The Eighth Sunday after
Trinity, 2011
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Hymn # 39 Praise to the Lord 3:1
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 #260 O Lord Look Down 3:41
Begin with the Word of God
The Communion
Hymn # 307 Draw Nigh 3:72
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 # 309 O Jesus Blessed Lord 3:70
KJV Romans 8:12 Therefore,
brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if
ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that
we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may
be also glorified together.
KJV Matthew 7:15 Beware of
false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of
thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good
fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot
bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good
fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast
into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every
one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but
he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me
in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name
have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work
iniquity.
Eighth Sunday After Trinity
Lord God, heavenly
Father, we most heartily thank Thee that Thou hast caused us to come to the
knowledge of Thy word. We pray Thee: graciously keep us steadfast in this
knowledge unto death, that we may obtain eternal life; send us now and ever
pious pastors, who faithfully preach Thy word, without offense or false
doctrine, and grant them long life. Defend us from all false teachings, and
frustrate Thou the counsels of all such as pervert Thy word, who come to us in
sheep's clothing, but are inwardly ravening wolves, that Thy true Church may
evermore be established among us, and be defended and preserved from such false
teachers, through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and
the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Begin with the Word of God
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves.
Luther’s sermons on this
text are reminders of how far the Lutheran Church has fallen into apostasy in
this generation. The world-wide banking swindle seems to alarm people the most,
but they should be asking themselves this question, “When the Son of Man
returns, will He find faith?”
This lesson is found at the
end of the Sermon on the Mount, serving as a warning about false teachers and
encouragement about the efficacy of the Word.
These words conclude the
Sermon on the Mount:
KJV Matthew 7:22 Many will
say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in
thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever
heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise
man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for
it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of
mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his
house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the
winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of
it. 28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were
astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having
authority, and not as the scribes.
The end times are marked by
apostasy, falling away from the Christian faith. A man who is born an atheist
and remains an atheist is not an apostate. However, the best example of
apostasy can be found in those who begin as conservative Protestants and remain
in church vocations while turning against the Christian faith. Rob Bell, a
graduate of Fuller Seminary, is the easy and obvious poster boy for such
apostasy. Pointing the finger at a distant figure is easy. The best examples
are home-grown, not in big, bad ELCA, but in the Synodical Conference and its
fragments.
KJV 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let
no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away
(Apostasia – Apostasy) first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son
of perdition.
The Word of Jesus is
important in every detail. The wolves are not dresses as wolves but as sheep.
Lutherans have enjoyed this little game of identifying the liberals among the
conservatives and crying about trivial matters involving those straying beasts.
A man who attacks the basic doctrines of the Christian Faith is wearing his
lupine hide on the outside. He is not a wolf in sheep’s clothing at all.
The wolves are disguised as
“confessional” Lutherans. They love that delightfully vague term. Seldom do
people hear “orthodox Lutheran,” far more precise, too precise for the lot of
them.
The “confessional Lutherans”
keep themselves busy, praising themselves, angling for better calls, and
attacking the efficacy of the Word. They attack it in two ways – first by
ignoring it, second by substitution.
Not long ago I received John
Brug’s The Ministry of the Word, a huge book, from Northwestern Publishing
House (WELS). He is the Old Testament professor at their seminary and actually
has a doctorate in that field. Perhaps my eyes are worn from too much reading,
but I can find nothing in that volume about the efficacy of the Word – except
for one passing reference.
Efficacy of the Word.
The efficacy of the Word is
taught throughout the Bible, starting with Creation. In fact, one can easily
find in the yammerings of all the liberals a deliberate contempt for the
efficacy of the Word. Rationalism tells them that God cannot create the
universe in six, 24-hour days. Nor can He invoke a global flood or stop it from
continuing – they claim. God is still handy for raising funds and endowing
schools, so they still use His Name, which is now changing to suit the feminazi
cause.
Luther always taught the
efficacy of the Word. No one can teach Old Testament studies faithfully without
that foundational knowledge. The Jews believed in it, and attributed that
efficacy to rabbis. I can find rabbinical stories that support the efficacy of the
Word far better than all the modern Lutheran books out there today. That
includes Brug.
