Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What Terrifies the UOJ Hive?



As many readers know, Pope Paul the Unlearned wrote one of his rare, original posts to denounce me again.

It has come to my attention that there are some laypeople who read my blog, and follow my Facebook page, who have had the unfortunate experience of stumbling across very negative and harmful discussions on the Internet of what is called the doctrine of “objective justification.” There is a former Lutheran pastor who has made it his life’s mission to attack this comforting doctrine. + Paul the Unlearned

That should help push my August comps to 25% (meaning the August page-reads for 2012 will be 25% higher than August, 2011). In spite of distractions, like hurricanes and conventions, the page-reads have been very high every single day. Doubtless another contribution was the double barrel attack against justification by faith on Steadfast Kilcreasers.

People who oppose the Word of God are deeply disturbed by it. As James wrote, "The demons believe, but their hides bristle." (New Jackson Version) They whine that I publish on one (1) blog, which I leverage with Facebook. The non-Lutheran Protestants love my doctrinal and hymn graphics. They do not banish me, as the SynConference Pietists do. 

The Wisconsin Sect has never identified a single false doctrine it has promoted, whether it is Church Growth or unionism, women's ordination or the New Agism of Sweet and Jeske. But they come down on justification by faith like a wolf on the fold. They loathe the word faith. They engage in verbal contortions and mental gymnastics to avoid the obvious - they are anti-Biblical and un-Lutheran. The Word of God hardens their hearts and infuriates them. Their answer is to silence the Biblical doctrine of justification by faith, that is, they have to silence any source teaching the Chief Article.

McCain uses a familiar tactic, one forged in cowardice and hate - diminishing the person who teaches the Christian faith. Wearing his Roman collar to blog, he calls me a "former pastor." But I am not teaching myself, so an attack against me is meaningless. Every day I provide citations from Luther, the Book of Concord, Chemnitz, and the Scriptures. 

Since Pope Paul is such an expert on everything, with his MDiv from Ft. Wayne, he should refute Luther and the Book of Concord rather than wasting his blanks on me. Every time he launches a new tirade I feel as if I am being stoned to death by popcorn.


I had a revelation from reading some portions of the Stanley Hauerwas memoir again. I was curious about his various denominational passions. He was raised a Texas Methodist, which is the same as Southern Baptist, as Stan admitted. Later he became quite smitten with the Anabaptist thought of John Howard Yoder, my dissertation advisor. In the meantime he was often a daily communicant at Notre Dame masses. My priestly friends said, "Hauerwas is sacrament-starved."

What was missing from this ecumenical brew? Hauerwas has nothing edifying to say about Luther's doctrine. In fact, he has these little academic put-downs in his book. In his lectures he would look at me and say, "Lutherans are weak on sanctification." I waited for the next recital of that line, adding, - "and sanctimony." He quickly agreed, a bit off-balance. I was supposed to grin sheepishly and agree.

Hauerwas was an excellent lecturer and more importantly, a considerate faculty member. I am sure he did some things to make life easier for my family, although he never mentioned it or took credit for anything. 

But this is what united his interests and explains his allergy to Luther's doctrine, his attraction to Anabaptism and Roman Catholicism. It parallels the so-called Lutherans today.

Non-Lutheran Protestants and Roman Catholics are united in their Enthusiasm. They separate the Holy Spirit from the Word. Therefore, it is only natural for a sacrament-starved Protestant to switch to Roman Catholicism. Most "Lutherans" today are also sacrament-starved, so they also switch to Rome, sometimes to Eastern Orthodoxy. 

UOJ is neither Protestantism in the broad sense, nor Roman Catholicism. UOJ lacks the courage to admit that it is a flavor of Universalism - universal forgiveness, universal salvation. But they are too timid, lacking faith, to admit it.

The common formula is "believe, teach, and confess." I see a lot of posturing about the Confessions, but almost no teaching, believing, or confessing. 

Stanley Hauerwas

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "What Terrifies the UOJ Hive?":

Dr. Jackson -

It is refreshing for me that you don't allow the CPH pope's stoning popcorn to disturb your peace in the Lord and your resolve to continue teaching and proclaiming the Word.

Furthermore, clergy with connections, high salaries and future retirement benefits, apparently don't need the Holy Spirit's faith to motivate or move them. No - instead they are lulled into the entrapment of Universalism. That, is their daily [false] washing that they think makes them clean. [After all, {for them} there is then no need for the continued cleaning that Christ talked about in the Gospel of John, chapter 15] Is it a wonder why they slight the Holy Spirit?

Finally, I will say it again: Those who reject your specialized calling and ministry are the same who only view the Romans 12 gift of exhortation in a limited and myopic manner. They can't see (for dust) the exhortation aspect which includes, also, rebuke. Hence, when they shut the Word out; that action [also] blinds them to the messengers sent to them.

Nathan M. Bickel

www.thechristianmessage.org

www.moralmatters.org

AC V Asks about the Source of Our Definition of Justification



AC V has left a new comment on your post "Why Start with Extra-Biblical Terms?Could Luther S...":

Steadfast Lutheran's Jim Pierce solves the Objective Justification "problem" of all people being saved by using a non-Book of Concord definition of Justification:

A good starting point in finding definitions for these terms is to look them up at the LCMS Christian Cyclopedia (link here)."...

What does justification mean? “Judicial act of God which consists of non-imputation of sin and imputation of Christ’s righteousness” (ibid.).


