Johann Gerhard - Another Justification by Faith Theologian - Worthy of Censure and Rebuke from Jon-Boy Buchholz, MDiv

The art department at Castle Ichabod
commissioned this new Photoshop.

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Pastor Paul Rydecki: Intrepid Lutherans: Johann Ge...":

Johann Gerhard, 3)...Likewise, one could infer that the righteousness of Christ is propagated to all men together, without any regard for faith or unbelief, since the sin of Adam is propagated to all through carnal generation. 

4) But since that is absurd, a distinction must fully be made between the acquisition and the application of the merit of Christ; or between the benefit itself and participation in the benefit. The acquisition of the merit, or the benefit itself obtained by the death of Christ is general. For as Adam, by his disobedience, enveloped all of his posterity in the guilt of sin, so Christ, who suffered and died for the sins of all, also merited and acquired righteousness for all. But this benefit is only applied to those who are grafted into Christ by faith, and only they become participants in this benefit.

No wonder Buchholz, the Lutheran Synods and the Antichrist are not big Gerhard fans.

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GJ - I found the essay Buchholz was preparing, perhaps with the help of The Sausage Factory instructors. They make sure that every single graduate is a non-thinking robot, sworn to repeat whatever Holy Mother Synod tells him. If not - ZOTT!

Buchholz' essay is so gaseous, at 42 pages, that Blogger went on the blink when I tried to post it as a Word document copy.

Here is the link to Jesus Canceled Your Debt.

http://azcadistrict.com/sites/default/files/papers/Buchholz_2012-10.pdf

I have copied the essay to my hard drive, just in case the original disappears, after being mocked for the rubbish it promotes.

Two Americans, Just Like That Forgotten Senator Said

http://spectator.org/archives/2012/11/08/the-election-the-election-of-2

Michael Barone, writing in the Washington Examiner, says America is now "two countries, not on speaking terms." He writes, "One America tends to be traditionally religious, personally charitable, appreciative of entrepreneurs and suspicious of government. The other tends to be secular or only mildly religious, less charitable on average, skeptical of business and supportive of government as an instrument to advance liberal causes." This was an election that pitted these two cultures against one another.

Pastor Paul Rydecki: Intrepid Lutherans: Johann Gerhard on Romans 5:19

Intrepid Lutherans: Johann Gerhard on Romans 5:19:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2012

Johann Gerhard on Romans 5:19

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Previously I had posted a translation of Johann Gerhard on Romans 3, Romans 4, andRomans 5:18.  Here's a translation of his interpretation of Romans 5:19.

(Translation copyright 2012 by Paul A. Rydecki.  All emphasis is in the original.)

http://books.google.com/books/download/Adnotationes_ad_priora_capita_epistolae.pdf?id=ivlGAAAAcAAJ&output=pdf&sig=ACfU3U03HFTTgvCzsSSlCEU0o_J4f0FUnA

 

Johann Gerhard

Adnotationes ad priora capita Epistolae D. Pauli ad Romanos (1645)

Romans 5:19

ὥσπερ γὰρ διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου ἁμαρτωλοὶ κατεστάθησαν οἱπολλοί, οὕτω καὶ διὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς δίκαιοι κατασταθήσονται οἱ πολλοί.

[The Apostle] demonstrates the basis for the preceding comparison, which consists in this, that these two men (Adam and Christ) have been established as two stocks from which righteousness and life are propagated to others. For Adam was established at the beginning of creation as the stock from which righteousness and life should be propagated to all his posterity.  But since he turned away from God through sin, from that time on unrighteousness and death are propagated from him to all his posterity. Therefore, God out of grace took pity on the human race and opened up another source of righteousness and life for us.  He sent Christ the Mediator, from whom as a stock and a tree of life, righteousness and life should be communicated to all who are grafted into Him by faith.

What he had earlier called transgression (παράπτωμα) he now calls disobedience(παρακοήν), because the origin and source of transgression was disobedience. And what he had earlier called righteousness (δικαίωμα), he now calls obedience (ὑπακοήν), because Christ, by obeying His heavenly Father to death, even death on a cross, acquired that righteousness for us (Phil. 2:9).  Then in turn, what he had said earlier—by one transgression condemnation (κατάκριμα) came upon all—that he brings out in this verse saying that many were made sinners, because that propagation of sin and contraction of guilt is the cause of condemnation. And what he had said earlier—through one Man’s righteousness the benefit overflowed to all for justification (δικαίωσιν)—that he brings out here saying that through one Man’s obedience many were made righteous. But he uses a future tense verb on account of those who will believe (τοὺς μέλλοντας πιστεύειν).

Godly men of old speak in this way concerning this contrast of Adam and Christ.  Irenaeus (Book 5, ch. 18, p.342): Just as through one conquered man our race descended into death, so again through one conquering man we have ascended to life.  And just as death won the prize against us through a man, so again we have won the prize against death through a man.  Augustine writes in Letter 57 ad Dardan. q. 2: In the one case it became clear how the choice of a man should prevail for death; in the other case, how the help of God should prevail for life. He says the same thing in Book 2 On Original Sin, ch. 24: The Christian faith properly consists in the case of these two men.  Through one of them we were sold under sin; through the other we are redeemed from sin. One of these men caused us to perish in himself by doing his own will rather than the will of Him by whom he was made; the other Man saved us in Himself by not doing His own will, but the will of Him by whom He was sent. Lyranus in h.1: Just as through the disobedience of Adam his posterity were made unrighteous, so through the obedience of Christ many are justified in the wood of the outstretched cross.