Put another way – Ignoring
the efficacy of the Word is a direct attack upon the Holy Spirit’s power. The
Bible is the Book of the Holy Spirit, as Luther wrote, and teaches us its
power, efficacy, and clarity (perspicuity). Ignoring the efficacy of the Word
is blasphemy, an attack against God the Holy Spirit.
When I looked up the topic
of efficacy in various large academic libraries, I found almost nothing printed
in all the scholarly books and journals of this era. But Luther and the Book of
Concord treat the topic frequently, as the foundation for all Biblical
teaching.
For various reasons many of
my early courses were in Old Testament and in Judaism. I was fortunate to have
a real archeologist as an Old Testament professor and a former truck driver
turned Hebraist as my first teacher in Hebrew. The first loved digging up
sites. The second fell into Hebrew by accident and loved teaching the language.
At Yale I had an excellent teacher in Genesis, a conservative scholar, and a
New Testament professor famous for his knowledge of the Old Testament. Because
of independent studies, I spent a lot of time reading books about OT history
and rabbinic lore. Then I had a rabbinic scholar at Notre Dame, who took us
through about five rabbinic books per week for a semester.
A constant in all honest Old
Testament and rabbinic books is the power of God’s Word. When God speaks, His
will is carried out. This is best expressed in the Genesis Creation, in many
Psalms, and in Isaiah 55. The central message of Isaiah 55:8-11 is the
inevitable result of God’s Word.
We have had a drought lately
in Arkansas. Our friend joked with us that his grass stopped growing and turned
white. Ours was due to be cut a month ago, and it stopped too. Now the rain is
rolling through, hour after hour of steady rain, not just a sprinkle. The rain
greened up the grass immediately, and started it growing again. It is not
because rain is water. Any farmer will agree – watering keeps plants alive but
does not make them grow very much. Rain has dissolved nitrogen in each drop, so
one steady rain will green up all of Creation, spike the insect population, and
make the birds sing happily as they look over their new meals of bugs and
seeds.
The Word of God has that
inevitable effect, but it belongs to God alone. Man cannot adopt, change, or
merge it with human opinions. Because the Word of God belongs to Him alone, the
timing and style of its effect is up to Him. Sometimes it converts and
enlightens. At other times it hardens and blinds. Pharaoh hardened his heart
against the Word, even though he was privileged to have Moses speak to him.
Saul lost his faith in God and became blinded by jealousy and madness.
Paul spoke and riots
started. The religious leaders wanted him killed, and the civil authorities
obliged. Look at all the trouble he caused! He needed killing, as they say in
the South.
Jesus taught in the Sermon
on the Mount that this was a necessary part of teaching the Word, bearing the
cross.
KJV Matthew 5:11 Blessed are
ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say
all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be
exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted
they the prophets which were before you.
That is why Luther spent the
Augsburg Diet in another city, because the Holy Roman Empire wanted to kill him
for teaching the truth. The same Emperor who hated Lutherans (and Germans) was
a fine military leader against the Muslim invaders and also served as one cause
for the Book of Concord being written. As Luther said, God is quite good at
managing things, so we should leave the big and small issues up to Him.
Removing Efficacy by
Substitution
The other way to get rid of
the efficacy of the Word (in the minds of Christians) is to substitute a base
metal for the treasure of the Gospel.
Henry VIII was a big
spender. To pay his bills, he substituted copper for the silver in the
shilling. The copper came through on his nose, in the image on the coins, so he
was known for his shiny nose and corrupted coinage.
Dentists call fillings
“silver” when they are a combination of silver and mercury. The mercury binds
to the silver and makes it easier to fill cavities. No dentist will say, “I am
using mercury in your mouth, the stuff that closes down schools when it is
spilled.” He says “silver” or “amalgam.”
That is a great way to
deliver false doctrine, by amalgamation. Those who teach Universal Objective
Justification are the “confessional Lutherans.” All the mainline groups teach
it too, especially ELCA.
Substitution works this way.
The “confessional Lutherans” do not reject justification by faith in an obvious
way. No, they tack it on the end of their little rants. The real message is
clear – the entire world has been absolved, forgiven of its sin, without the
Word. Every single baby—whether Hindu, Muslim, or cannibal—is born forgiven.
