Reformation Seminary - Enthusiasm in the Book of Concord

 

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The Smalcald Articles are in the Book of Concord.

Luther hoped for a genuine Christian conference with a fair debate. That did not happen.

The Smalcald Articles were approved by all the important Evangelical (Lutheran) leaders.

Enthusiasm means replacing the truth of the Word of God with man's factions.

1. The first example is Adam and Eve, who listened to Satan and abandoned the Word.

2. The Enthusiasts do not teach the Scriptures.

3. The Papacy and Islam are Enthusiasts.

4. The Spirit without the Word of God is Enthusiasm.

5. The prophets spoke through the Holy Spirit.

6. The apostles also spoke through the Spirit in teaching the Word.

Timeless Twaddle from WELS - Verbatim

 

The Wisconsin sect is touchy about everyone being forgiven without faith and they enforce their dogma with enthusiasm.

Objective justification

"Everyone knows...anything goes!"

What is objective justification?

Let me pass along a few paragraphs from This We Believe, a statement of belief of our church body, that answer your question.

“4. We believe that God reconciled “the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19). We believe that Jesus is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The mercy and grace of God are all-embracing; the reconciliation through Christ is universal; the forgiveness of sins has been gained as an accomplished fact for all people. Because of the substitutionary work of Christ, God has justified all people, that is, God has declared them to be not guilty. This forms the firm, objective basis for the sinner’s assurance of salvation.” [from III. Christ and Redemption]

“1. We believe that God has justified all sinners, that is, he has declared them righteous for the sake of Christ. This is the central message of Scripture upon which the very existence of the church depends. It is a message relevant to people of all times and places, of all races and social levels, for “the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men” (Romans 5:18). All need forgiveness of sins before God, and Scripture proclaims that all have been justified, for “the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men” (Romans 5:18).

“2. We believe that individuals receive this free gift of forgiveness not on the basis of their own works, but only through faith (Ephesians 2:8,9). Justifying faith is trust in Christ and his redemptive work. This faith justifies not because of any power it has in itself, but only because of the salvation prepared by God in Christ, which it embraces (Romans 3:28; 4:5). On the other hand, although Jesus died for all, Scripture says that “whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Unbelievers forfeit the forgiveness won for them by Christ (John 8:24).” [from IV. Justification by Grace through Faith]

Luther is not welcome in the floundering and divided WELS, ELS, and LCMS. Justification by Faith is the Chief Article of Christianity, but the Midwestern sects like to say their OJ error is the real thing.

Teeny tiny fading ELS says, "Me too!"

Justification ELS Double-Talk

Q: I have heard some Lutherans say they do not believe the Bible teaches objective justification. How can they assert this and still call themselves “Lutheran”?

A: Your question is perceptive. As you intimate, the teaching of objective justification is plainly taught in Scripture, and is a vital doctrine of our Lutheran Confessions. People who deny this have no right to claim the name “Lutheran,” even though they may correctly insist that a sinner is saved only by faith in Jesus Christ and not by works.

Biblical Doctrine - Efficacy of the Word versus Enthusiasm

 

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 world religions - Buddhist or Atheist or Universalist - are Enthusiasm.

When a Pentecostal says, "The Holy Spirit told me you must go to Venezuela and become a missionary there," that is also Enthusiasm. If a claim cannot be supported clearly by the Word, the pronouncement is Enthusiasm.

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.

WELS Layman on WELS Failed Methods - Curated Graphics by Ichabod - Feel Free To Share

"Did you ever notice the tactics used by those who are desperate? Not to minimize the importance of this, but the use of shabby translations is one of many measures employed by the rats on a sinking ship. The abhorrence of the KJV by WELS leadership most likely marked the beginning of the end of Confessional Lutheranism for the WELS. The venerable 1941 TLH was replaced starting in 1993. This was a year after Wayne Mueller’s official church growth denial and Corky Koeplin’s stern warning titled Whither WELS? in CN. 

[GJ - I sent Corky's essay to CN, and Timid Tim excoriated me for doing so. It was supposed to be Top Secret, Eyes Only! - but the anonymous sender never told me.]

