Walther the Pietistic Pentecostal

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/09/bullies-make-sure-there-is-only-one.html

LPC has left a new comment on your post "Bullies Make Sure There Is Only One Side of the Ar...":

Walther was a true Pentecostal minister. Pentecostal ministers never like to be questioned and they have no tolerance for dissent. Anyone who opposes them is considered a heretic, a well known bullying tactic.

May be back then these LC-MS Lutherans were really Pentecostals who love to quote, "touch not the Lord's anointed".

These so called "orthodox Lutheran" luminaries question everything; for example they question some parts of their denomination, an example of this is the so called "Steadfast Lutheran (sic)" group who does this often. Yet, they never question the source nor the origin of their denomination nor examine their history.

BTW, just observe, the number of historical scholars they have, they out number the exegetical and systematic scholars.

Ironic, no?

We call this ineptitude - the incapability of self-reflection.

LPC

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Three statues of Walther in Missouri?
Perryville, Purple Palace, and this creepy shrine.

GJ - Walther never received a solid Lutheran education. He had a four-year degree in rationalism plus his experiences with various domineering cell groups. Later he confessed the Stephan was a bit of a Pietist! So funny. If Walther was in a Halle-led Bible study cell group, a Pietistic cell until their leader moved and died, and Stephan's cell group ministry - Ferdy was a Pietist himself.

Walther served under two oppressive, demanding, take-no-prisoners Pietistic gurus. It was only natural that he was formed by that abuse and became another abuser.

He did not want the early history of the Missouri Synod written down, because he was so much involved in it.

But he did glory in the honors, in the big parade for him. The LCMS is the only Lutheran sect that venerates a criminal as a saint, ignoring the real founder Stephan in favor of his enforcer.

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bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Walther the Pietistic Pentecostal":

With Walther being such a criminal held in high regard in the Missouri Synod, it's good that Walther & Co. were not the Twelve Disciples. Otherwise, the Christian Church would be venerating the two thieves on the cross instead of Jesus.

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Walther the Pietistic Pentecostal":

Icahabod -

I'm still waiting for the LCMS to rid itself of these C. F. Walther graven images. Even the secular school of Penn State musters more worldly sense than any spiritual sense that Missouri has proffered; - at least to this point.

Those 10 incriminating actions of Walther are very telling and convincing. And Dr. Cruz makes an excellent point about Missouri's lack of self-reflection.

My question is: "Why won't Missouri harness all their doctrine into some practical theology and tear down these vain, shameful and embarrassing images?

Nathan M. Bickel

www.thechristianmessage.org
www.moralmatters.org

***

Stephan was investigated by the courts for his immorality before he left.
Walther kidnapped his niece and nephew and escaped arrest warrants issued by the police.

GJ - The 200th anniversary of Walther is revealing. The mythologists are still telling the same lies. Pastor Otten admitted that they lie about the armed kidnapping of Stephan at the cult center in Perryville.

The new Stephan book was attacked by the rabid dogs of Missouridom, even though 90% of the facts were already published in Zion on the Mississippi.

The problem with the Stephan book is that last 10%, which explains so much. Without spelling out the details, In Search of Religious Freedom (hardee-har-har title) shows that Stephan had a long-standing case of syphilis. His horrible rashes were syphilis, so he went to spas for treatment. His later children were born with syphilis, and the wife and children died young. Do we assume that Walther looked at those pitiable children and knew nothing of syphilis? that he saw young women around Stephan and suspected nothing until years later? that Stephan sailed for the Promised Land with his mistress and not his wife, but no one suspected anything?

Stephan had permission to hold cell group meetings at his Pietistic church,
but he often took young women along on his walks late at night,
for additional conventicle meetings.

ELCA Pastor Says the Bible “Doesn’t Tell Me What To Do” - Exposing the ELCA

Feel free to agree with us,
or we'll sue your pants off.

http://youtu.be/CmOrWG2FTbg



ELCA Pastor Says the Bible “Doesn’t Tell Me What To Do” - Exposing the ELCA:

The news article about Rev. Larzelere goes on to tell us, “He sees the Bible not as the literal word of God but as ‘a collection of stories, history and poems. It is not a talking book. It doesn’t tell me what to do.’”

'via Blog this'

Bullies Make Sure There Is Only One Side of the Argument

Everyone in favor, say Aye!
Anyone else? Go away.

I met a retired colonel in the local post office. We talked a few minutes and he invited me to the next school board meeting. Later I learned from Google that he was a Green Beret in Viet Nam, a football star, a college professor, and college board member.

All we wanted to do at the board meeting was introduce an idea for Bella Vista to have its own schools.

