ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
“It is the most beautiful of all the translations of the Bible; indeed, it is probably the most beautiful piece of writing in all the literature of the world. Many attempts have been made to purge it of its errors and obscurities. An English Revised Version was published in 1885 and an American Revised Version in 1901, and since then many learned but misguided men have sought to produce translations that should be mathematically accurate, and in the plain speech of everyday. But the Authorized Version has never yielded to any of them, for it is palpably and overwhelmingly better than they are, just as it is better than the Greek New Testament, or the Vulgate, or the Septuagint. Its English is extraordinarily simple, pure, eloquent, lovely. It is a mine of lordly and incomparable poetry, at once the most stirring and the most touching ever heard of.” — H. L. Mencken (1880-1956).
The quotation above is in the masthead. The blog will keep changing the quotation (all from The King James Version) from time to time, enticing readers to obtain the entire list.
Those who want copies of The King James book - printed in full color - can email me at greg.jackson.edlp@gmail.com
There is no cost and no salesman will drop by.
Norma A. Boeckler, our award winning artist, illustrated the book and covers.
"All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. Ànd the light shineth in darkness and the darkness Comprehended it not." John 1:3-5
Reasoning, that puss sack of sin and unbelief, has engulfed Lutherans in a false understanding of the chief article of the Christian faith: justification by faith.
"The overly chipper opponents of Justification by Faith want to tell the entire world that God is no longer angry with them, no longer viewing them as sinful and faithless. By starting with the wrong inference about reconciliation, the opponents of the Chief Article draw the wrong conclusion, repeatedly saying, 'God has declared the entire world righteous, forgiven of sin.' " (Pastor Gregory Jackson, PhD, The Path To Understanding Justification, ISBN 9781072530428, pg. 62). Pastor Jackson goes on to explain that "this false assurance is the foundation of modern antinomianism. Every Biblical sin is absolved in advance, except denying this strange dogma, which crime results in excommunication, shunning, and an avalanche of slander. (Gregory Jackson, PhD, The Path to Understanding Justification, pg. 62, footnote 21)
We must teach our children the correct understanding of Justification by Faith by using the King James Bible, Luther's Small Catechism pocket edition, and Pastor Greg Jackson's The Path To Understanding Justification.
A group of students finished their project and almost followed my directions. I use Word's tool for the table of contents, which updates the page numbers.
The paper began - Table of Content.
I liked that typo and kidded them about contentment. This morning I looked at two examples of Bee Balm. One is the area around the mailbox, where I caught the carrier cutting away the flowers around the box.
He did not realize that the Bee Balm blossoms attract several kinds of bees that care only about the pollen. They are like him, taking their predestined packages where they will be useful and appreciated.
The little stand of Bee Balms grew to several hundred around the mailbox, so I trimmed back the ones closest to the box.
The Military Gardening Group enjoys watching the bees work on the balm closer to the porch. It is peaceful and no one gets stung. I even added some red Bee Balm closer to the porch, saving rainwater just for them.
Balm is an generic word for soothing - Is there no balm in Gilead?
KJV Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?
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The other Bee Balm patch began in a weak state, but I was confident, even content. I dug up some and planted them against side of the house getting the most sun - and often the most weeds, from crabgrass to comfrey (knitbone). I planted in the fall, knowing the roots would do their work during winter and spring.
Bee Balm has the advantage of waiting patiently to show off - just when the roses and other flowers are beaten down by too much sun and too little rain. The handful of balm from last fall grew into a patch of several hundred flowers in the Butterfly Garden for July. Now the blooms are nodding and bending from a host of bees sampling their food.
KJV 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
I was required to visit people daily when I worked at St. Peter's in Kitchener. I got to see many retired people and enjoyed every minute. They were the living history of the congregation and the area. One Croft told me about the relative who went to America ("no good" she smiled). He changed his name to Kraft and did very well in the food business. He was the Schwan of cheese.
One lady did not like those people who countered her health problems with theirs, which were far worse. She said, "Your pneumonia won't cure my cold!" She had many quips like that.
Our world is becoming crazier. I even resist my favorite independent news sources now. However, God uses the foolish, greedy, and evil to accomplish His will. Pardon the homey example, but one judo practitioner told me, "Use the opponent's strength against him and he will fly through the air, which is what that brown belt did to you."
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
That is a Greek New Testament pun that translates well. Luther used it too - He is as anxious for us and we are for Him.
“Sincere believers of the truth revealed in Christ for man’s salvation have no reason to be ashamed of Luther, whom God sent to bring again to His people the precious truth in Jesus… The whole purpose of the book is practical. It steadily pursues the aim of helping our Lutheran people to a better appreciation of their Church and its precious heritage, and to a firmer stand and a more zealous labor to maintain them and make others partake of the blessings of the Reformation…” — Matthias Loy.
Level of Difficulty: Intermediate: Some subject matter knowledge helpful.
Book Contents
Preface.
Part I. Introduction To The Augsburg Confession.
