Using Guilt by Association - An Old But Useful Logical Fallacy

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Going the Extra Mile in Research - So You Can Enjo...":

The UOJists who falsely accuse me of heresy when I contend for Justification by Faith Alone have blamed you, Pastor Jackson, for poisoning me against their doctrine of UOJ. But it was long before we met that the problems with UOJ were brought to my attention. I was speaking to a Baptist about works righteousness being a part of making a decision for Christ. He laughed and said that it was 'us' Lutherans who teach works righteous through faith since 'we' teach the world is forgiven before faith and we just need to make a decsion to believe it. Wha...wh...? I started to study after that.

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GJ - They fail to realize that publishing draws the like-minded together. Publishing also attracts opponents, who keep us sharp.

I am glad that the Wisconsin Sect finally bared its fangs with the NNIV. If that did not alert people about the apostate professors at the seminary, then this little blog will not accomplish the task with a few Photoshops. That stable needs to be cleaned. Missouri could not face its problems either, until they blew up in their face - and that was good for them.

Event: 'Relationship Wars: Why Lasting Love Is So Hard to Find' | Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN

Event: 'Relationship Wars: Why Lasting Love Is So Hard to Find' | Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN:

'via Blog this'

***

GJ - He calls himself a Christian, not a Lutheran, on his Facebook page. That is what we need - more generic speakers transforming lives.

Information about him seems slight.

Going the Extra Mile in Research - So You Can Enjoy the Superbowl

Joe Krohn found an interesting post denouncing Objective Justification and linked it on his blog.

http://heartoftn.net/users/gary27/Objectiv.htm

I usually Google new names, to see what comes up.

In this case, the author was Gary Ray Branscome.

The first thing I noticed was a new post on Herman Otten's blog that was not quite anti-OJ but could be read that way.

http://christiannewsmo.blogspot.com/2012/02/justification-by-faith-alone-material.html

I am always uneasy with affirmations that lack negative statements. Every clear confession needs the negative side to avoid ambiguity. "Error loves ambiguities." Mormons believe in the Trinity, they say, but they do not denounce three separate persons because they are not Trinitarian.

Herman Otten's Christian News is a UOJ shop, although he waffles toward justification by faith at times. Like Rolf Preus, he will always come down on the UOJ side when pressed.

That is why I found the Branscome post so oddly out of place when I just read an anti-UOJ post from the same author.

So I looked again, Google-searching the name.

Here is Gary posting against infant baptism:

http://heartoftn.net/users/gary27/caseagin.htm

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Going the Extra Mile in Research - So You Can Enjo...":

The UOJists who falsely accuse me of heresy when I contend for Justification by Faith Alone have blamed you, Pastor Jackson, for poisoning me against their doctrine of UOJ. But it was long before we met that the problems with UOJ were brought to my attention. I was speaking to a Baptist about works righteousness being a part of making a decision for Christ. He laughed and said that it was 'us' Lutherans who teach works righteous through faith since 'we' teach the world is forgiven before faith and we just need to make a decsion to believe it. Wha...wh...? I started to study after that.

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LPC has left a new comment on your post "Going the Extra Mile in Research - So You Can Enjo...":

As you know I was accused of being a heretic myself, and to be shunned and avoided.

It is really insulting for me to say I was poisoned; it means, I have no mind of my own and could not discern things for myself.

LPC

***

GJ - Lito and Brett, they have nothing left but insults and logical fallacies.

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http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=4190&cpage=3#comment-281918

Author: Lito Cruz
Comment:
<a href="#comment-281793" rel="nofollow">@John Standley #32 </a>

John,

Did you see what I mean? The condescension?

Read Dr. Kilcrease  at

<a href="#comment-281905" rel="nofollow">@Dr. Jack Kilcrease #36 </a>

Kilcrease brands Team JBFA as <i>Most of his followers tend to be people who are not very well versed in theology</i>. We are Galileans, we are unlearned that is why we are fooled.

Despite the fact that we have offered and given reasonable doubt on their famous UOJ verse, Romans 4:25 we are ignorant in theology, right. We can not read and we do not exercise critical thinking 101.

You open every commentary on this, the only interpretation that slightly support their contention about Romans 4:25 is Everett Harrison's commentary on Romans, see Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol 10. There he speaks about accomplishment, but in the end of his long exposition he offers a caveat, he says, of course, the justification mentioned there in that verse is justification through faith.

Just for your info, I have 4 degrees, 1 degree is in Religious Studies (specialising in Biblical Languages, 2-4 years in Classical/Koine Greek,1 year Biblical Hebrew), it is a degree between a Bachelor and a Master's degree(http://www.latrobe.edu.au/). My prof was G H R Horsley who authored a multivolume set found here http://books.google.com.au/books/about/New_documents_illustrating_early_Christi.html?id=28YyARfAsesC&amp;redir_esc=y

Over here, we do not parade our academic accomplishments, it is bad form. We only do it for ethical reasons because if we are a doctor and we don't say it, we are misrepresenting ourselves specially when we are in a career situation.

John, the mark of a person who has no argument is to insult you.

LPC

***

GJ - Ach, Lito - do not fall for his anti-Jacobs rant. Academic qualifications often get in the way of discernment. Poor Jack was trained by ELCA and next by the Jesuits at Marquette, the little school where Notre Dame graduates go to do their student teaching.

Kilcrease is annoyed by people running circles around his pet opinion. Academic theologians like to start some new fad or flog some dog-eared theory. Going back and forth gives them visibility. One man, with far better credentials than anything on Kilcrease's light resume, argued that Jesus founded a mushroom cult. As the impressed book seller told me, "Look! He has 400 footnotes!"

My unscientific study of justification-by-faith stalwarts yields this conclusion - almost all of them are laity.

David Becker Laughs Out Loud

Pastor Herman Otten and his wife Grace.

