The LCMS Dogmatanic Has Been Rushed Priority Mail to the Ichabode. The Two Volumes Are Expected Soon

 "And do not spare the horses!
Um, cow."

I was glad to hear that the two-volume dogmatics book from the LCMS was on the way. Needless to say, it was sent by Priority Mail, which is best when going all the way from St. Louis to NW Arkansas.

Greek Lesson Romans 5:1-11

 Norma A. Boeckler

Lenski, Romans p 302 -

"The great fact stands: Abraham was justified by God long before he was circumcised. His faith alone justified him. This towers above all else. And this is vital for us Gentile believers today. We are true children of the father of believers although we are not of his physical blood and are without the rite which he and those of his blood received during the time of the old covenant."

Parsing Link

Romans Lenski - Download and save public domain PDF.

Father Abraham - Example of Righteousness of Faith among Uncircumcise. Lazarus story - Father Abraham. Details matter.

 Norma A. Boeckler

ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 5 1550 Stephanus New Testament (TR1550)

5 δικαιωθεντες ουν εκ πιστεως, ειρηνην εχομεν προς τον θεον δια του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου

Why are Lutherans ashamed to say the first three words in Romans 5?

ειρηνην - Irene. We have peace with God when we have forgiveness, whether on a throne, in a prison, or in a hospital bed. Without this peace, we are in torment whether on a yacht, a throne, or endowed chair.

δια - Agency. Christ is the agent through Whom this happens.

ουν - Postpositive connection to Romans 4. Abraham's example shows that righteousness comes through faith, not through the words of the Law. Circumcision, said Paul, was the seal of his righteous state with God.

2 δι ου και την προσαγωγην εσχηκαμεν τη πιστει εις την χαριν ταυτην εν η εστηκαμεν και καυχωμεθα επ ελπιδι της δοξης του θεου

προσαγωγη - simple word, access, entrance, only through faith

τη πιστει εις την χαριν ταυτην - by faith into this grace; grace/faith not opposed, which is a common thread of Calvinist modern theology (I know from vast amounts of reading in modern theology - grace does not allow contigencies - if we believe - sic)

We stand and boast, no matter what, based on this grace in faith.

3 ου μονον δε αλλα και καυχωμεθα εν ταις θλιψεσιν ειδοτες οτι η θλιψις υπομονην κατεργαζεται

Paul's boast is about eternal life and also bearing the cross - afflictions, which is paradoxical.

κατεργαζεται - Paul is very interested - like the Church Growth salesmen - in what works. The verb is the basis for efficacy/effectiveness, sometimes translated as power. The Englishman's Greek NT is good for looking at these wordgroups. Also Kittel (in small, disciplined doses).

4 η δε υπομονη δοκιμην η δε δοκιμη ελπιδα

δοκιμη - experience sound weak, it is used for the veteran soldier, or metal that is proven.

5 η δε ελπις ου καταισχυνει οτι η αγαπη του θεου εκκεχυται εν ταις καρδιαις ημων δια πνευματος αγιου του δοθεντος ημιν

εκκεχυται - poured out, catechism, through the Holy Spirit. See Romans 10 and the efficacy of the Word.

6 ετι γαρ χριστος οντων ημων ασθενων κατα καιρον υπερ ασεβων απεθανεν

UOJists cannot grasp that the Atonement does not equal universal forgiveness and salvation. That ideology comes from Calvin, who separated the Spirit from the Word and felt free to make up his competing anti-Means of Grace dogma. See Romans 10 and Isaiah 55 for the efficacy of the Word, John 3 for Spirit-Word-Sacrament.

7 μολις γαρ υπερ δικαιου τις αποθανειται; υπερ γαρ του αγαθου ταχα τις και τολμα αποθανειν

Human comparison - it is rare to have one man die for another, but Jesus died for all.

8 συνιστησιν δε την εαυτου αγαπην εις ημας ο θεος οτι ετι αμαρτωλων οντων ημων χριστος υπερ ημων απεθανεν

Atonement stated again. God's will and actions came first.

9 πολλω ουν μαλλον δικαιωθεντες νυν εν τω αιματι αυτου σωθησομεθα δι αυτου απο της οργης

δικαιωθεντες - Referencing the lead Rom 1 participal, justification by faith means salvation from anger, judgement.

10 ει γαρ εχθροι οντες κατηλλαγημεν τω θεω δια του θανατου του υιου αυτου πολλω μαλλον καταλλαγεντες σωθησομεθα εν τη ζωη αυτου

This confuses UOJists, so they stick to it like lint on Velcro. The verb means one for another, like making change. However, this does presume faith, which has been Romans 1 emphasized the Gospel as the God-power  unto salvation for those who believe, not absolution for the entire world of unbelievers.

