Testing Ourselves and Others on Justification by Faith

Various people have contacted me about their rejection of Universal Objective Justification, the official dogma of LCMS-WELS-ELS and ELCA.

I had the experience of encountering UOJ as an outsider. The dogma was submerged but ever-present in the LCMS-ELS-WELS after the Kokomo Statements. I found UOJ shockingly bad doctrine, clearly opposed to the Christian Faith, alien to Protestantism but only baby steps away from Universalism.

UOJ cannot be found in the Scripture, Luther, the Lutheran Reformation, or the Book of Concord.

But my claims versus the synodial UOJ claims will never do. This Pietistic repudiation of the Gospel has to be fought individually, through the Scriptures, following Luther's example. The Reformer cited authorities from the past, sometimes to reject them, but he did 99% of his work from the Word of God, which is the final authority, not some political hacks on a committee chosen for their ovine qualities.

This requires individual Biblical studies, so I will lay out some themes for people to follow in their reading.

The challenge is to explain Romans 4, section by section. Someone who knows Romans 4 can slay an army of overweight, lazy, liver-impaired UOJists.

The stars of Romans 4 are Abraham and his Justification by Faith. That points us to Genesis 15. Abraham believed God's Promises and that was counted as righteousness. Counting or reckoning is an important term, sometimes translated as imputed. (I pick counting as the plainest and best word for the New Testament term.)

He believed he would be a father and was forgiven his sins? That is a likely initial objection. No, he embraced the entire meaning of the Promises. He would not be the Father of Nations by blood. Look at Judaism now and in history. They never amounted to much in numbers. He would be the Father of Nations by faith, including the Messiah.

The matter of being a father is a big issue in John 8. "We have Abraham for our father." The true children of Abraham are children by faith, not by blood. That is why Father of Nations is so important a title, because blood descent means nothing. Belonging by faith means everything - that is the theme of John's Gospel - in the opening and conclusion of the Fourth Gospel.

The foundation of all sin is not rejecting UOJ.

Genesis 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

Abraham as the Father of Nations is also pivotal in Galatians - 

Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Abraham is naturally mentioned in the faith chapter of Hebrews - Hebrews 11 and in James.

To say that one is righteous without faith contradicts this comprehensive and unified theme in the Bible, yet the learned advocates of UOJ nonsense insist this is true. If they are wrong, they must be clowns in Geneva gowns or apes in albs.

Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 4:25; LCMS Brief Statement, 1932, on Justification.

Note the citation of Romans 4:25, which is enough to reject and repudiate this folly. The whole world has already been justified (declared righteous) in Christ? There are two contradictions in that one phrase.

1. Including the whole world, regardless of faith and before faith.
2. "In Christ" - Jay Webber's favorite cloaking device - contradicts the concept of faith because only believers are "in Christ." A brief scan of the Fourth Gospel will show that, but such work is too tough for some people.

We - the uninitiated in the deep mysteries of UOJ -  are supposed to bow down and venerate the Brief Statement and raise it above the Scriptures and the Book of Concord.

But wait, there's more. Citing Romans 4:25 and always exclaiming "raised for our justification" - that is pure deception and deliberate cloaking of the dogma Paul does NOT teach in that section, that verse, or anywhere else in the New Testament.

Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

A study of Abraham in the Bible shows that 

1. the Holy Spirit's teaching of Justification by Faith is consistent throughout, 
2. UOJ cannot get a foothold, except by avoiding the clear proclamation of the Word, such as Romans 5:1-2, which wraps up Romans 4.
3. Various claims (such as resurrection equaling world absolution) are nonsense.

 Thanksgiving at Mequon

Comedy Issue of Christian News - November 28, 2016. Which Is Lutheran? Concordia St. Louis or Otten's CN? Answer - Neither One

Which Is Truly Lutheran? Concordia Journal or Christian News? 

Faithful readers of both the Concordia Journal of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and Christian News know that the answer to the question in the above title is obviously Christian News. While only a few Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod pastors subscribe to Christian News and CN cannot afford to send it to them each week, the Concordia Journal is sent free to most of LCMS clergy. 

