Hebrews - Daily Verses - Chapter 8

 

KJV Hebrews 8

1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Explanation

Lenski, Hebrews, p. 248 

...We moderns like them because we are scholastics in this respect. Let us, then, say that we think that our division into chapters is properly made at this point and that v. 1, 2 form the preamble to what follows until 10:18. We add that this material seems to divide itself into six minor parts, in each of which a comparison is drawn.

1) The two Ministries Compared;

2) The two Testaments Compared;

3) The two Tabernacles Compared;

4) The two Kinds of Blood Compared;

5) The Two Kinds of Sacrifice Compared;

6) The Final Comparison regarding the Removal of Sins.

We trust that this outline of the thought will serve our purpose in understanding this section.

The argument is lengthy because the alternatives for the audience are -

• Return to Judaism, which is safer than the Christian Faith or -
• View the mysterious figure of Melchisedek as the key to the sacrificial death of Jesus, His suffering for our sins.

The comparisons in this chapter and following show how significant the image of the high priest is. Although the modern tendency is to bypass this extended comparison, it serves well to draw the New Testament into the Old, the Old Testament into the New.

We have become a nation enchanted by Chinese fortune cookie quips, allergic to long, complex essays, quick to cite the latest solution to all problems.

In contrast, we have the Biblical example of Psalm 110:4 looking back to Melchisedec in Genesis 14:18 and forward in the New Testament to Jesus as the Passover Lamb, the high priest, the eternal Savior. 

KJV Matthew 22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

KJV Psalm 110

110 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

KJV Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 9, Second Sermon - "...Since faith justifies and destroys sin before God, so it gives life and salvation."

 

Click for the Complete Trinity 9, Second Sermon

II. ALL WORKS MUST BE DONE FREELY AND GRATUITOUSLY, WITHOUT SEEKING GAIN BY THEM.

15. Christ means this when, in Matthew 10:8, he says: “Freely ye receive, freely give.” For just as Christ with all his works did not merit heaven for himself, because it was his before; but he served us thereby, not regarding or seeking his own, but these two things, namely, our benefit and the glory of God his Father; so also should we never seek our own in our good works, either temporal or eternal, but glorify God by freely and gratuitously doing good to our neighbor. This St. Paul teaches the Philippians 2:5: “Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” That is, for himself he had enough, since in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and yet he served us and became our servant.

16. And this is the cause; for since faith justifies and destroys sin before God, so it gives life and salvation. And now it would be a lasting shame and disgrace, and injurious to faith, if any one by his life and works would desire to obtain what faith already possesses and brings with it. Just as Christ would have only disgraced himself had he done good in order to become the Son of God and Lord over all things, which he already was before. So faith makes us God’s children as John 1:12 says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become the children of God, even to them that believe on his name.” But if they are children, then they are heirs, as St. Paul says, Romans 8:17, and Galatians 4:7.

How then can we do anything to obtain the inheritance, which we already have by faith?

17. But what shall we say of passages that insist on a good life for the sake of an external reward as this one does: “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness?” And in Matthew 19:17: “But if thou wouldst enter into life, keep the commandments.” And Matthew 6:20: “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” We will say this: that those who do not know faith, only speak and think of the reward, as of works. For they think that the same rule obtains here as in human affairs, that they must earn the Kingdom of heaven by their works.

These, too, are dreams and false views, of which Malachi 1:10, speaks: “Oh, that there were one among you that would shut the doors, that ye might not kindle fire on mine altar in vain!” They are slaves and greedy self-enjoying hirelings and day laborers, who receive their reward here on earth, like the Pharisees with their praying and fasting, as Christ says, Matthew 6:2.

However, in regard to the eternal reward it is thus: inasmuch as works naturally follow faith, as I said, it is not necessary to command them, for it is impossible for faith not to do them without being commanded, in order that we may learn to distinguish the false from the true faith. Hence the eternal reward also follows true faith, naturally, without any seeking, so that it is impossible that it should not, although it may never be desired or sought, yet it is appropriated and promised in order that true and false believers may be known, and that every one may understand that a good life follows naturally of itself.

