Fatal Car Crash

The full Article, with any associated images and links can be viewed here.

S. Mpls. car-semi crash now claims lives of husband and wife PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune The collision between a car and a semitrailer truck in south Minneapolis has now become fatal for a second person in the smaller vehicle, authorities said Thursday. Kathleen Voss, 70, of Richfield, died late Thursday morning at Hennepin County Medical Center, according to the medical examiner's office. Her husband, driver Verne Voss [WELS pastor], also 70, died Tuesday, about 4 hours after the crash. The crash happened shortly after 1 p.m., when the car was traveling north on Park Avenue and was struck on the driver's side by the semi, which was heading east on E. 46th Street, police said. --- The car was traveling north on Park Avenue when it was struck on the driver's side by the semi, which was heading east on E. 46th Street. An investigation continues with the help of the office of the State Commercial Vehicle Inspector. The cause of the crash has not been determined, police said. --- MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Two people who were hospitalized after a crash in Minneapolis earlier this week have died. The accident happened Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of East 46th Street and Portland Avenue South. At time of the crash, police said the car was heading northbound on Portland Avenue South, ran a red light and was T-boned by a semi-truck towing a flatbed trailer. Verne Voss, 70, who was in the car, died a few hours after the crash, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner. His wife, 70-year-old Kathleen Voss, died Thursday from injuries suffered in the crash. The Minneapolis Police Department is continuing to investigate the crash. http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/01/06/2-dead-from-injuries-in-minneapolis-crash/

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samuelthrace has left a new comment on your post "Fatal Car Crash":

Are you glad this happened? Do you take pleasure that a WELS pastor made a fatal error? Is his death just another "thing" to you that makes you feel superior to the WELS? If not, why else would you highlight the detail that he ran a red light?

You, sir, are despicable.

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GJ - Everything above is from the Internet. I supposed the news sources are despicable because they reported what the police told them. The police are despicable because they investigated the accident. They should over up the facts to make Holy Mother WELS look perfect.

I believe people should consider auto accidents and think about how they can drive more safely. I recall how the news sources said 1,000 soldiers died in Iraq after several years of fighting. I pointed out to my college classes that we lost that many each year in Arizona, from car crashes.

The red light was highlighted merely because the other reports did not give a cause and people speed read through posts.

Looking for motivation in a verbatim report is rather Eighth Commandish.

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samuelthrace has left a new comment on your post "Fatal Car Crash":

I do have sympathy for the family. It is a great tragedy. I don't think I was "hyperanalyzing" Greg's post. He had no words of sympathy for the family, either. Given his attitude toward the WELS, I don't think I was out of line suggesting that he felt a little superior when he read the article, especially (as noted before) since he highlighted the cause of the accident without a word of sympathy for the family.
Wake up, Jackson lackeys! He is a bitter, bitter man.

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GJ - Pardon me if this new comment reminds me so much of WELS Pastor Tim Glende. This anonymous (no profile) Samuel Thrace has no words of sympathy for the family, only condemnation of a simple, factual post. His two pathetic posts so far are full of rancor and bitterness. The trouble is - it could one of many WELS pastors. They are thin-skinned but eager to condemn. But - not all of them are like Glende. If they were, WELS would be even worse off than it is now.

I know a lot of people read this blog, so I posted the information as a favor to those who follow these things. For Moliners I also post obituaries and death notices on that blog and FB page. I spent some time looking for an obituary for Pastor Voss. So far it has not appeared.

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Anne has left a new comment on your post "Fatal Car Crash":

I find your highlighting of the red light incredibly disturbing and extremely disrespectful. This post is the first time I've seen your blog. (I googled Verne Voss and your blog came up...I'm sure that makes you happy.) It's obvious I don't need to look any further through it. You're a sad man. So sad. Thankfully, Pastor and Kathy won't ever read your heartless copy and paste...and therefore they won't see that you said nothing about them losing their lives and, more importantly, gaining their crown of glory. You are just sad.

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GJ - Another anonymous just found the blog post! How they do crop up and how they all read the same. But they are filled with love and concern...and more WELSian name-calling. They are good at that.

Making information known is "heartless"?

When two MLC students died in another auto crash, I copied what was available, so people could find out for themselves. I did not know them either, but I heard that many appreciated having a place to go for the information.

If you think this makes WELS look good, to send such immature comments anonymously, you must have studied at Mequon.

Anyone who thinks that others rejoice in a car accident is a sick person.

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Vern Voss was a Church Growth leader in WELS and joined the LCMS after retirement.

Justification by Faith Alone is the NT Message, The Book of Concord Witness, The Martin Luther Paradigm

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Justification in the Book of Concord - From Thy St...":

Luther rejected the Universal Justification, as taught by today's Lutheran Synods and churches, in his sermon on Galations, "You cannot extricate yourself from unbelief, nor can the Law do it for you. All your works in intended fulfilment of the Law must remain works of the Law and powerless to justify in the sight of God, who regards as just only believing children."

http://www.trinitylutheranms.org/MartinLuther/MLSermons/Galatians4_1_7.html

God, who regards as just (Justified) only believing children.

