Luther on the Difference between One Party and the Smaller Group

From # 16. Sunday After Christ's Ascension. Second Sermon. John 15:26 — 16:4. House Postils

 

[40] From the analysis given, you may decide for yourself in which group you are to be found; for you must be on one side or the other, and it is useless to wait for human council in this matter. It has already been unalterably determined that the two divisions can never agree. The larger body, which has the recognized authority, will always persecute the minority, even to the extent of excommunication and murder, as practiced from the beginning. Those who know Christ — the true Christians — will accept Christ's classification and be numbered with the minority, who have the Word and the knowledge of Christ, and they will suffer persecution for the faith rather than, for the sake of the friendship and honor of this world, to belong to those who, condemned by Christ, are the bitterest foes of God and of the Church, and who cannot see the kingdom of God, nor be saved.

 

[41] In this article of faith, distinction must be made between the true Church and the false; for it is the command of God and of Christ that one shall not be confused with the other. Therefore, we must separate ourselves from the papal Church, regardless of the fact that they trust in their Church authority and condemn us as apostates.

 

[42] If they excommunicate and persecute us because of our evangelical preaching and our knowledge of Christ, we already have the decision of Christ that they are not the true Church, and their office and all the authority of which they boast cannot avail against us; that rather our teaching and judgments against them shall avail before God in heaven. We are certain, by reason of the test which Christ here applies, that the true Church is with the few who know Christ and are united in doctrine, faith and confession of him. And where the true Church is and abides, there remain, also, the offices of the Church, the sacraments, the keys and all things given to it by Christ; it needs neither to ask nor to receive them from pope or council. In the true Church, not only is the office pure in itself, but those who exercise it use it lawfully.

LutherQueasies Run from the Scripture Passages - Yet Again. They Insist on Stephan's Universalistic Dogma

These lectures were commended by the Formula of Concord, for further study of Justification by Faith, the Chief Article of Christianity.

---

Alan Lubeck (1431) Senior Member Username: 1431 Post Number: 1916 Registered: 11-2004

Posted on Friday, June 07, 2019 - 10:57 am:       No Worries. They threw more than the kitchen sink at Christ too when He claimed universal justification from the cross.

National Donut Day Today - Take an ELDONUT Out To Lunch

 I know why - they make terrible donuts!

 One of the great chase scenes in Moline police history.

Donut scholarship never recovered from this presentation.

Bakery wisdom was the natural result of my early efforts.

 I was already featured on a donut calendar at age 4.

 Popular demand led to another appearance on a donut calendar.

 Jam-packed ELDONUT meeting

Note - The Path To Understanding Justification Is for the Laity, Not the Clergy

I have almost given up on the Lutheran clergy, but not quite. More precisely, I am counting on the efficacy of the Word to separate the bug-infested flour from the good flour (Luther's expression).

Ranger Bob would probably say, "Bug-infested flour has more protein and minerals." He spent a little too much time in survival school and generously provides those experiences with us.

Looking at infested food is quite revolting. If a shopper spends some time in a grocery story, where natural grains are sold, he will find warnings on the bags - "Rotate to prevent infestation."

Infestation parades as scholarship today, but what does scholarship really mean? The word comes from the Greek expression for leisure, not the American concept of having a lot of degrees. Most of our culture comes from Athens, where wealth allowed people the leisure to study nature, law, philosophy, art, sculpture, poetry, and engineering.

Those who spend their leisure time studying the Word of God are the real scholars. Carpetbaggers Robert and Jack Preus moved to the ELS then the LCMS - on the strength of their doctorates. But neither man knew the Chief Article of Christianity or taught it when they joined to become leaders.

Those who best understand the Scriptures are the laity, who rely on the Word of God. They are not polluted by the fads and fallacies of modern theology and rationalistic Biblical scholarship. An example is posted here.

Unfortunately, since OJ and Church Growth took over the LCMS-ELS-WELS-clc (sic), their only goal in education is to turn out pastors who are loyal to those fads. The rest - beware, the Left Foot of Fellowship is easily extended - in love.

---

The Kindle ebook version of The Path To Understanding Justification is already available at this link - for 99 cents.

HAL has to check over the print version before that becomes available, perhaps later today.

Update - The print version is available here. 

For those who want the book without using Kindle -

Free PDF at the Link Below

Click here for the final version of The Path To Understanding Justification.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kyn83vajv25xvfy/Path%20To%20Justification%20Color.pdf?dl=0

The author's price for the print book (full color, covers and illustrations by Norma A. Boeckler) will be around $8.