How about we start here for a proper definition of justification (It answers a lot of the questions the OJ/SJ confusion stirs up):

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” (FC-SD III:17).

And then don't forget what is necessary for a correct definition of justification (again the Solid Declaration): "...the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and faith, which receives this in the promise of the Gospel, whereby the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, whence we receive and have forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, sonship, and heirship of eternal life”

http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=22406


The Lamb of God, by Norma Boeckler

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "AC V Asks about the Source of Our Definition of Ju...":

Great points AC V.

Note here in (W)ELS DP Jon Buchholz' 2005 WELS Convention essay promoting Universal Justification the absence of faith in his definition of Justification:

What causes justification to take place? Lutheran theologians have always maintained that there are two causes for man’s salvation: (1) the grace of God and (2) the merits of Jesus Christ. Neither of these two causes has anything to do with the participation of sinful human beings. Both causes exist completely in God’s sphere.
Page 2
Justification Is An Objective Reality
http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BuchholzJustification.pdf

***

GJ - I am trying to decide who is the better judge of this - Martin Chemnitz, the pupil of Luther and Melanchthon, or Jon Buchholz, defender and protector of Rick Johnson and Jeff Gunn?

Buchholz studied under these Church Growth gurus: David Valleskey, Wayne Mueller, and James Tiefel.




The aging Church Growth stars have taken it to a new level: sub-basement.
Yet SP Schroeder rewards them with promotions and support.
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AC V has left a new comment on your post "AC V Asks about the Source of Our Definition of Ju...":

Now wait a minute...Didn't Buchholz say in that essay that the world was saved? Perhaps Buchholz would care to react to Pierce's short answer:

“The first question is asking if objective justification teaches that everyone in the world is saved and this apart from faith. The short answer is, of course, no.

Let the confusion begin...the confusion they have wrought trying to explain UOJ.

VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - CONNECTICUT:
Bishop Inherits the Whirlwind Of an Empty Bishop Seabury Parish.
The Difference between Church Officials and Terrorists?
You Can Negotiate with Terrorists

$4.5 million replacement value.
DP Buchholz likes to use lawyers to grab property, too.

VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - CONNECTICUT: Bishop Inherits the Whirlwind of an Empty Bishop Seabury Parish:


He got an empty building for his legal troubles and a hefty legal bill to go with it. Not a single soul has stayed with the parish, the Diocese of Connecticut or its ultra-liberal Bishop Ian Douglas. A strong, active, vibrant evangelical church used the building to raise holy hands to God. The Gospel was being preached and the Sacraments were being celebrated. But that wasn't good enough. A deal could not be cut, so the bishop got the building.

Now Bishop Douglas has an empty church; he does not know what to do with it. Who is the winner here, asks Fr. Ron Gauss. PA Bishop Charles Bennison let it drop recently that it can cost $55,000 and up just to maintain an empty church...and he has nine of them.

'via Blog this'

A Layman with Doctrinal Discernment Is a Threat



rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Lutherans Benefit from Doctrinal Discussion and De...":

As pointed here on Ichabod, a doctrinally discerning laity is a real blessing but is also a threat to SynConference leaders. They would much rather lead the members around with a ring in their nose, wasting their time with leadership workshops and conferences. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find doctrine seriously discussed anywhere, including the congregational level so called Bible studies. Most of these are just re-hashed how-to sessions that are cut and pasted from the Reformed camp. Even a serious look at Luther's Large Catechism would open up some eyes. The leaders certainly do not want that.

Lutherans Benefit from Doctrinal Discussion and Debate,
But Lutheran Mini-Papacies Have Been Established Instead.



I remembered the cartoon from Yogi Bear where the lion sharpened his claws on the whetstone, so that image came to mind when I created the graphic for Brett Meyer's comments.

Brett is a good example of a dedicated layman who has made himself an expert by constant study.

"The Holy Spirit teaches man better than all the books; He teaches him to understand the Scriptures better than he can understand them from the teaching of any other; and of his own accord he does everything God wills he should, so the Law dare make no demands upon him."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 280. Pentecost Sunday John 14:23-31.     

When Martin Chemnitz was appointed a bishop, he insisted that his district have regular doctrinal discussions, which he knew were good for the clergy and laity. His time of office was marked by doctrine harmony as a result.

In contrast, there is a stark terror of discussing doctrine today. The SynConference answer is to send down papal edicts from their mini-Vatican. Everything has already been settled, so "Settle down out there in the boondocks." That is why the knowledge of Christian doctrine is at an all-time low. The professors and synodical leaders have no grasp of justification or the Means of Grace. Their language betrays their Enthusiasm, every time they repeat their talking points. Instead of promoting a study of the Confessions, the pastors kill an interest by saying the Book of Concord is "boring and irrelevant."

If they believed in the efficacy of the Word, they would welcome doctrinal study, because the Word of God always prospers and always accomplishes the will of God, never returning to Him in vain. Perhaps that is why the jaded leaders trust in the word of man, since the Word of God will condemn them for their apostasy and corruption.

Everything will be revealed in the end, when insurance booty and foundation grants are gone.




Couldn't they read F. Pieper a bit?
He belongs to Missouri and WELS together.
Instead, they oppose this statement teach the opposite.
Pope Paul the Unlearned, with his sinecure at CPH,
would choke if he had to say these words out loud.
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Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "Lutherans Benefit from Doctrinal Discussion and De...":

I have been thinking about 2 Cor. 5:19 being used to support UOJ.

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

The wording is conveying ongoing action to the present, so this seems pretty weak to support UOJ. If this were UOJ, it would be rendered, "...God was in Christ, having reconciled..."

