Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The Essence of the Election Controversy
Dr. Gregory L. Jackson on his blog, Ichabod the Glory Has Departed, has thrown his lot in with Schmid, Allwardt, Schmidt and Stellhorn when it comes to the 19th Century election controversy in the Synodical Conference. Jackson can spout all he wants about justification by faith, but when he sides with the intuitu fidei crowd, he negates everything the Confessions say about faith. The “in view of faith” group that left the Synodical Conference and pulled the Ohio Synod away and caused the Norwegians to depart for a time essentially denied sola gratia—by grace alone.There are two ways to view our election or predestination in Christ and its relationship to faith:
1. The intuitu fidei group taught that God chose his elect when he could look ahead into the future and see who would have faith. This teaching would tell us that our faith in time is the cause of our election in eternity. The essential reason for our salvation is then found within ourselves, and not in Christ and his atoning work. This is the synergism Lenski was guilty of, since he was a follower of the Ohio Synod train of thought.
2. The Synodical Conference, with its theologians Walther, Hoenecke, Stoeckhardt, Pieper and others, taught on the basis of Holy Scripture that our election in Christ in eternity is the cause of our faith. Let’s put that another way: Our faith in time is the result of our election in eternity. Sola Gratia!
The spiritual descendants of those who taught intuitu fidei are now found in the ELCA. We don’t believe it is a coincidence.
Dr. Jackson, do you believe that our faith here in time is the cause of our election in eternity, or the result?
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This was faked and not from the WELS Church Lady
But if election doesn't come in view of faith, then there isn't any justification by faith. I think I know what you're saying. You're a UOJ storm trooper and you want salvation to come apart from faith by election. Dr. Jackson has well informed us all about these tricks. It's Calvinism and Pietism. And I'm not falling for it. I believe in the Bible and what Martin Luther taught.
Fake Signature
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GJ - I posted information about intuitu fidei because people like to look up background material. Linking articles is not the same as promoting a dogma. For example, I have linked lots of UOJ essays. Am I promoting UOJ? Jungkuntz? Valleskey? Tim accused me of promoting Deutschlander for linking his professor's Theology of the Cross book. Perhaps he was still feeling guilty for skipping the Deutschlander presentation in Atlanta so he could worship with Andy Stanley and the Babtists at Drive.
Tim is doing everyone a favor by showing the uncritical thinking of WELS clergy, especially the Changers. As various ELS members have noted, they see heresies all over the place, but never under their own noses. (Deputy Doug - take note.)
Glende seems to be confusing justification by faith with intuitu fidei, which is lodged in a Pietistic group now, as one of my sources pointed out (A. Nonny Moose, aka Anonymoose). The concept has never fizzed on me, never been a controversy, a conflict, an issue, or anything else.
I feel sorry for the members (and ex-members) of St. Peter, Freedom and The CORE. The clergy-persons do not comprehend Lutheran doctrine. They are cowardly bullies who cannot even spell their accusations correctly. When their ignorance is exposed and quoted, they feel insulted.
False accusations are insulting. Tim, you really need to talk with a synod lawyer about what you are publishing. You, your parish, your district, and your synod are liable for what you post. Not having your name on the blog is not the same as being truly anonymous. Google Blogger has all your information.
Tim, you seem to be irrationally angry. You have pictured laity eating cat feces from a toilet and you named them. They disagree with you and that is the result? Are there no limits? Have you no shame?
I can live with your weirdness, because I provoke you on purpose. That is the point of polemical writing. But the people you attack, including your own member, are mild and soft-spoken. There is no excuse for what you have done. That brings shame to all pastors, to all Lutherans.
I have to ask Deputy Doug Englebrecht and SP Schroeder - why is nothing done?