The Papists try to wrest out of h.1 that we are justified through an infused and inherent righteousness.

Pererius in h.1 says: Paul did not say that they were made sinners by the disobedience of Adam, nor should one imagine that they were made so through imputed disobedience.  Rather, he said “through disobedience,” that is, disobedience that came through the sin that dwells intrinsically in them due to Adam’s disobedience. Similarly, therefore, it is not that the obedience of Christ makes them righteous, as if men became righteous not through an inherent righteousness but through an imputed righteousness.  Rather, they are made righteous through the obedience of Christ, because this was the meritorious cause.

We reply:  This presupposes that that phrase righteousness makes righteous and unrighteousness makes unrighteous, is only meant formally; but that the other phrase, through righteousness they are made righteous and through unrighteousness they are made unrighteous is only meant with regard to merit[1].  And yet Pererius himself is forced to deny this hypothesis when τὸ διὰ πίστεως (Rom. 3:22,30) is interpreted formally.  Thus in 2 Tim. 3:15, faith is not the cause because of which a person merits becoming wise for salvation, but is rather itself the form of that wisdom. Thus when in Gal. 5:6 faith is said to work through love, lovecannot be understood as the meritorious cause why faith works. Bellarmine himself in Book 2 On Justification, ch. 3, says: We are justified through his grace, i.e., through the righteousness given and infused by him, and this is the formal cause.

Bellarmine, in Book 2 On Justification, ch. 3:  Through the unrighteousness of Adam we were made unrighteous by an unrighteousness that truly and really inheres in us, not by imputation.  Therefore, in the same way we are made righteous through the obedience of Christ, by a righteousness that inheres in us.  Becanus, in Part 1 On Justification, ch. 2 section 14: Just as we were made unrighteous through the disobedience of Adam, so through the obedience of Christ we are made righteous. Yet we are made unrighteous through Adam’s disobedience, not formally, but only efficiently and meritoriously. Therefore we are also made righteous through the obedience of Christ, not formally, but only efficiently and meritoriously.

We reply:

1) The comparison between the disobedience of Adam and the obedience of Christ is not instituted simply[2] and absolutely, but according to something in particular[3]. For the Apostle is considering at that time the causes of our salvation and condemnation, for just as the condemnation draws its origin from Adam’s disobedience, so our salvation draws its origin from Christ’s obedience. Then, the Apostle considers the propagation and effects of Christ’s obedience and of Adam’ disobedience, for just as through the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners, so through the obedience of Christ they are made righteous. 

2) But by no means is this comparison to be extended to the mode of propagation and communication, which the Apostle is obviously not treating in this passage; but he dealt with that in the preceding passages, teaching that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us by faith, but that Adam’s sin is propagated to us by carnal generation.

3) If we wanted to go beyond the terms of the Apostolic comparison, someone could infer from the same that the righteousness of Christ is propagated to us through carnal generation, since the unrighteousness of Adam is communicated to us in that manner. Likewise, one could infer that the righteousness of Christ is propagated to all men together, without any regard for faith or unbelief, since the sin of Adam is propagated to all through carnal generation. 

4) But since that is absurd, a distinction must fully be made between the acquisition and the application of the merit of Christ; or between the benefit itself and participation in the benefit.  The acquisition of the merit, or the benefit itself obtained by the death of Christ is general.  For as Adam, by his disobedience, enveloped all of his posterity in the guilt of sin, so Christ, who suffered and died for the sins of all, also merited and acquired righteousness for all.  But this benefit is only applied to those who are grafted into Christ by faith, and only they become participants in this benefit. 

5) The contrast is evident in this Apostolic text between justification and condemnation, v. 16 and v.18. But since they are contrasted under the same genre, and condemnation is, to be sure, a judicial act, from that it follows that justification is also a judicial act, and hence it consists, not in the infusion of righteousness, but in the absolution from sins. Undoubtedly, as through the sin of Adam sin is propagated to all men, for it results in condemnation for them, that is, because of it they are damned by the righteous judgment of God unless reconciliation and remission take place, so through the merit of Christ righteousness and salvation have been obtained for all, so that they may be justified by faith, that is, that they may be pronounced righteous, absolved from sins and freed from condemnation. 

6) To be made righteous and to be justified are considered by the Apostle to be equivalent expressions (ἰσοδυναμοῦσι).  Therefore,to be made righteous is contrasted with for condemnation in v.19; so also to be justified in v.18; and hence each has a forensic meaning. The verb they will be made (κατασταθήσονται) indicates that these things are carried out before the tribunal of God’s righteous judgment, who condemns Adam’s posterity on account of sin, but absolves believers in Christ from that damnation and makes them righteous (Rom. 10:3, 2 Cor. 5:21). 

7) By no semblance of truth can it be denied that the sin of Adam is imputed to his posterity.  For although the corruption of nature that arises from Adam’s sin inheres in his posterity, nevertheless it cannot be denied that Adam’s sin, from which the corruption of nature arises, is imputed to them (Ex. 20:5, Rom. 5:13).  For as soon as our first parents sinned, in whose loins was the entire human race, and who received gifts not only for themselves, but also for their posterity, their transgression was considered the transgression of the entire human race, and hence was imputed to all of them so that they are damned before they are born. Therefore, Bellarmine himself in Book 4 On the Loss of Grace, ch. 10, writes: The sin of Adam is imputed to all his posterity in such a way as if all had committed the same sin. And he cites the statement of Bernhard: Adam’s guilt is ours, for although it was in another, we still sinned; and it was imputed to us by God’s righteous judgment, although secretly.