18. As an illustration of this take a rude comparison: behold, hell and death are also threatened to the sinner, and naturally follow sin without any seeking; for no one does wickedly because he wants to be damned, but would much rather escape it. Yet, the result is there, and it is not necessary to declare it, for it will come of itself. Yet, it is declared that man might know what follows a wicked life. So here, a wicked life has its own reward without seeking it. Hence a good life will find its reward without any seeking it. When you drink good or poor wine, although you do not drink it for the taste, yet the taste naturally follows of itself.

19. Now when Christ says: make to yourselves friends, lay up for yourselves treasures, and the like, you see that he means: do good, and it will follow of itself without your seeking, that you will have friends, find treasures in heaven, and receive a reward. But your eyes must simply be directed to a good life, and care nothing about the reward, but be satisfied to know and be assured that it will follow, and let God see to that. For those who look for a reward, become lazy and unwilling laborers, and love the reward more than the work, yea, they become enemies of work. In this way God’s will also becomes hateful, who has commanded us to work, and hence God’s command and will must finally become burdensome to such a heart.

Overturning the Reformation - Using and Abusing the Adiaphora - Matters of Indifference

Luther and Melanchthon provided the initial materials promoting and defending the Reformation.

Martin Chemnitz studied under Luther and Melanchthon, combining the previous work of Lutheran Melanchthon, continuing the work of his professors with the help of his colleagues.

X. Church Rites.

From the Book of Concord, Formula of Concord, Epitome

Which are [Commonly] Called Adiaphora or Matters of Indifference.

1 Concerning ceremonies or church rites which are neither commanded nor forbidden in God’s Word, but have been introduced into the Church for the sake of good order and propriety, a dissension has also occurred among the theologians of the Augsburg Confession.

STATUS CONTROVERSIAE: Chief Controversy concerning This Article.

2 The chief question, however, has been, whether, in time of persecution and in case of confession, even if the enemies of the Gospel have not reached an agreement with us in doctrine, some abrogated ceremonies, which in themselves are matters of indifference and are neither commanded nor forbidden by God, may nevertheless, upon the pressure and demand of the adversaries, be reestablished without violence to conscience, and we may thus [rightly] have conformity with them in such ceremonies and adiaphora. To this the one side has said Yea, the other, Nay.

AFFIRMATIVE THESES: The Correct and True Doctrine and Confession concerning This Article.

3 1. For settling also this controversy we unanimously believe, teach, and confess that the ceremonies or church rites which are neither commanded nor forbidden in God’s Word, but have been instituted alone for the sake of propriety and good order, are in and of themselves no divine worship, nor even a part of it. Matt. 15:9:In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

4 2. We believe, teach, and confess that the congregation of God of every place and every time has the power, according to its circumstances, to change such ceremonies in such manner as may be most useful and edifying to the congregation of God.

5 3. Nevertheless, that herein all frivolity and offense should be avoided, and special care should be taken to exercise forbearance towards the weak in faith. 1 Cor. 8:9; Rom. 14:13.

6 4. We believe, teach, and confess that in time of persecution, when a plain [and steadfast] confession is required of us, we should not yield to the enemies in regard to such adiaphora, as the apostle has written Gal. 5:1: Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage. Also 2 Cor. 6:14: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, etc. For what concord hath light with darkness? Also Gal. 2:5: To whom we gave place, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might remain with you. For in such a case it is no longer a question concerning adiaphora, but concerning the truth of the Gospel, concerning [preserving] Christian liberty, and concerning sanctioning open idolatry, as also concerning the prevention of offense to the weak in the faith [how care should be taken lest idolatry be openly sanctioned and the weak in faith be offended]; in which we have nothing to concede, but should plainly confess and suffer on that account what God sends, and what He allows the enemies of His Word to inflict upon us.

7 5. We believe, teach, and confess also that no Church should condemn another because one has less or more external ceremonies not commanded by God than the other, if otherwise there is agreement among them in doctrine and all its articles, as also in the right use of the holy Sacraments, according to the well-known saying: Dissonantia ieiunii non dissolvit consonantiam fidei, Disagreement in fasting does not destroy agreement in faith.

NEGATIVE THESES: False Doctrine concerning This Article.

8 Accordingly, we reject and condemn as wrong and contrary to God’s Word when it is taught:

9 1. That human ordinances and institutions in the church should be regarded as in themselves a divine worship or part of it.

10 2. When such ceremonies, ordinances, and institutions are violently forced upon the congregation of God as necessary, contrary to its Christian liberty which it has in external things.