That is backed up by a Eduard Preuss quotation, without mentioning that he
turned and became a Roman Catholic theologian, after seeing a brilliant sunset
– a sign from God! No, God’s message was in the Word, but Preuss saw the divine
will in the clouds: “Turn papist!” That is their UOJ hero.
But what do these UOJ fanatics really teach? That is given
away in their statements of rejection. There is such a long list of them.
Recently retired blogger Paul T. McCain published this:
“Never look to your subjective feeling that there is faith in your heart.
Always, always, always, look to Christ and what He has done for you and the
whole world. Do not confuse faith in faith, with trust in Christ. There is a
key difference.
We are Christians, not Faith-ians.”
McCain, like all his “confessional Lutheran” friends,
identifies justification by faith with Calvinism.
These “confessional Lutherans” do not attack the efficacy of
the Word directly. Instead, they nibble along the edges, where they feel safe.
They say,
“You are already forgiven and saved, so do not even mention
faith. That is Calvinism. That is having faith in faith. That is a work of
man.”
Seventh Day Adventists Agree with McCain
“According to the 1888 Message Study Committee ("1888
MSC"), the 1888 message reveals many "fresh, beautiful truths
. . . that are not usually understood today."[1] One such
"truth" is the concept that Christ's death at the cross accomplished
a legal or objective justification which is universally and unconditionally
applied to all men.[2] This doctrine is said to derive from the observations
that Christ has borne the sins of "all men" and has died the second
death for "every man."
Known by Their Fruits
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Remember, this warning is
not about obvious atheists who clearly oppose anything religious. Moving the
focus of this lesson is clever, lending itself to attacks against the organized
Humanists (a clever name for atheists) and other sects that are engaged in the
same kind of Pietistic rants, as in “Thank God we are so pure, unlike…”.
False prophets always want
to do good things. They say so all the time. They cover themselves with the
holiness of their works. They are “passionate about sharing Jesus with others.”
They will do “anything short of sin to reach people who have never been reached
before.” (Groeschel, Ski, Glende)
But teaching against God’s
Word is the greatest sin of all. The claim contradicts itself, because they
really mean, “We can make God’s Word effective when others have not.”
Pietism is known for two
fruits – doctrinal indifference and cell groups. What God teaches clearly in
His Word is dismissed as polarizing and not worth an argument. But the
necessity of being in a cell group and obeying all the cell group rules is
essential. Disobeying the cell is damning by itself. It leads to all kinds of
cult behavior, manipulation, and disorder.
False prophets are rude,
obnoxious liars. The UOJ fanatics cannot produce Gospel fruit because they
reject the Gospel. Their dishonesty reveals itself when they claim the Gospel
but warn people away from faith.
KJV John 6:28 Then said they
unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said
unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him [GJ – utterly trust
in] whom He hath sent.
Jesus never taught UOJ, but
always taught justification by faith. However, generations since Gausewitz are
so brain-washed that they reject this passage and hundreds of others in favor
of statements from ignorant essayists and synod politicians, who amalgamate the
message, replacing precious metal with base metal.
Do men gather grapes of
thorns, or figs of thistles?
The answer to this is clear
enough for anyone. Gardeners know that many plants look like they will bear
fruit, but they are really just weeds. Every good plant has a weed that looks
just like it. The initial growth is pleasing, but the best way to tell what the
plant is comes from the result of the flower bearing the fruit.
Nevertheless, “confessional
Lutherans” claim they can go dumpster diving at Fuller, Granger, Mars Hill, and
Willow Creek, and come up with the fruit of the Gospel.
One way to test the false
teachers is to hold them accountable for their teaching. When challenged, they
flatter at first, then turn upon their victims with rage when the flattery
fails to work. Bribes come out too. A challenged leader will pull a call out of
his back pocket. Two men silenced themselves to get the calls they wanted,
promotions out of the labor of parish work.
