Enthusiasm - Luther's Smalcald Articles in the Book of Concord

Part III, Article VIII. Of Confession.

3] And in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word, in order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts, i.e., spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word, and accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken Word, and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, as Muenzer did, and many still do at the present day, who wish to be acute judges between the Spirit and the letter, and yet know not what they say or declare. 4] For [indeed] the Papacy also is nothing but sheer enthusiasm, by which the Pope boasts that all rights exist in the shrine of his heart, and whatever he decides and commands with [in] his church is spirit and right, even though it is above and contrary to Scripture and the spoken Word.

5] All this is the old devil and old serpent, who also converted Adam and Eve into enthusiasts, and led them from the outward Word of God to spiritualizing and self-conceit, and nevertheless he accomplished this through other outward words. 6] Just as also our enthusiasts [at the present day] condemn the outward Word, and nevertheless they themselves are not silent, but they fill the world with their pratings and writings, as though, indeed, the Spirit could not come through the writings and spoken word of the apostles, but [first] through their writings and words he must come. Why [then] do not they also omit their own sermons and writings, until the Spirit Himself come to men, without their writings and before them, as they boast that He has come into them without the preaching of the Scriptures? But of these matters there is not time now to dispute at greater length; we have elsewhere sufficiently urged this subject.

7] For even those who believe before Baptism, or become believing in Baptism, believe through the preceding outward Word, as the adults, who have come to reason, must first have heard: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, even though they are at first unbelieving, and receive the Spirit and Baptism ten years afterwards. 8] Cornelius, Acts 10:1ff , had heard long before among the Jews of the coming Messiah, through whom he was righteous before God, and in such faith his prayers and alms were acceptable to God (as Luke calls him devout and God-fearing), and without such preceding Word and hearing could not have believed or been righteous. But St. Peter had to reveal to him that the Messiah (in whom, as one that was to come, he had hitherto believed) now had come, lest his faith concerning the coming Messiah hold him captive among the hardened and unbelieving Jews, but know that he was now to be saved by the present Messiah, and must not, with the [rabble of the] Jews deny nor persecute Him.

9] In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. 10] Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. 11] It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. For God wished to appear even to Moses through the burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet neither Elijah nor Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments [or spoken Word].

 The New Testament Greek word for efficacy is en-ergeo, "works in". ἐνεργεῖται - 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Omitting the Means of Grace - A Serious Error

narrow-minded has left a new comment on your post "Luther Called Himself a Faith-ian (sola-fide-ist)....":

"[Unfortunately there are some cranks who roam the Internet claiming to be Lutherans who also fall into this error. You shall know them by their sixth grade-level photoshopping skills. ]"

This is a nice application of the Eighth Commandment, especially from a representative of CPH who plays the 8/18 Card on others who have the audacity to disagree with him.

Our CPH rep omits the Means of Grace, but this is a "universal" error of UOJers. I don't base my faith on my "subjective" feelings, but on the "objective" gift the Holy Ghost applies to me through the hearing of His Word and the administration of the Sacraments.

The cross and empty tomb don't mean a hill of beans if one doesn't believe it. Even Satan believes in the historicity of those events. Walther is the true synergist, witness his decision theology Easter Sermon.

This is your brain on the Scripture/BOC: JBFA. This is your brain on Mary's breast milk: UOJ.

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GJ - One contributor of graphics uses an inexpensive graphics editor because he is paying back LCMS seminary tuition loans. He has devoted hundreds of hours to research and buys obscure books rather than spend money on frills.

I suspect that McCain objects to "pants on fire" because it is true, not because his refined tastes beg for a professional Photoshop.

I only see borrowed graphics on Cyber-plagiarist, except for those 137 gun-toting videos.

The Holy Spirit distributes grace through the Instruments of Grace, the Word and Sacraments. Anything else is Enthusiasm.

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Omitting the Means of Grace - A Serious Error":

"narrow-minded:" -

Your comment is well stated:

>>>>>>> .......The cross and empty tomb don't mean a hill of beans if one doesn't believe it. Even Satan believes in the historicity of those events. Walther is the true synergist, witness his decision theology Easter Sermon.

This is your brain on the Scripture/BOC: JBFA. This is your brain on Mary's breast milk: UOJ. <<<<<<<< [Your words]

The more I think of it; the more I witness the universal objective justification crowd relying on decision thinking. They drum it through, to their own heads and those who follow them, that Christ's Atonement for human sin is universal in its application to every sinner. It is no wonder why they eschew being justified by God's grace, through faith alone. This is the reason that you will hear very little from them about the Holy Spirit and his work of the new birth (conversion) - John 3:1-21 in context

A sorry lot they are who dis the Holy Spirit and His whole activity in making a human soul right with God. I still return to my cookie jar illustration:

Just because there is a cookie jar on one of the kitchen shelves; its presence does not portend that cookies are contained within that jar. And, in like manner; just because Christ's Atonement sacrifice and subsequent Resurrection was the action of the Triune God to do away with the curse of the first Adam; that all encompassing sin cleansing work does not portend that all men will come to the knowledge of the truth and be born from above by the Holy Spirit's working:

John 3:5 - Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:6 - That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Nathan M. Bickel

www.thechristianmessage.org
www.moralmatters.org

Jesuit Jack Kilcrease Shows Signs of Stress from His Flailing of UOJ

Norma Boeckler posted this beautiful graphic,
which set off Jack Kilcrease, part-time tutor at a Catholic girls school.
Norma had to re-post the graphic, kilcreasing Kilcrease.

GJ - Jack Kilcrease is following the example of his mentor, Paul McCain. Both of them start rants against me, at random location, for no apparent reason. This is Jack's second meltdown on a FB thread where I was not even a participant. My wife is a participant on this one, so she reported Jack's comments as abusive hate-speech.