The current masthead of the Concordia Journal (p. 2) says: “Issued by the faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, the Concordia Journal is the successor of Lehre Und Wehre (1855-1929), begun by C.F.W. Walther, a founder of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Lehre Und Wehre was absorbed by the Concordia Theological Monthly (1930-1974) which was also published by the faculty of Concordia Seminary as the official theological periodical of the Synod.”
Christian News, November 28, 2016

The Concordia seminaries and Christians News - plus Concordia Publish House - all teach Universalism in the form of Universal Objective Justification.

Innocent Lutherans should recall how the LCMS was formed. First of all, the Loehe congregations invited the Perryville fanatics to discuss forming with them.

Secondly, Walther did not found the LCMS. Bishop Martin Stephan did. Stephan was an abusive, promiscuous Pietist who kept a covy of young women around him. He told them he was in charge of their souls and their bodies.

Stephan was so well known for his late night walks with young women that the police followed him. Stephan demanded absolute obedience from his clergy followers, commonly called the Walther circle. CFW Walther was Stephan's enforcer. Whoever disagreed with Stephan for any reason was punished until he repented.

Stephan was already syphilitic and openly living with various young women in Dresden, where he led a Pietistic church but developed an outside group, more of a mini-synod. He had Walther and the others gather money for him.

Stephan was not even qualified to lead a congregation but the Pietistic congregation had a special ruling that allowed them cell groups and the power to call their own pastor, so they called Stephan.

The only reason the Stephan group left Europe was his house arrest after being tried for immorality and misuse of finances. That prompted the long planned escape. The Stephanite clergy urged spouses to divorce to come along and encouraged minors to come with them. The Walther brothers kidnapped their nephew and niece from their father's home, to bring them along.

Those crimes against minors would be enough to get most people put in the Big House for a long, long time. That is why so many were hostile to the Stephanites, but Missouri portrays that as religious persecution. Ha!

UOJ from Halle University and Bishop Stephan's Brief Studies
Walther confessed that he learned justification from Stephan, and the syphilitic pastor was the man who insisted on being the cult's bishop. Walther signed the document, in spite of the denials of various LCMC mythologists.

Halle UOJ is what unites the ELCA, LCMS, ELS, WELS, and CLC (sic). The ELDONUTs had no trouble with UOJ until Pastor Rydecki took an interest in them.

In short, UOJ teaches Universalism in this way - God has already declared the world righteous, forgiven of sin. The Objective Justification and Subjective Justification terms are not from Luther, the Reformation, or the Book of Concord era. They were coined - or at least used - by the Calvinist translator of the famous Knappe theology lectures from Halle University.

The nonsense spewed by Jay Webber, Jack Cascione, Rolf Preus, Jon-Boy Buchholz, David Valleskey, and others is straight outta Halle. Webber even cited Halle's Rambach against Chemnitz. When Webber was called on his Halle affections, on the Intrepid Lutherans blog, he waxed indignant.

Born forgiven? McCain, like Cascione, cited
the Preus essay and this quotation - with approval.

The Right Reverend Bishop James Heiser, STM,
primate of the ELDONUTs.
Earlier, he followed Bishop Randy DeJaynes,
whose principal title is "ex-convict."

 For years the ELDONUTs met and worshiped with
the thoroughly UOJ Rolf Synod.
Rolf is the one who looks like Santa in civilian clothes.

As far as I can determine, the UOJ faction gradually took over Missouri and WELS. The ELS seems to have been formed as a rejection of Justification by Faith, masked by their claims of true, rock-ribbed Lutheran Orthodoxy. That works as a ruse because Stephan emphasized the Book of Concord and opposed rationalism. The Rationalists hated Pietism, which they also called Mysticism. Walther managed to be an ardent Pietist and be approved for ordination by the state ecclesiastic powers, proving as Stephan said, the CFW was "a fox."

Anyone can find examples of WELS and Missouri teaching Justification by Faith - and NOT UOJ.

