Team Ichabod Is Discussing Justification by Faith, UOJ, Legalism, Antinomianism. Some Research

The McCain-Harrison administration has presided over this bombastic, ponderous, self-important veneration of Objective Justification, a Barthian Calvinistic repudiation of the Chief Article.

Gentlemen: Inspired by Pastor Jackson's research as reported in Ichabod, I have examined the first English language Small Catechisms used in the Synodical Conference synods from the 1890s up to (in the case of the 1943 LCMS Catechism) the present by some conservative Lutherans, to determine how the doctrine of Justification is presented: UOJ or JBFA.  Here are my findings: (Caps added)

1. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO THE SIX PARTS OF LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM by Wilhelm Loehe, 1893: Qu. 480 What does the Holy Ghost do for you?  A: He forgives my sins.  Qu. 481 Yours only?  A. No.  And the sins of ALL BELIEVERS.  Qu. 482 Why do you say, of ALL BELIEVERS?  A: Because the forgiveness of sins can be received ONLY IN FAITH.  (This Catechism was published in the United Synod of the South by the translator, Edward T. Horn.  Wilhelm Loehe originally worked with Walther and the LCMS, before founding the Iowa Synod.  Although not a Synodical Conference Catechism, Loehe's Catechism did reflect the teaching of the Synodical Conference at the time of its translation.)

      2.   DR. MARTIN LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM BY DR. J.C. DIETRICH, CPH,  1902: Qu. 305 Why do you say in this article: I believe in the forgiveness of sins?  A: Because I am fully assured that I cannot by my own power or my own works be justified before God, but that forgiveness of sins is bestowed upon me by grace, THROUGH FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.  For where there is forgiveness of sin there is also true justification.  Qu. 306 What is justification?  Justification is that act of God by which, from pure grace and mercy, for the sake of Christ's merits, He forgives the sins of a poor sinner WHO TRULY BELIEVES IN      CHRIST, and receives him to eternal life.  Qu. 307 How then do you become just before God and obtain eternal salvation?  A: Not by the merit of works, or by an indwelling and infused righteousness [UOJ?] ,           but only through the grace and mercy of God, for the sake of the merit of Christ alone, which I have apprehended and appropriated by TRUE CONFIDENCE OF THE HEART.  Or: By the most holy obedience, and       by the suffering and death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, not by any other works  To this I CLING WITH UNDOUBTING FAITH and upon this I FIX MY HEART'S ENTIRE CONFIDENCE....Qu. 309 But how can         it be said that we are justified alone by grace, alone for the sake of Christ's merit, ALONE THROUGH FAITH, and still through the Word of God and the Sacraments?  A: We are justified 1. By the grace and                   mercy of God, as the efficient cause; 2. For the sake of Christ's merits, as the meritorious cause; 3. THROUGH FAITH ALONE, AS THE ONLY INSTRUMENTAL CAUSE, OR THE HAND WHICH GRASPS SALVATION;  4.         Through the Word and Sacraments as the means of grace, which either convey or seal salvation. (LCMS Catechism)


       3. EXPLANATION OF LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM, Lutheran Synod Book Co. [ELS] 1906? (1964 printing, two years before first new ELS Catechism:)  Qu. 218 What precious gift does the Holy Ghost, in the                     Christian Church, grant YOU AND ALL BELIEVERS?  A: The Holy Ghost daily and richly forgives ME AND ALL BELIEVERS all our sins.


       4. A SHORT EXPOSITION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM by Heinrich Schwan, CPH 1912: Qu. 197 Who receives this forgiveness?  A: Although it has been PROCURED for ALL MEN, and is offered               by the Gospel to ALL THAT HEAR it, yet ONLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE THE GOSPEL AND THUS ACCEPT THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS ACTUALLY BECOME PARTAKERS OF SUCH FORGIVENESS.  Qu. 198 What, then,             do we, together with our Church, confess regarding the forgiveness of sins, or justification?  A: That we receive forgiveness of sins and are justified before God, not by our works, but by grace, for Christ's                 sake, THROUGH FAITH.  Qu. 199 Can EVERY BELIEVER be sure of the forgivenesss of sins and of his salvation?  A: Yes, he can and should be, because God's promise is sure.  (LCMS Catechism)


       5. DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM by Carl Gausewitz, Northwestern Publishing House [WELS] 1917 (Unrevised 1946 edition.)  Qu. 260 What do you confess with these words [I believe in the                 forgiveness of sins]?  A: I believe that the Holy Ghost in the Christian Church on earth daily and richly forgives all sins to ME AND ALL BELIEVERS. ..Qu. 262 Why do we say that the Holy Ghost forgives our
           sins, whereas we are justified before God by the redemption of Christ?  A: The Holy Ghost by the Gospel awards the righteousness of Christ to us, and gives OUR FAITH ASSURANCE THEREOF.  Qu. 263  To                 whom does God forgive sins?  A: TO ME AND ALL BELIEVERS.  "Our works are all rejected, all claims of merit pass for naught."


