Narrow-Minded Lutheran Questions Dave Ramsey Seminar for LCMS

I'm sorry, but does a "confessional" Lutheran Synod have any business seeking financial advice from Evangelical Protestant Dave Ramsey?   Yes, we should certainly be responsible stewards of the financial gifts God has given us.  But is legalism going to be promoted?  For example, are those attending going to be told that God will financially punish them for not "tithing" (their strict 10%)?  

The fact that the Indiana District is going to reimburse the sem students for this is disturbing to me, especially since the Indiana District is one of the more "conservative" districts of the LCMS.  Perhaps I am making too much out of this, but coming from a Methobapticostal background, I can accurately guess what this will be about.  Yeah, the guy has good advice, but in a Left Kingdom sense.  I hope he does not mix the Right Kingdom in with his advice.  

Perhaps CTSFW shouldn't rob its students with ridiculous tuition to support "The Club"; and perhaps the LCMS should provide more than one-percent of its budget to assist sem students and their families.  Then Dave Ramsey wouldn't be necessary.

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GJ - Don't be so narrow-minded! The non-Lutherans have all the answers. Check out the experts loved by Missouri, WELS, the Little Sect on the Prairie, and the CLC (sic):

1. Roman Catholic Bishop Weakland and his merry band of priestly Sodomites. WLC.
2. Another bishop marching in religious procession and speaking at the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie, Bethany.
3. Leonard Sweet, space age Methodist at Concordia St. Louis.
4. C. Peter Wagner training the troops for WELS. Pentecostal Babtist.
5. Moo weaning Lutherans off the English Luther Bible.
6. Hybels teaching the lot of them that a God without wrath sent Christ without a cross to a world without sin.
7. Methodist Groeschel writing sermons for Glende, Ski, and many more.
8. Valleskey dumpster diving at Fuller, calling it Spoiling the Egyptians.

Important Post To Read and Remember about Christian Doctrine

Read this. Memorize it. Repeat it over again before succumbing to Lutheran papalism.

I am going to quote from an email from a Lutheran layman:  

Thanks again, as I will would like to use you as a theological screen so I interpret scripture correctly as I am not knowledgeable in Hebrew and Greek. 
 

I am happy to discuss Christian doctrine with people all the time, especially since so much effort has been made to silence me. As one ex-pastor chuckled the other day, "They thought they were done with you."

People need to get something down firmly in their minds. The truth of God's Word is revealed only through the Spirit, not through advanced degrees. Biblical languages are useful to know, but not knowing them is not a barrier to spiritual knowledge.

Luther said in the sermon for this week (Lenker set) - "The more educated, the more perverted." That came from a man who was pleased to mention his doctorate in Biblical studies (from a Catholic university, no less). An advanced education can be a great asset in serving and protecting the institution, which responds in kind by protecting its protectors from any challenges. Therefore, these factors do not necessarily lead to a superior knowledge of the Word:

1. A seminary degree.
2. Ordination.
3. A synodical position.
4. Training in Hebrew and Greek.
5. Advanced degrees.

First, someone must live in the Word. That includes, as an absolute necessity, engaging in doctrinal debates with people. Many clergy are useless because they spend far too much time in busy-work, goofing around, or synodical politics. Because they do not visit their own members or potential members, they have little grasp of the spiritual battles of others.

Many clergy have given up the battle themselves, so they move gradually from indolence to inertness to atheism.  Those who claim Biblical languages often do not use them much at all. WELS is always bragging about Hebrew and Greek, but that does not keep them from plagiarizing in English and defending the practice. Ask Deputy Doug Englebrecht, keeper of the flame.

It is easier to brag about Hebrew and Greek in front of people who have not studied either. In front of former classmates, the boast might evoke raucous laughter.

Secondly, the Word is clear and plain for everyone to grasp, regardless of station or education. If someone thinks the Word belongs to him, to interpret as he sees fit, then he will be blind to the truths of the Scriptures, no matter what he claims for himself. Faith in God is faith in His Word. That faith makes us bold to state those insights that come from God alone. They are hidden from man, especially the wise and powerful, but revealed to those considered foolish and weak.

Simply stating the truth will make the blind shriek the equivalent of - "You dare to arouse the wrath of the Great and Terrible Oz!?" The wrath is not faked, because the truth stirs up their Father Below, who answers through his servants. They will get even. They will never finish getting even.They will take out their wrath on everyone in the victim's families. They justify their rage by adding slander to their other crimes. In fact, they oppose justification by faith while specializing in self-justification.

This is all people need to be experts in discerning the spiritual truths of the Bible:

• The King James Bible.
• The Book of Concord.
• Lenker's Sermons of Luther.
• Lenski.

Roman Catholic Doctrines Embraced by Lutherans

Some claim to be placed in their positions by the Holy Spirit. That may be true - to serve as a bad example for all.

Please watch out for these Roman Catholic doctrines in your favorite Lutheran sect. These novel ideas are not Biblical.

1. Holy Mother Church is indefectible. That means the visible church cannot make a mistake. The same advocates will say the Word is unclear, ineffective, incomplete, and in need of clarification by Holy Mother Church. 
2. Papal infallibility. The genius of this doctrine is its application to all clergy in agreement with the pope. They derive their infallibility only through their agreement with him, but this is generally abstracted to "The Church" or "Synod." Doctrinal flat-liners will ask, "What does Synod say?"
3. Gray areas of Scripture. That is best expressed by stretching out gray as "g---r---a---y." Wince a little for effect, as if deep in thought. Rome switched to this as soon as they got clobbered in Biblical debates during the Reformation. Lutheran papalists seized on this as a great tactic, so they established their Boards of Doctrine, staffed with useful idiots. Each board is a bunch of bananas - green, yellow, and just plain rotten.
4. Enthusiasm - the Holy Spirit is at work everywhere except in the Word, where God is never at work. The higher the position, the more Spirit-soaked the individual is, the less likely anyone will challenge him...or her. Every entity within the organization is also anointed and incapable of error (#1). If there are any questions, see #2, because of #3.
5. Canon law. Nothing has been more effective for Rome than canon law, so Lutherans have their own. Anything can be done or undone through canon law. The worst false doctrine or the most egregious crimes can be ignored and forgotten if someone did not follow canon law in dealing with the situation. If they happen to do everything right, they are identified and excommunicated  for questioning #1- #4.
6. Indulgences, Purgatory, faith plus works. No one is ever forgiven - not completely. However, the richer someone is, the more likely he is to buy absolution with monetary gifts. For millions, all is forgiven.