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David Becker has left a new comment on your post "Jury Trial Set for WELS Ex-Church Official Joel Ho...":

Hi Pastor Jackson, as you may know, after not submitting items to Christian News (and not even subscribing for six years) for a long time, I have picked it up again, and am sending CN stuff for whatever the editor may choose to print. Pastor Otten does not surf the Internet (not sure how much his wife or children do), but he has expressed his appreciation for my sending him whatever I believe to be potentially CN-worthy, from whatever I may find on the Internet. I have taken note of this article. There is nothing new in it except mentioning a jury date. Once a not guilty or guilty verdict is reached, or a change in plea is made, or some other significant new development is published and documented, I will forward it to CN for their consideration. (Of course there is nothing stopping CN from citing the article apart from me if they want to.)

I will also comment generally that although I don't agree with everything you say or how you say it (though you are frequently laugh-out-loud funny), I do appreciate your standing up for what you believe and do believe your voice is important and worthy of consideration. I did go through the PDF file of your new book on Justification by Faith and do believe it is worthy of reading. I did wonder about the statement in your Foreword, "This book is dedicated to all the faithful Lutherans, often unnamed, who have encouraged research into this vital topic of justification by faith. Two of them became Roman Catholics in their frustration with the pitiful ignorance of the so-called conservative Lutheran leaders and professors." Two of them became Roman Catholics? How is that good? [GJ - Missing word - "Unfortunately," two of them... I blame UOJ for their defection.]

One post that I agreed with that you wrote was at http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2011/08/universalism-everywhere-elca-rome-syn.html. You wrote, "Telling anyone 'You are saved' without discerning faith in Christ alone for salvation, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit at work in the Word."

God willing, I may address this issue in something I might send in the future to CN. I was concerned to read on Lutherquest, "the object of our faith is not something like; 'Jesus died for me and if I believe that, God will credit it to me as righteousness'. It sounds very pious to say that; 'Christ with his perfect righteousness and satisfaction is the object of faith', but our faith is not merely in the Atonement." I thought about arguing about that on LQ but figured it would be a waste of time and effort.

In any event, that's all for now, and hope you and yours have a blessed day.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

David Becker

***

GJ - David, you will have to explain the humorous parts to Tim Glende. He doesn't get it.

UOJ Enthusiasts are a perfect example of this passage:


KJV 2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they
received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth,
but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Lutheran H.S. principal apologizes for DUI arrest - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Future hymnal editor, I am sure.

Lutheran H.S. principal apologizes for DUI arrest - 13 WTHR Indianapolis:


INDIANAPOLIS -
An Indianapolis high school principal apologized to his students and their families after his arrest on drunk driving charges.

Police say 44-year-old Michael Brandt was nearly twice the legal limit for alcohol (.15) when he was stopped for speeding just after midnight last Sunday. Police say the smell of alcohol hit them when Brandt opened his car window. His speech was slurred and police say he failed the field sobriety test.

He was arrested for DUI, speeding and not having a signed car registration.

Brandt has been principal at Lutheran High School on South Arlington Avenue for a year after teaching at the school for two decades.

He told Eyewitness News by phone Tuesday he'd made a "terrible mistake" and that while his school community expects him to be a leader, "I failed to lead." In a letter to parents and students, he asked forgiveness and says he plans to own his mistake.

School parents who spoke with Eyewitness News were surprised but supportive of Brandt whom they called a "good man."

"It's difficult. Everyone makes mistakes," said parent Sara Bauman. "My inclination would be to forgive and move on."

At a school event Tuesday evening, some families were supportive of their principal.

"I don't really want to comment on the situation," said parent Kris Goff. "I will say this. Mr. Brandt is a fantastic person, fantastic principal, great with the kids."

Brandt says he was on his way home from a family-friendly social event when he stopped "and had some drinks at a local establishment."

He tells Eyewitness News he is working to make sure it never happens again.



'via Blog this'

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GJ - WELS does not apologize.

They transfer him if it is a DP, export him to foreign missions if he is a pastor,  shout Ein Prosit! if he is a worship professor.

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Lutheran H.S. principal apologizes for DUI arrest ...":

I see it's a LCMS HS:
http://lhsi.org/about/facts

Lutheran High School is fully accredited by...the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod...

At Least They Are Not Hosting Leonard Sweet This Time!

It's a good thing they got rid of that old liberal Kieschnick. Now they have a rock-ribbed conservative as Synod President. Harrison mentions Walther and the entire Midwest region sighs in ecstasy.

All the ELCA seminaries are overwhelmingly in favor of homosexual ordination and marriage. Woe to anyone who dissents from the new orthodoxy. Thus "conservative" Missouri is doing its best to create doctrinal indifference while pretending otherwise.

The Jesus Mockery by Glende and Ski: Fox Valley, WELS

Pastor Spencer said...
I know I and others have referred to the following quote before on Intrepid Lutherans, but once again it bears repeating and emphasizing -

"284] All this has been said regarding secret sins. But where the sin is quite public so that the judge and everybody know it, you can without any sin avoid him and let him go, because he has brought himself into disgrace, and you may also publicly testify concerning him. For when a matter is public in the light of day, there can be no slandering or false judging or testifying; as, when we now reprove the Pope with his doctrine, which is publicly set forth in books and proclaimed in all the world. For where the sin is public, the reproof also must be public, that every one may learn to guard against it." (Luther's Large Catechism, 8th Commandment)

Putting the "best construction" on something does NOT apply to what is clearly and manifestly wrong and done openly and in the public eye. The issue is not what might have been intended, or the content of the sermons, or even the implication of being able to improve on Jesus' parables. That was not the point of the complaint by Mr. Heyer. The point was certainly impudence, irreverence, if not sheer blasphemy. Two errors are combined - the false theology behind the concept of the so-called "Sacred Heart of Jesus," and the wrongfulness of using an image so closely connected with the clearly blasphemous content of the movie "Dogma." As was pointed out, the issue is the seemingly complete lack of spiritual discernment on the part of the shepherds of The CORE. Their choice of advertising material is more than just irreverent, it is offensive to their brothers and sisters throughout the WELS. It is they who need to apologize. That's the issue. Again, it is NOT a matter of putting some manner of kind interpretation on the ad. It is what it is - and what it is, is wrong. Period!

