Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Calvinist News Tries To Review Treasures from Luther's House Postils, Fails.
Jesus' Blind Man Parable Comes To Mind

 The wrong illustration was used by the editor. He could have emailed me for the correct one.

Review: Treasures From Luther’s House Postils, by Gregory L. Jackson, February 17, 2020 Issue, CN

Introduction by OJist Phil Hale, cub editor of CN. Alleged review by Pastor Jonathan Reprecht, WELS pastor, certified OJ advocate.

From Hale - lots of laughs -

"More attention should be given to Luther’s sermons. They at one time had a place in most Lutherans’ houses. But to have 37 pages, including strange advertising, out of multiple volumes of Luther’s sermons, cannot give but a taste.

Every serious Lutheran should read Luther’s postils. Many seem to be available online for free, since the recent Baker published version is partially based on the Lenker edited edition of Luther’s works (The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin Luther), which is now in the public domain. The newest volumes of Luther’s Works (CPH) is (sic) also re-translating many of Luther’s sermons. [GJ - Please translate this glossolalia!]

Since the real thing is available at no cost, there is no need to settle for a select bite, edited by someone who denies what Luther taught on justification and thinks he is virtually the only orthodox Lutheran in American (sic) today. Rather than just promoting Luther’s teaching, he cannot help but promoting himself. –ed."

[Here endeth the Hale storm.]

GJ - We have provided the House Postils at a bargain cost in the printed version, especially when ordered at the author's price. We have also provided them at 99 cents on Kindle, and free as a merged set of all three plus the Treasures - PDF.

The purpose of the set was to make them more available, portable as Kindles and as free PDFs, and non-profit. 

The Treasures volume is a low cost way of introducing the set when they have been largely overlooked. 



People appreciated the Gems volume of the Lenker Luther Sermons (8 volumes) so I decided to create one for the House Postils.

Hale has no argument for Justification without Faith, so he indulges himself in personal attacks, at the level of a middle school remedial English student. Even then he would get a D for not matching the subject to the verb and failing to follow through on parallel constructions.


Lazy Ruprecht - Typical WELS Hot Air Merchant

Ruprecht seems as unsettled - dealing with Luther's words - as Hale is. The first part is a hilarious, uncited, unsourced monologue on exactly who wrote the House Postils. Using sharp research skills, perhaps from the Dummies Guide to Luther, Ruprecht has thrown doubt upon the historical postils simply by wondering which words Luther really wrote. Too bad the age of synoptic Gospel comparisons is over. He could have attained tenure at Mordor or even the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie. (Are you related to Gaylin Schmeling? Sorry, can't hire you.)

The same logic could be applied to Law and Gospel, by another Calvinist, CFW Walther. He lectured and someone took notes. Also, Luther's final version of Galatians - he lectured from an outline, and notes were taken. But Luther agreed to what they took down, so no one says, "He never really wrote them, though scholars are still divided."

Ruprecht - 
"The supplementary information mentioned above takes up 10 of the book’s 37 pages. It is all interesting yet sometimes a bit frustrating due to the lack of details to satisfy the curiosity that is stimulated. Pastor Gregory Jackson is the editor, and he compiled his vignettes from the work of one of his members, Alec Satin, who published Luther’s complete House Postils in three volumes. But others have also published this three-volume compilation, and all seem to agree that it is very difficult to do so without extensive research in the notes of the original German Weimar Ausgabe of Luther’s works. Even Concordia Publishing House reportedly refrained from publishing this work due to the accuracy questions."
[Here endeth Ruprecht.]

I have the House Postils (three volumes) edited by Eugene Klug, who is far more credible than Ruprecht. CPH despises Luther and Justification by Faith, and their treatment of the 500th Anniversary is a shame.

Lazy Ruprecht could have asked for details by email or phone, since he is so interested in playing the role of the wise professor. This was a joint project between Alec Satin, Norma A. Boeckler, and me. 

By lowering prices and making everything free, our participants expect to see these works carried over into the next generation, not buried by neglect as so many books were before. 

Some Lutheran individuals have reprinted old classics, but they are scattered. We are trying to gather them into several distribution points, where they can be used in America and for world missions.