The false teachers may try and say that Luther meant Subjective Justification but that is a perversion of what Luther consistently wrote and confessed.

There will never be an end to the (W)ELS deceptive manuever of "Wider" and Narrower" senses or Objective and Subjective. It allows them to interpret God's Word any way they want to suit their desires.

God does not allow for any interpretation of Scripture other than His own through Scripture.
2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

What Makes the Speaker of the House Cry So Often?

Cardinal: pope stunned by anti-Christian violence

Cardinal: pope stunned by anti-Christian violence

By FRANCES D'EMILIO

The Associated Press 
Thursday, January 6, 2011; 11:20 AM

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI is stunned by the wave of violence and intolerance toward Christians around the world, Italy's top churchman said Thursday at Epiphany services.

"Together with the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, we are stunned in the face of religious intolerance and so much violence, and we are asking ourselves, in sorrow: why?" said Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of Italy's bishops conference in an Epiphany homily in Genoa. Bagnasco, in his role at the influential Italian bishops body, works closely with the pontiff and other Vatican officials.

Christian Copts in Egypt, where a bomb outside a church on Jan. 1 killed 21 people, mark Christmas on Jan. 7, will flock to Christmas vigil services on Thursday evening. Other Orthodox Christians also celebrate Jesus' birth on Jan. 7.

Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the 112th Congress - Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the 112th Congress - Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Wang Lutheran disaffiliates from ELCA, Maynard Lutheran - Granite Falls, MN - Granite Falls Advocate Tribune

Wang Lutheran disaffiliates from ELCA, Maynard Lutheran - Granite Falls, MN - Granite Falls Advocate Tribune

"In fact, this was a “case in point” for the current church, which had been sharing a minister, now The Rev. Brad Larson, with Maynard Lutheran Church. “This has been going on for a couple of years now,” Lerohl added, “but we put it all on hold until after the celebration.”
Several weeks ago a vote was held by the Wang congregation, with 76 percent of its membership voting to disaffiliate with the ELCA. When a second vote was held it passed by 90 percent, along with the agreement to affiliate with another Lutheran group which is yet to be determined.
While this means that a partnership between Wang and Maynard Lutheran will cease to exist, Pastor Larson has agreed and has permission to continue to serve both congregations until Wang finds a different partnership and minister."

Moline, Illinois Food Puts DC on the Map

From CNN and Bernie Hanssen's tip

Pizza man's first day as a Congressman

 

A big crowd of supporters, including his wife, Christie, kids, and the new Speaker of the House, Rep. John Boehner, came out to celebrate the ceremonial swearing in of Bobby Schilling (wearing a red tie) to Congress. By Catherine Clifford, staff reporterJanuary 5, 2011: 10:51 PM ET

WASHINGTON (CNNMoney) -- At the open house gathering to celebrate the official swearing in to Congress of Rep. Bobby Schilling in Washington, D.C., the pizza and ice cream were shipped in from Illinois.
The pizzas came in overnight from Saint Giuseppe's Heavenly Pizza, the shop that Bobby Schilling has owned for 14 years in Moline, Ill. Before deciding to run for Congress, Schilling was a pizza man. And lucky for supporters, there are pizza ovens in the historic D.C. office building, so the pizza was hot.

The ice cream, meanwhile, was shipped on dry ice from a local ice cream legend in Illinois, Whitey's. The owners of Whitey's Ice Cream weren't able to attend the party in D.C., but they wanted to show their support for Schilling on his big day.

For all of Congress, Wednesday was a big day. The 112th Congress was officially sworn in, giving Republicans a majority in the House, while Democrats maintained a slim majority in the Senate. Veteran Rep. John Boehner of Ohio took over the chamber from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
But it was an especially big day for the Congressional first timers: Ninety-four new House members took office.

"It has been really, really busy," said Schilling, standing in the hall of the House, waiting to cast a rules vote about 4 p.m. But "I come from the restaurant business; you're talking to a guy used to working 12, 14 hours a day." When there isn't time for a meal, the pizza man resorts to energy bars: it "keeps you so you are not going to pass out," he said.

In addition to the official swearing-in ceremony, a family photo with fellow Republican Boehner to commemorate the day, and his first votes as a member of Congress, Schilling was meeting constituents and new colleagues, and being interviewed by reporters. And if there weren't enough cameras swarming Schilling, there were plenty of kids underfoot: He has ten. And his chief of staff has four, with a fifth on the way. There were kids all over the office, ranging from toddler age on up.

Schilling's son Levi, 18, said coming to D.C. for his father's swearing-in had been a "whirlwind." He flew in on Monday afternoon and the "first thing we did was come to check out my dad's office, that was pretty cool," he said. Since then, the family has been exploring the city from Chinatown to the central train hub, Union Station. The whole experience has been a little strange, though: "I have always known my dad as a pizza guy," said Levi.