***

GJ - I was trying to track the original sermons using Google Images. To do that, I used "funny Jesus" as the search. If you want to be disgusted, try that with the filters removed.

You will see that the graphic used by The CORE is one used universally to mock the Savior. That is the point, using mockery to promote the service. It is not a congregation, as they pretend, but the evening service in Emergent Church mode. Another group in the same building does the same thing. In fact, I understand Appleton already had a number of successful Emergent Church schemes before Glende and Ron Ash got funds for The CORE.

Although both boys are now middle-aged, The CORE website is juvenile and foolish, really clever for a web design 101 class.


KJV Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Steadfast Politicians or Lutherans?

Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "Steadfast Cowards Kill Their Own Thread":

Is BJS more concerned with Church politics than meaningful theological discussions? Is quoting anyone other than the venerated Walther automatically heretical on BJS?

I find it humorous that anti-UOJ-ers are labeled as "Methodist wannabes." This illustrates the devaluation of the Means of Grace. Actually, Walther in his Easter Sermon is the Arminian. "All that's left to do is for you to accept it."

One can't claim to value Word and Sacrament while pooh-poohing the efficacy of these Means of Grace. Why did the Holy Ghost descend on Pentecost if we were all forgiven? Why do we Baptize babies if they are already forgiven?

This is the ultimate leap of faith: To baptize a baby who can't articulate his/her faith and believe that the child is saved. It doesn't make sense from a standpoint of human reason or emotion, by I believe it with all my heart, because Scripture and our Confessions say so.

To carry this out to its conclusion, how can one believe that Jesus is really there in the bread and wine? Because He says so.

***

GJ - NPH lovingly reprinted J. P. Meyer, who is worse than Walther. Meyer has people making a decision for UOJ. Perhaps that is better rather than worse. Meyer is more obvious.

Recently Gnesio Lutheran posted my Walther graphic about the Easter absolution. Apparently they endorse his Enthusiasm too.

That suits me, because people should admit what they truly believe or disbelieve.

No one needs permission to use my graphics.
No one needs to credit my hours of lower-back pain either.
Rogue Lutheran does,  but it is not required or expected.

From Universal Objective Justification to Unitarian Universalist Association: UOJ to UUA

Karl Barth, family, and mistress Charlotte Kirschbaum.
Barth and Kirschbaum were reds.

One definition among many, since Enthusiasts wobble all over the map:

For example, in 1919 the "Universalist Leader", the major weekly magazine of the denomination, printed the "Essential Principles of the Universalist Faith" on the cover of each issue. After stating the beliefs in Jesus Christ, the Bible, "the certainty of just retribution for sin", and a belief that everyone goes to heaven it states: "Neither this nor any other precise form of words is required as a condition of fellowship." In other words you don't really need to believe in our dogma to join us. Even in the 19th century some Universalists felt that belief in the Winchester Profession was optional.

The religious survey printed in a book called "What Americans Believe" indicates that 8% of people who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ agreed with the option: "When you die, you will go to Heaven because God loves all people and will not let them perish." These people are universalists (but most have no idea what the word means).

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What Is Christian Universalism: The basic principle of "Christian Universalism" was well stated by Thomas Whittmore in his book "Plain Guide to Universalism" written in 1840, where he wrote,

"The glory of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ, as manifested in the final holiness and happiness of all men, is the central sun of Universalism." He also stated that "all persons, who truly believe in the eventual salvation of all mankind by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, are Universalists."

Thomas J. Sawyer: " Universalism," in its simple and proper theological sense, is the doctrine of universal salvation; or in other words, of the final holiness and happiness of all humans, to be effected by the grace of God, through the ministry of his Son, Jesus Christ.

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Answers.com
Universalism

1. Theology. The doctrine of universal salvation.
2. Unitarian Universalism.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/universalism#ixzz1lQOn06cl

***

GJ -

Karl Barth embraced "the restoration of all things" when he was not embracing Charlotte Kirschbaum. That phrase is used to justify universal salvation and perhaps a time of punishment for sins.

Barth is the best example of a team that could write voluminously without believing in much at all. As Robert Preus said, "All you have to do is read Barth's introduction." Luther said the Enthusiasts reject the Word but fill the world with their own words. The Word of God is not able or sufficient, but their words are, so we should discard God's Word for theirs. That is ridiculous.

Thus Luther described the UOJ Enthusiasts well. They cannot win with the Scriptures, Confessions, or the history of doctrine, so they hurl insults and hide the evidence.

Jack Kilcrease wants to lecture everyone on his opinion, on multiple blogs. He has his own, so he can use that as his personal sandbox.

The UOJ Stormtroopers deny their Universalism. Their dogmatism would keep them out of the UUA - which does have standards. However, the basic parallel is valid. When DP Buchholz says "everyone is  saved, period, end of story," he is embracing the central tenet of Universalism.

Going through some links will show that Universalism and Unitarianism are non-dogmatic. They are free-thinkers to the max. That also describes UOJ. Once world absolution is proclaimed, sound doctrine does not matter and the Law is obliterated.

When Bob Schumann took over St. Paul, German Village (Columbus), he was famous for two passions - Church Growth and Antinominism. Some said, apologetically, "He is a Jungkuntz." Schumann denied Creation and said the Ten Commandments were obsolete. Such sentiments were the reasons why St. Paul left the American Lutheran Church under Pastor Lange. So it only took one pastorate (Roehl's) for the congregation to sink back into mainline Protestantism.

UOJ is the greatest force for ecumenism since clergy adultery. With UOJ no confession of faith needs to divide one group from another. WELS leaders can secretly rejoice in their unity with ELCA, because both believe that God has forgiven the entire world. Missouri can chime in with "Me too! Walther lived it and taught it, even though he was a divisive autocrat."