Sixth Lesson Tonight - Pilgrim's Progress - 7 PM


SIXTH LESSON

The Gate Beyond the Dark River

After many discussions between the believers and fellow travelers like Atheist and Ignorance, Pilgrim and Hopeful discovered they could not reach the Celestial City until they crossed the Dark River, which had no bridge. P. 171
They entered the Dark River with fearfulness and difficulties, but they were helped in cross from life into eternal life.
Then I saw in my dream, that Christian was as in a muse a while. To whom also Hopeful added this word, Be of good cheer, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole; and with that Christian brake out with a loud voice, Oh, I see him again! and he tells me, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.” [Isa. 43:2] Then they both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as a stone, until they were gone over. Christian therefore presently found ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of the river was but shallow. Thus they got over. Now, upon the bank of the river, on the other side, they saw the two shining men again, who there waited for them; wherefore, being come out of the river, they saluted them, saying, We are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those that shall be heirs of salvation. Thus they went along towards the gate. P. 173
The descriptions of Heaven which follow are full of glorious citations from  the Scriptures. Here is one passage –
Now while they were thus drawing towards the gate, behold a company of the heavenly host came out to meet them; to whom it was said, by the other two Shining Ones, These are the men that have loved our Lord when they were in the world, and that have left all for his holy name; and he hath sent us to fetch them, and we have brought them thus far on their desired journey, that they may go in and look their Redeemer in the face with joy. Then the heavenly host gave a great shout, saying, “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” [Rev. 19:9] There came out also at this time to meet them, several of the King’s trumpeters, clothed in white and shining raiment, who, with melodious noises, and loud, made even the heavens to echo with their sound. These trumpeters saluted Christian and his fellow with ten thousand welcomes from the world; and this they did with shouting, and sound of trumpet. P. 177

Ignorant Removed – Wedding Feast Garment Lacking

Ignorance did not have his certificate, so he was not greeted and not allowed into Heaven. Instead he was carried out and placed into a shute that led to Perdition, illustrating the wedding feast parable where one guess came without a proper garment and was thrown out to Hell, where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Now while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance come up to the river side; but he soon got over, and that without half that difficulty which the other two men met with. For it happened that there was then in that place, one Vain-hope, a ferryman, that with his boat helped him over; so he, as the other I saw, did ascend the hill, to come up to the gate, only he came alone; neither did any man meet him with the least encouragement. P. 179
So they told the King, but he would not come down to see him, but commanded the two Shining Ones that conducted Christian and Hopeful to the City, to go out and take Ignorance, and bind him hand and foot, and have him away. Then they took him up, and carried him through the air to the door that I saw in the side of the hill, and put him in there. Then I saw that there was a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction. Matthew 22:1-14
What of my dross thou findest there, be bold
To throw away, but yet preserve the gold;
What if my gold be wrapped up in ore?—
None throws away the apple for the core.
But if thou shalt cast all away as vain,
I know not but ’twill make me dream again.


Part Two Christiana’s Story

After the overwhelming success of The Pilgrim’s Progress, with a phenomenal number of books sold for that time – 100,000 – Bunyan wrote Part Two, Christiana’s Story, not as a second book, but as a continuation of the original. However, many editions only include the first part, which make those works more portable, but leave the readers to imagine the family enduring the sorrows of the City of Destruction. The Lutheran Librarian’s printed and online versions contain both parts. The third part did not come from Bunyan, but from someone who hitched a ride on his fame, like the publisher who wrote a Lutheran blog filled with verbatim (but uncited) biographies from The Catholic Encyclopedia – and even linked them shamelessly on LutherQuest.
Part Two has a lengthy opening in poetry, compared to the first part getting involved in the urgency of leaving the City of Destruction and trying to include Christian’s wife. The narrative in this part starts with Christiana realizing she should have gone with her husband, repenting of that error, and telling their four sons about the need to take the same pilgrimage.
The family passed through the Slough of Despond and entered through the Wicket Gate.

Interpreter’s House, P. 220


Christiana was shown new lessons at the Interpreter’s House. After the muck-rake is the spider.

INTERPRETER. That prayer, Said the Interpreter, has lain by till it is almost rusty. ‘Give me not riches,’ is scarce the prayer of one of ten thousand (Prov. 30:8). Straws, and sticks, and dust, with most, are the great things now looked after. With that Mercy and Christiana wept, and said, It is, alas! too true. When the Interpreter had shown them this, He has them into the very best room in the house; a very brave room it was. So He bid them look round about, and see if they could find anything profitable there. Then they looked round and round; for there was nothing there to be seen but a very great spider on the wall: and that they overlooked.
MERCY. Then said Mercy, Sir, I see nothing; but Christiana held her peace.
INTERPRETER. But, said the Interpreter, look again, and she therefore looked again, and said, Here is not anything but an ugly spider, who hangs by her hands upon the wall. Then said He, Is there but one spider in all this spacious room? Then the water stood in Christiana’s eyes, for she was a woman quick of apprehension; and she said, Yea, Lord, there is here more than one. Yea, and spiders whose venom is far more destructive than that which is in her. The Interpreter then looked pleasantly upon her, and said, Thou hast said the truth. This made Mercy blush, and the boys to cover their faces, for they all began now to understand the riddle. Then said the Interpreter again, ‘The spider taketh hold with their hands (as you see), and is in kings’ palaces’ (Prov. 30:28). And wherefore is this recorded, but to show you, that how full of the venom of sin soever you be, yet you may, by the hand of faith, lay hold of, and dwell in the best room that belongs to the King’s house above!
CHRISTIANA. I thought, said Christiana, of something of this; but I could not imagine it all. I thought that we were like spiders, and that we looked like ugly creatures, in what fine room soever we were; but that by this spider, this venomous and ill-favored creature, we were to learn how to act faith, that came not into my mind. And yet she has taken hold with her hands, as I see, and dwells in the best room in the house. God has made nothing in vain. Then they seemed all to be glad; but the water stood in their eyes; yet they looked one upon another, and also bowed before the Interpreter.