These doctrines are in harmony with each other, providing a divine tranquility and stability.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Roman Catholic Doctrines Embraced by Lutherans":

3. Laity will continue to be directed to the clergy and Synod for the 'correct' interpretation of Scripture. This has been happening for a long time with the (W)ELS teaching there are principles taught in Scripture and there are application's of principles. Only the clergy can determine when an application is Scriptural or not. The (W)ELS NNIV Hoodwink is a great example of this. The defensive statement, "Do you know Greek?" is another.

A more specific example is the following quote from District President Buchholz:

"Second, to the specific issue of women in the church, remember that there are principles and there are applications of principles. The principles are always inviolate. Some applications of principles are always inviolate. Other applications of principles may vary depending upon a whole passel of factors, including but not limited to: strength or weakness of faith; cultural sensitivities; customs of the people, and church etc. (An example might be the way Luther dealt with the radicals at Wittenberg who wanted to take the Reformation too quickly. He backed off and moved slowly, allowing the word to do its work in people’s hearts before he instituted things like Communion in both kinds—certainly a biblical practice.)

In asserting that Pastor Schewe was wrong to allow women to read sections of Scripture antiphonally, you want to be careful that you don’t turn the application of a principle into the principle itself. The principle that women are not to teach or have authority over a man is inviolate. Some applications of that principle, e.g., women pastors, women teaching men in Bible study, etc., are inviolate. However there is quite a stretch between women teaching (i.e., expounding, explaining, clarifying and elucidating Scripture) and reading Scripture antiphonally and collectively without giving instruction. (This doesn’t mean that Scripture itself is not instructive; that power to instruct inheres in the word. And, as you well know, the power and efficacy of the word to instruct is not made more or less effective whether it’s read by a woman or a man.)

Another question that may well be raised is whether a practice is wrong (i.e. inherently sinful) or merely ill-advised under the circumstances. Since in this case in point you’re dealing with an application—not the principle itself—there are a number of criteria that are to be evaluated to ascertain the benefit or detriment of an application. Does it pander to or foster a particular false belief? Is it an accommodation to worldly practice and mindset? Is it edifying? And so forth . ."

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Roman Catholic Doctrines Embraced by Lutherans":

Norcal763, maybe these quotes from DP Buchholz will help clarify his confession.

"God has forgiven the whole world. God has forgiven everyone his sins." This statement is absolutely true! This is the heart of the gospel, and it must be preached and taught as the foundation of our faith. But here’s where the caveat comes in: In Scripture, the word "forgive" is used almost exclusively in a personal, not a universal sense. The Bible doesn’t make the statement, "God has forgiven the world."

"God has forgiven all sins, but the unbeliever rejects God’s forgiveness." Again, this statement is true—and Luther employed similar terminology to press the point of Christ’s completed work of salvation.16 But we must also recognize that Scripture doesn’t speak this way."

"God has declared the entire world righteous." This statement is true, as we understand it to mean that God has rendered a verdict of "not-guilty" toward the entire world. It is also true—and must be taught—that the righteousness of Christ now stands in place of the world’s sin; this is the whole point of what Jesus did for us at Calvary. However, once again we’re wresting a term out of its usual context. In Scripture the term "righteous" usually refers to believers. "
 

Seminaries Are Dying from Lack of Students: Buying a Pinto for Lincoln Continental Prices

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2011/08/judgment-day-approaches-for-lcms.html

In the previous comment I said that between the two LCMS seminaries, they had 120 M. Div students, but would eventually go down to 60 for both due to the sky-high tuition. Evidently I was making a vaticinium ex eventu (prophecy after the fact) since the seminaries are already there!

Looking at the pictures of the 2010 matriculating class, St. Louis had 65 men in the pastor track, and one could guess about half of those are in the M. Div. track, the rest going for alternative tracks and master of arts. Ft. Wayne only had 38 men in the pastor track, so maybe half of those are M. Div. That's 103 in the pastor track altogether, so are we ALREADY down to 52 M. Div. students between the two seminaries?

I'm sending a screen shot to Dr. Jackson in case he wants to post it. The picture was here:

Pastoral Education, LCMS, Jan 2011, p. 3:

http://www.lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=1304

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GJ - I was discussing this with a Lutheran student today - about the inevitable closing of WELS schools. The insane, anti-Lutheran pursuit of "youth" has been a dismal failure in all synods.

Long-time WELS Layman Reacts to Joe and Lisa Krohn's Excommunication

Bwana Patterson drops another dangerous vegetarian in darkest Africa, while WELS foots the bill for his vicars, year after year.

Caleb on WELS:

Here they can beat the hell out of two Christian people who in faith bring up a theological issue and use them as an object lesson for others to view who might want to think for themselves and question doctrine and practice.   Yet they will not adjudicate or refract Mark Jeske’s apostacy thru the reverse side of that theologically pharisaical prism and drag him through the same scrutiny as Joe and Lisa.

So at the end of Mark Jeske’s life, I was musing to myself, when he has to meet his maker and is convicted of his abject and arbitrary apostasy;  by his own theology he can say “Hey Lord”  you know already  I was forgiven for the sins I was convicted before I was born, and you being all knowing and all; --surely new “I was just kidding.”  

