right there. Then to add insult to injury, they slap you with joining another church in the meantime...as it drags on and on while they wait for you to 'reconsider your position' to kiss the ring. 

Blogger Acting Crazy Today - But Read This Golden Oldy.The Real WELS Is Revealed

Church and Change Spa - WELS.

Here is the link.

Read, mark, and inwardly digest.

This is the real WELS, the actual leadership.

Luther's Sermon on the Good Samaritan, The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

            

Sermon for the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity; Luke 10:23-37

A Sermon by Martin Luther; taken from his Church Postil.

[The following sermon is taken from volume V:19-35 of The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI, 1983). It was originally published in 1905 in English by Lutherans in All Lands (Minneapolis, MN), as The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin Luther, vol. 14.]

THE TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS AND THE GOOD SAMARITAN

http://www.orlutheran.com/html/mlselk10.html

I. A SERMON ON THE LAW.

1. I hope you thoroughly understand this Gospel lesson, inasmuch as it recurs every year. And since it annually returns in the Pericopes we are required to consider it; and this we will now gladly and briefly do. In the first place, the Evangelist relates how Christ our Lord led his disciples aside, and being alone with them rejoiced in his spirit, and earnestly and directly said to them:

"Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see; for I say unto you, that many prophets and kings desired to see the things that ye see, and saw them not: and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not."

2. This hearing and seeing must be understood simply and plainly as external seeing and hearing, namely, that they saw Christ and his office, heard his preaching, and witnessed the miracles he performed among the Jews. The Jews also beheld these things with their natural eyes and some of them indeed experienced them in part in their hearts. But in fact they did not recognize him as the Christ, like the Apostles did, and like Peter, who representing all the others, confessed and said in Mat. 16, 16: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." We indeed admit, that even some of the Jews like the Apostles recognized him as the Christ; but since they were but few who did, Christ therefore takes his Apostles here to himself apart.

3. However, in spirit, many prophets and kings saw Christ, as Christ himself says to the Jews concerning Abraham in John 8, 56: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad." Then the Jews thought he spoke of natural seeing, but Christ spoke of spiritual seeing, as all pious Christian hearts saw him before he was born, and still daily see him. For if Abraham saw him, without doubt many more prophets in whom the Holy Spirit dwelt saw him. And although this seeing made the holy fathers and prophets blessed, yet they had a real heartfelt longing and desire to behold Christ the Lord in the flesh, as is intimated time and again in the prophets.

4. Therefore the Lord here says to his disciples who saw both with their natural and their spiritual eyes: "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see." As though he would say: This is a blessed time, an acceptable year, a special season of grace. That which is now at hand is so precious that the eyes which see it are truly called blessed. For in the past ages the Gospel was never preached so publicly and clearly unto all men as at present; the Holy Spirit was not yet publicly poured out: but was still concealed, and had as yet accomplished little. But Christ began the office of the Holy Spirit, and afterwards the Apostles continued it in full earnest. Therefore he calls all those blessed, who see and hear such grace. Now when the Lord said this and was rejoicing in spirit, one presents himself, a lawyer, who acting as though he also amounted to something, tempted the Lord and said: "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

5. This lawyer was perhaps a wise man and well acquainted with the Scriptures, as his answer also suggests; yet here he becomes a fool, and must first begin to learn from the Lord, when he is put to shame and disgrace. For Christ teaches him a good lesson, and with one word takes out of him all his self-conceit. For he was in the delusion that he had kept the law wholly and perfectly, and was therefore something extra, above others, which undoubtedly he was, and imagined, because he was so pious and learned, that he was of course worthy to talk with the Lord. But now what does the Lord do to ensnare him in a masterly manner? He does this: he permits him to judge himself. For the Evangelist proceeds thus: "And he said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live."

6. I think the Lord gave this pious man a good lecture. Alas, it was not right, he should have spared him a little, he puts him to shame before all the world. For what good does it do him? Christ shows him that he has as yet done nothing, when he allowed himself to think he had done everything. He asks what he should do. I contend that he has enough to do now, if he is only able to do great things.

7. Now much might be said on these two commandments, and it is also really needed, had we the time, for these are the highest and greatest themes on which Moses wrote; yea, on these hang all the law and the prophets, as Christ himself says in Mat. 22, 40. Nevertheless, we will briefly consider some phases of them.

