Dishonest Communication - The Bible Itself - First the Text, Then the Horrid Translations - Finally, the Big Shun - No KJV Edition Can Be Mentioned, Discussed, Or Even Acknowledged

 The EHV - Not a Translation But a Version of One Already Done

This is where it all began - with "scientific texts" and "dynamic equivalence."

The first onslaught against the Bible as God's Word was the fraudulent activity of Tischendorf, Wescott, and Hort. They used Tischendorf's fake finds as excuses to start playing with the traditional text of the New Testament. Wescott and Hort invented rules which are hilariously contradictory and self-serving. "The more difficult reading is preferred." More difficult for a Christian or for a fraud? Naturally the rules can be debated, so there is no final solution.

The three text amigos did their job. They gave everyone a license to cut and paste the New Testament text. Most clergy are like Walther, with hardly any Biblical language ability. Very few of those clergy and professors know anything about text criticism and its history. That puts the vast majority of all Christians at the mercy of a few people in the world.

Another poisoned pill from Larry, Moe, and Curly is the new rule. Have you heard it? No? "We must have a Bible based on a scientific text." That is a little gentler than NO KJV IN ANY EDITION!

They have exiled the KJV and such variations as New KJV, KJV 21 because of their faithful text. The new Bibles - ESV and NIV - have carved up the Bible pie, for they are favored by:

1. All denominations
2. All colleges and seminaries
3. All theological programs.

The prices are very high for new Bibles, so each one is like a bar of gold for the publisher and those church organizations getting kickbacks from the sales.

Match the "Conservative" Lutheran Synods with Their Love for Non-Lutheran Bibles and Anti-Lutheran Translators

The ELS-ELDONA-LCMS-WELS clergy are quite fastidious about fellowship principles. As hyper-Pietists, they have a highly developed style in shunning people who do not match their sanctity sanctimony.

The only person they really shun is moi, and the only Bible they genuinely shun is the KJV. Yes, the KJV not only maintains the concept of precise translation, but is a direct descendant of Luther's German Bible, a brilliant achievement by the Reformer and his team of translators. They influenced Tyndale, whose translation was edited into the KJV.

 Objective Justification blends well with new translations - ask the NIV fans in WELS.

Is ELDONA's Calvinist ESV Really a Conservative Translation?

Some verses from the ESV

Psalm 12:6-7

ESV

The words of the Lord are pure words, \
 like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, \
 purified seven times.

You, O Lord, will keep them; \
 you will guard us [or him] from this generation forever.

KJV

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. Psa 12:6-7

Doctrine

God’s preservation of His Word.

1 John 5:7-8

ESV

7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.

KJV

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 1Jo 5:7-8

Doctrines

The Trinity, Baptism, The Lord’s Supper.

Micah 5:2

ESV

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
 who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
 one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
 from ancient days.

KJV

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Mic 5:2

Doctrine

Jesus as eternal God.

1 Timothy 3:16

ESV

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He[Greek Who; some manuscripts God; others Which] was manifested in the flesh,
 vindicated[or justified] by the Spirit,[or vindicated in spirit]
 seen by angels,
 proclaimed among the nations,
 believed on in the world,
 taken up in glory.

KJV

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 1Ti 3:16

Doctrines

God taking on human flesh.

The ESV notes here as in many other places add an element of confusion as to what God is actually saying in the verse.

1 Corinthians 15:47

ESV

The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.

KJV

The first man [is] of the earth, earthy: the second man [is] the Lord from heaven. 1Co 15:47

Doctrine

The Divinity of Christ.

Acts 2:29, 30

ESV

2:29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne,

KJV

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; Act 2:29-30

1 John 4:3

ESV

and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

KJV

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1Jo 4:3

Doctrine

God taking on human flesh.

Luke 1:28

ESV

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”[a]

KJV

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among women. Luk 1:28

Matthew 1:25

ESV

but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

KJV

And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. Mat 1:25

Doctrine

The Virgin Birth of Jesus.

Mark 1:1

ESV

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.[Some manuscripts omit the Son of God]

KJV

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; Mar 1:1

Doctrine

The Divinity of Christ. The ESV notes introduce doubt, again.

Philippians 2:6

ESV

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,[Or a thing to be held on to for advantage]

KJV

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Phi 2:6

Doctrine

What exactly is the ESV saying in Phil. 2:6? Do you understand from the ESV’s rendering of the verse that Jesus is eternal God?

Luke 2:43

ESV

And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,

KJV

And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not [of it]. Luk 2:43

Doctrine

The Virgin Birth.