 Let's just hope Scott Barefoot didn't pray with the LCMS leaders.

Thank you for re-posting some articles from the Ichabod archives. It helps to connect the dots. It also shows the progression or more accurately, the regression, in the WELS. The abuse of members by the called workers can leave permanent scars. I have witnessed firsthand families who were members of the same congregation for several generations. Then, because of a pastor’s arrogance, they left and never came back.

 This is a very good description of WELS, the CLC (sic), etc.

These desperation tactics clearly exhibit that they are an exercise in futility. Plus, there is also a little bit of damage control going on by the WELS leadership. But it is not much. The leaders still must save face. They certainly will not be held accountable for hoodwinking the members. Imagine if a DP got in front of a congregation and apologized for promoting Enthusiasm. Pinch me, I am dreaming.

GJ - My introduction to WELS "Evangelism" was the Kelm-Valleskey workshop where Cho's work was praised to high heaven (before his embezzling was revealed, of course). I stood up to criticize the use of an occult phony like Cho. (I previously met Cho and shook hands with him. Do not criticize - I listened, read his atrocious books, and met him. That is called research.

 Here is a verbatim example of Cho using Asian occult methods. American leaders ate it up like chocolate ice cream with sprinkles.

Even the membership numbers are deceiving. WELS baptized membership peaked at about 420,000. Today, it is about 354,000. That comes out to be slightly more than 84% of the peak. Those are official numbers based upon what congregations send to WELS HQ. I believe that congregations also submit attendance numbers. As head usher, I take a head count at every service and write it down on a spreadsheet in the ushers’ room. It is further broken down into a total number, number of visitors, and communion attendance. I count the offerings with the financial secretary. He just distributed the new offering envelopes for 2020. What is significant about that are the sets of offering envelopes that are never picked during the entire year. Some are members who are “still on the books” but have not been around, sometimes for several years.

 Are these two skirt-chasers comparing notes? In WELS, Willow Creek was considered the place to study success methods. They gave scholarships to go there, even though many did not need to study womanizing. Hybels was forced out early. Didja know he insisted on feminist Bibles? 

These sordid details tell the true story of WELS membership. I understand the synod apologists will claim that as an aggregate number, membership in Christian denominations has declined everywhere in this country. There is no disputing this. But these apologists have just made the rather obvious point that the CGM never works, no matter who uses it, the WELS included. This is contrary to what was promised when the WELS leadership boasted about spoiling the Egyptians.

Here is a brief sample of what has been tried: Leadership training seminars (church growth training), participating in School Choice programs for the parochial schools, retaining the services of a consultant (like Cornerstone Ministries), a new hymnal, new Bible translations, worship supplements, “blended” worship services also known as contemptible worship, staff ministers (when proposed, they could not articulate what it was, but they wanted it).

Here is not what has been tried for true church growth: Promotion of the Means of Grace solely because of the Efficacy of the Word.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I will keep you and Mrs. Jackson in my prayers. God’s blessings for the new year.

In Christ,

WELS Layman"

Another WELS Layman Responded to This Post - This One is "WELS No More"

"Dear Pastor Jackson,

Another great post on Ichabod “WELS Layman on WELS Failed Methods” it was very much appreciated. At some point WELS must begin to notice that their members realize the truth and are leaving in droves. WELS has a culture of abuse, lying, and false doctrine, what a sad little denomination. I thought the recent meeting in Florida where they all (WELS-ELS-LCMS) jumped on the UOJ bandwagon was nothing more than defense of a very clear error in doctrine. Why would they make such a big deal of their doctrinal agreement of UOJ if they didn’t know people like me know it is not Biblical? Nobody reads Ichabod (sarcasm) and the UOJ they are selling is rotting on the shelf.    

I try to read Ichabod every day if possible, and really appreciate the sermons on Sunday.

Thank you for all you do!