8. When we examine the laws of Moses, we find they all treat of love. For the commandment: "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me," I cannot explain or interpret otherwise than: Thou shalt love God alone. Thus Moses himself interprets it in Deut. 6, 4-5, where he says: "Hear, 0 Israel; Jehovah our God is one Jehovah; and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." From this passage the lawyer has taken his answer. But the Jews understand this law to mean no more than that they should not set up idols and images to worship, and when they could say and confess with their lips that they have only one God and honor no other gods, they think they have kept this commandment. Thus this lawyer also understood it, but it was a false, erroneous knowledge of the law.

9. Now we must have high regard for the law. It says: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Thou, thou, it says, thou, and everything thou art; and especially does it mean the heart, the soul and all thy powers. It does not speak of the tongue, or the hands, or the knees; but it speaks of the whole body, and of all thou hast and art. If I am to have no other God, then I must surely possess the only true God with my heart, that is, I must in my heart be affectionate to him, evermore cleave to him, depend upon him, trust him, have my desire, love and joy in him, and always think of him. Just as we say at other times when we delight in something, that it tastes good in our very heart. And when one speaks or laughs and is not in earnest, and does not mean it from his heart, we say: You laugh, and your heart is not in it. The heart is quite a different thing than the lips. Therefore in the Scriptures the heart signifies the great and ardent love we should have for God. Those who serve God only with their lips, with their hands or with their knees, are hypocrites, and God cares nothing for them. For God does not want only a part, on the contrary he wants the whole man.

10. The Jews abstained outwardly from idolatry, and served God only with their lips; but their hearts were far from him, full of mistrust and unbelief. Outwardly they appeared beautiful, as though they meant it in all sincerity, but within they were full of idolatry. Therefore the Lord said unto them in Mat. 23, 27-28: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith. For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. Even as ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."

11. They are really wicked people who become proud in external things, who desire to justify and make themselves pious by their works, as this lawyer here does. Behold, what a proud character he is, he presents himself in his own name, and thinks Christ will not rebuke him; yea, he allows himself to think that the Lord will extol and praise his life in the presence of all the people, and does not think of learning anything from the Lord, but only seeks his own praise. The ignorant pretender would have gladly heard a psalm of praise from the man whom the people esteemed, and at whom all men wondered. Thus all hypocrites do, who outwardly parade their excellent, great and noble works. They well say that they do not seek honor and praise, but inwardly in their hearts they are full of ambition, and desire all the world to know of their holiness, and smile very nicely when they hear men speak of it.

12. Yet the Lord does not serve this lawyer thus, but puts him to shame. This Christ is an unfriendly, ungracious man, he tells the people the truth, and well deserves that they should hate him. The pious, holy lawyer still does his utmost, and knows nothing but how to harvest great honors and obtain high renown for his precious life; he thinks he has perfectly fulfilled this commandment, and hopes for a favorable answer, that the Lord will say: Dear Sir, you have done it all. But Christ goes to work and first tells him: "Do this!" That is to say in good German: You are a rogue in the hide, you have not done this during your whole life; yea, you have not kept a single letter of the law; and thus shows him his wickedness. The poor fellow thinks he should sit in the first seat, that he is really pure and beautiful, and by rights should sit among the angels, rather than here among the people. What a wonderful Christ is this! The people regard this lawyer as pious and holy; but Christ says he shall first go and begin to fulfill the law. Be consistent with thyself!

13. Now these are the very fellows who most of all sin against the first commandment, and think no further than the words read: I must love God, and think they have fulfilled the law, while it remains hovering on their tongues and over their hearts, but never enters. This, however, is not enough, it must reach much farther, namely, that I so love God that for his sake I can forsake all creatures, and should he require it, also body and life; yea, that I should love him above all things. For God is a jealous God and cannot suffer us to love anything above himself. But to love anything beneath himself, he of course allows. Just as a husband can easily allow his wife to love the maid servants, the house and house utensils, cattle and other things; but to love with the love she should have for him, he will not suffer her to love anyone besides himself; yea, he desires her to forsake all things for his sake; and so again the wife also requires the same from her husband.