The Church of Rome teaches that every single denomination is a part of Roman Catholicism, whether they comprehend that truth or not. They are all defective parts, but they remain subordinate units of the One, True, Visible Church. Since Rome cannot provide true doctrinal unity, they only demand organizational unity. ELCA pastors and LCMS ministers are clamoring for a ride on the Whore of Babylon.

One WELS professor was near death in the hospital, which was Roman Catholic, in Milwaukee. He opened his eyes and saw nuns. He said, "The Scriptures testify that the pope is the very Antichrist."

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There is a new comment to Justification Central to Lutheran Hymnody.
Comment Link: http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=4190&cpage=3#comment-281793
Author: John Standley
Comment:
A quick amendment to my last comment (I hope no one has responded to my first one yet):

So because we, firstly and subjectively, disobeyed God, He objectively declared all those who don't come to faith will die in the sin their first parents wrought.

He objectively sent his son to live perfectly for us so that we MIGHT be subjectively forgiven and therefore receive the status of "saint" and have salvation.

By him objectively (and I guess subjectively too, being that he is both God and man) sending his Son into the world doesn't mean that automatically it overturns his original "objective condemnation."

He clearly says in Scripture he only overturns his objective condemnation if they believe His Son died on account of their specific sins (original and willful sins).

He does not say that before faith, His Son's sacrifice he gives them forgiveness of sins and eternal life. To say that forgiveness of sins and salvation are exclusive is ridiculous. I don't have my BoC on me but I recently read Luther or another Concordist who said that if we speak of receiving the forgiveness of sins we therefore have to be receiving salvation with it. So if UOJ says we receive the forgiveness of sins, being holy and a saint, prior to faith, then we therefore are saved prior to faith (universalism).

Maybe the terms of UOJ aren't what they're cracked up to be. Maybe they're creating more confusion than what was intended. That is obvious, at least, in the Wisconsin Synod.

Again, my opinion is open to criticism from both parties.

Steadfast Cowards Kill Their Own Thread

Steadfast Cowards:
The Brothers of John the Steadfast (BJS) started a few years ago with Klemet Preus on our blog roll and now we are pleased to add a fresh, new, young Preus to our Brother’s Cafe. Andrew Preus, nephew of Klemet, a student at St. Catherine’s Seminary (Ontario, Canada) and editor of the student newspaper. His first post will appear today and is appropriately centered on justification, the key doctrine of the faith. Included in his first post is some more biographical stuff.

The young Preus was brought to our attention by Jonathan Fisk of Worldview Everlasting. Fisk has also agreed to serve on the board of directors of BJS which is just one of many changes that will be coming to the brotherhood in the coming year.

Associate Editor Scheer has also been noodling some improvements for BJS. He has been recruiting some additional bloggers so that we can keep our content fresh, rich and coming to you at a brisk pace. In the next few months we will also be reviewing our membership, chapter, and other procedures so that we can better fulfill our goals.

The Brothers of John the Steadfast, brings together Lutheran laymen to defend and promote the orthodox Christian faith which is taught in the Lutheran Confessions, provide financial support for Christian new media (e.g. Issues, Etc.), and to support other endeavors selected by its membership that defend and promote the cause of confessional Lutheranism.

***

GJ -

Currently, the original Andrew Preus maiden post starts here.

The "more" link has stopped working, so the complete post is not viewable. The teaser part indicates 416 comments.

Some might say, "But I can link from the comments sent to my email as follow-up." Here is that link, which does not work.

What happened? Various people, on their own, began responding to the absurd claims of forgiveness without faith (UOJ), which Andrew Preus introduced and defended. The UOJ Stormtroopers began chiming in: Jack Kilcrease (Roman Catholic adjunct), Jay Webber, Jim Pierce, Paul McCain. Several UOJ Enthusiasts quit several times. I made a few comments, quoted Robert Preus, and linked Luther versus the UOJ Pietists. One of my comments was blocked, so I quit posting.

Dr. Lito Cruz and Brett Meyer showed unusual stamina in answering all objections to the efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace. They were the only regulars from Ichabod, a fact which probably unnerved the UOJ crowd. There are many more opponents to UOJ than they feared, more than I hoped.

The last comment came from a Rev. James Schulz, who wrote:

".. the culture of WELS is not disposed to free and open discussion when it comes to clarifying the formulation of Objective/Subjective Justification terminology. "Heresy" and "heretic" come out pretty quickly even when Buchholz' paper is suggested as a starting point of discussion. And as Mr. Standley and I can both attest, Becker's essays are still being used as a primary source in WELS worker training schools for the definition of Objective/Subjective Justification.


That must have been a co-inky-dink, to have the discussion killed at that point. Maybe the servers were overheating. But now the entire discussion is hidden. And Steadfast Lutherans think they are the solution...to what? Dictatorial Holy Mother Synod worship?

I consider hiding the discussion to be a disorganized retreat from the topic they introduced and defended with ardor. Now they are licking their wounds at LaughQuest. Who? Andrew Preus, who began the post. Rolf Preus, his father. Jim Pierce, the UOJ loyalist.

As before, the personal attacks, guilt by association, and logical fallacies were used by the UOJ tribe to obscure their weak, contradictory, and anti-Christian argumentation.

Gorillas scream and beat their chests when they are afraid. False teachers try flattery at first, then bullying, threats, and insults.

Scaer teaches with Enthusiasm.

Sad News: The Death of Frederick Danker « Zwinglius Redivivus

Sad News: The Death of Frederick Danker « Zwinglius Redivivus:

Frederick W. Danker [was] the Christ Seminary-Seminex Professor Emeritus of New Testament at the Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago, Illinois. One of the worlds premier classicists and Greek lexicograhers, Danker is best known for his thorough revision of the english version of Bauer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, which was released as the 3rd edition in 2000, also known as BDAG. Besides this major achievement, professor Danker was also a part of the previous edition of the lexicon (BAGD), teaming up with professor Gingrich.

