ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
Gottesdienst, one of more pretentious names for a faction, is taking over where Calvinist News left off.
GJ - I assume that Professor Schulz did not comply with the orders from Zwischenzeits Präsident Wilhelm Cario. The animosity in this letter is way over the top and shows no respect for a member of the faculty.
I would like to say that universities are above this kind of dumping on one of their own. However, our culture seems to tolerate the abuse of others, from the top down.
District President John Wille came from WELS, even graduated from Mordor, only a few miles from the LCMS college campus. I recall that Wille had warm relations with Mark Jeske (WELS shadow SP) and broke the ice by chumming with Jeske. Maybe they had a GA hazing event together. Nothing solidifies the WELS brethren like physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, capped by smokes and alcohol.
Wille ordered Schulz to stop defending himself? I know LCMS-WELS are obtuse about Luther and Lutheran doctrine, but could they - one day - show a modicum of respect for the Four Freedoms (The Bill of Rights, for WELS graduates.)
Courts recognize a violation of basic rights, and Cario seems to be in a fragile position as interim. I had WELS-LCMS guys (unqualified to teach anywhere) try to keep me from teaching. I am in my 20th year. If my status is changed, I have several other opportunities. It is good to rely on little because then there is so little to be taken away.
John 14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I AM the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
6 λεγει αυτω ο ιησους εγω ειμι η οδος και η αληθεια και η ζωη; ουδεις ερχεται προς τον πατερα ει μη δι εμου
The double negative (no one...except) removes any chance for an except. English is Greek plus some Latin and German.
This is one of the most important passages for our Age of Apostasy. So many have been beguiled into thinking such idiocies as "All truths are God's truths. All roads lead to Him." That may seem good in an Introduction to Buddhism class, but it is contrary to the Scriptures.
The aim of false religions is to make all religions the same, and that leads to Satanism. If anyone doubts that, read a little about the connections between the the ultra-rich and the occult, that is, Satanic cults.
The is the key verse on whether all roads lead to God, because "the way" is literally the Greek word for road. The road out of slavery was the Exodus. Some might call it a path, too. One cult called itself The Way recently, but Jesus is The Way.
This shows how the Gospel of John anticipated all kinds of error in the future and gave clear, exacting statements to preserve the truth. Just as important, this verse is clarified even more by the second part, which reinforces the first part - for our benefit. Reinforcing is very important, as we can see in cement, a very tough material. However, if it is not reinforced by steel bars, or they rust from water seepage, the same building material becomes as fragile as cookie.
There are not many truths that somehow point in the right direction. There can only be one truth in a universe created by the Logos, the Son of God, acting to execute the commands of God the Father, witnessed by the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1 and John 1).
We can easily dismiss other claims because there is only one truth and Jesus expressed it simply and powerfully.
The life is far beyond what we normally think of as life. This is not biological life, which is bios in Greek, but eternal life, by implication. People who do not believe in Jesus Christ have many notions of life, such as a Presbyterian saying she liked the concept of reincarnation. Scriptural evidence to the contrary did not persuade her at the time. Some think simply that life ends when we stop breathing. Jesus talked about life in abundance, and not filling stadiums, but receiving the blessings of faith, which are uncountable.
The second part proves that the first part of verse 6 is without contradiction or subordination to other concepts. Note that this is just as simple and plain in Greek as it is in English. The New Testament, especially John, can easily be translated and understood in any language. That is another reason why the sceptics want to bury the Fourth Gospel next to Mark, which they also abuse and misrepresent.
No one comes to the Father, except through Me.
There is no other Gospel, no other Savior, no other salvation except through faith in the Son of God, the Savior Jesus.
Proof of apostasy is seeing and hearing so many fake Lutheran leaders joining their Calvinistic, rationalistic mentors in teaching "universal justification" - without faith in Christ - as opposed to Justification by Faith, taught so clearly throughout the Bible, from Genesis 15:6 through the entire New Testament.
Romans 5:1-2 disposes this false notion, foul dogma, but is never read, studied, or quoted by these slaves of their Father Below.
1. Jesus, I will ponder now
On Thy holy Passion;
With Thy Spirit me endow
For such meditation.
Grant that I in love and faith
May the image cherish
Of Thy suffering, pain, and death,
That I may not perish.
2. Make me see Thy great distress,
Anguish, and affliction,
Bonds and stripes and wretchedness
And Thy crucifixion;
Make me see how scourge and rod,
Spear and nails, did wound Thee,
How for man Thou diedst, O God,
Who with thorns had crowned Thee.
3. Yet, O Lord, not thus alone
Make me see Thy Passion,
But its cause to me make known
And its termination.
Ah! I also and my sin
Wrought Thy deep affliction;
This indeed the cause hath been
Of Thy crucifixion.
4. Grant that I Thy Passion view
With repentant grieving
Nor Thee crucify anew
By unholy living.
How could I refuse to shun
Every sinful pleasure
Since for me God's only Son
Suffered without measure?
5. If my sins give me alarm
And my conscience grieve me,
Let Thy cross my fear disarm,
Peace of conscience give me.
Grant that I may trust in Thee
And Thy holy Passion.
If His Son so loveth me,
God must have compassion.
6. Grant that I may willingly
Bear with Thee my crosses,
Learning humbleness of Thee,
Peace mid pain and losses.
May I give Thee love for love!
Hear me, O my Savior,
That I may in heaven above
Sing Thy praise forever.
The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #140
Text: Luke 18:31-34
Author: Sigismund v. Birken, 1653
Translated by: August Crull, 1923, alt.
Titled: "Jesu, deine Passion"
Composer: Melchior Vulpius, 1609
Tune: "Jesu Kreuz, Leiden und Pein"
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