Thus God can also allow us to love his creatures; yea, they are created for this purpose and are good. The sun is an excellent creature; gold and silver and all things that are attractive and beautiful by nature cause us to love them. This God indeed permits us to do. But that I should cling to the creature and love it with the same love with which I love God the Creator, this he can and will not allow; yea, his will is that I should deny and forsake all things, should he desire and require it of me, and be satisfied should I nevermore behold the sun, my money and possessions. The love of the creature should stand far, far below our love to him; and as he is the chief good, his will is also to be loved in the highest degree, above all other good. If he will not allow me to love anything as much as I love him, much less will he allow me to love anything more than himself, though it be a creature of his own creation.

14. Now I think you understand what it is to love God with all the heart, with all the soul and with all the mind. To love God with all the heart is to love him above all creatures; that is, although many creatures are quite lovely, as they please me and I love them, nevertheless, I am to despise and forsake all these for God's sake, whenever God my Lord desires it.

15. To love God with all the soul is to devote your entire bodily life to him that you can say when the love of any creature, or any persecution threatens to overpower you: All this I will give up, before I will forsake my God; let men cast me away, murder or drown me, let what God's will is happen to me, I will gladly lose all, before I will forsake thee, 0 Lord! unto thee will I cling more than to all thy creatures, or to anything that is not thyself. I will risk all things together with what I have and am that I may not forsake thee. The soul in the Scriptures signifies the life of the body, which acts through the five senses, eating, drinking sleeping, waking, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and everything that the soul does through the body.

16. To love God with all our strength is to devote all our members and whatever we may be able to do through our bodies to the love of God, and sacrifice all rather than do anything contrary to his will.

17. To love God with all the mind is to take to nothing except that which is pleasing to God. By which is meant the self-conceit which man has that the same be directed to God and that all things be pleasing to him.

18. Thus you see what the commandment requires: "Thou. shalt love God." Thou, thou wholly and fully, not thy hands, not thy lips, not thy knees. Those who do this, fulfil the commandment in the right sense. But there is not a man on earth who thus fulfils the law; yea, we all do just the opposite. Thus this law here makes us all sinners so that not the least letter of this commandment is fulfilled, even by the most holy persons in the world. For no one clings so firmly to God with all the heart, that he could forsake all things for God's sake. We have, God be praised, become so competent that we can almost not suffer the least word, yea, we will not let go of a nickel for the sake of God.

How is it possible for us to love God, as long as his will displeases us? For if I love God I love also his will. Now, when God sends us sickness, poverty, shame and disgrace, that is his will. But what do we do under such circumstances? We thunder, scold and growl, and bear it with great impatience. And this is the least part, for what would we do if we had to forsake body and life for God and Christ's sake? Then we would act quite differently. Yet in the meantime I act like this Pharisee and lawyer does, I lead a fine outward life, honor and serve God, fast, pray, and appear very pious and holy. But God does not want this. He wants us to accept his will with joy and love, and this we are too tardy in doing.

19. Therefore, what the Lord here says to this lawyer, he says to us all, namely, that we have not yet fulfilled the law, and still he requires us to do it. On this account all men are guilty of death, and are the devil's own property. "All men are liars," Ps. 116, 11, vain and offensive. What they pretend does not avail before God. In our own affairs we are shrewd; how to scrape together money and goods, how to speak well of God before the people, and how to push ourselves ahead in a masterly manner. But what does God care for this? His will is that we should love him with all our hearts. This no man can do, and the conclusion is that we are all sinners, and especially those who walk in a beautiful outward show. Therefore it is safer that we go and confess that we all are sinners, than that we have respect to our works and cling to our beautiful, glittering lives.

II. A SERMON ON THE GOSPEL IN A PARABLE.

20. The foregoing is the first part of our Gospel lesson, and it is a sermon on the law, The second part now follows, and it preaches the Gospel, how and whence we are to receive power to fulfill the Law. This the good Samaritan will teach us.

21. How does this lawyer act now after the Lord had thus turned him away? He goes ahead, the Evangelist says, and desires to justify himself and says to the Lord:

"And who is my neighbor!"

22. He does not ask: Who is my God? As though he would say: "I owe God nothing, with God I am in good standing. I am also inclined to think that I am under obligations to no man; yet, I would like to know who my neighbor is? The Lord answers and tells him a very beautiful parable, by which he shows that we are all neighbors among one another, both he who does another a kindness, as well as he who is in need of a kindness. Although the text reads as if Christ said that he is our neighbor who does another a kindness. In this, however, the Scriptures make no difference. Here they call him neighbor who does a kindness, and at other places him who receives the kindness.