Secondly, did the UOJers neglect the next verse?

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Why was St. Paul pleading with his audience to be reconciled if they were all reconciled at the atonement? If Paul were a UOJer, he would have said, "You are reconciled, even if you don't know it."

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Lutherans Benefit from Doctrinal Discussion and De...":

As pointed here on Ichabod, a doctrinally discerning laity is a real blessing but is also a threat to SynConference leaders. They would much rather lead the members around with a ring in their nose, wasting their time with leadership workshops and conferences. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find doctrine seriously discussed anywhere, including the congregational level so called Bible studies. Most of these are just re-hashed how-to sessions that are cut and pasted from the Reformed camp. Even a serious look at Luther's Large Catechism would open up some eyes. The leaders certainly do not want that.

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A. Berean has left a new comment on your post "LCMS Pastor Vernon Harley - Reconciliation - 2 Cor...":

Keeping with this topic, here is a quotation from one of Luther's Sermons for Easter Monday (text: Acts 10:34-43).

"Then Peter explains this new Gospel message as the doctrine of peace, the peace proclamation commanded of God; in other words, salvation and every good thing...Paul offers the same thought (Eph. 2:17)...A delightful message is this in which God recalls his wrath and, as Paul says (2 Corinthians 5:18-20), reconciles us unto Himself, having commanded the Gospel to be preached to the world for that very purpose, and the office of preaching to be called the ministry of reconciliation; and God admonishes us to be reconciled unto Himself, to be His friends, that we may from Him receive grace and every good thing."

I stumbled across this in my recreational reading. Notice the sequence of tenses in the following sentence: "God reconciles us unto Himself, having commanded the Gospel to be preached to the world for that very purpose..." The commanding the Gospel to be preached occurs before the reconciling activity. Luther also ties it in with the ministry of reconciliation. From the context of Luther's sermon, this is not used as a universal act apart from the Means of Grace, but rather ongoing through the Means of Grace.

Sermons of Martin Luther, Lenker Edition, Vol.7. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Why Start with Extra-Biblical Terms?
Could Luther Serve as a Pastor in the SynConference Today? - No!

Professor Kurt Marquart

Larry Darby's questions about UOJ, at Trinity LCMS in Bridgeton, Missouri (St. Louis area) led to the congregation inviting Professor Kurt Marquart to write and speak about it.

His essay is here:


Marquart is the only UOJ advocate I have found who could face some of the problems with the ideology. Normally they simply pontificate without any substance for their windy opinions.

Marquart is probably the main source for the contention that the Ambrose quotation in the Apology is UOJ.

I was looking that over last night when I noticed how hard he labored to fit everything into the twin categories, found in Knapp, of Objective Justification and Subjective Justification. Here is the  Pietistic origin of that neat little formula, which preceded Walther but was later adopted by Walther. See the graphic below. Ruminate on this, UOJ fanatics - Woods was the Calvinist superstar of his age.


Martin Chemnitz, a Lutheran, discussed the use of extra-Biblical terminology in his epic Examination of the Council of Trent

Some terms are not in the Bible but serve as short-hand for centuries of debate. Leftist sceptics like to say, "The term Trinity is not in the Bible and does not show up until many centuries later." That claim is correct but deliberately misleading. The Trinity is taught throughout the Scriptures, Old and New Testament both--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--but the actual term was adopted to express the concept much later.

When a topic (locus in Latin) is discussed, the best approach is to be as near as possible to the actual Biblical language.  

By starting with a Calvinist's terms, OJ and SJ, the discussion is already tilted and difficult to rescue from error.

The Left in the political realm is just as anxious as the Left in Lutherdom to establish its own terminology and insist on it. The Leftists are pro-choice, not pro-abortion. They also call pro-life people anti-choice. They speak of a woman's right to choose, not the horror of taking a life.

By starting with OJ and SJ, the Enthusiasts are defaulting to Calvinist terms and leading people down the same darkling path, away from justification by faith, away from the Means of Grace.

Beware of Lutherans allergic to faith. I have seen them react in dread to that term for several decades. The Formula of Concord is so reliant on Luther's Commentary on Galatians that readers are directed to that book for great understanding of justification. So it is fitting to have people read the main thesis of that book, written by Luther, endorsed by the Concordia authors and editors.


"This doctrine of faith..."


"If this doctrine [of faith] be lost..."


Reason is the enemy of faith...


We have to look beyond the title and the office to examine the doctrine,
to remove the error.


"The doctrine of faith..."


"The righteousness of faith..."
There is no righteousness of unbelief, in spite of the claims of UOJ salesmen.


"This doctrine of faith..."


Righteousness - only through faith in Him.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Melanchthon Did NOT Use Ambrose To Teach UOJ.
This Is NOT the Golden Casket Holding UOJ - Just the Opposite



Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV

That We Obtain Remission of Sins by Faith Alone in Christ.


