Zion Lutheran Church in St. Louis

J. P. Koehler Designed This Church Building. August Pieper Kicked Him Out of WELS

"Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart" by Martin Schalling, 1532-1608
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

1. Lord, Thee I love with all my heart;
I pray Thee ne'er from me depart,
With tender mercies cheer me.
Earth has no pleasure I would share,
Yea, heaven itself were void and bare
If Thou, Lord, wert not near me.
And should my heart for sorrow break,
My trust in Thee no one could shake.
Thou art the Portion I have sought;
Thy precious blood my soul has bought.
Lord Jesus Christ,
My God and Lord, my God and Lord,
Forsake me not! I trust Thy Word.

2. Yea, Lord, 'twas Thy rich bounty gave
My body, soul, and all I have
In this poor life of labor.
Lord, grant that I in every place
May glorify Thy lavish grace
And serve and help my neighbor.
Let no false doctrine me beguile
And Satan not my soul defile.
Give strength and patience unto me
To bear my cross and follow Thee.
Lord Jesus Christ,
My God and Lord, my God and Lord,
In death Thy comfort still afford.

3. Lord, let at last Thine angels come,
To Abram's bosom bear me home,
That I may die unfearing;
And in its narrow chamber keep
My body safe in peaceful sleep
Until Thy reappearing.
And then from death awaken me
That these mine eyes with joy may see,
O Son of God, Thy glorious face,
My Savior and my Fount of grace,
Lord Jesus Christ,
My prayer attend, my prayer attend,
And I will praise Thee without end.

Hymn #429 from The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Psalm 18
Author: Martin Schalling, c. 1567
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863, alt.
Titled: "Herzlich lieb hab' ich dich, o Herr"
Tune: "Herzlich lieb hab' ich dir, o Herr"
1st Published in: Berhnard Schmid's Orgelbuch
Town: Strassburg, 1577

Justin Bieber's Testimonial Stuns Synod Officials

First Sunday after Trinity, 2012. The Rich Man and Lazarus

The First Sunday after Trinity, 2012

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time

The Hymn # 427     How Firm a Foundation                 2:18

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #429            Lord, Thee I Love            2.54

 Faith and Love

The Communion Hymn # 311            Jesus Christ              2:79

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #347   Jesus Priceless Treasure                     2:77

KJV 1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

KJV Luke 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

First Sunday After Trinity

Lord God, heavenly Father, we beseech Thee so to rule and govern our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not, like the rich man, hear Thy word in vain, and become so devoted to things temporal as to forget things eternal; but that we readily and according to our ability minister to such as are in need, and not defile ourselves with surfeiting and pride; in trial and misfortune keep us from despair, and grant us to put our trust wholly in Thy fatherly help and grace, so that in faith and Christian patience we may overcome all things, through Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Faith and Love

Lenski:

19) Jesus proceeds to relate a new parable without a break and after the interlude (v. 14–18), the unrighteous use of mammon, presents one who has wealth in his own right, misuses it in utter selfishness all his life, and thus ends in hell. The two parables are thus a pair, the second being an advance upon the first, which take us into the hereafter and thus exhibit God’s final judgment, and do that in full. This parable presents an extreme case, necessarily so, in order to include all lesser cases in which selfishness does not come cut so boldly yet is the mainspring of a man’s life. This parable again strikes the rich, utterly selfish Pharisees; it delivers the final blow. In a marvelous way, as it seems at the spur of the moment, Jesus weaves in what he has just said (v. 16, 17) regarding the law and the prophets (v. 29). So this is another marvelous masterpiece.

Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. Luke's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 845.

KJV Luke 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

This is a parable, because it starts out with “a certain rich man…” The beauty of God’s Word can be seen in the telling details in this one verse. He dressed himself in the finest clothes – purple (the most expensive dye) and fine linen. The rich man has no name – as Lenski says – he has no name in heaven. The poor man has a name, Lazarus.

Purple was restricted by law to royalty – in some areas. The verb says – he dressed himself, meaning that he chose to wear the finest clothes at all times.

This is not a parable condemning wealth, but one condemning a lack of faith and therefore a lack of love. The most telling detail is at the end – he dined luxuriously every day.

Yes, every day was a feast, so he impressed everyone with the cost of the food consumed and with the value of his clothes. At that time clothing was very expensive. One note from our own history struck me – Civil War soldiers wore their uniforms for years after 1865, because they had nothing else to wear.

KJV Luke 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

The poor beggar has a name. This gives us an interesting contrast. The earliest Christians were the outcasts and poorest in society, although there were also wealthy and influential people as well. The majority were unknown and despised, mocked as Hebrews says. But this parable give the poor beggar a name – he is somebody. And the rich man is anonymous – Dives is not his name. Dives means rich man.

Here is the description of Lazarus – completely different from the rich man. He has a name, although he was a beggar. His name means “God a help.  He was laid at the gate of the rich man, full of sores. That meant his disease or malnutrition gave him constant pain and discomfort. The rich man ate sumptuously, while Lazarus longed to eat crumbs falling from the rich man’s table.

Because Lazarus was at the gate of the rich man’s home, he could be seen begging each day, helpless and slowly dying. The guests and the rich man could see the dogs licking the sores of Lazarus.  Dogs have an uncanny way of finding hurt. They comfort people when they are sad, and they try to care for sores and infections with their tongues. 

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

As Luther states, this is a symbolic dialogue. Now the situation is reversed. Lazarus had faith, for he was carried in the arms of angels to the bosom of Abraham, our example of faith.

KJV Romans 4:20 He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Being carried by angels means that Lazarus was enjoying eternal life. Meanwhile, the rich man was experiencing the power and majesty of God, but none of the comfort.

In eternal life we lose all of our mortal afflictions, if we are believers. The sores of Lazarus were temporary, just as the riches of the wealthy man were – and the clothes and sumptuous dining.

God often allows Satan to tear away the blinders before an unbeliever dies. Robert Schuller has mocked faith in Christ for decades. The more he fell away from the Christian faith, the greater his influence and wealth became. Now it has all been taken away, and the monument to his ego is now a warning Ebenezer, against the Church Growth Movement, which he founded.

KJV 1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

Notice that the death of the believer is glorious. The death of the unbeliever is not. Even the language is different – one triumphant, the other brief and hardly noticed.

