Sunday, June 12, 2011
Pentecost, What Better Time...
Today's text at the church I attended had John 16:5-11. Here is an excerpt: "Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."
We also recited The Nicene Creed. I am beginning to like this one more and more. Regarding the Holy Ghost and His work of faith and the forgiveness of sins and where the forgiveness resides:
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets. And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
And may I add this from Luther's Large Catechism, The Apostles Creed, Article III:
54] We further believe that in this Christian Church we have forgiveness of sin, which is wrought through the holy Sacraments and Absolution, moreover, through all manner of consolatory promises of the entire Gospel. Therefore, whatever is to be preached concerning the Sacraments belongs here, and, in short, the whole Gospel and all the offices of Christianity, which also must be preached and taught without ceasing. For although the grace of God is secured through Christ, and sanctification is wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Word of God in the unity of the Christian Church, yet on account of our flesh which we bear about with us we are never without sin.
55] Everything, therefore, in the Christian Church is ordered to the end that we shall daily obtain there nothing but the forgiveness of sin through the Word and signs, to comfort and encourage our consciences as long as we live here. Thus, although we have sins, the [grace of the] Holy Ghost does not allow them to injure us, because we are in the Christian Church, where there is nothing but [continuous, uninterrupted] forgiveness of sin, both in that God forgives us, and in that we forgive, bear with, and help each other.
56] But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness [sanctification]. Therefore all who seek and wish to merit holiness [sanctification], not through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but by their works, have expelled and severed themselves [from this Church].
CLEARLY the work of the forgiveness of sins is that of the Holy Ghost in the Church and NEVER apart from the Word and Sacrament. But here is WELS indoctrinating the young falsely:
Anonymous poster AC V had this to say concerning the extreme false teaching of OJ:
WELS ChristLight Sunday School Teacher's Guide; Grades 5-6; New Testament; Week 5; Lesson B; Discussion Point, Option 1 (apply); p. 70:
God wants us to forgive others just as he has forgiven us, but we often find excuses not to forgive. How would you answer each of these excuses?
1. Katie makes fun of my clothes every day and refuses to stop. Why should I forgive her? (A: God forgives our sins, even the ones we repeat every day.)
2. John hates me and tells lies about me behind my back. Why should I forgive him? (A: God forgives even those who hate him.)
3. When I accidentally hurt Sarah, she was mad for weeks. Today she pushed me on purpose. Why should I forgive her? (A: God forgives even those who don't show a loving spirit.)
4. Kurt totally ruined my new sweater and didn't even apologize. Why should I forgive him? (A: God forgives us even before we say we're sorry.)
(Note: God forgives everyone in the whole world - those who love him, those who hate him, those who reject him, and those who don't even know about him [objective justification]. We receive his forgiveness when the faith he has given us accepts that forgiveness [subjective justification].
Do you see how points 1 - 3 warm you up for point 4 and the notes? I was aghast reading this. This is not a teaching of the Bible. This is not a teaching of the Book of Concord. This is a teaching of a different spirit. When I read the extreme false teaching of objective justification I am reminded of Genesis 3:4 when Satan tempts Eve...You will not die!!! The teaching of all men being forgiven prior to faith is from the devil. It has infiltrated the Lutheran Church and will one day steal men's souls. For if there is forgiveness before faith Christ, one day faith will be discarded (and Christ with it) and Satan will have fooled mankind again. Rob Bell and Mars Hill Church in Michigan has already been fooled.
No church is immune from the devil's attacks. Look at history. It is in WELS. Over lunch today while we discussed today's message and Pentecost, my wife had another incident to share from a WELS pastor who while he was at Sem witnessed future pastors using a ouija board. He opined that because of what he witnessed, early on in his ministry, he was contacted by a man who said he was possessed. The pastor immediately knew the caller was possessed by the way he was talking...evidently he had prior experience from Sem. It is time to wake up and smell the smelling salts, folks!
It is not that we don't have a heart to forgive. Nothing is further than the truth, for this is the way with God. (John 3:16) And I would point out that from my blog post from yesterday concerning the example of my wife; that it was not that she didn't have a willingness to forgive. She did. You have to realize it is impossible for forgiveness to take place with someone if there is not contrition and remorse and a willingness to change. This is what repentance and the remission of sins is. It is like a transaction completed. If you were to make an Italian Soda...you need three ingredients...milk, soda water and a flavoring. Without any of those parts it is impossible to make Italian Soda. It does your brother no good to forgive him without him being sorry and it enables bad behavior! Matthew 18:15 - 18 is crystal clear on this!
"15 “If your brother sins against you,[b] go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven."
Again as referenced in verse 17...the forgiveness of sins is with the Holy Ghost in the true Church on earth. Happy Pentecost!