This is an unusual town, set up to be an active retirement village for geezers like me - only I do not boat, fish, golf, hunt, or play cards. In time, many younger families moved into BV, but their children had to be bussed to Bentonville or Gravette. At this point BV has 3,000 children in school and no schools. The bus-rides are rather long in rush hour traffic, so LTC. Jim Parsons and I spoke about a future district for this town.

Reaction varied at two district board meetings. Some were quite attentive and receptive. Others were combative and loud. The local papers published editorials against the idea, before and after the meeting in Bentonville, where most of the school tax money goes. Jim and I laughed about the free publicity. "Now they will discuss it around town."

Parsons gave me his book to read - Hillary and Other Bullies. He dealt with the Clintons when they were limiting their damage to Arkansas, and he fought to take down signs honoring the disgraced president. Parsons has argued for spending tax money wisely and being fair to the teachers who do their jobs.

We had several conversations about bullies we have known.

The SynConference has a well deserved reputation for bullying, which began with its founder, Bishop Martin Stephan, STD. He made sure that all the pastors obeyed him without question. They simply overlooked his flagrant adultery with young women, including his stay at the spa (in one room) with his main mistress, while he was being treated for syphilis. Walther "suddenly" discovered that Stephan was an adulterer, but he did not treat the leader with anything resembling Biblical principles.


KJV Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Instead, Walther stole the bishop's land in two different maneuvers, organized a mob, threatened the man's life, stole a small fortune, robbed the bishop of his extensive library and personal effects, and kidnapped him at gunpoint, forcing him across the river to Illinois. Walther stole the bishop's own chalice, given to him as a personal gift, and used it for Holy Communion at Trinity Lutheran Church. Thieves love to glory in their stolen goods, so they can gloat over their ill-gotten gains. The LCMS has never given the stolen chalice back to the Stephan family. They keep it locked up now. Ironic?

Walther got rid of a bishop so he could make himself the Missouri pope, an infallible ruler. Walther would not let the districts appoint his successor (which was the custom then, according to Fuerbringer).

Congregational polity is one of the ongoing myths of the Missouri Synod. The theft and sale of the campus ministry property in Minnesota is one more example of synodical tyranny. Silencing discussion about their latest child rapist (Darwin Schauer) is another example. Missouri and WELS have done just as much lying about abusive pastors and teachers as the Roman Catholic Church has.

Bullies come in many styles and positions. District Presidents and bishops are usually bullies. I have heard of good Missouri DPs and non-bullying ELCA bishops. But they are exceptions.

What does the bully DP look for in a congregation? He searches out a like-minded bully or two. He wants to work with dysfunctional members who hate God's Word and take that out on the pastor.

Synodical bullies have no respect for the call, but they are filled with their own self-importance.

Handling Bullies
In swimming class one bully liked to jump me and hold me down underwater. That was not wise on his part. On his third try, I took a deep breath and went under with him, held on, and waited until I could no longer stand it. Then I waited a few seconds more. He accused me of almost drowning him, even though he drove me down with his body-weight. He never dunked me again.

Church bullies cannot stand honesty and order, so they should be faced with both. If a  District President or Circuit Pastor wants to pull a stunt, the congregation has to say, "This is not correct procedure. We are shocked and disgusted that you would try a sneak attack on the pastor."

Congregations and districts have constitutions. More importantly, they have the Word of God to guide them. When someone swaggers in, full of wrath, ready to bounce a pastor, or slithers in like his fore-father, Satan, working with guile and deception, the action has to be stopped at once. Faith Lutheran in Moline told their bullying bishop that he and his minions would be arrested by the Moline police if they ever appeared on their church property.

Defying the Word Hardens and Blinds
Believe it or not, congregations get their jollies from undermining pastors. They do not realize that the defenestration of a pastor is the beginning of the end for their own parish. As Lyle Schaller observed, the dirty tricks used once often become the glue that holds the congregation together. Hateful actions pile up. People sense the reprobate nature of the congregation and stay away.

If there are grounds for removing a pastor, the steps taken should be considered carefully and done with great concern for his own spiritual health and future.
The only legitimate reasons for removing a pastor are:
1. Immorality.
2. Failure to do the work of a pastor.
3. Persistent false doctrine.

One wizened WELS pastor said that the first two issues alone would remove half the ministers from of the parish. One DP told me that hardly any pastor visits anymore. Great training! Great supervision! Maybe the leaders need to do their jobs once in a while.

In the third case an examination of the issues should be done with great care. The issue is not What Does Holy Mother Synod Teach? but What Does the Word of God Teach in Harmony with the Confessions?

A careful study of doctrinal issues is always worthwhile.

Walther set a bad example with being so keen to accuse all rival groups of false doctrine. He had to have his way within his own sect too. Walther was a bully. He considered himself God's Counselor and demanded the same obedience toward him that he once offered his adulterous bishop.