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

The rich man now knows the difference. He used to look down on the poor beggar at his gate. Now he looks up from Hell at Lazarus next to Abraham. “In his bosom” refers to the way people reclined at dinner together. It is meant to show that this believer is at the head table now, a great honor.

People are sometimes troubled about salvation in the Old Testament or before the death, resurrection, and Gospel preaching. Many people believed in the coming of the Messiah. Although this parable is not fixed in time, it would just as true 1000 years before Christ as it would be today. Abraham was the first man justified by faith. He was a great, powerful, influential and weathy man, but his works did not save him. The law did not save him.

KJV Romans 4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. [reckoned means counted or judged as righteous, forgiven]

KJV Romans 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Therefore all the Biblical references to the saints, to the holy, Old and New Testament – are about believers. As a child I wondered who all the righteous people were. That seemed to be very limited because we heard about sin in church – in those days. The righteous, the holy, the saints – they are the believers of the Bible, the believers of the coming Church.

The rich man has none of this, although he was praised and flattered for his good works during his lifetime. Now he wants the simplest of relief, to have the man he despised dip his finger in water and give him some. That is easier to imagine in a desert climate than where we have fresh water on tap or in bottles, a few inches away. In Phoenix, when I took or taught classes, I used to think about ice water, sitting down with a quart of water in a large plastic cup, sipping water and swirling around the ice chips. Thirst is harder to ignore than hunger.

Therefore, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. They hunger and thirst for the Gospel and are blessed by that longing.

I am working on people longing for more Luther. When I post his sermon on the text ahead of time, people want to read even more – and so do I. If I assign homework on the text and Luther’s sermon, people respond with their insights.

Fast food in the Gospel arena makes people hungry for more fast food. Try that if you have not already. Heavily sugared food makes us want more heavily sugared food when we get hungry, and it spurs insulin production, so we get especially hungry for more cheap energy. Fast Gospel food is really the Law disguised as Gospel, so people get works-righteousness, which satisfied them for a time – then they want more. They get spiritually malnourished but long for more spiritual junk food.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Abraham explained the impossibility of the rich man’s request. The rich man did not protest when the scales of justice went the other direction, and he did nothing to change Lazarus’ condition. Lacking faith, he had no love.

Luther wrote, quite humorously – If the rich man had known what a treasure Lazarus was, he would have carried him in his arms and kissed his wounds. If he had remembered the needs of this poor man, whom he saw daily in misery, he would have been transported by angels too. Instead he dwelt upon his great luxury and enjoyed showing it off. What better way than with banquets daily and royal clothing. Who could possibly miss that?

God sees the inside, not the outside. Inside, Lazarus believed in the Messiah and was justified by faith. Inside, the rich man trusted in his wealth and his showy good deeds.

Notice too that there is a great gulf created by God, so that spirits do not pass back and forth from the netherworld. Even today the spirits of the invented Purgatory are used to scare and entice Roman Catholics.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Now the rich man feels the torment so much that he wants Lazarus to be the evangelist to his brothers, so they do not suffer the same pain after death. One must wonder, where was his concern before he died?

Many people, fearing rebuke, will never say anything is wrong. This is not love, as the parable shows, but coldness of heart.

A self-righteous but kindly man said he would not go to church because of all the hypocrites. I asked him to define hypocrite. He said, “Someone who says one thing and does another.” I said, “That describes me too.” The man’s head fell down and he said, “I am one too.” He came to church to enjoy the Means of Grace from that time on. And because of that, he decided to be the man who kept the church lawn perfect – and he did. He was old but he could do that, and he wanted to. He enjoyed doing that job.

One person said, “That hypocrite is closer to God than you are, because you have let a hypocrite come between you and God.”

My favorite rejoinder came from a lady I visited. She told people, “So you are better than Jesus?” They backed away from that. “No, I am not better than Jesus.” She jumped them again. “You must be, because you are too good to worship. The Bible said that Jesus was worshiping in the synagogue every day. So you are better than Jesus.”

One way the Roman Catholic church appeals to people like the rich man is to take money to help those in Purgatory. The more money given, the more masses said, the less time they serve. However, the time may add up to thousands of years anyway. It has been a gold mine ever since Purgatory was borrowed from the pagans.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

This is a brief but powerful witness to the Gospel in the Old Testament. Salvation comes from hearing Moses and the prophets, according to Jesus, because the Promises of God are found there in abundance.

The First Promise, called the Proto-Evangelium, is found in Genesis 3:15, when Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise. Therefore, the Gospel was taught and believed from that time forward, although not believed by everyone.

The rich man’s objection is ironic, because the audience in the apostolic era knew that Jesus rose from the dead. If that would make everyone a believer, the entire world would be blessed by the Gospel and know its fruits.

Moses and the prophets are enough. This is the efficacy of the Word. No visible proof is necessary. God provided that anyway, because of man’s hardness of heart, establishing the Church with miracles from Jesus and later from the apostles.

The Word is more powerful because it goes out in every direction and cannot be stopped, even if it is stopped for a time, persecuted, and subverted.

The Reformation was far more than Luther preaching. The Word gathered many powerful and faithful teachers, and they trained the next generation. Luther and Melanchthon gave us the Reformation. Their students gave us the Book of Concord and the King James Bible (since the KJV is a version of the Tyndale).

The students of the Concord generation gave us another generation of orthodox scholars, such as the Leyser clan and Hunnius, father and son.

The Synodical Conference never tires of praising itself, but most of those great European theologians have been ignored and left untranslated in favor of Fuller Seminary professors being promoted and sold as worthwhile for Lutherans to emulate! Why? Lack of faith in the Word of God. The genius class of today thinks that God’s Word needs help, with rock music, liturgical dancing (not kidding), and puppets – everything but the Gospel itself.

Faith and love go together, but love is the fruit of faith, not its cause. If we see church leaders showing no mercy toward their own members, that is proof that they have no faith.