Although various tactics are
designed to intimidate, they should also be seen as evidence of the thorns and
thistles. I had 9 foot tall thistles in one place. When I got done tearing them
out, no one ear of corn appeared. No grapes. No strawberries. No edible pod
peas. Just thistle pods and stickers all over me. When the wolves show their
fangs and claws, that is a blessing, according to Jesus in Matthew 5:11-12, not
a reason for backing down.
Matthew 7:17 Even so every
good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil
fruit.
Faith in the Gospel of
Christ can only bring about good things. All things work together for the good
for those who love God.
We may suffer many
indignities and slights, and real harm from those who hate God’s Word and work
from within the fold to bite, devour, and slaughter the lambs. The false
teachers rage, but the Holy Spirit turns their evil into good.
Many people saw the 2009
ELCA convention as a great disaster, to be followed by the 2011 ELCiC
convention (in Canada, eh?). But this alleged disaster finally opened some eyes
and allowed thousands to leave their Babylonian Captivity. Although I have
grave doubts about the current Biblical understanding of LCMC and NALC, the new
formations allow them to study issues anew without the baggage of all the officials
who were placed in their positions because of their advocacy of radicalism.
(One was my classmate at Yale, who lost two positions from cutbacks, ending up
as head of a bankrupt seminary. The evil tree does indeed bear evil fruit. His
pastor-wife bragged that their daughter is living with a female partner now, so
he probably does not notice or mind.)
The Holy Roman Emperor’s
rage against the Lutherans created the climate needed for the Book of Concord.
The Lutherans had to unite based on doctrine and employed their greatest
theologians after Luther to accomplish that miracle. The miracle came about
because they sincerely studied the Word of God to create that concord, that
harmony.
Matthew 7:19 Every tree that
bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Forget ELCA. The trees being
cut down now are the LCMS, the ELS, the WELS, and the fragments of the
Synodical Conference. The first three have had up to 160 years to establish and
maintain the Word of God and the Confessions. Instead, they have turned away
(apostasy) from both to devour the false teachings of Fuller Seminary, the
Church of Rome, and various factions and sects.
Over 24 years ago, a
graduating senior of Mequon said, “Greg. You have a Lutheran library. Mine is
full of Reformed books, which the seminary told me to buy.” The tree is being
cut down and cast into the fire.
WELS DP John Seifert told
the Michigan pastors, “In a few years you will not recognize the synod.” He
should know, because he and his brother Don were instrumental in destroying
Lutheran doctrine.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by
their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven.
Invoking the Name of Jesus
is not going to cover up for attacking the Word of God, whether obvious or
subtle. Look at the way in which the “confessional Lutherans” rail against the
English version of Luther’s Bible – the King James.
WELS leaders have lined up
to support the New NIV because it offers feminazi language, Adam as a myth, and
universal salvation. The old nickname for WLC has returned – Moo U.
Missouri is behind the ESV.
McCain loves it and hates justification by faith.
Christian News sells the
Beck Bible. Why not fragment the Lutheran readers completely, with everyone
showing up with a different translation, a different set of words to translate?
No one asks these questions
–
Who enrolled at Wittenberg
to study under Luther and Melanchthon?
Who printed his first
English Bible in Germany?
Who was betrayed, strangled,
and burned at the stake to give us an English Bible?
Was William Beck?
Was Doug Moo, the Murdoch
lick-spittle for the NNIV?
Was J. I. Packer, the
Calvinist, who simply revised the RSV owned by the gay Communist National
Council of Churches?
“Calvinism
Packer holds to Reformed
theology, also known as Calvinism.[6]
No, one man alone fits that
description – William Tyndale, whose persecuted translation became the King
James Version.
Matthew 7: 22 Many will say
to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy
name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And
then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work
iniquity.
Look at all the buildings we put up in Your Name. Add up all
our good works. We have been writing about them for 50 years, leaving out a few
unfortunate episodes that would only damage the faith of the innocent.
Altogether, though, haven’t we done well? Aren’t you proud of us?
God commands that we teach His Word alone, without
compromise or excuse. That may result in little communities. At least we are
united across the world through the Internet. I recall the hymn as
“Do not fear little flock,” not - Lead some cheers, mega-flock.”
Knowing God and being known by God – both come from the Word
of God, which conveys Jesus and His forgiveness to us. Trusting in Him for our
salvation gives us His righteousness through faith.