With limited seating available in the chamber for the official swearing-in, supporters, friends and family watched two TV screens in Schilling's still-being-set-up office.

Friends and supporters Tim and Gin Wray drove 14 hours from Illinois with their 13-year-old daughter, Sierra, to be there for Schilling's big day. Gin went to high school with Schilling in Rock Island, Ill., and has been helping Schilling's campaign. She has a full time job as a landscaping manager, but helped out with everything from fundraising to watching kids if necessary.

"He is a family man, a business man," said Gin. "To help him get elected and to help him stay elected, I will do whatever he needs me to do."

Small business owners have been especially supportive of Schilling. Not only is Schilling a small business owner himself, but his conservative political agenda favors smaller government, popular on Main Street.
At the open house, Dan Caulkins, the owner of several nursing homes in central Illinois, observed: "This room is really populated with small business owners."

For many newly elected members of Congress, having no experience in Washington was their ticket in.

"He is a fresh face. We share common ideology about the Constitution and limited government," said Caulkins, adding that Schilling is "very honest, open, and he is not a politician and not a lawyer." 

Justification in the Book of Concord - From Thy Strong Word

Augsburg Confession

J-525

"Also they teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God, did assume the human nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, so that there are two natures, the divine and the human, inseparably conjoined in one Person, one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, that He might reconcile the Father unto us, and be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of men."

Augsburg Confession, III. #1. Of the Son of God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 45. Tappert, p. 29. Heiser, p. 12.

J-526

“Also they teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Romans 3 and 4.”

Augsburg Confession, IV. #1. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 45. Tappert, p. 30. Heiser, p. 12f.

Apology of the Augsburg Confession

J-527

"The Third Article the adversaries approve, in which we confess that there are in Christ two natures, namely, a human nature, assumed by the Word into the unity of His person; and that the same Christ suffered and died to reconcile the Father to us; and that He was raised again to reign, and to justify and sanctify believers, etc., according to the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed."

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, III. #52. Of Christ, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 119. Romans 4:25; 2 Corinthians 5:19ff. Tapper, p. 107. Heiser, p. 32.

J-528

"Faith is that my whole heart takes to itself this treasure. It is not my doing, not my presenting or giving, not my work or preparation, but that a heart comforts itself, and is perfectly confident with respect to this, namely, that God makes a present and gift to us, and not we to Him, that He sheds upon us every treasure of grace in Christ."

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #48. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 135. Heiser, p. 36.

J-529

"Now, that faith signifies, not only a knowledge of the history, but such faith as assents to the promise, Paul plainly testifies when he says, Romans 4:16: 'Therefore it is of faith, to the end the promise might be sure.' For he judges that the promise cannot be received unless by faith. Wherefore he puts them together as things that belong to one another, and connects promise and faith."

            Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article IV. #51. Of Justification, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 135. Romans 4:16. Tappert, p. 114. Heiser, p. 36.

J-530

"This faith, encouraging and consoling in these fears, receives remission of sins, justifies and quickens. For this consolation is a new and spiritual life [a new birth and a new life]. These things are plain and clear, and can be understood by the pious, and have testimonies of the Church [as is to be seen in the conversion of Paul and Augustine]. The adversaries nowhere can say how the Holy Ghost is given. They imagine that the Sacraments confer the Holy Ghost ex opere operato, without a good emotion in the recipient, as though, indeed, the gift of the Holy Ghost were an idle matter."

            Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article IV. #63. Of Justification,, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 139. Tappert, p. 115. Heiser, p. 37.

J-531

"Now we will show that faith [and nothing else] justifies."

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #69. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 141. Tappert, p. 116. Heiser, p. 37.

J-532

"But to believe is to trust in the merits of Christ, that for His sake God certainly wishes to be reconciled with us. Likewise, just as we ought to maintain that, apart from the Law, the promise of Christ is necessary, so also is it needful to maintain that faith justifies. [For the Law does not preach the forgiveness of sin by grace.] For the Law cannot be performed unless the Holy Ghost be first received. It is, therefore, needful to maintain that the promise of Christ is necessary. But this cannot be received except by faith. Therefore, those who deny that faith justifies, teach nothing but the Law, both Christ and the Gospel being set aside.”

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #69. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. p. 141. Tappert, p. 116. Heiser, p. 37.

J-533

"We do not believe thus [that faith is just a beginning of justification] concerning faith, but we maintain this, that properly and truly, by faith itself, we are for Christ's sake accounted righteous, or are acceptable to God. And because 'to be justified' means that out of unjust men just men are made, or born again, it means also that they are pronounced or accounted just. For Scripture speaks in both ways. [The term to be justified is used in two ways: to denote, being converted or regenerated; again, being accounted righteous.] Accordingly we wish first to show this, that faith alone makes of an unjust, a just man, i. e., receives remission of sins."

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #71-2. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 141. Tappert, p. 116f. Heiser, p. 38.