The bullies do not like my exploration of the true character of their sects. They want the arrests and prison terms kept a secret. They want to move against anyone with impunity, under the cloak of confidentiality. But that time has passed. I am more than ready to take another dunking, hold my breath, and then some, and see who comes up sputtering and begging for mercy.

Where are the Hounds of the Lord - Dominicans -
ready to burn all heretics at the stake?
They are busy kneeling before
Sweet, Stanley, Groeschel, Stetzer, Driscoll, Hybels, and Kelm.

Expulsion from the Garden of Eden by Thomas Cole, 1828

http://www.explorethomascole.org/gallery/items/39

Crystal Bridges just finished an exhibition of the Hudson River Valley School of Artists. The name was once used to mock the landscapes. Now they are valued, printed, sent out for special viewing. The five giant paintings called The Course of Empire just went back to the NY Historical Society.

Today, the scandal of Cole is his choice of Biblical themes. He painted St. John preaching in the wilderness and his last painting at age 47, The Good Shepherd. The sheep in the foreground has a cross on his fleece, being guided by the Shepherd to the distant flock in Paradise. Cole died soon after the painting was completed.

The Biblical themes are not incidental to Cole's work but foundational.

Detail, The Good Shepherd

Thomas Cole, The Good Shepherd, 1848

Later I will put two favorite Cole series on two separate posts. One is The Course of Empire. The other is The Stages of Life.

I put the Eden painting on Facebook's timeline, and one Lutheran immediately responded to it.

The 19th century was a time in America when the secular was beginning to win the war against the Christian Faith. We are in the last stages of that battle.

An interesting factoid has regular church-goers in America favoring Romney by over 20 points. Those who never go to church favor Obama by over 20 points. Occasional visitors to church are split.

Married women favor the GOP. Single women favor the Democrats.

At Yale Divinity School in the 1970s, married couples without children were called "singles." That was so common that we adopted the same terminology without thinking about it anymore. "Do they have children? No they are single." The reason for the word-play is that marriage and children turn the self-indulgence of youth into mature love for another person and especially for the children. A young couple without children will plan dates, but a married couple with babies will plan for the children's future.

We live in a culture of fake eternal youth, so decisions are astonishingly self-indulgent. Not everyone can have a passel of children, but now people avoid children as being financial burdens and potential headaches. One of my students said, "I don't want children because they will cost me money and take away from my time."

Older people like me become more serious about doctrine because there is not much left to accomplish and eternal life looms ahead. I see younger classmates struggling to stay alive, and that makes me more grateful to God for the energy I have left.

The secular rationalists have won  in Lutherdom. The choices in 1960s Moline were:
1. Liturgical services, with Biblical sermons.

That was taken for granted. With a bit of travel, one could find a congregation from the LCMS:
1. Liturgical service, traditional hymns, Biblical sermon.

At some point WELS built a chapel in a cornfield, on the way to Augustana College. It was a:
1. Liturgical service, with the LCMS-WELS hymnal, and had Biblical sermons.

The choices were so limited in the Quad-Cities that no one thought, "Let's have a pit band, clowns, and a minister dressed like he is going to mow the hay in the back 40." Lutherans were liturgical. Pentecostals were enter-turgical, with predictable beehives for the women and keyboards and ignorant preachers in pompadours.

The secular rationalists see everything in the church as a business. Few people realize that all the Roman Catholic religious orders are manages as self-supporting businesses. They look with gimlet eye at every chance to make money and loathe any obstacle to profits. Mother Theresa was a magnet for gathering money for the poor for the Church of Rome.

The four-letter Lutheran synods (ELCA, WELS, LCMS) are money-making rackets in cahoots with the Thrivent anti-Lutheran insurance business. In each synod a tiny minority rakes off the biggest share of money for themselves. Like Roman bishops, they live like princes and rule like the despots they are.

Just watch one of these synodical wolves meddling with congregations, undermining pastors, enabling dysfunctional members, and then saying "I am helpless to deal with notorious adulterers, flagrant false teachers, and mincing minsters with an eye for the altar boys."

I liked the old system of slavery better. The slave-masters did not charge huge fees to pay for their luxuries, calling them missions, while motivating everyone with a whip.

Here is the biggest laugh of all. The Church Growth Movement came down from the ELCA-WELS-LCMS-ELS leaders. The Church Growth fad was imposed, sold, and funded with offering money, the biggest skimming operation since Congress took office under Obama.

Now that the Church Growth Movement is a colossal and expensive failure, the synods blame the members and pastors for failing to make them look good.

And even funnier - or more tragic - they are now training the dumbest pastors and stupidest members to become generic Groeschel Methodists as the Final Solution for changing demographics. Using Groeschel, they are training people to hate Biblical doctrine and accelerate apostasy. Hate the Confessions. Dump the liturgy. Sing the kiddie songs. Pay the talentless rock group. Copy the sermonette. Steal the graphics.