To show how sleazy Jack is, he blocks me on FB so I cannot see a thing he is writing when I am using my own account. So he cranks out the methane and I only see responses tp jo,, if I even know what  is happening.

However, many of us have various accounts, so Jack's puerile antics can be addressed as they richly deserve.

To end bullying, stand up to them. Show them for what they are. If I were his spouse I would be ashamed to be pictured beside a string of unsupported, dishonest accusations.

For the record, Jack knows nothing about me and has never met me. He knows even less than McCain, whose hair-trigger temper and Freudian posts have earned him the nickname Pistolero Paul.

• 

  Jack Kilcrease It's nice that you're sharing your art work with us. If you don't mind me asking: why have you decided to associate with the heretic and false teacher Gregory L. Jackson? He is busy leading many people away from God's grace. This deeply concerns me and I think it might deeply concern people on this facebook group.

  about an hour ago
• 

  Norma Boeckler I have not found him to be a false teacher! I have illustrated many books for him and the written content is orthodox! He uses the KJV Bible, Book of Concord, Luther's writings, Lenski, Jacobs, and other writings of the old church fathers. So where do you find him a false teacher?

  52 minutes ago
• 

  Jack Kilcrease He denies that God's grace is objectively real. He believes that God's grace is conditional only on us having faith. This is false. God's grace is real, and this creates our faith- not the other way around. This is the reason that he has been defrocked in multiple Lutheran denominations.

  37 minutes ago
• 

  Norma Boeckler Where do you get your information about him being defrocked?

• Jack Kilcrease Bear in mind, he's also a liar. I would encourage you to look at his current post which is apparently meant to mock me. It's description of me is about 60% false- for example, I am not a part time tutor at a girls convent school.

  9 minutes ago · Like
• 

  Jack Kilcrease No, he distorts the Scriptures and tells falsehoods about other people. He is a liar.

  8 minutes ago · Like
• 

  Norma Boeckler Untrue!!!

  5 minutes ago · Like

http://www.facebook.com/groups/300380506075/


[GJ - Jack is hiding his comments from me. He cannot tell satire when it's right in front of him. No really, I am sure he must be a full-time tutor by now. Those Jesuits are so serious.]
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GJ - Jack constantly amuses Lutherans by emerging from the tall grass to post more evidence of his troubled mind, only to retreat and erase everything he posted. We started calling it "kilcreasing," when someone posts obnoxious material, then erases all the posts - even the entire blog. He sent a long, nasty email to Mrs. Ichabod, then blocked her so she could not reply. Her original message to him was quite polite.

Tim Glende and Joe Krohn have kilcreased their blogs several times. They share Jack's Enthusiasm for UOJ.

Jack applied for LCMS colloquy and was turned down. He has never been a Lutheran pastor, but is busy kissing up to the UOJ crowd in the Missouri Synod. Jack is Pistolero Paul's expert in theology. No, I am not joking.

Roman Catholics teach grace too, but what a mixed bag that is. God's grace must be accompanied by works, or faith formed by obligation. As Luther taught so clearly in his Galatians commentary, that subverts grace entirely.

Kilcrease was trained by ELCA and the Jesuits, even though his father was a WELS pastor, so he knows how to slither in and out of various arguments, without ever approaching the truth. He probably dazzles the adolescent girls at the Little Flower Convent School.

Grace without the Means of Grace is called Enthusiasm, which is repudiated in the Book of Concord, by Luther himself.

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Jesuit Jack Kilcrease Shows Signs of Stress from H...":

Ichabod -

I gain the feeling that this Kilcrease fellow is an unstable slippery type eel. Not only do I get the feeling that he is somewhat unstable and unsavory; but, I have to conclude that he is familiar with twisting the Scripture.

He says about you:

>>>>>> "He denies that God's grace is objectively real. He believes that God's grace is conditional only on us having faith. This is false. God's grace is real, and this creates our faith- not the other way around. This is the reason that he has been defrocked in multiple Lutheran denominations." [Kilcrease's far-fetched description] <<<<<<

Nowhere have I ever read on this website that you diminish God's grace. In fact you readily acknowledge Ephesians 2:1-9. Kilcrease's own words illustrate how he denies the Third Person of the Trinity by not attributing to Him the creation of personal faith. Kilcrease's own words are indicative of the falsity of universal objective justification, which his fellow enthusiasts, worship.

Also, I find that Kilcrease's reasoning lacks much to be desired. He makes wild claims about you which he does not substantiate and evidence. It appears to me that he has the same type of mentality as the McCaininites; which leads me to ask:

"Has he gotten into McCain's private storehouse of Mother Mary's lactation? Or, has McCain been teaching him the St. Bernard art of kneeling and sucking it all in?"

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/08/serious-laughter-from-paul-mccain.html

Ichabod - Don't waste your time even considering what Kilcrease stated. Perhaps, McCain spiked the milk and Kilcrease was talking out of his head (again)......

Nathan M. Bickel

www.thechristianmessage.org
www.moralmatters.org

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GJ - Kilcrease is a nominal Missouri Synod member, so the unaware think he is loyal to the SynCon Racket.

On the other hand, he is a rent-a-prof with this Lutheran Theology Institute, which is selling unaccredited seminary degrees. All the faculty seem to be ELCA. That is no problem, because he knows many of them, after going to an ELCA college and an ELCA seminary. Left unsaid is why he left WELS for ELCA, especially since his father was a WELS pastor.

But on the other hand, as Tevyev said in Fiddler, he is teaching at a Roman Catholic school, the same religious order that performed so well during the Inquisition.

http://ilt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=58

MISSION & VISION

The Institute of Lutheran Theology is an independent, pan-Lutheran theological project, holding that God in Jesus Christ brings sinners to repentance and new life. Because of its commitment to Scripture, to the Lutheran Confessions, and to deep dialogue with the contemporary intellectual horizon, the Institute works with supporting congregations to educate the next generation of faithful Lutheran preachers and teachers.

