For Bethany Lutheran Church Members and Friends. Protecting You - So Only the Chinese, the NSA, and Facebook Have Your Data

 Microsoft will have your computer purring again, but will it work?

As people may know, various updates were foisted upon our computers, for our own good. They kept my Civ IV game folders and erased the game files. Thanks, Mr. Gates.

I used to get a version of the newest post in the email box, and I forwarded that as a blind carbon copy to the membership/friendship list.

They now consider a blind carbon copy list as spam - and block it.

If I send it in the open, which I do not like to do - they block that too.

I can send the Sunday service as a Word attachment to a few members/friends who really like to have it. So my list is very small, trying to avoid a total block.

So do not be offended if you were used to messages on Sunday and a copy of the service, but no longer get it. If I can find a way around it, keeping addresses private, I will. However, I doubt that will happen.

The complete service is always posted an hour before we start and it is normally the top post for Sunday.

 A glimpse into the Window 10 update project.

Luther's Sermons - Updates

Most of the work is done on my end. Glitches develop in dealing with HAL, so I am addressing them. When they are solved in a day or two, I will start sending out volumes.

In the meantime I had to deal with excessive medicine charges, insulin being the worst. I applied for relief from that company and faxed 25 pages in support. I have done that before with another company, only to be turned down twice, approved, then faced with the challenge of even more of the same. I gave up on them. The genius of this approach is to make billions of dollars and then say, "But we have a program for people."

So I did that for insulin and also took a secondary approach to the whole problem. The doughnut hole in MediObamaCare came early, insulin costs zoomed, needs went up. My guess is that ObamaCare, which merged all plans into a gigantic taxation scheme, is still wound around all prescriptions and gives every company a green light to overcharge.

Years ago, a member was out of insulin on a trip, went to a pharmacy, got what he required (no prescription needed) and paid a modest charge. Pepperidge Farm and I remember.

So that was a side adventure, plus a new platform to learn for online teaching. Done.

Stump, Creation, and the Fallacy of Emphasis

 This Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary building was a mansion located at Stevens Avenue and East 24th Street in Minneapolis and was named for the first president of Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary, Joseph Stump. Stump Hall functioned as a single student dormitory and had its own on-site boarding club, in which students shared responsibilities for meals. Back of photograph reads: Stump Hall, Stevens Ave. @ 24th Str., Mpls. Luther merged with Northwestern, and the Northwestern name was later dropped. Luther is selling off land to stay afloat.

 Stump belongs in the era when Evangelicals sought a compromise with evolution.

Stump, Joseph

(October 6, 1866–May 24, 1935). B. Marietta, Pennsylvania; educ. Capital U., Columbus, Ohio, and Luth. Theol. Sem., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Pastor Pennsylvania and New Jersey 1887–1915. Prof. Chicago Luth. Theol. Sem., Maywood, 1915–20; Chicago Luth.Divinity School 1920–21; pres. and prof. Northwestern* Luth. Theol. Sem. 1921–35. Works include An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism; The Christian Life; A Handbook of Christian Ethics; Life of Philip Melanchthon; The Christian Faith; A System of Christian Dogmatics. See also Ministry, Education of, X M.

The Christian Faith by Joseph Stump.  Chapter III:  Creation.  66-7.

Much argument has been expended on the question whether

the six days of creation were of twenty-four hours each, or

whether the days represent long periods of time.  The record in

Genesis permits the holding of either theory.  The word "day"

is sometimes used in Scripture to designate a period of twenty-

four hours, and sometimes it is used to denote a period of time,

as for example, the "day of the Lord" (Isa. 2:12; 13:6).  A

thousand years are with the Lord as one day, and one day as a

thousand years (2 Pet. 3:8).  That God could, if He chose to

do so, fashion the world into its present form and order in six

days of twenty-four hours each is clear to everyone who believes

in God's infinite power.  On the other hand, it is equally clear

that God was, if He so chose, perfectly at liberty to use a long

period of time for bringing about the results specified under

the head of each day's work.  The Scriptural record does not

define the length of the "day," and leaves us free to believe

either that the days were periods of twenty-four hours or of

millions of years.

***

GJ - Someone sent me this, which is relevant for the current deflections. All the Lutherans (ELCA-CLC-WELS-ELS-LCMS) are skipping past the Chief Article, Justification by Faith, because their precious Justification without Faith is "settled doctrine," according to Jay Webber's catechism student Jon-Boy Buchholz.