J-534

"But since we receive remission of sins and the Holy Ghost by faith alone, faith alone justifies, because those reconciled are accounted righteous and children of God, not on account of their own purity, but through mercy for Christ's sake, provided only they by faith apprehend this mercy."

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #86. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 147. Tappert, p. 119. Heiser, p. 39.

J-535

"In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul discusses this topic especially, and declares that, when we believe that God, for Christ's sake, is reconciled to us, we are justified freely by faith."

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV. #87. Of Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 147. 2 Corinthians 5:19ff. Tappert, p. 119f. Heiser, p. 39.

J-536

"These things are so plain and so manifest that we wonder that the madness of the adversaries is so great as to call them into doubt. The proof is manifest that, since we are justified before God not from the Law, but from the promise, it is necessary to ascribe justification to faith."

            Apology of the Augsburg Confession, III. #177. Of Love and the Fulfilling of the Law. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 205. Tappert, p. 153. Heiser, p. 60.

J-537

"Scripture thus uses the term faith, as the following sentence of Paul testifies, Romans 5:1: Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Moreover, in this passage, to justify signifies, according to forensic usage, to acquit a guilty one and declare him righteous, but on account of the righteousness of another, namely, of Christ, which righteousness of another is communicated to us by faith... 1 Corinthians 1:30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. And 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. But because the righteousness of Christ is given us by faith, faith is for this reason righteousness in us imputatively, i. e., it is that by which we are made acceptable to God on account of the imputation and ordinance of God, as Paul says, Romans 4:3, 5: Faith is reckoned for righteousness."

            Apology of the Augsburg Confession, III. #184. Of Love and the Fulfilling of the Law. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 205f. Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21. Tappert, p. 154. Heiser, p. 60.

J-538

"But as the Confutation condemns us for having assigned these two parts to repentance, we must show that [not we, but] Scripture expresses these as the chief parts in repentance and conversion. For Christ says, Matthew 11:28: Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Here there are two members. The labor and the burden signify the contrition, anxiety, and terrors of sin and of death. To come to Christ is to believe that sins are remitted for Christ's sake; when we believe, our hearts are quickened by the Holy Ghost through the Word of Christ. Here, therefore, there are these two chief parts, contrition and faith."

            Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XII (V). #44. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 263. Matthew 11:28. Tappert, p. 187. Heiser, p. 81.

J-539

“That absolution, however, is not received except by faith can be proved from Paul, who teaches, Romans 4:16, that the promise cannot be received except by faith. But absolution is the promise of the remission of sins [nothing else than the Gospel, the divine promise of God’s grace and favor]. Therefore, it necessarily requires faith. Neither do we see how he who does not assent to it may be said to receive absolution.”

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XII. #61-62. Of Repentance. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 269. Romans 4:16. Tappert, p. 190. Heiser, p. 83.

J-540

"The Gospel teaches that by faith we receive freely, for Christ's sake, the remission of sins and are reconciled to God."

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV. #5. Human Traditions. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 317. Tappert, p. 215. Heiser, p. 96.

The Smalcald Articles

J-541

“Likewise: All have sinned and are justified without merit [freely, and without their own works or merits] by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood, Romans 3:23f. Now, since it is necessary to believe this, and it cannot be otherwise acquired or apprehended by any work, law, or merit, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us, as St. Paul says, Romans 3:28: For we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law. Likewise, v. 26: That He might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Christ.”

            Smalcald Articles, The Second Part, Article I. #4. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 461. Tappert, p. 292. Heiser, p. 137.

J-542

“What I have hitherto and constantly taught concerning this I know not how to change in the least, namely, that by faith, as St. Peter says, we acquire a new and clean heart, and God will and does account us entirely righteous and holy for the sake of Christ, our Mediator. And although sin in the flesh has not yet been altogether removed or become dead, yet He will not punish or remember it. And such faith, renewal, and forgiveness of sins is followed by good works.”

Smalcald Articles, The Third Part, Article XIII. #1-2. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 499. Tappert, p. 315. Heiser, p. 148.

The Large Catechism

J-543

"Therefore there is here again great need to call upon God and pray: Dear Father, forgive us our trespasses. Not as though He did not forgive sin without and even before our prayer (for He has given us the Gospel, in which is pure forgiveness before we prayed or ever thought about it). But this is to the intent that we may recognize and accept [erkennen und annehmen; agnoscamus et accipiamus] such forgiveness. For since the flesh in which we daily live is of such a nature that it neither trusts nor believes God, and is ever active in evil lusts and devices, so that we sin daily in word and deed, by commission and omission, by which the conscience is thrown into unrest, so that it is afraid of the wrath and displeasure of God, and thus loses the comfort and confidence derived from the Gospel; therefore it is ceaselessly necessary that we run hither and obtain consolation to comfort the conscience again."²²⁰

The Large Catechism, The Lord's Prayer, Fifth Petition, #88-89, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 723. Matthew 6:12. Tappert, p. 432. Heiser, p. 202f.