The primary goal of the book is to deal with the clear, plain teaching of Justification by Faith in the Scriptures.

Kindle Version The Path To Understanding Justification Available for 99 Cents. The Print Version Is Out - The Price for One with Taxes, Shipping $13.00

 Why do OJ Stormtroopers beat a dead horse all day?
Answer - Because they know so little about the Bible, so much about synod politics.

The Kindle ebook version of The Path To Understanding Justification is already available at this link - for 99 cents.

HAL has to check over the print version before that becomes available, perhaps later today.

Update - The print version is available here. 

For those who want the book without using Kindle -

Free PDF at the Link Below

Click here for the final version of The Path To Understanding Justification.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kyn83vajv25xvfy/Path%20To%20Justification%20Color.pdf?dl=0

The author's price for the print book (full color, covers and illustrations by Norma A. Boeckler) will be around $8.

The primary goal of the book is to deal with the clear, plain teaching of Justification by Faith in the Scriptures.

WELS and LCMS leaders are lying when they claim Objective Justification was their original, official teaching. In both cases, the catechetical material was purely Justification by Faith, as proven in the book. But that was slowly and craftily jettisoned in favor of the Calvinistic, Pietistic Objective Justification of Bishop Martin Stephan and his disciple CFW Walther.

Following the example of Walther as a sly, deceptive politician, his heirs have used OJ as a hammer to get rid of those who would rob them of their coveted titles, honors, and luxuries.

They do not denounce Justification by Faith. No, they scream "He denies Objective Justification!"

Norma A. Boeckler

 Norma A. Boeckler

Free PDF - The Path To Understanding Justification - Final Print Version.Share the link as much as you like. Print version soon.

 This brick path was hidden for over 25 years, until the new owner started digging.

Click here for the final version of The Path To Understanding Justification.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kyn83vajv25xvfy/Path%20To%20Justification%20Color.pdf?dl=0

I have also posted the link in the free books section at the top of the page, too.

Anyone can download and share the pdf, which is the file used for printing the book. There are no limitations to sharing, quoting, or translating the book. Only the movie rights and choice of the cast are reserved.

I included the Greek text in many places so anyone with training can easily see that persistent cluster of words from Genesis 15:6 (LXX) to Romans 4 - believed, counted, righteousness.

I also included the proof - in German - of very early Missouri Synod catechisms that teach Justification by Faith in the clearest possible terms, plus the evidence that they changed to Objective Justification - the greatest denominational swindle in history - except WELS did the same thing.

From Alec Satin's Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry

Here is a sketch of Loy's life.

"There is not an article in our creed that is not an offence to somebody; there is scarcely an article that is not a stumbling block to some who still profess to be Christians.

"It seems but a small concession that we are asked to make when an article of our confession is represented as a stumbling block to many Christians which ought therefore in charity to be removed, but surrendering that article would only lead to the surrender of another on the same ground, and that is the beginning of the end; the authority of the inspired Word of our Lord is gradually undermined.

"The history of the Church confirms and illustrates the teachings of the Bible, that yielding little by little leads to yielding more and more, until all is in danger; and the tempter is never satisfied until all is lost.

"It is impossible to find a place to stop, when the concessions once begin. And the reason is manifest; the principle is wrong, and displaces a principle that is right. The one is human, the other is divine; the human opinion and sentiment is substituted as a rule and guide for the Word of God and the faith that accepts it as absolute authority. – From Chapter 9, The Story of My Life.

 The Story of My Life is found here.

 "The Gospel Shows the Father's Grace"

by Matthias Loy, 1828-1915

1. The Gospel shows the Father's grace,

Who sent His Son to save our race,

Proclaims how Jesus lived and died

That man might thus be justified.

2. It sets the Lamb before our eyes,

Who made the atoning sacrifice,

And call the souls with guilt opprest

To come and find eternal rest.

3. It brings the Savior's righteousness

Our souls to robe in royal dress;

From all our guilt it brings release

And gives the troubled conscience peace.

4. It is the power of God to save

From sin and Satan and the grave;

It works the faith, which firmly clings

To all the treasures which it brings.

5. It bears to all the tidings glad

And bids their hearts no more be sad;

The heavy-laden souls it cheers

And banishes their guilty fears.

6. May we in faith its tidings learn

Nor thanklessly its blessings spurn;

May we in faith its truth confess

And praise the Lord our Righteousness!

