AC V has left a new comment on your post "From the Apple-Dumbling Gang:Yale Is Roman Catholi...":
Brett,
In Emmanuel's newsletter, notice the man-centered article entitled "Why Go to Church" (p.3ff). The closest we get to hearing the real purpose of why we "go to church" is on p.5:
"1) Jesus promises to be there in church with us, bringing his blessings with his presence."
That statement begs the question: "What are the blessings that Jesus brings us?" The article answers by saying things like "God has told his Christians to grow in grace and knowledge of him, and to keep the faith. This is done through the Word of God, especially as it is publicly preached by a true and faithful pastor, who expounds texts from the Bible to God's people and applies the Scriptures to their lives" (p.4).
But what is lacking (because of a UOJ mindset) is an answer like that of Luther in his explanation of why we go to church:
"We further believe that in this Christian Church we have forgiveness of sin, which is wrought through the holy Sacraments and Absolution, moreover, through all manner of consolatory promises of the entire Gospel. Therefore, whatever is to be preached concerning the Sacraments belongs here, and, in short, the whole Gospel and all the offices of Christianity, which also must be preached and taught without ceasing. For although the grace of God is secured through Christ, and sanctification is wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Word of God in the unity of the Christian Church, yet on account of our flesh which we bear about with us we are never without sin. Everything, therefore, in the Christian Church is ordered to the end that we shall daily obtain there nothing but the forgiveness of sin through the Word and signs, to comfort and encourage our consciences as long as we live here. Thus, although we have sins, the [grace of the] Holy Ghost does not allow them to injure us, because we are in the Christian Church, where there is nothing but [continuous, uninterrupted] forgiveness of sin, both in that God forgives us, and in that we forgive, bear with, and help each other. But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness [sanctification] (Large Catechism, Apostles Creed, Art. III:55-56).
In Emmanuel's article "Why Go to Church" there is no mention of "to receive forgiveness of sins" because according to UOJ, you've already got it!
Here's a good explanation of why we "go to church":
http://www.ctsfw.edu/Document.Doc?id=275
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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "AC V - Why Go To Church?":
I agree AC V. Tour any (W)ELS church website that posts their sermons. There is only a tiny number of them which mention the faith of the Holy Spirit and fewer yet who identify it as the righteousness of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and the adoption of sons.
The Lutheran synods have pulled a fast one on the laity. They've separated faith from forgiveness. UOJ declares the whole unbelieving world forgiven - children of God (even while they are the children of the devil). UOJ's faith in forgiveness already declared is salvation since they've adopted the Methodistic synergism of "you just have to believe you've already been forgiven" to benefit (be saved) from the divine declaration.
Little wonder they can continue to finance the bloody murder of innocent babies through their Thrivent funds.