OK, let's call it OJ or UOJ - The Justification of the World (John Sparky Brenner) - which is like putting an transparent plastic raincoat over a saggy pair of pajamas. The terms are all cover for Universalism, not that they change the agenda of Universalism, only the marketing for its foul, anti-faith optimism.

Therefore, the current debate is Creation.

Stump's paragraph is delightfully ambiguous, and purposefully so. One can continue to believe in the six 24-hour day Creation or allow God - in His freedom - to take as long as He wished.

Contrariwise, Roland Bainton enjoyed talking about the Yale professor called Old Yom because the man insisted that "Yom" - Hebrew for day - always meant a 24 hour day. For Bainton, that clinched the argument that Bible could not be taken literally.

When I studied this topic some years ago, it was apparent that Evangelicals sought to compromise with Darwinism this way, by saying God created - but over a long stretch of time.

The Fallacy of Emphasis
The Fallacy of Emphasis is old and popular, often used at home, and frequently employed in denominations. For instance, rather than deal with false doctrine in ELS/WELS, the ELS bigshop yelled, "Would you take communion with Paul Kelm?"

The fallacy is based on shifting the emphasis to a new topic. Could a day be any length of time?

But the real issues of Creation are two-fold, both neglected at a genius level:

1. Is the Word of God powerful and effective?
2. Was the Son of God the Logos of John 1 and "and God said" of Genesis 1?

As I have written frequently, the efficacy of the Word is foundational in the Bible - not a matter of denominations or cultures or wheredidjagotoseminary. The power and efficacy of the Word has been neglected to the point of almost exterminating knowledge of the same in our culture. Proof is the "conservative" Lutheran dogma of UOJ, universal absolution without the Word, and the stinking mess called Church Growth.

John 1 is clear.

KJV John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The efficacy of the Word does not allow for a compromised version of Creation.

Rationalism is like drinking salt water to cure one's thirst - the thirst only grows. Calvinism is at the root of this compromise, this fallacy of emphasis.

Does God have the power to create in an instant, a  24-hour day? Of course. Man's double-minded faith does not in any way change what God can do and what God has done. How it is that someone can pray for a solution to troubles and see that answered in an instant, in a way that never could have come from human skill, wisdom, or scheming?

Too Many City-Slickers in Theology
I argue that we have too many city-slickers in theology, not enough farmers. Mrs. Ichabod asked me, "How do you find a perfect cantaloupe every time I ask you to guy one? And avocados too. Perfect."

My answer, "You married a farmer."

Daily work in the garden reveals the perfect harmony of God's Creation, which demands the coordination of all elements together, not Project Management expertise of man.

Here is one example out of millions. The earthworm is perfectly engineered for a number of tasks:

1. Burrowing in the soil - all muscle, bristled segments, tenacious.
2. Sweetening the soil - unique Caltrate glands that add usable calcium to the soil, not like those useless egg shells.
3. Fertilizing the soil - adding fine soil and useful chemicals to droppings.
4. Increasing nitrogen - kidneys and digestion both add to usable nitrogen, the foundation for green plants and animal muscle.

But there is but one problems - earthworms do not digest food. Bacteria in their guts do that. Bacteria:

1. Reproduce at a phenomenal rate.
2. Attack soft materials already chewed or ground in the gizzard by the earthworm, who swallows tiny pebbles to help that function.
3. Move so slowly due to the tiny size, that they need rides everywhere, and the worm is their city bus.

 Our recent selfie.

O wiser than wise men, how did God set aside enough time to design - at your speed - the earthworm for bacteria and bacteria for the earthworm? I have to ignore a lot of other dependencies just to outline this one. 

Everyone should get down on his hands and knees each day - and weed. Yes, a closer look at Creation would dispel doubts about how God works and how fast His will is effected.

The June 11th, 2018 Sedition of the Christian News . The Pope Should Be More Popey

 Otten's Christian News only promotes Universal Objective Justification.

 Webber got an online STM from ELCA's ILT. Kilcrease teaches UOJ there. How can one better exemplify the Una Unsancta of the Apostate Church?

 A pause - for what the Scriptures, Luther, and the Book of Concord treat as the Chief Article. Wake up Bivens and Zarling - you still do not know this!