23. By means of this parable the Lord concludes with the words, "Go, and do thou likewise,'' so that this lawyer did not only sin against God, but also against his neighbor. He not only failed to love God, but he did not love his neighbor, and never aid him a favor. By this the poor man falls into such a sweat that he is only deceived from head to foot. How could he be so mistaken, the highly learned and pious man? His mistake came in this way; he led a Pharisaical, feigned and hypocritical life. He did not look down to his neighbor to help him with his life, but only sought thereby his own vain glory and honor before the eyes of the people, and with this he stared piously toward heaven.

24. Now you have often heard that a Christian life consists in acting before my God in faith and with a pure heart, but toward my neighbor in right living and good works; and not wait until my neighbor seeks a kindness of me, and asks me for something, but approach and meet him with kindness and freely offer it to him. Let us now see what the parable in itself teaches.

25. This Samaritan of course is our Lord Jesus Christ himself, who has shown his love toward God and his neighbor. Toward God, in that be was obedient to him, came down from heaven and became man, and thus fulfilled the will of his Father; toward his neighbor, in that he immediately after bis baptism began to preach, to do wonders, to heal the sick. And in short, he did no work that centered in himself alone, but all his acts centered in his neighbor. And this he did with all his powers, and thus he became our

servant, who could have well remained in heaven and been equal to God, Phil. 2, 6. But all this he did because he knew that this pleased God and was his Father's will.

26. When he entered upon that high mission to prove that he loved God with all his heart, he laid down his bodily life with all he had, and said: Father, here you have all, my bodily life, my glory and honor, which I had among the people; all this I give as it is for thy sake, that the world may know how I love thee. My Father, let my wisdom perish, so that the world may look upon me as most foolish. Let me be the most despised, who was heretofore praised by all the world. Now I am the worst murderer, who before was friendly, useful and serviceable to the whole world. Dear Father, all this I despise, only that I may not be disobedient to thee.

27. This is the Samaritan who came uninvited, and fulfilled the law with his whole heart. For only he fulfilled the law, and no one can deprive him of this honor. He alone merits it, and well maintains it all alone. Now this would be no special comfort for us; but that he has compassion on the poor wounded man, takes him under his care, binds his wounds, takes him into the inn and waits on him, this avails for us.

28. The man who here lies half dead, wounded and stripped of his clothing' is Adam and all mankind. The murderers are the devils who robbed and wounded us, and left us lying prostrate half dead. We still struggle a little for life; but there lies horse and man, we cannot help ourselves to our feet, and if we were left thus lying we would have to die by reason of our great anguish and lack of nourishment; maggots would grow in our wounds, followed by great misery and distress.

29. The parable stands in bold relief, and pictures us perfectly, what we are and can do with our boasted reason and free will. If the poor wounded man had desired to help himself, it would only have been worse for him, he would only have done harm to himself and irritated his wounds, and only prepared more misery and distress for himself.

Had he remained lying quiet, he would have had as much suffering. Thus it is when we are left to ourselves. We are always lost, we may lay hold where we will. Hitherto man has always acted thus, he has thought out many ways and methods how we might reform our lives and get to heaven. One found this way, another that, therefore so many kinds of orders arose: in like manner the letters of indulgence and crusades originated; but they have only made evil worse. Such is the world, and it is thus finely portrayed in this wounded man, it lies in sins over head and ears and cannot help itself.

30. But the Samaritan who has fulfilled the law and is perfectly healthy and sound, comes and does more than both priest and Levite. He binds up the sores of the wounded man, pours in oil and wine, lifts him upon his own beast, and brings him into the inn, takes good care of him, and when he departs he carefully commends him to the host, and besides leaves him a sufficient supply of money, while neither the priest nor Levite would do one of these kind acts. The priest signifies the dear sainted fathers before Moses; the Levite the priesthood of the Old Testament. All these however have accomplished nothing by their works, and have passed by on the other side like this priest and Levite.

31. Therefore, if I had for example all the good works of Noah, Abraham and of all the dear fathers, they would still be of no benefit to me. They have indeed beheld the wounded man lying helpless and half dead, but they could not help it. He who lay there half dead, saw it too, but what of it, he could make it no better. The dear sainted fathers saw very well that the people lay in their sins over their ears, and also felt the anguish of sin, but what could they do to remedy it? They could make it only worse, but not better. These were the preachers of the law, and showed what the world was, namely, full of deadly sins, and it lay there half dead, and could not help itself, notwithstanding all its powers, reason and free will. Go then, thou beautifully painted rogue, and boast of thy free will, of thy merits and holiness.

