Who Are the Authorities? - The References Give Away the Agenda. Like Jay Webber Recently, Zarling Argued One Side - Against Luther and the Book of Concord. A Sign-Off Tonight for the Icha-peekers

The President of Martin Luther College published this UOJ nonsense:

"Faith does nothing more than receive the forgiveness which is offered in the Gospel. It is not a condition we fulfill nor is it a cause of forgiveness. We are already forgiven. God's message of justification in Christ is there whether we believe it or not. Faith then receives the blessings." And, "Faith that accepts the good news of universal justification is the work of God the Holy Ghost." Page 7

“The glorious Gospel: In Jesus, God has declared the entire world righteous and forgiven, irregardless of whether or not the world believes it. Such is the jewel described by objective, universal, or general justification.” Page 2

Quoting Stoeckhardt, “If God has already in Christ justified all men and forgiven their sins, then I also in Christ have a gracious God and the forgiveness of all my sins.” Page 5

“Irregardless of man's faith, God declares the world just.”
Page 6

“Our salvation is an accomplished fact. It is done. It is finished. The resurrection is the proof that God has declared the sinners justified!” Page 6

“Faith does nothing more than receive the forgiveness which is offered in the Gospel. It is not a condition we fulfill nor is it a cause of forgiveness. We are already forgiven.” Page 7

“Simply present Law and Gospel. Warn sinners that unbelief damns, and rejection of Christ will bring eternal torment. Then comfort them with the glorious objective reality that all sins are already forgiven in Christ.” Page 7

http://www.wlsessays.net/files/ZarlingJustification.pdf

I previously identified, more than once, the dishonest opening of Mark Zarling's horrible essay, Stand in Awe of Justification - which began calling justification the Chief Article of the Christian Faith and perversely defined justification as justification without faith.

Oh - that justification?

Zarling's References 

Ardnt, D. "The Doctrine of Justification and the Controversy Over the Views of Dr. W. Maier in the Missouri Synod." Redwood Falls Conference paper, delivered Nov. 17, 1981.

Arndt, Wm. "The Doctrine of Justification," Essay IX in volume 2 of The Abiding Word. St. Louis: CPH, 1947.

Becker, S.W. "Objective Justification." Essay delivered at the Chicago Pastoral Conference, November 9, 1982. Becker, S.W. "The Gospel." Essay XIV in volume 2 of The Abiding Word. St. Louis: CPH, 1947.

Brinsmead, R.D. "Lutherans in Crisis over Justification by Faith." Verdict, vol. 2, no. 6, November, 1979.

Burgdorf, T. "The Basis of Justification: The Work of Christ and the Grace of God." Essay number 3 at the Second Lutheran Free Conference, printed in His Pardoning Grace. Milwaukee: NPH, 1966.

Concordia Triglotta. St. Louis: CPH, 1921.

Curia, R.N. "The Significant History of the Doctrine of Objective or Universal Justification Among the Churches of the Former Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America." Paper delivered at the California Pastoral Conference, January 24-25, 1983.

Hummel, H.D. "Justification in the Old Testament." Concordia Journal, vol. 9. no. 1, January, 1983.

Kuske, D. "Making Use of Lutheran Heritage: 'Objective Justification' in our Mission Outreach Based on an Exegesis of II Corinthians 5:18-19." Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, vol. 77, no. 1, January, 1980.

Lawrenz C.J. "On Justification, Osiander's Doctrine of the Indwelling Christ." No Other Gospel. Milwaukee: NPH, 1980.

Meyer, J.P. Ministers of Christ. Milwaukee: NPH, 1963.

Moellering, H.A. "How to Preach Objective Justification—A Lesson from C.F.W. Walther." Concordia Journal, vol. 9, no. 1, January, 1983.

Otten, H. "The Meaning of Justification." Essay two of the Second Lutheran Free Conference, printed in His Pardoning Grace. Milwaukee: NPH, 1966.

Pieper, F. Christian Dogmatics. St Louis: CPH, 1951. vol. 2.

Plass, E.M. compiler. What Luther Says. An Anthology in 3 volumes. St Louis: CPH, 1959.

Preus, R.D. "Perennial Problems in the Doctrine of Justification." Concordia Theological Quarterly, vol. 45, no. 3, July, 1981.

Reim, N. "The Appropriation of Justification: Justifying Faith." Essay five at the Second Lutheran Free Conference, printed in His Pardoning Grace. Milwaukee: NPH, 1966.