 Formula of Concord

J-544

"The third controversy which has arisen among some theologians of the Augsburg Confession is concerning the righteousness of Christ or of faith, which God imputes by grace, through faith, to poor sinners for righteousness."

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #1. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 917. Tappert, p. 539. Heiser, p. 250.

J-545

"These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to ourselves. This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteous by God the Father, and are eternally saved."

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #10. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 919. Tappert, p. 541. Heiser, p. 250.

J-546

"Accordingly, the word justify here means to declare righteous and free from sins, and to absolve one from eternal punishment for the sake of Christ's righteousness, which is imputed by God to faith, Philippians 3:9. For this use and understanding of this word is common in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Proverbs 17:15: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord. Isaiah 5:23: Woe unto them which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Romans 8:33: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, that is, absolves from sins and acquits."

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #17. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921. Philippians 3:9; Proverbs 17:15; Isaiah 5:23; Romans 8:33. Tappert, p. 541f. Heiser, p. 251.

J-547

"For when man is justified through faith [which the Holy Ghost alone works], this is truly a regeneration, because from a child of wrath he becomes a child of God, and thus is transferred from death to life, as it is written; When we were dead in sins, He hath quickened us together with Christ, Ephesians 2:5. Likewise: The just shall live by faith, Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4."

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #20. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921. Tappert, p. 542. Heiser, p. 251.

J-548

“But here very good attention must be given with especial diligence, if the article of justification is to remain pure, lest that which precedes faith, and that which follows after it, be mingled together or inserted into the article of justification as necessary and belonging to it, because it is not one or the same thing to speak of conversion and of justification. For not everything that belongs to conversion belongs likewise to the article of justification, in and to which belong and are necessary only the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and faith, which receives this in the promise of the Gospel, whereby the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, whence we receive and have forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, sonship, and heirship of eternal life. Therefore true, saving faith is not in those who are without contrition and sorrow, and have a wicked purpose to remain and persevere in sins; but true contrition precedes, and genuine faith is in or with true repentance [justifying faith is in those who repent truly, not feignedly].”

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #24-26. Of the Righteousness of Faith Before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921. Tappert, p. 543. Heiser, p. 251.

J-549

"Moreover, neither contrition nor love or any other virtue, but faith alone is the sole means and instrument by which and through which we can receive and accept the grace of God, the merit of Christ, and the forgiveness of sins, which are offered us in the promise of the Gospel."

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #31. Of the Righteous of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 925. Tappert, p. 544. Heiser, p. 252.

J-550

"Here belongs also what St. Paul writes Romans 4:3, that Abraham was justified before God by faith alone, for the sake of the Mediator, without the cooperation of his works, not only when he was first converted from idolatry and had no good works, but also afterwards, when he had been renewed by the Holy Ghost, and adorned with many excellent good works, Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:8. And Paul puts the following questions, Romans 4:1ff.: On what did Abraham's righteousness before God for everlasting life, by which he had a gracious God, and was pleasing and acceptable to Him, rest at that time?

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #33. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 927. Romans 4:3; Romans 4:1ff; Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:8. Tappert, p. 545. Heiser, p. 252.

J-551

"For good works do not precede faith, neither does sanctification precede justification. But first faith is kindled in us in conversion by the Holy Ghost from the hearing of the Gospel. This lays hold of God's grace in Christ, by which the person is justified. Then, when the person is justified, he is also renewed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, from which renewal and sanctification the fruits of good works then follow."

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #41, Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 929. Tappert, p. 546. Heiser, p. 253.

J-552

“...God in His purpose and counsel ordained [decreed]:

1. That the human race is truly redeemed and reconciled with God through Christ, who, by His faultless [innocency] obedience, suffering, and death, has merited for us the righteousness which avails before God, and eternal life.
2. That such merit and benefits of Christ shall be presented, offered, and distributed to us through His Word and Sacraments.
3. That by His Holy Ghost, through the Word, when it is preached, heard, and pondered, He will be efficacious and active in us, convert hearts to true repentance, and preserve them in the true faith.
4. That He will justify all those who in true repentance receive Christ by a true faith, and will receive them into grace, the adoption of sons, and the inheritance of eternal life."

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, XI. #15. Of God's Eternal Election. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1069. 2 Corinthians 5:19ff. Tappert, p. 619. Heiser, p. 288. [emphasis added]

J-553

"On this account, as the Augsburg Confession in Article XI says, we also retain private absolution, and teach that it is God's command that we believe such absolution, and should regard it as sure that, when we believe the word of absolution, we are as truly reconciled to God as though we had heard a voice from heaven, as the Apology explains this article. This consolation would be entirely taken from us if we were not to infer the will of God towards us from the call which is made through the Word and through the Sacraments."

Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, XI. #38. Of God's Eternal Election. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1075. Tappert, p. 622. Heiser, p. 289.

