Gracepoints - The Fruit of Church and Change. The Example of Tim Glende, Ski, and Mark Jeske

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Mark Walters Resigned - Ichabod, The Glory Has Dep...":

Worth reading.

http://faithstretch.blogspot.com/ 

Gracepoints:

Monday, March 7, 2011

Jesus Critics

I was reading a book by Chuck Swindoll the other day and he had a great application when it comes to dealing with critics within the church...

Criticism comes from people who are least qualified to give it. Then who's qualified to give constructive criticism? The people who know you best -- those who love you the most. Not strangers. Not folks who have no relationship with you. Let me offer you some free advice here: If you don't really know the person you're getting ready to criticize, just pass up the opportunity. Let it be. Loving someone begins with knowing him. That's why Solomon wrote, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Proverbs 27:6). In Hebrew the verse is even more specific: "Faithful are the bruises caused by the wounding of one who loves you." For those relatively few people who truly love me and understand me and who have labored alongside me for enough time to know me well, their words are invaribly worth hearing. They may hurt, but they're reliable. People like that don't criticize inappropriately. Those I often get criticized by don't even know my middle name.

"Paul -- A Man of Grace and Grit"
Charles Swindoll
P.261

'via Blog this'

Mark Walters Resigned - Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed: WELS Pastor Mark Walters Threatens To Shut Down Ichabod

Mark Walters should get a job with Glende and Ski or Gunn.
Buchholz supports and promotes Church and Changers.
So does Deputy Doug.

Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed: WELS Pastor Mark Walters Threatens To Shut Down Ichabod:


Subject: Let me know one thing (December 2, 2009)

pastor.abidingword@rogers.com

Greg Jackson:



My name is Mark Walters. I think I went to school with your son, Marty.



I am a pastor in the WELS and serving at Abiding Word Lutheran Church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada



I am a VERY supportive brother of Jeff Gunn, Ski, Tim Glende, and many others that you seem to enjoy trashing.



How do I get my picture on your website so that I can join your toxic hall of fame?????????



I’m very sad that you spend your time putting up such a legalistic, judgemental (sic) website, without knowing the true facts about things.



I will do everything in my power to shut you down because you are destructive to the kingdom.



Please contact me soon.



613-824-2524



Mark Walters


'via Blog this'

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http://www.abidingword.ca/site/cpage.asp?cpage_id=140001205&sec_id=140000041

We are a Bible-based church that offers life-related messages, uplifting music, friendly people and meaningful relationships.  Visit us soon!   

Our Mission...

United in faith, based on the unchanging Word of God, our Mission is to reach out to the community and to nurture our congregation, with the good news of Jesus Christ - all to the glory of God. 

http://www.abidingword.ca/site/cpage.asp?cpage_id=140001206&sec_id=140000041


We believe that the Bible is the true Word of God and our guide for all matters of faith and life.

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of all people, and that he makes you a special person who is right with God and prepared for life!

We believe that all people were placed on earth by God for the following reasons:

• Planned for God's pleasure.
• Formed for God's family.
• Created to become like Jesus.
• Shaped for serving God.
• Made to share the good news of Jesus. 
  
  
  

  
  

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  bruce-church said...

  I wonder what set Rev. Walters off. Perhaps the Schroeder comic strip?
  
  One sure can tell Rev. Walters is a C&C guy. He's driving his church into great debt with a brand new fellowship hall and a newly renovated sanctuary. Of course is has no communion railing so it's more of a stage than an altar area, and it has a big flat screen TV in back on the balcony so when the kids sing or recite for the Christmas service, they can just read off the words as they scroll. It may even serve as a teleprompter for his sermons:
  
  New fellowship hall and renovated sanctuary:
  http://www.abidingword.ca/site/galleries.asp?sec_id=140000041&nc=1348713398576.44
  
  Pic of Rev. Walters:
  http://www.abidingword.ca/home/140000041/140000041/images/140006795/01-Pastor%20Walters.jpg

  
  

  
  

None Obtains Justification and Life But the Believing Man

Paul therefore reasoneth here, out of a plain testimony of the prophet, that there is none which obtaineth
justification and life before God, but the believing man, who obtaineth righteousness and everlasting life without the law, and without charity, by faith alone. The reason is, because the law is not of faith, or anything belonging to faith, for it believeth not: neither are the works of the law faith, nor yet of faith: therefore faith is a thing much differing from the law. For the promise is not apprehended by working, but by believing.

