Hoenecke, the WELS theologian, wrote in his Dogmatics - "The Word never without the Spirit [GJ - efficacy], the Spirit never without the Word [GJ - Luther called it Enthusiasm]. That is sound doctrine."
The efficacy of God's Word is well known to Ichabod readers - and should be - because the New Testament is packed with references to the term in Greek. The Greek word is - literally - energy, which breaks down to "working in."
God's Word always has an effect, as Isaiah 55 teaches.
Luther used the term Enthusiasm for "the Spirit without the Word."
Enthusiasm
The term Enthusiasm was used by Luther and is found in the Book of Concord. Anything taught outside of the Scriptures is Enthusiasm. Here are a few examples:
- Purgatory
- Mary without sin
- Infallible Pope.
The modern Bibles are Enthusiasm, not because they are new but because so much has been erased from the Scriptures or changed in meaning. No shock for the faithful is this simple truth - the Bad Bible Boosters are Enthusiasts who use their vapid, lame translations to promote their dogma -
- The Virgin Birth in Isaiah 7:14 is replaced by "a young woman", or a "young woman" becomes the explanation in the footnote. Your experience may vary.
- Justification by Faith was not denied in the old version of the NIV, but the new NIV claims "all are justified" in Romans 3.
- Various new "translations" make it clear - to them - that Mark 16:9-20 does not belong, which erases the empty tomb and the Ascension from that Gospel.
Scholars are usually NOT divided about the New Testament text, because the vast majority of them favor the Universalist-Unitarian toxins.
Note well - all the Lutheran synods - WELS, ELCA, LCMS, ELS, CLC - are Enthusiasts. They have a grab bag of lesser doctrines and gladly embrace just about anything among their synodical brethren, especially concerning Thrivent loot. However, their cloven feet are welded to their religious foundation - Objective Faithless Justification. Even a whisper of opposition against their "Chief Article" will spark the foul odors of their Confession of Unfaith.
Do I exaggerate? Not at all. WELSians Frosty Bivens and Mark Zarling declared that the Chief Article of Christianity was their precious Objective Faithless Justification. They published their nonsense with unfeigned glee and have not let go. Like the Emmaus Conference gurus - Jay Webber and Jon-Boy Buchholz - they repeat their error without shame and dance to the sound of hooves clopping.
