Rolf Preus Is Battling St. Paul's Justification by Faith And Dr. Lito Cruz

 

This intended for those who have never understood or taught Justification by Faith, the Chief Article of Christianity.

It all began when Jake Zabel the lieutenant of Magnus fired a post in CLF as if lamenting the fact they are branded as a micro-synod.

Here is what Rolf Preus said

Management by Lying - How the Big Five Survive

 

Joint meeting of ELCA, WELS, and LCMS Managers:
They do not lead - they manage.

When people still read Christian News, they saw a photo of three synod presidents together, conferring at Snowbird, a deluxe resort. They brought along their Wormtongues to deny this ever happened. ELCA bragged about it, with a photo of the three. WELS did their normal shuffle-left, shuffle-right routine. LCMS, haughty and absurd, pretended to be the Big Cheese - WELS and ELCA were blessed to be with Missouri! Nobody does it better (bragging, lying, accusing).

I confess - I insisted on Herman Otten printing the photo of the three synod presidents together. WELS went the extra mile, lying to its members. I recall one District Manager being sent around to deny it happened. 

The problem the managers are facing is simple - lying will not get them anywhere now. They have been building bigger barns with their dedication toward taking away the estates of elderly people - Irrevocable Charitable Trusts - sold by Thrivent, a company that had to merge to stay afloat. How delicious is that?

Once the Charitable Trust is sold to the elderly, it is locked up in the synod vault and protected from nasty heirs who did not know that was happening - ingrates! More than likely, giving it to the church was somehow changed into giving it to the Synod. The "Giving Counselors" - more honestly known as the Taking Counselors - get a commission. The Taking Counselors are insurance salesmen who must take a state-wide test before they can sell anything being promoted.

When a District Pope got his hands on a factory, whose funds were to be shared with the widow, he somehow found a way to destroy the entire, profitable business. The widow sued the synod and won, and the Wormtongues told people, "We have to be more careful about the gifts we choose to accept." That District Pope was voted into office as the Synod Pope.

That was just a review of some things going on, just a teaspoon of facts.

The big reality is the national collapse happening right now. College buildings are not fungible assets - they are stationary and eating up cash, unlike the synodical doctrines du jour, and not easily turned into money.

Something could be done in each case, but no manager wants to do anything:

1. Sell the LCMS Purple Palace, now called the White Elephant?
2. Vacate the WELS Love Shack?
3. Rent out the ELS Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie?

ELCA has been hard at work on its seminaries for some time. I knew something was up when the ELCA managers confessed to changing the ownership of the failing schools. They were stingy with details, but it amounted to turning the seminaries into smaller packages, even new locations, so they could sell off the old campus. Right now, beloved Gettysburg is hoping the city can tear down old dorms, make some money, and erect a building useful for the city.

The big old seminaries of ELCA began getting their haircuts - a term used when bonds collapse and the owners have to accept a big loss:

1. Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago - brutalist building sold, now renting from Roman Catholics.
2. Luther Seminary - deep into debt and selling off property.
3. Gettysburg Seminary - praying for old dorms to be demolished for cash.
4. Pacific Seminary - 10 acres sold to Muslims, now renting in a different place.
5. Southern Seminary - affiliated with a college.
6. Trinity Seminary in Columbus - $90 million liability from a criminal lawsuit, a known predator ordained and why the surprise?

The Monstrous Management System vs. The Word of God: WELS - Missouri - ELCA - And Snowbird

 

2011 Snowbird Conference of ELCA, LCMS, and WELS

At the Snowbird Ecumenical Conference, the best ever,

according to Rev. James Schaefer, our council of presidents

and other leaders, 25 in all, were taught how to manage the

church by a woman.  They were taught what St. Paul says about

ministry by a Trinity Seminary professor, an advocate of the

historical-critical method.  They were told by a liberal

Reformed theologian that the radical left mainline

denominations were not becoming "sideline" denominations.

George Barna, Who's Who in Church Growth, also taught our

leaders at Snowbird, but they seem to know Barna's work quite

well already.  When Columbus WELS pastors invited ELCA to

discuss inerrancy, no one from Trinity Seminary showed up.

