WELS and Missouri Have No Problems with ELCA in Fellowship with Anglicans.

 

Toronto Anglican Bishop Kevin Robertson marries his homosexual partner in the cathedral. Bishop Robertson (left) with Mohan Sharma and Bishop Susan Bell of the Diocese of Niagara. https://www.virtueonline.org/

By David W. Virtue, DD
www.virtueonline.org
December 31, 2018

Toronto Bishop Kevin Robertson was married recently at St. James Cathedral. The Diocese of Niagara's Bishop Susan Bell presided, extinguishing any glimmer of hope that Bell would depart from the radically liberal agenda of her predecessor, Michael Bird, writes Canadian blogger, David of Samizdat.

"The Anglican Church of Canada will not officially perform homosexual marriages until the final vote to change the marriage canon takes place at the 2019 general synod. The fact that Robertson has ignored that detail confirms that, whichever way it goes, the 2019 vote will be as far removed from meaning anything as the ACoC is from Christianity," writes David.

An official announcement from the cathedral said this: "The Diocese of Toronto congratulates Bishop Kevin Robertson and Mr. Mohan Sharma, who were married today at St. James Cathedral in the presence of their two children, their families and many friends, including Archbishop Colin Johnson and Bishop Andrew Asbil. We wish them much joy in their marriage."

(Bishop Kevin and Mohan, who have been a couple since 2009, had their relationship blessed in 2016 according to the Pastoral Guidelines of the Diocese of Toronto and are now married under the marriage provision of the same guidelines.)

This "marriage" will only confirm in the minds of the Global South and GAFCON primates that the Anglican Church of Canada is willing to tread the same pathway The Episcopal Church is treading regarding sexuality issues. It is another reason why GAFCON bishops will not attend Lambeth 2020, despite calls for reconciliation and "good disagreement" by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

END

 — with Sue Hooper.

Anders Nelson danced his heart out at Luther Seminary.
He is approved for ordination.

 WELS has a special group, now operating in secret, wink wink. Church and Change Your Gender. Great training for hosting a Tranny Church Picnic.

One is never too young to learn cross-dressing. It is a skill prized by WELS congregations and certain church leaders.

Church and Change runs WELS.

 They are so open-minded: they work with ELCA all the time.

Sending Copies of The Gospel of Faith: From the Disciple Jesus Loved I Need Your Phone Number To Ship It (Amazon Rule)

Full Color Illustrations by Norma A. Boeckler.
This is the Gospel of John, KJV, with commentary and doctrinal notes.

Back to Luther and Justification by Faith - Not Walther and Forgiveness without Faith

Otten sells his own book on Dr. Walter A. Maier, but sold Maier down the river to support the Preus brothers (Jack and Robert) and Objective Justification. No one admits it, but Robert repudiated OJ in his final book, Justification and Rome.

http://archives.quicknewsnow.com/content/breaking-news-pastor-herman-otten-leaving-trinity-lutheran-church-after-55-years

 Tis strange how easily the Objective Justification Enthusiasts adopt papal attitudes toward their dogma. Otten has trashed Luther - for profit - by selling the scurrilous Facts about Luther in honor of the Reformation. 

The 20th Century Formula of Concord is in Otten’s “Walter A. Maier Still Speaks – Missouri and the World Should Listen.”

In this book Otten noted that Lutheran Hour speaker Walter A. Maier, the most widely known Lutheran of his day, wrote in an editorial titled “Back to Luther” in the November 1933 Walther League Messenger on the 500th Anniversary of Luther’s birth, that almost every major denomination was “honeycombed by traitorous disloyalty” to the fundamental doctrines of Christianity."

 What happens when the keystone and cornerstone are removed? Otten helped replace Justification by Faith with OJ, and added to the Babel of Bible bounty by selling the Beck Bible.

Maier wrote, “We repeat, the appeal to American Protestantism is: ‘BACK TO LUTHER!’ and if this be a battle cry to summon the latent forces of complacent laity to action; if it be a rallying summon for a spiritual crusade for Christ; if it means the splitting of the church into two groups, one liberal and unbelieving, and the other conservative and faithful unto death; if it require the breaking of conventional ties, the banishment of pulpit Judases, then we still repeat the cry: ‘BACK TO LUTHER!’”

 Where were the Chief Article of Christianity defenders when the Preus brothers trashed Dr. Walter A. Maier II for teaching Justification by Faith? Too clever to attack Luther and the Bible, they raved that WAM II did not teach their precious OJ!

