I remember His Eminence, Professor James "Teufel" Tiefel, giving an impromptu sermon for Reformation where he kept shouting out the Solas. He counted them out on his pudgy fingers, too; I think he was up to five. Why not seven? Sola Synod! Sine Fidei
I learned from extensive reading at Notre Dame that the apostates picked up on universal grace, which has a long history, and pitted that grace against faith.
One LCA speaker for the Word and Witless Program had a tape where he sneered at those Evangelical leaders who were nationally known and well funded - "There is not an ounce of GRACE in their messages."
I began to catch on, because I started at age 16 as a Lutheran with Justification by Faith and Bainton's book on Luther, Here I Stand.
They imagine faith is the enemy of grace, or the opposite of grace, or obsolete (listen up WELS Antinomians) because grace obliterates any need for faith. They like to warn, "Do not make faith a work of man!" But faith comes from the Means of Grace (not that they know this.)
But this is where the Apostle Paul and Holy Spirit straightens them out -
KJV Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
16 δια τουτο εκ πιστεως ινα κατα χαριν εις το ειναι βεβαιαν την επαγγελιαν παντι τω σπερματι ου τω εκ του νομου μονον αλλα και τω εκ πιστεως αβρααμ ος εστιν πατηρ παντων ημων
Simply put, this means being declared righteous by faith means this is by grace. Consistent with the chapter, Abraham is the example of Justification by Faith.
The pinheads of WELS and Missouri want people to think that grace excludes faith, both in Justification and Election. And where did they get this tripe? From Walther, the American Calvin. Anyone who has read his fill of Calvin can see the Calvinism of Walther. He ignores faith, the efficacy of the Word, the Instruments (Means) of Grace as the only way that we receive grace.
I have written about Justification by Faith of Jesus, too - following the Apostle Paul and the Holy Spirit.
KJV Romans 3: 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:
3:22 δικαιοσυνη δε θεου δια πιστεως ιησου χριστου εις παντας και επι παντας τους πιστευοντας ου γαρ εστιν διαστολη
I have to ask, if grace makes faith obsolete, why does the Apostle Paul cite the faith of Jesus as the source of the righteousness of God?
Note this is just before the New NIV adds "all" to make it seem as if the whole world is justified without faith.
Huber Was Walther's Example of Injecting Calvinism into Biblical Doctrine,
Though Walther Never Owned Up to His Own Apostasy
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| Mordor - Sine - Without Faith |