Fox Valley Wit From Joel Lillo

Joel has left a new comment on your post "Thank You Helpers":

YOU had typos????!!!!???? I just don't believe it. My illusion of your perfection lies shattered on the floor! Oh, the humanity!!!

The Purpose of This Volume - Yes, I Kelmed the Concept

You missed the cardinal article. It is one post below. Thanks. This great drawing is by Norma Boeckler.

J-444

Quo propior Luthero, eo melior theologus!

"It is the purpose of this volume to aid in displacing books of Reformed preachers. We would encourage the cultivation of distinctly Lutheran preaching. Therefore, we now appeal to our brethren always to consult Luther when preparing to preach. Quo propior Luthero, eo melior theologus!¹⁹⁴ Let us who are called Lutheran preachers be sure that in every one of our sermons we preach God’s Word and Luther's doctrine pure. It is that preaching which God demands of us, 1 Peter 4:11. It was that preaching which conquered the Roman Goliath, Revelation 12:11. By that preaching we shall truly build the walls of Zion, not with hay, straw, and stubble, but with such stones as all the powers of hell shall never overthrow, Luke 21:15."

Martin S. Sommer, Concordia Pulpit for 1932, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1931, p. ix.

J-445

"Paul... is speaking about methods of preaching the Gospel. He means to say that you can introduce methods into your Gospel work which on the surface do not appear as shameful, but which in reality disgrace the Gospel. He is harking back to 2:17, where he spoke about kapeleuein, about 'selling' the Gospel. To use a coarse illustration: Some ministers in their eagerness to bring the Gospel to the people, resort to entertainment to attract the crowds, in order to get an opportunity to preach to them. If you would tell such ministers that they are ashamed of the Gospel and that by their methods they disgrace it, because they manifest a lack of trust in its efficacy, they would resent the charge. Are they not doing all in order to promote the Gospel? The disgrace their methods bring upon it does not appear on the surface; that is why Paul speaks of secret things of shame."

John P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, pp. 62f. 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; 2:17.¹⁹⁵

J-446

"It is not enough that we preach correctly, which the hireling can also do; but we must watch over the sheep, that the wolves, false teachers, may not break in, and we must contend for the sheep against the wolves, with the Word of God, even to the sacrifice of our lives. Such are good shepherds, of whom few are found."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 34. John 10:11-16.

J-447

"The world desires such wolf preaching, and is not worthy of anything better since it will not hear nor respect Christ. Hence it is that there are so few true Christians and faithful preachers, always outnumbered by the members of the false church."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 385. Deuteronomy 29:19.

J-448

"It must be so, the village must be against them; again, the apostles must despise them and appear before them, for the Lord will have no flatterer as a preacher. He does not say: Go around the village, or to the one side of it: Go in bravely and tell them what they do not like to hear. How very few there are now who enter the village that is against them. We gladly go into the towns that are on our side. The Lord might have said: Go ye into the village before you. That would have been a pleasing and customary form of speech. But he would indicate this mystery of the ministry, hence he speaks in an unusual way: Go into the village that is over against you. That is: Preach to them that are disposed to prosecute and kill you. You shall merit such thanks and not try to please them, for such is the way of hypocrites and not that of the evangelists."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, I, p. 46f. Matthew 21:1-9.

J-449

"But the Lord refutes this and says: Go ye there and preach what does it matter if it is against you? You will find there what I say. We should now do likewise. Although the masses storm against the Gospel and there is no hope that they will be better, yet we must preach, there will yet be found those who listen and become converted."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, I, p. 48. Matthew 21:1-9.

J-450

"Thus we arrive at the apostle's meaning in the assertion that a minister of Christ is a steward in the mysteries of God. He should regard himself and insist that others regard him as one who administers to the household of God nothing but Christ and the things of Christ. In other words, he should preach the pure Gospel, the true faith, that Christ alone is our life, our way, our wisdom, power, glory, salvation; and that all we can accomplish of ourselves is but death, error, foolishness, weakness, shame and condemnation. Whosoever preaches otherwise should be regarded by none as a servant of Christ or a steward of the divine treasurer; he should be avoided as a messenger of the devil."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p. 73. 1 Corinthians 4:1-5.

J-451

"Paul in Romans 12:7-8 devotes the office of the ministry to two things, doctrine and exhortation. The doctrinal part consists in preaching truths not generally known; in instructing and enlightening the people. Exhortation is inciting and urging to duties already well understood. Necessarily both obligations claim the attention of the minister, and hence Paul takes up both."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p. 9. Romans 13:11-14; Romans 12:7-8.

J-452

"If Satan were only prudent enough to keep quiet and let the Gospel be preached, he would receive less injury from it; for if the Gospel is not attacked it completely rusts and has no occasion or reason to make its power and influence manifest."

Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 300. Matthew 22:15-22.

¹⁹⁴"The closer to Luther, the better the theologian."