Sanday W. and Headlam, A.C. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1971 reprint. [Favorite liberal, HCM commentary set. But where is Lenski?]

Scaer D.P. "The Two Sides of Justification." Christianity Today. June 26, 1981.

Schaller, J. Biblical Christology. Milwaukee: NPH, 1981.

Schaller, J. "Redemption and Universal Justification According to II Corinthians 5:8-21." Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, vol. 72, no. 4, October, 1975.

Scheutze, A.W. "The Presupposition of Justification: The Sin of Man and the Holiness of God." Essay one at the Second Lutheran Free Conference, printed in His Pardoning Grace. Milwaukee: NPH, 1966. Seminary Dogmatics Notes, cf. the Seminary mimeo company.

Steele, D.N. and Thomas, C.C. The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented. Philadelphia: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Company, 1963.

Stoeckhardt, G. Epistle to the Romans. translator E.W. Koehlinger. Ft. Wayne: Concordia Theological Seminary Press.

Stoeckhardt. G. "General Justification." Concordia Theological Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 2-3, April and July, 1982.

Surburg, R.F. "Justification as a Doctrine of the Old Testament: A Comparative Study in Confessional and Biblical Theology." Concordia Theological Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 2-3, April and July, 1982.

Teigen, R.N. "The Proclamation of Justification: The Gospel Message of Forgiveness." Essay four at the Second Lutheran Free Conference, printed in His Pardoning Grace, Milwaukee: NPH, 1966.

Walther, C.F.W. The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel. translator, W.H.T. Dau. St. Louis: CPH, 1928. Warth, M.C. "Justification Through Faith in Article Four of the Apology." Concordia Theological Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 2-3, April and July, 1982.

***

GJ - Serious lapses can be spotted at once. Zarling's list is larded with recent UOJ authors. Where are:

• Lenski, 
• Luther, and 
• Gausewitz?

Luther's sermons are extremely important and easily obtained in many forms and editions. Since Luther placed the sermon as the most important effort in church life, ignoring them is a major - and in fact - a dishonest omission.

Zarling ignored the Book of Concord and merely copied some quotations this way -

"32 This presentation was simplified greatly by Torald N. Teigen, in his essay, "the Proclamation of Justification: The Gospel Message of Forgiveness," printed in His Pardoning Grace, (Milwaukee: NPH, 1966), pp. 62-88. We follow his outline."

Zarling asserted that his cursory copying of quotations proved that the Lutheran Confessions are  in agreement "with our position."

This brief presentation of confessional quotations should be sufficient to assure us that our position is indeed synonymous with the Symbols of our church. Justification is the diamond among the jewels of God's revelation. It is the heart of the Gospel message. For our own eternal comfort, let us always treasure its priceless worth. p. 10, Zarling essay!

Let us everyone try to keep from laughing out loud when someone claims a "quia subscription to the Confessions" is the WELS position. Zarling makes it sound like the Book of Concord has a quia subscription to the UOJ of WELS.

Zarling's rhapsody is a clear case of begging the question, a type of circular reasoning. He simply assumes his initial point is true and piles on all the statements agreeing with it. But this is a logical fallacy because he does not entertain or even acknowledge that another position, even another definition of justification, is relevant.

In short, he correctly states that justification is the Chief Article of the Christian Religion, etc etc. His source is What Luther Says, which sounds like going deep sea fishing with a Ronco Pocket Fisherman. This betrays the modern WELS loathing of the Book of Concord. Why actually study The Righteousness of Faith, Article III in the Formula of Concord -  or engage the Apology's brilliant, clear discussion of justification by faith?

The Formula of Concord cites Melanchthon and Luther
in the article, The Righteousness of Faith.
These are authorities for sincere Lutherans,
far above the recent synodical squat-heads.

Instead, Zarling defines justification by opposing Luther, Melanchthon, and the Book of Concord. This sleight of hand, almost magical, is academic dishonesty and doctrinal bankruptcy. Instead of declaring a difference between the Book of Concord and the WELS dogma, he defines the original statement as really meaning the WELS dogma and runs away with his begging the question. Everyone must conclude from Zarling's manipulation that the Chief Article is indeed Objective/Subjective Justification, which are flotsam and jetsam from Halle Pietism and a Calvinist translator.