 As planned by me, the false teachers erupted by saying Preus did teach OJ - which I knew - and quoted his truly idiotic essay with Enthusiasm, from Preus' Church Growth years - another error he left behind. McCain posted this in his now-dead blog, which died from an overdose of plagiarism.

 Poor Jack, he tells so many falsehoods that people doubt his every word. He tried to say I would not admit to Preus' OJ, but Jack's reading comprehension is quite limited. Jack also jumped on the Thetical Train (thesisclaims versus Biblical doctrine) to prove how beeyootifully Preus explained OJ. Did Jack mention that this Edward Preus essay preceded the Preuss exit from the St. Louis seminary - to Rome? That path is well trodden now by LCMS leaders, some joining the Antichrist, others simply doing public relations for the Pope from their seminary classrooms, their blogs, or the Purple Palace.

Listen Up! More Free Books! Complete Lenski Commentaries!

Listen up! Free Lenski, Luther, and more!

Lenski

 I once owned this set, which is now in a secure, undisclosed location. (Let the reader understand.) I use Lenski all the time, thanks to the Bethany Scholars gathering up scans and sending the pdfs around. Now everyone can have a complete set. This is the New Year's Day gift for the Classic Lutheran Books group on Facebook - and everyone else. One seller is charging $42 for the pdfs. We are charging $0 to get the works to as many people as possible.

WELS Agrees with LCMS Demi-Semi-Quasi Creation Stance. 2019 To Bring Unified Assault of Justification by Faith

Mirthless Mark Schroeder at Calvin Chapel, "I know UOJ is in here somewhere, but I just cannot find it right now. Where's my NIV?"

I hacked the WELS app to buzz me whenever the sect discovered a new Church Growth Principle, but the repeated alerts annoyed me. Now I rely on confidential DP informants.

One source reported Schroeder reaching an agreement with Matt the Fatt on Creation. That had me confused. Is Mark ready to accept the Seminex takeover of Concordia, St. Louis? That is not much of a leap, since they already published a Book of Concord with ELCA's primary gay activist - the Kolb-Wengert.

Concordia, St. Louis professors say arguing for Creation violates the 8th Commandment.

We had a New Year's Eve hymn service tonight, which made me think about lyrics from Gerhardt, who is praised once a century and then forgotten again.

2. He whom the sea and wind obey
Doth come to serve the sinner in great
meekness.
Thou, God's own Son, with us art one,
Dost join us and our children in our
weakness.
The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #81 
Text: Luke 2: 7
Author: Paul Gerhardt, 1653, cento

3. "Yea, Father, yea, most willingly
I'll bear what Thou commandest;
My will conforms to Thy decree,
I do what Thou demandest."
O wondrous Love, what hast Thou done!
The Father offers up His Son!
The Son, content, descendeth!
O Love, how strong Thou art to save!
Thou beddest Him within the grave
Whose Word the mountains rendeth.
The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #142 
Text: Is. 53: 7
Author: Paul Gerhardt, 1648, cento

Should Lutherans now contradict the Scriptures, the Scriptural Confessions, and the Scriptural hymns to agree with Concordia Seminary in St. Louis? Should the LCMS and WELS abandon any pretense of singing Gerhardt, speaking low in Milwaukee lest the King of Creation be mentioned on the streets of Clayton?

Simply put, denying the power of God to create the universe through the Logos (John 1:3) is nothing less than a rejection of Genesis 1 as explained clearly in John 1. This equivocation by the Neo-Seminex Romanists subverts the entire Apostles Creed. I am not going to mention Luther, because he is nothing more to LCMS-WELS than a gimmick to sell trinkets during the right season.

Paul McCain, whose statue Wilken will build, donating his own money to pay for the extra supplies of bronze.

Are Matt the Fatt and Mirthless Mark kidding everyone that Objective Justification talks are in the future? They did not have a synod executive or seminary professor try to put across the fiction that Luther taught their precious OJ. They put up Jay Webber and Honest Jon Buchholz for the job. People stayed home in droves. Emmaus beat Natalie Pratt's conference attendance by only a few people.

WELS and Missouri sold their members down the river decades ago, because both sects taught Justification by Faith until the apostates began their slow infiltration of all positions of influence.

I will run this graphic one more time, in case some forgot it from a few hours ago. Then please tell me how someone takes the theme of the entire Bible, the German Reformation. and basic Protestantism and buries it alive, replacing it with Universalism.