Notes:

Hymn #297 from The Lutheran Hymnal

Text: John 3: 16

Author: Matthias Loy, 1863

Tune: Herr Jesu Christ, dich

1st Published in: "Cantionale Germanicum"

Town: Dresden, 1628

***

GJ - I posted information on  Facebook showing that LCMS taught Justification by Faith from the start.

The documentary evidence from Missouri seems to have no effect on the LCMS seminary graduates.

A Remedy for the False (UOJ) Use of Romans 5:18

bored has left a new comment on your post "WELS - Study the Book of Concord? Better Study Wal...":

A little off topic but...Here's a passage from Luther that destroys the UOJ interpretation of Romans 5:18-19.

(NAS) Romans 5: 18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

Luther wrote:
"(v. 18) Here the Apostle says 'all'; first, because as all who are begotten of Adam are born again (through faith) in Christ; and secondly, because as there is no carnal begetting except through Adam, so also there is no spiritual begetting except through Christ. (v. 19) Here the Apostle speaks of "many" and not of "all" to show that the emphasis is not on the number of the sinners or the righteous, but on the power of sin and grace. If sin proved itself so powerful that a single transgression has perverted many, or rather all, then divine grace is much more powerful; for the one act of grace (Christ's atonement) can save many, indeed all men, of many sins, if they only desire it." (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, trans. Theodore Mueller, 1954, Zondervan, pg. 97)

Direct Links to Luther's Galatians Commentary - Project Wittenberg

Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians (1535)

by Martin Luther

Translated by Theodore Graebner
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1949)
Table of Contents


To: Martin Luther - Project Wittenberg
Contents

Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians
__________

  Preface (pp. iii-v)

Chapter 1:
  Galatians 1:1-3 (pp. 9-18)
  Galatians 1:4-6 (pp. 18-29)
  Galatians 1:7-24 (pp. 29-43)


Chapter 2:
  Galatians 2:1-3 (pp. 44-48)
  Galatians 2:4-13 (pp. 48-60)
  Galatians 2:14-16 (pp. 60-68)
  Galatians 2:17-21 (pp. 68-85)

Chapter 3:
  Galatians 3:1-9 (pp. 86-106)
  Galatians 3:10-19 (pp. 106-135)
  Galatians 3:20-29 (pp. 135-149)

Chapter 4:
  Galatians 4:1-9 (pp. 150-172)
  Galatians 4:10-31 (pp. 172-193)

Chapter 5:
  Galatians 5:1-13 (pp. 194-216)
  Galatians 5:14-26 (pp. 216-236)

Chapter 6:
  Galatians 6:1-18 (pp. 237-251)


This text was prepared by Laura J. Hoelter for Project Wittenberg by Robert E. Smith and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to:

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Walther Library
Concordia Theological Seminary.
E-mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu
Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA
Phone: (260) 452-3149 - Fax: (260) 452-2126

A Reader from Out East Comments on LutherQuest (sic). He Outshines the Lutheran Seminary Faculties

 The UOJ Stormtroopers read very little, and do not comprehend what they have read.

From a Reader Out East:

If I might take a moment to comment on the goings-on at Luther Quest.

I find their posts against you and the Lutheran doctrine of “justification by faith alone” to be unseemly, especially coming from members of the clergy and from laymen who present themselves as stalwart Lutherans. As you've noted, the Missouri and Wisconsin synods adopted the peculiar doctrine of “universal justification without regard to faith” and elevated it to a status where it supersedes the Bible and the Lutheran symbolic documents. The Luther Quest posters declare “Let him be anathema” to anyone who doesn't subscribe to their position. It appears that they don't see the irony of a group of Lutherans pronouncing an “anathema” (the action taken by the Council of Trent against Martin Luther) against other Lutherans who don't accept their non-scriptural doctrine.

Their behavior reminds me of discussions I've had with Roman Catholics concerning beliefs they hold that are not based in the Bible. For example, when I would note that “purgatory” is not found in the Bible, a Roman Catholic would refer me to a Bible verse that vaguely mentions judgment or fire. When I reply that the verse doesn't say what he claims it says and furthermore he is taking the verse out of context, the Roman Catholic falls back and tells me that I first must read the collected works of St John of the Cross, and then I will see that the vague, out of context verse really does confirm the existence of purgatory.