 The UOJ brought over by Bishop Stephan, STD, and his pimp, CFW Walther, is a challenge to all those who study the Scriptures. Is their precious dogma in Holy Writ? -
or should we separate the wormy flour from the good flour - as Luther suggested.

The followers of JP Meyer, like Webber and Buchholz, cannot admit their slavery, but their doctrinal ineptness gives them away at every turn.

 Pope Otten urges Pope Francis to be more popey.

Adding to the merriment, Otten republished something from the old Roman Catholics urging Pope Francis to be more popey and do his job better. How do we handle this advice?

1. Stress the Immaculate Conception. 
2. Emphasize the Marian apparitions. Good income there.
3. Fire up the inerrancy tradition and make it stick.
4. Re-roast the Lutherans, if any can be found who disagree with the Pope's universalism. Otten and the synodocats are all in bed with Universalism - in the name of grace, of course.
5. Reissue The Truth about Luther, copies signed by Pope Otten.
6. Add the Assumption of Joseph to the official dogma of the Assumption of Mary.
7. Hire Cascione to prove that Genesis 3:15 is the heel of Mary. If anyone can do it, Jack can.

 Ah, the papal audience hall at the Vatican.
We need some guided tours and lectures on the symbolism.

LSTC Former Seminary President William Lesher Dead - Welcomed Seminex and Now the School Is Dying

 William Lesher, Radical Ninny, LSTC

From the LSTC Epistle
Community mourns, remembers William E. Lesher, fourth president of LSTC The Rev. William E. Lesher died January 23. He served as president of LSTC from 1978-1997, the seminary’s longest-serving president. He was 85 years old. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, A. Jean Olson Lesher and their sons, David and Gregory, and three grandchildren. The family held a memorial service in California on March 11. A memorial service was held at LSTC on March 15. “Bill Lesher was a larger-than-life ‚gure in theological education way back when my teaching career began,” said James Nieman, president. “His unparalleled tenure of leadership in two seminaries, including our own for 19 years, is hard for someone in my role to fathom today. It a
orded Bill the opportunity to implement a vast range of innovative plans that still stamp our school’s character— perhaps the most remarkable being his wide-open welcome of Seminex. I am grateful to God for Bill’s gifts of vision and commitment, and will miss his wide smile, caring words, and joyful heart.”

Philip Hefner, professor emeritus of systematic theology and senior fellow of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science, said, “In the last months of his life, Bill Lesher spoke of moving into the Immensity. He lived a life of immensity, his death is an immense loss, and he blessed us immensely.” Hefner and Lesher first became friends in the 1950s when they were both students at LSTC’s predecessor school, Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary in Maywood, Ill.


Legacy of innovation and cooperation 
During his 19-year tenure at LSTC, Lesher shaped the seminary in ways that are still being lived out today, more than 20 years after his retirement. He helped develop and support coursework for e
ective urban ministry, the advancement of cross-cultural consciousness and global mission, and the ethical and social implications of the faith.

Lesher was instrumental in establishing the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS) one of the largest and most effective consortia of seminaries in North America. He also helped establish the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, which is now the Zygon Center for Religion and Science. In cooperation with Catholic Theological Union and McCormick Theological Seminary, he made LSTC a partner in the Chicago Center for Global Ministries. “Bill is and will be remembered for his unquenchable energy and sense of humor, his passion for inuencing both LSTC and ATS Standards to reect the global character of the best theological education, and the way he challenged LSTC to stretch and respond to what he was always dreaming for us to do,” said Kathleen D. (Kadi) Billman, John H. Tietjen Professor of Pastoral Ministry: Pastoral Theology and director of master’s programs at LSTC. She was one of the first female faculty members at LSTC, appointed during Lesher’s presidency.

Ralph Klein, Christ Seminary-Seminex Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, said,“Bill was a boundless source of new ideas to make theological education come alive. He often inspired potential new additions to the faculty with his vision. I remember a number of occasions when a committee thought they were stuck with no way forward. Bill would pop into those committees and by the end of the hour they had new energy and new assignments. Both Bill and his wife Jean were passionate about caring for international students and their families. With Phil Hefner, he was the driving force in founding of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science.” Klein served as academic dean during the last nine years of Lesher’s tenure.