Hey everybody gets a pass, and besides you just were not around during my lifetime and because of my aura, I just had to take the big “G” on and have it monogramed on my sweatshirt.  People just kept throwing theological spit balls at me like “efficacy of the Word of God” ; they just did not know what they were talking about.  They were all leaving the church but I came to their rescue; not any efficacy of the Word, but “me” and my peeps and Thrivent and Church and Change and popcorn and pop singers in short skirts.  So what if we became sinners to get sinners in our temple of sin, we packed them in didn’t we?  Hey!! ask the Holy Spirit if He didn’t know me;---Hey !!!! keep those flames off me!!!! Hey isn”t that Schliermacher, Bultman, Heideigger and Barth, what in tarnation are they doing here?

All we had was the Bible which we (along with my buddies Schaller, Koehler, and Pieper) could twist and bend like a Philadelphia Lawyer.  Thank God we tossed the confessions aside as they were so tedious and obstructive—got in the way really as my head hurt every time some layman spouted them out or some other relic of a pastor had this permanent wedgy in his shorts and made us read them;--yuk gag me with a spoon.   

The Wawautosian way was much better than what the paper popes threw at us in seminary—albeit they didn’t bother us too much with that stuff.    It was so much easier this way;  speaking to the “corporate Christian population” every Sunday spewing slogans like a totem pole at a liquor store selling cheap liquor with its soporific potions on of how to deal with life’;s little coughs and calamities from week to week.

Yes kind of like Time of Grace (Wrath) which was the only elixir that soothed the down trodden’s soul from week to week.   Yet I didn’t let things like visitations, administering the means of grace; such as individual confession and absolution,  slow me down as we had to many fish to fry in communicating to the masses.    Oh wait a minute;  confession and absolution was instructive if I needed to get something on somebody;  then I would make an exception. 

It was the “Efficacy of Mark Jeske’s elixir which funneled true Christianity to the visible church every week, now this was a Ponzi scheme that actually worked.  There was always an unlimited supply of people whose brains you can twist like a pretzel.  In other words, we didn’t worry about who went out the back  door because there is always a reservoir of people you could entice through the front door.  It was easy, all you had to do when people left thru the back door is lower the tolerance level of sin to get them running thru the front door.  Hey I wonder if those slot machines were installed in the Narthex of the church before I left!!!!  Darn it all I bet Pastor Heubner got them at Grace.   Oh so much work to do and so little time on this earth to do it. Lord just did not have enough time  

Front door evangelism was always the best.  You could always speak in positive and glittering generalities and you really did not have to get real deep in biblical scholarship in preaching and teaching as long as you hung on to the “culture”s apron strings.  You didn’t have to bother with the folks going out the back door as they were a waste of time anyway; all that visiting, having to pull out that dusty old bible and try to administer the law and the Gospel to one individual sinner---yuk not cost effective at all.  Too much time spent when there were other opportunities (souls) to save.

We did all this effectively and efficiently.  I even administered business concepts like goals and objectives to achieve the greater goal in God’s (my) Kingdom. We even had it down to a “unit cost analysis” determining how much it cost to get a soul in the barn so if our unit cost went  up we could always smooze the people at thrivent;--in a Christian sense of course, and they would always pony up with some manna.  I even got on the board of control;---talk about real efficacy.  What really started to piss me off however is when someone  suggested to implement those concepts to evaluate me personally.  Of course I would have not of that.  After all Jesus was beyond scrutiny.            

And then there were all the criticisms from the so-called orthodox side of the Church. This is where St. Machiavelli was most instructive.  It was so easy to keep the sheep in line with just a modicum of theological thuggery, extortion, back biting and slander;  all in the name of the Lord of course.  You see we have socialized the people in the WELS with regard to the law—10 commandments if you will , that they must actually accept a second set of books, one for the Priesthood; and one for the membership.  Kind of puts the scrutiny on them and off us;-so to speak—tee hee just a little priestly humor Forgive my impertinence.

Your eminence after all these wonderful works I have performed in my life as your vicar on earth how can you judge me as nothing other than one of your saints.  All the downtrodden we reached, drug addicts, pimps, whores homosexuals, divorced, weak in spirit, (ex Lutheran ministers);  all those classes of unbelievers who would not have come to their Lord except thru me and my peeps.   All were told they were forgiven before they were born so whatever they are,  or did (or will do in the future?) is past, just make a decision to come to Christ and all is forgiven.  Now once you accept this we will go to the sanctification side of the coin (church work, giving money ect) and you will be on your way.  Your eminence,  what could be better than that?  My Gosh this is better than the Roman Church could have concocted.—Hey what are all these popes doing here anyway? 

Hey !!!,  where are Joe and Lisa, why aren’t they down here.  Hey!!! open the door its getting hot down here.

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Baazboy wrote: Caleb, Welcome to the WELS. Now, leave an offering so we can get matching Thrivent funds.

The Love Shack Is Moving: Enter the Contest To Find a New Name for WELS Headquarters

Tiefel Towers?

Tipple Towers?

 

Bielinski Homes sells its HQ office building

Published August 10, 2011 - Real Estate Weekly

1 of 13 | Next

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod recently purchased the 32,000-square-foot office building at N16 W23377 Stone Ridge Dr. in Pewaukee, from Bielinski Homes for $2.85 million.

The sale price is significantly lower than the assessed value for the property of $4.2 million, according to Waukesha County records.

A representatives for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod could not be reached for comment.
Bielinski plans to move its headquarters another location in Pewaukee, said Paul Bielinski, chief operating officer of Bielinski Homes.

"(The new location) will give us a better street presence," he said. "We found a new location that better suits our needs today."

RFP Commercial brokers Bob Flood and Scott Revolinski represented Bielinski Homes in brokering the transaction.

Bielinski Homes is the only tenant in the building and currently occupies about half of the building, said Jenna Johnson, marketing coordinator for RFP Commercial.

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s offices are currently located at 2929 N. Mayfair Road, Wauwatosa.

Bielinski Homes and other home builders have been adversely affected by the downturn in the housing market. Last year housing starts were down 71.3 percent from the market’s peak in 2004.
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GJ - Prizes will be awarded for the best names:

• First Prize - You get excommunicated before the month is over!
• Second Prize - $10.
• Third Prize - An all-expense trip to Mequon, to see how sausages disciples are manufactured.