New Year's Eve, 2018

 The hymn graphics are all from Norma A Boeckler.

New Year's Eve Hymn Service, 2018
7 PM Central Standard Time

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Central Time

The words are linked on the hymn numbers, and the melodies are linked on the hymn titles, for those who want to read and to sing the hymns later.

Hymn #123        Our God Our Help - Isaac Watts

This is Isaac Watts greatest hymn. He is remembered for changing English hymns from Psalm paraphrases (Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow) to religious poetry. This freed English hymns from one strict Calvinistic style, and led to many great contributions. 

The first Calvinist hymns were paraphrases of the Psalms and used only half and quarter notes - no rhythm. In those respects they were quite different from Lutheran hymns of the Reformation.

This was the favorite hymn of my music teacher in Moline, and we played it in a mass memorial band service when Mr. Youngdahl died. His wife Mary was also a teacher, one of the best English teachers I had. 

The hymn contrasts the temporary nature of man with the eternal streng, power, and mercy of God. The hymn is based on Psalm 90.

The Readings 

Galatians 3:23-29

King James Version (KJV)

²³ But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

²⁴ Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

²⁵ But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

²⁶ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁷ For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

²⁹ And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Luke 2:21

King James Version (KJV)

²¹ And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Norma A Boeckler

Hymn #246        Holy, Holy, Holy - Reginald Heber

Heber was a brilliant student from childhood and excelled in academics. Although he became a bishop and served very well in India, he died young, at age 42 and then became famous for the hymns he left behind.

Two of the best known, besides this one, are -

Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning

From Greenland's Icy Mountains

Just as the Psalms inspired many hymns of Christianity, Revelation - as a New Testament book of psalms - is a second source of great hymns. Holy, Holy, Holy is based upon Revelation 1:5-6. 

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Holy, Holy, Holy is a hymn about eternal life, with phrases drawn from Revelation and the Old Testament.

Hymn #339               All Hail the Power - Edward Perronet

Persecution often leads to developments in favor of the Gospel. The author's French name comes from his Huguenot (French Protestant) heritage, which I share on the side of my paternal grandmother - the Noel clan. He is famous for giving "the greatest sermon on earth" when he opened his Bible and read the Sermon on the Mount. He is known for this one hymn, one of the greatest descriptions of the risen Christ.

Hymn #175              When I Survey the Wondrous Cross - Isaac Watts

Rachel Tillay:

This hymn is particularly powerful because it includes many poetic devices. For example, oxymoron is found twice in the first stanza: “my richest gain I count but loss” and “pour contempt on all my pride.” The third stanza contains a paradox in a crown of thorns, and there are two rhetorical questions in the second half of this stanza: “Did e’er such love and sorrow met, or thorns compose so rich a crown?” The piece ends with a climax, “Demands my soul, my life, my all.” 

Hymn #142              A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth - Paul Gerhardt

Gerhardt is an excellent example of bad circumstances creating the best results as the Gospel bears fruit. He spent years as a children's tutor, even though he was one of the best of brightest, a kind and gentle person. This experience doubtless gave him a special facility in expressing profound thoughts in child-like, simple, phrases. 

Verse 5 - in German - my little ship rocks back and forth, from the turbulence of the cross, and You are the anchor.

Gerhardt and Luther are the foundation of all modern Christian hymns, and many clearly try to reach the ethereal beauty of Gerhardt's. He lost all his children but one, and also his wife, to disease. Gerhardt was not one to stir things up, but he was driven from his congregation and city for refusing to give up Lutheran, Biblical doctrine in favor of the Reformed perspective. He could have remained employed by comprising, but refused. He was given another post later.

His many losses and difficulties help explain why his hymns are known for being so comforting. Some of them are:

1.All My Heart This Night Rejoices

2.Awake, My Heart, with Gladness

3.Before Thy Manger, Lord, I Stand

4.Commit Thou All Thy Griefs

5.Evening and Morning

6.Give to the Winds Thy Fears

7.Immanuel, We Sing Thy Praise

8.Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me

9.O Lord, How Shall I Meet You?

10.O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

11.Sing, My Soul, to God Who Made Thee

Hymn #651               Be Still My Soul - Catharina von Schlegel

Very little is known about the author of the hymn, who came from the era of Pietism. She lived near Halle. Her poem was matched with Sibelius' Finlandia, and is known as one of the most popular of all time. She may have based her poem on Psalm 46, which is also the basis for Luther's A Mighty Fortress.