32. But Christ, the true Samaritan, takes the poor man to himself as his own, goes to him and does not require the helpless one to come to him; for here is no merit, but pure grace and mercy; and he binds up his wounds, cares for him and pours in oil and wine, this is the whole Gospel from beginning to end. He pours in oil when grace is preached, as when one says: Behold thou poor man, here is your unbelief, here is your condemnation, here you are wounded and sore. Wait! All this I will cure with the Gospel. Behold, here cling firmly to this Samaritan, to Christ the Savior, he will help you, and nothing else in heaven or on earth will. You know very well that oil softens, thus also the sweet, loving preaching of the Gospel gives me a soft, mild heart toward God and my neighbor, so that I risk my bodily life for the sake of Christ my Lord and his Gospel, if God and necessity require it.

33. But wine is sharp and signifies the holy cross that immediately follows. A Christian need not look for his cross, it is always on his back. For he thinks as St. Paul says, 2 Tim. 3,12: "All that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." This is the court-color in this kingdom. Whoever is ashamed of the color, does not belong to this king.

34. Then the Samaritan lifts the wounded man on his beast. This beast is Christ the Lord himself, he carries us, we lay upon his shoulders, neck and body. There is scarcely a more lovely picture in the entire Gospel, than where Christ the Lord compares himself to a shepherd, in Luke 15, who carries the lost sheep on his shoulders back to the fold. He still continually carries his lost sheep thus at the present day.

35. The stable or inn is Christianity, here in this world, where we must remain for a short time. The host is the preacher of the Word of God and of the Gospel, who is to purse and care for us.

36. Now here we have the substance of the Gospel. The kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of mercy and grace, in which there is nothing but a continual carrying of the lost. Christ carries our infirmities and sicknesses, he takes our sins upon himself and has patience when we fail. We still always lay about his neck, and yet he does not become weary of carrying us, which should be the greatest comfort for us when we are in conflict with sin.

37. Ministers in this kingdom are to comfort the consciences, deal gently with them and feed them with the Gospel, carry the weak, heal the sick, and know how to divide the Word rightly, and administer the same to every one according to his needs. This is the office of a true bishop and minister, and not to proceed with violence as our bishops do, who come threatening with stocks and the block, crying: "Ho! up there, up there, who will not, must!" This should not be, but a bishop or minister ought to resemble one who waits upon the sick, who treats them very gently, gives kind words, speaks very friendly to them and exercises all diligence in their behalf. Thus a bishop or minister should also do, and remember that his bishopric or parish is nothing but a hospital and an infirmary, where he has very many and various kinds of sick people for treatment. When Christ is thus preached faith and life meet together and fulfil the commandment of love.

OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. [The following Luther preached on another occasion. Translator]

38. I have often told you, dearly beloved, that the entire Scriptures consist of two parts, of the law and the Gospel. It is the law that teaches what we are required to do; the Gospel teaches where we shall receive what the law demands. For it is quite a different thing to know what we should have, and to know where to get it. Just as when I am given into the hands of the physicians, where it is quite a different art to tell what my disease is than to tell what medicine I must take so as to recover. Thus it is likewise here. The law discovers the disease, the Gospel ministers the medicine. This you clearly see in today's Gospel. The lawyer comes desiring eternal life, and inquires what he shall do to secure it? The law tells him, and says: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, with all thy strength and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."

39. He who reads this only superficially as this lawyer here does, will not understand it. One must enter into it and portray and even behold himself in it. For if I try to love God with all my heart, I will soon see how far I fail. So, with all the soul, that is, with the inner soul which I feel in the flesh, that I love and experience love in all my senses; for to love with the soul in the Scriptures means the love that a gallant youth feels towards his beloved. Again, with all thy strength, that is, with all thy members. Again, with all thy mind, that is, all thy senses, thoughts and delusions must be directed toward God. For if I am to love God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind, then my eyes dare not give one scornful glance, my tongue speak an angry word, my feet, hands, ears must all be one, and give forth no angry sign. That is to say: Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, so that thy whole body from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet, inwardly and outwardly, goes forth in love, and rejoices in God and honors him.