Wedgie World. 

 

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "The Love Shack Is Moving: Enter the Contest To Fin...":

The Vatican!

Who can take a scandal, spin it into dew,
Cover it with falsehoods and a miracle or two?
The Vatican, oh the Vatican can!
The Vatican can 'cause they mix it up with love and make  the lies taste good.

Oh, who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream,
Cover up the sorrow and skim off all the cream?
The Vatican, oh the Vatican can.
The Vatican can 'cause they mix it up with love and make  the lies taste good.
(Apologies to "The Candyman Can.")

Readers Respond to District VP Don Patterson Getting Rid of Justification by Faith

raklatt (http://raklatt.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "With Heavy Hearts and Heavier Boots: Holy Word WE...":

The only Justification in the 6-1/2 pages from the group of so-called Evangelical Lutherans from Holy Word is a justification of the doctrine they teach. That doctrine is not Lutheran, has little or no Evangel, and no good news for the Krohns.

Admittedly, we might say it the clearest and most detailed explication of that false doctrine we have ever read. It is so plainly put that the errors stand out like a sore thumb.

No sore thumb is the Krohn reply. It, too, is clear and well detailed; an accurate treatment of what Lutheran doctrine is, even drawn from the marginal texts of the NIV. The leadership of Holy Word has had its preaching and teaching correctly judged. Instead of getting their backs up, those leaders should let go of the doctrines they have studied and study the doctrine of the Scriptures as properly taught in the Book of Concord.

An embarrassment in the situation is the fact that current and former high echelon leadership in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is key to the presentation of false doctrine.

The Krohns are not alone. Many WELS members have been treated in similar fashion though not so publicly. Others have just departed unnoticed. As the Scriptures point out, these situations exist to make manifest that which is correct.

Blessings, prayers, and thank-yous to and for the Krohns and all who have borne the cross while pointing out the errors or simply understanding them as such.


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arkos has left a new comment on your post "With Heavy Hearts and Heavier Boots: Holy Word WE...":

Fake Ichabod purported this same nonsense about the reformers always claiming two causes of justification (grace of God and merits of Christ). That is just not true. The Formula of Concord states:
25] For not everything that belongs to conversion belongs likewise to the article of justification, in and to which belong and are necessary only the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and faith, which receives this in the promise of the Gospel, whereby the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, whence we receive and have forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, sonship, and heirship of eternal life.
26] Therefore true, saving faith is not in those who are without contrition and sorrow, and have a wicked purpose to remain and persevere in sins; but true contrition precedes, and genuine faith is in or with true repentance [justifying faith is in those who repent truly, not feignedly].

They are taking a list of 3 and reducing it to 2. That is either deceptive or poor scholarship or both.

(I made the same comment on fake ichabod. They never posted it or answered it.)

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Someone wrote:
Arguing with UOJ'ers is utterly predictable. One can expect replies rife with imprecise, vague, and ambiguous terminology, commingling of theological truths (redemption, atonement, justification), non-refutation of the Calov and also R. Preus quotes--it's all there, every time. Wow, what a hasty process at HW! A quick purge from the system and jettisoned.

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On Luther Rocks, Joe Krohn's Blog - 

Daniel Baker said...

Joe,

I am nauseated by this travesty - I am also sickened by the erroneous differentiation these so-called leaders make between "Excommunication" and what they are doing to you. In fact, they *are* accusing you of unrepentant sin (i.e. maintaining false doctrine), and are prohibiting you from receiving the Blessed Sacrament in their fellowship (moreover, in our synodical fellowship). Despite what they call it, they *are* Excommunicating you.

In any event, I am behind you and your family. I am curious - are you allowed to attend the voter's meeting? Since you haven't been Excommunicated yet, I don't see how they could bar you from it. Moreover, do you intend to state your case with your fellow congregants? Your leadership may be off the deep-end, but are the sheep off the cliff with their "Shepherds" yet?

You and your family are in my prayers.

With Heavy Hearts and Heavier Boots: Holy Word WELS, Home of the District VP and Ex-Synod President, Both Church and Changers, Kick Joe and Lisa Krohn Out - In Christian Love

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Beginning the Formal Process of Termination of Fellowship and Our Response

Here is the letter we received from the Elders and Council of Holy Word Ev. Lutheran Church, Austin, Texas.  It is followed by our response that we sent today.  The dialog is long and tedious at times, but necessary.  The Holy Word letter is in the .jpg format and can easily be magnified depending on your browser and mouse settings.  Usually a left click will open the file in a different window and then continued left clicks will magnify if need be.  Our letter will format differently since we composed it in Word and will be much easier to view here.  We did notice a fragmented sentence on the last page of what we mailed to the Elders and Council and we have revised it here.

Kyrie, eleison!

2722 Lovett Lane

Cedar Park, Texas  78613

August 9, 2011

Mr. Matt Wordell

Mr. Brad Johnson

                              Holy Word Evangelical Lutheran Church

10601 Bluff Bend Drive

Austin, TX 78753

Re:  Termination of Fellowship

Dear Matt and Brad:

Thank you for your letter of July 31, 2011.  We pray that your hearts be lifted; for times like these drive us deep into His Word!

Psalm 119:10-16 “¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;
   do not let me stray from your commands.
¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart
   that I might not sin against you.
¹² Praise be to you, LORD;
   teach me your decrees.
¹³ With my lips I recount
   all the laws that come from your mouth.
¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes
   as one rejoices in great riches.
¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts
   and consider your ways.
¹⁶ I delight in your decrees;
   I will not neglect your word.” -NIV

We do not agree with your definition of Excommunication, but suffice it to say we are thankful that you have backed away from your position that our salvation may be in jeopardy as inferred in your communication of May 21, 2011.  Clearly stated; Excommunication is manifest impenitence for the breaking of God’s Law, not just manifest impenitence.  Otherwise you would be excommunicating us.  Neither are we denying the forgiveness of sins or the redemptive work of Jesus Christ as our response will show you.