Christian News - fashioning itself as the latest Walther publication - has always sided with UOJ while trying to claim Justification by Faith at the same time. Otten's doctrinal expert is Jack Cascione, whose pathetic Reclaiming Walther is just as Lutheran as Hillary's books are models of honesty and humility.

Speaking of honest and humility, here is the blowhard Cascione at work:

I visited Dr. Robert Preus at his home in Minnesota and showed him the problem when we were alone in his study.

Doctor Preus was never given to emotion; at least not in the years I had worked for him and known him. He looked at the passages in "God's Word" that mistranslated justification "by" and "through" faith and burst into uncontrolled weeping.

So in choosing between the LCMS publications and Otten's, we are given a false dilemma. Which is more Lutheran?

Our son, Little Ichabod, figured out false dilemmas as a young boy. When I asked him if he wanted his bath before or after dinner, he said firmly, "Neither!"

Blame Thanksgiving on My Family - English and French

The Stuart Kings of England left an indelible negative impression on their country. Starting with King James I of Scotland, they sided with the Roman Catholics against the Protestants. Previously, James' cousin, Queen Elizabeth balanced both sides rather well, after spending her developing years trying to survive during various conflicts, largely religious, that could have ended her life.

The Stuarts were rather foolish, and that included Charles II who put my ancestor in prison for expecting his loan to be repaid. "Pay back loans? That is for commoners." The bankruptcy of the jailbird, a natural consequence of the king's displeasure, led some of them to sail for America, for a chance to start all over again. They learned early that it is easier to land in the outhouse than to keep title on the penthouse.

That part of the clan became prosperous land-owners in America, and my Uncle Spencer remained a farmer all his life. The Parker (English branch) reunions were full of farmers and ex-farmers, older women in plain cotton dresses, men with sunburnt faces - always joking. When I read a book of English history,  with a profile about the typical 17th century Englishman, I said to my wife, "That is where I got the joking, the gardening, everything."

The English side is a good example of the British crown driving people across the sea for freedom in America. With nothing to lose, many sought a new beginning where the stories were told of large families being all the more prosperous for having that many more workers for the field and kitchen. My Parker cousin told me how she calculated the cost of every meal for every hired hand during harvest.

My mother said she was confined to kitchen work for a large crew and had her fill of cooking, but she also did the work of men and terrified her students with her toughness and strength. "Glove? To play outfield? I don't need a glove." Woe to the teen who thought he could get away with sassing in class. That is why parents begged her to teach their wayward kids and saw how well they did. One classmate told me, "Your mother saved my life." Another one said, "My big regret is that I did not get your mother as a teacher in grade school. My mother tried to get that changed, but it did not happen."

On my father's side was the French Protestant exile from their homeland. That was far bloodier than anything caused by Bloody Mary in England.

The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of French Protestants led to many crossing the Atlantic. Later persecutions by the Roman Catholics led to more exiles and escapes. The Noel family settled into farming in the Midwest. One Noel family struggled so hard on free land in Ohio that they did not want to even visit their former home again. Their daughter insisted. That was a sad memory, not unlike the Little House on the Prairie, where the future author saw her family barely survive from year to year.

That family was Seventh Day Adventist until they started pig farming in Iowa, where they did well. That led them to become Evangelicals, even though they had two SDA bishops in the family. That might have made for a cold reunion long ago - raising pork and leaving Holy Mother Sect. What would your sainted Uncle Horace say?

French Protestant history in America is also fascinating. Some geograhical areas come alive when associated with that era. Rochelle and New Rochelle. Cajun history is interesting too, involving those horrible British, who demanded allegiance.

The quest for freedom based on natural rights - created by God, not man - is the story of our families. My wife's family came over from Germany after World War II. Many relatives settled in Ontario and were well known to Pastor Herman Otten's brother Walter (a pastor there for a time).

Other Ellenbergers settled in America because my father-in-law was the first to arrive. His papers had a special seal on them because he helped Patton's troops during the war. Five of the Ellenbergers served in  the US military, and every relative came over legally, becoming citizens who contributed by working hard for their adopted country.