Those who profess “universal justification without regard to faith” work the same way. One may point out that the Bible teaches “justification by faith alone”. They respond by presenting Bible verses they claim support their position. When one points out that the verses don't say what they claim they say, or they took the verses out of context, or mis-translated them, they fall back and say that one must first read the collected works of Franz Pieper and C.F.W. Walther, and then one will understand that the verses really do confirm “universal justification without regard to faith”.

  

I don't accept this method of scriptural interpretation. Men inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote the Bible in clear, straight-forward prose. The Bible is its own dictionary, any unclear (to our understanding) passages should be interpreted in light of clear passages. We should not subject the Bible to private interpretation. We should not create theories out of whole cloth regarding what we think the Bible says, or what we think it ought to say.

  

It has been claimed that Martin Luther believed ''universal justification without regard to faith”. As far as this use of Luther is concerned, I find it objectionable that people would resort to twisting Luther's words to support their doctrine. Dr Luther was straight-forward in his communications. If he believed that all people were “justified without regard to faith”, then he certainly would have said so, in just so many words.

Thanks for all you do.

The Path To Understanding Justification - Now Being Processed by Janie Sullivan

 Janie Sullivan

Janie Sullivan does wonderful work turning the almost final effort into a book for Amazon, an ebook for Kindle, and a PDF for free distribution.

Norma A. Boeckler designed the covers and interior art. The book will be full-color only.

As soon as the PDF is done, I will make it free for everyone.

Virginia Roberts did some editing for the book. I decided on speed rather than perfection for this, because of upcoming conventions.

One researcher provided invaluable information on the switch from Justification by Faith to Objective Justification. He named names and provided the actual wording used. If you do not know German, you can still see the change in language.

The sainted Pastor Vernon Harley worked on this issue (and is quoted in the book) but Missouri chose to trash him rather than listen. Fraudsters continue the fraud.

 The clown Patterson in WELS has his counterpart in Missouri - Matt the Fatt.

 Kudu Don Patterson (his own name on email) needs all kinds of synod support for free staff but likes to shoot vegetarian deer in Africa.

The Great Swindle

It is time to acknowledge that Missouri and WELS deliberately and dishonestly switched from the Chief Article to the bilge of Calvinism and Pietism - Objective Justification. Both doctrinal stances are in their literature, but largely lost to those who do not own the copies or know German.

No one will ever describe how it happened, but the evidence is there in print, with dates provided. The free pdf of the book will be posted soon, and everyone can distribute it freely - because the The Path is public domain, non-profit.

Nevertheless, much more is involved than the history of doctrine. The only path to truth is often discussed but seldom followed - Biblical studies where the Scriptures truly are the ruling norm.

 My monitor is wavering as tears well up in my eyes, tears of laughter.

 This cover, designed by the Ichabod Art Studios, was hastily scrapped at the last minute, for being too honest.

Greek Lesson Mark 5:1 - 20 - Gadarene Swine

 Enrollment day, Fuller Seminary.

Parser - tells us the I.D. of the word

Lenski's Mark Commentary - download as a PDF


ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 5

5 και ηλθον εις το περαν της θαλασσης εις την χωραν των γαδαρηνων

2 και εξελθοντι αυτω εκ του πλοιου ευθεως απηντησεν αυτω εκ των μνημειων ανθρωπος εν πνευματι ακαθαρτω

3 ος την κατοικησιν ειχεν εν τοις μνημειοις και ουτε αλυσεσιν ουδεις ηδυνατο αυτον δησαι

a = not; a-theist; a-moral; a-loose

4 δια το αυτον πολλακις πεδαις και αλυσεσιν δεδεσθαι και διεσπασθαι υπ αυτου τας αλυσεις και τας πεδας συντετριφθαι και ουδεις αυτον ισχυεν δαμασαι

5 και διαπαντος νυκτος και ημερας εν τοις ορεσιν και εν τοις μνημασιν ην κραζων και κατακοπτων εαυτον λιθοις

6 ιδων δε τον ιησουν απο μακροθεν εδραμεν και προσεκυνησεν αυτω

7 και κραξας φωνη μεγαλη ειπεν τι εμοι και σοι ιησου υιε του θεου του υψιστου ορκιζω σε τον θεον μη με βασανισης

mega-phone, note the very exalted title Son of God the Most High

8 ελεγεν γαρ αυτω εξελθε το πνευμα το ακαθαρτον εκ του ανθρωπου

9 και επηρωτα αυτον τι σοι ονομα και απεκριθη λεγων λεγεων ονομα μοι οτι πολλοι εσμεν

CN writer - my name is Legion.