We are deeply disappointed that the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod, Holy Word Lutheran Church, Pastor Patterson, Pastor Gurgel, Holy Word’s Elders and Holy Word’s Council

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continue to believe (since you are speaking for all) in the peculiar doctrine as laid out in your letter; by the extremely narrow context of three (albeit truncated in the third case) passages and almost three full pages of editorial by mere men.  Clearly you did not substantiate your position by using scripture regarding the chief article of our faith.

Regarding Doctrinal Error and Holy Word’s Impetus for Termination of Fellowship:

You chose to lead with Pastor Schaller’s essay (circa 1910) on 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.  Schaller was one of the Wauwatosa Theologians and it is ironic since their mantra was ’let scripture interpret scripture’; that he would hang his hat on four verses for this doctrine.  I believe it is quite presumptuous to conclude that if one does not believe as such that they may be a Synergist.  There is always a danger in believing we have anything to do with our salvation or even the salvation of others.  (i.e.:  saving souls.)  This is the Enthusiasm that is currently plaguing many ‘christian’ denominations via the Church Growth Movement and the Emergent ‘church’.

Let’s widen the angle a bit, shall we?  Here are the passages in context with my commentary italicized and in parenthesis (It is peculiar that Schaller would use a portion of the Bible that actually was referring to the relationship of the body of believers to each other.):

2 Corinthians 5:11- 21

¹¹ Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, (This is spoken by a believer to believers since unbelievers have no fear of God.) we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. ¹² We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. ¹³ If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us (Who is ‘us’?  Unbelievers are not compelled by Christ’s love.  Only believers are.), because we (Believers) are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.  (Those who live are the believers.  Unbelievers would not live for Christ.  Paul has set the context here and that is all these things are through faith in Christ.) ¹⁶ So from now on we (Believers) regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we (Believers) once regarded Christ in this way, we (Believers) do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is (believes) in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us (Believers) to himself through Christ and gave us (Believers) the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was (From a former time; not Calvary but the Garden of Eden; Gen. 3:15) reconciling (Not past tense but present; ongoing; from the Garden; otherwise how could Abraham et al be saved?) the world

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(God’s will is for all to be saved and has made salvation possible for all through faith in Christ as propitiator) to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. (Those who believe; unbelievers die in their sins.) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We (Believers) are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us (Believers). We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  (If all are justified, therefore forgiven and reconciled, why would Paul make an exhortation to ‘be reconciled to God’?) ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin^[a] for us, so that in him (in faith) we might become the righteousness of God.” -NIV (As in putting on the righteousness of Christ which comes through faith; Rom. 3:22.)

You continue your defense with an excerpt from the 2005 Buchholz essay that has just one Bible reference, which ironically speaks against your premise.  Furthermore, Buchholz is in error when he says that the Confessions equate justification and forgiveness in a general absolution to all mankind.  When the Confessions speak of justification it is always equated with regeneration.  The regenerates are the believers.

Here is the one Bible reference in your Buchholz excerpt with my comment:

“Psalm 32:1 “ ¹ Blessed is he
   whose transgressions are forgiven,
   whose sins are covered.
² Blessed is the man
   whose sin the LORD does not count against him
   and in whose spirit is no deceit.” (Again, who is blessed and forgiven?  Unbelievers?         No!  Do unbelievers have no deceit towards God?  Of course not.  Only believers are lacking deceit as they are in Christ.)

Proverbs 17:15 “¹⁵ Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
   the LORD detests them both.” -NIV

Unfortunately the Buchholz essay is equating the atonement for sin with the forgiveness of sins.  It is not the same thing.  Christ’s redemptive work (atonement) is Second Article doctrine of the Apostle’s Creed.  The Forgiveness of Sins is Third Article and is the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the Word and Sacraments.  This is why Pastor Patterson and the rest of you are in error when you teach a forgiveness of sins apart from hearing the Word; apart from the Holy Ghost.  If everyone is already forgiven, why bother with anything else?  By Buchholz’s own admission in his essay, he is ‘wresting terms in such a way that scriptures do not speak’.  The message of the Bible has always been that of repentance and the remissions of sins through faith in the Savior, Christ Jesus.

Your third point of defense is pulled from the WELS confession of faith re: Justification, in “This We Believe”.  Again, this (Romans 5:18 and truncated at that) is in the narrowest of contexts.  To put Romans 5 in context one must go back to chapters 3 and 4. 

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In Romans 3:19-26, God’s Word says (Commentary as before and all emphasis mine): 
“¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. ²⁰ Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (No one is righteous.  Period.)

 ²¹ But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. (Christ and His righteousness for all who receive Him in faith by the power of the Holy Spirit.) ²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. (We are in the context of faith now.) There is no difference, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (This is a parenthetical thought... All are sinners.  Period.) ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Verse 24 is no longer part of the parenthetical and refers back to verse 22 that all those who believe are righteous and therefore justified in His sight and not all men.)  ²⁵ God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,^[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” -NIV

Romans 4 goes on in detail in the example of Abraham, the father of our faith and transitions beautifully into chapter 5:

Romans 4:16 to 5:2

 “¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”^[c] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”^{[d] 19} Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (You have to realize that this faith that was given and worked by the Holy Spirit in Abraham enabled him to carry out the sacrifice of his son, Isaac; to the very enth degree.  Abraham already believed in the resurrection and that if Isaac died, God would raise Isaac from the dead to fulfill the promise of the Savior through Abraham’s seed.) ²² This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

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²³ The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, ²⁴ but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.  ¹ Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” -NIV

So far St. Paul has gone to great lengths to establish that it is Christ’s righteousness that justifies through faith alone.  By faith (worked by the Holy Ghost) we receive His righteousness and are therefore declared justified; forgiven.