Luke 2:49

ESV

And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”[Or about my Father’s business]

KJV

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? Luk 2:49

Luke 4:04

ESV

And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

KJV

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Luk 4:4

Doctrine

The Word of God.

John 9:35

ESV

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”[Some manuscripts the Son of God]

KJV

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? John 9:35

Doctrine

The Divinity of Christ. Christ claims here to be one with the Father.

Matthew 9:10-13

ESV

And as Jesus[Greek he] reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

KJV

And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Mat 9:10-13

Matthew 18:11

ESV

[Whoops. Missing from the ESV.]

KJV

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. Mat 18:11

Luke 9:51-54

ESV

51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. 53 But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”[Some manuscripts add as Elijah did]

KJV

And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? Luk 9:51-54

Colossians 1:13-14

ESV

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

KJV

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Col 1:13-14

Doctrine

The Substitutionary Atonement.

Hebrews 1:3

ESV

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

KJV

Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Heb 1:3

Doctrine

The Substitutionary Atonement.

1 Peter 4:1

ESV

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh,[Some manuscripts add for us; some for you] arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

KJV

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 1Pe 4:1

Doctrine

The Substitutionary Atonement.

Mark 16:9-20

ESV

[Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.][Some manuscripts end the book with 16:8; others include verses 9–20 immediately after verse 8. At least one manuscript inserts additional material after verse 14; some manuscripts include after verse 8 the following: But they reported briefly to Peter and those with him all that they had been told. And after this, Jesus himself sent out by means of them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. These manuscripts then continue with verses 9–20

[[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

KJV

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. Mar 16:9-20

John 6:47

ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

KJV

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. Joh 6:47

Doctrine

Christ as the only way of salvation.

Acts 8:36-37

ESV

And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”[Some manuscripts add all or most of verse 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”]

KJV

And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Act 8:36-37

Doctrine

Christ as the only way of salvation.

Conclusion

Well, don’t you feel better now that you can see there are no differences in doctrine in this conservative translation?

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2Pe 2:3

For Further Reference

The Scriptures used in the post are taken from David Daniels’ sermon, “You Can’t Preach This Without a King James”.

Remember the Mother Church Kicked Out of WELS and Stolen Back? WELS Is Thanking God

C

WELS News

3 hrs · 

We thank and praise God, that He has blessed the ministry at Historic St. John's Lutheran Church on the Hillside for 171 years! On this day in 1848, their congregation was officially formed as the “evangelische lutherische St. Johanneskirche.”

Our Triune God has provided for them in times of abundance and times of need.

We thank our heavenly Father, that He has provided them with pastors faithful to His Word; that He has provided them with a beautiful worship space, which silently proclaims the Gospel when we fail to; that He has provided them with loving, caring, and active brothers and sisters who are part of the St. John’s family as well as many friends who support their ministry.

We trust that our Triune God will continue to provide for them as they enter another year of faithfully preaching Law and Gospel to the Hillside neighborhood, downtown Milwaukee, and to their members and friends across all of southeastern Wisconsin.

Soli Deo gloria!

More about the theft of St. John here.

My Only Dogmatic Rule - Worth Remembering. "The Non-Reciprocity of False Teachers"

 Not quite.

My light reading time in Lutherdom challenges the efficacy of the pour-over coffee I make: so much drivel, trivia, and illiteracy in Biblical doctrine. I stay awake on LQ, CN, and ALPB by searching for the best graphic to use.

When Christian News pops up on the Net, I use control-f to find basic Lutheran doctrinal terms. Here are results from the latest issue -

• Justification by Faith - not once.
• Efficacy - not once.
• Means of Grace - not once.

These results are repeated almost every issue, and they are the bitter fruit harvested from decades of palling around with Calvinists. The LCMS leaned on Calvinists as allies when the Battle of the Bible was raging. As David Scaer also let slip, Robert Preus consulted with famous Calvinist theologians to back up his precious Objective Justification attacks on Walter A. Maier II.

This is the phrase I invented to cover this - "The Non-Reciprocity of False Teachers." No matter how much Lutherans may borrow and honor from the Calvinists (Romanists, and others), the false teachers never reciprocate.

When Fuller Seminary was the most popular destination for LCMS-WELS pastors, Fuller fans never tried to study with the Lutherans, another display of how much they despised Lutheran doctrine - or what remained of it in their sects.