Church members told my father-in-law, "Henry, you cannot send your two daughters to a private college. Send them to the school in town." He thought otherwise, and both daughters earned graduate degrees after graduating from Augustana College in Rock Island.

Thanksgiving Eve Grocery Shopping

Last year I worked at a Neighborhood Market, October-December. The staff warned me about Thanksgiving Eve - and it was hilarious.

My assumption is that people would want to buy the most important items days before the holiday, but I was wrong. Business was brisk before Thanksgiving, but nothing like Thanksgiving Eve. The big challenge was getting the backroom food out onto the shelves in the midst of crowds, especially those in the solid, packed baking aisle. Bumper to bumper traffic was normal most of the day.

The hiring assistant manager never shelved goods, but he joined the team on Thanksgiving Eve.

The baking aisle held the most delectable items, various forms of chocolate and nuts, in large ultra-fresh bags. But, getting them on the shelves was only part of the work. Everyone had a question, and many held recipes in their hands or mobile devices.

Nothing was worse than a man with a paper list, standing there in agony. One huge athlete told me he was getting a migraine trying to find items. I helped him with his pain.

The most amusing part of this was having a store jammed with people who failed to realize that Thanksgiving Eve shopping is fraught with shortages. Three-gallon containers of peanut oil for deep-frying turkey sold faster than bunnies at Easter, and we-were-out. I put together a package for one distraught freedom-fryer: three one-gallon jugs of peanut oil. "But that costs more than the three-gallon sale!" I hardened my heart against him, smiling.

We had a produce manager who was notoriously grumpy but hilarious in his caustic comments. Someone just had to ask me for Brussel Sprouts, and I had to go ask him. Customer service. So I asked, trying to hide my glee. He said with clenched jaws, spitting out each word. "No. We. Do. NOT!" I took the tragic news back to the shopper. Little Ichabod said, "Who expects Brussel Sprouts on Thanksgiving Eve?"

Nothing made me appreciate food items more than shelving them all day long. The coffee and creamer aisle smelled heavenly from the combination of the two, and that was enhanced by handling the bags of coffee and reaching into fresh boxes, getting hungrier by the minute. I do not use coffee creamer unless it is real whipped cream, but the formulations were made to entice, and those aromas were bewitching.

I tried new experiments and old favorites on food breaks. Vanilla Wavers were popular with everyone there, so I bought packages and left the rest of them to be shared. One said, "You bought these for me?" Yes. That was fun. I complained - "No one wanted to share my spicy hot roasted peanuts." A table-full groaned.

As one assistant manager confessed, "I take home food all the time after working in that aisle. I never bought food like this before working here." Being hungry and handling soup cases made me think about various combinations and flavors of soup. Likewise - beans. I wonder how those combinations tasted.

Customers would say things like, "Butter beans are the best, but make sure you get this kind." I was not asking for a suggestion, but that worked on me until I bought some to take home.

I also began to see how many healthy foods were also tempting. I bought dozens of canned mushrooms to add to eggs in the morning. I found that canned spinach was great for blood pressure and combined well with eggs. Shelving in the Asian and condiments meant I was exposed to every kind of flavoring and additive. They all looked good before the supper break.

I built a pantry in the Great Room, our name for the clean, unused garage. I built up our supplies with extra canned and paper goods. That came from the fact that I kept coming home - before working at Walmart - with a new case of paper towels. We had four large double packages at one point.

People like to complain about Walmart and wages. I joined after the universal starting wage was raised to $9 an hour and then $10. Wages for similar jobs went up all over the area.

More importantly, I saw people around me promoted in three months. Doc, the backroom guy who delivered a case of Baby Gerkin pickles onto the floor on his first day - was given full-time work and benefits in his first three days. In other words, mistakes are forgiven. The CEO ran his car into his boss's car the first day of his job, so there is a precedent.

Several others that I knew best were promoted in that time. One guy refused to help me clean up a mess. "I am not in maintenance anymore," he said as he smiled. That was neat. A very hard-working single mom got to move to customer service, and she was beaming. It meant so much less physical labor and a chance to work up the ladder.