Stapleton in Antidoto h.l. presses the verb they will be made (κατασταθήσονται).  This vocable, he says, is most suitable for explaining inherent righteousness, for the use of Scripture teaches that it does not mean imputation, but the true and inherent acquisition and possession (Luke 12). Psalm 8 and Hebrews 2 place him over all things.  You placed him over all the works of your hands.  James 2, He is made an enemy of God.

We reply:

1) Some declare that the verb to be made applies to the status of the believers in the future age in which they will be made righteous by inherent righteousness—and that a most perfect righteousness. Certainly the benefits of Christ do not end with this life, but are extended also into the future life.  Therefore, in this way this phrase would designate the effect of justification.  This is what they make of the words of the Apostle, those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life. For distinct times are noted: they receive the abundance of the gift, already in place in this life; yet they do not reign in life, but will reign, that is, someday and in the future age.

2) In justification, believers are truly made righteous by the imputed righteousness of Christ, no more truly than a servant who is at some time placed by his lord over all his goods, or a man who is placed by God over all the works of His hands.  But it does not follow, if someone wishes to infer from this truth an inherence of righteousness.  Nor in the examples cited is inherence necessarily established.  A man is made lord of the creatures not through inherence, but through relationship; a man is made a friend of God, not by some affection inhering in the man himself, since God loved those who did not exist.

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[1] meritorie

[2] simpliciter

[3] secundum quid

'via Blog this'

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Pastor Paul Rydecki: Intrepid Lutherans: Johann Ge...":

Johann Gerhard, 3)...Likewise, one could infer that the righteousness of Christ is propagated to all men together, without any regard for faith or unbelief, since the sin of Adam is propagated to all through carnal generation. 

4) But since that is absurd, a distinction must fully be made between the acquisition and the application of the merit of Christ; or between the benefit itself and participation in the benefit. The acquisition of the merit, or the benefit itself obtained by the death of Christ is general. For as Adam, by his disobedience, enveloped all of his posterity in the guilt of sin, so Christ, who suffered and died for the sins of all, also merited and acquired righteousness for all. But this benefit is only applied to those who are grafted into Christ by faith, and only they become participants in this benefit.

No wonder Buchholz, the Lutheran Synods and the Antichrist are not big Gerhard fans.


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LPC has left a new comment on your post "Pastor Paul Rydecki: Intrepid Lutherans: Johann Ge...":

UOJers do not make any distinctions at all, this is the biggest blunder of all but they never listen. They do not make any distinctions between atonement (the acquisition of the benefit) and justification (the application of the benefit).

In fact German NT Scholar Stuhlmacher himself, says that justification is founded on the atonement -justification is benefit of the atonement. He uses similar words, benefit, atonement is the cause, justification is the effect etc.

This is where LC-MS, WELS, ELS are peculiar from the rest of the Lutheran world.

Pr. Rossow calls us as morons. I call them idiots.

LPC

How To Forget the Lavender Abortion Agenda of Thrivent. Steadfast Lutherans » Lehenbauer and Harrison Team Up and Put Thrivent $$$ to Good Use for Confessional Theology, by Pr. Rossow

Steadfast Lutherans » Lehenbauer and Harrison Team Up and Put Thrivent $$$ to Good Use for Confessional Theology, by Pr. Rossow:

"The 2010 LCMS convention asked the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) to work with the synod president to promote confessional Lutheran theology worldwide. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provides boat loads of money via grants each year for the major Lutheran church bodies. It pains me to think of how those funds have been wasted by past administrations on the latest and greatest church growth wind. On the contrary President Harrison and CTCR head Dr. Joel Lehenbauer have put at least some of those funds to good use this year by putting on a brilliant theological conference with renown confessional speakers from around the world. (Click here for more details.)"

'via Blog this'

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GJ - Rossow refers to those who confess justification by faith as "morons."

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LPC has left a new comment on your post "How To Forget the Lavender Abortion Agenda of Thri...":

What is Rossow saying? Thrivent is not so bad after all. We can use their money for good cause.

LPC

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GJ - WELS and Missouri argue that they should get the money instead of just ELCA, so they work with ELCA and go along with the ELCA agenda.

Here We Are - Beneficiaries of the Treasures No Longer Appreciated

Herman Melville has a great quotation on the pulpit leading the world. I have used it before.


What could be more full of meaning?--for the pulpit is ever this earth's foremost part; all the rest comes in its rear; the pulpit leads the world. From thence it is the storm of God's quick wrath is first descried, and the bow must bear the earliest brunt. From thence it is the God of breezes fair or foul is first invoked for favourable winds. Yes, the world's a ship on its passage out, and not a voyage complete; and the pulpit is its prow.

Herman Melville, Moby Dick

I try to introduce Lutheran hymns and aspects of the Confessions in our worship services. The hymn quoted above is a gem in The Lutheran Hymnal. Changing from the LCA introduced me to many Lutheran hymns I never heard before. Huss is pre-Luther and especially important because he was the first martyr of the Reformation.

The Service Book and Hymnal had many good points, especially the liturgy. But the hymn selection favored Methodist, rationalist, and Social Gospel hymns.

Turning everyone Methodist has been the goal of all the Lutheran church bodies in America. By Methodist I mean having a sentimental attachment to the Bible and a ho-hum attitude about doctrine, with an emphasis on good works required for salvation.

I was writing about the apostasy of the SynCons, messaging to someone in the LCMS. The answer was, "I haven't seen firing pastors as much as the teachers. If a wealthy family is irritated by discipline in a school, the teacher is fired. Many schools are become Christian academies, dropping the Lutheran name."