'via Blog this'

***

GJ - Danker wrote the heavy-breathing No Room in the Brotherhood, The Preus-Otten Purge of Missouri.


They called their book publishing operation Clayton Publishing House, so it was another CPH. Apostates enjoy being copycats.


Seminex was "the real Concordia" and they called it "Concordia Seminary in Exile" with an elaborate publicity campaign backed by the public media.


The Wisconsin Synod's Richard Jungkuntz was one of their martyrs. When he was found out at Northwestern College (by accident), he became a professor at the Springfield LCMS Seminary (now at Ft. Wayne). He was an obvious apostate, so they created a paying job for him as the head of the Board of Doctrine.


Jungkuntz chaired the Seminex board of directors, and Seminex became the official seminary of the Metropolitan Community Church, the first all-homosexual denomination.


Another apostate, Carl Braaten, complained that the Seminex professors took over LSTC, wrecked the finances, and spoiled the school. Lie down with dawgs, git up with fleas.

Richard Jungkuntz, UOJ fanatic.
His UOJ essay is preserved in the Holy of Holies, the WELS Essay Files.

Intrepid Lutherans: The whole flock won't survive 'jumping the shark'

Intrepid Lutherans: The whole flock won't survive 'jumping the shark':

Dear reader, your first reaction to the above image may be the result of a generational divide in Lutherdom. Some may first notice a Lutheran church promoting itself with the image of a 'Sacred Heart' of Jesus. Others may notice it's merely a figurine caricature. Others still may recognize the image as "Buddy Jesus" most often used as an internet meme to mock Jesus Christ and His Church.

The card itself (the obverse and reverse shown above) was conspicuously left in a business waiting area. When I first glanced at it from a distance, I recognized the posture of "Buddy" Jesus and assumed it was an atheist/anti-Christian screed. I picked it up intending only to throw it in the trash — just like I'd have done with Watchtower or LDS tracts —, to protect tender Christians who may be stumbled by whatever text would accompany the current favored meme to ridicule Jesus on the fallen world's internet.

The caricature originates in the movie "Dogma" starring George Carlin. Suffice to say, the movie is not an apologetic for sound Christian doctrine. In the movie, a church decides the usual picture of Christ — slain for our sins, dead on the Cross — is too off-putting to get people to come to church. So the priest decides to make up his own Jesus based on what he wants Jesus to be. The script-writers (thinking themselves clever) aren't mocking the Christian Church, but unwittingly, just the Church Growth Movement.

The Northern Wisconsin District convenes in June leaving four months for laity (half of the Voters assembling) to contemplate a few questions. Whether Mittelding (aka "Adiaphora") really means 1) purposefully grinding the Lutheran school bus along the guardrail overlooking the rocky precipice while enthusiastically shouting, "As long as we don't actually drive off the cliff, we're just fine!"; or 2) safely keeping the flock on the well-worn path toward the verdant pastures. Similarly, is it scripturally defensible to seek numerical and spiritual growth by fertilizing our doctrine with practices from Zondervan Publishing's Augean stable of heretics like Rick Warren or Craig Groeschel?

Despite a half-millennium of sound, encyclopedic Lutheran exposition, who in our Synod teaches that mocking Jesus, "as long as it draws a crowd", is an adiaphoron? I'd like a name.


'via Blog this'

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Anonymous said...

My opinion: Nothing will happen.

If the CoP doesn't care about excommunications then they won't care about this.

Mitch Forte

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The CORE News:
February 5th
Parables You Wish I Had Told - The Safe Sheep
Too often the world takes God's Word and twists it so that God's Word can fit into situations that make us feel comfortable.  BUT, rather than telling us the things we WANT to hear, God's Word tells us the things we NEED to hear.   Join us at 5:30pm at the OuterEdge Stage for our final week of this sermon series.

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GJ - Readers can look up the comments. Joel Lillo, a CORE Enthusiast, defends it. Several are posting that criticizing the card is an example of breaking the Eighth Commandment. I have not found a source for the sermons, but they do sound canned. The Sex Ed stuff was right from Groeschel, including the graphics.

Febreeze has left a new comment on your post "Intrepid Lutherans: The whole flock won't survive ...":

Just create an account and you can listen to the Law based sermons (gotocore.com).

Also, if I know my voices...the talk from 1-29-12 is from the Dean of Luther Prep: Tim Dolan. So I guess it's safe to say that our young ones at LPS are being taught doctrine and being influenced by the Dean of LPS; the Dean who approves of The CORE's methods and the undermining of the doctrine of election and FC SD and Ep on adiaphora. (And maybe even justification with their harping on good works so much).

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GJ - My impression is that someone or a few people with big bucks said, "This is what we are going to do. If you don't like it, we can leave WELS, just like Stadler did."

Jury Trial Set for WELS Ex-Church Official Joel Hochmuth, Charged with Child Pornography - Waukesha, WI Patch. He Admitted Guilt. WELS Pronounced Him Forgiven.His Plea - Not Guilty

Jury Trial Set for Ex-Church Official Charged with Child Pornography - Waukesha, WI Patch:


A jury trial has been set for former communications director for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod who faces up to 75 years in prison if convicted on three counts of possessing child pornography.

Joel W. Hochmuth will go before the jury March 13 and 14. A jury status hearing is scheduled for March 8.

Hochmuth was charged in November after detectives from the Waukesha Police Department met with a special agent from the FBI, who told detectives that Hochmuth was using the Internet handle “Skiguy10101” had child pornography on his computer depicting “pre-pubescent and adolescent boys engaged in various sexual acts,” according to a criminal complaint.