God bless you,"

Calvinists Wobble But They Do Not Convert

From the beginning, with Zwingli and Calvin, a group of non-Catholics has pretended to be almost Lutheran. We would be succumbing to their chameleon-like poses if we called them Protestants, because the Lutherans were first called that at the Speier Conference, 1529.

From this protest and appeal the Lutherans were called Protestants; with good reason, if we look at their attitude to Rome, which remains the same to this day.

Luther preferred to call his group the Evangelicals, but that name was also nicked by the Calvinists.

They would like us to believe that the Lutherans are too Roman to be called Protestant or Evangelical, because - like mercury adhering to gold and silver - they want to be associated with the Reformation. Their earnest desire is to sell their books and programs to the Lutherans without being "infected" (they would say) by the efficacy of the Word, the Means of Grace, and Justification by Faith. If that resistance to Biblical basics reminds you of Lutheran leadership today, you are catching on.

Do Calvinists teach the Sacraments?
No, they do not. The Sacraments are merely ordinances, symbols that do not work God's will, since the Holy Spirit is independent of the Word.

Do Calvinists agree with the Bible and Luther on predestination?
No, they teach people as being born elect or born to the covenant, since their salvation was determined at the beginning of time.

Do Calvinists teach Justification by Faith?
No, their peculiar anti-Biblical separation of the Word from the Spirit fills the void, they think, with double predestination. Robert Preus went to the Calvinists to prop us his Objective Justification arguments, according to David Scaer.

How does one cooperate with Calvinists?
Lutherans are free to deny the efficacy of the Word, the Means of Grace, infant faith, the Real Presence, and Justification by Faith, because these doctrinal points annoy Calvinists and prevent what they consider true fellowship with Lutherans. Calvinists will cease being scandalized by Biblical, Lutheran doctrine when their demands are met. And they are largely met today.

Do Calvinists eventually become Lutherans?
No, they turn into Unitarians, because rationalism supplants Biblical faith.

Is there anything we admire about the Calvinists?
We admire everything about the Calvinists - except their doctrine. (Krauth)

Those Who Deny Justification by Faith Also Deny Creation by the Word - Explicitly.Re-Seminexing Concordia Seminary in St. Louis

 Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

 Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

Two LCMS districts grew alarmed at the re-Seminexing of  Concordia Seminary in St. Louis - for good reason. The professors were no longer teaching Creation by the Word, which is taught clearly in the Bible, Luther, and the Confessions. The worldly wise men knew better and charged two entire districts with violating the Eighth Commandment.

Strangely, the LCMS and WELS have let their leadership flip from Justification by the Word to Universal Absolution without Faith. Since all the articles of faith are connected as One Biblical Truth, One Unique Doctrine, the denial of one article means the denial of the other articles.

Both sects taught Justification by Faith in times past, and certainly knew from Romans 10 how these matters work in God's Kingdom.

Roman 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;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.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!16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

Faith comes by hearing the efficacious Gospel Word, and that faith receives the Promises of God in the Word. The Holy Spirit is active both in proclaiming and receiving the Gospel.

Has anyone else noticed how seldom this comes up among the Fuller and Willow Creek trained professionals? They no longer even know the language - let alone the basic doctrine - of the Scriptures. The deceptive modern translations have deceived the deceivers and betrayed the betrayers. These translations have come from the Calvinists and make big money for the fools who sell them.

The post-modern cooks of Lutherdom remind me of the food fads of yesteryear. Butter was a killer to be avoided, replaced by margarine prepared, dyed, and hardened in the factory. For a long time, adding butter to any meal was akin to pouring mercury or lead into food. What an outrageous thought! Now a few realize that margarine is a hardened fat while butter is a nutritious, healthy addition to most dishes, from vegetables to eggs to desserts.

The factories removed fat from food and added tons of corn sugar, so now we have a generation thinking they are healthy while wondering where the massive weight gains came from.

Likewise, all the Lutheran groups see their numbers vanishing, yet allergic to admitting that their schemes have come to fruition. They sowed tares in their own seminaries and congregations and now reap sterile weeds as a result.

Weeds produce a lot of seed, plus some tough roots, but what they grow just as worthless as many denominational leaders and professors.