WELS thought, "But we invented that Christian academy stuff. DP Kudu Don Patterson did that. It must be a great idea."

The willingness to compromise, surrender is bearing fruit in the country - pun intended. The Lavender agenda made great progress in the last elections, but it was already established years before with a host of actions, retreats, surrenders, and quotas.

Many Reformation figures died, tortured to death. Now a Lutheran minister is afraid to miss a meal.

Saucy Squirrel Wins Peek-a-Boo Battle Against Sassy. Sassy Remains Queen of the Dog Park

Our house is ideal for birds and squirrels to have a foothold and travel however they want. We even had a chipmunk sitting on the sill, stuffing his cheeks with sunflower seeds.

No squirrel will run when challenged at the window. They know the glass makes it impossible for them to be caught. They will startle but not move. The eating is too good to abandon their stations.

Sassy longs to chase squirrels and gets to try when we are outside. Inside, her constant watch out the window is often rewarded with woodland creatures coming by : foxes, deer, possums, birds, and squirrels.

This squirrel decided to taunt Sassy by poking his head in the window and disappearing. Sassy went into a frenzy of barking. Next the squirrel appeared at the top, upside-down and peering in. More barking and running in place on the bed, scratching to get out. Then the squirrel did another quick peek from a new angle.

Sassy gave out a wounded cry, completely insulted by this behavior. Instead of watching for more, she turned her backside toward the window and looked deeply offended.

Sassy remains the queen of the dog park. She is justifiably famous for her ability to leap up for the ball on three legs and bring it back to me.

She is so aware of audiences now that she watches the pathway for an audience. Sometimes I add sound effects to get the attention of potential fans, who are too busy talking to each other or worrying about the future.. Sassy loves bringing me the ball, but she has a special smile when people are giving her applause and extra attention. I wonder if she is showing me off or I am showing her off.

Everyone loves her coloring and her soft fur. One man came up to me and shook my hand, just because we rescued her. Sassy has given us many times more than we have given her, so we think it is a privilege to have such an intelligent, gentle, loving pet. We have to laugh that she wants to be petted by two people at once, with both of us talking about her.

Now we realize how much the German Shepherd in her wants to give and receive love. But her vocals are mostly Cattle Dog. She has so many sounds, from mewing to clicking and howling, that we can have a conversation about anything. Sometimes we sing the Cattle Dog Blues, where I make up new words and she howls mournfully.

When she sleeps, her back leg (there is only one) stretches across one of us. Sometimes the paw is extended to Chris' face, just touching it.

The funniest use of her paws is her touching of my face. The claws are long and sharp, so she has learned not to poke too rapidly. Sassy sits on the bed, when my head is on the pillow, and slowly reaches down to touch my chin with the tip of her front paw. If I yell "Ow!" she does it again, in super-slow motion, with a devilish grin on her face.

She still grabs my right arm and keeps me from using the mouse when it is time to pet her. One solution is using the mouse with my left hand. Then she reaches across to stop that hand too. The funniest tactic is to see her use her head to boost my hand and house off the desk, making a face like it is hard work, but grinning at the same time. Sassy is a clown, a performer, and a master manipulator.

Sassy loves her two Sheltie sisters. Precious plays tag with her, running inside and outside the house. The universal sign of dogs wanting to play is the bow, followed by a quick dart away. Sassy tried that on Precious last night, but Precious answered by walking into the closet for bed.

Sassy is jealous of too much attention given to Treasure. If I talk too long to Treasure, Sassy begins to bark in pain. I have seen Sassy slamming her front paw on the bed to get attention away from Treasure. At other times she makes a clopping sound with her jaws.

The fourth leg is hardly missed as she leaps for her ball.
Children adore Sassy and ask to toss her ball in the air.

Some Election Summary Comments

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, followed always by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years.”
~ Alexander Fraser Tytler, Scottish-born British lawyer and writer, 1747 - 1813. [GJ - Author disputed - see below.]

We are a society depending on government handouts to support a non-working population. Once someone discovers the pleasant life of working the system, breaking from that habit is difficult. That draws people across the border to revel in the security of a declining Roman Empire - bread and circuses.

The Roman government gave free grain to the poor. They decided that was a burden, so they baked bread to give away. One stop shopping for food needs. Bread.

The public spectacles in the Roman Empire were so degraded that they cannot be described here. Gibbon said that 14 of the first 15 emperors of Rome were homosexuals. A recent book said - make that 15 out of 15. Was Nero worse than Caligula? Both practiced incest. Circuses. 

The Roman people loved their bread and circuses. Augustine said that he wanted people to forget what they had lost - and they did. The Roman Empire in the West continued about 300 years more, than fell apart like a cardboard fort left out in the rain. 

We lived on the border of Michigan and Indiana. Michigan offered rich welfare benefits. Indiana was stingy. People north moved across the border and settled in trailer parks to receive Michigan benefits. The recipients paid high prices for poor housing, but renters and owners both collected from the government that way. 

Indiana has continued to have conservative leaders, more or less. Michigan has been dependably Left. Indiana is more of a low tax state. Its northern neighbor has been called The People's Republic of Michigan.

I have an unusual opportunity in teaching college and graduate students from all over the US. A professor does not have to try too hard to influence students. The message comes across in many ways.

I post a greatest share of political material on Facebook, where I still have liberal friend who debate with me. They are far more polite than the so-called conservative Lutherans who love false doctrine. 

Some schools are dedicated to encouraging traditional Christianity and patriotic citizens for the future. One of my friends, a Moliner, is well known for sharing in what Hillsdale College does in that regard. There are other opportunities as well. 