Hochmuth told authorities that the number of images found on his computer in Waukesha “was nothing compared to what they would find in his office,” the complaint states. Hochmuth denied downloading pornographic images on his work computer but police located three thumb drives at the WELS office in Wauwatosa, 2929 N Mayfair Rd., that had nine images and videos of young boys engaged in sexual acts, the complaint states. Authorities believe boys shown in the graphic pictures ranged from 10 to 14 years old.

Hochmuth was terminated from his position when the allegations came to light.


'via Blog this'

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GJ - My detective friend sent this to me. So far this is the only story posted. Will Christian News cover it or spike?

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Jury Trial Set for WELS Ex-Church Official Joel Ho...":

"Telling anyone 'You are saved' without discerning faith in Christ alone for salvation, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit at work in the Word."

It's important to notice that UOJ teaches that faith saves. Faith doesn't obtain Christ as Mediator, it doesn't regenerate, it is not that through which God's wrath is appeased and definitly not that through which we are forgiven of all sin. Faith simply saves which is the benefit of all the things listed above which God has given the whole unbelieving world while they abhore Him, curse Him in their Mortal sin being under the Law.

It is a different faith that they teach than that which the Holy Ghost creates solely through the Menas of Grace. Lito and I pointed that out in the BJS Justification thread. Some go so far as to confess faith is a work of man (CELC essay provides proof) and all reject faith as that righteousness of Christ which gives assurance of being in Christ through faith.

Sophistry is the name of the game and the way in which this heinous doctrine of UOJ has been taught to millions who do not practice Scriptural discernment. They say Faith saves but fail to explain the breadth of their confession and expose their insubordination to God's Word.

Sign Up To Be the Village Idiot

This is the portrait of dissent in Holy Mother Synod

Apostates always portray their opponents as the village idiot, the pathetic person--all alone--blabbering to himself, pitied and patronized.

Those who oppose the New NIV will get that treatment. "But you do not know Greek! I took years of Greek in school and I know this is the best translation." Only a village idiot would stand up alone at a meeting and oppose a work blessed by WELS leaders and Dr. Moo.

Those who question the Emergent Church down the block have already heard it. The leaders' response may be feel, felt, found (an old sales method), but the real message is, "You are an idiot, all alone, the goofball who opposes God's will." Here is how feel, felt, found is worded:

"I understand how you feel.
Many have felt the same way.
But truly open-minded Christians have found that this new approach will offer the Gospel to people who never would have come otherwise. It's just an experiment."

Treating someone as the village idiot is designed to shun and punish at the same time. They would like the dissenter to blow up, so they can say to each other, "See, we knew that would happen." No one wants to be the idiot, so this method encourages the shy people to hold their tongues.

When Pastor Lange was leading his congregation out of the ALC, the synodical leaders asked about Lange's health. That is a common gambit. "I hope he is feeling better." I read the letter they sent to one member, which was kept in the St. Paul, German Village archives.

Any topic can be presented that way. Abortion is a women's health issue, a religious right, a matter of privacy. As one little girl said, "What if someone raped me?" She was already being brain-washed by her feminist mom. I read yesterday about "all the good Planned Parenthood has done."

However, there is one advantage to the Village Idiot gambit. When it is being used, the object of the attack can be certain that the opponents are wounded and afraid.

Another sign is the loudness of their howling.

Another one is deathly silence. I posted about the dreadful seminary costs in the ALPB forum. Benke, the LCMS DP who writes all day on the forum, responded, "Are these figures real?" Of course they were. No one wanted to address the absurd cost of attending a Missouri Synod seminary and the doom that means for all seminary students...and the synod. They just moved around the topic.

Did I think, "They ignored my response and the hours of research that someone did?" No, I concluded, "They are scared to death and worried sick about it."

The World War II generation fought for ideas and did not worry so much about conformity. The Boomers are eager to fit in, to have an easy life, to let others pay the price for their narcissism.

You can smile, because God does not care about  orthodontics.

Lito Cruz on the UOJ Magisterium

John,

You asked…Would it, in your view, LPC, be orthodox if it was explained that OJ meant objectively the forgiveness of sins has been won?

It would be orthodox if they drop the category and terminology of OJ. They admit it is a 19th century innovation.

The immaculate conception of Mary by the Romanists is also an 18th century innovation!!
So here, the UOJers and their Synodical Magisterium and Roman Catholics are quite similar!!

The former says, hey it is taught by Scripture, Confessions. The UOJers believe that their Synod Fathers can simply introduce innovative ways of speaking etc etc. So they are acting like the Magisterium.
Do you remember R. Neuhaus? He was LC-MS and he became Roman!!!

Father Neuhaus supported Seminex, the first gay Lutheran seminary,
chaired by UOJ champion (from WELS) Richard Jungkuntz.

Why? Because Neuhas said well my Synodical Magisterium can behave like Romans, I might as well be Roman since the latter has a better historical pedigree. Read his testimony, please.
Here is what I say…

Eduard Preuss defended UOJ in print,
then joined the Church of Rome and defended Marian doctrines.

At the cross, Jesus has won for us the forgiveness of sins, he possesses it. In fact the BoC authors in and BoC editors spoke if winning in that respect. The problem is the rubber band use of the term Justfication. They call the winning of forgiveness as the justification of the world, see again the famous loved verse Romans 4:25.

They should not use that word to describe that event, the winning of forgiveness as the justification of the world, properly speaking, because in fact Jesus calls his sacrifice a ransom! He did not I believe teach that by his death everyone is already justified without faith and prior to faith. For Justfication when used is connected always to faith and so personal and subjectively applied.

But in Article 17b, 1932 Brief Statement runs contrary to the ransom language of Jesus, it says Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 4:25

The other bits of that article is correct but this bit is wrong.

Now, why the huh-hah of so called heretics like me? It is because that small statement is not benign. First it is not Biblical and that is the source of confusion.

You can read about people confused about this in the comments around here. See how people in their churches says, this and that is just a remembrance etc etc.

They are confused! In fact that is the judgement of Andrew, read his post, he says they should be re-indoctrinated, sent back to the camp and re-programmed etc., so to speak.