Thank You to Alec Satin, Lutheran Librarian, for Kings and Priests

Lenski is closely identified with Capital University and the ALC.

 Cap Seminary got themselves into insolvency with their radicalism - now they are merely a department of the school.

 Lenski's Kings and Priests


Dear Pastor Jackson!!!
 
I see on Ichabod this morning that you list access to Lenski's Kings and Priests! Thank you, thank you thank you! You don't know how long I have been looking for this book and now I have one on order. I am now reading in Lenski's " Revelation" book, the last one for me to read in his 12 volume set. I also have 2 of his Eisenach selection series. I have seen Kings and Priests referred to quite a few times in these volumes and wanted to read it--and now you have found it and I can! I am 81 years old and have prayed that the Lord would let me live long enough to finish reading Lenski's New Testament Commentaries and He has answered my prayers (almost--still have about 150 pages to go) Again, thank you so much for introducing me to Lenski some years ago--I sure would never have known about him from my "conservative" Lutheran pastors!
 
May the Lord continue to bless you!

We give these away as ebooks - much appreciated. I use them all the time.

This Foundational Doctrine Is Almost Forgotten But Still at Work


I stopped by a page dedicated to In View of Faith, a term used in opposition to Calvin's strange and blasphemous denial of the Holy Spirit always at work in the Word. The Appleton Gang wanted to condemn me, using the Latin term, but got it wrong. The Latin is intuitu fidei. Their version was Inuitu fidei - reminding me that the Eskimos are also called Inuits.

Someone said on the page, "That is my hope! We've certainly put in the effort to try and convince a few. Maybe it will pay off."

I hastened to reply, "The Word is always effective. Isaiah 55:8ff." I know from my own experience that this foundational doctrine is not taught and embraced by Lutherans. In the LCMS-WELS, I remembered with irony that the last person to express this in front of pastors was a liberal LCA bishop. He said, "The Word does all the work." And I heard an Assembly of God minister express this doctrine by quoting the Isaiah passage, when we visited his church in Wheaton:

Isaiah 55:8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

[Note the three-fold promise - like the rain and snow,

  1. God's Word is never lacking in effectiveness, expressed as a litotes, double negative, no exceptions possible.
  2. God's Word will accomplish what He pleases.
  3. God's Word will prosper what He has willed.]

12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

The Calvinists, on their way from rationalism to atheism, put all their emphasis on planning, marketing, and telling God what He must do to please them - for example - "10% growth in membership and income in the next three years." (Posted on an Episcopalian bulletin board, after the priest attended Fuller Seminary. I always research bulletin boards.)

However, the Scriptures put all the emphasis on faith and the Gospel Word.

God's Word springs up like new seed scattered on freshly raked, rich-in-organics soil. We are not snow covered, so we have daffodils sprouting and starting to bloom for Valentine's Day. North of us, the snow is protecting the ocean of life beneath, ready to melt later and give everything a special boost. Winter bulbs grow up to the surface during winter and sprout roots, the top part checking to see if it is really spring (and bulb opinions vary). When the signal is clear, the grey-brown gardens will be dazzling with yellows, oranges, whites, and fresh greens, all too cold for the greedy bugs.

Our little group has about 200 book titles in print or in ebooks.

Everything we do at Bethany is non-profit and public domain. When I am finally dead, as one critic wished, the same Biblical doctrines that plagued and unhorsed the Calvinist-Lutherans will be freely available for years to come. Moreover, one set will be free PDFs, easily shared. Another set will be free Word documents, available for use in translating, editing, distributing in various forms. All our media ministries work the same way, modular, not dictated by DNA or politics.

 Why are Lutherans asleep, not at all alarmed at the Biblical text being corrupted by the modernists, the seminary professors in love with rationalism, the synod leaders in bed with ELCA, abortion, and popcorn entertainment services? They have not sharpened their senses with Biblical debate.

The Indiana district bishop visited a pastor and said, in love, "You are getting people upset. Buy a book of sermons and read them." Result? - ELCA.

 They are harder to get rid of than a time-share in California. 


Efficacy Motherlode - Utterly Lacking on LQ and Christian News and the Lutheran Seminaries (All of Them, From ELCA on up to the CLC's)