Hymn #376         Rock of Ages - Augustus Toplady

This English hymn was written at the time of our Declaration of Independence. One can see a criticism of the extremes of revivalism - "could my tears forever flow" - with its emphasis on the Gospel rather than emotions and works that merit salvation.

The Prayers and Benediction

Hymn 654                Now the Day Is Over - Sabine Baring-Gould

Baring-Gould is known for another favorite, Onward Christian Soldiers, but also for being the most prolific English author of his time:

1. Thirty novels.
2. A sixteen-volume of lives of the saints.
3. Over 100 books, on a wide range of topics.

He wrote this hymn for children at the parish where he was a curate.

Norma A Boeckler

Instant Greek Word Study Using Google

Do you need fake proof of Objective Justification in the New Testament?
Use the favorite sect's toy - The Claw Machine.

The very nature of a sect is to grab a verse or part of a verse and make a religion out of it. I think Krauth said that.

Finding the Greek and English is easier than one imagines. I found out by accident. From Romans 5:1

Put this in Google - the Greek word + Thayer + Strong

Having been justified - δικαιωθεντες strong thayer

That will give you this

https://biblehub.com/greek/1344.htm

I start with the KJV in biblegateway.com (which is an NIV site), choose the Stephanus edition under Greek - koinɛ́ GRC

I copy the word in question, paste it into Google, then add the words Strong and Thayer. That gives me a great background for any word group.

Note that it is fairly easy to use even without any knowledge of Greek. I will be teaching Mark's Gospel in Greek, DV, in 2019.

By Norma A. Boeckler

Romans 4:22 διο και ελογιθη αυτω εις δικαιοσυνην

ελογισθη - counted/reckoned/imputed

https://biblehub.com/greek/3049.htm

righteousness - δικαιοσυνην 

https://biblehub.com/greek/1343.htm

I find this handy when translating, preparing to teach or preach.

Holy Spirit emblem by by Norma A. Boeckler;
refutation of Jay Webber claim about Luther's OJ,
courtesy of Luther.

The Sunday after Christmas, 2018. The Importance of Faith. Galatians 4:1-7

The Sunday after Christmas, 2018

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time

The Hymn # 85:1-8                From Heaven Above  
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual 
The Gospel 
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #85:9-15               From Heaven Above  

The Importance of Faith

The Hymn #657                Beautiful Savior  
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 #83                             Hark! What Mean Those Holy Voices  

KJV Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

KJV Luke 2:33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. 39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Sunday After Christmas
O almighty and everlasting God, mercifully direct our ways, that we may walk in Thy law, and be made to abound in good works: through Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Sermon Background
Luther is arguing against salvation by works in his sermon on Galatians 4:1-7. The similarities are remarkable. The Church was teaching that faith in Christ was good but inadequate for salvation. One had to add works (faith perfected by love) to receive forgiveness. The emphasis upon obligation and works was so great that people were convinced of damnation, but did not grasp salvation.

The message of Rome was - and still is - that no matter what is done in this life for good works, Purgatory awaits the fortunate, where they will suffer for centuries to pay for their sins - perhaps until almost the end of time.

Some remedies were offered for this life and afterlife of punishment. One was wearing the scapular, which promised a short stay in Purgatory under certain conditions. Another was dying for the Catholic faith. Given the grim future, many were manipulated into giving vast sums of money, their entire estates to lessen their suffering, to pay for Masses spoken on their behalf. Someone can read Roman Catholic literature that sounds good - until it says that a Mass benefits the priest, the one who paid for it, and the audience there for the Mass. That alone should be reason for Lutherans to avoid the term "Mass" and not refer to themselves as priests.

By emphasizing what is done and how it is presented, Roman Catholics and Roman Lutherans emphasize the splendor of the event, the robes, the incense, and the exact placement of hands and motion used in blessings. My priest friend at Notre Dame told me when shaking my hand, "Did you feel the buzz? I offered Mass today. You should feel the buzz." In other words, these pretensions make the born Catholics sarcastic about their man-made traditions, such as having the priests put on a special face after saying the Mass. As Chemnitz says, with all the drama, the Roman Mass is either a comedy or a tragedy (Examination). So now we see that repeated in the high church or Roman Lutherans and other denominations, even though they do not teach or believe the basics of the Christian Faith.

So the emphasis on works first leads to little or no faith, as it did before the Reformation and does now. The result is that people attend something that is wrong and therefore not spiritually satisfying. Nevertheless, they still feel the weight of their sins, so they drift away.