11 3. Also, that in time of persecution and public confession [when a clear confession is required] we may yield to the enemies of the Gospel in such adiaphora and ceremonies, or may come to an agreement with them (which causes injury to the truth).

12 4. Also, when these external ceremonies and adiaphora are abrogated in such a manner as though it were not free to the congregation of God to employ one or more [this or that] in Christian liberty, according to its circumstances, as may be most useful at any time to the Church [for edification]. (Source: https://bookofconcord.org/epitome/ )

***

GJ -

WELS-LCMS-ELCA-ELS-CLC (sic) were so weak in Biblical doctrine and the Book of Concord that they worked together to destroy their own sects, boasting about their superiority while banning the King James Version. Evidence? above and below.

American Lutherans - All Synods - Began Their Self-Destruction 100 Years Ago

The Bible is a matter of indifference, according to the really cool Lutherans. And why not? Protestants invited the Roman Catholic leaders into the American Bible Society at the very beginning. The same happened in Europe with the much worse United Bible Societies.

Were not the ecumenical agencies building and improving, from the Great Depression onward?

They played Magician, concentrating on one hand (a better, clearer Bible!) so nobody cared about the other hand (verses and words eliminated by the Improvers). They  watered down faith in Jesus Christ and His Divinity, using Greek texts that very few scholars and leaders could see or discuss or question. The magicians who know the tricks can easily bamboozle those who do not see the obvious.

Protestants felt warm and cozy about their friendships with Roman Catholic leaders. The genius of Roman Catholicism is its foundation in the greedy, and horribly corrupt visible institution - Holy Mother Church.

Lutherans began discovering that Luther was much more Roman than the Reformation allowed. Here are some of the baby steps that Lutherans and many Protestants (especially Episcopalian) have already taken to get in bed with Whore of Babylon (Revelation 17):

The Dirty Dozen

1. Forcing the three-year lectionary, acting as if the historic lectionary was deficient.
2. Honoring saints and famous people instead of Jesus first
3. Promoting gay liturgical garments and paraments - when not wearing old jeans and yardwork shirts
4. Insisting on the non-canonical Apocrypha and making those boring and uninspired books higher in value than the Scriptures.
5. Encouraging famous pastors to join Rome and pull more high profile victims.
6. Making it essential to burn incense.
7. Sprinkling the congregation because priesthood does.
8. Favoring the priest or father title because it is Roman and more glorious.
9. Wearing albs, which became a license to purchase CM Almy costumes, extravagantly expensive, demanding more and more frills - mitres for the pseudo-bishops, copes to add another expensive garment, giant wooden staff crosses (crossiers) to impress the audience. Add communion sets on sale for only $8,000.
10. Gathering semi-secretive groups, like the Society of the Holy Trinity (STS in Latin, appropriate for most of them).
11. Relying on leaders to tell them what to do and knowing that the hierarchy will never allow a Biblical debate on anything.
12. Teaching against Justification by Faith and denying that grace comes to us only by faith in Jesus Christ the Savior, the Son of God, Romans 5:1-2.

CM Almy Expanding Its Collection of Costumes

CM Almy has expanded its costume collection from bishops to queens. Profits have soared.  

 The papal tiara went out of style but still tickles the Big Guy in Rome.

 Infallible author - Calvinist News.
"Officer, I swear the pole hit me."

 Cope - exquisite taste and cost. You deserve this after trying to learn Greek from flash cards.

 This bishop's staff cost $2,400 - just like the Gospel accounts, eh?

 A bishop's cassock need not be humble. This one only cost $1,090. 

 The Roman lobby of the LCMS was not yet ready for papal liturgical equipment. Note - only one chin.

 Matt the Fatt wore his cope in Europe, a farewell to the Lutheran Reformation, a signal to the Jesuits - "We won!"

The masks do not match and - try not to focus on the belly-button. 

 DeJaynes followed the example of Bishop Martin Stephan, who was the first bishop ever in Illinois.

Daily Lutheran Sermon Quote - Trinity 9 - "Thus no heart can ever be right without faith, so that even nature forces the confession that no work makes one good, but that the heart must first be good and upright."