People should not be dis-couraged by the election. Faith makes us bold, as Luther said. The courage comes from trust in God rather than in man.

Dis-illusionment is good. Why live with illusions? Acting on illusions is a bad idea. Trusting in illusions will lead to nothing worthwhile.

The truth is worth a battle. 

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narrow-minded has left a new comment on your post "Some Election Summary Comments":

Thanks for the encouragement, Pastor Jackson, as many of us are discouraged due to the fact that the U.S.A. is now officially Europe.

Psalm 146:3-4
King James Version (KJV)

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

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GJ - I am thinking of ways to train the next generation. Not every college student wants to spend his life living in the basement of the family home, toking and playing video games while texting his buds.

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Brandon has left a new comment on your post "Some Election Summary Comments":

I would suggest re-doing the post, as your initial quote is incorrect. Tytler never made that statement, and it started becoming circulated after Bush was elected in 2000 with the minority of the majority vote.

Tytler did say, "Patriotism always exists in the greatest degree in rude nations, and in an early period of society." 

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GJ - That quotation is attributed to deTocqueville here. I was more interested in the statement itself than who said it and when. That is the problem with Abraham Lincoln quotations or Luther's.

The Martin Luther Galatians Commentary has three different forms that I have used. One is the American Edition. Another is the Graebner edition. A third one is the Kregel edition. With Luther I am careful to list my source. With Biblical quotations, the translation or paraphrase should be noted each time.  

WELS NNIV Translators

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "WELS NNIV Diaprax: Bible translation study release...":

(W)ELS, buckle-up buttercup, the synod has you on a carnival ride.

Who translated the 2011 NIV?

Methodist Moo, Non-denom Barker, Scum Of The Earth Church Blomberg, Baptist Brown, Trans-denom Fee, Anglican France, Baptist Instone-Brewer...

The translators of the 2011 NIV can be found here: http://www.niv-cbt.org/translators/

Political Disasters Are Built Upon the Failures of the Christian Church

Election
The election results shocked me, but the methods did not. The Republican Party refused to lead clearly after Reagan. 

Romney was a better choice this time, but his record was not that different from Obama's on key issues. 

No one had the guts to challenge the legality or sanity of Obama's nomination the first time, so now he has another two years until he becomes a lame duck president. Given the media slant and demographics, it is better to be the opposition than to be Me Too Socialists.

Losing the Culture War

One newscaster said cheerily on TV, "Twenty percent of Americans have no religious affiliation. That is really good for the Democrat Party."

I resigned from the WELS culture of corruption, adultery, and greed - before Bill Clinton was elected. The Clinton era reflected all the things I saw in the abusive Wisconsin Sect, especially the duplicity at every level. Power and control mattered, but not the truth.

Insipid Lutherans

One group of WELS members had a chance to battle for a simple truth, justification by faith. They called themselves Intrepid Lutherans, but they are really Insipid Lutherans as a group. The term insipid means tasteless, like apples left in the fridge too long or raspberries picked at the wrong time. Dull or flat, lacking in qualities that interest.

The Insipid Lutherans had nothing to say at the district meeting, after one of their own, a lawyer, was excommunicated for standing up to the plagiarist Tim Glende.

A doctrinal issue is more important. The Insipids made a stab at justification by faith, but they backed down as soon as Jon-Boy Buchholz had a tantrum instead of studying the issue in the open.

Did anyone in the California-Arizona district open his ovine mouth at the district meeting, after Buchholz got rid of Paul Rydecki? Not a single one. The Chief Article of the Christian Church, justification by faith, was less important to them than their individual comfort, security, and benefits.

They trust in the power of synod, but not in God. Holy Mother Synod will take care of them and reward them for cowardice. How can God compare to the synod leaders in mercy, in retribution, in blessings?

Likewise, the Steadfast Lutherans went along with destroying the evidence that a child rapist was encouraged by their own clergy leaders to become a lay pastor and strike again. 

A Corrupt Tree Brings Forth Evil Fruit

KJV Matthew 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

The Christian Church began moving away from the inerrancy and authority of the Scriptures in the 19th century. This apostasy gained momentum in the 1930s, with each article of faith re-worded to make it seem as if the ministers were still teaching the Word while they taught against the Word.

The Synodical Conference (LCMS, WELS, ELS) and its fragments (two CLCs, LCR, etc) are corrupt in doctrine, so they produce evil fruit. 

The SynCons are the Me Too party of Lutherans. They shake their heads about the evil of ELCA and promote the same things, in bed with ELCA for a host of programs lavishly funded by Thrivent Insurance for All Religions.

The SynCons were all gushy about the cascade of Marvin Schwan funds that showered upon them before and after he died. Did anyone say Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery to him? No, they told everyone what a wonderful, sincere, Biblical Lutheran he was. 

This congregation was once the mother church of
Augustana congregations in the West.
Her Church is the result of a thousand compromises,
surrenders, and facile lies.

WELS NNIV Diaprax: Bible translation study released | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)

WELS Forward in Christ.

Bible translation study released | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS):

The Translation Evaluation Committee (TEC) has released the unedited, unevaluated results of a side-by-side review of three possible Bible translations WELS could use for its publications. More than 100 pastors participated in this review of the New International Version 2011 (NIV 2011), the English Standard Version (ESV), and the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) from April to October.

“We will be coming with our read on it, but what we first wanted to do was get it out there—raw and uncooked—so that everyone would have a chance to let the evaluation speak for itself,” says Rev. Paul Wendland, TEC chairman.