       6. LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM (Revised Schwan Catechism/Intersynodical Edition) CPH, 1943: Qu. 187 Why do you say, I believe in the forgiveness of sins?  A: The Bible assures me that God daily and richly               forgives all sins to ME AND ALL BELIEVERS. ..Qu. 192 How do you accept this forgiveness of sins?  A: I accept this forgiveness BY BELIEVING THE GOSPEL.  (LCMS Catechism)


       7. LUTHER'S CATECHISM (Revised Gausewitz Catechism) NPH [WELS] 1956: Qu. 258 What do you confess with these words [I believe in the forgiveness of sins]?  A: I believe that in the Christian Church on                   earth the Holy Ghost daily and richly forgives all sins to ME AND ALL BELIEVERS IN CHRIST. ..Qu. 260 Why do we say that the Holy Ghost forgives sins, whereas we are made righteous before God through               the redemption of Christ?  A: The Holy Ghost brings the righteousness of Christ to us by the Gospel and gives us THE FAITH TO BELIEVE IT.  Qu. 261 To whom does God forgive sins?  A: God forgives sins to                ME AND ALL BELIEVERS.

Drive-Buy Doctor Kintz. Have you no shame? Using Luther to sell foolish trinkets and his name to promote the Calvinistic Pietism of Bishop Stephan and Pope Walther? Is it not enough for the LCMS to jointly write a Book of Concord with an ELCA activist while decrying that activism? Must the synod also embrace the apostate dogma of ELCA and cover it with gold and silver paint to make everyone forget it is Dreck?

CPH books are brought to the gullible, courtesy of Calvin, Rambach, and Stephan, STD.

 Didya buy your Here I Stand socks from CPH? 

 It was beginning in 1966, with the first new ELS Catechism, that the Catechisms of the synods which had once been part of the Synodical Conference began to change how they presented the doctrine of Justification in such a way as to bring in UOJ, but up until that point in time JBFA was STILL being taught in the Synodical Conference Catechisms to the laity of those synods, while UOJ was being taught to college students, seminarians and pastors through such doctrinal theology texts as those by Franz Pieper, JT Mueller and EWA Koehler.  --WM

 These clowns now have an enormous CPH "Small" Catechism that carefully explains two Justifications, one where the entire world is forgiven without faith, the other where one must agree that the  world is forgiven without faith, to be be forgiven.

Initial Draft - John's Gospel of Faith, From the Disciple Jesus Loved

 Norma A. Boeckler

I have sent out an illustrated version of the Gospel of John, where I try to let the Fourth Gospel speak for itself. This is the first draft.

I have put some explanatory introductions in each chapter. I will be adding some footnotes and other materials, with an emphasis on the text itself, not on a bunch of theories.

Norma A. Boeckler has provided a beautiful set of illustrations for the book, which will be published in full-color and through Kindle - full color.

If you are known to me and want to review the early version, let me know by email and I will send the Word document dropbox link. I am limiting this draft to those genuinely interested and excluding those who never really grew beyond their WELS GA hazing - such incorrigible little boys.

The Creation Garden in Autumn

Ranger Bob's watch-kitty took up her station on the front porch, staying there all day for several days. She kept a sprig of cat mint for her meditations there.

Most people are slowing down for autumn, often doing the wrong things for the next season. So much can be done in cool, wet weather to make next year more interesting and productive. It rained buckets, and filled my barrels and buckets with rainwater.

Most herbs grow tenaciously and provide all kinds of benefits. Joe Pye.

Many herbs and unusal plants can be ordered, planted, or moved during this time. Our artist-in-residence loves butterflies, so I sent Norma A. Boeckler the ultimate butterfly plants - Joe Pye - from Growers Exchange.

Any plant - and that includes fall bulbs - will spread its roots during the fall and winter. Ranger Bob, our lawn crew, and the Creation Garden will dig in daffodils. The bulbs are not tasty to critters, and they multiply in the ground rather than shrinking.

We moved the Summersweet (Cinnabon aroma) up front and Ranger Bob noticed it right away. I would do that just for the 24/7 fragrance, but it is also a beneficial bug and butterfly plant.

 Wild Ginger is a big, leafy fun plant.
Everyone says, "What is THAT?"

We will move the Big Leafy Weeds around, because they spread through their "roots" and provide an impressive, tall fence. They produce eerie elvish flowers on stalks in the spring. Serious gardeners call them Wild Ginger Hidden Lily.

