Full Color - Understanding Luther's Galatians - Sent Out

Formula of Concord, Article III, Solid Declaration

Concerning what is needful furthermore for the proper explanation of this profound and chief article of justification before God, upon which depends the salvation of our souls, we direct, and for the sake of brevity herewith refer, every one to Dr. Luther’s beautiful and glorious exposition of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians.

These three charlatans reject the Chief Article of the Christian Faith, taught by Luther in Galatians and all his works, in favor of Objective Justification, plagiarized from Calvin and the Pietists. They delight in their unity, joined by such luminaries as Christian News, LutherQuest, Steadfast Lutherans, and ELCA. Jay Webber, applauded by the Emmaus apostates, imagines that Luther teaches Objective Justification - universal forgiveness without faith, without the Word, without the Means of Grace.

 

This is the Graebner translation of Luther's earlier Galatians Commentary. He lectured on Galatians later, and the transcript (which he approved) was published. I enjoyed the later and longer version even more. I read every word to Mrs. Ichabod.

Alec Satin and I debated using the shorter one versus the longer and later one. We decided that people reading the shorter one is better than not reading the longer version. Once again, Alec was crucial in setting up the text for the book, as he was for Luther's Postils, not to mention his work on The Pilgrim's Progress.

Copies Sent

I ordered copies for everyone friendly to Bethany Luther Church, and the list continues to grow. How do we expand while the synodocrats are shrinking? They have a wealth of Church Growth insights from Fuller Seminary, Trinity Divinity, and Willow Creek. All we have is a "spare room in a rented house."

You will get the color version (Lulu Press), which costs only a little more than the Amazon black and white version (listed in Japanese). Norma Boeckler designed the cover and inserted the full color graphics in the text.

I am finishing some classes this weekend, so the Walther book is not far off.

Many Things Left Undone by Cowardice or by Design

"The story of Washington kneeling in prayer originated from Isaac Potts, who recounted it some 40 years after it happened to his pastor, Rev. Nathaniel Randolph Snowden. The story was included in Rev. Snowden’s book, “Diary and Remembrances” in hopes that it would be protected for posterity. As the story goes, Potts was riding alone one day when he found General Washington praying alone in the Valley Forge woods. Potts was originally against the war, but was moved and had a change of heart upon seeing Washington in prayer." Arnold Friberg, painter

In the past, we have all been disappointed by leaders, secular and ecclesiastical, who act as if they are powerless to do something positive or to correct some error. I knew a restaurant owner whose response was always, "There's nothing I can do." She was proud of how effective that dodge was.

The major difference in this era is the exhibition of Chief Executive power instead of using that helpless look practiced by previous Presidents. Many people have assumed that the fake lack of direction was an expression of presidential impotence rather than a cover for deliberate inaction.

When I first heard Trump speaking as a presidential candidate, he sounded just like the small business owners that I have known. My father expressed his disgust in small town politics with similar, colorful responses. Some people would rather hear polite lies than an honest diagnosis.

We simply have no concept of the vast power of the presidency. Our Founders did not want a Chief Executive who was an incompetent heir to the throne (like George III). But they also did not want a dictator who executed or imprisoned the brightest and best (like Charles II, who jailed my ancestor over a past-due loan). Nor did they want a presidential Head of the Church and Defender of the Faith, especially since the Protestant Stuarts were secret Catholics. The Founders saw divine will in these missteps getting them or their ancestors to America, where they could establish a free nation.

We are truly at a historical divide, where we will either align our country with the principles of a free Republic or accept the shackles of socialism, occultism, and lawlessness. Most of the country wants the first, not the second government.

The inspiration for Martin Chemnitz Press saw it all, from the early Reformation to his expulsion as bishop for teaching the truth. He studied under Luther and Melanchthon, both despised by the crypto-papist leaders of Lutherdom today.