The faculty seem to be pan-ELCA, although that seems to be hidden fairly well.

Like McCain, Kilcrease works under three different operating systems: Roman Catholic (yea Neuhaus, Weedon, and Holy Father Antichrist); ELCA (buddies from countless Thrivent conferences and programs); and LCMS (one Dogma, UOJ, to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them).

Rolfian Rationalism: Joe Krohn Should Agree with an Absurd Contradiction

Rolf Preus:

Jesus was justified. Those whose sins he bore were justified. Since he bore the sins of the whole world, the whole world was justified. That's what the statement says. That's what Walter A. Maier affirmed in signing that statement. It is a clear affirmation of objective justification.

Again, do you agree with the statement that "God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven all sinners all of their sins"? You say it flies in the face of John 3, 18. But if you affirm the statement that WAM signed, you must also affirm my statement with which you have taken issue. For you cannot hold to two mutually exclusive assertions at the same time. You cannot affirm objective justification and reject it at the same time.

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GJ - The UOJ Factory--which pounds out universal forgiveness 24/7--never addresses the clear and compelling teaching of the Scriptures and the Book of Concord: - that no one receives grace apart from the Means of Grace.

The UOJ Factory workers should study Isaiah 55 and Romans 10, two chapters that teach the Means of Grace with special clarity. They would rather return to the veneration of the Great Walther and the infallibility of everyone in the Synodical Conference (tm) who taught UOJ.

Ludwig's father, Ottomar, married the widow of O. H. Walther,
so Ludwig often went to Uncle CFW's home.
Ludwig's mother came from the Buenger family,
who assisted the Walther brothers in kidnapping two children
and evading arrest in Europe.
Ludwig's grandmother went to prison for her role in the felony.
The Buengers also helped in the mob action against Bishop Stephan.

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Rolfian Rationalism: Joe Krohn Should Agree with ...":

"Jesus was justified. Those whose sins he bore were justified. Since he bore the sins of the whole world, the whole world was justified.

And so the whore reason raises her ugly head. It's that kind of reasoning that got us:

"Since God elected some to salvation, then he must have elected some to damnation."

These guys need to stop thinking so hard. If Objective Justification "in Christ" were* so obvious - and so important to salvation - then why didn't the Reformers see it and phrase it that way?

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GJ - * Were is correct here, because this is contrary to fact.

The Book of Concord authors and editors were strangely negligent in this regard, too. If they had known that people would rely on the plain, clear teaching of the Word, they would have left behind several volumes proving that the entire world was justified. Samuel Huber tried to help, but they rejected his arguments and terminated his job at Wittenberg.

Since Walther is the Great Prophet, with statues and shrines dotting the Missouri landscape, we do not need the Bible or the Book of Concord. The Great Prophet explains it all. Those who disagree with him are obvious false teachers.

The Joel Osteen article linked previously points out that the Grinning Reaper has only a bachelor's degree from Oral Roberts University - in communications. That reminded me of Walther, who only had a bachelor's degree from the rationalists at Leipzig and Pietistic oversight from the syphlitic bishop-to-be.

Why pay attention to Luther? He went to a Catholic university, where he earned a doctorate in Scripture. He supervised monasteries and lectured on the Bible. He did not kidnap a single person. He was kidnapped himself, but that does not count. Instead of robbing people, he gave away gifts sent to him. He always taught the efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace.

Luther is too clear and plain for the Waltherians. They want sect members who subscribe to their strange notions and bow to their authority, even though they have little reading comprehension and no spiritual discernment at all.

Synods and Individuals Do Not Establish Doctrine. They Cannot Vote on Doctrine

Gregory the Theologian.
His name day is today, a fact ignored by the sinuflecting McCain.

Someone set off alarm bells in writing me about when UOJ was "established doctrine" because a synodical convention voted on it.

That is as logical as saying abortion is moral because the Supreme Court made it legal. They also legalized sodomy, in a rare reversal, so what does that say about right and wrong in the halls of justice?

The only true, certain doctrine is revealed by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures. The issue is not agreement with me or with a particular synod, but harmony with the Word of God.

The Book of Concord is not the same as the Word of God, because it is a confession of faith, a response to the Word of God. However, the Lutheran Symbols--as they are sometimes called--are unique in being the standard (a ruled norm) for all Lutherans. Some groups or nations stop with the Augsburg Confession, but that is a minor issue, since the Concordists and Luther himself were "theologians of the Augsburg Confession."

A multi-nation, multi-generational confession is quite powerful in its effect, as we can see in the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. When people add or distort words to meet their political needs, as WELS did with two creeds, the corruption is obvious, making the original thought shine more brightly. The drunks who approved "fully human" are the professors who graduates that cannot write complete sentences. But that does not change Christian doctrine, which is taught by God, not by self-centered dimwits.

Before someone can start chattering about doctrine, he has to examine whether his opinions can be proven with the Word of God, in harmony with the Confessions. The Book of Concord keeps us from making the same mistakes of the past, repeating the old heresies dressed up in a different set of clothes. Huberism came back as Halle double-justification, which was born-again as Waltherism.

Honoring the Confessions is saying, "I realize many giants of Biblical and patristic learning studied and discussed these issues for years. I honor their learning before I open my mouth to speak." For instance, we know that the fantasy of universal absolution was rebuked by Luther in the Book of Concord and by an editor of the Book of Concord. Anyone who wants to go against Luther and Leyser must show himself more skillful in his exegetical knowledge, with some evidence about how those experts in justification got it so wrong.