The unified truth of the Scriptures is the obverse of the integrated errors of false doctrine - or - Enthusiasm. One comes from the Holy Spirit at work in the Word; the other comes from man's own imagination and illusions.

Preview - Christian News - April 11, 2016 Issue. Let Us Knew Before the Calvinists and Babtists. Amen.

Pastor Herman Otten received a free review copy of
Making Disciples: The Error of Modern Pietism,
but he would rather feature Calvinists, Roman Catholics, and Babtists

I used to meet with the LCMS guys in Midland, laity, one in the Missouri Synod lay training program. All he ever talked about was R. C. Sproul.

Pastor Otten's friend, the late Pastor William Bischoff was another Missourian who always cited the Calvinists. One would think the Calvinists rescued the Bible from the liberals, when the opposite was true. The rationalistic spirit of Calvinism is the death of Christian Faith. "Young Calvinist, Old Unitarian" is a motto familiar to anyone who knows church history.

The featured front-page book in this issue is - The Inerrant Word – Biblical, Historical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspectives. Edited by John MacArthur. Foreword by R. C. Sproul. Published by Crossway, 1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. $25.90 at amazon.com. Calvinist, Calvinist, Calvinist, ad inf.

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is the greatest seminary in America, according to Christian News.

A fairly recent graduate Concordia, St. Louis wrote me:

Luther's sermons should be required reading for all "Lutheran" clergy. I have often said that ever since I graduated seminary I've spend my time unlearning that teaching and learning how to be Lutheran instead. The fact that Luther's sermons are not required reading, or even suggested, shows a lot about how far Lutheranism in America has come. So thanks for pointing me to Luther's sermons.

PS - You can even mention that the anonymous comment came from a Concordia Seminary - St. Louis grad, whose first reading assignment in seminary was Rick Warren's "Purpose-Driven Life." (which is 100% true).

Christian News is proof that Universal Objective Justification is the radical wedge that separates nominal Lutherans from Luther's doctrine.

Calvinism Exposed in a Few Sentences
John Calvin, a more erudite disciple of Zwingli, taught the separation the Holy Spirit from the Word. Calvin was an Enthusiast, and Enthusiasm is the foundation for all false doctrine.

Calvin mocked the Sacraments and taught his weird dogma that the Word was only effective (sermons, teaching, etc) when the Holy Spirit decided to drop by and make it effective. He denied the Real Presence and made fun of it, as his followers did.

The Book of Concord condemns Enthusiasm. The Concord and post-Concord theologians like Chemnitz and Gerhard argued against Calvism. But Christian News promotes and supports Calvinism.

How odd that Christian News, the solution for all problems in Lutherdom, would lead with a Calvinist compendium of boring inerrancy essays, each one breathlessly announcing that the loss of inerrancy brought doom upon everyone.

Inerrancy is a given in all traditional denominations, even among Roman Catholics. But  this latest wonder-book is doubtless just as silent about the efficacy of the Word as John Brug's epic dud The Ministry of the Word.

Efficacy of the Word is the litmus test - 

• What the Bible teaches throughout.
• What Luther taught from the beginning.
• What the Book of Concord teaches at all times.
• What Chemnitz, Gerhard, and the orthodox emphasized.

The efficacy of the Bible (efficacy - an actual New Testament word, not an invented term) connects the Spirit to the Word - The Word never without the Spirit, the Spirit never without the Word. That is sound doctrine. (Hoenecke)

Otten's radical spirit, derived from CFW Walther's and Martin Stephan' UOJ, is the dynamite blowing the LCMS apart. Wise leaders and smart pastors know UOJ is a pile of dung. But even though the UOJists hate each other, they are bound together by a common hatred of Luther's doctrine. That is all it takes:

1. Patronizing Luther now and then, with a brief nod, a little joke, and a cutting remark.
2. Ignoring Luther's sermons, his doctrine, and his Book of Concord contributions.
3. Substituting UOJ works while warning students against justification by faith books, essays, quotations.
4. Extolling the genius of Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Fuller Clownism.