They understand fellowship.  But our synodical president

posed for photos with Rev. Herb Chilstrom, former Pietist,

who advanced himself by promoting the cause of homosexuality

and pornography-as-sex-offender therapy as bishop of the

LCA's Minnesota Synod.  A Lutheran troubled by false doctrine

in Missouri and ELCA would have to say, reading The Lutheran,

"They are all in it together."  Knowing the ELCA quota

system, I have to conclude that the very large ELCA

contingent included homosexual and lesbian pastors, certainly

a large group of women pastors and women executives.  Did we

not express our approval of this violation of Scripture, not

to mention the blasphemies of Braaten Jenson's Christian

Dogmatics, which is the standard ELCA dogmatics text?  47

Another insurance sponsored ecumenical endeavor, the Joy

radio show, put together by ELCA, LCMS, and WELS, has 3

versions about its development.  The one published in

Christian News, 12-9-91, p. 2) claimed it was the first joint

ministry among the three groups.  The synod office denied in

writing that we were involved at all and claimed that the

ELCA pastor had been corrected.  Another version, from ELCA,

is that John Barber was involved from the beginning and WELS

supported the joint religious program.  As of 1-10-92, no one

had informed the ELCA pastor who wrote the release that WELS

was not part of the program.  I spoke with him and with his

secretary at length.  ELCA sent out various publicity flyers

identifying our participation in a classic case of rank

unionism.  A third version of events came from the synod

office - that John Barber was sharing his great talents with

ELCA and LCMS.  Is that so bad?  The NWL denied WELS was part

of the program itself.  Since I was once part of the LCA's

enormous media program, as a writer and stringer for The

Lutheran, as chairman of the district committee, and as a

participant in a national conference with the LCA media

people, I was amused to learn that ELCA needed our man at

all. (Worthy of note: we are following Missouri and ELCA in

spending bundles of public relations and advertising - and

getting the same results.)

WELS has acquired a well-deserved reputation for rudeness to

outsiders over the years, but I do not think that public

relations and unionistic efforts will change anyone's

attitude toward us.  If we want to be loved and respected by

false teachers, then we must wallow in Enthusiasm with them.

If we want love, a fruit of faith, to flourish among us, then

we must believe, teach, and confess the true Christian faith.

As Lenski wrote, we cannot pick apples where there are no

trees.  Schwaermer trees will only produce large, wormy

apples.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Lent 5 Judica - "But since the Word places before us Christ, it thus places us before him who has triumphed over death, sin and Satan. Therefore he who grasps and retains Christ, has thus also eternal deliverance from death."

 

"Damsel, I say unto thee, arise!" KJV Mark 5:41

Complete Sermon - Lent 5 - Judica. Fifth Sunday in Lent. John 8:46-59. Christ Defends Himself Against His Enemies

8. By these words he spoils it entirely, in that he does not only defend his doctrine as right and good, which they attribute to the devil; but also ascribes such virtue to his teaching that it becomes a powerful emperor over Satan, death and sin, to give and sustain eternal life. Behold here, how divine wisdom and human reason conflict with one another. How can a human being grasp the thought, that a corporeal, an oral word should redeem forever from death? But let blindness run its course; we shall consider this beautiful saying. Christ is speaking here not of the word of the law, but of the Gospel, which is a discourse about Christ, who died for our sins etc. For God did not wish to impart Christ to the world in any other way; he had to embody him in the Word and thus distribute him, and present him to everybody; otherwise Christ would have existed for himself alone and remained unknown to us; he would have thus died for himself.

But since the Word places before us Christ, it thus places us before him who has triumphed over death, sin and Satan. Therefore he who grasps and retains Christ, has thus also eternal deliverance from death. Consequently it is a Word of life, and it is true, that whoever keeps the Word shall never see death.

9. And from this we may well understand what Christ meant by the word “keep;” it does not refer to such keeping as one keeps the law by good works; for this word of Christ must be kept in the heart by faith and not with the fist or by good works, as the Jews in this case understand it; they fearfully rage against Christ, that Abraham and the prophets are dead; they know nothing of what it is “to keep,” “to die” or “to live.” And it is not called “to keep” in vain; for there is a conflict and battle when sin bites, death presses and hell faces us; then we are to be in earnest in holding firmly to the Word and let nothing separate us from it. Thus see now how Christ answers the Jews and praises his own teachings. You say, my Word is of the devil and wish to sink it to the bottom of perdition; on the contrary I say to you that it has divine power in it, and I exalt it higher than the heaven of heavens, and above all creatures.