Martin Luther, Kregel, Galatians 3:12, p. 159.


KJV Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

But this He omitted of purpose and saith plainly: “the righteous man shall live by faith.”

But the Holy Ghost, who giveth to all men both mouth and tongue, knoweth how to speak. He could have said (as the sophisters imagine) the righteous man shall live by faith formed, beautified and made perfect by charity. But this He omitted of purpose and saith plainly: “the righteous man shall live by faith.” We therefore will still hold and extol this faith, which God Himself has called faith; that is to say, a true and certain faith, which doubteth not of God, nor of His promise, nor of the forgiveness of sins through Christ, that we may dwell safe and sure in this our object Christ, and may keep still before our eyes the passion and blood of the Mediator and all His benefits.

Martin Luther, Kregel, Galatians 3:11, p. 158f.


KJV Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

KJV Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

KJV Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

All objectors against this doctrine of justification by faith alone, must be answered after this manner: Here is Christ

All objectors against this doctrine of justification by faith alone, must be answered after this manner: Here is Christ, there are the testimonies of the Scriptures touching law and works...

Therefore, if He be the price of my redemption, if He be made sin and malediction that He might justify and bless me, I care not if thou bring  a thousand places of Scripture for the righteousness of works, against the righteousness of faith. I have the Author and Lord of the Scripture with me; on whose side I would rather stand, than believe all the rabblement of law-workers and meritmongers.

Martin Luther, Krebel, Galatians 3:10, p. 155f.

Why Is Justification by Faith So Difficult for Lutherans To Comprehend? Here Is a Brief Summary about the Righteousness of Faith

The Epitome of the Formula of Concord 
III. The Righteousness of Faith
Affirmative Theses. 
Pure Doctrine of the Christian Churches against Both Errors Just Mentioned.

1. Against both the errors just recounted, we unanimously believe, teach, and confess that Christ is our Righteousness neither according to the divine nature alone nor according to the human nature alone, but that it is the entire Christ according to both natures, in His obedience alone, which as God and man He rendered to the Father even unto death, and thereby merited for us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, as it is written: As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous, Rom. 5:19.

2. Accordingly, we believe, teach, and confess that our righteousness before God is this very thing, that God forgives us our sins out of pure grace, without any work, merit, or worthiness of ours preceding, present, or following, that He presents and imputes to us the righteousness of Christ's obedience, on account of which righteousness we are received into grace by God, and regarded as righteous.

3. We believe, teach, and confess that faith alone is the means and instrument whereby we lay hold of Christ, and thus in Christ of that righteousness which avails before God, for whose sake this faith is imputed to us for righteousness, Rom. 4:5.

4. We believe, teach, and confess that this faith is not a bare knowledge of the history of Christ, but such a gift of God by which we come to the right knowledge of Christ as our Redeemer in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him that for the sake of His obedience alone we have, by grace, the forgiveness of sins, are regarded as holy and righteous before God the Father, and eternally saved.

5. We believe, teach, and confess that according to the usage of Holy Scripture the word justify means in this article, to absolve, that is, to declare free from sins. Prov. 17:15: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are abomination to the Lord. Also Rom. 8:33: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

And when, in place of this, the words regeneratio and vivificatio, that is, regeneration and vivification, are employed, as in the Apology, this is done in the same sense. By these terms, in other places, the renewal of man is understood, and distinguished from justification by faith.