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Quotations

             

"But Christ was given for this purpose, namely, that for His sake there might be bestowed on us the remission of sins, and the Holy Ghost to bring forth in us new and eternal life, and eternal righteousness [to manifest Christ in our hearts, as it is written John 16:15: He shall take of the things of Mine, and show them unto you. Likewise, He works also other gifts, love, thanksgiving, charity, patience, etc.]. Wherefore the Law cannot be truly kept unless the Holy Ghost is received through faith...Then we learn to know how flesh, in security and indifference, does not fear God, and is not fully certain that we are regarded by God, but imagines that men are born and die by chance. Then we experience that we do not believe that God forgives and hears us. But when, on hearing the Gospel and the remission of sins, we are consoled by faith, we receive the Holy Ghost, so that now we are able to think aright.

            Augsburg Confession, Article III, #11, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 159.

"Therefore, do not speak to me of love or friendship when anything is to be detracted from the Word or the faith; for we are told that not love but the Word brings eternal life, God's grace, and all heavenly treasures."

            What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1411f. Ephesians 6:10‑17. 

"In matters concerning faith we must be invincible, unbending, and very stubborn; indeed, if possible, harder than adamant. But in matters concerning love we should be softer and more pliant than any reed and leaf and should gladly accommodate ourselves to everything."

            What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 412f. Galatians 2:8.

"Doctrine is our only light. It alone enlightens and directs us and shows us the way to heaven. If it is shaken in one quarter (in une parte), it will necessarily be shaken in its entirety (in totum). Where that happens, love cannot help us at all."

            What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 414. Galatians 5:10.

"The Christian doctrine of Purgatory was not finally worked out until the sixteenth century by the Council of Trent. Rejected by Protestants, it was an exclusively Catholic doctrine. After Trent, Bellarmine and Suarez, who were responsible for Purgatory, put forth several Biblical references in support of the newly approved doctrine." [references: 2 Macc. 12:41-46; Mt. 12:31-32; Lk. 16:19-26; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; the Corinthians passage played a crucial role in the development of Purgatory, p. 43]

Jacques Le Goff, The Birth of Purgatory, trans. Arthur Goldhammar, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984, p. 41f. 

"All believers are like poor Lazarus; and every believer is a true Lazarus , for he is of the same faith, mind and will, as Lazarus. And whoever will not be a Lazarus, will surely have his portion with the rich glutton in the flames of hell. For we all must like Lazarus trust in God, surrender ourselves to Him to work in us according to His own good pleasure, and be ready to serve all men."

 Sermons of Martin Luther, IV, p. 24.       

Crystal Cathedral Still a Cathedral - But Now a Catholic Cathedral

Rome stole a march on Jeske.

http://www.rcbo.org/news-and-events/diocesan-news/569


Catholic Diocese of Orange Announces Cathedral Name:
Fr. Christopher H. Smith to Serve as Episcopal Vicar

Orange, CA (June 9, 2012) --- The ordination of Catholic priests today at St. Columban Catholic Church in Garden Grove carried additional significance for regional Catholics and other people of faith. As part of an elaborate ordination ritual attended by over 1500, the Most Reverend Tod D. Brown, Roman Catholic Bishop of Orange took the opportunity to acknowledge Vatican approval of the name chosen for the Diocese’s future cathedral and the appointment of Fr. Christopher H. Smith to serve as Episcopal Vicar to Christ Cathedral.

The Diocese of Orange acquired the former Crystal Cathedral campus in 2011. While occupancy and comprehensive use of the property by the Diocese will not be immediate, a gradual transition process has begun. The first significant effort to identify the iconic venue as a Catholic religious center and place of worship begins with the selection of the name, Christ Cathedral.

In his remarks at the conclusion of the Ordination Mass, Bishop Brown noted, “We hold Rev. Schuller and his ministry in the highest esteem. It was important that any change of name for the cathedral itself be respectful of its spiritual legacy while accommodating our needs to clearly define this important facility as a Catholic center of worship.”

The formal process for the naming of a Catholic Church, calls for the proposed name to be submitted to the Congregation of Bishops, the curia in Rome responsible for all matters pertaining to bishops and their churches. Bishop Brown submitted Christ Cathedral as the proposed name and received approval, April 26, 2012.

When considering a name for the future Catholic Cathedral, Bishop Brown’s primary requisite was to ensure a clear Christological reference. “Today, I am honored to participate in the ordination of four new diocesan priests and congratulate them on the fulfillment of their vocation.  I am equally pleased to acknowledge a senior member of our clerical staff – Fr. Christopher H. Smith – and to announce his appointment as the first Episcopal Vicar to our new Cathedral, which will be called Christ Cathedral, a clear proclamation of why this Church exists and will be of continuing importance to people of faith across the region.”

The first Catholic liturgy to be celebrated in Christ Cathedral has yet to be scheduled. Bishop Brown also noted, “Catholics throughout the diocese, and all across America, are eagerly anticipating that important day.”

In his new capacity as Episcopal (or Cathedral) Vicar, Fr. Smith will oversee all administrative and policy matters for Christ Cathedral and the adjacent campus. He will supervise a variety of internal departments and be responsible for the liturgical and clerical oversight of the Cathedral campus.


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http://www.crystalcathedral.org/about/urgent-message.php

Dear Friend:

Following Sheila Schuller Coleman’s recent decision to leave the Crystal Cathedral with Jim Penner and the praise music team, lead by Debbie and Scott Smith, the good news is...

...the Crystal Cathedral ministry will continue!

We have been listening to you. Based on your comments, we’re making changes (and will continue to fine tune) to bring you the very best Sunday service and church ministries. On Sunday mornings, we will now welcome Robert V. (Bobby) Schuller and a variety of great preachers, inspiring guests...and Don Neuen returns to direct the Crystal Cathedral Choir! The mighty Hazel Wright organ and most loved hymns will be, once again, part of the great musical tradition at the Crystal Cathedral, supported by guest soloists and groups that you will want to hear.

In mid-February, at the invitation of the Board of Directors, I accepted the position of the ministries’ President and CEO. My most pressing desire is to thank you for your prayers, support, and your heart for God and for this ministry. Today, I want to answer the most-asked questions about Crystal Cathedral Ministries in the form of an “update” on the future of our church.

Why do we no longer see Dr. Schuller in the pulpit? Dr. Schuller has retired from the ministry and is no longer involved in its day-to-day operations. At the age of 85, we respect his decision to slow down, and know he well deserves this time of rest and reflection. He and Arvella are doing well, physically, but due to the ongoing legal cases, etc., they find it difficult to attend the church.