Repeating the talking points of a tiny, shrinking Midwestern sect is not the same as teaching sound doctrine. Those who cling to synodical positions are repeating the Roman Catholic error of circular reasoning. "This is true because Holy Mother Synod said it is true. You are a heretic because Holy Mother Synod said you are a heretic."

1580 Has Upgraded His Identity

UOJ promotes Fuller Seminary,
and Fuller Seminary teaches UOJ.

FC Ep V has left a new comment on your post "Quashing Justification by Faith - Bivens of the Sa...":

I changed my profile name. I used to be "1580" and now I am the following.

In my experience, there are some who still try to stick to the terms of UOJ yet still say that we receive the Spirit (forgiveness of sins, salvation, etc.) through the Means of Grace. To me, these are the conservatives.

At the same time, there are those, who, in their pastoral theology, teach that all are forgiven before repentance and the Means of Grace (which is of course pure Enthusiasm). With this teaching it degrades the Means of Grace and opens the door to a pure Calvanistic thinking of the Means of Grace (just a remembrance and symbol of what happened 2,000 years ago)

If it were up to me, I would do away with the terms UOJ (to prevent confusion) and just stick to how the BIBLE (yes I capitalized that on my own) and the Confessions speak. Luther warned against using the language of Philosophers to teach the laymen. Because of UOJ it has led us to Calvinism (just a remembrance of the forgiveness of sins already distributed at Calvary) or at best it says that Objective Justification is the Atonement. Either way it's a dangerous way to speak, in my opinion. I say that we should stick to how the Bible teaches and how the Confessions speak of Justification.

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GJ - UOJ is clever, three different ways, because "Error loves ambiguities."

A - Those who know what it really means are quite smug in their elitism and they protect their turf.

B  - Those who read the Book of Concord, Gerhard, Chemnitz, and Luther can easily assume that OJ is just another term for the atonement. The Stormtroopers do not mind, because ultimately terms shape thoughts. That is why we say such silly things as "chairperson" and "people of different abilities."

C - Many laity and clergy do not know the great theologians at all, so they do not realize the scam. If they feel uneasy, they lack the tools to show what is wrong with UOJ.

That is why the Stormtroopers blow up when someone examines what they are really teaching. The best thing to do is make them defend their Biblical passages, which fall apart faster than locust exoskeletons left behind on a tree.

Clearly, the Olde Synodical Conference teaches Huberism, a heresy. Even with access to all this material, they continue to defend and promote their favorite false doctrine.

B. Teigen, one of their own, carefully examined how the Synodical Conference adopted the heretical position on the Lord's Supper. How did they respond? WELS and the Little Sect on the Prairie beat him like a rented mule.

No wonder people are flocking to leave Schwan's lapdogs behind.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "1580 Has Upgraded His Identity":

Can a person still be considered a conservative Lutheran when churches in their fellowship excommunicate Christians faithful to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions regarding the central doctrine of Christian faith - Justification by Faith Alone?

Mark Jeske and Time of Grace make a mockery of the (W)ELS confession and everyone sighs. Jeske and the ELCA tell everyone to Change or Die and they all just look away.

Call them what you want but when they stand silently within the Fellowship while Christ's Church is persecuted by that Fellowship then they are not conservative.

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GJ - Brett, beatings will continue until morale improves.

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FC Ep V has left a new comment on your post "1580 Has Upgraded His Identity":

I agree. When it comes down to it "liberal" or "extremist" UOJ-ers can't be tolerated. Especially when people like Joe Krohn and and the lawyer from Appleton were excommunicated on an unscriptural basis.

I guess when I speak of "conservative" UOJ-ers I mean those who, in their heart confess Justification by faith alone, but still try to use the terms "Universal" or "Objective" when defining that. I think this comes from WELS' insistence on using those terms, which lead to a layman's confusion and ultimate demise. (I've had many discussions with WELS' layman who have been taught to adhere to the terms "UOJ." When we get into a deep discussion it is exposed that they, in their heart, adhere to Justification by faith alone. So again, I say that these terms should be deleted for the sake of the Church.)

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GJ - Because the term Objective Justification really means universal absolution, OJ should be abandoned and rejected and repudiated - no excuses. No one is required to use false and misleading terms from false doctrine. Galatians 1:8 was the motto of the Reformation - "even if an angel from heaven..." and we know synod leaders are not angels.

In fact, one WELS loyalist agreed with me that DPs and their minions are unbelievers in their words and actions. Why submit to those who go through the motions to keep their salaries, benefits, and Thrivent funded perks?

Luther Drafted Again To Endorse UOJ

Unknown has left a new comment on your post "Luther versus the UOJ Pietists":

I am reading through Luther on the basis of the schedule George Kraus provides in his booklet: "A Guide to a Year's Readings in Luther." (This is an excellent schedule for those who can find it and also have the American edition of Luther's Works.)

In my reading, I came across two sections where Luther clearly states that all people are forgiven "before" repentance. Here are the two quotes:

The first one from his comments on Hebrews 1:4 found in Volume 29, page 112-113:

‎When He made purification for sins, [He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high].

‎"With this brief word he makes useless absolutely all the righteousnesses and deeds of penitence of men. But he praises the exceedingly great mercy of God, namely, that “He made purification for sins,” not through us but through Himself, not for the sins of others but for our sins. Therefore we should despair of our penitence, of our purification from sins; for before we repent, our sins have already been forgiven. Indeed, first His very purification, on the contrary, also produces penitence in us, just as His righteousness produces our righteousness. This is what Is. 53:6 says: “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

The second is from his comments on Genesis 3:15 found in volume 1 on page 190:

‎Adam and Eve not only do not hear themselves cursed like the serpent; but they even hear themselves drawn up, as it were, in battle line against their condemned enemy, and this with the hope of help from the Son of God, the Seed of the woman. Forgiveness of sins and full reception into grace are here pointed out to Adam and Eve. Their guilt has been forgiven; they have been won back from death and have already been set free from hell and from those fears by which they were all but slain when God appeared.