10. How does it then come to pass that man does not see nor taste death, and yet Abraham and all the prophets are dead, who notwithstanding had the Word of God as the Jews say? Here we must give attention to the words of Christ, who makes the distinction that death is a different thing than to see or taste death. We all must face death and die; but a Christian neither tastes nor sees it, that is, he does not feel it, he is not terrified before it, and he enters death calmly and quietly, as though falling asleep, and yet he does not die. But a godless person feels and experiences death, and is terrified before it forever. Thus to taste death may well be called the power and reign or the bitterness of death, yea, it is the eternal death and hell. The Word of God makes this difference. A Christian has that Word and clings firmly to it in death; therefore he does not see death, but his eyes are filled with the life and the Christ in that Word; therefore he never feels death. But the godless possess not that Word, therefore they see no life, but only death; and they must also feel death; that is then the bitter and eternal death.

11. Now Christ means here that whoever clings to his Word will in the midst of death neither feel nor see death, as he also says in John 11:25: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me though he die, yet shall he live,” that is, he will not experience real death. Here we see now what a glorious estate it is to be a Christian, who is already released from death forever and can never die. For his death or dying seems outwardly indeed like the dying of the godless, but inwardly there is a difference as great as between heaven and earth. For the Christian sleeps in death and in that way enters into life, but the godless departs from life and experiences death forever; thus we may see how some tremble, doubt and despair, and become senseless and raging in the midst of the perils of death. Hence death is also called in the Scriptures a sleep. For just as he who falls asleep does not know how it happens, and he greets the morning when he awakes; so shall we suddenly arise on the last day, and never know how we entered and passed through death.

Some Insights on Justification by Faith - The Chief Article of Christianity

 

Here is a pastoral claim coming by way of a layman who objected to it. This is an old arguing point, hoary with age, and incredibly foolish - "You are making faith into a work! That is wrong!"

KJV John 6

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 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 whom he hath sent.

The Objective Faithless Justification wolves claim they are the holy ones because they know (without evidence) that the entire world is forgiven and saved, without the Gospel, without the Means of Grace, without faith). 

These wolves are so blind that they cannot see how Justification by Faith is found throughout the Bible, starting with Abraham believing and receiving righteousness, Genesis 15:6 - not only through the Promise of his son - but also the consequent line leading to the Son of David and millions of believers.

KJV Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

If people are confused by the close connection of Romans 4 to Abraham as the Father of Faith, let them read the summary transition of Romans 5:1-4 

KJV Romans 5:5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

If anyone doubts the grace of God, let him study the truth of grace coming to the individual by faith in Jesus Christ. There is no excuse for singing "Amazing Grace" while denying access to this grace by faith in Him.

In our study of Ephesians 1, one person pointed out one of many Justification by Faith statements in Paul's letters.

KJV Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

At least two of the three Walther sects - Missouri and WELS - started out with Justification by Faith, which can be found in the catechisms. The Evangelical Luther Synod - the Little Sect on the Prairie - began as a protest against the Norwegians who taught the Chief Article, so they have led with the dumbest of the dumb, to their shame. 

Missouri and WELS were apparently taken over by the Walther Fan Club, which allows nothing less than infallibility in their hero's voluminous works. The syphilitic bishop Martin Stephan taught Objective Faithless Justification to Walther, a position the empire builder never gave up. F. Pieper cleverly combined concepts together so one could read in his Dogmatics about the efficacy of the Word, Justification without Faith, and maybe Justification by Faith. His climactic role in the synods came in 1932 when the Brief Statement was canonized and carved into granite.

Every Single Day, A Bright Light - Which Penetrates the Doom

 

What can one man do? Very little, but the Word can do everything - and does.

For many different reasons - all perfectly natural - people feel the doom settling over the United States and the Western nations. Whenever we think the destruction has reached its peak, even worse dictates - by governments and movie stars - shadow daily life. I hope for a better future for grandchildren and for the elderly, and that may not happen.