Trinity design by Norma Boeckler

Lutherans Experiencing a Change in Lutherdom

Various Lutherans have mentioned to me that they notice a change in Lutherdom. The over-paid officials are not any wiser. The seminary professors still choose between Fuller Seminary and the Pope. Money is tight, and the doctrine is still loose and watery.

The change is coming from the Internet.

The Net has made plagiarism faster and easier. People used to manually copy the work they were stealing, but tracking it down was just as laborious. Now readers can do a Google search on Cyberbrethren and detect Paul McCain's plagiarism in a few seconds.

The Net is the new printing press, a major innovation in communication - more significant than radio, television, or the infomercial. Therefore, the Net has spawned many tools to making this communication even more efficient. Many of us own a large collection of digital books on our hard drives, made possible by PDFs from Adobe and other digital formats.

Now information and opinions can be shared world-wide for free, instantaneously. I met a Lutheran missionary from Brazil. I know he was keeping up by reading Ichabod. I smile when I see the red light glowing on the Feedjit map - bottom, left column. Israel has been lit up.

Blogs cross-pollinate. I often think to myself, "What would ChurchMouse say about this? If I say Calvinists contradict one another, what would he say about Lutherans?"

I am guessing that the opinion forums have opened up the musty basement storage closet of Lutherdom. Steadfast Lutherans is somewhat managed by SP Matt Harrison; Intrepid Lutherans is shadowed by SP Mark Schroeder. Ichabod is also an opinion forum, where many participate anonymously and others use their names.

At least three Martin Luther College students have heard faculty discussing how to keep their work off the Ichabod radar screen. That was confirmed by the faculty's immediate, forceful denials. The faculty have their names listed in Google Alerts, in case they come up on this blog. They promote this blog by telling entire classrooms not to read Ichabod.

The fact remains, any corrupt official or apostate professor is going to think twice today about the being featured on one or more blogs. The officials can censor the news, as Matt Harrison did with the Darwin Schauer child molestation scandal, but the word is out and the WayBack Machine works. (WayBack picks up old posts, even the erased ones.) I still feature Schauer and Hochmuth, plus anyone else who gets arrested doing the Lord's work.

There are secret blogs and email lists. I find those terribly sad and cowardly. The apostates and the faithful should duke it out in public. Anaerobic infections are the worst kind. The carbuncle of Lutherdom needs to be lanced, not Photoshopped.

Many contributed to my Church Growth collection of quotations. This has not kept the worst false teachers from being promoted and protected in WELS. At least the follies are known today.

WELS Exegesis Overlooks Anything Contrary to Their Dogma

A. Berean has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Debate and Information on Extra Nos":

Don't forget that Scripture does say that we believe in Christ IN ORDER to be forgiven (or in this following passage justified). Galatians 2:16: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." The greek word ινα is used which means "that; in order that" and it is used with the subjunctive (hence the "might"). So we really do believe in Christ IN ORDER to be justified. Remember too according to Romans 4, the righteousness of Christ by which we are accounted righteous is imputed to faith (vs. 5, 11, 13, 22, 24).

VirtueOnline - News

PB Schori and another dude.

VirtueOnline - News:

"My job is too big for one man, said the Archbishop of Canterbury as he was packing his bags ready to leave Lambeth Palace. Earlier he told The Telegraph that he had "failed to crack it."

The outgoing leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans suggested a form of job sharing after admitting that he had failed to do enough to prevent a split over homosexuality.

Dr. Williams said a new role should be created to oversee the day to day running of the global Anglican Communion, leaving future Archbishops of Canterbury free to focus on spiritual leadership and leading the Church of England.

In his last major interview before stepping down later his year, he acknowledged that he had struggled to balance the growing demands of the job at home and abroad. He also admitted he had "disappointed" both liberals and conservatives.

VOL: Job sharing. Lord Carey never said it was needed when he was ABC and neither has any archbishop in history suggested it was needed. Does Dr. Williams really think that this would resolve the problems of the office of ABC when most of the Global South, who make up the vast majority of the Anglican Communion, said the real problem was HIM."

'via Blog this'

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "VirtueOnline - News":

Ichabod -

I didn't know that these Episcopalians were into Halloween. Such bright and colorful costumes!

However, I hope they don't wear that garb Halloween night in the streets and scare all those children. Maybe they can have their private party, as I think from the pic, they are quite capable of doing.........

***

GJ - Check out Bad Vestments for the very worst in clerical garb.