103] Here and there among the Fathers similar testimonies are extant. For Ambrose says in his letter to a certain Irenaeus: Moreover, the world was subject to Him by the Law for the reason that, according to the command of the Law, all are indicted, and yet, by the works of the Law, no one is justified, i.e., because, by the Law, sin is perceived, but guilt is not discharged. The Law, which made all sinners, seemed to have done injury, but when the Lord Jesus Christ came, He forgave to all sin which no one could avoid, and, by the shedding of His own blood, blotted out the handwriting which was against us. This is what he says in Rom. 5:20: "The Law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Because after the whole world became subject, He took away the sin of the whole world, as he [John] testified, saying John 1:29: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." And on this account let no one boast of works, because no one is justified by his deeds. But he who is righteous has it given him because he was justified after the laver [of Baptism]. Faith, therefore, is that which frees through the blood of Christ, because he is blessed "whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered," Ps. 32:1,104] These are the words of Ambrose, which clearly favor our doctrine; he denies justification to works, and ascribes to faith that it sets us free 105] through the blood of Christ. Let all the Sententiarists, who are adorned with magnificent titles, be collected into one heap. For some are called angelic; others, subtile, and others irrefragable [that is, doctors who cannot err.] When all these have been read and reread, they will not be of as much aid for understanding Paul as is this one passage of Ambrose.

***

GJ - One of the fads of UOJ is the use of Ambrose to prove UOJ in the Book of Concord. I am always open to argumentation, and I enjoy seeing how one of the great theologians makes his points.

First of all, this document is literally the Defense of the Augsburg Confession. To clarify how important the 1530 confession was, the Formula of Concord authors confessed with Luther that they were "theologians of the Augsburg Confession."

Luther identified with Augsburg, and the Concordists did as well.

Melanchthon was an early member of the Reformation and a lucid defender of justification by faith. Please show me in the 1530 confession where he departed from that stance, the very stance where he was a pioneer on his own. I asked Robert Preus about that, and Preus agreed that was true.

Second - what is the title of this section in the Apology?

That We Obtain Remission of Sins by Faith Alone in Christ.

A good writer will set up his theme and follow that theme, especially where so much is at stake. Therefore, the point of this entire section is justification by faith alone. As my friends say, JBFA.

Third - Melanchthon was clearly in harmony with Luther's distinction (made in the Galatians commentary) that there are indeed two justifications:

  • Justification by works.
  • Justification by faith.
Is the issue in this paragraph justification without faith? No, because the Reformers never considered such a ridiculous notion. That came from Samuel Huber and other heretics. This is Melancthon, who gave up a fabulous estate (of books) to stay with the Reformation. Remaining a Catholic would have made him a hero and the owner of a priceless library.

The Romanists were (and still are) arguing for faith plus works in justification. That means, for those addled from study at Mequon, that we must have works added to be forgiven. Therefore, Melancthon used one of the great theologians of the papacy to eliminate works from the formula. 

Nor did Melancthon stumble stupidly into the fantasy land of UOJ. Did he not teach the Means of Grace in the Augsburg Confession? Did he not teach the efficacy of the Word, Law and Gospel? The pea-brains of Mequon, Bethany, St. Louis, and Ft. Wayne cannot grasp the basics of Luther's doctrine, the truths of that tiny little booklet called the Augsburg Confession.

They remind me of the ideologues ranting about health insurance as a "Constitutional right" without knowing the lack of individual rights in the Constitution itself.

So how did Melanchthon lure people into thinking this paragraph is all about UOJ?

One must take into account the mule-headed ignorance of the UOJ crowd. They know everything. They do not need to study anything. Everyone needs to listen to them, because they never stop talking, censoring, accusing, weaving and dodging, hedging and trimming.

They love John 1:29 for UOJ, but the Fourth Gospel does not say that at all. 

KJV John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Lenski:
The verb itself may mean either “to take up and bear” or “to take away,” “to remove.” For the latter compare John 11:48; 15:2; 17:15; 19:31 and 38, passages which show that this meaning is beyond doubt. If the meaning “to take up,” “to bear,” is preferred, the force of the present tense would be peculiar: the Lamb in the act of taking up. Something would have to be supplied, namely, the very thought brought out by the other meaning. For this Lamb will not again lay down its burden, will not carry its burden indefinitely, but will take it completely away. So we correct Luther’s version traegt and abide by our English versions, “taketh away.”
Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. John's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 127.

The verse does not mean "the Lamb of God who absolves all unbelievers, without faith and without the Word." As Lenski wrote, it means not only to bear and carry those sins, but to remove them in the atonement.

UOJ salesmen are always crafty.

UOJ Storm-Puppets have a terrible hang-up with the atonement. They cannot distinguish between the atonement and justification by faith. Both become one and both become their Gospel. One must hear these addled leaders explain themselves to get the full impact of their error.

I have heard people like Wayne Mueller tell an audience of teens, "Mission work is easy. Just walk up and say to people - Yours sins are already forgiven." Luther said that people will respond to this like a cow staring at a newly painted fence.

I can tell the poor, suffering readers of Ichabod one truth - UOJ is the only dogma of WELS, Missouri, and the Little Sect on the Prairie. They cannot see anything else. Everything is explained and excused with UOJ. And UOJ is the source of their crimes, scandals, and abuse.

Likewise, they cannot find justification by faith in Romans 5, even though the theme is clearly - 

KJV Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of 
God.

I have mentioned many times that UOJists are allergic to faith, that this allergy leads to rash statements. This paragraph is their golden casket, but it contains JFBA, not UOJ. True to the theme announced in the heading, forgiveness comes through faith. They hold up this paragraph but warn against faith. Have they read this paragraph? I think not. The great Ambrose paragraph is another gem about justification by faith alone.

They are Biblical, these UOJ fanatics - The blind lead the blind and fall into a pit.

The message of the atonement is the Gospel, and the Gospel is received through faith.

Oddly enough, the UOJ Enthusiasts resort to Decision Theology, as Walther did, when they say that to be forgiven, one must make a decision in favor of universal absolution.