11 ου μονον δε αλλα και καυχωμενοι εν τω θεω δια του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου δι ου νυν την καταλλαγην ελαβομεν

I hate to tell the UOJists this, but lambano is used often as a synonym for faith.

John 1: 11 εις τα ιδια ηλθεν και οι ιδιοι αυτον ου παρελαβον

12 οσοι δε ελαβον αυτον εδωκεν αυτοις εξουσιαν τεκνα θεου γενεσθαι τοις πιστευουσιν εις το ονομα αυτο

verse 12 is too horrid for UOJists to read in plain English, but they are not reading this page anyway. "As many as received Him, He gave to them the power to become God-children: to those believing in His Name." Jackson Literal Translation

 WELS brags about their great knowledge of the Scriptures,
but proof is altogether lacking. Panning endorsed this claptrap in re-issuing the book via their NPH in 2011.

 McCain - Matt Harrison's campaign manager - is an enemy of Justification by Faith. That fact is crucial in getting Matt re-elected by the Otten/Cascione UOJ fanatics,
who also populate the hopelessly lost Steadfast Lutherans.

The Small Catechism/Dogma-tanic Swindle from Matt the Fatt, Plagiarizing Paul McCain, and Concordia Publishing House

 Matt the Fatt claimed on video that he read Luther all the time! Everyone reads Luther somewhat, but most do not agree with the Reformer. Does the SP agree with Luther? No.

Someone sent me Luther's Huge and Expensive Catechism, hardbound, from Concordia Publishing House. I used to buy the Small Catechism, a dozen at a time, from Fortress.

This CPH goldmine (fool's gold) is the Small Catechism followed by endless Talmudic explanations of everything, over 400 pages with the indices.

Until now, a District President could say - and did say, quoting loosely, "We cannot punish someone for teaching Justification by Faith and against UOJ. Our synod has never had an official teaching or catechism endorsing UOJ."

This hardbound bridge to ELCA is too clever by half. So far I have missed the line foisted upon me by Mrs. Matt the Fatt, "There is Objective Justification and Subjective Justification." But there are evasions that replace Justification by Faith - The Chief Article - with UOJ - from Halle Pietists.

Color code - red is apostasy from ELCA wannabees.
Blue is faithful to the Bible, Luther, and the Book of Concord.

John Sparky Brenner did the same by using Justification of the World versus "individual appropriation of forgiveness." Name it not - SP Grandson - you might melt. I will not dignify your slippery language with color coding. If he had written the truth, which is impossible for UOJists, he would have contrasted Justification of the World with Justification by Faith.

Back to CPH's Huge and Expensive Catechism. They use "Justification by Grace", #210 in rubric red - which is not entirely bad, except they intend to deceive, which is truly evil in doctrinal matters. Why not write Justification by Faith, which is the term used by the Bible, Luther, the Book of Concord, and traditional Means of Grace Lutherans.

The deviousness is clear in that the Huge and Expensive Catechism does not clearly teach UOJ or Justification by Faith, intending to satisfying both markets while pleasing the UOJ Stormtroopers immensely. Besides, the teaching materials clearly articulate the buffoonery of OJ and SJ, as I wrote before.

An honest book would refute one or the other, but the Universalists do not like to refute Justification by Faith. Instead, they

• Revile
• Slander
• Accuse
• Blackball
• Shun, and 
• Misquote

the faithful Lutherans. Example - Rolf Preus (LCMS, ELS, Rolf Preus Sect, Eldonish Fellowship, LCMS again) said one LCMS pastor "befouled" himself for teaching Justification by Faith. When I challenged him about his language, which was published on SpenerQuest, he repeated himself. Rolf did not cite anything wrong but made it clear that his fellow thugs should also disavow the pastor, who published his work without any rebuke or contradiction from the LCMS.

Tell it not in Gath!

Watch CPH slowly withdraw catechisms that teach Justification by Faith. WELS did that so effectively that one can hardly find an original Gausewitz, who was not only WELS but also head of the late, great Synodical Conference.

Just remember that when people claim, anywhere, "We have always taught UOJ!"

 Walter Maier could say the words Justification by Faith, why not LCMS - a sect that brags about him?

Name of the ship? Concordia!

I will look at the Dogma-tanic, the two volume $90 dogmatics book from CPH, if someone has a volume to share.