I understand Luther meaning that, in Christ, all people are forgiven, saved and righteous, but that this forgiveness, salvation and righteousness is only apprehended through faith.

Am I misunderstanding Luther? And if not, how does this differ from General justification?

Michael

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GJ - Michael, when you use the term General Justification, you are translating words from German that mean - literally - every single person in the world has been declared forgiven. I am sure you can find quotations that seem to fit what you have been taught, but that can be credited to those UOJ implants installed in your Church Growth eyes.

There is always an issue of the original German or Latin text being translated precisely, more importantly - the context. I have read thousands of pages of Luther. Throughout his works individual forgiveness comes through faith in that forgiveness. There are many ways to express the Atonement. Read your passages over again and substitute "Christ has already atoned for their sins, paid the entire price for them." That still makes sense.

Next try this. "Adam and Eve and the serpent were forgiven, without faith."

Or, "before we repent, Christ has already paid for our sins."

Compare that to - "We are forgiven all our sins, even if we do not repent and have no faith."

You sound like a seminary student. Please read the Large Catechism straight through. Luther wrote it. He wrote the sermons and the sermons became the Catechism. Read about the efficacy of the Word and the Means of Grace. Look up the passages in the Book of Concord about Enthusiasm.

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Luther versus the UOJ Pietists":

Michael, what Luther describes in your quotes is the atonement. Justification is that special New Testament word that is always used in the context of "by faith." The Lutheran Confessions affirm this. Justification is the divine declaration of "not guilty" only of the believer, which declaration means that the believer is now righteous and having the status of saint.

Forgiveness of sin is part of what it means to be righteous, but it is not the only or essential thing because the "saint" is still a "sinner" and therefore in daily need of forgiveness. As Luther coined the phrase: simul iustus et peccator "at the same time saint and sinner." The means of grace, Word and Sacraments, are the instruments that convey the forgiveness of sin won on the cross to the sinner in need of forgiveness.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Luther Drafted Again To Endorse UOJ":

In the false gospel of General Justification the whole unbelieving world has been forgiven of all sin, declared righteous in Christ, guiltless before God and saved (this is includes all Antichrists).

Michael states it this way, "I understand Luther meaning that, in Christ, all people are forgiven, saved and righteous,..."

This is pure Universalism. To defend against this appropriate charge the UOJists will confess that not everyone is "heaven" saved. That Unbelief is the unforgivable sin which men go to Hell for eternity.

Yet, God declared the whole unbelieving world righteous and guiltless while they were living in the unforgivable sin of unbelief. What?! Then when they die in unbelief they are condemned to Hell. Except we were all born guilty of the sin of unbelief - no one was conceived a believer in Christ. Therefore, according to the false doctrine of General Justification (UOJ) no one will ever be saved and everyone is going to Hell - guilty of their unforgivable sin of unbelief.

Some will continue to defend UOJ by declaring that men only receive the benefit (salvation) of God's declaration of their forgiveness, righteousness and guiltless condition through faith. YET - they also teach that faith doesn't do anything, falsely teaching that if man is only forgiven by faith then it makes faith a work of man and such synergism is condemned by God. So by their teaching all men, including the Antichrist is truly forgiven, righteous and guiltless all before faith in Christ, all while guilty of the damning unforgivable sin of unbelief.

They love to claim how they are all saved by confessing they were justified, forgiven and righteous in Christ before they believed yet they were all born guilty of the sin of the unforgivable sin of unbelief. They are all damned to Hell by their own false doctrine regardless of what they now believe.

UOJists declare God a liar by their false gospel. For when God states in John 8:24, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." they teach that all sins were already forgiven the whole unbelieving world.

UOJ is the pinnacle of blasphemy as all manner of loathsome and putrid contradictions and lies flow forth from it.

Quote of the Day - Huber's Easter Absolution Shot Down by Book of Concord Peers. Someone - Please Tell Jay Webber, Pope John, and Rolf Preus

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GJ - Does the Little Sect on the Prairie have an excuse for promoting the Walther/Huber Easter absolution, contrary to the Book of Concord editor P. Leyser and his peers at Wittenberg University?

Tom Hardt is the court theologian for the ELS, and his essay is linked by Erling Teigen at Bethany Lutheran College.

Please - someone email Jay Webber, Rolf Preus, and Pope John the Malefactor.

Calov, Gerhard, and Quenstedt: Are These Men Addressing Huberism? Note the Quotations All from Preus' Book on Justification

AC V has left a new comment on your post "Digging Up an Obscure Theologian: AC V Has a Busy ...":

Another quotable quote from Hardt's paper:

...Huber insists that certain Pauline statements expressly make use of a universal justification terminology, which his opponents deny: "Never does Paul teach universal justification. For as far as concerns 2 Corinthians 5, the words ‘not imputing their trespasses unto them,’ they are not to be understood universally about all men regardless of faith.”39

The "opponents" (i.e. orthodox Wittenberg theologians) would have taken Hoenecke/Meyer/Kuske/Bivens to task because that's how they take 2 Corinthians 5. Here's what Bivens said in the October 2011 "Forward in Christ":

We're told in 2 Corinthians 5:18,19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, "not counting men's sins against them." The forgiveness of the world's sins is a universal reality to be announced and believed individually....The astonishing reality is that God has forgiven the sins of the whole world, whether people believe it or not.

Huberism?

AC V has left a new comment on your post "Digging Up an Obscure Theologian: AC V Has a Busy ...":

Re:

“...called universal justification that whereby God, considering the satisfaction of Christ, has because of this become propitiated toward all mankind, accepting it as if everyone had made satisfaction for himself.“


Should UOJ now properly be called "Huberism"?