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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Melanchthon Did NOT Use Ambrose To Teach UOJ. This...":

Ichabod -

Nice mini commentary! I think you make the point how corrupted teaching is fomented and promulgated by corrupted leadership.

One of the major reasons for this corruption is, from the wrong interpretation of the text. You illustrate this (by quoting Lenski) when it is shown how John 1:29 is [only] translated to mean, “takes away.”

"Takes away" as Lenski says, can also be, "taking up," "bearing." Thus it is very easy to understand why the Lutheran theological academia crowd of universal objective justification enthusiast zealots, become entangled with their false doctrine. They overlook one of the basic hermeneutical tools which non seminary students of the Scriptures, use effectively; that being, comparing Scripture to Scripture.

Allow me to do some comparing Scripture with the John 1:29 Scripture:

I'll add the corollary comparing Scripture of Isaiah 53:4 - "Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows....."
Also: 1 Peter 2:14 - "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body....."

The emphasis in John 1:29 is on "bore;" or, "bare." Not on erasing [taking away] as the myopic UOJ disciples would have their congregations mistakenly believe.

Finally, you say:

".....Oddly enough, the UOJ Enthusiasts resort to Decision Theology, as Walther did, when they say that to be forgiven, one must make a decision in favor of universal absolution."

Yes! That is spot on. I've stated this "decision" mentality in another way in another comment. But, you have zeroed in on that aspect of UOJ mesmerized fixation - and, it can be traced to C.F. Walther as you adeptly illustrate with his black and white pic; and quote.

One other thing: Thinking of what you stated about WELS Wayne Mueller misleading teens, by saying:

"Mission work is easy. Just walk up and say to people - Yours sins are already forgiven." I say to that - No wonder why Lutherans in general have for umpteen years been bereft of much mission success; because their approach is man orientated rather than Holy Spirit led. The corruption of preaching universal objective justification to the sinner is as about as successful as telling an ugly wart hog that she can transform himself into a respectable farm sow.

Nathan M. Bickel

www.thechristianmessage.org

www.moralmatters.org

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Melanchthon Did NOT Use Ambrose To Teach UOJ. This...":

Ichabod -

I just thought of something. I thought how the universal objective justification error is being continually reinforced in WELS [and other Lutheran church bodies]

Part of the liturgy song quite frequently, is:

"Lamb of God; You 'take away' the sin of the world........"

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bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Melanchthon Did NOT Use Ambrose To Teach UOJ. This...":

UOJer's hit new low: The Gospel equals free beer:

http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=22337


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bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Melanchthon Did NOT Use Ambrose To Teach UOJ. This...":

UOJers play to antinomian instincts with Rev. Fisk's new book:

http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=22372

Broken: 7 "Christian" Rules That Every Christian Ought to Break as Often as Possible

http://www.cph.org/p-19471-broken-7-christian-rules-that-every-christian-ought-to-break-as-often-as-possible.aspx?SearchTerm=broken

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Melanchthon Did NOT Use Ambrose To Teach UOJ. This...":

Here's a recent comment from Joe Krohn - JBFA anathamatizer and UOJ advocate:

Joe Krohn said...
Christ came to save the world and not condemn it.

If I were a thirsty man and found a well, the well would not be real unless I drank from it.

There is no comfort in your gospel, fellas.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 11:09:00 PM GMT+10:00


http://extranos.blogspot.com/2012/08/uojers-deny-they-are-huberites-at.html

The rationalism of UOJ in a teeny tiny nutshell.

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LPC said...

Joe,

I do not know what your metaphor is all about. At least this is what I know, the well is real whether you drink from it or not. Your action does not make something real or false.

Lastly, what you have is a gospel of false comfort, would you prefer that? Your formulation of the Gospel denies the faith created by the HS through the MoG.

In fact in your formulation, the MoG does not mediated such that the person comes to faith and thereby get justified at the point of faith. Your MoG declares already a reality that happened to them be they believe it or not.

Your position is inconsistent with your own doctrine of universal absolution/justification. Huber was a better theologian than you folks, for he rightly deduced that if universal absolution is true all the rest are superfluous, which is quasi-universalistic.

LPC

Open versus Closed Discussions:
Hate-Filled UOJ Fanatics Hate the Truth

Martin Luther - a new theologian to study - for Mequon graduates.

Pope Paul the Plagiarist says that I rob people of the comfort of forgiveness without faith. Lenski used to call that "carnal security." If I have robbed the poorly taught of their carnal security, I am pleased.

The UOJ Enthusiasts have been trying to silence me for many years, even though I have no position to threaten them, no money to give or deny.

In contrast, I want people to study the crafts and assaults of McCain, Cascione, Werning, Olson, Kelm, Valleskey, and Moldstad. The only way to defeat false doctrine is to know their weapons, take away those weapons, and throw the Gospel down in defeat. And bounce the rubble.

UOJ leaders hate discussion, unlike the Means of Grace people. I am thankful that the obdurate ignorance and false claims of the crypto-Universalists have gotten me into a study of the post-Reformation era. P. Leyser? I knew who he was. I used to own his edition of the Examination of the Council of Trent, in Latin. The book is now in a secure, undisclosed location. 

But I did not know anything about Leyser. He was chosen as an expert on justification by faith early in his career. He was an editor of the Book of Concord, 1580. And he demolished the UOJ of Samuel Huber. Note - there were conferences on justification during and after the Reformation. Those conferences led to the superb discussion of The Righteousness of Faith in the Formula of Concord.