Passion for parish, Parliament of the World’s Religions
Before being called to serve as president of LSTC, Lesher served as president of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary for five years. He anchored his ministry in his experience as a parish pastor at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square in Chicago and at Reen Memorial Church in St. Louis. He graduated from Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary, one of LSTC’s predecessor schools, in 1958, and served as associate professor of parish renewal at LSTC in the early 1970s.

Lesher served on numerous commissions, boards, and task forces in the Lutheran Church in America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran World Federation, and in his local community.

After his retirement in 1997, both Lesher and his wife became more deeply involved in the Parliament of the World’s Religions. Their global experiences and travel before and during their time at LSTC helped them imagine what they might do to encourage interfaith understanding and action. He emerged as a spokesperson for the Parliament and served as chair of its Board of Trustees from 2003-2010.

A fuller tribute to William Lesher will appear in the summer issue of the LSTC Epistle magazine.

I sat in his office, used his library,
and wondered how it would all end.

***

GJ - I was supposed to attend the newly built and merged LSTC, especially since the Augustana Seminary merged into that campus while I was walking to classes with the future Mrs. I.

In a twist of fate, LSTC had the A. D. Mattson Fund, and I wrote the PhD dissertation about him at Notre Dame. I sat in Lesher's office with the librarian as we discussed what to do witht the material. They told Mattson's daughter the money was spent, so I suggested that she say, "I have already talked to my attorney about this."

 Radical Leftist Elizabeth Bettenausen gave the A. D. Mattson lectures.

That was the first and most successful use of that statement. His daughter, now deceased, said, "I do not have have an attorney." I said, "They do not know that. Just say it and add nothing more. No threats."

A short time later they found the missing funds and the dissertation was published, at LSTC's cost, by the Augustana Historical Society, launched at Augustana College. Conrad Bergendoff was honored with a song about sweet corn. Not making this up.

 Conrad Bergendoff wanted a merged seminary in Chicago,
Philly and Gettysberg merged.
They all merged unto death.

Lesher the Radical
Lesher was not especially bright and had no credentials for running a seminary - except he was far Left and ecumenical to a fault. "An ecumenist loves every denomination except his own."

Lesher turned LSTC, a potential nightmare, into a genuine debacle, by merging with the scoundrels from Seminex, including Deppe, who later joined the Metropolitan Community Church. The Seminex faction worked as a cohesive unit to run the school their way. Seminex meant a lot of professors to feed, hardly any new students, and no additional money. Apostates never miss a chance to make an easy living at the expense of others.

The hagiography from the LSTC Epistle is nothing compared to the obituary from California.

LSTC is just about finished as a school. I added up about seven seminaries that merged to form that Titanic school, built by a bridge company - ugly, dark, and unpopular.

Not "just wow" but "Just OW!"

Do Weeds and Cover Crops Rob or Improve the Soil?

Anyone who has seen a rose bush captured by grassy weeds will consider all weeds evil, destructive, and worthy of RoundUp.

Weeds are God's cover crop, and they fill in according to the need of the soil left bare, the engineering of the hardy plant geminating there. For instance, one is called poverty grass because it inhabits poor soil. In fact, some medicinal herbs grow much better in poor soil than they do in rich soil. Was that planned? The Creation Gardener does not pause to doubt.

I always wanted a Europeana Rose,
and got one in a bargain buy, $5.

Some people struggle to prove Creation through science, which is like proving artistic merit through science, a mismatch - using a good tool for the wrong purpose. The same people would laugh at someone pounding a screw into a wood beam.

But I wandered to make a point. The defeat of evolution can be found in the Scriptures, observation, and purpose. If every living thing has a purpose, often a good one, then an infinity of purpose and dependency only allows for Creation, divine engineering, and the continuing management of God.

Creation is revealed not proven: John 1 reveals the reality of Genesis 1. All things were created throgh the Logos, and nothing was created apart from the Logos - Jesus, the Son of God. So we can see in Genesis 1 - God creating is the Father commanding and the Son serving as the Creating Word. The Holy Spirit hovered over Creation as our Witness. Through John 1 we can see the Holy Trinity in Creation, in Genesis 1.

Observation without the Word of God is likely to be swayed by various emotions and societal trends. Nevertheless, observation helps city folk understand the Creation message of the Scriptures, which are in reality a very long sermon about Jesus.