Zarling and Bivens remind me of the young woman who sang the praises of Margaret Sanger in her presentation in college. I asked about Sanger's speech to the Ku Klux Klan. Did she know about that?

The woman said, "Oh, I ran into that stuff about the KKK, but ignored it because it clashed with my theme."

Full Color Edition of The Faith of Jesus: Against the Faithless Lutherans Will Go into Production Today, God Willing and the Cricks Don't Rise

Today I am going to finish fixing the typos found in the black and white edition of The Faith of Jesus: Against the Faithless Lutherans.

Once that improved file is received by the publishing arm of Team Ichabod, the new edition will be prepped for Create Space (Amazon).

Listen up, readers. 
The color version will replace the black and white edition now in print.

Pretty soon - no one will be able to order up the less expensive version. However, that PDF will remain available free as a public link. Anyone can share the link and spread it around, to infinity and beyond.

If you want extra copies sent (no charge), let me know in the next couple of days and I will send them. If you already received a copy, I have your address. Let me know how many you need. Gifts have already been given to send these books around.

Last night I ordered up 15 copies for one person.

I do not know the price of the printed color version, but both companies charge for color for the whole book, when any color is used inside. But the on-demand books are far less expensive than the old system.

The new version is large format to make it more attractive. Norma Boeckler has used that format a number of times with her books, and these illustrations are all hers.

Color PDF Will Be Free
When the color version is available, the PDF will be linked for free. Anyone may use and share that link. Print it up on your own if you wish.

The idea is not to make a bundle on the book, which is impossible, but to distribute it everywhere, as freely as possible.

The book was written for informed laymen. As one early reader said, much more could be explained. However, this is a start for anyone new to the topic. Justification by faith can be learned by using the best sources (KJV and the Book of Concord) and UOJ can be un-learned by examining the false claims and deceptions used by the synodical leaders.

WELS false teachers Mark Zarling and Forrest Bivens claimed in writing that God pronouncing the entire world forgiven - whether anyone believes or not - to be the Chief Article of the Christian Faith. However, here are two citations that say otherwise.

Who knows better - Zarling and Bivens?
Or Melanchthon, Luther, and the Formula of Concord editors?
One wise guy said, "I agree with Webber."
I said, "I agree with the Holy Spirit, St. Paul, and Luther."

---

"No matter what you did yesterday -- or failed to do -- and no matter what you will do tomorrow, God has forgiven you."
WELS's Meditations, March-May 2014, for Monday, 17 March 2014.

"That faith, which, as we considered in the preceding chapter, is wrought in us by God (Col. 2:12; Eph. 1:19), is firmly based upon the fact that we are justified, that our sins have been forgiven. Justification, just like its opposite, condemnation, is a judgment of God (Rom. 5:18, 19). It is a judicial act of God in which He, as the Judge of all, pronounces a verdict of acquittal upon all sinners." 
Edward Koehler, Justification, Objective and Subjective

"Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinner's attitude toward Christ's sacrifice, purely on the basis of God's verdict, every sinner, whether he knows it or not, whether he believes it or not, has received the status of saint."
WELS Kokomo Statements, JP Meyer, Ministers of Christ

"After Christ's intervention and through Christ's intervention God regards all sinners as guilt-free saints."
WELS Kokomo Statements, JP Meyer, Ministers of Christ

"When God reconciled the world to Himself through Christ, He individually pronounced forgiveness to each individual sinner whether that sinner ever comes to faith or not."
WELS Kokomo Statements, JP Meyer, Ministers of Christ

"At the time of the resurrection of Christ, God looked down in hell and declared Judas, the people destroyed in the flood, and all the ungodly, innocent, not guilty, and forgiven of all sin and gave unto them the status of saints."
WELS Kokomo Statements, taken from an earlier conflict over justification

“When Paul uses the word ‘reconciling’ here, [2 Corinthians 5:19] he clearly means that forgiveness of sins is really imputed to ‘the world.’"
Pope John the Malefactor, Lutheran Sentinel, 1996.

"This is very conveniently expressed by the terms objective and subjective justification. objective justification is the act of God, by which he proffers pardon to all through Christ; subjective is the act of man, by which he accepts the pardon freely offered in the gospel. The former is universal, the latter not."

The Calvinist Leonard Woods translating the Halle Pietist Geoge Knapp, 1831.