Pastor Otten does that through Christian News and howls about the results of his 50 years of tabloid journalism.

Are Babtists quoted with approval in this CN issue? Of course, they buy the one-size fits all UOJ of New Haven, Missouri, headquarters of the Preus Family Franchise. Various Preus pastors have their own little club within the LCMS, never realizing that their UOJ is the cause, not the cure for all their woes.

From this issue:

by Don Jasmin Fundamentalist Digest PO Box 689 West Branch, MI 48665 April-May 2016 

As all our F.D. readers know, this writer is an avid independent Baptist preacher. He is not, never has been, and never will be a Lutheran. However, there have been and still are ardent Lutheran adherents, who despite their errant beliefs concerning baptism, unquestioningly accept the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. 

The original Lutherans who came to America in the l 9th century were ALL firm believers in the inspired Scriptures. When he was a young lad and a teen-ager, this preacher used to listen every Sunday in the early 1950’ s to the “Lutheran Hour,” where Walter Maier, the Lutheran Fundamentalist, faithfully exposited the Word of God. 

This writer is not understating the fact when he declares that Maier was a great Gospel preacher. This evangelist had a close “Baptist Bride” friend who readily confessed that Maier was one of his favorite radio Bible expositors in that 1940’s-1950’s eras. Despite their errant beliefs concerning baptism, these early American Lutherans established numerous colleges and universities to propagate their

Who is the problem in the LCMS-WELS-ELS?

• Martin Stephan, STD
• CFW Walther, BA
• Francis Pieper and his devoted followers 
• Richard Jungkuntz, PhD, WELS, Seminex, ALC
• Herman Otten, MDiv
• Paul McCain and Matt Harrison 
• JP Meyer
• David Scaer
• David Valleskey
• Forrest Bivens
• John Moldstad
• Mark Jeske and the Church and Changers
• The not-so Steadfast Lutherans, Matt Harrison sycophants
• And - all the seminaries of the LCMS, WELS, ELS. Not one teaches Luther's doctrine, but they will rake in yuuuuge offerings for Luther's 500th. 

Someone Asked about Lange's Outline of the Book of Concord

I found $30 books and this link to Lange's Outline of the Book of Concord:

http://www.sbowd.com/full-pdf-outline-of-the-book-of-concord-lyle-w-lange-13k/

I am not sure if I have ever used it. I am far more for learning a book through repetition than gleaning through helps.

For instance, What Luther Says is a good set of quotations, but the editor sets up a filter when he judges various Luther quotations, under justification, as Objective Justification and Subjective Justification. labels that exist in the mind of the sect but never existed in the Bible, Luther, Chemnitz, or the Book of Concord.

Mequonites, what is the Chief Article?
Why have you not deprived Bivens and Brug of food,pelted them with manure,
and baited them with dogs?

I suggest getting to know one section of the Book of Concord at a time. This would be my priority for new readers, based on the most neglected or abused parts:

1. Luther's Large Catechism - once published as a book by the ALC, worth regular reading.
2. Melanchthon on justification - Articles IV and V of the Augsburg Confession, Article III of the Apology. See also at the same time, Article III, The Righteousness of Faith, Solid Declaration, Formula of Concord.
3. Formula of Concord, Adiaphora, Article X.
4. Formula of Concord, Election, Article XI. 
5. Smalcald Articles, especially about Enthusiasm. If you cannot define Enthusiasm from the Smalcald Articles and identify examples of it, you do not know the Biblical, Lutheran doctrine of the Word, its efficacy, its relationship to the Holy Spirit, the Visible Word of the Sacraments, and the clarity of the Word.
6. The Catalog of Testimonies - which show that Lutheran is not a brand but a continuation of the Apostolic Church.

Enthusiasm - The Source of All False Doctrine, Especially UOJ - As We Confess in the Book of Concord. Boycott the Emmaus Conference

Luther provided a clear, concise definition of false doctrine's origin - Enthusiasm.

False teachers separate the Holy Spirit from the Word. God does not deal with us apart from the Word and Sacraments - the Means of Grace.