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Digging Up an Obscure Theologian: AC V Has a Busy ...":

I suppose you noticed how Hardt came up with his own theory as to why Huber's teaching was rejected by Wittenberg. Hardt maintains that Wittenberg had no problem with UOJ so Huber must have gotten UOJ a bit wrong. Yeah, right! If you believe that, then you've probably already bought the Brooklyn Bridge and swamp land in Florida:

http://luk.se/Justification-Easter.htm 

Another Love Note from an Anonymous Stormtrooper

Who's the moron?

d3ee1598-f5b2-11e0-b80f-000bcdcb5194 (https://openid.aol.com/opaque/d3ee1598-f5b2-11e0-b80f-000bcdcb5194) has left a new comment on your post "Double-down on Martin Chemnitz":

Wow, you're a total idiot. Seriously? You can't figure out that words mean different things in different contexts- like that the word "justification" can refer to either the act of forgiveness or the act of receiving forgiveness. You moron! You got kicked out of 5 denominations and screwed up your family's medical insurance because you don't have a command of the English language! Unbelievable!

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GJ - When the arrow hits, the feathers fly. I wonder why two universities have me teaching the craft of writing.  My tummy was shaking with laughter while reading this hysterical post. Such Enthusiasm! Such courage!

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d3ee1598-f5b2-11e0-b80f-000bcdcb5194 (https://openid.aol.com/opaque/d3ee1598-f5b2-11e0-b80f-000bcdcb5194) has left a new comment on your post "Another Love Note from an Anonymous Stormtrooper":

My name is Rev. Rick Jordan. Sorry my name didn't come up. Nice to see your rhetorical strategy of pretending actual rational challenges are laughable is still in place. [GJ - Run-on sentence, gets a D in composition.] Enjoy your cult and your stupid followers.

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Look at this geneology, a fascination he shares with Jay Webber. Jordan is LCMS.

Will the Intrepids Overcome Their Trepidations? Kreuter Asks Crucial Questions

Anonymous said...

Pastor Webber: What should a person do whose been denied the Sacrament by his pastor (and the local DP) for objecting to the notion that 'all people are forgiven before they are born"?

Pastor Spencer: Do you believe that if a WELS pastor denies a WELS member communion he is, in effect, saying that the person is outside of Grace, and unrepentant of sin, and without repentance for the sin in question, is damned?

Pastor Rydecki: According to Lutheran Orthodox teaching, what is the effect or result on a Pastor who misuses the office of the keys--namely, one who declares someone to be outside of grace and withholds the Sacrament from someone-- when that someone did nothing wrong, but rather proclaimed and defended truth.


I would like your opinion of the Joe Krohn situation, because we are not only talking about the dreadful shame that is the Krohns leaving the WELS, but we are also talking about a few pastors and laymen at Holy Word who I believe should be approached and encouraged to repent.

David Kreuter

Excommunication Meeting This Sunday at Holy Word.Patterson and Gurgle Pile On.Typical Kelmish Borrowed Theology

"It's just easier for many people to work backwards from the subjective to the objective in their thinking. In fact, upside-down evangelism may start with gospel and work back to law, stating the solution as a prelude to the problem and clarifying both at the cross." [This is Moravian Pietism, as shown by Walther's Law and Gospel.] Paul Kelm, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.


I was looking for the quotation from Paul Calvin Kelm, above, when Megatron, the legendary database, vomited up a bunch of Kelm and Olson quotations. The Kelm quotation is significant for several reasons.  
One is that Kelm and Patterson gave papers on how to improve pastoral education at The Sausage Factory!
Two - Universal Objective Justification necessarily leads to the kind of nonsense now being showcased at Holy Word (WELS), Austin, Texas.

WELS is always saying that people should a) write a letter, or b) meet with the person.

Writing a letter starts the process of excommunication because no one is allowed to question the infallible WELS, no matter how many times the infallible WELS changes its doctrinal opinions.

Meeting with one of these leaders is akin to picking up a bar of soap in a hot shower. Rather than discuss doctrine with Joe Krohn, Kudu Don Patterson chose to cut off all communication from the parish to him and send a certified letter to get rid of his own congregational elder. Patterson accused Joe Krohn of persistent false doctrine without meeting with him. He was only willing to meet if Joe sat there without saying a word. The Protes'tants remember that scenario.

Patterson gets a free vicar from WELS offering money--every year--so he loves to play the role of synod big shot. However, his call is not synod big shot, but parish pastor. He is doing what Kelm urged above. "Every single pagan in the world is already forgiven and saved." Second - "You disagree, so you will feel the full force of man-made law." Ethics and pastoral practice fly out the window because UOJ excuses everything already. Likewise, Walther did not excommunicate very often, because he hated people out of his life, unless he needed a mob to do his dirty work.

The Wisconsin Sect makes a show of being all-Gospel, but it is really all-law. The extent of the hypocrisy can be viewed in the facile lies of the quotations below. I would rename Megatron The Vomitorium except that I have preserved hundreds of examples of sound doctrine in the same file. I do not know how people can call themselves Lutheran or Christian while flinging such effluent in all directions.

SP Schroeder, the conservative dream candidate, continues to do nothing while Kokomo is replayed and the Changers are rewarded. At first he could play the helpless role - stuck with the incompetent and evil staffers of the Gurgle era. After four years of rewarding the Changers and silencing dissent, he is clearly leading from his bunker deep beneath the Love Shack.