I took an early retirement because teaching got busy again and the work made writing difficult to manage with the effect of relaxing, all-day work four days of the week. I am fortunate to enjoy the monthly Walmart meetings and know what the average worker feels like.

On New Year's Eve I insisted on a Southern tradition - Black-eyed Peas and greens. The first is for luck. The second is for money. If you are in the South for New Year's Eve, do not go looking for either item.

The first cold rain of autumn, which was yesterday, calls for chili. People poured in for chili, holding their little recipe slips.

Thanksgiving Eve, 2016. Ustream Broadcast

Thanksgiving Eve, 2016

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Central Standard Time 

The Hymn # 558      All Praise to Thee 4.44      
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 100 p. 144
The First Lection 1 Timothy 2:1-8
The Second Lection Luke 17:11-19 
The Sermon Hymn # 574    Come Ye Thankful 4.9


Thankful To God

The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer p. 44
The Collect for Peace p. 45
The Benediction p. 45
The Hymn #361                 O Jesus King  4.1                                         

KJV 1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.



Thankful To God

KJV 1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 

An attitude of thanksgiving toward God is directly related to our concept of the cross and afflictions. There is a difference between the two.

When we experience distress, physical harm, economic punishment, shunning, and insults, and all kinds of pain because of the Word - that is bearing the cross. When the disciples were asked, when seeking glory, if they would bear the cross. they said yes. Jesus replied in Mark that they would indeed share His cup of woe and be baptized in the same baptism.

But there are afflictions that are not the result of bearing witness to the Gospel of our Savior. They are physical ailments, loss of ability, and economic hardship caused by incompetent and greedy political leaders. They are tough to bear, and they pile up during difficult times. For instance, medical costs easily impoverish people. Disability means loss of income and an increase of cost, not matter what the insurance may be. If it is all government paid, then it is often the Soviet style of medicine - free with very little of it. Or we could say - the Veterans Administration style of medicine in the last 8 years.

Paul in this letter exhorts Timothy and others to be thankful. Today, that means to be thankful for material blessings, but the Bible treats all good as coming from God. Even a harsh and tyrannical government is part of God's rule. The alternative is often a bloody revolution or anarchy where no law is upheld at all.

As much as we hate government at times, God has instilled in man a desire to govern and order the affairs of others. We benefit from that and should be grateful for the blessings that come from it. In America we can work together, vote, and change the direction of the country with God's rule and wisdom. If we do not do that as a country, then the worst leaders punish us the way false teachers punish their followers, by increasing the cost and treating everyone harshly.

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

My professor at Yale, Malherbe, argued that Paul was writing from a quietistic point of view. Christians were living in the Roman Empire, which sporadically persecuted them. But he did not organize riots to have them take up arms and overthrow the government.

The Jewish Zealots did that and earned the destruction of Jerusalem twice for doing so. The famous date is around 70 AD, but there was another revolt around 60 years after that, making the Jerusalem area a wasteland.

The Christians were often treated as an illegal branch (not accepted by Rome) of Judaism, so they suffered from both sides. Jewish leaders vexed them at times, certainly in getting rid of Paul. And Rome persecuted them.

Nevertheless, though Paul paid the ultimate price, he urged them to see the good in government and to pray for all leaders. In fact, Roman government was the single most important factor in moving Christianity around the world at that time. 

No one had the spread of shipping and roads that the Empire had, with two universal languages. The language of literature and culture was Greek, so that was the international language - as we see in the Greek New Testament and the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint.

The Roman language was another unifying part of the Empire, because Latin was the language of the Middles Ages, law, and medicine. The spread of man's wisdom would have been impaired by hundreds of languages and dialects and governments.

This great unity kept the Muslims from Europe until after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. That date should make you think about the Reformation. When the great barrier to Islam fell, Luther was born a few years later. The distraction of Islam allowed the Lutheran Reformation to take root and grow when the Catholic Emperor wanted to smash it. Instead, he had to round up the troops and fight Islam - everyone together against a common enemy.