LCMS-WELS sent their administrators and synod staff to Fuller, Trinity Divinity, and Willow Creek - to listen to rants about how ineffective Lutherans were. The Lutherans paid - with offering dollars - for the privilege. In fact, when one of my friends became a WELS pastor, they immediately offered to send him to Fuller - for free. Yes, the supposedly tougher-than-tree-roots WELS did that.

Revs. Wally Oelhafen and Fred Adrian, who did so much to shrink the WELS Michigan District, confessed their attendance at Fuller, "But that does not mean we agree with their doctrine." However, they despised my essay on the Means of Grace, which became "The Cure" chapter of Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure. Roger Kovaciny, Church Growth bedfellow of Floyd Stolzenberg, screamed and tossed my paper during the "discussion." Those who sided with the Means of Grace were removed from the ministry by the crafts and assaults of two DPs, Robert Mueller and John Seifert. Kovaciny went to Russia, with love, to convert the Eastern Orthodox to Church Growth dogma.

Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure - Abe Books - Up to $60 new - NPH edition.

Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure - Kindle. 99 cents. Amazon.

Free Jackson PDFs and other books - listed here.

 Ukraine cat

Professor Pamela Karlan - Learn How To Spell

 Barron Trump was named after...

 Barron Hilton, who partnered with Donald Trump. No one genius on TV seems to know that. They treat Barron's name as a title, not a nod to his father's hotel business partner. Two r's do not make Barron a baron.

Not named after Baron Hindenberg, who

 Gave his name to this airship,

Whose crash reminds us of this disaster.

Mid-Week Advent Service, December 4, 2019, 7 PM Central. Henry Eyster Jacobs, Part One

Mid-Week Advent Service, 

December 4, 2019

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Mid-Week Advent, Thursday, 7 PM Central

The Hymn # 240             Father Most Holy     
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41

The Psalmody            Psalm   14                           p. 124
The Lection            

Sermon Hymn #136   Angels from the Realms of Glory 

         

The First Sermon about Jesus

 

The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer                         p. 44

The Collect for Peace                                           p. 45

The Benediction                                                   p. 45

The Hymn # 558            All Praise to Thee

In Our Prayers

• Carl Roper and his wife Lynda.
• Pastor and Mrs. Jim Shrader
• Randy Anderson's leg
• Pastor K and Doc Lito Cruz - dealing with diabetes.
• Those looking for work and a better income.
• Our media ministries - Alec Satin, Norma Boeckler, Travis and Lauren Cartee, Pastor Jordan Palangyos, Pastor Shrader's new blog - linked on our blog.

Luke 2

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

The First Sermon about Jesus

Luke 2: 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

I took the title of the sermon from Luther, who is always a good source. Our tendency is to look at a text as history, which it is, but perhaps slighting its real message.

This message reflects what I have outlined below about basic Biblical, Lutheran doctrine taught by and carefully explained by Henry Eyster Jacobs. You may think you have never heard of him, apart from my promotion of his work, but we have often sung his communion hymn.

Lord, Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray, TLH #314.

These verses about the birth of Jesus are really the first sermon preached about Jesus, the Word of God Incarnate. Many prophesies were made, from Genesis 3:15 onward, faith in the future Messiah expressed in  Genesis 4:1 (In Hebrew, I have begotten a man-child - the Lord.)

What makes this passage a sermon? First of all, it is Gospel, bringing faith and hope, replacing fear. The Angel of the Lord appeared, and the glory of the Lord shone like a lamp all around them, and they were seized with overwhelming fear.

This is how people react when they are in the presence of God and realize their smallness in the face of His glory. When Peter saw the power of the Lord of Creation to gather a great shoal of fish, He said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man."

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

The angel countered their fear with this great message - "Don't be afraid, for I am Gospeling you with a great joy for all people." The opposite of fear is faith, not courage, faith in Good News rather than condemnation, Good News for all people, not just for some.

It is not just Good News, but Good News about the Son of God. That is the meaning of the Gospel, Jesus' incarnation, His ministry of healing and forgiveness, His death and resurrection.

For all people - that alone is so different from what false religions teach, because there is always an elite group. Calvinists teach that our fate is determined before we are born, predestined to eternal life (the few) or to everlasting torment (the vast majority). World religions teach works to appease God, and there is never enough that can be done, no matter how extreme the measures are.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

This remarkable verse is poetic, hymnic. So it is easily seen as a catechism, a verse to be repeated when training children, which is what we do with pageants. Ending the fear and growing faith in the shepherds' hearts - one statement of fact. But did the Angel say "a Savior" or "the Savior." In Greek, it is simply Savior, which is more emphatic that our expressions of "a" or "the." It is more like The One and Only Savior, but the ancients were not so verbose as we are.