The TEC, which had already compared differing passages between the NIV 1984 and the NIV 2011 and presented its preliminary findings at the 2011 convention, organized this study in an effort to examine the strengths and weaknesses of each translation as well as to involve more people in the process.

For the study, the Bible was divided into 34 different sections, and three different pastors reviewed each section from each translation. These reviewers came from three distinct groups: synod leaders, pastors from each district who attended a 2012 translation workshop, and pastors who have been in the ministry for less than 12 years. Reviewers read and evaluated their section and rated the quality of the English style as well as the translational acceptability of each translation. They also were asked to list their section’s five greatest strengths and weaknesses by citing specific passages for each translation.

“Everyone knew that we were asking a lot and yet look at what they did . . . there’s enough for 20 term papers,” says Wendland. “They all gave themselves to it—whatever their perspective—to the fullest degree. And they all did a lot of really hard work in trying to help the synod come to a decision.”

Participants appreciated the opportunity to be involved. “I have grown personally, professionally, and certainly spiritually by this exercise,” writes one of the younger pastors. “And so, for this opportunity to compare the translations and get into the Greek outside of sermon preparation, I sincerely thank you.”

The next step for the TEC is to evaluate the review and prepare its final report for the 2013 synod convention, which will be discussing which translation WELS should use in its publications. “I think this data will be extremely helpful as we think through the various options that are open for us,” says Wendland. “And as we go forward, no matter what version we use, these studies will be extremely helpful in equipping pastors and laypeople about problem passages.”

Wendland says that it’s not surprising that this new translation is causing some debate in Christian churches in general. “Not all people are going to agree,” he says. “I think in our midst what it probably indicates more than anything else is the love that God’s people have for the Word and their desire to have a text of the Bible that clearly communicates God’s sacred truth.”

He also says the committee is open to any reaction about this study. “I would simply encourage everyone to study the results, to listen—especially to brothers and sisters who may not see things exactly the same way you do—and to give them your love and respect if not your acquiescence. Finally trust that the Word of God is going to be retained among us because of his promise that the grass withers and that the flowers may fall, but the Word of God is going to remain forever [Isaiah 40:8], not because of our doing and striving.”

Read the results of the study at www.wels.net/translation.

'via Blog this'

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GJ - All propaganda to advance a bad cause sounds alike. This article reminds me of the publication from the ALC and LCA in their magazines, to prepare the ALC for getting rid of Biblical inerrancy.

The ALC had an interesting position on this. The old ALC merger of 1930 (Buffalo, Iowa, Ohio) watered down inerrancy to satisfy Reu and the Iowa fence-straddlers. Lenski objected, so they silenced him, even though he had been their New Testament professor and a district president.

Reu later became more conservative, a transition never forgiven by the Iowa liberals or anyone else in the ALC-LCA constellation.

For the 1960 merger of the old ALC and Norwegian Synod, inerrancy was affirmed in the constitution but expelled in an appendix, to please both sides. Error loves ambiguities. The raging liberals could be told, "We got rid of that." The inerrancy people could be soothed with, "We affirmed inerrancy."

All the Lutheran groups were waging war against the historical position of the Christian Church, Biblical inerrancy, from 1930 on.

Therefore, when The ALC and the LCA were preparing to merge with the Seminex UOJ gay faction, they began publishing more anti-inerrancy material to exorcise that demon from their doctrinal position.

The Lutheran magazine (LCA) and The Lutheran Standard (ALC) ran the same article. The ALC version showed a motorcycle doing a wheelie. The title was something like, "The Word of God: Pure Power." The LCA title was considerably weaker, but the content was the same in both.

The gushing and emoting in the WELS article would make a romance novel writer blush. It is so icky-mushy-fake that Lutherans might pause and remember the look of rage on Wendland's face as person after person--even a DP--rose to attack his precious New NIV.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "WELS NNIV Diaprax: Bible translation study release...":

92% of reviewers rated the NIV2011 the best of the three translations. [GJ - Limited choice.]

Comments by those who reviewed the translations:

1)”One cannot properly evaluate the translation of any given book (in my case, Genesis) when that book must be viewed in isolation from the rest of Scripture. Being directed to do so severely limits and skews any evaluation given…. Weren’t we correctly taught that one of the “bedrock” principles of Bible interpretation is that “Scripture must interpret Scripture”? How, then, can we properly study (or evaluate) Bible passages or books of the Bible in isolation?”

2)”While reviewing Genesis was my “sole responsibility” (and while I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this effort) the TEC is unnecessarily (and I believe unwisely) depriving itself of the insights and concerns I and others feel compelled to express regarding various “deal breakers” in other books.”

3) “Limiting the reviewer to only the five “best” and five “weakest” passages per translation can and most likely will skew the review. Someone could incorrectly conclude that the reviewer has a “balanced” (good vs bad) view that, in fact, does not exist regarding a particular translation…. A thorough-going, honest review should be able to take the total weight of strengths and weaknesses into account, and the reviewer should be allowed to express the full results of his work. Yet we are directed not to do so. Again, I ask, “Why?””

4) “A significant “deal breaker” criterion for me is the “Decision page” that is found in every HCSB I have…. Unfortunately, NO REVIEWER of any of the Bible’s 66 books is allowed to comment on that significant deficiency in light of the restrictive evaluation criteria we have been given.”
http://www.wels.net/sites/wels/files/Reviewers%20Comments%20Translation%20Criteria.pdf

All 2012 Translation Evaluation reports: 
http://www.wels.net/about-wels/synod-reports/bible-translation/report-102/2012-translation-evaluation-report-102

The Adiaphora Argument Used Is Invalid - Another Twisting of the Book of Concord

This seems to be good reason NOT to copy Groeschel
and the Catholic Encyclopedia,
but it also explains why Glende and No Call Paul McCain are FB friends.