 

Click for the Complete Trinity 9, Second Sermon

10. Is not this a perverted and blind people? They teach we cannot do a good deed of ourselves, and then in their presumption go to work and arrogate to themselves the highest of all the works of God, namely faith, to manufacture it themselves out of their own perverted thoughts. Wherefore I have said that we should despair of ourselves and pray to God for faith as the Apostle did. Luke 17:5. When we have faith we need nothing more, for it brings with it the Holy Spirit, who then teaches us not only all things, but also establishes us firmly in it, and leads us through death and hell to heaven.

11. Now observe, we have given these answers, that the Scriptures have such passages concerning works, on account of such dreamers and self-invented faith; not that man should become good by works, but that man should thereby prove and see the difference between false and true faith.

For wherever faith is right it does good. If it does no good, it is then certainly a dream and a false idea of faith. So, just as the fruit on the tree does not make the tree good, but nevertheless outwardly proves and testifies that the tree is good, as Christ says, Matthew 7:16: “By their fruits ye shall know them”--thus we should also learn to know faith by its fruits.

12. From this you see, there is a great difference between being good, and to be known as good; or to become good and to prove and show that you are good. Faith makes good, but works prove the faith and goodness to be right. Thus the Scriptures speak in the plain way, which prevails among the common people, as when a father says unto his son: “Go and be merciful, good and friendly to this or to that poor person.” By which he does not command him to be merciful, good and friendly, but because he is already good and merciful, he requires that he should also show and prove it outwardly toward the poor by his act, in order that the goodness which he has in himself may also be known to others and be helpful to them. 

13 So you should explain all passages of Scripture referring to works, that God thereby desires to let the goodness received in faith express and prove itself, and become a benefit to others, so that false faith may become known and rooted out of the heart. For God gives no one his grace that it may remain inactive and accomplish nothing good, but in order that it may bear interest, and by being publicly known and proved externally draw every one to God; as Christ says, Matthew 5:16: “Even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Otherwise it would be but a buried treasure and a hidden light. But what profit is there in either? Yea, goodness does not only thereby. become known to others, but we ourselves also become certain that we are honest, as St. Peter in 2 Peter 1:10 says: “Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure.” For where works do not follow a man cannot know whether his faith is right; yea, he may be certain that his faith is a dream, and not right as it should be. Thus Abraham became certain of his faith and that he feared God, when he offered up his son. As God by the angel said to Abraham, Genesis 22:12: “Now I know, that is, it is manifest, that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”

14. Then abide by the truth, that man is internally, in spirit before God, justified by faith alone without works, but externally and publicly before men and himself, he is justified by works, that he is at heart an honest believer and pious. The one you may call a public or outward justification, the other an inner justification, yet in the sense that the public or external justification is only the fruit, the result and proof of the justification in the heart, that a man does not become just thereby before God, but must previously be just before him. So you may call the fruit of the tree the public or outward good of the tree, which is only the result and proof of its inner and natural goodness.

This is what St. James means when he says in his Epistle, James 2:26: “Faith without works is dead.” That is, as the works do not follow, it is a sure sign that there is no faith there; but only an empty thought and dream, which they falsely call faith. Now we understand the word of Christ: “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness.” That is, prove your faith publicly by your outward gifts, by which you win friends, that the poor may be witnesses of your public work, that your faith is genuine. For mere external giving in itself can never make friends, unless it proceed from faith, as Christ rejects the alms of the Pharisees in Matthew 6:2, that they thereby make no friends because their heart is false. Thus no heart can ever be right without faith, so that even nature forces the confession that no work makes one good, but that the heart must first be good and upright.

Al Gore - In the Babylon Bee News

 

Al Gore Dresses Up Like Swedish Teen Girl So People Will Listen To Him Again https://buff.ly/44DLeUU

Crystal Bridges - 3-D Hall of Mirrors - An Early Fall Sets Off an Alarm

 

Imagine everything moving and reflecting from a barrage of mirrors.

I boosted attendance at Crystal Bridges 3-D Hall of Mirrors. It is actually a small room, with an entrance and an egress, two people allowed inside at a time. Spheres hang from the ceiling with mirrors reflecting various combinations of objects moving and glowing.

I moved forward, hitting a ledge gently with my right hoof, going down in a thump. ALARM! ALARM! GEEZER DOWN! GEEZER DOWN! LIGHTS FLASHING!