Frank Lee Garish

The Christian Message: Part 1: The false teaching which molests the faith of Christians

The Christian Message: Part 1: The false teaching which molests the faith of Christians:

Part 1: The false teaching which molests the faith of Christians

What is the false teaching which molests the faith of Christians?

"Universal objective justification" is that false teaching which makes Christ's Atonement [Cross sacrifice] and subsequent Resurrection, a “be all” and “end all.” The false teaching essentially says that because of Christ’s all-encompassing sacrifice for human sin; that (by that action) God wiped the “world’s slate” free from sin and its eternal consequences.

Therefore, God no longer holds against the individual sinner, his sins. And, since, by Calvary’s supreme sacrifice, Christ made full satisfaction [atonement] for all human sin; past, present and future; therefore the individual sinner is acquitted of God's eternal judgment on account of his sins against God, his fellowman and all of God’s commandments.

This teaching comprises a forensic and judicial aspect. It is philosophical in nature and not practical. It’s a simplistic tool (devoid of faith) of explaining certain Scriptures which don’t jive with other Scriptures. But, that does not matter to these Universalism enthusiasts; because the Scriptures which deal with faith, belief and the Holy Spirit, are only sub level Scriptures subservient to this almighty pedestal universal [objective] justification teaching of God’s acquittal of the sinner by Christ’s sacrifice.

How is this this false Universalism teaching disseminated?

First of all, it is disseminated from youth up. Christian elementary (parochial) schools seed this teaching from pre-school on. Children are continually reminded that Jesus loves them no matter what they do; no matter how bad they've been. Coupled with this [eternal security type of "sovereign immunity" environment] there is little if no teaching about sorrow over personal sin; repentance over it or faith and belief. The central teaching always returns to the forgiveness aspect; without any personal responsibility taught and laid upon the child. If faith is even mentioned, it is pushed into the background as it isn't something of necessity or something to be cherished. This web author and emeritus pastor has documented such at his [own] grandson's school. This parochial school is a fine Christian school and much better alternative than a public school; but, the central teaching of the Christian Faith is diminished as Luther modeled it be taught, - grace through faith; and that we are justified (before God) by faith alone:

"Pastor Nathan Bickel on UOJ in WELS......."

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/07/pastor-nathan-bickel-on-uoj-in-wels.html

Secondly, this Universal justification teaching is subtly and weekly reenacted in umpteen Christian church services. Sung (“liturgy”) portions have the congregation singing: "Oh Lamb of God; you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us....." [Note: Mind you - "take away" – is not the best translation from the New Testament Greek; rather - "take up; bare"] This part of the liturgy (singing worship service), in some churches, follows the congregational assembly, confessing their sins in the corporate confessional prayer; followed by the pastor's announcement of forgiveness to them, - i.e., “in the stead and by the command of the Lord; ‘I forgive you all your sins.’”

Next, the attending church members hear the "universal objective justification" enthusiast, pastor's sermon; laced with an average sermon’s usual illustrations; sometimes one, in particular (right at the beginning) which is carried throughout the sermon as a non Scriptural theme, from the beginning, to the bitter end of the homily.

During the sermon the pastor expresses the “UOJ” (universal objective justification) "forgiveness" part. This aspect is especially appealing to the church member who puts on his Sunday best foot forward after neglecting God all week in his work, home environment and entertainment play. This grabs his particular attention as he then can forget about buying all those winless lottery tickets which weekly frustrates him as he covets his neighbors' and others' financial successes.

As the sermon winds down and the church member looks at his cell phone digital time; he readies himself to rise from his pew seat. This is about the point where the pastor ends the sermon appealing to the church member to do something. After spending most of the sermon time preaching cheap Universalism grace to the audience; the pastor quickly finishes off his sermon by exhorting his church members to proclaim "the universal forgiveness message" to (their) neighbors that God has forgiven them their sins. This is how church members are to be Christian witnesses in their local sphere of influence; at work and in the marketplace; – especially their next-door neighbors.

Can you imagine telling some of your troubled, agitating and harassing neighbors that God has already forgiven them of all their sins? I know one thing. If I would do that with certain of my neighbors; - that (simplistic) message would only reinforce their recalcitrant untoward (sinful) behaviors! In short, Christian witness to the Universalist, is reduced to a formula driven pronouncement - not a Holy Spirit / Scriptural led and driven type of witness.

Following the sermon, congregational members receive the Lord's Supper (Communion). Translation: (with the aforementioned context) - i.e, they are good to go for the rest of the week; or, until they repeat the same, two week's later, suited up in their Sunday best.

The Universalism (objective justification) teaching doesn’t mesh with Christ’s encounter with the Jewish religious leaders of His day

John 8:1f – Jesus to the religious Jews

Jesus speaks very plainly with these unbelieving Jews. [John 8:1f] He tells them point blank that they will not be going where He will be going. He ends up telling that that they will be damned in their sins if they do not believe that He is the promised Messiah.