 "The Chaste Tree has died. The only way to move one is to buy a new one."
Oh, look what happened to the dead tree.

The Chaste Tree seemed to die during a hot, dry move, but it is now leafed out and poised to nurture bees in the spring, when they nestle in the pure blue flowers and collect its pollen.

 My Elephant Ears are the size of mouse ears.

Treasure the Garden Trash
Let me be blunt, for once. Garden trash is good for the spring garden. Neatniks want to cut down stalks, rake up leaves, and engage in all kinds of devilment. The Creation Garden should not be confused with the living room of a house, which cannot clean itself.

Zillions of beneficial creatures use that decaying trash for food and housing. Acres of grass are rather boring and comparitively boring. Carbon in leaves feed fungi, which feed all plants. Bacteria are the bread of life.

Our dental hygienist was carrying on about bacteria. I said, "They are really the foundation of all life." I was going to add that she made her living from bacteria and should bless them. If we go to the depts of Creation, we find microbes (bacteria, protozoa, fungi, nematodes) storing and swapping water and nutrition. They are the bottom of the food pyramid, so why donate their work to big lawn bags, hauled away, replaced by toxic man-made chemicals?

There is no creature so vile that it cannot feed on another one, whether in life or death. It is not the Disney circle of life, but God's Creation - perfect design, perfect engineering, perfect management.

Jessica Walliser hypnotized me with her beneficial bugs, and Sharon Lovejoy filled me in about many creatures. I used their wonderful books to fill in the gaps between rose monoculture and roses protected by squadrons of fascinating beneficial bugs - plus spiders galore.

This year I had a definite improvement over June Bug destruction (using milky spore added to the soil) and almost total victory over aphids. I once tolerated an initial influx of aphids, destroying white roses especially, then aphids losing out to beneficial bugs - which used them for baby food. But this year I saw almost no aphid damage at all, but a constant buzz of various insects and the chatter of birds enjoying their feasts. To borrow a phrase, this is a cloud of witnesses about God's Creation, design, and purpose.

Many of the new books show gardeners how garden trash is a shelter for such creatures as rove beetles, how webless spiders patrol the yard for food. Those who use pesticides outside are like the sharpshooters who video themselves pulling out a gun and shooting themselves in the foot. That is not something to boast about.

So if the lowlilest and least known creatures can have a very special and important purpose - like springtails reducing garden trash to food for others - then we must have even more to do.

Some ask, "Springtails? What are springtails?" That is my point. They are among the most abundant creatures on earth, yet most people do not know the first thing about them.

 Hybels made a living telling all the denominations how great he was.He retired early in the midst of scandals. No problem - WELS loves adulterous false teachers. He could work there.

The Willow Creek Splash - Shallow Waters Make a Lot of Noise
I have grown old reading reports about Willow Creek Community Church's brilliant plans - most of them emanating from WCCC.

Remember the oafish guy who could not attract attention so he would do a cannonball into the pool? Yes, that is Willow Creek, always making a lot of noise about themselves. I had a member who was a pioneering chemist. He said, "If still waters run deep, shallow waters make a lot of noise."

WC (which also means water closet in Britain) was the exemplar of the church that grew from nothing. An informant says that WC really began with wealthy Dutch Calvinists who wanted a church where Masonic Lodge membership was welcome, which was not true in the strictly Calvinist churches. The Great Bill Hybels started in an ordinary church when the Masonic offer was made. The first parish was forgotten, like the Lutheran Confessional Synod. Ex nihilo - WC was born from the marketing skills of brilliant Bill.

No wonder WELS trooped over to WC and gave scholarships so their mission pastors could be just as misled and anti-Sacrament as their leaders.

So WC has a legalistic answer for every problem, and everyone else should too. And yet the staff was Anti-Law (Antinomian) as legalists often are. No wonder WELS loved their WC - so close to the Love Shack, so close in philosophy.

 LCMS and WELS churches became members of the Willow Creek franchise, yet bragged about their opposition to unionism - (fellowship with false teachers).

Are You Attritional?

Behind the Church Shrinkage Movement (now Missional, but really Attritional) - is this toxic thought - "If we get everybody busy, everyone will want to come here and be friends with all the other busy people. We will give them a purpose to come here and support our vast architecture and glittering reputation."

However, this is just like gardening. Provide the nutrition, and everything will happen according to God's plan. The nutrition in the congregation is the Gospel, invisible in teaching and preaching, visible in the Sacraments.

Jesus clearly taught this in John 15. Remaining on the true Vine makes us fruitful. Through faith in Him - forgiveness - we become even more fruitful. We have so few gardeners now that nobody thinks of picking peas and seeing them flower to produce more peas, cutting roses and seeing more grow. 

The congregation that trusts the efficacy of the Gospel will see divine results over time.