I retrieved the glasses that spilled from my shirt pocked, saw Randy ahead, and the jailer behind. She was the first of three to ask how much damage I incurred. Once outside, I saw a gathering of 10 or more people. I was questioned a second time about whether I was hurt. (No.) 

I was walking away when the emergency medical team arrived. Randy noticed Erin had a first-aid kid and a portable de-fib unit. Like the others, she peered at my eyes while asking what happened and was I hurt. "No. I bumped my foot and went down. I do a lot of gardening, so I practice safe falling. It's a good idea at 75 years." She took down my name and phone, in case their legal team had to meet with my legal team.

Randy and I caught up with the rest of the family. In case anyone wonders, I do leg exercises several times a week. That strengthens muscles and ligaments, keeping them flexible rather than actionable. 

That is one of the ironies of our anatomy. Neglect of joints and ligaments can cause immense pain, often solved by painful exercise in recovery. The complicated shoulder joints can develop rotator cuff agony or a frozen shoulder (not to be confused with a cold shoulder, the precursor of the WELS/LCMS stink-eye and Left Boot of Fellowship).

Knee damage is especially limiting, so it is wise to walk every day if possible and gradually improve the connective tissue so easily neglected.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - "Whereas the Scriptures Attribute Both Faith And Good Works Not to Ourselves, But to God Alone."

 

 Thomas Cole, the Good Shepherd

Click for the Complete Trinity 9, Second Sermon

6. Therefore the powerful conclusion follows, there must be something far greater and more precious than all good works, by which a man becomes pious and good, before he does good; just as he must first be in bodily health before he can labor and do hard work. This great and precious something is the noble Word of God, which offers us in the Gospel the grace of God in Christ. He who hears and believes this, thereby becomes good and righteous. Wherefore it is called the Word of life, a Word of grace, a Word of forgiveness. But he who neither hears nor believes it, can in no way become good. For St. Peter says in the Acts 15:9: “And he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.”

For as the Word is, so will the heart be, which believes and cleaves firmly to it. The Word is a living, righteous, truthful, pure and good Word, so also the heart which cleaves to it, must be living, just, truthful, pure and good.

7. What now shall we say of those passages which so strongly insist on good works, as when the Lord says: “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness?” And in Matthew 25:42: “For I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat.” And many other similar passages, which sound altogether as though we had to become good by works. We answer thus: 

8. There are some who hear and read the Gospel and what is said by faith, and immediately conclude they have formed a correct notion of what faith is. They do not think that faith is anything else than something which is altogether in their own power to have or not to have, as any other natural human work. Hence, when in their hearts they begin to think and say: “Verily, the doctrine is right, and I believe it is true,” then they immediately think faith is present. But as soon as they see and feel in themselves and others that no change has taken place, and that the works do not follow and they remain as before in their old ways, then they conclude that faith is not sufficient, that they must have something more and greater than faith.

Behold, how they then seize the opportunity, and cry and say: Oh, faith alone does not do it. Why? Oh, because there are so many who believe, and are no better than before, and have not changed their minds at all. Such people are those whom Jude in his Epistle calls dreamers, 5:8, who deceive themselves with their own dreams. For what are such thoughts of theirs which they call faith, but a dream, a dark shadow of faith, which they themselves have created in their own thoughts, by their own strength without the grace of God? They become worse than they were before. For it happens with them as the Lord says in Matthew 9:17 “Neither do men put new wine into old wine-skins; else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled.” That is, they hear God’s Word and do not lay hold of it, therefore they burst and become worse.

9. But true faith, of which we speak, cannot be manufactured by our own thoughts, for it is solely a work of God in us, without any assistance on our part. As Paul says to the Romans 5:15, it is God’s gift and grace, obtained by one man, Christ. Therefore, faith is something very powerful, active, restless, effective, which at once renews a person and again regenerates him, and leads him altogether into a new manner and character of life, so that it is impossible not to do good without ceasing.

For just as natural as it is for the tree to produce fruit, so natural is it for faith to produce good works. And just as it is quite unnecessary to command the tree to bear fruit, so there is no command given to the believer, as Paul says, nor is urging necessary for him to do good, for he does it of himself, freely and unconstrained; just as he of himself without command sleeps, eats, drinks, puts on his clothes, hears, speaks, goes and comes.