There is not one for whose sin and death he did not die, whose sin and death he did not remove and obliterate on the cross...There is not one who is not adequately and perfectly and finally justified in Him. There is not one whose sin is not forgiven sin in Him, whose death is not a death which has been put to death in Him...There is not one for whom he has not done everything in His death and received everything in His resurrection from the dead. 

(Karl Barth,Church Dogmatics, IV, 1, 638, cited with approval, Carl Braaten, Justification, p. 140.)

"For God has already forgiven you your sins 1800 years ago when He in Christ absolved all men by raising Him after He first had gone into bitter death for them. Only one thing remains on your part so that you also possess the gift. This one thing is--faith. And this brings me to the second part of today's Easter message, in which I now would show you that every man who wants to be saved must accept by faith the general absolution, pronounced 1800 years ago, as an absolution spoken individually to him." 
C. F. W. Walther, The Word of His Grace, Sermon Selections, "Christ's Resurrection--The World's Absolution" Lake Mills: Graphic Publishing Company, 1978 p. 233. Brosamen, p. 138. Mark 16:1-8.

We proclaim boldly, “Jesus Saved,” past tense, finished, certain. 
Jon Buchholz, WELS Convention Essay

"The justification of the human race indeed also ocurred, in respect of the acquisition, in one moment, in the moment in which Christ rose and was thus declared righteous; but in respect of the appropriation it still continues till the last day."
Jay Webber, quoting Halle Pietist with approval, Intrepid Lutherans

GJ - The statements above represent what Jay Webber, Jon Buchholz, and the Synodical Conference leaders believe or at least pretend to believe.

The hymn for the Emmaus Conference will be - I'd Rather Have Rambach -

to this tune -

1. I’d rather have Rambach with silver and gold;
   I’d rather be Pietist with riches untold;
   I’d rather have Rambach with houses and lands;
   I’d rather be led by the Halle U. band.
   • Refrain:
     And to be the king of a vast domain
     And be held in sin’s dread sway;
     I’d rather have Rambach than anything
     The Gospel affords today.
2. I’d rather have Spener with men’s applause;
   I’d rather be faithful to UOJ's cause;
   I’d rather have Rambach and worldwide fame;
   I’d rather be true to Halle U's name.
3. They're fairer than roses or sauerkraut;
   They're sweeter than Thrivent grants without doubt;
   They're all that my Old Adam needs;
   I’d rather have Rambach and let him lead.
4. 
   

 Valleskey is a good example of promoting UOJ
and Church Growth in the same book,
which Webber considers "weird."
The Synodical Conference does this inconsistently
but persistently.

From 2009 - Money Wasted by the WELS Popcorn Cathedral of Love

What does DP Englebrecht of the Anything Goes District
have to say about these questions?
Rev. Douglas J. Engelbrecht
Ex-Northern Wisconsin District President
nwdpwels@sab.wels.net
920-722-6712

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Bishop Katie Attends Drive 09 This Week: Ski, Busk...":

This is just plain wrong, Wrong, WRONG! I am outraged and saddened. We cannot trust the pastors in WELS. Why are these men not removed from WELS? Who is caring for the souls in The CORE while the pastor and assistant are gone? Why didn't this group go off to a WELS conference to study the Lutheran Confessions? I can't trust anything the WELS' pastors say anymore. The membership of WELS has been victimized by the leadership. WHY is the leadership of WELS allowing this to go on? How can the Presidents let these men take care of souls when they return? If WELS is Lutheran why are the pastors learning from prominent non-Lutherans? Why are they not learning from Scripture? Why are they learning the ways of men? Don't you know how you are confusing and driving away the very souls you once evangelized? Don't you know how much you are hurting the members? Don't you know the despair you are leading us into? Some of us have left Baptist and Evangelical churches to join WELS. We are being very very hurt by this stuff. We don't know where to turn for pastoral counsel.

---

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Traitorous Ski, or the Enablers?":

My guess is that few congregations will give the WELS power meisters an ultimatum. There is a strong but subtle undercurrent of fear that is quite rampant throughout the synod. Most fear being given the left foot of fellowship. Remember that the divine call has a lot of human intervention from the DP's. This type of intimidation has been a long time in the making. However, we should still pray about it that the Lord will use this for the benefit of his Kingdom, no matter what the outcome.