The fallacy of emphasis, a logical fallacy, is one where the
wrong word is used to turn truth into falsehood, falsehood into truth. The
anti-Gospel UOJ clan is offended by justification by faith, picking on faith. The
Gospel causes and sustains faith, through the power of the Holy Spirit. God declares
us forgiven, so justification by faith emphasizes trust in God’s forgiveness in
Christ. Therefore, believe is forgiveness, and forgiveness is salvation.
No one knows exactly how to follow the twisty path of UOJ,
which doubles back on itself so many times.
But Luther teaches clearly in his sermon on this text. Unbelief
is the foundational sin, which leads to all other sin. The Son of God took on
our flesh to teach us.
KJV John 16:7 Nevertheless I
tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not
away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him
unto you. 8 And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on Me.
Not believing in Christ is a
sin, and that foundational sin does not justify, even if the Synodical Conference
now agrees with the Seventh Day Adventists and ELCA. Jack Kilcrease, an
ELCA-trained servant of Rome, also teaches against justification by faith, a fact
touted by one Paul T. McCain. But all the blogs in all the world do not trump a
single phrase from the Word of God.
Of sin, because they believe
not on Me.
If you even fall into
despair and depression, your conscience accusing you (with the help of Old
Scratch), there is but one remedy. Do you believe Christ died to pay for your
sins? If so, then your sins are all forgiven, forgotten, and absolved.
KJV Psalm 103:
1 {A Psalm of David.}
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine
iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life
from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth
with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executeth
righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways
unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful
and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide:
neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us
after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high
above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is
from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his
children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame;
he remembereth that we are dust.
15 As for man, his
days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For
the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it
no more.
17 But the mercy of the LORD
is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his
righteousness unto children's children;
18 To such as keep his
covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19 The LORD hath prepared
his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 Bless the LORD, ye his
angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the
voice of his word.
21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye
his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 22 Bless the
LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
Trinity Eight
Matthew 7:15-23
"Just as true doctrine is the greatest gift we can enjoy, so
false doctrine is the most baneful evil that can beset us. False doctrine is
sin, it is the invention of Satan, and it imperils and destroys salvation.
False doctrine is every teaching contrary to the Word of God. Scripture enjoins
upon us to proclaim only the truth."
W. A. Baepler,
"Doctrine, True and False," The Abiding Word, ed., Theodore
Laetsch, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1946, II, p. 501.
"No false dogma has ever been spread in the church which was
not put forth with some plausible show, for sheep's clothing is the show of
false religion (says Chrysostom). Indeed, the weaker and more ruinous the cause
is, the more arguments it needs, sought everywhere and in every way possible,
as though to cover it over with paint or to swathe it with medicine. For Pindar
[famous Greek lyric poet, 518-438 B.C.] says, 'For a just cause three words are
sufficient.' Therefore the papalists have gathered very many and varied
arguements in order to establish purgatory."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination
of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia
Publishing House, 1986, III, p. 325.
"Paul calls all false spirits bold and proud. Yes, in their
filth with their protectors they are proud and impudent, otherwise they are the
most cowardly villains that can be found. When they are to appear and answer
for their conduct, they produce a single answer. Among themselves they are
bold, and venture to catch God in His own Word; but when it comes to the test,
they simply despair."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 1983, V, p.
204.
"For every sect has always had one or more particular hobbies
and articles which are manifestly wrong and can easily be discerned to be of
the devil, who publicly teach, urge and defend them as right certain and
necessary to believe or to keep For the spirit of lies cannot so conceal
himself, but that he must at last put forth his claws, by which you can discern
and observe the ravenous wolf."
Sermons of Martin Luther, IV, p. 282f.
"For this reason one should not be too credulous when a
preacher comes softly like an angel of God, recommends himself very highly, and
swears that his sole aim is to save souls, and says: 'Pax vobis!' For those are
the very fellows the devil employs to honey people's mouths. Through them he
gains an entrance to preach and to teach, in order that he may afterward
inflict his injuries, and that though he accomplish nothing more for the
present, he may, at least, confound the people's consciences and finally lead
them into misery and despair."