Whoever has not this faith talks but vainly about faith and works, and does not himself know what he says or whither it tends. For he has not received it; he juggles with lies and applies the Scriptures where they speak of faith and works to his own dreams and false thoughts, which is purely a human work. Whereas the Scriptures attribute both faith and good works not to ourselves, but to God alone.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 9, Second Sermon - "He Who Hears And Believes This, Thereby Becomes Good And Righteous. Wherefore It Is Called the Word of Life, a Word of Grace, a Word of Forgiveness."

 

Click for the Complete Trinity 9, Second Sermon

1. Although in my Postils hitherto, and in my little book, Christian Liberty and Good Works, I have taught very extensively, how faith alone without works justifies, and good works are done first after we believe, that it seems I should henceforth politely keep quiet, and give every mind and heart an opportunity to understand and explain all the gospel lessons for themselves; yet I perceive that the Gospel abides and prospers only among the few; the people are constantly dispirited and terrified by the passages that treat of good works; so that I see plainly how necessary it is, either to write Postils on each gospel lesson, or to appoint sensible ministers in all places who can orally explain and teach these things.

2. If this Gospel be considered without the Spirit by mere reason, it truly favors the priests and monks, and could be made to serve covetousness and to establish one’s own works. For when Christ says: “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles;” they force from it three points against our doctrine of faith, namely: first, against that we teach faith alone justifies and saves from sin; second, that all good works ought to be gratuitously done to our neighbors out of free love; third, that we should not put any value in the merits of saints or of others.

3. Against our first proposition they claim the Lord says here: “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness,” just as though works should make us friends, who previously were enemies.

Against the second is what he says: “That they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles;” just as though we should do the work for our own sakes and benefit. And against the third they quote: “The friends may receive us into the eternal tabernacles;” just as though we should serve the saints and trust in them to get to heaven.

For the sake of the weak we reply to these:

I. FAITH ALONE MAKES US GOOD, AND FRIENDS OF GOD.

4. The foundation must be maintained without wavering, that faith without any works, without any merit, reconciles man to God and makes him good, as Paul says to the Romans 3:21-22: “But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe.” Paul at another place, Romans 4:9, says: “To Abraham, his faith was reckoned for righteousness;” so also with us.

Again, 5: “Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Again, 10:10: “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” These, and many more similar passages, we must firmly hold and trust in them immovably, so that to faith alone without any assistance of works, is attributed the forgiveness of sins and our justification.

5. Take for an illustration the parable of Christ in Matthew 7:17: “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” Here you see that the fruit does not make the tree good, but without any fruit and before any fruit the tree must be first good, or made good, before it can bear good fruit. As he also says, Matthew 12:33-34: “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit. Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things?”

Thus it is the naked truth, that a man must be good without good works, and before he does any good works. And it is clear how impossible it is that a man should become good by works, when he is not good before he does the good works. For Christ stands firm when he says: “How can ye, being evil, speak good things?” And hence follows: How can ye, being evil, do good things?

6. Therefore the powerful conclusion follows, there must be something far greater and more precious than all good works, by which a man becomes pious and good, before he does good; just as he must first be in bodily health before he can labor and do hard work. This great and precious something is the noble Word of God, which offers us in the Gospel the grace of God in Christ. He who hears and believes this, thereby becomes good and righteous. Wherefore it is called the Word of life, a Word of grace, a Word of forgiveness. But he who neither hears nor believes it, can in no way become good. For St. Peter says in the Acts 15:9: “And he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.”

Joe Pye Weed - Thousands of Bees and Butterflies

 

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity, 2023. Wolves Wearing Vicuna

 

    

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity, 2023

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Vimeo Link to Trinity 8 2023 Worship

The melodies are linked in the hymn titles.

The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.

• The melody site is linked here.
• TLH lyrics are found at the Bethany Lutheran Hymnal Blog.

The Hymn #261          Lord Keep Us Steadfast           

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

We have thought of Thy loving-kindness, O God: 

in the midst of Thy Temple.

According to Thy name, O God, 

so is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth: 

Thy right hand is full of righteousness.

Psalm. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised: 

in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

Grant to us, Lord, we beseech Thee, the Spirit to think and do always such things as are right, that we, who cannot do anything that is good without Thee, may by Thee be enabled to live according to Thy will; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth...

The Epistle and Gradual      

Gradual

Be Thou my strong Rock: for an house of defense to save me.