Where is Sheila Schuller Coleman? Over the months, as we received feedback expressing increasing displeasure over the new direction of the music during Sunday services, Sheila and Jim Penner were asked by the congregation and the board to change the format of the service. Sheila felt very strongly about the music and her ministry direction, and she and Jim have moved their ministry, Hope Center OC (of Christ), to another location. We wish them the best in this new endeavor.

Who is now in the pulpit? Will Robert A. Schuller return? At this time, as the board stabilizes the local church and televised service following this change in leadership, Dr. Lawrence Wilkes will be in the pulpit for a few Sundays and then a series of guest speakers will bring their messages of encouragement and inspiration. Bobby Schuller will be a regular guest speaker and has offered his help in rebuilding the best Sunday morning service possible. Plus, now-volunteer Choir Director Don Neuen is back, along with Orchestra Director Marc Riley! Meanwhile, Robert A. Schuller continues to be a supporter of this ministry as he and his talented son-in-law, Chris Wyatt, work on new endeavors in positive, family media.

Now that the Roman Catholic Diocese owns the grounds, how does that affect the church and the Hour of Power? As church member and viewer support continues, the church services will continue and the Hour of Power will remain on the air no matter where the church is located. When it became clear that selling the property would be best for the future of this ministry, the board and Dr. Schuller decided to sell to the Catholic Diocese so the buildings and grounds would always remain places of worship, as they were intended. Though other offers were greater, the campus would not have remained a site for Christian worship.

I hope that these answers have helped clarify any confusing, incorrect, or negative information you may have received. As this ministry continues to reach out to a hurting world with the positive good news of Jesus Christ...to bring hope and healing, despite these challenging times...your understanding, patience, and prayers are much appreciated and warmly welcomed.

May I offer you a personal invitation to join us this Sunday at the Crystal Cathedral? See for yourself how this ministry is returning to its tradition while introducing a revitalized worship service.

This ministry is at a critical moment in its history. The world is feeling the pressures of continuing uncertain financial times, while unemployment and job insecurity remains at all-time highs across America and much of the world. Our message of Hope and Help and Healing has never been more requested and needed and we are responding to this need every week locally and on our worldwide Hour of Power.

Now we need your help to ensure that this ministry can continue, for it is only through your financial support and prayers that we can pay rent on our location and other essential costs which, today, are at an all-time low because of the stringent cost cutting efforts we have made.

We need to move forward quickly or, sadly, the lights will be turned off. Your donation, today, will make all the difference.

God loves you and so do we!

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/09/california-mega-church-cr_n_1583696.html

GJ - The Huffington video post reveals the logical of Schuller's followers. They sold the church property to the Roman Catholics for less than Chapman University offered.

The Catholics gave Schuller three years to get out of the church building. Chapman gave them 20 years.

Chapman's offer was better financially and worth a small fortune in use of the building. The Schuller group favored using the entire campus as a church, a Roman church, over using it themselves for 20 years.

That is the logic of anti-confessional UOJ mainline Protestants. Because they stand for nothing, the Shrinkers  consider what is best for their own self-esteem.

Unspoken is the overhead for keeping the church itself - or getting to use it. Many think the congregation is busted, after all the bitter fighting, the lawsuits, and the greed of the Schuller  family.

The spawn of Positive Thinking, brother and sister, are running two different and conflicting churches. Son Bobby Schuller, fired, will be back at the CC. His sister Sheila Schuller Coleman (who fired him, via Daddy, and is now fired) will head her own ministry.

The Founder, Robert Schuller, does not attend his own church very often. He featured just about every religion there with his celebrity guest speakers. All religions are the same, since God in His infinite love has absolved the entire world, without the Word, without faith.

Schuller deserves the credit for founding Church Growth - and for being a favorite, bad example of where it leads.

Hebrews 2 - Study Tomorrow. Lenski Notes

The Warning:
How Shall We Escape if We Neglect so
Great Salvation? 2:1–4

1) The writer lets the facts concerning the incomparable greatness of the Son (chapter 1) merge into a strong warning for his readers. This is a warning and not merely an admonition. His word grips the hearts with the same firmness with which he grips the facts. The warning is only somewhat softened by the inclusion of himself, for the readers and not he are showing signs of defection.

Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews and of the Epistle of James. Columbus, O. : Lutheran book concern, 1938, S. 63.

Much has already been said about “the angels,” their high position and office (1:7), to show how infinitely higher are the position and the royal rule of the incarnate Son. This presentation was concluded with the statement that all the angels are only officiating spirits for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation (1:14). “For” connects with this statement and means: “to explain still further,” yet this explanation is not with reference to the incarnate Son as it was in chapter 1 but with reference to us who are to inherit the world to come with its salvation, who are to be joint heirs (Rom. 8:17) together with “the (supreme) heir of all things” (1:2).

The great fact is that “not to angels did God subject the inhabited earth which is about to come,” the new earth (Rev. 21:1). Angels are not joint heirs with the supreme heir; angels are not to sit on the throne with this heir and to reign with him in the new heaven and earth (Rev. 3:21; Matt. 19:28; 2 Tim. 2:12); not with angels did the Son become associated but only with the seed of Abraham by assuming, not the nature of angels, but the human nature of Abraham’s seed.

Although angels seem to be so far above us, we have already been told that they are only officiating spirits who are commissioned to service for our sake (1:14). We are the royal heirs of the world to come and not they; to us and not to them has God subjected (literally, ranged in order under) “the inhabited earth, the one about to come” for us. “Concerning which,” the writer says, “we are speaking,” namely you, my readers, and I, in the discussion of this letter (this is not a majestic or an editorial plural). Have we not said , in 1:14, “the ones coming to inherit,” just as we are now saying , “the inhabited earth, the one coming”? What we shall then be, and what it shall then be, is our real subject.

Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews and of the Epistle of James. Columbus, O. : Lutheran book concern, 1938, S. 71.

How did this man Jesus come to be crowned thus? “Because of the suffering of the death,” the articles to indicate “the particular suffering” and “the particular death” he underwent, a sacrificial, expiatory, substitutionary death which is known as such to the readers. Jesus did not suffer and die in a general way, merely die some kind of a death as all sinners suffer more or less and finally die. Of such suffering and death it could not be said that “because of it” a person is crowned with glory and honor. The soul that sinneth it shall die. It is sin that produces death. Jesus’ death was a sweet-smelling savor to God, who therefore crowned him.