6. We believe, teach, and confess also that notwithstanding the fact that many weaknesses and defects cling to the true believers and truly regenerate, even to the grave, still they must not on that account doubt either their righteousness which has been imputed to them by faith, or the salvation of their souls, but must regard it as certain that for Christ's sake, according to the promise and immovable Word of the holy Gospel, they have a gracious God.

7. We believe, teach, and confess that for the preservation of the pure doctrine concerning the righteousness of faith before God it is necessary to urge with special diligence the particulae exclusivae, that is, the exclusive particles, i. e., the following words of the holy Apostle Paul, by which the merit of Christ is entirely separated from our works, and the honor given to Christ alone, when the holy Apostle Paul writes: Of grace, without merit, without Law, without works, not of works. All these words together mean as much as that we are justified and saved alone by faith in Christ. Eph. 2:8; Rom. 1:17; 3:24; 4:3ff.; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 11.

8. We believe, teach, and confess that, although the contrition that precedes, and the good works that follow, do not belong to the article of justification before God, yet one is not to imagine a faith of such a kind as can exist and abide with, and alongside of, a wicked intention to sin and to act against the conscience. But after man has been justified by faith, then a true living faith worketh by love, Gal. 5:6, so that thus good works always follow justifying faith, and are surely found with it, if it be true and living; for it never is alone, but always has with it love and hope.

First, by forgiveness of sins, and imputation of righteousness, because of our faith in Christ.

Wherefore Moses, together with Paul, doth necessarily drive us to Christ, through whom we are made doers of the law, and are not accounted guilty of any transgression. How so? First, by forgiveness of sins, and imputation of righteousness, because of our faith in Christ. Secondly, by the gift of God and the Holy Ghost, who bringeth forth a new life and motions in us, so that we may also do the law effectually. Martin Luther, Kregel, Galatians 3:10, p. 151. Phiulippe de Champaigne, Moses.


KJV Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

If thou wilt define truly what it is to do the law, it is nothing else but to believe in Jesus Christ, and when the Holy Ghost is received through faith in Christ to work those things which are commanded in the law...

Wherefore if thou wilt define truly what it is to do the law, it is nothing else but to believe in Jesus Christ, and when the Holy Ghost is received through faith in Christ to work those things which are commanded in the law: and otherwise we are not able to perform the law. For the Scriptures saith there is no blessing without the promise; no, not in the law.

The apples make not the tree, but the tree maketh the apples. So faith first maketh the person who  afterwards bringeth forth works. Therefore to do the law without faith, is to make the apples of wood and earth, without the tree, which is not to make apples, but is a mere fantasy. So, if the tree be made,
that is to say, the person or doer, which is made through faith in Christ, works will follow.

Martin Luther, Kregel, Galatians 3:10, p. 147.


KJV Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Paul saith, whatsoever is without the promise and faith of Abraham is accursed.

This argument is invincible. For if we must hope to receive the blessing by Christ alone, then it must needs follow that it is not received by the law. For the blessing was given to faithful Abraham before the law, and without the law.

This the pope and the proud prelates do not believe, neither can they abide this doctrine. Yet must we not hold our peace, but must confess the truth and say, that the papacy is accursed: yea, all laws and civil ordinances are accursed; for Paul saith, whatsoever is without the promise and faith of Abraham is accursed.

Martin Luther, Kregel, Galatians 3:10, p. 143f.


KJV Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

He therefore that will avoid the curse, must lay hold upon the promise of blessing, or upon the faith of Abraham, or else he shall remain under the curse.

Here we see that the curse is as it were a flood, swallowing up whatsoever is without Abraham; that is to say, without faith, and the promise of the blessing of Abraham. Now if the law itself given by Moses at the command of God, maketh them subject to the curse who are under it, much more shall the laws and traditions do so, which are devised by men. He therefore that will avoid the curse, must lay hold upon the promise of blessing, or upon the faith of Abraham, or else he shall remain under the curse.

Martin Luther, Kregel, Galatians 3:10, p. 143.


KJV Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.