 Everyone took Monarch butterflies for granted,
but now people are growing milkweed and its cousins to support them.

Observation
Creation is the revelation of the Holy Spirit, the foundation of all wisdom. Secondarily, we can observe how true this revelation is. Almost all our human reactions to Creation - in this great age of technolgy - are wrong. We see a weed and want to soak it with herbicides,  hack it down with tools, or pull it out after a long rain. How satisfying - to grab an entire dandelion plant in rain-softened ground, to pull it out and admire its evil, grasping roots. Bad idea!

Dandelions came to America as herbs, because their roots can make a beverage like coffee, their flowers are sweet enough to make wine, and the leaves are packed with vitamins and calcium. Dandelion salad is especially good in the early spring.

Dandelions and lawns go well together. Dandelions invade lawns and grass invades commercial dandelion plots. But Scott Lawn and Garden has trained us to hate those golden flowers and their sinister stalks of air-borne seeds. Scotts will sell us a special mix that chemically thrwarts the soil, making it thirsty for even more water, and kills the dandelions at the same time.

Dandelions improve the soil by opening up the soil, mine minerals from the sub-soil, provide food for insects, nest-liner for birds, and nutritious flowers for rabbits. The dandelion-fed rabbits feed hawks, and so forth. Wherever we start, the purpose of each form of life expands outward in many directions.

The rabbit does not rob the plant life with all his eating. He returns his high nitrogen food to the soil in pellets and rabbit-gro, which encourage the equally muscular (high nitrogen) earthworms. The red wigglers mix their organic food and leave it on or in the soil to fertilize the plants rabbits love. We put kiddie pools under our rabbit cages, filled them with soil, and added earthworms. The earthworms sanitized the mix while breeding, turning the original soil into a solid mass of wiggling worms. Fresh soil underneath meant the bundles of earthworms got a new place to live, and the left-behind worms soon filled the new soil with offspring.

But all this is very high level, since the most basic foundation is comprised of fungus, bacteria, protozoa, and other microbes - the very bread of life for one another (in some cases) and for higher level creatures.

 Hog Peanuts add nitrogen to the soil.

We have some large patches of grassy weeds, waiting to be tamped down under newspapers, cardboard, and wood mulch. In the meantime, I am growing and dividing:

• Hostas
• Mints
• Daisies
• Joe Pye Weeds
• Butterfly Weeds
• Comfrey
• Hostas
• Garlic

to serve as cover crops between the roses. Birds plant wild strawberries for me, an attractive and low-growing mat of green with brilliant red berries. They also plant lots of Pokeweed, which I let grow for a time and cut at the ground level. Poke grows tall in the backyard, prompting Little Ichabod to ask, "Pokeweed? Are you kidding me? That is the name?" I said, "Yes, yielding Poke berries and salad, berries for 60 kinds of birds, salad for the brave." Poke leaves have to be boiled twice to remove toxins.

I am planning on tall and wide plants in the rose garden, to separate the roses and support beneficial insect life. Hog Peanuts are tall and impossible to pull out, so I cut them at their base until they get to tall again.

 The Crepe Myrtle was soggy with rain last summer,
and the Buckwheat grew jungle-thick, re-seeded, and grew again. I have a third crop seeded from last year, in spite of the winter.

The Delights of Creation
When I go to the mailbox, baby robbins are chirping a foot away, in the Crepe Myrtle bush. Mr. and Mrs. Robin are always alarmed and anxious to draw me away. 

One member introduced me to serving thistle seed, which is a good deterrent for squirrels. When we are at the kitchen sink, Goldfinches feed on thistle a foot or two away.

I clean and fill several birdbaths each day, so I often see them splashing around in the sunlight. They leave behind plenty of additional food for the plants.

Roses delight our neighbors and friends, since cutting them is good for all involved.

John G. Trump - Wikipedia

President Trump's father financed his brother - John George Trump - through his PhD in electrical engineering. I am currently studying issues in power generation.

John G. Trump - Wikipedia:



"John George Trump (August 21, 1907 – February 21, 1985) was an American electrical engineer, inventor, and physicist. He was a recipient of U.S. President Ronald Reagan's National Medal of Science, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering.[3][4][5] John Trump was noted for developing rotational radiation therapy.[3] Together with Robert J. Van de Graaff, he developed one of the first million-volt X-ray generators. He was the paternal uncle of the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump.