I do not think about how a day has gone by or what work has to be done. I focus on a bright light, which is a publishing event for me - one or two blog posts about Biblical doctrine. A bunch of ne're-do-wells attacked those posts from the start, when 100 views a day were super. I read the insults and corrupt thinking to Christine, and she was really hurt, especially when I laughed long and hard. It took her some time to adjust and enjoy the humor of these ordained but anonymous thinkers at work. The Jesuit trained Kilcrease liked to post something and erase it, so I copied each of his posts and put them in a safe place, my next post. One of attackers, well known but now dead, tried his best in public to get me fired at a university, but I continued and he did not. 

Luther's sermons taught me a long time ago that opponents are the ones who teach us - see the graphic above. My best source for teaching and writing is Luther's Sermons. I was outraged by the neglect of his work and the moronic "Luther" trinkets that came from Concordia Publishing House. First the Luther Sermons were uploaded onto the blogsite. Then a group of us edited the volumes for printing. I suddenly realized that all of us need daily reminders of Luther's Sermons, so I began Daily Luther Quotes on this blog. If I wake up at 2 AM, I post another selection. If Charlie Sue wakes me up, I start posting. 

The only true light is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, growing up to be a Teacher and miracle worker, healing the sick, lepers, and deaf, raising the dead, suffering torture and death on the cross for our sins, rising from the dead and ascending to Heaven to manage His Kingdom. 

Every day, we can do something to share this Light.

The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) - All Have Abandoned the Chief Article of Christianity

 

 Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz confessed the Chief Article.

The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) have abandoned the Chief Article of Christianity. They - One in Thrivent - have united to repudiate and dismiss Justification by Faith. Normally, they do not admit to their deceptions, but they vomit their hatred when someone insists on Justification by Faith.

KJV Romans 4 - Abraham is the example of Justification by Faith.

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed (counted) to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

The Walther sects (LCMS-LCMS-ELS) conveniently leave out verse 24, which clearly says "if we believe on Him." referring to verse 21-23 that Abraham's faith was counted to him as righteousness.

The Walther sects shorten and distort Romans 4 on faith, using a phrase from verse 25 - "Raised again for our justification." Lathered up for more corruption, they tie 1 Timothy 3:16 to Romans 4:25 alone, to claim the entire world back to Adam was declared forgiven.

WELS/LCMS chatter-mouths say, "I was saved 2000 years ago!" 

The Walther sects have their foundation in Bishop Stephan's Halle distortion (via Rambach), that the resurrection of Christ is the entire world's absolution. Jesus was without sin, but they declare that "justified in the Spirit" definitely depends on Jesus needing absolution for the world. Instead, the Scriptures teach that the empty tomb revealed the righteousness of God because Jesus was without sin. 

As Dr. Lito Cruz says, "The OJ people suffer from hallucinogenic justification."

 

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Lent 5 - "In this way Christ teaches us here the fate that awaits us Christians and his Word; both our life and our doctrine must be condemned and reviled, and that by the foremost, wisest and greatest of earth."

 KJV John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Complete Sermon - Lent 5 - Judica. Fifth Sunday in Lent. John 8:46-59. Christ Defends Himself Against His Enemies

4. Hence the Jews have no ground for their unbelief than that they are not the children of God; therefore he passes judgment upon them and says: “He that is of God heareth the words of God; for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God,” that cannot mean anything else than that you are of the devil.

5. The Jews could not stand this, for they wished to be God’s children and people; therefore they are now raging and slander both Christ’s life and his doctrine; his doctrine, in that they say: “Thou hast a devil,” that is, thou speakest moved by the devil and thy doctrine is his lie; and they slander his life, in that they say, “Thou art a Samaritan,” which sounds among the Jews worse than any other crime. In this way Christ teaches us here the fate that awaits us Christians and his Word; both our life and our doctrine must be condemned and reviled, and that by the foremost, wisest and greatest of earth. Thus one knows the corrupt tree by its fruits, as they, under the pretense of being good, are so bitter, angry, impatient, cruel and mad as to condemn and pass sentence, when one touches them at their tender spot and rejects their ideas and ways.