Here is Romans 5:18 in context (the context of faith as established in chapters 3, 4 and beginning of 5); commentary again in parenthesis:

Romans 5:12-21

¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the offense. (This is key.  Not only is the gift opposite of the condemnation; bringing life, but watch how else it differs.) For if by the one man’s offense many died (all die), much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. (Notice it is to many; or for many but not on all.) ¹⁶ And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. (resulted in; not yet imputed to us but on the One who earned it.  On Christ!) ¹⁷ For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) (This is the key…those who receive…through the One…through faith!) ¹⁸ Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. (This verse is merely summarizing what has gone before.  Verse 19 is the more important verse.) ¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, (all men) so also by one Man’s obedience many (believers, since what has gone before tells you who the ‘many’ are.) will be made righteous. ²⁰ Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, ²¹ so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. -NKJV (This verse drives it home…’through Jesus Christ’, or in Christ; through faith in Christ.)

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A WELS pastor friend of mine succinctly states the problems associated with the confusing verbiage of many of WELS essays; even the statement of faith as laid out in ‘This We Believe’ as you have stated prior.

“...We ought not speak of people as being already justified before they are born.  The Confessions equate Justification with Regeneration.  Period.  And the Scriptures do the same.  Justification/The forgiveness of sins are Third Article doctrines, not Second Article doctrines.  The confusion is this, that when some people say "God has justified the world," they mean, "Christ died for the sins of the world."  But our sloppy use of the word "justify" has caused all sorts of problems.  The latter is "redemption," not "justification."  Some go so far as to say that God imputes the righteousness of Christ to all people.  This directly contradicts the passage you quoted above that says that "to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited (imputed) as righteousness." (- Romans 4:5 Ibid)

In Summary

We will not and cannot recant nor repent since we are not in error and we will in fact seek a capitulation from you and those you are claiming to represent; that Christ’s death on the cross did not ‘justify all men’, (nor forgive them before they were born) but rather atoned for their sins (Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed) and that sinners receive God’s grace, forgiveness and justification; Christ’s redemptive work in their place (propitiation) through faith alone in Christ worked by the Holy Ghost as it has been since the fall of man. (Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed)  It is God’s will that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-6).  Christ’s righteousness and forgiveness (that He won for all) is objectively for all men.  But it remains on Christ for the world (objectively) and is received through faith alone that is worked by the Holy Spirit.  To believe that all are already forgiven before faith (as Patterson preaches) or even saved (as the Buchholz paper claims); even prior to hearing the Word (Romans 10:17) through which the Holy Ghost works, you are separating the Word from the Holy Spirit.  This is blasphemy.

Justified by Grace for Christ’s sake through faith,

Joe and Lisa Krohn

A Good NNIV Post Followed by a Synod Minder.No! No! Ninevah!

Anonymous said...
I agree with the general sentiments. The translation is the soft-sell version of the Historical Critical method. I ask myself, if the translators were willing to mess with the gender, what other things did they change? Do we believe the Bible was inspired word-for-word, or did God inspire general concepts? An eighth grader confirmand would know better. Meanwhile I was told by an shall-remain-nameless seminary professor, regarding the NIV 2011 that "perhaps my faith isn't ready to understand why gender neutrality is okay, and that "every translation is treason".

If the WELS accepts the NIV 2011 it is siding with many other Sects who do not believe in plenary verbal inspiration. May this not be!!

But really, it shows how deep the systemic rot is in the WELS to show that the Synod (on any level) would even consider that translation. The Southern Baptists are even laughing at us--aghast that the WELS is struggling over the matter. (hanging my head)

I would hope that Confessional WELS pastors and congregations would tell the Synod "we will not use nor purchase any materials containing the NIV 2011, nor will we vouch for the orthodoxy of any church who uses the translation.

Tim Meyers
July 16, 2011 5:39 PM
　 http://stevebauer.ushttp://stevebauer.usHYPERLINK "http://stevebauer.us"Pastor Steve Bauer said...
Tim Meyers wrote:

"But really, it shows how deep the systemic rot is in the WELS to show that the Synod (on any level) would even consider that translation. The Southern Baptists are even laughing at us--aghast that the WELS is struggling over the matter. (hanging my head)"

I'm curious of where your proof is that Southern Baptists are laughing at us. The Baptists I am in contact with who are studying the NIV-11 (and other bibles) are seriously saddened that their own brothers rushed to a decision on this matter without studying it further. And by no means are they laughing at us. I hope you're speaking hyperbolically. Because if you're not, you'll have to produce evidence that a sizable amount of Baptists even know that the WELS exists (Most I've talked to don't). But in addition to that, you'll have to produce evidence that they are indeed laughing at us.

Also, you'll also have to show how considering the NIV-11 as a translation option for our synod proves that there is "systemic rot" in the WELS.

You bring forth serious charges against our church. Unless you bring forth real and substatial proof, I have no choice but to conclude that you are breaking the 8th commandment.

If you really do think that the WELS is in error for considering the NIV-11 as a translation option, then this is not the forum to speak of such things first. Speak to your pastor, congregational president, circuit pastor, in keeping with Matthew 18.

Why does this blog tolerate such flagrant breaking of the 8th commandment unchecked?

--Pastor Steve Bauer
July 17, 2011 11:34 AM 

Some things don't look right from the start. Ya know what I'm sayin'?

Join These Jolly People in Mocking the Means of Grace

But, can anyone get lower than WELS Pastor Scott Oelhafen preaching, I Am So Glad Jesus Rode a Hog - to celebrate the Harley Davidson franchise?
Steve Jobs is a nominal Lutheran. How about an Apple Sunday? That would be suitable for The CORE - they use Apples.

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California:

Re:The youtube of the "mocking of the Means of Grace" .   The choice of Dr. Seuss characters complete with costumes may not be be so far out considering the context of where synods are heading.   Dr. Seuss books may have more to do with the lowered literacy of recent generations  in general when phonics method of teaching reading was abandoned or diluted in favor of "look say" method.   The timing wasn't too far removed from the timing of the KJV having been dispatched to the waste baskets.