Acts 2:1f – Peter’s Sermon

Fast forward now, to Peter speaking, after the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. [Acts 2:1f] I think that it can be assumed that in this crowd were some of the same unbelieving Jews whom Jesus had encountered. Peter directs his sermon to this (non-born from above) unbelieving crowd.

What did the Holy Spirit blessed, Apostle Peter, say to these unbelieving Jews?

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. [Acts 2:37-41]

Keep in mind what Jesus had said to these same Jews or similar unbelieving Jews:

"Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." - John 8:23-24

Now, please tell me - you who advocate and promulgate universal objective justification; how could these Jews ever "die in their sins" if they were [had been] forgiven and acquitted of the eternal judgment of those sins by Christ's Atonement and subsequent [certifying] Resurrection? Please don’t tell me that Christ had not been sacrificed as yet; and, had not risen from the dead yet - because the Apostle Peter encountered some of these same Jews, and / or similar unbelieving Jews, following Christ's (sacrifice) death and resurrection.

Furthermore, why would these [supposed] “universally justified” [acquitted of their sins] Jews, need to be preached to by the Apostle Peter? [Acts 2:1f] Why would they need to "repent?" Why would they need to be baptized to wash away sins of which they had been supposedly "acquitted?" [Been, absolved of; forgiven] Why would the Apostle Peter earnestly urge them to "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins," if they had [already] possessed God's (previous) acquittal?

Jesus encounter with Nicodemus

Look now at John 3: 1-21 – a chapter with which universal objective justification adherents have a difficult time. In fact, I haven’t witnessed them touching this string of passages [verses] in context. They won’t; else they would have to acknowledge personal belief [faith] and the Holy Spirit’s paramount role and activity creating that faith:

John 3:3 – “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Note: “Born again” is not the best translation for "again." Better yet, is “born from above.” Or, "born, anew"]

"....Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit....." - John 3:5-8 - [KJV]

Now, we have the “transitional verse:”

"Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?" - John 3:9

It is here where Jesus ends up telling Nicodemus “how” all this takes place:

".....And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. - John 3:14-15

The “individuals” who, looked up at that brazen serpent, did not die from their poison snake bites, because they heeded the instruction of Moses [Numbers 21:8-9]. And, in like manner, those, who, in faith, believe in Christ, [looking to him] will not spiritually die; but have eternal life! How does this take place? Back up to the previous verses and the whole account of Jesus and Nicodemus.

See also: Acts 8:37 – what Philip tells the Ethiopian eunuch about believing. Also: Acts 16:30-31 ; Hebrews 10:39 ; 1 John 5:1 ; 1 John 5:11-13

The falsehood promulgated by Universalism Justification Disciples is compounded because they do not understand the Holy Spirit’s work in the sinner and His “time-line.” They, rather, make up their own, when explaining how a human soul is justified [made right / forgiven / acquitted by God]

I like what the post Martin Luther protestant reformer, stated:

“Although Christ has acquired for us the remission of sins, justification and sonship, God just the same does not justify us prior to our faith. Nor do we become God's children in Christ in such a way that justification in the mind of God takes place before we believe.”

[Abraham Calov - as he is quoted in: Apodixis Articulorum Fedei, Lueneburg, 1684

Amen.

Note: Part 2 is to follow the above topical message:

Part 2 - How does the false teaching of universal objective justification molest Christians’ faith?

Above Message and Related Scriptures [below] -- Intended to be utilized in a simpleworship format:

Also: For a couple of other (more formal) worship formats:
The Order of Morning Service
The Order of Matins

Related Scriptures

Repentance - Luke 15:11-32 ; Luke 19:1-10 ; Luke 23:39--43

Salvation - John 1:12-13 ; James 1:18 ; Matthew 16:17 ; Ephesians 2:4-5 ; Ephesians 2:8-10 ; 1 Peter 1:3 ; 1 Peter 1:23 ; Colossians 1:20-21 ; John 3:5-8 ; John 6:65 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 ;Romans 8:29-31 ; Romans 9:15-18 ; Titus 3:3-7 ; Philippians 2:13 ;1 John 5:4 ; 1 Peter 1:5 ; Hebrews 2:3

See also: John 3:1-21 ; Titus 3:5 ; Ephesians 2:8-10 ; John 1:12;13; 1Corinthians 2:12 ; 1 Corinthians 6:11 ; 1 John 5:1

Please note the above Scriptures - The saving of one's soul, is entirely, the work of the gracious Good Lord.

_____________________________________

Of Whom Does the Prophet Speak" -- by Victor Buksbazen -- an in-depth view of Isaiah 53:1-12 and the prophecy of Christ, hundred of years before his birth. Isaiah 53:1-12 underscores the truthfulness of Divine Revelation as exemplified in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures.