This is how sad and sick Lutherdom has become - most Lutheran pastors and few Lutheran leaders have any grasp of the Formula of Concord. 

Lutherans have never been afraid of study and discussion. Papalists hate study and discussion. 

Looking Forward to the Galatians Commentary Study


Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "New Bible Study - The Galatians Commentary of Luth...":

Looking forward to this study. Luther's Commentary on Galatians abolishes the false gospel of Universal Justification.

Here's a link to Luther quotes dealing with lies within the church. This one defends our claim that the Lutheran Synods and apostate clergy and laity who promote and defend the 100% false gospel of UOJ are of the devil (acknowledging that there are churches, pastors and laity who do not confess the Christ denying doctrine of UOJ and are still of Christ's Church. But there are few and fewer still who are willing to stand openly with Christ and publicly defend His Chief and Central doctrine of Scripture. A person cannot remain on the fence for long because it indicates a lack of faith and trust in God's Word and leads others to act in the same offensive manner.

Luther
"But to return to our point: They must themselves admit, whether they like it or not, that the church of Christ neither lies nor deceives... Therefore the holy church cannot and may not lie or suffer false doctrine, but must teach nothing except what is holy and true, that is, God's word alone; and where it teaches a lie it is idolatrous and the whore-church of the devil" (LW 41:214).

And many more...enjoy!
http://www.ccmverax.org/LutherLies.htm#Church 

***

GJ - Thanks for the link, Brett. 

New Bible Study - The Galatians Commentary of Luther

Brett trumped my suggestion with this free edition:

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "New Bible Study - The Galatians Commentary of Luth...":

Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians (1535)
by Martin Luther
Translated by Theodore Graebner
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1949)

http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/gal/web/gal-inx.html 


This text was prepared by Laura J. Hoelter for Project Wittenberg by Robert E. Smith and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to:
Rev. Robert E. Smith
Walther Library
Concordia Theological Seminary.
E-mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu
Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA
Phone: (260) 452-3149 - Fax: (260) 452-2126

This is the printed version of the Graebner, if you want to buy a book.
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Kregel edition
 I was suggesting the Kregel green paperback, Luther's Galatians Commentary. I am going to post and use the Graebner edition instead.

http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qwork=1202209&matches=28&cm_sp=works*listing*title

This link seems to be the same one, the Kregel:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0825431212/ref=dp_olp_used_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=used

We will start the Sunday after this. We are finishing Hebrews 13 this Sunday.

I will be preparing an orderly set of graphics based on the Kregel, using those quotations and page numbers.

Another option is the American Edition, which is two volumes. That is more expensive, even on the used market. But if you have it - hey.

And there are other editions and the Kregel. The one I have posted on the blog (links above) is a shorter version. I wonder if it was an earlier effort. I have not found out yet.

The larger version is a late commentary, very mature in expressing Luther on justification by faith.

Another source for the green Kregel edition:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1635019.Commentary_On_Galatians

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "New Bible Study - The Galatians Commentary of Luth...":

Ichabod -

Are you going to post a comment on the Steadfastscrubbing .org "Lutheran" website alerting them of this Luther [online] treasure, since they have been forbidden by their moderators and the McCaininites from accessing this site?

***

GJ - Steadfast blocked me without telling me. Some time ago I posted one or two non-threatening things, part of a discussion.

Abusive Churches: Leaving Them Behind

Pastoral care in abusive church bodies.
Abusive Churches: Leaving Them Behind:


In a previous article called Abusive Churches, I discussed the characteristics of abusive churches.(1) As a result of the questions and feedback I have received, I felt it might be helpful to share some positive steps to recovery from an abusive church experience.

Leaving an unhealthy church situation can leave some very deep scars. One example of the collateral damage is a very painful exit process. Those who leave an unhealthy church situation suffer isolation, bitterness, embarrassment, grief, and anger. This is coupled with confusion and wondering how God could let this happen. They also chide themselves for getting into such a group and staying in the organization as long as they did.


'via Blog this'

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Abusive Churches: Leaving Them Behind":

Ichabod -

This is an excellent article which you have linked. I especially like what it says about "abusive leaders." Sadly and pathetically, so, I believe that is happening in many Christian churches; Lutheran churches, included.

Here, is the portion of what I am referring [to]:

Excerpt:

>>>>>>>> ........ Abusive leaders use their position to demand loyalty and submission. Ken Blue states, "I have heard many pastors say to their congregations, 'Because I am the pastor, you must follow me.' Their demand was not based on truth or the God-directedness of their leadership but on their title. That is a false basis of authority . . . any appeal to authority based on position, title, degree or office is false. The only authority God recognizes and to which we should submit to is truth." ....... <<<<<<<<

http://www.batteredsheep.com/abusive_02.html

I still think that what seminaries and Bible [leader] schools lack is a practical training for their perspective pastoral graduates. Would that these schools pumping out candidates to fill Christian pulpits have "on the job" training on sheep farms, learning the whole process of tending and caring for a sheep fold. So much of the Scripture's terminology is related in Shepard and sheep metaphors. Also, in that same vein of thought, it would not hurt for perspective pastors to work in some vineyards; learning the cycle of planting to wine press pressing.

Finally, - and, I hate to refer again to the common error, now rampant in Christendom; that being, the preached and promulgated error of General Universalism; but, I see how that destructive doctrine hinders the full fledge teaching and preaching about the Holy Spirit. And, when pastors ignore the Holy Spirit; they become abusive. I believe that there is a direct linkage.