40. Now find me a man who is chaste or otherwise pious with a burning passion and love; there is none such on the earth. We find ourselves much more inclined to anger, hatred, envy, worldly pleasures, than to tender heartedness and other virtues. And when I find in my inclination such a spark, it is all false, the law is not satisfied. But I find not only a spark in me, but a whole bakeoven full of the fire of evil inclinations, for there is no love in the heart, nor in any member of the body. Therefore I here see in the law as in a mirror, that everything I have is condemned and cursed; for not one jot of the law shall pass away but all must be fulfilled, as Christ says, Mat. 5,18: "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.

41. Now you do not find in yourself, that you do with all your soul and with all your heart, with joy and pleasure, what the law requires of you; therefore you are condemned and the child of satan; then know by this how to govern yourself in the future. Behold, you must first come to the knowledge to confess that you are the devil's own property. But if you would know no more than how you are to treat him to be freed from him, you would have to perish. To this end the law serveth, that we may learn that we are condemned, for this evil lust is found in us all, and yet we should not have a spark of it in us.

42. Our sophists failed to see this, and have taught, if a man does the best he can, God then gives him grace. They are blind guides, and themselves confess that man has little desire for the good; yet still, if he go and do it, even though disorderly, unwillingly, indolently, he is nevertheless in favor with God. Christ here teaches the contrary that we should go forth with a passion and love and do the law with a joyful and happy mind. Now, whom would you rather believe, Christ or the sophists? I leave this to you. From such false knowledge the cloisters later arose, into which men entered and contended that if a man were only in a cloister, and it matters not how unwillingly he was there, then he would be saved. So they taught. But now Christ's will is that man should do good works willingly and joyfully. Hence, if they are done with a troubled conscience and a heavy heart, it is sin. Therefore cease from all works that you do not perform with pleasure and love.

43. They therefore should have said: Man, do you see, you poor condemned creature, you should have delight in God's law, and you have no pleasure in it; hence show some delight and love, or you are God's enemy and the devil's friend. Thus the people would have bravely forsaken their own presumption and come to a knowledge of themselves and would have said: 0 God, now I am condemned. Yes, this is right. Here every one might soon know and conclude, that we all belong to Satan, as long as we find within us displeasure in the law of God. Therefore, boldly cast away all works from you, then you will find delight in and love for God's law in your heart. I experience indeed that God's law is holy, right and good, but it is my death. And if it could be, I would prefer that it did not exist. And thus all people are disposed in their hearts, as St. Paul very beautifully writes in the seventh chapter of Romans.

44. Had we now remained in this condemnation, we would have had to perish forever. Therefore another part is added, the Gospel, which speaks of consolation and teaches salvation, and whence we are to obtain it, so that the law may be satisfied. Now when I see by the law that I am condemned, lying even among murderers, half dead, the devil has stolen my soul and taken it captive in Adam and Eve, with all faith and righteousness, and has left nothing except my bodily life which will soon be extinguished; now here come the Levite and the priest, who render human satisfaction and teach this and that; but it does no good, they pass by.

45. However when the Samaritan comes, he helps, that is, when Christ comes and offers us his mercy, and says: Behold, you are indebted to love God with all your heart, but you have not done it; now believe in me, I will give you my sufferings: this will help me. Here he lifts me on his beast, that is, on himself, and takes me to the inn, that is, into the Christian Church. After this he comes and pours into me his grace, which is the oil, so that I feel I am lying on his shoulders, this gives me a very joyful conscience; moreover he pours into me wine, which is to devour and drown the old Adam. But even then I am not perfectly well. Health has indeed been poured into me and there is a turn for the better, but nevertheless I am not perfectly restored to health. Meantime Christ serves and purifies me by the grace he pours into me, so that day by day I become purer, chaster, milder, gentler and more believing until I die, when I shall be entirely perfect.

46. Thus when we now come before God the Father and are asked whether we have also believed and loved God, and have wholly fulfilled the law; then the Samaritan will step forth, Christ the Lord, who carries us lying on his beast, and say; Alas, Father! although they have not wholly fulfilled thy law, yet I have done so, let this be to their benefit because they believe in me. Thus all saints must do, however holy and pious they may be, they must lay on Christ's shoulders. If even the most holy people, as priests and Levites, could not satisfy the law, how shall we undertake to do so with our feigned works, bald pates and caps? 0 our wretched and corrupt nature! Let this be sufficient for the present, and let us call on God for grace.