Pastor Jackson,
I finished reading Thy Strong Word two nights ago; it took me about 9 months to read. It's a lot of book for such a simple message, but being chock full of quotes there's a lot to read. At one point, I was thinking "this really is about the efficacy of the Word; I'd probably add a subtitle to that effect" -- only to look at the front cover to see the words "The efficacy of the Word in the Scriptures And The Lutheran Confessions." This book is aptly titled, and when one reads it, they get exactly what the cover says is in the book. It always returns to the central theme.
The book is very thought provoking in the context of the history not only of the Lutheran church, but Christendom in general. But, I speak primarily of my short span of living on earth and worshiping with Lutherans -- most of them WELS Lutherans.
Like any other human institution, the WELS has suffered the assaults of Satan. There's no human institution anywhere that hasn't been corrupted to one degree or another by the devil. He just takes such great pleasure in taking any beautiful thing he can ruin. Perhaps Paul's letters to the Corinthians would serve notice to the failings all human institutions in the future. Fortunately we have God's Strong Word, which never fails because it isn't backed by scheming or marketing plans or cleverness or talented speech, but rather by God himself who made Heaven and earth.
And, yet it's hard to walk through this City of Man with all its synods -- and maddeningly so, where the Word is still yet preached and is efficacious. Whether walking or worshiping with WELS or LCSM or any of the other micro-synods where there is a modicum of respect for God's Word, there is still yet much to be commended, but there is error too.
How we got to the stage that Justification by Faith has come under such attack by way of the General Justification / Subjective Justification / Universal Justification is truly tragic because all error has consequences. This too is theme in your book as you point out to the former Synodical Conference: (I'll paraphrase and take a little liberty..) Yeah, just keep looking down the end of your noses at the ELCA; this is what you'll become eventually!! You allow error to stand side by side with truth for expediency's sake! You've studied this transformation in your other book on Liberalism.
That's just the way the Devil works -- incrementally. For a time, error and truth will stand together in the same institution. But, only for so long, as was the case with the ELCA. It can be heart breaking because the truth is there when the Word is present. For instance, I've heard David Scaer say many things I can agree with, then incredulously he said this:
Reduces justification to the act of believing??? ...and does not believe in it all??? Seriously??
I think comments like these confuse Faith and Hope. Also, Atonement and Justification. Others...
I'm guessing this is posturing against the error of decision theology, but to deny justification by faith in the same breath is another error (just as serious, maybe more serious), and a flat out denial of the efficacy of word and sacrament. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” - Romans 10:17 and "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." 1 Corinthians 12:3
Attempting to put the best construction on this quotation, I thought maybe that it was taken out of context, but how? It is clear that the responsibility for "act of believing" is clearly God's and not man's. It's an incredulous assertion that anyone can decide to believe anything. Just try believing 2+2=5 when one knows full well that 2+2=4. One believes because one is either convinced (in matters of fact) or has been given the gift of faith (Arminian error not withstanding). In this case Faith believes; it is God's act-- and no this does not deny the atonement. And yes, man is indeed responsible for his sins-- but only in the absence of faith! Faith is given him by God, which he cannot earn on his own. He is only free to blow it up and destroy it.
These errors have consequences: 1) They are a dangerous to one's faith. Man on his own can only adulterate his faith with erroneous doctrine or notions -- "Shipwrecked Faith" 2) Cause men to do dumb things in the ministry, primarily "selling the Gospel" with programs and gimmicks. In short, helping God or doing Him a favor. Compromising his Word to "make it more effective" in the form of a translation like the NNIV, which is tantamount to an assault on God's Word.
It is remarkable to me that in the span of the generations of pastors available to me within the WELS in particular, the change in attitudes by pastors when it comes these things. It's a mixed bag. Some pastors are buried in Church Growth, others are going along*, and others whom a few I have heard describe themselves as "troublemakers" buck the institutional trends. Bucking that trend, as evidenced by some of the letters in your book brings a cross, for there are earthly consequences as well. One pastor told me, "We're small, but that's ok." I don't think he meant that he was satisfied with a small flock, but rather he understood that this was God's purview - not his.
Quite refreshing compared to the church growthers who deny the cross when it comes.
Getting back to the book,Thy Strong Word really is a sourcebook of good quotations, a lot of (forgive the term) inconvenient or painful truths along the way. But, it's not really all that bad when you realize that God's Word is indeed efficacious for us.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Gideon