---

Follow the WELS gang at Drive 09 on their Twitters:

Pastor Tim Glende, St. Peter's, Freedom, Wisconsin.
The 5 Seasons is a great place to debrief at the end of a great day in Atlanta.
about 2 hours ago from txt
Just had chili slaw dogs for lunch. If you are ever in Atlanta make sure you hit the Varsity.
about 12 hours ago from txt

Pastor Jim Buske (also at Drive 08), Gospel Lutheran Lighthouse.
No Tweets so far. Ski is on the Lighthouse board.

Bishop Katie, The Core, A-town.
What a night. Still trying to process @andystanley 's talk at Drive. Headed to bed and hoping I get to stay there till morning.
13 minutes ago from Tweetie
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. (via @tommytrc)
20 minutes ago from Tweetie
Hangin in the ATL with some great people. Yes they're out there. So awesome to be a part of the awesome things God is doing right now.
about 1 hour ago from Tweetie
@toddfields one word: phenomenal! God is great!
about 1 hour ago from Tweetie in reply to toddfields
Just talked with @loswhit. He's as real in person as he is on the web. That's good stuff. Love authentic people!
about 2 hours ago from Tweetie
"it is well with my soul"!!
about 2 hours ago from Tweetie
@tonymorganlive breakout one starts 8:30
about 5 hours ago from Tweetie in reply to tonymorganlive
Dinner at the Golden Corral. Got to have a salad. Probably the healthiest food I'll get for 3 days. I'm a happy girl now.
about 6 hours ago from Tweetie
Walk in 2 register. tell the guy we r from The CORE. He (clay) says I've been praying 4 u. pulls a card from his pocket with r name on it.
about 7 hours ago from Tweetie
Ready to take on the next three days after a nap and clean clothes. Does wonders!
about 7 hours ago from Tweetie
@loswhit I'm there #drive09about 11 hours ago from Tweetie in reply to loswhit
First meal in the ATL - The Varsity. Now just drivin round the city.
about 13 hours ago from Tweetie
On the ground in Atlanta. Long ride to the gate now. In desparate need of a nap.
about 15 hours ago from Tweetie
Up at 2:30 and headed to the airport now for a 6am flight. Not a morning person but this is a good reason to be up early.
about 19 hours ago from Tweetie

Ski, Popcorn Cathedral of Rock, A-town.@loswhit I'm here in the ATL 4 Drive 09
about 8 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to loswhit

This Tweet is from Carlos, on the staff at Northpoint/Buckhead:
So there you have it.
I have joined arms/signed a deal with Integrity Music to write some kick booty, make you sweat, get out of your chair and leave the church building to actually do something for the Kingdom songs.

Jay King, Stephen Brewster, Chris Estes and all the peeps at Integrity. It’s time to create culture and change the world.
And it is all going to go down here…
On ragamuffinsoul.com
You ready for the ride?
Los

---

Cost for four people?

Tuition paid to the Babtists x 4 = $1,000.
Jet fare x 4 = $2,000.
Hotel and meals x 4 = $2,000.

Thus, $5,000 (roughly) was blown on this Schwaermer conference. Compare the cost to a Lutheran pastoral conference, a fraction of the cost. But hey, how many take-aways can anyone get from one of those?

By Popular Request - "How Can We Take Greg Jackson Seriously When He Puts Our Pastors in Bunny Suits?"

Matt Doebler earned a drive-by DMin
and got himself a call to be a WELS professor
at the Church and Change mini-seminary.

"How Can We Take Greg Jackson Seriously When He Puts Our Pastors in Bunny Suits?" - That is what one WELS pastor said to dismiss this humble little blog's efforts.

Patterson disgraced the office of ministry
by using bunnies to promote his Easter service.

Kudu Don hates this Photoshop, one of my best.

But he omitted this crucial fact. I put Don Patterson and Matt Doebler in bunny suits because both promoted their Easter Sunday service with live bunny rabbits. Bring the kiddies to church so they pet those cute little bunnies. Patterson hid the bunny notice on a separate websty the next Easter, but I found it by Googling Patterson and bunny. I am not a genius, just by comparison with the average IQ of WELS DPs. The third year Patterson dropped the public mention of Easter bunnies.

Patterson life-coach victim Ski would love to bring a bunny to church on Easter.
Osteen knows it's all about the bunnies and the Benjamins.

They were almost rained out one year, an act of God.

I admit adding the caption to the hat and the clown suit for Glende,
but they are metaphors for both. Figure it out.
They became FB friends during Ski and Glende's harassment troubles,
and Ski got his insta-call next door to Patterson.