6. What does Christ do here? His life he abandons to shame and dishonor, is silent and suffers them to call him a Samaritan; while he takes pains to defend his doctrine. For the doctrine is not ours, but God’s, and God dare not suffer in the least, here patience is at an end; but I should stake all that I have and suffer, all that they do, in order that the honor of God and of his Word may not be injured. For if I perish, no great harm is done; but if I let God’s Word perish, and I remain silent, then I do harm to God and to the whole world. Although I can not now close their mouth nor prevent their wickedness, I shall nevertheless not keep silent, nor act as if they are right, as I do about my good life, so that they retain their right. Although they do me injustice at the time, yet it remains right before God. Further, Christ excuses himself, and says: “I have not a demon,” that is, my doctrine is not of the devil’s lies; “but I honor my father,” that is, I preach in my doctrine the grace of God, through which he is to be praised, loved and honored by believers. For the evangelical office of the ministry is nothing but glorifying God, Psalm 19:2: “The heavens declare the glory of God” etc. “But you dishonor me,” that is, you call me the devil’s liar, who reviles and dishonors God.

7. Why does he not say: I honor my father, and ye dishonor him; but says: “Ye dishonor me?” Impliedly he proves by this, that the father’s and his honor are alike and the same, as he and the Father are one God; yet along with this he also wishes to teach that if the office of the ministry, which God honors, is to be duly praised, then it must suffer disgrace. In like manner we will also do to our princes and priests; when they attack our manner of life, we should suffer it and show love for hatred, good for evil; but when they attack our doctrine, God’s honor is attacked, then love and patience should cease and we should not keep silent, but also say: I honor my Father, and you dishonor me; yet I do not inquire whether you dishonor me, for I do not seek my own honor. But nevertheless be on your guard, there is one who seeks it and judges, that is, the Father will require it of you, and judge you and never let you go unpunished. He seeks not only his honor, but also mine, because I seek his honor, as he says in 1 Samuel 2:30: “Them that honor me I will honor.” And it is our consolation that we are happy; although the whole world reviles and dishonors us, we are assured that God will advance our honor, and therefore will punish, judge and revenge. If one could only believe it and persevere, he will surely come. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my word, he shall never see death.”

The Cure the Big Five Abhor - The Efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic)

Liz has seen ELCA's total membership crater, with the gay seminaries sinking fast. She is getting close to the end of her leave-of-absence.

The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) abhor the efficacy of the Word, which simply means, the Holy Spirit active in the Word. That can be stated as "the Word never without the Spirit, the Spirit never without the Word." A. Hoenecke

The Reformation, which took place only in Germany and in the Sixteenth Century (the 1500s for synod officials), is confined to Luther, Melanchthon, Chemnitz, and their associates. The Reformers were very clear about teaching Biblical doctrine rather than the latest dogmatic books. One would guess that the latter "Orthodox" theologians caused the Reformation but they were actually later, dipping into Calvinism, Pietism, and Objective Faithless Justification. The farther away they moved, from Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz, the sloppier and more promiscuous their enormous books became. 

The Big Five all came from Pietism, four from CFW Walther, a dedicated Pietist. ELCA roots were also Pietist, but from other sources. Pietists in general were keen on cell groups, soft on Calvin, and indifferent to Luther and the Book of Concord.

Lacking today - 

1. Original, Biblical sermons. Plagiarism is ripe from synod officials all the way up to parish pastors. The lazy pastors and managers buy sermon books or swipe them among web servers. Mequon, not exactly a citadel of the Means of Grace, encourages future pastors to copy one another's efforts. Their wise advice is "Why invent the wheel?" There are many ways they can use Luther's Sermons, which we all need. Those sermons were written as foundations for parish pastors, so many are very long because Luther had so much to say.

2. Visiting in homes and hospitals. That is almost forgotten. 

3. Using blogs and Zoom to get the message out. The discussion boards are banal. Blogs are free, a good place to post the upcoming worship service and relevant news. Zoom is tricky to get started but miles ahead of Vimeo. A year of Zoom webinars will cost the congregation about $15 a week, no more than Vimeo. 

4. Reject the moronic "programs" of the synod. Given their lust for plagiarism, it is truly the blind leading the blind, or the Stuck with their sticky finders selling the Unstuck. Have the great evangelism and mission pastors kept up with the losses? Hardly! But they keep sending out grandparents' charitable irrevocable trust counselor$.