Sermons of Martin Luther, II, p. 322.
"It is not enough that we preach correctly, which the
hireling can also do; but we must watch over the sheep, that the wolves, false
teachers, may not break in, and we must contend for the sheep against the
wolves, with the Word of God, even to the sacrifice of our lives. Such are good
shepherds, of whom few are found."
Sermons of Martin Luthe,r III, p. 34.
"There are other wolves, however, who come to us in sheep's
clothing. They are the false prophets, who under the form of pious and
religious instruction feed pure poison to the sheep of Christ. Against these
Christ warns us, that we may be constantly on our guard, lest with sugar-coated
words and flattering religious expressions they mislead us, deceive us, by
their cunning, and draw us to themselves, as He says in Matthew 7:15: 'Beware
of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are
ravening wolves.'"
Sermons of
Martin Luther, III, p. 35.
"The world desires such wolf preaching, and is not worthy of
anything better since it will not hear nor respect Christ. Hence it is that there
are so few true Christians and faithful preachers, always outnumbered by the
members of the false church."
Sermons of Martin Luther, III, p. 385.
"For nothing can feed or give life to the soul, which is not the
doctrine of Christ. Although the hireling does not himself slay and destroy he
does not restrain the wolf. Therefore, because you neither point out nor teach
this shepherd, you shall not and ought not to be heard, but you shall be
shunned as a wolf."
Sermons of Martin Luther, III, p. 58f.
"Thus too, if our confidence is to begin, and we become
strengthened and comforted, we must well learn the voice of our Shepherd, and
let all other voices go, who only lead us astray, and chase and drive us hither
and thither. We must hear and grasp only that article which presents Christ to
us in the most friendly and comforting manner possible. So that we can say with
all confidence: My Lord Jesus Christ is truly the only Shepherd, and I, alas,
the lost sheep, which has strayed into the wilderness, and I am anxious and
fearful, and would gladly be good, and have a gracious God and peace of
conscience, but here I am told that He is as anxious for me as I am for Him."
Sermons of Martin Luther,
IV, p. 86.
"No work is so evil that it can damn a man, and no work is so
good that it can save a man; but faith alone saves us, and unbelief damns us.
The fact that someone falls into adultery does not damn him. Rather the
adultery indicates that he has fallen from faith. This damns him; otherwise
adultery would be impossible for him. So, then, nothing makes a good tree
except faith."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1959, I, p. 475. Matthew 7:15-23.
"They [the false teachers] fared like a man who looks through
a colored glass. Put before such a man whatever color you please, he sees no
other color than that of the glass. The fault is not that the right color is
not put before him but that his glass is colored differently, as the word of
Is. 6:9 puts it: You will see, he says, and yet you will not see it."
Martin Luther, What Luther Says,
1959, II, p. 644.
"You cannot of a truth be for true doctrine without being
unalterably opposed to false doctrine. There can be no 'positive theology'
where the God-given negatives have been eliminated from the Decalog."
Norman A. Madson, Preaching to
Preachers, Mankato: Lutheran Synod Book Company, 1952 Preface.
"Every departure from God's Word, every error, is dangerous
to the soul. There is a fearful, diabolical power in error; for every error is
the devil's work, and through fellowship with error a person puts himself under
the influence of the devil. Here human reason is helpless."
Francis Pieper, The Difference between
Orthodox and Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St.
Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 42.
"Even the history of the world shows how great is the power
of the devil's kingdom. The world is full of blasphemies against God and of
wicked opinions, and the devil keeps entangled in these bands those who are
wise and righteous [many hypocrites who appear holy] in the sight of the world.
In other persons grosser vices manifest themselves. But since Christ was given
to us to remove both these sins and these punishments, and to destroy the
kingdom of the devil, sin and death,it will not be possible to recognize the
benefits of Christ unless we understand our evils. For this reason our
preachers have diligently taught concerning these subjects, and have delivered
nothing that is new, but have set forth Holy Scriptures and the judgments of
the holy Fathers."
Apology Augsburg Confession, Article II:
Of Original Sin, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing
House, 1921, p. 119.
