I stopped by a page dedicated to In View of Faith, a term used in opposition to Calvin's strange and blasphemous denial of the Holy Spirit always at work in the Word. The Appleton Gang wanted to condemn me, using the Latin term, but got it wrong. The Latin is intuitu fidei. Their version was Inuitu fidei - reminding me that the Eskimos are also called Inuits.
Someone said on the page, "That is my hope! We've certainly put in the effort to try and convince a few. Maybe it will pay off."
I hastened to reply, "The Word is always effective. Isaiah 55:8ff." I know from my own experience that this foundational doctrine is not taught and embraced by Lutherans. In the LCMS-WELS, I remembered with irony that the last person to express this in front of pastors was a liberal LCA bishop. He said, "The Word does all the work." And I heard an Assembly of God minister express this doctrine by quoting the Isaiah passage, when we visited his church in Wheaton:
Isaiah 55:8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
[Note the three-fold promise - like the rain and snow,
- God's Word is never lacking in effectiveness, expressed as a litotes, double negative, no exceptions possible.
- God's Word will accomplish what He pleases.
- God's Word will prosper what He has willed.]
12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
The Calvinists, on their way from rationalism to atheism, put all their emphasis on planning, marketing, and telling God what He must do to please them - for example - "10% growth in membership and income in the next three years." (Posted on an Episcopalian bulletin board, after the priest attended Fuller Seminary. I always research bulletin boards.)
However, the Scriptures put all the emphasis on faith and the Gospel Word.
God's Word springs up like new seed scattered on freshly raked, rich-in-organics soil. We are not snow covered, so we have daffodils sprouting and starting to bloom for Valentine's Day. North of us, the snow is protecting the ocean of life beneath, ready to melt later and give everything a special boost. Winter bulbs grow up to the surface during winter and sprout roots, the top part checking to see if it is really spring (and bulb opinions vary). When the signal is clear, the grey-brown gardens will be dazzling with yellows, oranges, whites, and fresh greens, all too cold for the greedy bugs.
Our little group has about 200 book titles in print or in ebooks.
- One little mention brings out three (3) hymn story books.
- Another mention - The Pilgrim's Progress, plus a video series and booklet following.
- Another one - Lenski's Kings and Priests.
Everything we do at Bethany is non-profit and public domain. When I am finally dead, as one critic wished, the same Biblical doctrines that plagued and unhorsed the Calvinist-Lutherans will be freely available for years to come. Moreover, one set will be free PDFs, easily shared. Another set will be free Word documents, available for use in translating, editing, distributing in various forms. All our media ministries work the same way, modular, not dictated by DNA or politics.
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| Why are Lutherans asleep, not at all alarmed at the Biblical text being corrupted by the modernists, the seminary professors in love with rationalism, the synod leaders in bed with ELCA, abortion, and popcorn entertainment services? They have not sharpened their senses with Biblical debate. |
The Indiana district bishop visited a pastor and said, in love, "You are getting people upset. Buy a book of sermons and read them." Result? - ELCA.
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| They are harder to get rid of than a time-share in California. |