The weight of the statement lies in the purpose clause which, however, does not modify the participle “crowned” but the phrase, the reference to Jesus’ death. The construction is ad sensum: made lower than angels so as to suffer and to die had the purpose for Jesus that thereby he not only achieved crowning with glory and honor for himself but also the purpose “that by God’s grace he should taste death (genitive after a verb of tasting) for everyone.” The implication is that by virtue of this death of Jesus’ everyone might attain glory and honor; this implication is reserved for actual statement in v. 10: “getting to bring many sons to glory.”

Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews and of the Epistle of James. Columbus, O. : Lutheran book concern, 1938, S. 76.

The emphasis is on the phrase “in all respects,” which, of course, has nothing to do with becoming a sinner like either the Gentile or the Jewish sinners. The phrase refers to the purpose clause: the likeness to the brothers had to extend far enough to enable Jesus to be the High Priest and to expiate the sins of the people of Israel. An incarnation in blood and flesh that did not take care of this essential purpose would have been in vain.

It was not necessary to explain either expiation or high priesthood to former Jews or to state what these are and what necessity there is for them. They knew all about the Old Testament Great Day of Atonement when the high priest killed the bullock and then the goat and brought their blood within the veil and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat to remove the sins, not of this or of that individual, but of the whole people; for despite all the individual sacrifices throughout the year so many sins remained that this comprehensive, annual expiation by the high priest had been arranged of God. Much more will be said in the following. All of it prefigured the great and final expiation of Jesus.

It is here connected with Jesus. For this he became incarnate, was “made a little lower than angels” (v. 9), was “not ashamed to call us brothers” (v. 11–13), he and we being “from one” (v. 11), he sharing our “blood and flesh” (v. 14). This explains how “he tasted death for everyone” (v. 9), was made a complete Savior “by means of suffering” (v. 10), “by means of the death” freed us from death (v. 14, 15). Thus he became “the Author of our salvation” (v. 10), “the one sanctifying” those who are truly sanctified, our “faithful High Priest” (v. 17)—these three terms are cumulative.

A wonderful developing and unfolding runs through this section; we are now at its climax. We also see why “it was fitting for God” to make Jesus what he is “by means of suffering” (v. 10), and why Jesus “was obliged to be like his brothers in all respects,” also in his descent from “the seed of Abraham,” because he took hold helpfully of this seed in the expiation of sins. Were not the Jews the only people to whom God had given the Old Testament high priesthood and the Great Day of Atonement, which prefigured the final expiation of the sins of the whole world? How can Jewish Christians think of disowning this their final High Priest? Some interpreters think that the term “High Priest” is introduced unexpectedly and without preparation on the part of the readers. Not at all. The whole of v. 9, etc., is the most adequate preparation. When the author called him “the Author of our salvation,” “the one sanctifying,” this demands that “High Priest” should now be added, which thus floods all that precedes with light.

Our versions have but one predicate: “in order that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest” yet “merciful” is placed before the verb and is thus made emphatic so that we evidently have two predications: “made merciful (toward his brothers) and a faithful High Priest” (toward God). Yet the two predications are not independent, for the one has no noun. This appears the more certain because the adverbial accusative belongs only to πιστός: “faithful as to the things pertaining to God.” As our High Priest Jesus was like the Old Testament high priests, and yet in one respect he was not like them, for these high priests only killed the sacrifice for the expiation while Jesus himself suffered the death. In this there was manifested his mercy toward us all: his own suffering and death freed us from the fear of the devil and of death. Ἔλεος, the adjective of which is used, is the feeling of pity for the wretched, their wretchedness being described in v. 15. On the other hand and joined with this is the faithfulness in regard to the things pertaining to God; for in order to rescue the wretched from their terrible state Jesus had to expiate their sins and omit nothing in restoring them to God.

Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews and of the Epistle of James. Columbus, O. : Lutheran book concern, 1938, S. 93

Dresden Lutherans

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4826137/Rydecki_Do%20We%20Want%20to%20Be%20Dresden%20Lutherans.pdf

Creflo Dollar Chokes Under Pressure

Creflo Dollar lacks sense.
Have Ski and Glende studied his growing ministry?

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/creflo_dollar_megachurch_pasto.html


ATLANTA — The 15-year-old daughter of megachurch pastor Creflo Dollar told authorities her father choked and punched her, and hit her with his shoe during an argument over whether she could go to a party, according to a police report.

Dollar's 19-year-old daughter corroborated most of her sister's story, but Dollar disputed it, telling a sheriff's deputy he was trying to restrain her when she became disrespectful. When she began to hit back, he wrestled her to the floor and spanked her, according to the police report.

Dollar is one of the most prominent African-American preachers based around Atlanta. His World Changers Church International has 30,000 members in the Atlanta area, and the ministry has satellite churches across the U.S.

Dollar faces misdemeanor charges of simple battery and cruelty to children. He has been released from jail and his lawyer said he is expected to preach Sunday.

Dollar said in a statement Friday he loved his children and would never hurt them.

Around 1 a.m. Friday, his 15-year-old daughter called 911. She told a Fayette County sheriff's deputy that she and her father argued when he said she couldn't go to a party Saturday night, according to the report.
She went into the kitchen with her older sister. When her father asked why she was crying, she told him, "I do not want to talk right now," the report said.

Her father charged at her, put his hands around her throat, began to punch her and started hitting her with his shoe, she told the deputy. The deputy noted a scratch on her neck.

Dollar told the deputy he wouldn't let his daughter go to the party because of poor grades.


The deputy also interviewed Dollar's 19-year-old daughter, who said her father grabbed the younger girl's shoulders and slapped her in the face and choked her for about five seconds. She said her sister tried to break free, but did not fight back. When her father threw the 15-year-old on the floor, the older girl ran to get her mother.

The deputy also spoke to Dollar's wife, Taffi, who said she did not see the fight.

After interviewing Dollar and the two girls, the deputy asked for written statements. The older daughter initially wrote a statement that contradicted what she had told the deputy and was more in line with what Dollar said. When the deputy confronted her about the discrepancies, she told him it was because her parents were with her. Later, when separated from her parents, she wrote what she initially told him.
The 50-year-old Dollar leads the Creflo Dollar Ministries and is the pastor for World Changers Church International in the Atlanta suburb of College Park. World Changers Church-New York hosts over 6,000 worshippers each week.