1 Historical Survey.
2 The Confessing Church
3 The Fundamental Principles
4 Confessional Authority
5 Relation To Our Other Confessions
6 The Condemnations
7 The Banner Of The Church
8 Loyalty To The Banner
1 We Must Have Faith
2 Faith Works By Love
3 Faith Manifests Privately and Publicly
4 Faith Stands With Other Christians
5 Faith Joins Churches into Synods
6 Salvation Is Only In Christ’s Kingdom
Part II. Exposition
Introduction
Article I. Of God.
Article II. Of Original Sin.
1 Sin Is Universal.
2 Our Confession Sets Forth The Nature Of This Sin.
3 This Appetite Is Really Sin
4 The Consequence Is Eternal Condemnation and Damnation For All Who Are Not Born Again
5 Current Errors
Article III. Of The Son Of God And Of The Holy Spirit.
1 The Lord’s Person According To The Scriptures
2 The Reconciliation And Sacrifice For All Actual Sins of Men
3 The Application by The Holy Spirit
Article IV. Of Justification.
1 Sinners Are Justified
2 The Scriptural Ground of Justification By Faith
1 That Man Needs Justification Was Not A Subject Of Contention In The Battles Of The Reformation
2 Our Confessors “Teach That Man Cannot Be Justified Before God By Their Own Powers, Merits, Or Works”
3 Our Churches Teach That While “Men Cannot Be Justified Before God By Their Own Powers, Merits, Or Works,” They “Are Justified Freely, For Christ’s Sake, Through Faith”
3 Justification Is By Faith
1 It Is Needful, First Of All, To Understand What Is Meant By The Word Faith, Or Believing
2 Some Believe That Faith Fulfills All God’s Requirements
3 The Faith Which Embraces Christ Is The Gift of God
4 The Faith Which The Holy Ghost Works In Our Hearts Is The Only Means Whereby The Righteousness Acquired For Us By The Vicarious Work And Suffering Of Our Savior Can Be Appropriated.
5 The Faith Which The Holy Spirit Works By The Gospel And Which Appropriates The Righteousness Of Christ Presented In The Gospel, Is A Living Power In The Realm Of Grace
Article V. Of The Ministry Of The Church
1 God Has Instituted Means of Grace To Execute His Saving Purpose On Earth
2 These Means Of Grace Are The Word Of God And The Holy Sacraments
3 The Holy Spirit Works The Faith Which Embraces Salvation in Christ Through Means
4 The Answer To Those Who Believe The Holy Spirit Is Given Apart From The Word
Article VI. Of New Obedience.
1 Of Course Good Works Ought To Be Done
God’s Commandments Are The Test of Good Works
Faith Brings Forth The Good Fruits Required
2 Doing Good Works Is God’s Will
3 Salvation By Faith Not Works Is The Teaching Of Scripture and Of The Church From The Beginning
Article VII. Of The Church
1 The Product of Human Reason
2 Restoration Occurs Here On Earth
3 Why “In Which The Gospel Is Rightly Taught and The Sacraments Rightly Administered” Was Added
4 Right Understanding of The Test
5 True Unity Depends On The Doctrine of the Gospel And Administration Of The Sacraments
6 The “One Holy Church Is To Continue Forever”
Article VIII. What The Church Is.
Article IX. Of Baptism
1 Baptism Is Necessary To Salvation.
2 “Children are to be baptized, who by Baptism, being offered to God, are received into God’s favor.”
3 Our churches therefore rightly “condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the Baptism of children, and affirm that children are saved without Baptism.”
Article X. Of The Lord’s Supper.
I. The True Body and Blood
1 Communicated and Received
2 “Truly Present”
3 “Under the Form”
4 “Communicated”
II. Proofs of the Doctrine
III. Those Who Teach Otherwise
Article XI. Of Confession.
I. Absolution must be retained in the churches.
1 Those To Whom Absolution Is Distasteful
2 The Heavenly Consolations of the Gospel
II. Pastoral Care
1 Confession and Absolution Prior to Lord’s Supper Predates the Papacy
2 The Lutheran Church Did Not Reject The Ancient Usage
Article XII. Of Repentance.
1 The Right of Absolution to Fallen Christians Who Repent
2 What is Embraced in True Repentance
1 The Soul’s Awareness of Sin
2 Contrition is Not Atonement
3 The Proper Fruits of Repentance
4 The Errors Which Faithful Christians Must Condemn
Article XIII. Of The Use Of The Sacraments.
I. The Nature and Design of the Sacraments.
1 Not Only Marks of Profession
2 Their Higher Purpose
II. The Necessity of Believing The Gospel
III. Not The Work Done
Article XIV. Of The Ecclesiastical Office.
Article XV. Of Ecclesiastical Rites.
I. External Rites are Unavoidable
1 Distinguishing Between Divine and Human Rites and Ceremonies
2 Distinctions in Human Ordinances
II. Adminitions In This Article
1 Liberty and Love
Article XVI. Of Civil Affairs.