1530 - smash the Reformation or fight Islam at the gates of Vienna? That was an easy choice. That goes well with the next verse. The Reformation causes the growth and spread of the Gospel, not by itself, but along the governmental lines created by the vast Roman Empire.

4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

God's gracious will is that all people come to the knowledge of the Gospel, receive forgiveness through faith in Him, and be saved. Vast disruptions cause these developments, because all things are in God's hand, and He will bring forth His will in due time.

People often make others feel guilty because so many are unbelievers, so it is their duty to tilt the figures toward the Christian Faith. But that overlooks God's gracious will at work. He does not say, "Meet your quota," but "Teach the truth."

The truth is revealed in God's Word and that will accomplish His will, in stirring up faith and in generating hate, blindness, hardness of heart, and rage.

When people are upset (a crime in this generation) they think about what they value. The people I know who value the Gospel the most are ones who have gone through many difficult years. They have seen people throw away the truth of the Word for their own gain or simply from intellectual curiosity. 

I have seen higher learning plunge into decay because of the various societal fads, and reversing this is very difficult indeed. That only means we have created in America a second Roman Empire, with its good and bad characteristics. The power is there for the good, but also for evil.

Rather than figure all this out, we are to pray for the wisdom of our leaders and be thankful for what they can accomplish.

5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 

I had a youth group paint this across the wall in the church basement. I did not suggest it. They jumped into and I thought, "Trouble ahead." They are all nearing retirement, and that building was torn down to become an apartment house.

At one point they were picking that verse and debating it, then painting it and showing it to all their parents and grandparents, a German church in Cleveland.

The truth of that verse is compelling as a confession of faith, probably part of Paul's catechism for the early Christians. 

• There is one God - the unity of the Three Persons.
• One Mediator - Jesus is God.
• Between God and men, the man Jesus. The Incarnation - the Virgin Mary and Jesus born in Bethlehem, all implied in one phrase.
• Who gave Himself a ransom - died on the cross
• for all - the atoning death always, always assures us that He died for all people, all sins, the great Treasure of the Gospel, so that those who believed in Him (John 3:16) would receive forgiveness and salvation.
• To be testified - that is the Gospel Christians teach and preach.

7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Paul's only mission was to teach the truth to all people. Jesus ordained him to be an apostle to the Jews and to the Gentiles. He was just a man organizing a few small congregations. He was executed for his trouble. But God used him to lay the foundations for the Christian Church for all time. Was Paul often distraught over all his troubles - his thorn in the flesh? Doubtless he was, for overwhelm anxiety and depression are messengers from Satan to keep Christians from trusting in their Savior's love and kindness.

He turned negativity into peace and calm, not only for himself, but for all who fall into the same state of mind. God gave him the answer, which is one of the great passages in the entire Bible - 

2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Thanksgiving Eve and Sunday Will Be Ustream

I have been going back and forth with Ustream because I could not even log into our account there. That got fixed there, so I tested this broadcasting setup, and it worked.

We are back to Ustream for now. We will have alternatives to use, like YouTube if Ustream continues to vex us.

Use the old link for the worship services - Bethany Lutheran Worship.

Note on Thanksgiving Eve and Sunday's Services

Thanksgiving Eve is 7 PM Central Standard Time on Facebook, but I can put that video on Facebook immediately after. If you had bad luck with FB or do not like FB, you will be able to use the YouTube version.

I will have more information later and post it.

When I learn how and have the computer set up, I will stream live to YouTube and keep videos on our channel there.

And yes, I have fresh roses on Thanksgiving Eve - from our garden.

New White, Butterfly Bush Blooms. Warming Up, Raining a Bit, Roses Still Blooming Somewhat

Falling in Love has a white reverse
for its pink flowers. Their blooms are
beautiful in a vase and very fragrant.

Dread winter left after three days of 20 degree nights. Now we have warmer nights again and 50 - 65 degree days. Rain yesterday and last night encouraged a few more roses to bloom, especially the unbelievable Easy Does It.