The Importance of Faith
KJV Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

Luther:
1. This text is very characteristic of the apostle Paul. It is not generally understood. Not because of any obscurity in itself, but because the doctrine of faith, a doctrine it is very necessary to understand if we are to comprehend Paul, for his energetic and zealous mind is, in all his epistles, occupied with the subject of faith — because, I say, this doctrine is almost obsolete in the world, today. A lengthy exposition is necessary to make it plain. To gain space to treat the subject clearly, we will let this suffice for the introduction. 

This could be called the fallacy of emphasis, the error of mankind, the foolishness of apostate denominations. They judge the person by works first of all, then praise their "faith." The result is preaching the wealthy into heaven based on contributions, endowments, and succumbing to Planned Giving Counselors. Faith is then excluded, and salvation by works is implied but never said (because that sounds bad). 

By the way, this introduction by Luther, quoted above, and the entire sermon is being published via Facebook by a layman because he listened to falsehoods for so long. Sad to say, "the doctrine of faith" is no longer taught at an official level by Lutherans of all synods (ELCA-WELS-LCMS-ELS-CLC sic). And yet, this is the basis for the entire Bible.

If you want spiritual wisdom, then pay attention to the purpose of the Bible, all 66 books. The purpose is to teach faith in God, especially in Jesus Christ, because He is God in the Flesh - God Incarnate - revealed so we can appreciate and see God's grace in the Savior.

Paul was especially earnest to teach two groups of people (Jews and Gentiles) that salvation begins with faith in Jesus, not in works making us worthy to receive salvation. The alternative may seem absurd to many, but man resorting to human reason will always result in worthiness based on works. Listen to various religious leaders and see if they speak about faithfulness to the Word or accomplishments. In fact, they absolve themselves by praising their own accomplishments and those of dead people, as if Great-Grandpa could burnish my standing with God by what he did 100 years ago. 

Paul's mission was to the Jews first, because they were already taught Monotheism and the Promises of the Savior. They already revered the Scriptures but did not hear them properly taught. Secondly, Paul preached to the Gentiles because he knew they longed for forgiveness and salvation, so he began with the doctrine of faith in both cases because that is the message of the Bible.

Paul's comparison to the child here means that we are still slaves if we obey from a sense of obligation. That is always the struggle, at all ages, because we rebel at all ages against "have to." Of course, have to means obligation. I have guidelines about when I should grade university homework. I have to within six days, but I learned that wanting to in one day made the class different and more enjoyable for everyone.

The opposite is "want to." If we look at obligations as something we want to do, because all life is a gift, then work is not work, not a burden, but enjoyable and fulfilling. That comes from seeing our lives as a gift from God, from seeing challenges as part of God's gracious will. But many life their lives in servitude, because they see themselves as boxed in by many kinds of obligations.

As long as we think only of obligations, we are still servants rather than heirs and under bondage by a host of tutors and bosses. What changes us - is faith - and seeing life as one of grace and blessings.

3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 

I know clergy and laity who say, "But if I did that, many would shun me and get even with me for leaving the pack." In every situation there is a list of unwritten rules, so people grimly announce what will happen if one strikes out in faith rather than living in bondage. Vindictive people do exercise the power they have, which shows little faith, because they neither know nor fear God. But God is far more powerful and turns their evil into good. That is a hard lesson to learn, but it lies within the doctrine of faith. The evil against the Son of God, who did no ill, was turned into a blessing for everyone who believes. 

Unfortunately, living in bondage is no fun, and the sense of burden just grows. Those who lie, manipulate, and steal seem to thrive materially. Copying them is not freedom, but additional bondage. Many who thought they were on top of the world will soon be facing justice, because evil is eventually weighed in the balance, if not now, later.

No one is justified by works.
Cain and Abel are a good example. Abel's sacrifice was accepted because it was done in faith. Cain's was not because it lacked faith. Thus Cain showed his lack of faith in killing Abel and denying knowledge of the crime. To this day, unfaith wants to silence faith and will do anything to accomplish the result. Thousands of martyrs are being made around the world, dying for the faith, trusting in the Savior.

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

The worldly wise read Paul's letters and become scandalized that the Virgin Birth is not laid out for them to see. However, not only is it taught clearly in Matthew and Luke, and even transcended in John 1, but also taught in Romans and Galatians. Just as John speaks of Jesus as "sent from God," so is he "sent from God" in Galatians. God's son (divine nature) born under the Law (human law). Romans 1 is equally clear, but someone lacking in faith will only see problems and contradictions where none exist.