John Trump was the youngest of three children and the second son of German immigrants Frederick Trump and Elizabeth Christ Trump. He was born in New York City on August 21, 1907.

After his father's untimely death in 1918, John was financed through college, from bachelor to doctorate, by his brother Fred. Fred had joined their mother in real estate development and management while still in his teens (Elizabeth Trump & Son). Initially, the brothers tried working together building houses, but they had differing expectations. The brothers dissolved their partnership, and John pursued a career in electrical engineering."

'via Blog this'

Analysis: Cardinal Parolin at the elite Bilderberg meeting

If the official invite-only meeting hall is a snake's head...

Analysis: Cardinal Parolin at the elite Bilderberg meeting:

 And the Christ statue towering above, up front, looks like a giant snake, then the associates of the Vatican should not surprise anyone.

"Vatican City, Jun 6, 2018 / 04:26 pm (CNA).- Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, will take part in the Bilderberg Conference, an annual private gathering of global political, business and media leaders, set to take place this year in Turin, Italy, June 7 – 10.

Cardinal Parolin’s name is included in the list of 131 participants in this year’s Bilderberg meeting."



'via Blog this'

Greek Class Thank You from a Pastor

Great class tonight.  Well, all of them are great.  But tonight was a clear explanation from the Greek regarding two big issues in the church, faith and antinomianism.  The text answers both of them well.

Thank you.

In Christ,

Lutheran Pastor

---

GJ

Here is some background for everyone.

A Luther Quotion Sent by a Lutheran Layman

Each morning, I start my day by reading a section of Luther’s works that were compiled into a devotional called “Day by Day We Magnify You: Daily Readings for the Entire Year”. 

Here is today’s gem, if you will, with added emphasis mine:

“Faith is such a knowledge that, although it is completely and utterly dark and nothing is visible, it is yet sure and, in such utter darkness, sees that it really holds Christ, just as in former times our Lord God was seated in the midst of darkness on Mount Sinai and in the temple.  Therefore our righteousness, which makes us appear just before God and well pleasing to him, is not the love that gives this appearance to faith, but it is faith itself, and the hidden mystery and the secret knowledge in the heart, that is a trust in what is invisible, which means in Christ invisible and yet really present.  But the reason why faith makes us just is that it seizes Christ, the noble and precious treasure, and keeps him present.  But human thought cannot express how he is present, for as I have said, it is pure darkness, which means that it is a hidden, high secret, and unsearchable knowledge.  Therefore, where there is such a full trust and genuine confidence of the heart, there, certainly, is Christ within the dark mist and in the faith.  That is the right justification, which causes the person to be regarded as righteous and acceptable before God.”

 

Lectures on Galatians.  Luther's Works 26:130; WA 40/2:288f

 

There.  Right there.  UOJ/OJ/SJ/GJ whatever... is knocked down in glorious terms in this wonderful section from the Reformer.  Luther could not be clearer in his words!  There is no parsing or hemming or hawing, the Lord makes it clear and Luther repeats with succinct emphasis: Justification by Faith Alone.  Luther even calls it the “right justification”!

What a blessing it has been to be able to read the words of Luther himself!  Compared to synodical drivel, it shines like a beacon.  The Scriptures are conveyed with assured confidence and words are not minced or cajoled to fit a threadbare at best narrative.

Thank you again for spurring my interest in the works of Luther and his fellow Reformers,

Lutheran Layman

How Does Justification without Faith (UOJ) Fare in Romans 3? - Not Well!Brutal against the UOJists and Calvinists

The apostate leaders of WELS-ELS-LCMS agree with ELCA and CFW Walther - the entire world is already absolved of sin - contrary to what the Holy Spirit has revealed through Paul and all of Holy Writ.

This is one of several posts that will examine Justification by Faith as our Greek class works on Romans 1-5 and beyond.

Romans 3:19 concludes Paul's great oration on the Law convicting all people of sin, whether Jew or Gentile.

3:20 - The Law can only reveal sin - it cannot make anyone righteous or innocent - the meaning of justification.

3:21 - There is a God-righteousness (anarthrous, without the article in Greek) which exists without the Law, even though it is witnessed by the Law and Prophets. This means the Promises of God, the Gospel Promises, can be found in the Law and Prophets.

