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The Scriptures Are Always Effective -- The Holy Spirit Working Through the Word

 

1. The Bible begins with the Holy Trinity -
2. The Father commands each of the days in Genesis.
3. The Son executes those commands.
4. The Holy Spirit hovers over Creation and teaches this wonder to us, from the  very first Word and throughout the New Testament.

The Apostles only had the Scriptures - not the Old Testament but simply the Testament. Luther called the New Testament a series of sermons on the Old Testament.

In other words, the Old Testament phrases and verses in the New Testament serve - even now - as the NT anchor, not just a quote from ancient times. Those Old Testament statements were puzzles for centuries until they were fulfilled by the Spirit teaching through the Apostles as promised.

Each Old Testament citation in the New Testament is not simply a light from the past, but The Light shining from the earliest days to serve as the foundation for the new and final era of the revealed Gospel.

KJV Exodus 3 reveals the Angel of the Lord as God. The Burning Bush has Two Natures, signifying the bush as burning but never consumed. Moses insisted on a name for God, Who said, 

"Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM That I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." 

Around 1400 years later, the Two Natures of Christ enraged His opponents.

KJV John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM. 

The clergy and laity should take this to heart. Those who believe the power of the Gospel can expect to have to rocks thrown, with joy and energy. Oh, but energy is the Greek word for efficacy, effective. They forget the dual nature of effectiveness. The Holy Spirit hardens and blinds those who will not believe the Savior.

The Denominations Do Not Believe the Scriptures - When Did They Stop?The Big Five Apostates Shrink! - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic).

"The work of the fathers was not to give light to the Scriptures with their comments, but rather to set forth the clear Scriptures and thus interpret Scripture by Scripture only without any additions of their own."
Luther's sermon on on the Epiphany, Lenker edition

How do they sleep at night - these brave warriors against the truth? Elizabeth Eaton can only talk about and write about her favorite subject. Yes, that one. But she also writes letters addressing every possible Left-wing issue. Those nuggets of negativism have to be published to edify the shrinking corporate body called ELCA.



Matt the Fatt's Missouri Synod has a solution - two seminaries! Each one argues against the other one - about which one is more absurd.



In the LCA, Gettysburg opposed Philadelphia until they merged. That seems to be the trend, with lots of posing about the glittering future of their enterprises. After all,  Philadelphia alone has an Osage Indian as its president, preceded by a woman who was suspected of being hetero in the past.

The LCMS and WELS postured as synodical opponents a few decades ago, but now everyone is so broke and needing Thrivent calendars that they gladly walk in mincing steps, side-by-side with ELCA.



The ELS and CLC (sic) are dissolving or merging, as so many have. Bethany Seminary has two students per class, for a total of eight, counting the vicarage year. Spelling is not an issue for the CLC. Donkey basketball is the key.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Epiphany - "The work of the fathers was not to give light to the Scriptures with their comments, but rather to set forth the clear Scriptures and thus interpret Scripture by Scripture only without any additions of their own."

 

Complete Sermon -> Luther's Sermons - Matthew 2:1-12.
Epiphany - The Story and Spiritual Meaning of This Gospel

45. In the third place, they hold up to us the saints’ interpretations of the Scriptures, and consider them a great light. They finally adhere to them and believe that in these interpretations they possess something that no one could reject, and claim again and again in order to keep us away from the pure Word that the Scriptures are obscure and make many heretics.

46. Is not this a masterpiece of blasphemy? But who guarantees them that the fathers are not also obscure? Or who will give us the guaranty that the fathers did not err in their interpretations? Indeed it is well known that they did often err, often contradicted themselves, often contradicted each other and very seldom were unanimous in their agreement. God permitted this to happen to make uncertain also the interpretations of the fathers and to warn us on all sides not to depart from the Scriptures. And yet we stumble here and do not permit ourselves to be guided by the Scriptures. Therefore we should know that it is not true when they say: The fathers give light to the obscure Scriptures. They are doing injustice to the fathers, and belie them. The work of the fathers was not to give light to the Scriptures with their comments, but rather to set forth the clear Scriptures and thus interpret Scripture by Scripture only without any additions of their own.

47. However, that heretics originated from the Scriptures, is true. From where else should they have come? There is no other book that teaches the Christian faith but the Scriptures. Therefore, as no one can become a Christian except by the Scriptures, so also can no one become a heretic but by the same Scriptures. Christ is indeed a sign spoken against and set for the falling and rising of many. Should we on that account reject him or set up another Christ by his side? You do not at the same time need wine and bread, but should we on that account quit tilling the farm and the vineyards or start others besides them? Satan is the enemy of the Scriptures and therefore he has decried and calumniated them by this clamor and blasphemy.

48. But what does this Gospel teach? In the first place, these wise men did not inquire after the chief priests and do not ask: Where is Annas or Caiaphas, or how did this or that man live? But they ask: Where is the newborn king of the Jews? Yes, Christ permits them, as a warning to us, to go astray and to seek him in Jerusalem in the holy city among the priests, the learned and the royalty. He is not found in the holy place nor in the holy customs. Nor did they receive as an answer any human opinions, but only what the Scriptures say about Christ, which alone are to be sought among the holy people and in holy places.