Satellite churches are also in Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Washington, Cleveland, Dallas and Houston.
He and his wife, a co-pastor at the church, have five children, according to the church's website.
Dollar is a native of College Park and says he received a vision for World Changers Ministries Christian Center in 1986. He held the first service in front of eight people in an elementary school cafeteria.
His ministry grew quickly and the church moved into its present location, an 8,500-seat sanctuary, on Dec. 24, 1995.

Dollar said in a 2007 interview with The Associated Press that he renounced his church salary, and his income only comes from personal investments, including a real estate residential property business and horse breeding company called Dollar Ranch. He's also published more than 30 books, focusing mostly on family and life issues, including debt management.

He said he also sometimes got up to $100,000 for a single appearance on his packed schedule of speaking engagements.

Along with Bishop Eddie Long, Dollar is one of the most prominent African-American preachers based around Atlanta who have built successful ministries on the prosperity gospel, which teaches that God wants to bless the faithful with earthly riches. Ministers in this tradition often hold up their own wealth as evidence that the teaching works.

Long and Dollar were among six televangelists investigated by Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley from 2007 to 2010, following questions about personal use of church-owned airplanes, luxury homes and credit cards by megachurch pastors and their families. The report did not find any definitive wrongdoing, but it expressed concern about the lack of financial oversight at such large ministries.

Is Mark Jeske a Descendant of Augie Pieper?

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Glad You Asked - Simpleman.Errors of Knapp Magnifi...":

If a person claims that faith is synergistic (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/synergism?s=t) if sins are forgiven solely by faith in Christ alone, precluding any forgiveness declared before and without faith, than they are teaching faith is a work of man. And since false teaching Lutheran UOJists believe faith is a work of man they declare that faith is nothing but an empty hand doing nothing but receiving what was already declared to be true before they believed.

Further proof that UOJists are teaching decision theology in their doctrine of Universal forgiveness and by their attack on the Holy Spirit's faith:

WELS MLC President Mark Zarling, "Faith does nothing more than receive the forgiveness which is offered in the Gospel. It is not a condition we fulfill nor is it a cause of forgiveness. We are already forgiven. God's message of justification in Christ is there whether we believe it or not. Faith then receives the blessings." And, "Faith that accepts the good news of universal justification is the work of God the Holy Ghost." Page 7
http://www.wlsessays.net/files/ZarlingJustification.pdf

WELS Our Great Heritage states, "And yet many Lutherans still labor under the delusion that God does not forgive us unless we believe. Instead of seeing faith as nothing more than the spiritual hand with which we make the forgiveness of God our own, they see it as a reason why God forgives us. They believe that Christ has indeed provided forgiveness for all men, that God is willing to forgive them, but before he really forgives he first of all demands that we should be sorry for our sins and that we should have faith. Just have faith they say, and then God will forgive you. All the right words are there. The only thing wrong is that the words are in the wrong order. God does not forgive us IF we have faith. He has forgiven us long ago when he raised his Son from the dead." (p. 59)"

WELS Siegbert W. Becker
"Faith does nothing more than accept the forgiveness proclaimed in the Gospel. It is not a condition we must fulfill before we can be forgiven. It is not a cause of forgiveness on account of which God forgives us. The forgiveness comes first. Faith is merely the response to the message. God says to us, “Your sins are forgiven.” This is objective justification, and God’s message to us is true whether we believe it or not. Faith makes God’s message its own and says, “My sins are forgiven.” This is subjective justification. The whole doctrine is just as simple as that." Page 12, The Place of Faith
http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BeckerJustification.PDF

WELS AZ/CA DP Pastor Jon Buchholz
"Faith doesn’t bring anything into existence that doesn’t already exist. Faith doesn’t cause something to happen. Faith simply grasps— trusts—something that already is in place." Page 14
http://archive.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?2617&collectionID=1161&contentID=76707&shortcutID=26388

August Pieper (as quoted by Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and School and Evergreen Lutheran High School in defense of their teaching of UOJ), third volume of the Quartalschrift , "But whoever molests the doctrine of justification stabs the gospel in the heart ...even if he ever so much emphasizes justification by faith."

I believe he was  a key factor in the Protest'ant split.
Here is an easy to remember WELS formula: Not WELS, then damned.
That applies to the ELS (but not to Sweet, Stetzer, Stanley, Driscoll, Hybels, et al.)
If you question this, you are obviously not WELS or soon to be ejected.

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GJ - My Icha-widow wants me to hurry up. Luther warned that foul errors creep in when the Means of Grace are denied.


The SynConference is a perfect example. Once F. Pieper got his 1932 Brief Statement turned into canon law, above and beyond the Scriptures and the Confessions, Missouri began to tank.

The ONE dogma uniting the SynConference is justification without faith.

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Is Mark Jeske a Descendant of Augie Pieper?":

Ichabod -

UOJ (universal objective justification) enthusiasts diminish Scripture's teaching about "justification by faith" with their all encompassing declarations of humanity's blanket forgiveness based upon Christ's sacrifice for human sin. They are so myopic in their view that they fail to give the Holy Spirit his divine due. Hence, they ignore the importance of personal faith and belief. I quote from my [this] week's "The Christian Message" topical message:

.........Sinner – Do not think that you will escape God’s just judgment upon your sorry soul. In your unrepentant state without saving faith, you, in your damning unbelief, are like the faithless wealthy church goers, who will share your same eternal everlasting torment death fate. Your eternal death doom will be exacted upon you for the same reason it will be for those whose church going did not make a difference to the Triune God who expects personal faith to be present with the hearing of His Scripture Word. The Scripture teaches that God’s Word can be present, - and, even “heard” by those in Christian worship circles, - but if it isn’t met with faith, it is useless for one’s eternal welfare:

"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." - Hebrews 4:2

May I add here, that American churches are plenteous with false preaching and teaching about Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. As one person commented, on a Christian website, that false gospel is, a "Universal Forgiveness before and without faith."............

"Why Reliance Upon Human Wealth Is So Spiritually Damning"

http://www.thechristianmessage.org/2012/06/why-reliance-upon-human-wealth-is-so.html

I think that it was Brett Meyer who coined those six words of  "Universal Forgiveness before and without faith," on this very own Ichabod website.