¹⁹⁵"It is the same thought as that expressed in 2:17. Some preachers, like hucksters, are ready to dicker about the Word of God as though they can discount something to make a sale, as though the deal is between them and men alone. This is what Paul also means by adulterating the Word of God, mixing in unrealities to make the Word acceptable to men." R. C. H. Lenski, St. Paul's First and Second Letter to the Corinthians, Columbus: Wartburg Press, 1957, p. 957. 2 Corinthians 4:2. 2 Corinthians 2:17.

More Cardinals - Fewer Popes

Attracting Cardinals to Your Back Yard

October 20, 2010

Understanding a few facts about cardinals can make the difference between whether you’re able to attract these birds–or not! Cardinals usually are the first birds to feed in the morning and the last to feed at night. Be sure to have your feeders filled during these times of day. And the type of feeder is important too. Cardinals like feeders with a roomy trays or open platform  feeders. They like to be able to perch comfortably and won’t tolerate feeders that sway in the wind or are otherwise unstable, such as feeders with perches that are too small for them. Cardinals often feed from the ground, so if cats or other predators aren’t present, you may consider a ground feeder for these birds.

Cardinals eat a variety of foods: sunflower seed, safflower seed, cracked corn, suet, suet mixtures, peanut hearts, peanuts and nutmeats of all kinds. Try Cardinal Delight, a seed Duncraft formulated especially for these birds. They also like melon seeds, pieces of raisins and banana and even cornbread.

If you want to set up a feeder for just cardinals and maybe some small birds such as chickadees,  try setting your feeder in the midst of a bush or shrub. Cardinals nest in bushes and they love to eat in a secluded place. Replicating a cardinals’ preferred habitat by your feeding set-up is one way to keep them coming back and also discourages other large birds, such as doves and pigeons. These birds are too large to use a feeder that’s located in the middle of a lot of branches!

Water also plays a very important part in attracting cardinals and other birds, both in summer and winter.  So be sure to have a bird bath filled with fresh water if there isn’t a natural water source nearby.

If you are lucky enough to have more than one pair of cardinals at your feeding station, you may see one or two males trying to keep all the others from the feeding tray. This is very common among finches – the family of birds to which the cardinal belongs. However, sooner or later every one gets its turn. Even the male cardinal who won’t let his mate eat with him all winter eventually relents. When spring comes he begins to regard his mate in a new light. Instead of chasing her from the feeding tray, he now begins to offer her shucked sunflower seeds and other choice tidbits. When the cardinals have their young they will bring them to the feeder and teach them how to feed themselves.

***

GJ - Duncraft had a great article, so I kelmed it. I have seen three male cardinals at once around the feeder, which is next to a large bush. As regular readers know, I also have a bird-bath nearby, hidden behind some - ouch! - holly bushes. What I do for those birds!

---

Bruce Church has left a new comment on your post "More Cardinals - Fewer Popes":

They suggest a post for feeding cardinals for stability, but if you keep your feeder near the house, the wind can't get at it as much. That seems to keep our cardinal pair happy. Some years we get 2 or 3 pairs for a short while.

The article is right about cardinals feeding at dusk and dawn. Often you can't even see the red color it's so dark out. How they manage to eat so seldom is they eat a lot at one sitting.

We have 100% safflower seed in our box feeder, and the cardinals love it. It didn't take any adjustment period at all for them to take to it.

Here's a tip. Box feeders come with a tray or perch. If you want a larger tray for cardinals, close up one or two sides of the feeder so no seed can come out, and then move the tray over so it's all on one side. That will probably require a drill and screwdriver. Sometimes the seed trough can be closed up merely by sliding the plastic side out and turning it upside down and then optionally using some tape. Then hang it so the tray side is toward your window, or edgewise toward your window, so you see the side or back of the birds.

***

GJ - Cardinals feed on the ground, too, so I scatter extra seeds there. Some squirrels may get it, but other birds will too.

I had no trouble getting birds to eat safflower - I just found it expensive.

When Ordering Multiple Books

Norma Boeckler designed this cover.

This is where you order my books from Lulu. 

Orders are printed once they are requested.

If you want a bunch of books at once, I can send them to you at a discount. I would rather see more books get around than make a few more dollars. As Jack Preus said about writing theology books, "Don't quit your day job."

My not-so-secret email is gregjackson1948@qwest.net

My spam filter will get rid of the silly spam sent because I post the address.

All PDF downloads are free and they can be shared with anyone.

Justification is almost ready for ordering. Early-birds are welcome to send me their list of typos found. No printed books has ever been free of printing errors, so I laugh when a humorless drone has a hissy over my typos. My gruff but likable editor kidded me about mistakes, but made one of his own while laughing at his own humor. I did not hesitate a moment to return fire.

Thank You Helpers

"Will this book ever get off the ground?"
That is a common thought during the writing effort.

I want to thank all my helpers for moving things along during the final stages of Justification and the Thy Strong Word re-publication. There are many forms of encouragement.

One WELS member said, "I want signed copies of both when you are done."

Another one sends me a list of typos, missed by the editor and me.

Another adds artwork - Norma Boeckler.

