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| Like a Pilgrim's Progress example, Harrison demonstrates how the beloved NIV twists the text of Romans to yield Objective Justification - "all" are justified, though the Greek text does not and has never yielded that falsehood. |
The Luther sermon is for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany.
The Harrision quotations are from Paid in Full, LCMS - From It All Rests on Christ.
Harrison - "The world has been “justified” according to the New Testament. This means that the most important thing in Christianity is not how I feel about Jesus, or came to believe in Jesus, or my experience of Jesus (though all these things are certainly not unimportant)."
Luther - "2. But what is this unbelief able to do? It sees nothing but what it experiences. It does not experience life, salvation and safety; but instead the waves coming into the boat and the sea threatening them with death and every danger. And because they experience these things and give heed to them and turn not their fear from them, trembling and despair can not be suppressed. Yea, the more they see and experience it the harder death and despair torment them and every moment threatens to devour them. But unbelief cannot avoid such experiences and cannot think otherwise even for a second. For it has nothing besides to which it can hold and comfort itself, and therefore it has no peace or rest for a single minute. And thus will it also be in perdition, where there will be nothing but despair, trembling and fear, and that without end.
3. But had they had faith, it would have driven the wind and the waves of the sea out of their minds, and pictured before their eyes in place of the wind and tempest the power and grace of God, promised in his Word; and it would have relied upon that Word, as though anchored to an immovable rock and would not float on the water, and as though the sun shined brightly and all was calm and no storm was raging. For it is the great characteristic and power of faith to see what is not visible, and not to see what is visible, yea, that which at the time drives and oppresses us; just as unbelief can see only what is visible and can not in the least cleave to what is invisible."
Harrison - "The big thing is the cross and resurrection. Everything for my salvation, and the salvation of the whole world, Jesus accomplished in Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago."
Luther: "4. Therefore God bestows faith to the end that it should deal not with ordinary things, but with things no human being can master as death, sin, the world and Satan. For the whole world united is unable to stand before death, but flees from and is terrified by it, and is also conquered by it; but faith stands firm, opposes death that devours everything, and triumphs over it and even swallows the unsatiable devourer of life. In like manner no one can control or subdue the flesh, but it reigns everywhere in the world, and what it wills must be done, so that the whole world thereby is carnal; but faith lays hold of the flesh and subdues and bridles it, so that it must become a servant. And in like manner no one can endure the rage, persecution, and blasphemy, infamy, hatred and envy of the world; every one retreats and falls back exhausted before it, it gets the upper hand over all and triumphs; and if they are without faith it mocks them besides and treads all under its feet, and takes pleasure and delight in doing so."
Harrison: "One of my seminary professors explained it this way: If someone puts a million dollars into a bank account for you and you simply refuse to believe it, and thus gain no benefit from it, it does not mean that the money’s not there! Faith is simply recognizing the facts, and the bank card is the means to get at the fortune! The world has been reconciled to God in Christ, believe it or not. That makes our task of sharing the Gospel simple. It’s about telling folks they’re broke (repent!), but they’ve got a treasure with their name on it. “'Here! It’s yours! It’s done! Believe it!'”
Luther: "5. Further, who could conquer Satan with his innumerable, subtle suggestions and temptations, by which he hinders the truth and God’s Word, faith and hope, and starts so many false doctrines, sects, seductions, heresies, doubts, superstitions and innumerable abominations? The whole world compared with him is like a spark of fire compared with a fountain of water. All must be here subject to him; as we also see, hear and understand. But it is faith that keeps him busy, and it not only stands before him invulnerable, but also reveals his roguery and puts him to shame, so that his deception fails and he faints and falls; as now takes place with his indulgences and his papacy. Just so no one can allay and quiet the least sin, but it bites and devours the conscience, so that nothing avails even if the whole world were to comfort and support such a person, he must be cast down into perdition. Here faith is a hero, it appeases all sins, even if they were as many as the whole world had committed.
6. Is there now not something almighty and inexpressible about faith that it can withstand all our powerful enemies and gain the victory, so that St. John says in his first Epistle 1 John 5:4: “This is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith?” Not that this is done in peace and by quietly resting; for it is a battle that is carried on not with out wounds and shedding of blood."
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| Pay close attention to the LCMS-ELS-WELS-CLC (sic) building and correcting. Church Growth from the Calvinists is doctrinally neutral, which means it does not work for any synod, sect, or cult. Objective Justification was taught from the very beginning - as in "Abraham did not believe the Messianic Promises, and the entire world was declared righteous anyway." |
GJ - Harrison, Schroeder, and Pope John the Malefactor have conspired to unite their sects on the basis of false doctrine. This little article by Harrison reveals his disrespect for faith, compared to Luther praise of faith, which is created and nurtured by the efficacious Gospel Word.
Harrison's words are a jumble, because he tries to ride two horses at once - Halle Pietism/OJ as taught by Stephan and Walther, and a weak version of the Means of Grace (the horse headed for the rendering plant).
Harrison's nod toward the Means of Grace is quite meaningless, because the term is used only to placate traditional Lutherans. He leads with OJ and that remains his Helen of Troy, his Rosebud, his Little League trophy.
For those who know that Romans 5:1-2 is perfectly clear and needs no improvement, pay attention to the OJ Stormtroopers' denigrating remarks about faith and their praise of the
- "entire world declared righteous at the resurrection" or
- alternately "at the cross" or even
- "when the angels greeted the shepherds."