10 και παρεκαλει αυτον πολλα ινα μη αυτους αποστειλη εξω της χωρας

παρεκαλω - please in Mod Greek
Lenski Mark - " "Out of the country" is explained by Luke's "into the abyss." The idea expressed is not that the demons wanted to stay in this particular country of the Gerasenes and not in some other country. For what dif ference would there be between one country and an other? Why would Jesus order them from one terri tory to another? The demons feared to be sent out of the country in the sense of being ordered to enter the abyss and to stay there now, before the final judgment (Matt. 8:29). The imperfect vapfKoka holds us in sus pense as to the outcome of this entreaty."

11 ην δε εκει προς τα ορη αγελη 
χοιρων μεγαλη βοσκομενη

12 και παρεκαλεσαν αυτον παντες οι δαιμονες λεγοντες πεμψον ημας εις τους χοιρους ινα εις αυτους εισελθωμεν

13 και επετρεψεν αυτοις ευθεως ο ιησους και εξελθοντα τα πνευματα τα ακαθαρτα εισηλθον εις τους χοιρους και ωρμησεν η αγελη κατα του κρημνου εις την θαλασσαν ησαν δε ως δισχιλιοι και επνιγοντο εν τη θαλασση

14 οι δε βοσκοντες τους χοιρους εφυγον και ανηγγειλαν εις την πολιν και εις τους αγρους και εξηλθον ιδειν τι εστιν το γεγονος

15 και ερχονται προς τον ιησουν και θεωρουσιν τον δαιμονιζομενον καθημενον και ιματισμενον και σωφρονουντα τον εσχηκοτα τον λεγεωνα - και εφοβηθησαν

16 και διηγησαντο αυτοις οι ιδοντες πως εγενετο τω δαιμονιζομενω και περι των χοιρων

17 και ηρξαντο παρακαλειν αυτον απελθειν απο των οριων αυτων

18 και εμβαντος αυτου εις το πλοιον παρεκαλει αυτον ο δαιμονισθεις ινα η μετ αυτου

19 ο δε ιησους ουκ αφηκεν αυτον αλλα λεγει αυτω υπαγε εις τον οικον σου προς τους σους και αναγγειλον αυτοις οσα σοι ο κυριος εποιησεν και ηλεησεν σε

eleemosynary - mercy; Kyrie eleison

20 και απηλθεν και ηρξατο κηρυσσειν εν τη δεκαπολει οσα εποιησεν αυτω ο ιησους - και παντες εθαυμαζον

Some Free E-books Edited by Alec Satin

Books You Might Like from 

LutheranLibrary.Org …

The Book of Concord. Edited by Henry Eyster Jacobs and Charles Krauth.

Henry Eyster Jacobs. Summary of the Christian Faith

Theodore Schmauk. The Confessional Principle and The 

Confessions of The Lutheran Church As Embodying The Evangelical Confession of The Christian Church

George Gerberding. Life and Letters of William Passavant

Joseph Stump. Life of Philip Melanchthon

John Morris. Life Reminiscences of An Old Lutheran Minister

Matthias Loy. The Doctrine of Justification

Matthias Loy. The Story of My Life

William Dau. Luther Examined and Reexamined

Simon Peter Long. The Great Gospel

George Schodde et al. Walther and the Predestination 

Controversy. The Error of Modern Missouri

John Sander. Devotional Readings from Luther’s Works

A full catalog of all titles is available at LutheranLibrary.org.

Books by Norma Boeckler

Author’s Page - https://www.amazon.com/Norma-Boeckler/e/B00J8AN4LA

The Augsburg Confession

Those Days on the Farm

Religious Art

A Treasury of Inspirational Quotes

The Art of Norma Boeckler

Gregory L. Jackson - Books Related to Justification by Faith

Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant: A Doctrinal Comparison of Three Christian Confessions

The Faith of Jesus: Against the Faithless Lutherans

The Lost Dutchman’s Goldmine: Luther’s Biblical Doctrine of the Word

Luther versus the UOJ Pietists: Justification by Faith

Thy Strong Word: The Efficacy of the Word in the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions

Dropbox Links to Free Classic Lutheran Books

Dropbox Links to a large collection of free PDFs (Lenski and Luther) and many other classic Lutheran books, plus many more URLs to Luther and the Bible (Keil-Delitsch online).