Nathan M. Bickel - emeritus pastor

http://www.thechristianmessage.org/

Should I Stop Teaching the Non-Lutherans in the Synodical Conference?

Jack Cascione quoted this with approval, as Robert Preus once did, to prove to everyone that Preus taught UOJ.
My point was clear - Preus once taught UOJ but rejected the dogma in Justification and Rome.

Two things are clear:

1. The LCMS, WELS, and ELS will continue to make justification without faith their central dogma. 
2. They will tell any lie to disguise what they really believe, teach, and confess.

The Appleton plagiarists are terribly offended that I teach non-Lutherans in graduate school - actually at two different graduate schools. I have taught world religion over 60 times - to Mormons, Catholics, and "an ordained pagan Egyptian priestess."

The so-called Lutherans could have hired me to teach in their institutions of higher education. I am more qualified than most of their faculties. That is the beauty of the parochial system - someone with the right family connections can be hired to teach at a college or seminary, without any credentials. The current ELS pope, John Moldstad, was hired to teach New Testament without having a bachelor's degree. Larry Olson calls himself "Dr." by virtue of a drive-by D.Min. from Fuller Seminary. Jay Webber was "rector" of the Marvin Schwan UOJ Gospel Lighthouse. Roger Kovaciny, who claimed to be a founder of Church Growth in WELS, served on the faculty, as the Floyd Stolzenburg Professor of Church Growth.

Not one of these men is qualified to teach as an adjunct professor anywhere else but their little parochial schools.

Tim Glende argued that he was infallible by virtue of his EIGHT STRAIGHT YEARS OF EDUCATION, when he was in the process of excommunicating Rick Techlin. Did I mention - TIM STUDIED GREEK!

The solution to the Appleton offense would be to hire me to teach at Martin Luther College, Bethany College, The Sausage Factory, or The Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie. Why didn't they? John Brenner had to take a year of remedial education before he could be admitted to the UW graduate program - after he was hired to teach at Mequon. Brug has a doctorate in Hebrew, so they gave him the yellowed lecture notes of J. P. Meyer and made him dogmatics professor too. That would never happen at an accredited school, where people have to be formally trained in the discipline they teach.

Apart from studying at Fuller Seminary, Bivens and Valleskey had no other education beyond their seminary program. The same could be said for many of the pivotal positions in the WELS and ELS. The most unifying educational factor in the WELS, ELS, and LCMS is study at Fuller Seminary. That is also the best way to get promoted.

Infallible synod popes - Harrison, Schroeder, Moldstad.
Justification by faith offends them.

Lutheran Doctrine Professor, Synodical Conference
My role is to teach the non-Lutherans of the Synodical Conference, a much bigger challenge than teaching Lutheran doctrine at online universities, where the students respect the professors. They thank me for posting Gerhardt hymns, for quoting Luther, for emphasizing the efficacy of the Word.

Lutherans need to admit to themselves that SP Harrison, SP Schroeder, and SP Moldstad are not Lutheran. All three men reject justification by faith, no matter what they protest to cover their tracks. They have no concept of the efficacy of the Word, so they do not trust God's Word to accomplish His will - contrary to Isaiah 55 and many other passages.

Harrison, Schroeder, and Moldstad are unable to teach the Means of Grace, although they may toy with the words from time to time. So does the real Pope in Rome. Roman Catholics teach the Means of Grace, but read the fine print. The three Synod Popes are just bad imitations of Holy Father Antichrist. They are the little Antichrists of Scripture, aiding and abetting, small potatoes.

Discipline for Harrison, Schroeder, and Moldstad does not mean condemning impenitent sinners and false teachers, but condemning and expelling those who question their infallibility.

What did Harrison do when it was proven that LCMS District Presidents put a known sex offender into the pastoral office and kept him there to rape again? Harrison silenced his robotic followers - and they fell into stupefied silence, content to let more sex offenders have their way in the ministerial office. Will Harrson back the lawsuit of the Pennsylvania victim of child abuse? The man has an eye-witness who saw it happen, but that witness is a famous professor. Missouri's policy is to destroy evidence, as the lawsuit points out.

Will Missouri, WELS, and the ELS give back their Marvin Schwan indulgence commissions, since they know the truth about his "Scriptural divorce"? No, their hands are stretched out for more.

Short version - make up whatever you want, because the Confessions approve!

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The charge of being anti-Christian and specifically the charge of being an Antichrist made to those who act contrary to Christ while declaring they do it by his authority is very serious.  I agree with Pastor Jackson that the title of Antichrist not only applies to the anti-Christian Pope but also to those in the Lutheran Synods who declare the false gospel of Universal Objective Justification, UOJ (aka: Objective Justification or General Justification).  There cannot be a more heinous crime in the church than to pervert the central and chief article of Christian faith – the doctrine by which a person, if faithfully believed, instantaneously receives Christ’s righteousness for the forgiveness of all sin (which is justification), is adopted as God’s child and is saved eternally.  This same doctrine if believed and confessed contrary to Scripture separates a person from Christ and thereby remains under God’s wrath and condemnation over sin, and does not obtain Christ as Mediator through faith alone.  All doctrine, churches, denominations and people stand or fall by their confession of this chief and central Christian doctrine.  Uncorrected errors in doctrine and practice are a fruit of confessing trust in the false gospel of UOJ.  Defense of false doctrine and practice is an absence of the Holy Spirit in those who reject His faith, worked solely through the Means of Grace, which clings to Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins and salvation.  Apathy concerning the outward expressions of false doctrine and practice is a significant trait of laity who, having been fed putrid doctrines taught by false teachers, are exchanging their Baptismal faith in Christ for the false comfort of group think, Synod worship and the theology of glory.  Fortunately, the defense of false doctrine and practice by the equally false teachers in the Lutheran Synods comes at a price.  They are incorrigibly contradictory in their speech concerning the Word of God.  It is the Holy Spirit alone who works faithfulness and clarity of thought and speech in faithful Christians.  Having rejected the Holy Spirit’s faith, UOJists lack the guidance of the Holy Spirit and instead become puppets for their father below and are unable to remain consistent and faithful to Scripture and the Christian Lutheran Confessions.  Below I quote from the Confessions that the forgiveness of sins is only declared and imputed to those with faith in Christ alone.  The (W)ELS quotes show the depth of Scriptural depravity that the Lutheran Synods have traveled in their journey into apostasy.