Dr. Theodore Geisel, the real name of the author of the Dr. Seuss books, wrote the books in response to a request of someone from a text book company.   The request was that he write a book (books) for early elementary grade reading, using no more than 348 words, limited to 225 words per book.  The Cat in the Hat was the first.  That can be documented on Wikipedia and many other sources with a simple google search. The books were instrumental in supporting the replacing of phonics with "look say" method of teaching reading which contributed mightily to the dumbing down of a couple generations. In later life,  Dr.Geisel is reported to have said he regretted the association of his work with the "look say" method of teaching reading.

So it's not  too much of a stretch that Dr. Seuss characters would be featured  by that pathetic display, when the NNIV is being seriously considered as acceptable.  If it weren't for copyright obstacles, NNIV could be promoted as the  Dr.Seuss Bible for literacy challenged pew occupants.

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This style of writing also appeared to be in Dr. Geisel's nature. During WWII, he was assigned to write training manuals for the US Army. He was re-assigned when the manuals sounded too much like what we would call a "Dr. Suess" book today.

Baazboy
 

When WELS Offers Money Management Courses, Think Prairie du Chien: Millions Spent for a Prison

bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Judgment Day Approaches for the LCMS Seminaries":

http://www.wi-doc.com/prairie_du_chien.htm

INSTITUTION INFORMATION
The State of Wisconsin purchased this facility in 1995 to be used as a Juvenile Correctional Institution for non-assaultive male youthful offenders. The main grounds and the majority of the buildings were originally constructed in the mid 1900s. The facility originally served as a Jesuit High School and later as a Lutheran Preparatory High School. Due to the decreases of juvenile offender population in the Division of Juvenile Corrections, the Legislature in the 1997 Senate Bill 113, authorized the Department of Corrections to temporally utilize this facility for the Division of Adult Institutions.

The Importance of Original Preaching

The post below, Faith Comes from the Preached Word of God, should lead all ministers and laity to the same conclusion as Luther's - the preaching of the Word is the most important aspect of the Christian Church.

Each week offers plenty of time to prepare a faithful sermon and write it out. That is the first priority. Second is pastoral visitation and education of the young. Gym workouts are acceptable if the minister gives the Word a workout during the week.

One way to prepare is to ditch the ridiculous Church of Rome three-year lectionary and return to the historic one-year, which is used in The Lutheran Hymnal and Lenker's Sermons of Luther. Then, read this sermon to the family, during the week, as leader of the household. Lenker often has long versions of the sermon and multiple copies. Ideas, illustrations, and Biblical interpretation are wrapped into one inexpensive but priceless package.

Starting perhaps on Thursday or Friday, the sermon should be written out completely. Writing is the most organized form of communication. Our thoughts are a jumble. Conversation is wordy and repetitive. Writing puts all the thoughts in order and develops them. "Writing makes a precise mind." The sermon should be delivered without the manuscript. The minister may need a short outline to stay on track. Walther wrote about having the complete manuscript there, but preaching freely. Many of us are too anxious and will fall into reading from the manuscript rather than simply using it as our blankie.

A Biblical text has its own outline. Each verse is a point. Stop when finished. A well prepared sermon will have an hour's worth of material available in spoken form. Good writing is more like an iceberg. Most of the preparation is concealed. Getting up in the pulpit and winging it does not work but the minister has a lid of ice under him, not an ice mountain. When preaching without preparation, he is likely to sink "beneath the waves with watery groan, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown."

The Book of Concord and Lenski have many good insights to add. Thanks to the Net, a minister can drop Luther quotes, Book of Concord citations, and Lenski into the text. The digital Lenski and Luther will give the exact citation with the copy and paste. Does Groeschel offer that? No.

I may be unusual in this regard, but I like to put a lot of good quotations at the end. The quotations I use are ones that I have collected over the years. All of them have citations, and they are free for anyone to use. I would rather read good material over and over than look for a fresh and exciting heretical statement designed for itching ears.

The printed sermon ought to be posted for everyone to read. Mark 4 (Matthew 13) teaches us to scatter the Word the way the Sower broadcasts the seed. Google Blogger makes it easy to post the sermon. The Bethany Lutheran Worship blog has sermons only and almost nothing else. Look at the map. People all over the world are using it daily. Plagiarists are not going to blog their sermons, because it is too easy to match them up with the original authors - who are never Lutheran.

I do not think that linking the audio is adequate. That will not work for many people. I never bother with someone's audio file. I doubt whether Granny in Wachahootchie Falls is going to use it either. Video files can be useful because the home-bound person is a part of the church service that way. As one man with ALS said, "I feel like I am there with you when I watch the video." Previously we had audio files for him to hear.

Video is fairly easy to manage, inexpensive to start. We are using Ustream right now. Bumping off the ads is going to cost members $4 a month. A large church could do that by paying the group fee, which is $100. There are other approaches, but all it takes is broadband and a $100 camera. One independent congregation uploads the file later. We broadcast live and save the file.  

The Sermon is the Big Picture If the Christian Church is the way in which people receive grace, then the congregation and pastor are obliged to provide this grace as lavishly as possible. People do not come to church to be beat up by the Law and handed more Law as their medicine. That works with cults but it does not advance the Gospel.

The sermon is the primary Means of Grace in the Christian Church. The neo-crypto-papists want to elevate Holy Communion to that position. We provide Holy Communion each week for various reasons, but the preached Word is first. Holy Communion as the visible Word has far more meaning if it follows a real sermon that conveys Christ to the audience.

The congregation has many ways to support or undermine the sermon. I receive nothing but support from the readers and listeners, but my situation is unusual.

Members undermine the sermon by making the pastor the Keeper of the Flower Chart, the Man Responsible for Why the Church is Dirty on Sunday Morning, and the Main Reason Why Aunt Matilda Quit.

I am convinced that a Means of Grace congregation will exemplify what Luther taught about the Scriptures.