The Christian Faith: Parts 1-3

1 -- What is meant by “Believing” and / or, being, “Saved?” 
2 -- How the saving (believing) process of the Christian Faith takes place 
3 -- What are the tell-tale signs that a person has been “Saved” [is a Christian believer]?

Please Note: Topical Christian Messages, by subject

Pastor (Emeritus) Nathan Bickel

Please also note:

The "Words in Season" topical messages and related worship formatare not intended to discourage or replace the Christian worship and assembly of Christians at their particular places of church worship. As this website's author, it is my prayer and hope, that many souls will find the topical messages and related worship format and other material, a useful and valuable Christian resource.

'via Blog this'

Surprise Visitor at the Architect's Lecture

Alice Walton thanked Mrs. I and me for serving as volunteers.

My wife and I are volunteers to greet people at various lectures. Once I offered to be the bouncer, but the crowd was rather tame for that session. Yesterday I took on the coffee and tea table, little realizing they would serve fresh gourmet cookies from the restaurant.

I was managing the refreshments like a boss when I looked up to see Alice Walton. Chris and I both thanked her, because the family donation is a constant source of education, relaxation, and inspiration for both of us. It was a good thing I finished my cookies already. Crumbs have a way of flying when talking.

Alice thanked us for volunteering. LI said he has never met a Walton family member one-on-one.

The Walton children grew up taking care of the Walton Five and Dime in downtown Bentonville. It was a tiny store, now a museum and vistors' center for Walmart.

They decided to dedicate the family land near Crystal Creek, giving the community something of lasting value. Alice spear-headed the project,  much criticized for buying art and arranging for joint-ownership of one large collection. The result of this spree was giving needed cash to various museums. Any single Walton could have done this and locked up the paintings for private viewing only. Instead, they gave them to the community, making Crystal Bridges a destination for everyone who loves art.

The $1.2 billion American art museum forms bridges
across Crystal Creek, where the Walton children used to play.
They donated their family land and the money to build this for NW Arkansas.

http://www.marlonblackwell.com/

This little Orthodox church is off I-540 on the way to Fayetteville.
They wanted a low cost alteration to their tiny church, low budget.
The inside is so attractive that we want to visit it.

Marlon Blackwell spoke yesterday. He is not the main architect for Crystal Bridges but was invited to design the gift store after CB was already under construction.

We were there early, as required, so we met Marlon before he spoke, trading stories about the hazards of book publishing.

This is not the ordinary gift store.
Crystal Bridges.

The wood above was cut by computer so it would fit and still be low cost.
Crystal Bridges gift store.

UOJ Rejects the Entire Gospel of John While Distorting John 1:29

Why not use this citation about St. Bernard by Luther? Anyone is free to copy and share it.
But Pope Paul the Romanist used  for his graphic -
the Miraculous Lactation of Mary into the open mouth of Bernard.

KJV John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.

30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe Thee? what dost Thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

Jesus did not advise His disciples to believe in the dogma of world absolution, but to trust in Him.

The UOJ fanatics go bonkers at the mention of faith. The Gospel opponents are not content until they have beat down the term faith until it is the shriveled hand grasping the dogma of Hindus saved without faith.

The Gospel of John teaches faith in Jesus more than any other book in the Bible, and it is clearly the work of the disciple Jesus loved.

The Fourth Gospel supplements the first three by giving us essential statements and sermons from Jesus, which are not in the Synoptics. The Gospel of John assumes our knowledge of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In John, Jesus is not baptized and there is no Last Supper. Those narratives are missing because they are already known. Nevertheless, John's Gospel is filled with sacramental language.

I tutored LI in Latin, using the complete Gospel of John. He had to translate it accurately without notes or any words written above the text. Later, we did the same in Greek. We used Lenski a bit for grammar and the German Schluessel. I also wrote out my own translation of John, during seminary.

SynConference MDivs can babble about UOJ all they want, but there is not a trace of it in the Bible, certainly not in the Gospel of John, where UOJ is refuted with ease.

The Apostle John even gave us a thesis for his Holy Spirit inspired work:

KJV John 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His Name.

The pivotal statement, from Jesus, is found in John - concerning the work of the Holy Spirit, the work of the true Church. Luther expounded on its meaning.

KJV John 16:8 And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on Me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Reverse engineering this section from John, UOJ is impossible, since forgiveness and faith go together. There is no forgiveness where faith in Christ is lacking.