“10] These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to ourselves. 11] This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteous by God the father, and are eternally saved. 12] Therefore it is considered and understood to be the same thing when Paul says that we are justified by faith, Rom. 3, 28, or that faith is counted to us for righteousness, Rom. 4, 5, and when he says that we are made righteous by the obedience of One, Rom. 5, 19, or that by the righteousness of One justification of faith came to all men, Rom. 5, 18. 13] For faith justifies, not for this cause and reason that it is so good a work and so fair a virtue, but because it lays hold of and accepts the merit of Christ in the promise of the holy Gospel; for this must be applied and appropriated to us by faith, if we are to be justified thereby. 14] Therefore the righteousness which is imputed to faith or to the believer out of pure grace is the obedience, suffering, and resurrection of Christ, since He has made satisfaction for us to the Law, and paid for [expiated] our sins. 15] For since Christ is not man alone, but God and man in one undivided person, He was as little subject to the Law, because He is the Lord of the Law, as He had to suffer and die as far as His person is concerned. For this reason, then, His obedience, not only in suffering and dying, but also in this, that He in our stead was voluntarily made under the Law, and fulfilled it by this obedience, is imputed to us for righteousness, so that, on account of this complete obedience, which He rendered His heavenly Father for

us, by doing and suffering, in living and dying, God forgives our sins, regards us as godly and righteous, and eternally saves us. 16] This righteousness is offered us by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel and in the Sacraments,<b> and is applied, appropriated, and received through faith</b>, whence believers have reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, the grace of God sonship, and heirship of eternal life. 17] Accordingly, the word justify here means to declare righteous and free from sins, and to absolve one from eternal punishment for the sake of Christ's righteousness, which is imputed by God to faith, Phil. 3, 9. For this use and understanding of this word is common in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Prov. 17, 15: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord. Is. 5, 23: Woe unto them which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Rom. 8, 33: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, that is, absolves from sins and acquits.”

http://www.bookofconcord.org/sd-righteousness.php

AAC That We Obtain The Remission of Sins By Faith Alone In Christ, "80] The wrath of God cannot be appeased if we set against it our own works, because Christ has been set forth as a Propitiator, so that, for his sake, the Father may become reconciled to us. But Christ is not apprehended as a Mediator except by faith. Therefore, by faith alone we obtain remission of sins when we comfort our hearts with confidence in the mercy promised for Christ's sake."

http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_4_justification.php

The following are self indicting statements from (W)ELS District President Jon Buchholz given and approved at the 2005 WELS Convention.  Note how they declare a doctrine contrary to the Christian Confessions and are immediately contradict what was previously stated.

Buchholz, “In each example, the mark of heresy is to go as far as Scripture goes—and then to go one step further”.  P.7

"God has forgiven the whole world. God has forgiven everyone his sins." This statement is absolutely true! This is the heart of the gospel, and it must be preached and taught as the foundation of our faith. <b>But here’s where the caveat comes in: In Scripture, the word "forgive" is used almost exclusively in a personal, not a universal sense. The Bible doesn’t make the statement, "God has forgiven the world</b>."  p. 7

"God has forgiven all sins, but the unbeliever rejects God’s forgiveness." Again, this statement is true—and Luther employed similar terminology to press the point of Christ’s completed work of salvation.16 <b>But we must also recognize that Scripture doesn’t speak this way</b>."  p.8

"God has declared the entire world righteous." This statement is true, as we understand it to mean that God has rendered a verdict of "not-guilty" toward the entire world. It is also true—and must be taught—that the righteousness of Christ now stands in place of the world’s sin; this is the whole point of what Jesus did for us at Calvary. <b>However, once again we’re wresting a term out of its usual context. In Scripture the term "righteous" usually refers to believers</b>. "  p. 9

http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BuchholzJustification.pdf

And in his June 2012 Emmanuel Church newsletter he makes this statement, “Our unity centers in our connection to Jesus Christ, our one Savior.  We are united by complete agreement in our teaching.  We are united in God’s Word and in complete agreement with everything it says. We hold unswervingly to God’s teaching in the Holy Bible as the only reliable, unchanging source of truth.  We do not wish to depart one iota from what God says.”

http://www.elctempe.org/home/180001623/180001623/images/2012-06%20June.pdf

(W)ELS quotes promoting UOJ in Mark Zarling’s paper, Stand in Awe of Justification. (former WELS MLC president)

“the glorious Gospel: In Jesus, God has declared the entire world righteous and forgiven, irregardless of whether or not the world believes it. Such is the jewel described by objective, universal, or general justification.” Page 2

Quoting Permit Stoeckhardt, “If God has already in Christ justified all men and forgiven their sins, then I also in Christ have a gracious God and the forgiveness of all my sins.” Page 5 “Irregardless of man's faith, God declares the world just.” Page 6

“Our salvation is an accomplished fact. It is done. It is finished. The resurrection is the proof that God has declared the sinners justified!” Page 6

“Faith does nothing more than receive the forgiveness which is offered in the Gospel. It is not a condition we fulfill nor is it a cause of forgiveness. We are already forgiven.” Page 7

“Simply present Law and Gospel. Warn sinners that unbelief damns, and rejection of Christ will bring eternal torment. Then comfort them with the glorious objective reality that all sins are already forgiven in Christ.” Page 7

http://www.wlsessays.net/files/ZarlingJustification.pdf


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From Pastor Nathan Bickel:



Dr. Jackson,


Count it God's blessing that you were never asked or called to teach higher education in Lutheran synodical schools. [Else if it had turned out for you, as such, Lutheran UOJ (universal objective justification) inbreeding may have taken its toll upon you, also] 


The good Lord apparently had other plans for you, - that being, teaching heathen and non-Lutherans. Despised in Lutheran circles as you must be, should be no shame [for you]. Rather, it is the mark of the suffering Christ. Did He not say:


"Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets." - Luke 6:26


Dr. Jackson - be content with the prophetic ministry the Lord has apparently laid upon your Arkansas backwoods [often rejected] lap......


Nathan M. Bickel - pastor emeritus


www.thechrisitanmessage.org


www.moralmatters.org