If so, then the problem lies with that OJ teaches that it’s not that it has been won but, rather, UOJ goes further by saying it has been distributed objectively?

Yes, because justification is alway distribution and when you connect and call the winning as justification then you are saying, it has been distributed already too.

You are right that is why you note Pr. Webber, jumped in here. He claims no one claims this. Is this true?
He may deny it but that is the fruit of UOJ, is to confuse. In my opinion, the UOJers are sophists whether they realize it or not or at least unknowingly being sophists. This the BoC condemned. Read about how the BoC writers often speak about the sophistry of Papist.

Like I said, the extra Confessional and Biblical statements the Synodical Authorities there have made is similar to the way the Roman Magisterium operate.

In order to justify new and innovative ideas of thinking about salvation, they had to innovate concepts and terminologies.

Like I said John, in all of anti-UOJers debate, the best passage UOJers have in claiming that the world has been declared righteous, justified already is Romans 4:25.

This is why in all of the Protestant world, the LC-MS/WELS/ELS is peculiar. Ask any independent exegete of honest repute and sincere repute if by reading Romans 4:25, he can affirm that the world has been justified already. Which independent exegetes affirm this? None, they all comre from their own seminaries
The only one who tried to stir them in the correct direction was Walter A. Maier but some negotiation happened which I won’t get into.

When you challenge them, they simply say – all are wrong and heretics we hold the true Lutheran and true Church teaching.

That behaviour is Roman, I know too because I was a Roman Catholic kid.

John, I am sorry that I am tired, I am almost done, you know where to find me if I could be of help to your studies.

LPC.

Critique of Sig Becker by LCMS-ELS Fave Tom Hardt

This photo and link from The Sausage Factory website
proves that Sig Becker is their expert on UOJ.

AC V has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Stormtroopers Remind Me of the Pro-Abortion Fo...":

No one at Steadfast Lutherans or LutherQuest evaluated the ramifications of the UOJ WELS Siegbert Becker taught, a UOJ that denied the efficacy of the means of grace, a UOJ that got the Krohn's disciplined in their WELS church. WELS pastors ought to review what they were taught by Becker. According to Steadfast Lutherans, the LC-MS rejects his formulation of UOJ. Below is the Becker UOJ as critiqued by the Swedes. For the complete reference see footnote 75 in the Hardt paper.

2) Absolution and the means of grace are downgraded to means of communication and deprived of their efficacy. S. Becker. op. cit., p. 55, interprets John 20:23: “they are remitted unto them” as a reference to what has already happened at Calvary, p. 56: “The meaning is this: ‘They have been forgiven completely in the past, and they still are forgiven now. This means that when we preach the message of the Gospel, we do not effect the remission of sins through our sermon.’” (tr. from Swedish).

3) Universal justification is said to be the contents of the sermon to be delivered to the heathen without any previous reference to the Law. This striking similarity to Huber’s pastoral advice to the Wittenberg theologians, quoted above in our article, is found in Becker, op. cit., p. 56 f. (tr. from Swedish): “In America it is very common that Reformed missionaries tell a man whom they try to gain: ‘Are you saved?’ … It is, however, not likely that a Lutheran missionary would ask: ‘Are you saved?’, as the experience of conversion is not so important from his theological point of view. As he believes in universal redemption and in universal justification it is more likely that he changes the order of the words and says: ‘You are saved,’ ‘Your sins are forgiven unto you.’ He can say so to everyone, as he knows that it is true about everyone.” Through the centuries Huber’s missionary sermon: “Habetis gratiam Dei” resounds in the 20th century.

Undoubtedly Söderlund’s fears concerning the theology introduced through Becker into Sweden seem reasonably justified.

UOJ Stormtroopers Remind Me of the Pro-Abortion Forces

Rolf Preus on LaughQuest:


I don’t know Rev. Rydecki. I do know most of the men associated with the Sabre of Boldness Award and they are orthodox Lutherans. I went to the Steadfast Lutherans website to find Rev. Rydecki’s comments. David Schumacher has correctly quoted him. It’s quite disappointing to read Rev. Rydecki’s comments. I certainly hope that the men who gave him this award will hasten to distance themselves from what he has said on this topic. The denial that God for Christ sake has forgiven the sins of the whole world is a very serious error. Friends don’t let friends deny objective justification without setting them straight! 

Reading through the debate on the Steadfast Lutherans website brings to mind the many times I have participated in a debate on this topic over the years and I think of the French proverb, “Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose!”

What it really comes down to is the meaning of the gospel itself. To assert a universal redemption while denying a universal justification is to demonstrate a lack of understanding of the very nature of the gospel. I used to think that it was just that they didn’t understand words and did not understand that redemption entailed setting free and not merely paying the price to set free, that atonement entailed reconciliation, that reconciliation meant the cessation of God’s wrath, etc. But their problem is not primarily with misunderstanding the meaning of the specific soteriological terms – though it may begin there. It runs much deeper. They don’t understand the gospel. In their mind, the work of Christ hasn’t really achieved anything. Not really. Not so really that you can tell someone, “Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you.” But that's what Jesus said, and St. Matthew points out that God had given such power to men (plural) and not to Jesus alone.

Justification is for faith. That’s where the rubber hits the road. Objective justification is the assertion that faith has something real to grasp. To assert justification through faith alone while denying objective justification is to twist justification through faith into justification because of faith and once faith becomes the catalyst by which sins are forgiven fideism is given sanction and approval when it really ought to be exposed and rejected as the source of uncertainty.

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GJ -
1. Read your father's book with discernment, Rolf.
2. Read P. Leyser's rebuke of Samuel Huber.
3. Take a deep, cleansing breath. Repent and retract.

Rolf Preus just condemned this repudiation of Samuel Huber.
He also imagines that Romans 4:24-25 absolves the world of sin.

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KJV Romans 4:24 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.