Faith Comes from the Preached Word of God

The Universal Objective Justification fanatics have no concept of the Gospel. Their screams of rage prove it, whenever they are challenged. Romans 10 is a powerful refutation of their Enthusiastic fantasies. People without any knowledge of Christ, without any faith in Him, are declared forgiven, absolved, and saved! - even before they are born.

"Faith comes from hearing" is far too truncated to encapsulate what Paul teaches in Romans 10.

KJV Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The Word (rema) is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the Word (rema) of faith, which we preach; One might translate (rema) as utterance.

Understood with Paul's many statements about one, harmonious, God-given doctrine, the term has the sense of being the solemn declaration of God's truth, as revealed by the Holy Spirit.

KJV Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Once again, Paul teaches justification by faith, which is not the same at the atoning death of Christ. One must be carefully trained in the double-back flips of warmed-over Pietism - to start with salvation without faith and descend to the necessity of works. Oh yes, the UOJ fanatics plunk their victims into cell groups and order them to study the eructations of favored dungeon-masters. You cannot transform your life unless you perform your works of atonement in your cell group.

KJV Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The next verse clearly reveals the salvation story: KJV Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report (akoe)? The report is the proclamation, the message. Luther translated, "Who has believed our preaching?"

This citation connects the most famous Suffering Servant passage in Isaiah to Paul's lesson:

KJV Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report (akoe in the Greek Septuagint)? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4 Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Paul is teaching the importance of preaching the pure Word of God, not the ravings of Groeschel and Stanley, because faith comes from preaching the utterances of God.

KJV Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing (akoe), and hearing (akoe) by the Word of God. Luther translated, "So then faith comes from preaching, and preaching from the Word of God."

LUO Romans 10:17 So kommt der Glaube aus der Predigt, das Predigen aber aus dem Wort Gottes.

Notice the flow of Luther's words - "So comes Faith from Preaching, Preaching however from the Word of God." Although the phrasing is a bit odd, we could translate, "Faith comes from hearing the proclamation, this proclamation from the Word of God."

Luther preserves the original intent better than the English, which keeps going downhill. Here is the Nineveh, Murdoch's New

NNIV - Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. The Mequon Sausage Factory, so named by Jay Webber and the ELS, is hotter than Georgia asphalt about the NNIV. The Murdoch Living Bible is by idiots, for idiots.

How About This, Sports Fans?

Anonymous said on Intrepid Lutherans

hm. Interesting. I certainly didn't mean to put you on the spot. That's a mighty coincidence. I still say you made a mighty fine point in that letter.

And that of course brings up the question: If that's what you believe about Objective Justification, (and there are certainly many who agree) then it's time to call an ol' Reformation-style Council so that we Orthodox Believers can reaffirm Justification as taught by the Lutheran Confessions--and condemn and repudiate the sectarian belief of Objective Justification.

And wouldn't that make the job of reforming the WELS easier? I mean, if we currently have an Enthusiastic Justification (one where people are justified apart from or before the Means of Grace) is it any surprise that Enthusiasm is popping up everywhere? And conversely, if we repudiate UOJ because it IS Enthusiasm the tone of the conversation will be set so that we can eliminate so many other heterodox practices.

If we fight for a major reform of the doctrine of Justification we will have all the tools at hand to teach the people to apply the idea that 'God only works through the means of Grace' to everything we as WELS churches do.

Tim Meyers

Proof Copy of The Story of Jesus in PicturesAvailab, Free Download

The Martin Chemnitz Press storefront at Lulu.com

The children's book is almost done. I have sent some proof copies to a few people. Anyone can download all the MCP books for free, from the link posted above. Lulu offers short-term discounts.

I posted the latest discount offer above.

I am especially interested in opinions about the new book. It has a lot of potential for mission work because it is the basic Biblical story in beautiful four-color pages.

The entire book is in color. Each painting by Norma Boeckler has a simple caption, aimed at explaining the context as simply as possible. A condensed version of the Biblical Gospel is found at the end. I am thinking of adding the Biblical citation for each picture, following the caption.

This represents a lot of labor for the artist, but Norma says this is her favorite form of art.

Right now it is available all over the world for free.

That says something for this little congregation, held in such contempt by the Lutheran leaders who have to peddle Thrivent insurance to stay in the black.

David Barnhardt Added To Blog List

I added the David Barnhardt blog to the blog list on the left (farther down). I may do more of Blog This! in the future, when I put a link up to feature stories.

Pastor Barnhardt and I were early refuseniks who did not go along with the ELCA merger. Barnhardt exposed what Herb Chilstrom was doing in Minnesota, which probably helped Chilstrom become ELCA Bishop.

This is the core of the story. The Minnesota district of the LCA had a program to treat young sex offenders. The entire family was assaulted with x-rated pornography for several days. Chilstrom refused to view the films, but defended the program, part of Lutheran Social Services.

Chilstrom's adopted son committed suicide. Some think that event was behind Herb's gay activism campaign. Long ago and far away, I had lunch with Herb at one of those clergy gatherings for pastors ordained a certain length of time. He was quite pleasant, interested in my dissertation about A. D. Mattson, his professor at Augustana Seminary in Rock Island.

The Minnesota radicals (Chilstrom, Hanson) leveraged the NWC-Jungkuntz potential of ELCA. David Preus and James Crumley--the ALC and LCA presidents at the time of merger--now regret the formation of ELCA. Big egos, big plans - big mistake.

Readers should pay attention to the LCMC and NALC as they form. Both groups have women's ordination established. Missouri and WELS wink at their own examples of women pastors. They will switch rather than fight.

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Kansas Lutherans

Bishop Crumley made the statement to a gathering of over 500 clergy and laity last Saturday, Jan. 9, at a gathering sponsored by Orthodox Lutherans of South Carolina. You can read more about them here.

“I conclude that there is no evidence based on the text of Scripture which permits or mandates the change as stated in the new policy adopted at the assembly(churchwide). The action rather was unconstitutional and violated a part of the Confession of Faith. On that basis, the appropriate question is whether the ELCA is still without question a faithful and confessing church. I conclude that the ELCA has placed itself in a precarious position.”