And here is the great benefit of this gift to mankind, which can never be fully described. Faith in this truth receives the benefit of His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. There is no qualification, no series of tests to advance toward this completion. God creates and nurtures this faith through the proclamation of the Gospel (most important for Luther) and through study of His Word.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

It is best to understand this as "the sign." There was only one baby in one manger for feeding animals, and wrapped as a newborn. This is the strangest combination - the Angel of the Lord, more like Lord's-Angel in Greek, telling them do not be afraid, because a baby will prove the truth of this message of joy. He is the Savior.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

13 και εξαιφνης εγενετο συν τω αγγελω πληθος στρατιας ουρανιου αινουντων τον θεον και λεγοντων 

a great army of angels - gathered to announce Peace!

If anyone hesitated at the previous instructions, this epiphany of angels singing certainly confirmed the miraculous and the unique quality of this message - an army of angels singing to a few shepherds.

This is what should comfort those laboring in the vineyards of the Lord. He did not announce the Savior first to the kings and governors, the high priests and professors, but to the shepherds and the Wise Men. While the great and mighty, who can buy a $100 million mansion and strut on the world stage, the Gospel is entrusted to ordinary people who appreciate this Truth for all ages.

We are like the shepherds in knowing and believing this angelic message from God and its proof lying in the manger. The entire world is full of narratives about special messengers, even angelic tales of all kinds - spirits, demons, wise old men. But that is a far cry from the revealed truth of the Savior's birth.

The angelic sermon brings joy and trust in God - and healing from the wounds of life, our need for forgiveness. Fear evaporates when we trust in the Word and realize armies of angels were employed to rejoice in the Savior. That was a long wait for them.

Theirs was the first sermon about the newborn Savior, and that sermon will continue to be preached here and there, believed and also rejected, until the End of Time.

Henry Eyster Jacobs was a leader in the General Council, which formed after the Civil War - a revolt based on the liberal, ecumenical General Synod. Note that all Lutheran groups during this time were Pietistic to some extent.

Jacobs is honored by all Lutheran groups for his fine book on Biblical, Lutheran doctrine. You can download the pdf for free by clicking this link - Jacobs, A Summary of the Christian Faith.

One way to find the terms or sections from the book is to use control-f and put that term in the window. I opened the new Christian News today. 

control f - justification by faith, 0 response.

control f - efficacy, 0 response.

control f - Means of Grace, 0 response.

Point A - The Word and the Spirit always work together.

Genesis 1

Isaiah 55:8ff.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

James 516 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Point B. Grace comes to us only through the Means of Grace. Note above - the Spirit only works through the invisible and visible Word.

The Means (or Instruments) of Grace are shorthand for the Word -invisible in preaching and teaching - and the Sacraments (visible Word). 

If someone understands the Spirit only at work in the Word, then the constant insistence of people being "declared righteous" 2000 years ago (unrecorded) or everyone coming into the world forgiven, or other such nonsense (Calvinism included) is obviously not Biblical.

Roll, Tide - And This Post Is Not about Alabama

 Epstein was a co-founder of the Clinton Foundation. He and Maxwell are considered Mossad agents. The best and brightest welcomed their lavish gifts - M.I.T. and many more. Epstein had his own lodge at a music camp for youth. Aww.

Only one crime really explains the close ties between the elite and the scum-of-the-earth Epstein-Maxwell couple: trafficking. When the criminals are exposed for what they are, even the self-appointed Q-researchers will be appalled. With all the time they have devoted and all the facts they have put together, the researchers will only have a fraction of all the demonic activity.

I am not writing from a superior perspective, as if I know more than most. I do not. But what we do know is so vast that I cannot imagine outsiders like us knowing more than a fraction of the crimes.

The obvious battle of the moment matches the criminal element in DC against the exposure of this global trafficking initiative. My favorite summary is this one: "Trump is using impeachment to raise money for his re-election." Yes.

The criminals will lose, but they are enjoying a temporary distraction from the center ring. Remember the famous circus that used to tour? Barnum and Bailey provided a three-ring circus, with the main act always in the center ring.

American news-critters never cover the center ring, which is not impeachment, but all the money and perks derived from trafficking of every kind. Each mini-story from the center ring could be treated as a major world-wide scandal, but those stories pass by as filler in the newspapers.

Example - husband and wife billionaires hanged themselves. How did they arrange that? "You go first, dear." "No, you should be first." Later story - they were murdered. Canadian story, snore. Clinton ties (no pun intended). Forgotten news, one of hundreds.