PS - About the pro-abortion forces. They are going crazy over the fact that the Susan B. Komen Foundation is no longer funding Planned Parenthood to the tune of $700,000 a year. This charity bills itself as a fight against breast cancer, and abortion increases the risk of breast cancer.

Now the pro-abortion forces are attacking the Komen charity for no longer funding them, and all the pro-abortion people are chiming in. That only alerts people to fact of Planned Parenthood's abortion business and advocacy. I seldom write much about it on this blog because the readers are pro-life.

On Facebook I post many pro-life messages because babies need advocates too.

The UOJ Stormtroopers remind me of the pro-abortion lobbies because they pounce on every mention of justification by faith and vow to straighten out anyone who allows someone to voice what Luther taught, what the Book of Concord confessed, what the Scriptures clearly reveal.

Debate is good because the hidden agenda comes out into the daylight. Rolf Preus has stated on LaughQuest repeated that Romans 4:25 is the absolution of the world's sin. Nothing like that is revealed, and   his weak argument collapses completely with the inclusion of Romans 4:24 and the context of the two verses as the end of Romans 4, the transition to Romans 5 - justification by faith.

The Stormtroopers are like the abortionists because they use the logical fallacy of special pleading as their only method. There is only one side, theirs, and only one set of authorities to quote, theirs. Anyone else is a heretic.

On this blog and in my books I have no trouble quoting all their authorities and many more they have never read. I do this to let people study the sources and see for themselves. As soon as the Stormtroopers realize they are out-gunned and out-numbered, they turn incredibly nasty.

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LPC has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Stormtroopers Remind Me of the Pro-Abortion Fo...":

Pr. Greg,

The perversion of this Preus descendant is astounding.

Here is what the test said

Matthew 9:2
And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

This Preus wants to declare to everyone be they have faith or not, "Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you".

This is universalism, and a perversion of the Sacred Text, a twisting of the Words of Jesus.

LPC

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Stormtroopers Remind Me of the Pro-Abortion Fo...":

Rolf Preus states, "They don’t understand the gospel. In their mind, the work of Christ hasn’t really achieved anything. Not really. Not so really that you can tell someone, “Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you." ...YOU ARE JUSTIFIED, RIGHTEOUS IN CHRIST AND ABSOLVED OF ALL SIN - AND YOU ARE CONDEMNED TO HELL FOR NOT BELIEVING IT.

I added the bolded parts as they fully express the teaching of UOJ.

That was a good discussion if only to allow them more rope. They certainly confessed all manner of false teachings which anyone willing to compare with the Lutheran Confessions and the Scripture passages presented can see for themselves. Even the rational thought used to subject Scripture to human reason was clearly shown.

An introduction to Swedish pietism « Churchmouse Campanologist

This is Augustana College's Old Main building,
above the Mississippi River  Valley.
I met Mrs. Ichabod on the first day of  classes.

An introduction to Swedish pietism « Churchmouse Campanologist:

"Yesterday’s post on Dwight Moody mentioned how popular his sermons and the hymns of his associate Ira D Sankey were with Swedish pietists.

Although neither visited Sweden, their influence, particularly between 1875 and 1880 during a time called ‘Moody Fever’, is still acknowledged today, as we’ll see.

A group of Swedish pietists in the United States publish a journal called Pietisten (Pietist), based in Minneapolis (emphases mine):"

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My German professor created this watercolor of the Denkmann Library, where I worked,
with Old Main in the background.

GJ - The Swedish Augustana Synod was a major component of the Lutheran Church in America merger in 1962, with about 400,000 members. The group began as a Pietistic migration to America but changed course  under various influences, including Passavant.

My mother was the first in her family to graduate from college.
Her four children earned 12 academic degrees and two CPA designations.

I worked at the Augustana library and helped archive ancient, dusty bound volumes of Pietisten. I never realized I would write my dissertation about a man who taught on that campus, who was probably my mother's undergraduate professor. A. D. Mattson also went to Yale Divinity School.

Mrs. Ichabod lived at Andreen, a dorm named after a full professor at Yale who left an established academic career to bring this little college out of insolvency. Andreen's daughter was friends with my mother, through the education system.

'via Blog this'

This Medieval monastery is actually an outside hallway on Zion Hill,
where Augustana Seminary was located, next to the college.
The seminary merged to form Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago,
during the time we were undergraduates.
The seminary became the science center.

PS - There is a fake Augustana College, just as there is a fake Ichabog. Success breeds envy and copy-cats. The fake Augustana is a college in Sioux Falls. If you look up Augustana in Google images, it may take you to the fake school. Do not be fooled.

Rupert Murdoch Has Discovered UOJ in the Bible: How Can WELS Resist?

Old NIV Romans ²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.




^{New NIV Romans 22} This righteousness is given through faith in^[h] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 


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GJ - Just add an all, and WELS will pounce on it like a hobo on a hotdog.

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Rupert Murdoch Has Discovered UOJ in the Bible: Ho...":


Case in point:


Translation Evaluation Committee - Supplemental Report for the 2011 WELS Convention


In some passages of great theological significance, a significant improvement can genuinely assist the reader in grasping the truth of God’s Word. Similarly, a significant weakening can obscure what our God would have us know. Among the former, we might point to Romans 3:23-24, so crucial to our understanding of justification:


NIV84 Ro 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.


New NIV Ro 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.


The addition of the little word “all” is significant, since it clarifies Paul’s intended meaning: God has declared all guilty sinners not guilty by his gracious, saving work in Christ Jesus.


http://www.wels.net/sites/wels/files/BORAM2011_supplemental_translationevaluationcommittee.pdf


(lines 167-173)

Do not refer to Murdoch when talking about the NNIV.
WELS orders.
He owns it  - the NNIV.
Thrivent owns WELS...and Missouri.

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GJ - Does SP Mark Schroeder agree with TEC? He is supposed to be a theologian. WELS members and pastors should do some research on the man behind these inventive translations - Nida.


Here is an interesting post I just found on the issue.