V. In Thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: 

let me never be ashamed. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Give ear, O My people, to My Law: 

incline your ears to the words of My mouth. Hallelujah!

 

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Hymn #268             Zion Mourns   

Wolves Wearing Vicuna

The Communion Hymn #463      For All the Saints

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #511                         Jesus Shall Reign

Prayers and Announcements

• The altar flowers are in memory of Christina Jackson, whose birthday was on July 20th. The Andersons (Randy, Ivy, Andy, Aby) traveled from the People's Republic of California to be here.
• Medical supervision - Sarah Buck, Kermit Way, Maria Way, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris. Doing well after surgery - Randy Anderson.
• Randy and Ivy Anderson, Andrea and Aby came to visit for Christina's birthday.
• Tom Fisher's Illinois farm is plagued with drought.
• Pray for honest, elections and renewed dedication to the US Constitution, where state legislatures control their elections.

              

KJV Romans 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

KJV Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Luther's Three Sermons on Matthew 7:15ff - Beware of False Prophets

Eighth Sunday After Trinity

Lord God, heavenly Father, we most heartily thank Thee that Thou hast caused us to come to the knowledge of Thy word. We pray Thee: graciously keep us steadfast in this knowledge unto death, that we may obtain eternal life; send us now and ever pious pastors, who faithfully preach Thy word, without offense or false doctrine, and grant them long life. Defend us from all false teachings, and frustrate Thou the counsels of all such as pervert Thy word, who come to us in sheep's clothing, but are inwardly ravening wolves, that Thy true Church may evermore be established among us, and be defended and preserved from such false teachers, through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Wolves Wearing Vicuna

KJV Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Sermon on the Mount

One of the clever ploys of the fake Biblical scholars is to call the Sermon on the Mount a "random collection of sayings." These wise wizards know more than the Holy Spirit!  However, Matthew 5-7 is a wonderful sermon, a unified address starting with the Beatitudes and ending with the Matthew 7:15ff warning and the House Built on Sand. 

Matthew 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

The Beatitudes are a sermon of their own, and the ending of the Sermon on the Mount offers two different-and-engaging illustrations of the future - 1) faith in false teachers versus faithful teachers; 2) faith having a firm foundation versus one washed away by current fads. 

The Lupine Liberal

Lupine means wolf. Ovine means sheep. Bovine means cow.

We should always remember that Jesus, the Lord of Creation, uses His own creation in His parables. No one knows the nature of these creatures better than He does. Sheep are sure-footed for feeding, good at converting plants into meat and fat, mild in temperament. Wolves are stealthy, armed with the strength and the jaws to slaughter sheep, gaining a rich supply of their needs by creeping silently up on the flock. A pack of wolves can slowly descend on a flock of sheep.

The lupine liberals have been stalking the sheep from the beginning. The moment the Gospel spread, after the Ascension of Christ, the opponents were energized to stop the growth of the Christian Faith. Many Jews were converted, because Paul was so energetic in preaching and teaching. That outraged the Pharisaical party even more, because the Gospel spread among their own people. The Gentiles also believed after hearing the Word of God, because the myths of Greece and Rome were so crude and so much like today's Hollywood, journalists, and higher education genius crowd. 

The lupine liberals of the last 200 years have chipped away at the unity and the truth of the Scriptures. One tool has been to glorify fake New Testaments as genuine, rare, and priceless. These are featured in all "scholarly" translations, books, and journals - Codex Sinaiticus, a crude forgery from the 1800s, and Codex Vaticanus, a Greek translation from Latin, promoted by the Church of Rome. The Evil Four plus Beck are these bogus Bibles: RSV, NRSV, ESV, NIV and Beck. Because the liberal scholars sanctified the fake sources, they were able to "translate" them and sell them for big bucks, each version contradicting the others while changing on a regular basis.

The purpose of Jesus' example is to show the destruction of His teaching will come from clever, stealthy, deceitful false teachers. St. Paul pleaded -

Acts 20:28-31, when he was about to depart from Ephesus, among other things, he said: “Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears.”