DP Don is so pleased to have half of the Odd Couple at his church.

Don Patterson has lots of property and income,
plus rich members who take him to Africa to wild kudu deer,
but he mines WELS for more loot to run his operation.
That lets him run around being a bigshot.

PETA swung the DP vote to Kudu Don. WELS gossip said that
Schroeder and the previous DP did not want him in that office.
But opposition to the New NIV stopped when Don stepped up.

Did I put the Dapper Don in that silly mob outfit? No!
Did I add $ to his dark glasses. Yes!
No one fishes for funds faster than Kudu Don -
stirred by his mission to move from Hispanic Austin
to rockin' rich Round Rock.

Discussion of Child Abuse on Free Republic - This Quotation. Have Mark Schroeder and the Coven of Presidents Heard This?

The Circuit Pastor has a legal duty to report,
but not the permission of the State of Alaska to decide the issue,
which is a conflict of interest.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3395557/posts

"In which case within the US, most any adult in any form of supervisory capacity must report to the authorities allegations of child abuse that come to their attention, or else can be made subject to prosecution for failures to do so."

The District President has a legal duty to report,
but not the permission of the State of Alaska to decide the issue,
which is a conflict of interest.

The Synod President has a legal duty to report,
but not the permission of the State of Alaska to decide the issue,
which is a conflict of interest.

----
WELS Has a New System for Covering Up, Hiding, and Denying Abuse - Did They Report Joel Hochmuth after 
Counseling Him about Gay Child Porn Swapping?

Freedom for the Captives

2016/02/04/in Newsletter, WELS Nurses news

By Sheryl Cowling, LCSW, BCPCC, BCETS of WLCFS—Christian Family Counseling

The issue of child abuse is one that impacts so many of God’s people. Too often those who love God know the pain caused by childhood neglect and abuse—whether that abuse is physical, emotional, sexual, or some combination of these. Sadly, statistics from multiple sources reinforce that about one in ten children are neglected and are emotionally abused, about one in four are physically abused, and about one of every six boys and one of every four girls are sexually abused. Just look around the next time you are worshiping in church at the faces of your brothers and sisters in Christ, and know that many of them carry much pain, often hidden from others due to the toxic shame that such mistreatment often causes.

In response to the needs that result from child maltreatment, the WELS Commission on Special Ministries developed a team of pastors, seminary professors, mental health providers, and a legal expert with the goal of developing a website that could provide valuable information to pastors, teachers, survivors, and their loved ones. The result is freedomforcaptives.com.

This website contains valuable information about child abuse and neglect and offers many resources to those who want to reach out with love and compassion to those who are hurting. The website contains links to Bible passages that offer hope and healing. It has information about how to find a counselor with special training in working with survivors. It includes reviews of books written by Christian authors. There are also links to other websites and online resources, plus much more.

Please take a few minutes to check out the website at freedomforcaptives.com and share it with family and friends, pastors and teachers. Please encourage those who may want additional information or support to get in touch with us through the “Contact Us” page on the website.

Together we can share God’s healing power as we “proclaim freedom for the captives” (Isaiah 61:1).

Sheryl is a psychotherapist who specializes in Christian counseling for survivors of abuse and other trauma. She is a member of Crown of Life Lutheran in Hubertus, Wis.

Freedom For The Captives

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Ash Wednesday, 2016. The Redeemer

Ash Wednesday, 2016

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Central Time

The Hymn #552                Abide with Me 

            

The Order of Vespers                                                p. 41

The Psalmody               Psalm 1                        p. 123

The Lection                              Joel 2:12-19

Matthew 6:16-2

The Sermon Hymn # 200    I Know That My Redeemer Lives 

The Sermon –   Jesus the Redeemer

The Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

The Collect for Grace                                       p. 45

The Hymn # 429      Lord, Thee I Love                  

KJV Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

KJV Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Collect

Lord God, heavenly Father, who didst manifest Thyself, with the Holy Ghost, in the fullness of grace at the baptism of Thy dear Son, and with Thy voice didst direct us to Him who hath borne our sins, that we might receive grace and the remission of sins: Keep us, we beseech Thee, in the true faith; and inasmuch as we have been baptized in accordance with Thy command, and the example of Thy dear Son, we pray Thee to strengthen our faith by Thy Holy Spirit, and lead us to everlasting life and salvation, through Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Jesus the Redeemer

Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The sermons for Lent will be based on titles of Jesus and how they relate to our faith. The process of unlearning what the Bible teaches plainly is both slow and painful. Many denominations are patient enough to spend decades and millions of dollars supplanting what was once taught so that clergy and later the laity accept the new teaching. This has been very successful, which is no different from giving someone bad directions and once the person is completely confused and lost, giving even worse directions.