I will cut some fresh roses for tonight's Thanksgiving service.

I looked at our baby Butterfly Bush - White Profusion. Although it was in a bad place for traffic and new mulch being placed, the little bush bloomed white already.

The cool weather, after a prolonged summer, seems to have brought the Starlings back. I saw them feasting as a group on John and Pat's lawn, then flying off on their rounds to roost and find another lawn for food.

I expect they will be making my backyard a frequent stop.

Neighbors are gathering free mulch and manure for me, in the form of carefully raked tree leaves in handy to carry leaf bags. Some are in paper bags in case I need extra base for the mulch. Thanks for paying Walmart for paper bags so I can have them free.

Easy Does It harmonizes well with the other roses -
sturdy stems and frequents blooms, especially now.

Top Ten - Leading for the Week - Luther, the Book of Concord, and Sound Doctrine

This quotation is great comfort for those in anguish
about whatever distresses them,
and a can of whoop against those
who imagine they manage God's work for Him.
Salvador Dali painting - The Persistence of Memory.

Book of Concord Selections. Luther's Sermons, Lenk... May 16, 2012,  455 The Sermons of Martin Luther - Lenker Edition - 8 ... Apr 19, 2012,  282 Project Gutenberg - Apology of the Augsburg Confes... May 14, 2012,  143 Dr. Lito Cruz Asked That Bethany Add a PayPal Acco... Jul 5, 2011,  134 Project Gutenberg - The Augsburg Confession May 14, 2012,  120 Do the Babtists Have More Lutherans Than the Luthe... Nov 17, 2016,  87 Breaking News! - President-Elect Trump Will Move H... Nov 18, 2016,  77 Murders Most Foul - WELS Cover-Ups Even Worse. JP ... Aug 5, 2016,  74 The Great Book Exchange Today - Facilitated by Thi... Nov 18, 2016,  73 Essential Authors and Books for Lutherans - Printe... Nov 18, 2016,  69

Chemnitz mined the treasures of the ancients,
thanks to an early job casting horoscopes,
using a splendid library.
The UOJists think they can refute an argument ad hominem,
which shows they do not even know how to persuade a dog.

Ichabod has had a drop in views and another major surge, not sure what to make of either one. I was puzzling over the views when I thought, "But no one else publishes his numbers on a daily counter. Maybe they do not want comparisons."

The most impressive part of the list above, Top Ten for the Week, is that doctrinal, Reformation posts completely dominate. One is about murder scandals in WELS. One is humor about Trump and the White House as subsidized government housing.

As I have written many times before, the purpose of this blog is to direct people to Luther and Reformation theology, which means casting aside Uncle Fritz' opinions just because he belongs to the synod and obtained an MDiv while becoming an alcoholic with his seminary buddies.

And - to answer various people who are offended by posts - this is a polemical blog, based on the Greek word for war. The synod minders' objections sound like, "Hey, you are writing polemical posts on a polemical blog. You should be writing PR releases for Holy Mother Sect."

No, I leave that up to Otten's Christian News, which sells its PR releases while spiking news articles and shunning Lutheran doctrine. The synod managers of public opinion are always close at hand to guide Christian News away from the truth and back to their sinister aims. They have been successful by providing some love and attention to the editor they starve for love and attention.

Yes, that must be great fun for those who live from manipulation. Their public stance concerns the frequent horrors of Christian News. But they assign certain people, like John Brug, to massage Otten's feelings and push the synodical ship in the direction they choose.

James 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. [to wherever the pilot desires]

Praising and serving apostasy can only serve to promote a faster decline in the Great Falling Away from faith, predicted in the Scriptures. Note that this is not the Great Falling Away from Walther, but from faith.

2 Thessalonians:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away [apostasy] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. [The infallible Walther or the infallible pope?]

Reformation theology directs people toward the Scriptures - faith in the Savior. Synodical propaganda promotes synodical worship by borrowing the words of faith to distort the message.

Someone who suffers from the insufferable Jeske
created this graphic. Not I.