Nathan M. Bickel

www.thechristianmessage.org

www.moralmatters.org

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solafide (http://solafide.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Abusive Churches: Leaving Them Behind":

I agree that there needs to be more emphasis on actually serving the needs of the flock instead of the constant pedestal building that happens, especially in the WELS schools.

Very few pastors overseeing vicars and teachers overseeing student teachers concentrate on the really important things. They're all too worried about learning how to write a sermon (they can't do this before vicar year?! seriously, I know pastors who spent weeks getting a vicar's sermon up to par) or teaching that perfect math lesson. Of course, these aspects are important, but the most important aspect is preaching and teaching the Gospel.

As I said, MLC is too busy building and putting teachers on pedestals with advanced degrees and certifications, and the "pastor" has always been put on a pedestal, and now WLS grads are making sure people know that they are better - they know Greek!

Denominations That Abuse Their Members and Pastors

"Anathema sit!"
Various articles on the Net remind me how abusive the denominations are today. The more they rely on the hierarchy, the more abusive they are. Nevertheless, congregations and pastors accept this for the most part, because they fear the abuse turning on them.

Pope John gave Rolf Preus a vacation
and got rid of him during the "vacation."
Ministers should take a stay-cation when this option is offered.

Pope John the Malefactor forced congregations to accept the newest variation on church and ministry. If not, the pastor and congregation would be kicked out of the Little Sect on the Prairie. After doing as much damage as possible, John Moldstad went on a trip around the world, at ELS expense, to see the Lord's work first-hand, taking some pals along.

The Episcopal Church is a leading example, mortgaging their headquarters so they can sue their own congregations and bishops. The ELCA has used similar tactics to enforce its rules, bragging about their reconciling attempts with those once denied rostered status.

There is no divide between the extreme Left and the so-called conservative groups. As the ELS has shown, even a tiny sect will bully and threaten people into submission.

Abusive Characteristics:

"A central feature of an abusive church is control-oriented leadership. The leader in an abusive church is dogmatic, self-confident, arrogant, and the spiritual focal point in the lives of his followers."

Control is everything in ELCA, WELS, the ELS, the CLC (sic). There may be illusions of participating, even with voting, but everyone knows the outcome before it starts. The process (see ChurchMouse) is there to eliminate dissent and to promote acceptance of the agenda.

The bishops, DPs, Circuit Pastors and camp followers have no concept of humility. Even the mildest questioning throws them into towering rages. They could tear up trees by their roots, as Luther once wrote.

"Abusive churches are characterized by the manipulation of their members. Manipulation is the use of external forces to get others to do what someone else wants them to do. Here manipulation is used to get people to submit to the leadership of the church. The tactics of manipulation include the use of guilt, peer pressure, intimidation, and threats of divine judgment from God for disobedience. Often harsh discipline is carried out publicly to promote ridicule and humiliation."

Shunning is the most obvious method used in various church bodies. Ministers and congregations fear being tossed into the outer darkness. They know from the past what it means to have 99% of their friends go silent or hostile. Best friends will even phone or visit to open up more wounds. One Missouri pastor told me how he lost all his friends the moment he left, only to get them back (as if nothing happened) years later when  
he rejoined. Bill Bischoff in St. Louis could not stand the fact that he could no longer take out books from his seminary library when he joined the LCR. He came back to Missouri. His wife could go to the ladies' meetings again. What joy. She even spoke to the national meeting. Acceptance - the fatted calf killed in thanksgiving.

Ridicule and humiliation? I have witnessed so many examples that I hardly know where to start. WELS likes to drive pastors out, break them, and welcome them back as shell-shocked survivors lucky to have any job at all. The prodigals who return will never murmur again - or be in contact with those who do. 

The shunned will hear all kinds of fanciful stories leaked to their friends. If they object to this, they are "bitter."

"The third characteristic of abusive churches is the rigid, legalistic lifestyle of their members. This rigidity is a natural result of the leadership style. Abusive churches require unwavering devotion to the church from their followers. Allegiance to the church has priority over allegiance to God, family, or anything else."
I translate this as Ten Thousand Unwritten Rules. One is - never question the leadership about anything. A minister can embezzle, molest children, or murder his wife. False doctrine is no problem - it is a resume enhancer. But if he questions the leaders, he is on the radar for elimination. 

People will say, "Write a letter," as SP Schroeder urges (meaning - Don't bother me). Or - you have to sit down with that person and explain what is wrong. But those are simply first steps toward being shunned, humiliated, and removed. And shunned some more. And having the family members and friends shunned for not joining in the shunning.

"In churches like these, people begin to lose their personal identity and start acting like programmed robots. Many times, the pressure and demands of the church will cause a member to have a nervous breakdown or fall into severe depression."

Another part of this is being a Keeper of the Lies. A pastor may be known for an openly degenerate life, but the lies about him must continue because the truth would reflect badly on Holy Mother Church. The professor was not arrested for being a drunken driver because the lawyer got that charge erased. Nobody went to Fuller because I just said so.

What I have found most disturbing is the robotic responses of WELS pastors to the same issue, a verbatim response. If D. James Kennedy's name came up, the response was, "He is an Arminian. At least they accept the universal atonement. The Calvinists have a limited atonement." I had two different men say the same words, in completely different circumstances. Another one was, "Don't say capitalist. Say free enterprise." One pastor said that, then another weeks later. The effect of such responses is to stifle independent thinking, even in the use of certain terms. I find it spooky and unsettling.