Back to impeachment. That is a glorious way to fill the newspapers and airwaves. Every tidbit is argued and refuted and brought up again. Maybe the Dems will pass a vote to impeach, but they already know conviction requires a 2/3rds votes in the Senate.

The Dem operation includes past US presidents, the top US leaders in spy agencies, Justice, and the Dem leaders in Congress. George H. W. Bush traveled with Bill Clinton to get the Clinton Foundation started, and Epstein was a co-founder. Maxwell, the ugly lady who recruited young girls for Epstein, attended Chelsea Clinton's wedding. Anyone can verify these basic facts in a few minutes with Google or Duckduckgo.

Maxwell and Epstein were/are close to the Royal Family in England, just as Jimmy Saville was, until his convenient death.

In short, 2020 will be a monumental year for news, arrests, convictions, and re-election.

 Maxwell posed with Murdoch, who published the NIV, loved by LCMS and WELS.

Only the the most important attended Chelsea Clinton's wedding, including Ghislaine Maxwell, the agent/woman who obtained young teens for Epstein's blackmail operation.

Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean – roll!
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain;
Man marks the earth with ruin – his control
Stops with the shore; -- upon the watery plain
The wrecks are all thy deed, not does remain
A shadow of man’s ravage, save his own,
When for a moment, like a drop of rain,
He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan,
Without a grave, unknell’d, uncoffin’d, and unknown.

Lord Byron

Reaction to the Analysis of the ESV versus the KJV. ELDONA Love the ESV

 Here is the ESV compared to the KJV.

Truth will out. UOJ and bad translations and the practical denial of the means of grace are all completely anti-Lutheran. The grassroots is realizing the truth and the pushers of the falsehoods are beginning to scurry for cover.

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Thanks Pastor Jackson for posting that ESV article. Shows that the ESV is even worse than I could have possibly imagined. And this "man of dust" rendering: can anybody really read that without laughing? Ridiculous! Such translation buffoonery of God's Holy Word does it a disservice and needs to be called out and deplored. Regards,

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Thank you for the recent posts (Lutheran vrs. Reformed), King James Bible etc.  The posts have answered questions I was having

God bless!

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 I always thought that people would respect God enough not to mess with the text, but I guess most do not, to their own judgement.

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Can you send me this as a pdf. file? Would like to print it and share it.

Typhoon Strikes the Philippines - Evacuations and Power Outages

The Bethany Lutheran Mission does not have a typhoon proof roof. We are donating toward a permanent one, which can be built once the roof fund reaches $2,000.

https://weather.com/news/news/2019-12-03-philippines-typhoon-kammuri-death-toll-damage

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/world/asia/philippines-typhoon-tisoy-kammuri.html

"Manila airport was ordered shut for 12 hours and nearly 500 flights were canceled. Officials suspended marine traffic in affected areas as Kammuri, packing wind gusts as high as 150 miles per hour, battered the Philippine archipelago for a second day."

GJ - I discussed the typhoon with Pastor Palangyos today, via Facebook instant-messaging. Several new gifts have been sent.

Update from Pastor Palangyos - the typhoon has passed by and the sun is shining. 

 The resourceful members have already established a location and a permanent first floor. The temporary roof gives them shelter in moderate weather.

Professor Loy - Columbus, Ohio - On the Chief Article

In this paragraph, Prof. Loy is introducing his discussion of Article IV of the Augsburg Confession:

This fourth article of our Confession sets forth in words of admirable simplicity the doctrine of the Gospel which lay at the foundation of the whole glorious work of the Reformation, and which Luther rightly pronounced the article of a standing or a falling Church, meaning that this truth of the sinner’s justification by faith is the final test of the Christian Church, the departure from which would indicate its fall from grace and from Christ and thus manifest its apostasy from the truth which our Lord revealed and to which He came as the King of Zion to bear witness. Our teachers have accordingly always insisted upon this as the criterion of evangelical fidelity, and refused fellowship with any Church or party that denied, or even ignored, the fundamental import of this precious truth. How could they do otherwise, seeing that this doctrine involves the whole counsel of God for the salvation of all men, whom sin has brought under condemnation and for whom no salvation is possible save through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. The entire cause of Christianity depends on the maintenance of this article in its evangelical purity.

From From Loy, Matthias. The Augsburg confession: An Introduction To Its Study And An Exposition Of Its Contents Columbus, Ohio: Lutheran Book Concern, 1908.