I. Civil Government Is A Divine Institution.
1 Human Equality and Individual Liberty
2 Civil Government is a Divine Institution
3 Scriptures Do Not Prescribe The Form of Government
4 An Ordinance of God
5 Subjection “not absolute”
6 Sometimes Christians Must Refuse
II. More Regarding Civil Affairs
1 False Notions of Holiness
2 The Affairs of Life in General
Article XVII. Of Christ’s Return To Judgment.
I. The Consummation is Not Yet
1 The Lord Will Come Again
2 The Object of His Coming
3 The Resurrection of the Dead
4 The Full Enjoyment of Eternal Life
5 Eternal Torments For The Ungodly
II. Two Specific Errors Condemned
1 Anabaptists
2 The Chialists [Millenialists]
Article XVIII. Of Free Will.
I. Civil Righteousness
1 Man’s Essential Atttributes
2 The Will Is Still Free
3 Man’s Freedom To Act Limited
II. The Righteousness of God
1 Spiritual Righteousness
2 Inability of Man to Attain Spiritual Righteousness
3 Free Will Cannot Work The Righteousness of God by Faith
III. Pelagianism Condemned
1 The Pelagian Spirit
2 The Obligation To Condemn Error
Article XIX. Of The Cause Of Sin.
I. God Is Not The Cause of Sin.
1 God creates all nature.
2 He who made all things preserves them all.
3 Sin Is Never The Will of the Holy One.
II. Sin’s Cause Is The Will of the Wicked.
1 Will Enables An Intelligent Creature To Fall Into Sin.
2 The Sinning Creature Turned Away from The Creator.
3 How Did Wicked Persons Enter Into The World?
4 How Could Man Created In The Image of God in Righteousness and True Holiness Choose to Disobey?
Article XX. Of Good Works.
II. Justification by Faith Alone Cannot Be Abandoned.
1 The One and Only Way of Salvation.
2 Salvation by Faith is the Fulfillment of the Law.
Article XXI. Of The Worship Of Saints.
I. Proper Honors To The Saints
II. No Invocation To Saints
II. Articles In Which Are Recounted The Abuses Corrected.
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“Sincere believers of the truth revealed in Christ for man’s salvation have no reason to be ashamed of Luther, whom God sent to bring again to His people the precious truth in Jesus… The whole purpose of the book is practical. It steadily pursues the aim of helping our Lutheran people to a better appreciation of their Church and its precious heritage, and to a firmer stand and a more zealous labor to maintain them and make others partake of the blessings of the Reformation…” — ...
“The peril… lies not in any apparent ability to gain a large number of adherents… but in the fact that where it is received… it undermines belief in the existence of the soul and in eternal retribution for sin. Those who accept even this much of its teachings become persons for whom the Gospel loses all power of appeal; for what appeal can the Gospel make to those who believe that they have no soul and that there is no eternal death from which they need to be saved?” – Joseph ...
“Christ our Savior and all his apostles preached justification by faith, even as did the prophets of the Old Testament. Justification is the central doctrine of all the Scriptures, the heart and soul of the entire Christian religion. All believers are justified, all the saints in heaven now have been made what they are by justification, and at the last day the righteous at Christ’s right hand will be there because they have continued in justification to the end.” — R.C.H. ...
“The need of a more adequate exegetical-homiletical treatment of the ancient gospel and epistle selections has long been felt. The manager of the Lutheran Book Concern has commissioned the writer of these lines to meet this need.” — R.C.H. Lenski Richard C. H. Lenski (1864-1936) is best known for his insightful and still invaluable series of New Testament Commentaries. He served as Professor of Theology at Capital University and President of the Western District of Joint Synod of Ohio and ...
“This Magazine is designed to supply the want, long since felt, of a Lutheran periodical devoted to theological discussion. Its aim will be the exposition and defense of the doctrines of the Church as confessed in the Book of Concord. Theology in all its departments is embraced within its scope, though for the present special attention will be given to the controverted subject of predestination.” Matthias Loy (1828-1915) was a giant of American Lutheranism. He served as president of the ...
“Since Tischendorf lied so many times about Codex Sinaiticus, what does that suggest about his earlier work with Codex Ephraim Rescriptus - and his later work embracing Codex Vaticanus?” “How does anyone explain Sinaiticus having white, supple pages after resting unknown for 15 centuries?” — From Questions to be asked while reading this book. “The most read English Bible is the King James Version, with 55% of the readers, compared to 19% for the latest New ...
Martin Luther’s House Postils are Christ-centered devotional sermons which Luther delivered to his family and students. This newly typeset edition contains the complete collection, originally published by Matthias Loy in three volumes. Level of Difficulty: Primer: No subject matter knowledge needed. Book Contents Preface To The English Edition. Dr. Martin Luther’s Preface To His House Postil Volume 1 First Sunday In Advent. Matthew 21:1-9 Second Sunday In Advent. Luke ...