Many times the required response is a lie, and everyone knows it. To identify the lie as a deception means one is leaving the reservation, which is not allowed.

"...abusive churches usually denounce all other Christian churches. They see themselves as spiritually elite. They feel that they alone have the truth and all other churches are corrupt." 

Each Lutheran sect denounces all the others while working with all the others. The "conservative" Lutherans supposedly know all about the errors of Babtists, Meffdists, and the rest, but they spend an inordinate amount of time and money studying ministry with those same errorists. Do not point that out. Oh no. It is like the Mormon faculty member who wrote that the Mormon faculty at the Mormon college drank Coke all the time. Death threats followed.

Synod President Mark Schroeder and his homosexual Director of Communications, Joel Hochmuth, sent out a letter to everyone denouncing ELCA's honest stance on homosexuality. That letter was still posted on a WELS congregation's websty long after Hochmuth was arrested for swapping man-boy rape files with other degenerates. When I pointed out the irony, the letter disappeared from the congregation's websty - but I had already preserved it on this blog.

Try bringing that up at the next circuit meeting.

"The sixth characteristic follows naturally. Because abusive churches see themselves as elite, they expect persecution in the world and even feed on it. Criticism and exposure by the media are seen as proof that they are the true church being persecuted by Satan. However, the persecution received by abusive churches is different from the persecution received by Jesus and the Apostles.

Jesus and the Apostles were persecuted for preaching the truth. Abusive churches bring on much of their negative press because of their own actions."

Abusive church bodies hold themselves above the rest, so the leaders cannot be questioned and the lies must be kept in their secure lock-box. They do not teach the cross, but glory in their material achievements instead. Yet they sigh and moan about how difficult it is to be so pure among so many swinish denominations - the same ones where they worship and study.

Animal Farm is a good allegory for the denominations today.
I told one pastor years ago, "You are Snowball." He agreed.

"The seventh characteristic of abusive churches is that they tend to target young adults ages 18-25 who are in the middle class, well educated, idealistic, and often immature Christians. Young adults are the perfect age group to focus on because they are often looking for a cause to give their lives to, and they need love, affirmation, and acceptance. Often these churches will provide this, and the leaders frequently take the role of surrogate parents."

This is why parents should keep their children from abusive parochial schools. The purpose of those schools today is to promote the worship of Holy Mother Synod, to establish bullying and conformity in the next generation. The younger the children start, the more time the abusers have to mold them into denominational robots.

The education is decidedly third-rate, but provided at Ivy League prices.


"The eighth characteristic is a painful and difficult exit process. Members in many such churches are afraid to leave because of intimidation, pressure, and threats of divine judgment. Sometimes members who exit are harassed and pursued by church leaders. The majority of the time, former members are publicly ridiculed and humiliated before the church, and members are told not to associate in any way with any former members. This practice is called shunning.

Many who leave abusive churches because of the intimidation and brainwashing, actually feel they have left God Himself. None of their former associates will fellowship with them, and they feel isolated, abused, and fearful of the world."

I have to ask SynConference innocents - Do you really want to keep your children in a sect where evidence is routinely and systematically destroyed? Where people are ordered not to discuss the felonies of their felonious church leaders? And the confessionals agree to delete the facts?

If you really believe the true Church is invisible, then you will not let the visible organization bully you into submission.

There are great short-term rewards for going along with the abuse. The synod leaders will erase evidence against you and play stupid with the police. For some leaders, that is not too much of an effort. The leaders will also reward those who going along with the abuse and do a little rib-kicking themselves. Do you covet a better call? Back-stab a friend and rejoice in it. Would you prefer foreign missions? Kick and jab, or play dumb.

However, the abusive sect that rewards abusers will also toss them out for various reasons or no reason at all. Many clergy and laity have found themselves on infinite hold after being loyal attack Yorkies.

The long-term rewards mean bearing the cross. The Old Adam is tortured rather than soothed. It is not pleasant to know how much dross there is to consume.

The gold refined is the spiritual wisdom of the Word. Then one discovers the real Apostle Paul, the Anfectungen of Luther, the life story of Paul Gerhardt. The five-minute thumbnail sketches are gone, replaced by another understanding.





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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Denominations That Abuse Their Members and Pastors...":

Ichabod -

Excellent commentary on this denominational abuse of pastors and the laity!

It is so true what you say:

"If you really believe the true Church is invisible, then you will not let the visible organization bully you into submission."

Furthermore, I think for the most part, pastors and church members aren't often perceptive of Scripture's predictions [including Jesus' words] being played out in today's culture. Persecution is expected from the world; but the hardest to bear, comes from the visible church. It is most difficult to bear because it smacks of an "Et tu, Brute?" fashion.

And, if a church going Christian is not [spiritually] stabbed, directly; there is the subtle [spiritually abusive] shunning process (which you point out) which is the prolonged "molesting" process of outright denial of that Christian's presence; validity and importance in the overall [invisible] Body of Christ.

Nathan M. Bickel

www.thechristianmessage.org

www.moralmatters.org 

San Francisco archbishop-elect arrested for drunk driving | Reuters

"I'll beat this rap.
Mequon loaned me their best DUI lawyer."

San Francisco archbishop-elect arrested for drunk driving | Reuters:

"(Reuters) - San Francisco Archbishop-elect Salvatore Cordileone, known for a conservative stance on same-sex marriage, has been arrested in his native San Diego for drunk driving, police said on Monday."

'via Blog this'