To teach God's grace and forgiveness without the Means of Grace is false. Thus Universal Objective Justification is pure Enthusiasm, boasting about everyone being forgiven, even before birth, without the Word.

This quotation came from the era when Robert Preus
and the Ft. Wayne faculty endorsed Church Growth principles!

The UOJ Enthusiasts hate one another,
but they love, love, love this decrepitation,
emitted just before Edward Preuss became a Roman Catholic.

Ah yes, Cascione and McCain will never quote from
Robert Preus' last book.

Relationships - The Holy Spirit and Faith and the Gospel

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-post.html
In a few months this became the most popular post since 2010.
Norma Boeckler created the art for this graphic.

Luther should be our main author, if we want to call ourselves Lutherans. That is not a brand name, to be associated with all kinds of Pietistic rules and regulations, baffling to the most obdurate Pharisees. Such as - "You can train and worship with the gay activist Andy Stanley, but we will beat your brains in if we catch you reading a blog from Arkansas."

The Scriptures were given to us from God for one purpose only - to convey Christ the Savior to us through the Word.

Jesus comes to us through the Gospel Promises, and those Promises plant and sustain faith in Him as the gracious and forgiving Messiah.

Another effect of the Gospel is to stir up opposition, since the unbelieving world, Satan, and Old Adam hate the Gospel. The Holy Spirit is always at work in the Word to convict the world of its foundational sin - not trusting in Christ for salvation. The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, because they believe not on Me. John 16:8f. Not UOJ stylist can get past this verse (or any other). 

Since the Word never loses its efficacy, this opposition can lead to faith, as it did with Simon Greenleaf, the Christian apologist. The Word can strengthen the wobbly (which includes all of us) - the chief example being Nicholas Selnecker. One of the greatest doctrinal hymns was written by a man who went from being a compromiser to a Concordist.


"Lord Jesus Christ, With Us Abide"
by Nikolaus Selnecker, 1532-1592
Translated by composite

1. Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide,
For round us falls the eventide;
Nor let Thy Word, that heavenly light,
For us be ever veiled in night.

2. In these last days of sore distress
Grant us, dear Lord, true steadfastness
That pure we keep, till life is spent,
Thy holy Word and Sacrament.

3. Lord Jesus, help, Thy Church uphold,
For we are sluggish, thoughtless, cold.
Oh, prosper well Thy Word of grace
And spread its truth in every place!

4. Oh, keep us in Thy Word, we pray;
The guile and rage of Satan stay!
Oh, may Thy mercy never cease!
Give concord, patience, courage, peace.

5. O God, how sin's dread works abound!
Throughout the earth no rest is found,
And falsehood's spirit wide has spread,
And error boldly rears its head.

6. The haughty spirits, Lord, restrain
Who o'er Thy Church with might would reign
And always set forth something new,
Devised to change Thy doctrine true.

7. And since the cause and glory, Lord,
Are Thine, not ours, to us afford
Thy help and strength and constancy.
With all our heart we trust in Thee.

8. A trusty weapon is Thy Word,
Thy Church's buckler, shield and sword.
Oh, let us in its power confide
That we may seek no other guide!

9. Oh, grant that in Thy holy Word
We here may live and die, dear Lord;
And when our journey endeth here,
Receive us into glory there.

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #292 
Text: Luke 24:29
Author: Nikolaus Selnecker et al., 1611
Translated by: composite
Titled: "Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ"
Tune: "Ach bleib bei uns"
1st Published in: Geistliche Lieder
Town: Leipzig,1589

To label faith as "synergism" shows appalling ignorance of the Word. The effect of this synodical wisdom is to condemn any reference to faith as if it were a decision, an act of the will, or a work. 

Believers are new creations, creations by the Word, creations by the Holy Spirit at work in the Word. Word and Spirit are never separated, except by Enthusiasts like Buchholz, Sig Becker, Paul McCain, Jungkuntz, and Valleskey. 

Because unbelief is the foundational sin, Enthusiasm is the foundational false doctrine, explaining the error of papalism, Islam, and UOJ.