Book of Concord, Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, X, Adiaphora

5] Namely, when under the title and pretext of external adiaphora such things are proposed as are in principle contrary to God's Word (although painted another color), these are not to be regarded as adiaphora, in which one is free to act as he will, but must be avoided as things prohibited by God. In like manner, too, such ceremonies should not be reckoned among the genuine free adiaphora, or matters of indifference, as make a show or feign the appearance, as though our religion and that of the Papists were not far apart, thus to avoid persecution, or as though the latter were not at least highly offensive to us; or when such ceremonies are designed for the purpose, and required and received in this sense, as though by and through them both contrary religions were reconciled and became one body; or when a reentering into the Papacy and a departure from the pure doctrine of the Gospel and true religion should occur or gradually follow therefrom [when there is danger lest we seem to have reentered the Papacy, and to have departed, or to be on the point of departing gradually, from the pure doctrine of the Gospel].


10] We believe, teach, and confess also that at the time of confession [when a confession of the heavenly truth is required], when the enemies of God's Word desire to suppress the pure doctrine of the holy Gospel, the entire congregation of God, yea, every Christian, but especially the ministers of the Word, as the leaders of the congregation of God [as those whom God has appointed to rule His Church], are bound by God's Word to confess freely and openly the [godly] doctrine, and what belongs to the whole of [pure] religion, not only in words, but also in works and with deeds; and that then, in this case, even in such [things truly and of themselves] adiaphora, they must not yield to the adversaries, or permit these [adiaphora] to be forced upon them by their enemies, whether by violence or cunning, to the detriment of the true worship of God and the introduction and sanction of idolatry. 11] For it is written, Gal. 5:1: Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage. Also Gal. 2:4f : And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage; to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you.

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GJ - The article on Adiaphora (matters of indifference) is used to advance false doctrine in the SynCon sects. Kudu Don Patterson's wealthy layman said, "Almost everything in worship is adiaphora."

Missouri has plenty of Fuller Seminary emergents, but also a boatload of papal-wannabees. 

In all these cases, the article on adiaphora is a staggering blow against their craft and assaults, their deceit and trickery. This is a time of confession, because the Church of Rome is using all its power, wealth, and pageantry to weasel Protestants into the fold. Note the constant promotion of Roman terms among the Lutherans today, the persistent references to the great and wise papalists (like the pope), the obsession with Roman customs, liturgical colors, and lectionary readings (three-year, another gift from Rome).

Missouri, WELS, the Little Sect, and the toxic CLC (sic) have all done things to express unity with Rome.WELS-ELS had a bishop march in procession at a religious service at Bethany (aka The Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie) and an archbishop pedophile teach at Wisconsin Lutheran College. Weakland's priests also taught in that series of lectures. How many were in his harem, no one will ever tell. They have all joined with ELCA (!) to use the Roman three-year lectionary and the gay Roman  liturgical colors. 

Need I mention the aping of everything from Fuller Seminary? Fuller doctrine and methods are the best way to get promoted in WELS, Missouri, the ELS, and the toxic CLC (sic). Those yearning to be president of The Sausage Factory better sign up for some Fuller courses, because that is the ticket. Ask Valleskey and Wendland.

Where has ELS Jay Webber, the Torquemada of Ternopil, been during this onslaught of Romanism and Fullerism? He battles constantly against justification by faith, but seems indifferent to the last days of an insane, old world. Has the ELS Bored of Doctrine even noticed the dominance of Fuller thinking in ELS/WELS? the Weakland and Martin Marty lectures? Mark and Avoid Jeske? 

The innocent should consider how these noble Pharisees wrinkle their noses in disgust, if anything amiss is mentioned to them. WELS - You studied at Ft. Wayne? How tragic. 

• ELS - You were WELS? I hope you recover.
• Missouri St. Louis - You only went to Ft. Wayne?
• Missouri Ft. Wayne - You are a St. Louis snob?
• CLC (sic) - You were not there when we began. Apostate!

This church building is held together by strands of giant steel dental floss,
but Missouri spends its money on imperial salaries for seminary profs and CPH plagiarists.

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From Brett Meyer:

In line with your post on Adiaphora I’m sending you part of the exchange with Holy Trinity that highlights their leaving adiaphora behind in favor of a new tactic.  (W)ELS has moved far beyond issues of adiaphora and on to Rome’s version of Principles and Application of Principles.  May be too long for posting but your call.

From: brett.meyer@comcast.net [mailto:brett.meyer@comcast.net]

Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2006 3:22 PM

To: Pastor Schewe

Cc: brett.meyer@comcast.net

Subject: July 9th service

Importance: High

Pastor, during the third reading today you had a responsive reading of Matthew 6:19-21,25- 34. Can you please explain why you had the women reading two parts of the Scripture? Doesn't biblical doctrine teach that women should be silent in the church, 1 Corinthians 14:34,35. This is clearly prohibited by our Orthodox Lutheran doctrine and should not have been done.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”

From: Pastor Schewe

To: brett.meyer@comcast.net

Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 12:46 PM

Subject: RE: July 9th service

Hi back Brett,

I thought I’d get back to you on your question. Our company from Wisconsin kept us pretty busy the last couple days! Thanks for the question. I’m a bit surprised that you asked this one because antiphonal formats have been used for quite a while in our circles, and have been deemed an acceptable practice that does not violate the man/woman roles God has established. I know that Holy Trinity has used antiphonal formats in the past before I arrived. Also, we sang an antiphonal hymn on Easter Sunday.