What does this Gospel lesson mean by distinguishing treasure on earth from treasures in heaven?

The Reformation was quite clear and repetitive in calling the Gospel a treasure, and that Gospel is Jesus as the Redeemer. This was a great change from an accumulation of 1,000 years of teaching. Some was quite gradual, but now it firmly fixed. Jesus is the angry judge, and Mary is the one who appeals to Him to be merciful. According to the Church of Rome, sins are forgiven but not paid for. Thus a life of good works must pay for them, and even then incompletely. The rest of the payment is made by the individual in Purgatory, with help from his friends, relatives, and priests below.

Thus in the Church of Rome, Jesus was not quite the Redeemer, while the Reformation emphasized the redemption in the clearest possible language.

Our language is not subtle enough to include the two different terms used for redemption in the New Testament, so we tend to think of one rather than the other. Both are meant when we say Jesus is the Redeemer.

One is the price paid for all sins, and this word is the one used for buying something at the market. The Greek word remains in our language as agoraphobia, fear of public places, or for men - fear of the shopping mall.

The other term is based on releasing (loosing) slaves from their slavery. Slavery is not that far distant from American history. Some owners set their slaves free, or gave them their freedom. They were no longer owned by someone, property, but free, on their own. And yet Paul calls himself a slave, because he is a slave of God.

Both concepts about the Redeemer are part of the message of the treasure. While all our human frailties make us want to pay for our sins, that cannot be, because the Redeemer paid the price when He died on the cross, accepted the wrath of God falling upon Him, and the scorn and torture of man, plus rejection of almost every single person around Him.

Job 19:25-27King James Version (KJV)

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

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Isaiah 48:17King James Version (KJV)

17 Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

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Psalm 107:2-8King James Version (KJV)

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

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Ephesians 1:7King James Version (KJV)

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

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These passages, and many more, are important, because our temptation is to not accept the full and free forgiveness of our sins. In doubting this, we question te entire meaning of Redeemer. If He has paid the price, there is nothing more to be paid.

Joan of Arc asked that her village be set free from taxes, so the tax book said for the levy on her village, in French "Nothing. The Maid." Every knew what that meant (until Napoleon nixed that and imposed the levy again.)

So that is our Treasure, knowing and believing that Jesus as the Redeemer paid the price for our sins. That proclamation may come late in life, for various reasons, or it may be proclaimed at our baptism as infants. The Gospel proclamation is that Jesus has done this for us and that we receive the benefit in faith. Through His faith we are justified, not from anything we do or merit for this forgiveness.

Once we checked out of our hotel at a family gathering. I got out my card to pay for our stay. The clerk said, "Your bill is zero." I said, "No. I have not paid." He said. "You owe nothing." I said, "I know I have not paid." Then he said, "Your mother paid." She was in the background smiling. So those consumed with guilt about what they must do and suffer to be forgiven are missing the message of Redemption. The price has been paid by the Redeemer.

The other message of Redemption is just as important. We are set free from being slaves of sin.

Galatians 5:1 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

So one can be a slave while thinking a partial Christian concept is really the right one, such as blending Judaism and the faith, with the Law being predominant.

Our hedonistic society should pay attention to freedom from slavery because those who live for themselves are slaves to their urges and emotions.

The message of Redemption is clear in the price being being. That is not the same as everyone being forgiven and saved, as the Universalists and Unitarians teach (or used to teach). The UUA no longer has much about God in it, because a rationalistic ethical society inevitably will focus on man alone.

But in the days of classic Universalism, everyone was saved because of God's grace.

However, Luther said, "If you tell someone he is forgiven without knowing contrition. he will look at you the way a cow looks at a newly painted fence."

That can only go in the wrong direction. The Ten Commandments are pounded into rubble to pave the way for a life of rioting, something definitely not taught in Romans.

The games and licentiousness of Rome were and are common knowledge. No one said, "Stop. Everyone is already forgiven." Instead they were taught contrition and the message of forgiveness, redemption, which they longed for when they felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised. He will convict the world of sin, because they do not believe on Me.