God sent a message to ELCA immediately after the 2009 vote. No one needs a cookie prediction to guess what it was.

The Soi-Disant Lutherans Do Not Lead - They Manage. The Big Five - LCMS-ELS-ELCA-WELS-CLC (sic),

The Soi-Disant Lutherans Do Not Lead - They Manage

I can see why Matt the MDiv - with very little parish experience but lots of money experience - pushed hard to get re-elected. He must have known the LCMS colleges were crashing down in slow motion.

The trouble with living from carefully Photoshopped budgets is bearing fruit, but not the kind they want and need. I keep thinking there are no more fads to exploit, such as Unstuck. But the managers are like diabetics trying to cure the problem without changing to healthy food and modest amounts. I was doing great until I discovered my pancreas only had a 70 year warrantee - not renewable.

The managers of the Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) - having been living off the latest fads since WWII. The strangest or funniest part is that they work together on bad ideas, supported by Thrivent, which was forced into merger from some very bad years, at least three in a row. Merger erased the past - how sweet.

I sent this to a "conservative" Babtist pastor and teacher. He was furious with me that I told the truth about the sanctified Andy Stanley. Likewise, the WELS pastors and Bishop Katie went to Stanley's re-education camps and loved it.

Thus the blind lead the blind, who teach other greedy clergy to follow them in speeding up the process. They get together in management sessions and figure out how the process will work. One newly hatched ELCA pastor said loudly on a bus during my last LCA conventicle - "I know what you are saying about the bad decisions, but I BELIEVE IN THE PROCESS!" Even funnier, the Wisconsin Sect managers did not want me talking about their buddies in ELCA, because they were sharing the same bed of insurance money. 

One think is needful - and they make fun of it - faith in Jesus Christ! Worse than that, the Big Five Sects are always undermining the Gospel by belittling the Scriptures - even the Bogus Bibles they sell. Ten more years of their tommyrot from Fuller Seminary and the Church of Rome will empty their churches and devastate their institutions. They will be like Monkey Wards, as we used to call it, clinging so tight to their money they were left with useless buildings.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Lent 5 - Judica - Christ Defends Himself - "For one must be assured that his doctrine is right before God and that it is the truth, and accordingly care not how it is judged by the people."

 

Complete Sermon - Lent 5 - Judica. Fifth Sunday in Lent. John 8:46-59. The Jews Try to Stone Jesus, or Christ Defends Himself Against His Enemies

TEXT:

John 8:46-59. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? 49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. 50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.


1. This Gospel teaches how hardened persons become the more furious, the more one teaches them and lovingly stirs them to do their duty. For Christ asks them here in a very loving way for a reason why they still disbelieve, since they can find fault neither with his life nor with his teaching. His life is blameless; for he defies them and says: “Which of you convicteth me of sin?” His teaching also is blameless; for he adds: “If I say truth, why do ye not believe me?” Thus Christ lives, as he teaches.

2. And every preacher should prove that he possesses both: first a blameless life, by which he can defy his enemies and no one may have occasion to slander his teachings; secondly, that he possesses the pure doctrine, so that he may not mislead those who follow him. And thus he will be right and firm on both sides: with his good life against his enemies, who look much more at life than at his doctrine, and despise the doctrine for the sake of the life; with his doctrine then for the kind of life he leads and will bear with his life for the sake of his teaching.

3. For it is indeed true that no one lives so perfect a life as to be without sin before God. Therefore it is sufficient that he be blameless in the eyes of the people. But his doctrine must be so good and pure as to stand not only before man but also before God. Therefore every pious pastor may well ask: Who among you can find fault with my life? Among you, I say who are men; but before God I am a sinner. This Moses also boast in Numbers 16:15 that he took nothing from the people and he did them no injustice. Samuel did likewise in 1 Samuel 12:3 also Jeremiah and Hezekiah, who rightly boasted of their blameless life before the people, in order to stop the mouths of blasphemers. But Christ does not speak thus of his doctrine, he says not: “Who among you can find fault with my doctrine”; but “If I tell you the truth.” For one must be assured that his doctrine is right before God and that it is the truth, and accordingly care not how it is judged by the people.