Bottom Line

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 

Fruit or fruits are a common terms for results - "the new plan was not fruitful." In gardening and farming, every effort is made to enjoy products grown and enjoyed. Many plants look good but they are bitter or even toxic. A bird caused an impressive plant that grew over six feet, attracting lady bug babies. Red markings at the base confirmed it was hemlock, a poison (no cure). One friend pulled out an unknown weed that put him in the hospital. I tugged on poison ivy and needed meds for a week.

Toxic plants and toxic teaching are parallel. They look impressive but they are horribly painful when given enough time to produce. The most "successful" false teachers are smoother than chocolate pudding. They are charming eager to spin something any way that suits their own needs.

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

America has many examples of evil plants developed or brought in, some promoted by our own government, now almost impossible to remove - kudzu, bartlett pears, one kind of blackberry, multi-flora rose. Like the famous Church Growth Movement (adored by LCMS, WELS, ELCA, and all denominations), the evil plants have spread without any benefit, and cannot be eradicated without an aggressive response.

At the "Free" LCMS-WELS-ELS Emmaus Conference, our Justification by Faith materials were ordered removed.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

We must trust in the value of sound  or healthy doctrine based directly on the Scriptures. Jesus and Paul compare false doctrine to sickness and cancer. The New Testament word for healthy is hygiene, but people get drawn to unhealthy teaching, which seems so delightful at first.

 David Scaer is The David P. Scaer Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology.

Evil is spread easily while Biblical doctrine is halted, examined, and frequently expelled by the very people who claim they are Bible scholars or Luther scholars or both.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Luther:

6. Here you may ask: why does God permit false prophets to come among his pious people and be the successors of his true ministers? Is he not powerful and strong enough to prevent it, so that the Gospel may continue pure and in its power? Of course he is. But he permits it in order to prove and preserve his own people, and to punish the unthankful. It is as St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:19 says: “For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you.” This means, that those whose faith is approved may become manifest, so that their spirit and word appear, and testify that they are true.

7. When God gives us his Word, his gifts and Spirit, it is not his will that we should be lazy, sleepy and idle. For if you have the true Word and its true meaning, the world will attack you on one side, and the devil will attempt to tear you from it on the other, not only by means of worldly tyrants who persecute the Word with the sword; but also by means of our own reason and the wisest people in the world. Thus God desires to develop you by his Word, and to give the Holy Spirit whom he has bestowed upon you something to do, so that you may learn that God’s wisdom is wiser than the world’s wisdom, that God’s strength is stronger than the strength and power of the world, which you will not learn unless you pass through this conflict with false teachers.

8. Wherever he permits the devil to create factions, he would thus stir you up, and say: Defend yourself, lay hold of the Word, and learn to experience God’s wisdom and power against the wisdom of the world and the lies of satan. Thus the strength and wisdom of God’s Word will appear, that you may learn that it is not to be conquered with power and wisdom; but it conquers, and puts to shame all power, cunning and wisdom opposed to it.

This is one reason why God permits factions and sects among us, who enter in as it were edgewise, as though they were beneficial and served to the end that the Word, the truth and Spirit prove themselves to be better and plainer; however aside from this factions and sects serve no good purpose.

The people I know have had similar experiences - 

• dealing with false doctrine, 
• wondering about false teachers and Bad Bible Boosters. , 
• challenging falsehoods and 
• given the Left Foot of Fellowship, the stink-eye, and total shunning. 

I am not alone. Those experiences have made some cower in fear, lest their clergy benefits be lost. Laity have told me they would be shunned by the entire extended family if they questioned Holy Mother Synod. Parallels to the Pharisees seem not to bother the abusive sect orthodoxy. Instead of bearing the cross, they are unbearably cross if anyone steps on their delicate toes.

As Luther wrote, the false teachers end up in sharpening our knowledge of the Gospel. We want to know that much more about the Scriptures and the Reformation. Physical exercise makes us hungry for food. Spiritual exercise makes us hungry for the truth of God's Word. I hate to say it, but thousands of words of theology today are entirely lacking the divinity of Christ, the miracles, and faith in Him. Many are deliberately mocking because they have no faith and want to spread their apostasy. I know two pastors who moved from Church Growth to  loudmouth atheism.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

This should be a truly frightening pair of verses for those who say, "But I was a charter member!"

Nor does it matter what one's siblings, relatives or great-grandfathers did for Holy Mother Synod.

The Great CFW Walther did many evil things, but the worst was his consistent false teaching of Objective Faithless Justification.