Quotations from Megatron - Read and Weep

"The role model for this carefully choreographed and rehearsed service, referred to by Rev. Dan Kelm as a 'seeker service,' is Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Ill., near Chicago, an independent congregation formed 14 years ago...Rev. Kelm said he viewed a videotape of a service at the Chicago-area church before planning the first seeker service for Divine Savior, which is affiliated with the Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod."
Carol Elrod, "Pastor Hopes Seeks Will Find Way to Special Church Service," Indianapolis Star, May 12, 1990 Reprinted in CN

"The mistaken announcement by a reporter from another Lutheran body was clearly repudiated in the March 15, 1992 issues of The Northwestern Lutheran. Yet you boldly state that the WELS continues to be a part of this project, in which it never participated. Dr. Jackson, I ask you to repent of your slanderous lie and retract it publicly. Galatians 6:1-2 leads me to ask this of you, for the sake of your spiritual life. Titus 3:10 urges me to ask this of you for the sake of the church.
cc: District President Robert Mueller, Vice President Paul Kuske, Vice President Gerald Schroer, Rev. David Grundmeier, Rev. Gary Baumler."
Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS), Letter to Gregory L. Jackson, 9-23-92.

"Your September 21 article in Christian News perpetuates a lie, slanders leaders of your church and risks spiritual offense to weak brothers and sisters. You describe a conference on leadership in which fellowship lines were clearly drawn and at which testimony to the truths which separate Lutherans was publicly given as 'a joint ministry conference with a liberal agenda.' Then you add, 'Months later, the three groups [ELCA, LCMS, WELS] joyfully announced a joint religious radio show, Joy, also funded by Lutheran insurance money. WELS participated in 'Joy' from the beginning and continues to be a part of the project.'" Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS), Letter to Gregory L. Jackson, 9-23-92.

Finding the Receptive: People in Transition, by James Witt - "The Bible illustrates the people-in-transition receptivity principle very well. Converts such as Naaman, a leper; Ruth, a widow; the woman at the well, a five-time divorcee; the thief on the cross, a convict near death; were all people who in a period of transition were receptive to hearing the Gospel. The Receptivity-Rating Scale shown at left...
Paul Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism Appendix III,

"Lifestyle evangelism is the merger of visual and verbal witness, by the people Jesus intended, in the way that He modeled. It's the primary element in a church's strategy to win the lost."
[Other endorsements from Rev. Burton Bundy, Church of the Lutheran Brethren, and Dr. Erwin Kolb, LCMS] Rev. Paul Kelm, Evangelism, WELS Your Invitation! Kent Hunter, (D.Min., Fuller; S.T.D., LSTC) Church Growth Center, Corunna, Indiana 46730 Phone 219-281-2452 Invitation for Heart to Heart Workshop, Paul Kelm quotation.

"TELL has served the church faithfully for 15 years. Three editors have served; Ronald Roth (1977-84), Paul Kelm (1985-88), and the undersigned since 1989...The lead article in the first issue of TELL was titled 'Church Growth - Worthwhile for WELS.'...The author of this article in April 1988 issue of TELL concludes, 'It's obvious by now that I believe we in WELS can profit greatly from the writings of the church-growth leaders.' ... TELL as a separate publication ends with this issue. Nevertheless, the focus of The Evangelism Life Line will continue for years to come as an integral part of the new Board for Parish Services journal - PARISH LEADERSHIP.
Rev. Robert Hartman TELL (WELS Evangelism) Summer, 1992.

"The church growth movement has made inroads into nearly every denomination in America. Once considered only the turf of conservative evangelicals, you will now find church growth practitioners in the United Methodist Church, in the Presbyterian Church in the USA, and among the Episcopalians. The LCMS has more pastors enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary, the seedbed of the movement, than are enrolled in the graduate programs at their Fort Wayne and St. Louis seminaries combined, and most of them include church growth as part of their studies."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Parish Consultant for the WELS Board of Parish Services and his district's Coordinator of Evangelism. p. 1.

"Donald C. McGavran died at home in Altadena, California, on July 10, 1990. He was 92 years old. Dr. McGavran is widely recognized as the founder of the church growth movement, a movement which has sought to put the social sciences at the service of theology in order to foster the growth of the church. In August of 1989 I borrowed a bicycle and pedaled several miles uphill up from Pasadena to Altadena. I found Dr. McGavran in his front yard with a hose in hand, watering flowers." Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Professor, Martin Luther College (WELS), p. 1.

"Don't let the world paint us into a corner of antiquarianism on subjects like a six-day creation or verbal inspiration."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 13.

"Thesis Seven: Sound Apologetics Can Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good...Logic never converted anyone; but Christianity is logically defensible, once one makes reason ministerial to God and His Word...Read C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer and Josh McDowell for practical apologetic tools. In fact, lend your copy to the prospect whose intelligence and education have become his curse. Once you've read Josh McDowell's 'Lord, Liar, or Lunatic' argument for the deity of Christ, you'll find yourself using it." Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 14.

"We can't do a thing to make his Word more effective. But surely we can detract from its effectiveness by careless errors and poor judgment. It just makes good sense to utilize all of our God-given talents, to scour the field for appropriate ideas, concepts, and material (sic), to implement programs, methods, and techniques so that we do not detract from the effectiveness of the gospel we proclaim. Church growth articles, books, seminars, and conferences can offer such ideas and programs."
Pastor James Huebner, Spiritual Renewal Consultant, Notebook, School of Outreach IV, Seventeen Ways to Keep Your Church from Growing, p. 178. First VP of WELS!

"While only the Word is efficacious, the methods we use to minister to people with that Word may vary in their effectiveness." Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Parish Consultant for the WELS Board of Parish Services and his district's Coordinator of Evangelism. p. 2.

"McGavran leaned toward me and said, 'The fields are white unto harvest. But you can't harvest a field of what with a penknife--you need a sickle, you need a scythe. Harvest intelligently."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Parish Consultant for the WELS Board of Parish Services and his district's Coordinator of Evangelism. p. 2.

