Mr. Pierce, nice to see you again. Here is what precedes your Colossians quote...again all this in the context of faith:
"Alive in Christ
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."
I have been witnessing to a co-worker. He tells me he believes in God and he hopes to get to heaven. I made the mistake of telling him his sins are forgiven in Christ instead of convicting him of his lascivious living. He thought he was golden and continued on in his life perversely. I have seen a change come in him now since I have been leading with the law. This is where I am coming from. Even the devil believes in God and the forgiveness of sins...but if there is no faith, it is in vain.
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GJ - The debate continues on LaughQuest, with the UOJ Stormtroopers digging up "proof" that all unbelievers are forgiven, without the Word, without the Means of Grace, without faith.
Joe has made an important point, which I have considered many times. Various people have contacted me about being abused by WELS, and I know of many cases in the LCMS as well.
UOJ is ideal for making people think they can do anything the Old Adam wants, because "I know I am a sinner and I know I am forgiven."
This false doctrine has been fatal for many clergy, whether it has been the path of alcohol abuse, adultery, embezzling, or murder. The hierarchy has an easy excuse for their pals, especially their classmates.
The clergy have learned they can do anything, even against minor children in their own congregation, and it will be absolved and denied at the same time. Murder? Just concoct a feeble lie and the abusive synod will provide backers and a call to another state.
In WELS a teacher can murder his wife, lie about it, do a few years in prison, marry his children's baby-sitter, and lead a youth group in WELS after getting out of the hoosegow. That happened at ALA, which also gave birth to Jeff Gunn's CrossWalk.
But they also know there is One Sin they cannot commit--The Synodical Sin Against the Holy Spirit--criticizing the apostasy of the organization.
In WELS, the Church and Changers have been welcome to savage people and practices they want destroyed, so even the One Sin is a matter of nuance, subtlety, and Jesuit logic.
There are two groups of victims. Many souls are hardened and blinded by the anti-Christian UOJ propaganda, which comforts unrepentant sinners. UOJ sends many to Hell this way - but they know they are guilt-free saints in Hades, so there is a good side to Walther's Halle dogma.
The other group consists of those who do not realize what the cult is doing to them. They have Stockholm Synod Syndrome. After many years of abuse they still crave the abusers and want their love and attention. They are deeply conflicted because many in their family are still loyal. They listen to the double-talk, from the Synod President on down, about Biblical principles.
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raklatt (http://raklatt.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Joe Krohn in the Lions' Jackals' Den":
An excerpt from Luther's discussion of what 1 Peter 2: 21-22 has wrought:
[I]ndeed, the ecclesiasts distribute their own merits and works. Oh, shameful abomination, that in the temple of God and in the Christian Church must be taught things which make wholly insignificant the sufferings and death of Christ.