The UOJ Hive Is Always Trying To Silence Justification by Faith. Unbelief Hates Faith in Christ. Comfort from Hitler and Hottentots as Guilt-free Saints? Really?

http://cyberbrethren.com/2012/08/26/the-beauty-comfort-and-power-of-the-doctrine-of-objective-justification/

Pope Paul the Plagiarist wrote:

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. I urge and warn all those who read this blog and my Facebook page to avoid any such discussions and to flee from any false teachers who would rob you of the comfort of the Gospel. They like to insert themselves everywhere they can on various forums where justification is discussed. Pray for their repentance and restoration to a true and living faith. They are the very kind of persons whom the Apostle warns us about when he urges us to make sure we are “keeping Faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith” (1 Timothy 1:19). Mark and avoid anyone who casts doubt on the doctrine of objective justification, and particularly mark and avoid any pastor who does so Do not be deceived. Cling to the truth.

Rejoice in this beautiful explanation of the doctrine of objective justification written by the Rev. Dr. Robert Preus, in 1981.

***

GJ - The UOJ Hive always wants to silence the message of justification by faith alone. They like their little dogma, which is a perfect fit for little, unbelieving minds. For those who are not studious and make a career out of copying the work of others, UOJ is perfect. Everyone is forgiven and saved, so it does not matter if Groeschel or the pope is plagiarized. Making money from the work of others, without giving due credit - that is plagiarism.

The quoted portion from the Robert Preus essay is from a little  booklet by Eduard Preuss, an apostate still regarded as a great champion of UOJ, quoted lovingly but dishonestly. No one ever says, "This Concordia Seminary professor became a Roman Catholic professor and published in favor of Roman Catholic dogma for the rest of his life." I consider that a significant detail. Too bad I have owned and read Fuerbring's books (twice), where conversion is described vividly.

Read this as if it appeared the first time in print:
“All this is put beautifully by an old Lutheran theologian of our church, “We are redeemed from the guilt of sin; the wrath of God is appeased; all creation is again under the bright rays of mercy, as in the beginning; yea, in Christ we were justified before we were even born. For do not the Scriptures say: ‘God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them?’’ This is not the justification which we receive by faith…That is the great absolution which took place in the resurrection of Christ. It was the Father, for our sake, who condemned His dear Son as the greatest of all sinners causing Him to suffer the greatest punishment of the transgressors, even so did He publicly absolve Him from the sins of the world when He raised Him up from the dead.” (Edward Preuss, “The Justification of a Sinner Before God,” pp. 14-15)

We are declared forgiven (justified without faith) before we are born? So why are we baptizing babies...or anyone? Original sin has been removed by UOJ, just as it is by the Universalists.

If Lutherans teach infant faith, isn't that bad - because UOJ Enthusiasts always denigrate faith. That is why the SynConference no longer teaches the efficacy of the Word, the Means of Grace, or justification by faith. Their charade is not justification by faith but a cover, a dodge, a camouflage for their one and only dogma.

Read this so-called Scriptural support, endorsed by McCain:
“According to all of Scripture Christ made a full atonement for the sins of all mankind. Atonement (at-one-ment) means reconciliation. If God was not reconciled by the saving work of Christ, if His wrath against sin was not appeased by Christ’’ sacrifice, if God did not respond to the perfect obedience and suffering and death of His Son for the sins of the world by forgiveness, by declaring the sinful world to be righteous in Christ -–if all this were not so, if something remains to be done by us or through us or in us, then there is no finished atonement. But Christ said, “It is finished.” And God raised Him from the dead and justified Him, pronounced Him, the sin bearer, righteous (I Timothy 3:16) and thus in Him pronounced the entire world of sinners righteous (Romans 4:25).

That paragraph contains five examples of if clauses - but are they faithful to the Word of God? Many years later, Robert Preus responded in his book, repudiating the rationalistic and Pietistic drivel of this alleged Scriptural support. In the paragraph just cited, Preus simply engaged in begging the question, a logical fallacy. There is not a fragment of Scriptural exegesis in his supposed support.

Some of the Preus statements in McCain's post are theological face-palms:

“Justification is no more a mere potentiality or possibility than Christ’s atonement. The doctrine of objective justification points to the real justification of all sinners for the sake of Christ’s atoning work “before” we come to faith in Christ.

So McCain believes (by side-stepping the Justification and Rome book) that every single unbeliever is justified without faith before they come to faith?

UOJ and Reformation?
And very definitely the doctrine of objective, or general, justification does not threaten the doctrine of justification through faith in Christ. Rather it is the very basis of that Reformation doctrine, a part of it. For it is the very pardon which God has declared over the whole world of sinners that the individual sinner embraces in faith and thus is justified personally.

There is no scholarly support for this assertion. Luther would certain be shocked to learn this. I have been working on 40 graphics (so far) from the Kregel edition of Luther's Galatians Commentary, one of his finest works, a mature effort produced long after the 95 Theses. I will post a few graphics that show the theme of Galatians and the Reformation.