As far as the verses from 1 Cor. 14, where it states that women should “remain silent in the churches,” I’m going to assume that you already know that this does not prohibit women from uttering noises in church. Otherwise, women couldn’t pray, confess their faith, sing about the Law and the Gospel, or do any other activities that involved their voice. So then, what does it mean that they are to “remain silent?”

The previous verses give the context for this. Paul writes that there has been disorderly prophesying in the church at Corinth. People intending to teach the group were speaking all at once, causing confusion. Paul therefore gives this command in 1 Cor. 14, which is similar to 1 Timothy 2: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” Therefore, it would be a violation for a woman to do things such as hold pastoral office over a congregation, to lead Adult Bible Study over men, or to exercise voting rights. It would not be a valid application of this teaching principle to apply it to every use of women’s voices in worship or to antiphonal formats of worship. If we were going to do that, we would have to eliminate women soloists, female choirs, prominent women’s melodies in mixed choirs, women and men singing the psalms antiphonally, etc. (Our teaching training college, Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN, has a very fine “Treble Choir” that sings God’s law and gospel to God’s people) In fact, the music pieces and hymns would be even more suspect than reading Scripture, since they contain interpretation of Scripture. We’d even have to condemn women singing in the presence of men, because the men might hear them. These activities, however, are viewed in our circles as acceptable practices that do not usurp teaching authority and thereby violate the Scriptural principle.

Hope you’re having a good week! May God keep our families under his protecting hand,

Pastor S.

From: brett.meyer@comcast.net [mailto:brett.meyer@comcast.net]

Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 10:20 PM

To: Pastor Schewe

Subject: Re: July 9th service

Pastor, thank you for your response. You are correct, the same thing has happened at HTLC before. Only once while we were visiting. Pastor Buchholz was asking doctrinal questions of men and women during the sermon and in turn they would stand and give an answer to the entire congregation. My family and I immediately left the service just as we did this past Sunday.

The fact that Synod has accepted this practice and states that it doesn't violate scripture means nothing to me if they can't back it up with scripture. And they haven't provided any scriptural support for it other than to erode existing passages (refer to the WELS question and answer below from the Synod website). I also think this is indicative of the condition of our ELS and WELS Synods.

When women recite the creeds, sing hymns, pray the Lord's prayer they are doing so with the entire congregation and are speaking to and being served by God individually. They are not instructing the entire congregation during those activities. When scripture passages are being read to the congregation then that is an act of teaching the congregation God's words, God's doctrines. They are speaking with God's authority, Holy Scripture, to the church. This is clearly prohibited in 1 Cor. 14:34,35 and 1 Tim. 2:11,12.

It is quite possible that this issue, and others, derive from our first contention which is what is happening during the service. You've contended that primarily we are serving God during the Worship Service and I contend that primarily if not solely God is serving us during the Divine Service. Now if we are primarily serving God, then how we worship and what we worship with becomes adiaphora and subject to personal opinion and tastes. The hymns we sing no longer contain scripture but focus on praise words and songs which magnify how we feel and what we do. This trend toward focusing on us can be seen the change of names from the Divine Service to the Worship service as Divine refers to God and Worship refers to us and what we do. But if God is serving us then we no longer have such wide choices and the liturgy is no longer adiaphora because God has chosen to serve us through only two means, Word and Sacrament. Thus the entire service revolves around God's Word and his Sacraments serving us. Convicting us of our sins and creating contrition in our hearts through the Law, strengthening our faith in Christ's perfect work and granting us the forgiveness of sins through the Lord's Supper and declaring us righteous before God the Father by grace through faith in the Gospel.

Also, doctrine needs to be decided solely on scripture and not on practices or traditions that would have to change because of the decision. For the Catholic Church dictates doctrine based on tradition and they remain damned to this day. There is nothing good in the Church Growth movement. Practice affects doctrine.

http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuItem_itemID=9026&cuTopic_topicID=30

In Christ,

Brett

Q: I was reading on a past WELS q&a that it may be possible for women to be lectors during a worship service (especially if the tone and inflection of her voice is proper). I have several questions regarding this viewpoint. 1. This has not been the viewpoint of some WELS theologians as is clear from articles written in WLQ from the 60's and 70's. Has the WELS changed its interpretation of the 1 Corinthians passages dealing with women remaining silent? 2. Does the WELS now teach that it may be acceptable in some instances for a woman to read a Pastor's pre-prepared sermon in front of the congregation since she technically would not be teaching of having authority? 3. Are we witnessing the slippery slope or frog boiling phenomena in the WELS with regard to its stance on women's roles? I ask these questions only because I care deeply for the WELS and the solid doctrinal stance it has held by the grace of God!

A: An article in the 1981 Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly (an exegesis of 1 Co 14:33b ff.) points out that the matter of women being silent in the church is not the principle but an application of the principle to the unique type of worship service that existed in Corinth. The principle is that a woman is not to assume authority over a man. This principle is not being denied by saying that a woman could serve as a lector. The reading of a Scripture passage with men present is not in and of itself assuming authority over the men. However, reading from the front of the church with a posture and tone of voice that would signal a woman's attitude of lording it over others would be a violation of this principle.

So though it may be technically possible for a woman to read the Scriptures in a worship service without violating her God-given role, there are a number of other factors that need to be carefully considered before this is done. The question that brought this matter up asked whether in and of itself reading the Scripture lessons in church would be a sin for a woman. But since it is not usually an "in and of itself" matter, it would be a practice that involves a number of other important issues that need to be addressed before it is done.