LutherRocks (Joe Krohn) admitted this in 2011.

Virginia Mollenkott contributed to the NIV - ain't that sweet?



Now We Begin To Smell the Pot Roast

3:22 Justification is by faith of Jesus Christ. The Greek is very clear, and the KJV follows it. The same phrase is found in Galatians and Philippians. This adds to the clarity of Romans 1:16-17, because "from faith to faith" has baffled quite a few scholars.

Romans 1:16-17 states that the efficacious Gospel is the God-power unto salvation for everyone who believes... (not the entire world) and - "the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith" from the faith of Jesus to each one who believes, because He is the righteousness of God.

Romans 3:22-23 is the playground of the apostates, enabled by the New NIV. Or one could say, the apostasy of WELS-ELS-LCMS-ELCA and the mainlines demanded the extra "all." The text teaches Justification by Faith, but the New NIV teaches "all are justified."

Romans 3:22-24 New International Version (New NIV)

22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all [the second "all" was not in the earlier NIV] are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

The New NIV contradicts itself in a few verses, but how does one convince pastors who no longer study Greek and often have no grasp of English. One WELS teacher told me she or he was ordered to grade according to the father's rank in Wisconsin Sect. Merging Northwestern College with DMLC (Dumb Man's Last Chance) dumned down the WELS pastoral curriculum, because that too was merged with the teacher's college in New Ulm.

So the New NIV has people justified by faith in one verse and every single person justified in another. My non-Lutheran class said, upon reading this, that "It still teaches Justification by Faith." 

The second "all" is not implied in the original, an argument that reminds me of people claiming there is no "is" in the Lord's Supper - truly obstinate in ignorance. All have sinned and those who are justified are justified through Christ.

Example: All must know Greek and learn Greek in formal classes. Does that mean that everyone learns Greek? For many, Greek has been the reason for dropping out of college or seminary. At Wartburg Seminary, ELCA, all the students must take a superficial Greek class, reserving a place for $3,000. Does that mean all take the class and all pass the class? My experience says not.

Romans 3:23-24 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Romans 3:23-24 English Standard Version (ESV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

--

Galatians 3:22-29 King James Version (KJV)

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

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Philippians 3:9 King James Version (KJV)

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

King James 3:19ff 

KJV - Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Stephanus Greek Romans 3:19ff.

Romans 3:19 οιδαμεν δε οτι οσα ο νομος λεγει τοις εν τω νομω λαλει ινα παν στομα φραγη και υποδικος γενηται πας ο κοσμος τω θεω

20 διοτι εξ εργων νομου ου δικαιωθησεται πασα σαρξ ενωπιον αυτου δια γαρ νομου επιγνωσις αμαρτιας

21 νυνι δε χωρις νομου δικαιοσυνη θεου πεφανερωται μαρτυρουμενη υπο του νομου και των προφητων

22 δικαιοσυνη δε θεου δια πιστεως ιησου χριστου εις παντας και επι παντας τους πιστευοντας ου γαρ εστιν διαστολη

23 παντες γαρ ημαρτον και υστερουνται της δοξης του θεου

24 δικαιουμενοι δωρεαν τη αυτου χαριτι δια της απολυτρωσεως της εν χριστω ιησου

25 ον προεθετο ο θεος ιλαστηριον δια της πιστεως εν τω αυτου αιματι εις ενδειξιν της δικαιοσυνης αυτου δια την παρεσιν των προγεγονοτων αμαρτηματων

26 εν τη ανοχη του θεου προς ενδειξιν της δικαιοσυνης αυτου εν τω νυν καιρω εις το ειναι αυτον δικαιον και δικαιουντα τον εκ πιστεως ιησου

27 που ουν η καυχησις εξεκλεισθη δια ποιου νομου των εργων ουχι αλλα δια νομου πιστεως

28 λογιζομεθα ουν πιστει δικαιουσθαι ανθρωπον χωρις εργων νομου

29 η ιουδαιων ο θεος μονον ουχι δε και εθνων ναι και εθνων

30 επειπερ εις ο θεος ος δικαιωσει περιτομην εκ πιστεως και ακροβυστιαν δια της πιστεως

31 νομον ουν καταργουμεν δια της πιστεως μη γενοιτο αλλα νομον ιστωμεν

1550 Stephanus New Testament (TR1550)