I was just reading about Tacitus, a Roman historian. His earliest manuscript is about 800 years after the original date. But no one says, "We are not sure he wrote this. In fact, he may not have existed at all." No, his words are taken for granted and no one throws shade on his reputation for facts. 

So we have thousands of copies of the New Testament in various forms, so the worldly wise say "There are too many, and and kept by the Church, so we cannot trust them." The manuscripts are almost as old as the original writings, in spite of persecution and a minority status.

So without faith, even the basic facts mean nothing. And facts alone do not prove anything to the unbeliever. Using logic and facts to erase doubt - that is like drinking salt water to ease thirst - it only makes the problem worse and makes a budding faith more fragile. That is why Calvinists, who love facts and logic, are prone to Unitarianism. One fact will throw them off and make them obsessed with a single issue. Young Calvinist - old Unitarian. Look at the formerly Calvinist regions of the world and America- they are no longer Christian.

Paul's verse is Gospel. God sent His Son at the chosen time, Immanuel, God with us, truly man and truly God. If we understand the purpose of God's Word, we can see this supported by hundreds of passages of Scripture.

Luther:
58. The apostle says, “God sent his son.” The fact of sending necessitates previous existence of the Son. Christ must have existed before he manifested himself on earth in human form. Again, if he is a Son, he must be greater than an angel. Being more than man and more than angels, the highest creatures, he must be true God. To be the Son of God is to be superior to an angel, as said in the Epistle for Christmas day. Further, Christ being sent by God, and being God’s Son, he must be a distinct person from him who sends. Thus Paul teaches here the existence of one God in two persons, Father and Son. We shall speak later of the Holy Spirit.

59. For the second point: We are also to believe Christ to be true, natural man, and the Son of man. Paul says he was born of a woman, or made of a woman. Now, he who is born of a woman must be truly a natural man. A woman can bear only according to her nature — bear true man. In John 6:53, Christ says: “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves.” Eating and drinking here means simply believing that Christ, the Son of God, had a true flesh-and-blood nature, like other men.

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

The agora was the market place, so agoraphobia is fear of open places (not fear of shopping). The verb for redeem here means to purchase. Jesus purchased our freedom from unbelief, being only under the law, so we might be adopted as sons, included within the family, brothers of Christ, our gracious and merciful Father...God.

What makes people reluctant to believe in their forgiveness is two-fold. 

1. We do not forgive easily, and when we do, we still remember the sin and throw it back at the person repeatedly. When parents practice that, they are teaching that there is no forgiveness, ever - not a good way to teach.
2. We have trouble grasping that Jesus has paid the price. Our nature is to think we have to do that. Seeing our own fragile nature, we have to be reminded that our sin is drowned in an ocean of God's grace.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

Verse 6 is a way of teaching faith in other terms. Because the Savior died for us, we no longer see God as distant, angry, unforgiving, condemning. Faith in Christ allows us to see the true nature of God, because the Father and Son speak and do the same things in harmony with each other, and the Spirit witnesses this to us. Abba is the equivalent of "dear Father" or any other term of endearment we would use with our earthly fathers, especially when asking for something or making amends for a wrong, like denting the car...again.

The reason the Reformation brought so much excitement and joy to people - and persecution - was the direct teaching of the Word of God, the Spirit accomplishing God's will. Thomas Aquinas, taught all day long, does not do that. Nor do the Sentences of Lombard. Or Jerome for the most part. Many of the favorite, official Teachers - in Rome's view - taught very little Gospel. The people heard plenty of Law, very little Gospel. But when the Bible was printed, distributed, and preached upon, the Spirit was engaged in teaching people directly from the Word of God.

Today, the Lutherans (ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC sic) are so bereft of Biblical doctrine that they trust marketing rather than the efficacy of the Word. The Lutheran leaders ape enormous failures of doctrine and imagine they can be just as flashy if they do so, but Schuller, Hybels (Willow Creek), Andy Stanley, etc are works salesmen.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

A servant may live in a mansion with 40 rooms, but he is under the law of that household and easily fired. But a son is the natural heir and in a completely different position than a servant, who is temporary.

So every phrase of the Bible is intended to create and strengthen faith in the mercy of God, the love of Christ, the ability of the Spirit to teach us the Word of God. As we see below - 

Luke 2:39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.