"Our synod now has a full-time executive secretary for evangelism. He's the Rev. Paul Kelm; and we need him. We need him to be our evangelism advocate."
The Late, Great Ron Roth, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985 p. 2. He also founded Cornerstone, a joint LCMS-WELS business for getting congregations deeply indebted.

"Please stop exaggerating the amount of study that I have done at Fuller. After four years of study at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, which involved sixty-two different courses and a year of vicarage, I graduated in 1983. From 1987 to 1989 I took four courses where I was in a classroom with a Fuller instructor. That is the extent of my Fuller coursework...In addition, I have taken two courses at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and one at the University of Wisconsin--Madison. Because of Fuller's liberal (would you expect anything else?) policy on transfer of credit, and because of two independent studies I undertook, I could complete the degree by simply writing a dissertation." Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23

"To the best of my knowledge, only three WELS pastors have ever taken classes at Fuller Seminary: Reuel Schulz in the 1970s, and Robert Koester and I in the 1980s."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

"You may reply that by 'Fuller-trained' you mean anyone who has attended a workshop presented by the Charles E. Fuller Institute of Evangelism and Church Growth, an agency which is independent of the Seminary. If that is the case, your attribution of 'Fuller-trained' is still simply not true. It would surprise me if even half of the two dozen people on your 'WELS/ELS Who's Who' list have attended a Fuller workshop; I personally know of only five who have."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

"Paul says that people can, in some way, 'adorn the doctrine' (KJV). Does that mean adding anything to the Gospel, thereby making the Means of Grace more 'effective'? Of course not. But it does mean that a Christian, a Christian slave in the original context, can discredit the Gospel--and thus erect a human barrier--through actions and words that contradict the profession of faith."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23. Titus 2:9-10

"To believe, teach, and confess that truth is not inconsistent with being able to recognize that one approach to ministry may be more effective than another. It is more effective to hold worship services at 10:30 am on Sunday than at midnight on Tuesday; this is true, even though it is the same Gospel that is preached at either time." [another example, preaching in German to an American audience] Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

"Faithfulness is the standard by which God judges those he calls into the public ministry. That faithfulness may or may not be 'effective' in terms of visible results; results are up to God, not us. But part of faithfulness ought to include striving to be as 'effective' as we can be in the methods that we use to take the Means of Grace to people." Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

"Make no mistake; I am under no illusions here. I fully expect to be publicly pilloried in print again. You will no doubt do so with some wit, with a good selection of quotations instantly imported into your world processor from your ready-to-go database, and with my own words twisted and used against me. So be it; I can live with that."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

"While I would not encourage it, it would not surprise me to see my name in some future writing of yours. If it does appear there, please use my given [underlined] name, Lawrence."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

"It is appropriate to make use of educational research to improve the functioning of our small group Bible studies." Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Parish Consultant for the WELS Board of Parish Services and his district's Coordinator of Evangelism. p. 3.

"Contemporary social and behavioral sciences are a working out of the reason which God has given to humanity. Granted, the assumptions of some sociologists or anthropologists may be inconsistent with the Christian faith. That calls for discernment, but it does not invalidate the proper use of the social sciences by the church; it is, however, essential that they be used in a 'ministerial' manner."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Professor, Martin Luther College, (WELS), p. 3.

"We cannot add anything to the Word, but we may be able to remove the human barriers which might be in the way of the Word." Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Parish Consultant for the WELS Board of Parish Services and his district's Coordinator of Evangelism. p. 3.

"But when our Lord told us what our mission should be, he was quite clear: 'Make disciples.' Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Summer, 1988, p. 3. Matthew 28:19.

"PLANNING, long-range or short-range, should be S-M-A-R-T...specific...measurable...accepted...realistic...timed...." Paul Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism p. 3.

"A last word on sound doctrine is in place. Sound doctrine must be distinguished from tradition, praxis and preference. The liturgy, translation of the Bible, vestments and organizational policies of the church are not equatable with sound doctrine." Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 3.

"Non-Christians usually become good prospects for personal reasons or as I like to say: 'They come for sociological reasons and stay for theological reasons.'" [Note: this is the felt needs approach of Fuller, also endorsed by Pastor Forrest Bivens, now a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary:

"I went to Fuller Seminary and I happen to believe we can use sociological methods to bring people to church so we can apply the Means of Grace." Midland circuit get together, attended by Pastor - now DP - John Seifert.] Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 4.

"Upside-down evangelism may begin with different diagnostic questions. What do you want out of life? lets the other person pick the path for witness. How do you feel about where our society is heading? uncovers fears and needs without becoming too personal. What makes people happy (or unhappy) do you think? allows someone to express preceived [sic] needs in the third person." Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.

"Upside-down evangelism doesn't begin with personal sin and guilt, but rather with the consequences of sin. Societal consequences (for which each day's newspaper provides evidence) are the 'perceived need' door to understanding the alienation of life and people from God." Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.

"It's just easier for many people to work backwards from the subjective to the objective in their thinking. In fact, upside-down evangelism may start with gospel and work back to law, stating the solution as a prelude to the problem and clarifying both at the cross." [This is Moravian Pietism, as shown by Walther's Law and Gospel.] Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.

"Upside-down evangelism follows the path of least resistance to the God of gracious acceptance." Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5. "Small churches need not be small thinkers, but small-thinking churches will always remain small. Churches and people seldom go/grow beyond their expectations." Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," See Waldo Werning and Robert Schuller for the same thought. Did the Apostles know this? p. 6.

"Thesis One: Sound Doctrine Sounds Good When Good People Sound it. Normally, people respond to other people before they respond to doctrine." Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 7.

"Small thinking churches typically budget to remain small." Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," See Waldo Werning and Robert Schuller for the same thought. Did the Apostles know this? p. 7.