Still others send encouraging messages. If I thought about the Lutheran leadership of today, I would quit. They are shameless and clueless. Issues are finessed rather than addressed.

We are supposed to defend sound doctrine and question leaders, as the Bereans did, studying the Word to verify the teaching. Today people defend Holy Mother Synod and question the Word, while ignoring the Book of Concord. The results are inevitable, because God hates the Lutheran synods as constituted and mis-managed today.

But - signs of hope. I now find the youngest generation interested in Lutheran doctrine. They are starting almost from scratch, because their congregations and schools and synods have chosen to leave them ignorant and to train them in synod-worship. But they are eager to learn, willing to work at it, and Berean in studying the issues for themselves.

On Children and Grandchildren - From Thy Strong Word

Men who teach the Word of God to their family go against the natural impulses of the world. The opportunities in the family are endless. Children are naturally curious and eager to learn, so they want to hear about the Word and they absorb lessons readily. The Small Catechism was written expressly for the training of children by the head of the household. The father can make that responsibility seem like taking out the garbage, mowing the lawn, and cleaning the basement, or he can show his children how he delights in the teaching of God, Psalm 1. The term law should not be interpreted as only the commands of God, but as the teaching of God, because that is the meaning of the Hebrew word torah. We might translate the phrase as follows: His delight is in the doctrine of the Lord.¹⁷⁷

KJV Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law [torah] of the LORD; and in his law [torah] doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

J-342

"Chastize them when they deserve it, but accompany the correction with affectionate words so that they do not become disheartened and expect nothing good from you. It is very bad if a son loves someone else more than his father. The father should give some sort of proof that there is no intention entirely to crush the child. The Law alone serves no good purpose; in fact, it is intolerable."

            What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 142. V. Dietrich, 1533. Ephesians 6:4.

J-343

"The first destroyers of their own children are those who neglect them and knowingly permit them to grow up without the training and admonition of the Lord. Even if they do not harm them by a bad example, they still destroy them by yielding to them. They love them too much according to the flesh and pamper them, saying: They are children, they do not understand what they are doing. And they are speaking the truth. But neither does a dog or a horse understand what it is doing. However, see how they learn to go, to come, to obey, to do and leave undone what they do not understand... These parents will, therefore, bear the sins of their children because they make these sins their own."

            What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 139. November, 1516 sermon Fourth Commandment.

J-344

"The apostle does not mean to say that children are not to be rebuked or beaten, but that they are to be chastised in love; but parents are not to vent their furious temper on them, unconcerned about the way to correct the error of their children. For when the spirit has been cowed, one is of no use for anything and despairs of everything, is timid in doing and undertaking everything. And, what is worse, this timidity, implanted during the tender years, can almost never thereafter be eradicated. For since they have learned to be frightened at every word of their parents, they are subsequently afraid of even a rustling leaf or a tree."

            What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 140.

Parents often become frustrated with the difficulty of raising their children. The cuddly baby turns into a ferocious two-year old in record time. This stage is a not a burden to be thrust onto child care providers, but a time for parents to help in a significant turning-point in the growth of a child. Children have their first impressive tantrums at the age of two (and even before), so the parents have a chance to teach their children self-control. We heard the child of one friend say in his evening prayers, “Forgive me Jesus for cying and frowing myself on the ground.” When self-control is not learned at the age of two, the tantrums are worse at age four. If the tantrums go unpunished, the teenage years turn children into angry tyrants who terrorize adults. When I was visiting an elderly person, her great-grandchild came home and announced grandly that she had told off the dean of students at her school with a stream of abuse she shared generously with me and the others. I tried to point out that being respectful would be far more fruitful, but I was talking to granite. I wondered what would happen to such a wild person.

J-345

"You see, then, that by nature all children are disobedient to father and mother. Therefore if a child is to honor father and mother from the bottom of its heart, as this Commandment requires, the Holy Spirit must bring this about through grace; nature is not equal to the task."

            What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 143. Exodus 20:12.

J-346

"Love toward their mother is not so great in children as the love of their mother toward them, as the proverb has it: Amor descendit, non ascendit, Love is a plant that grows downward rather than upward."

            What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 138.

We can recognize the Old Adam in our children, even when they are so-called innocent children. Our daughter Bethany blew squash all over the face of her favorite nurse and then laughed. Bethany had a sheepish grin when I asked her if she used tantrums to get her way at the nursing home. Erin Joy learned to use the medical system to her advantage as well. One time she shrieked at the top of her lungs. Five nurses raced into her room. She grinned. She was lonely and wanted some company. When our granddaughter Josephine, at age two and a half, sat on a tricycle at the mall in Mankato, I strolled along with her while she toured the Sears store. Suddenly she raced out into the mall hallway, moving with a sense of purpose. Mystified, I followed her until she completed her transit of the second hallway. Then her beloved carousel appeared, with lights and music. She steadfastly set her face toward her goal, raced through the crowd, and jumped off the tricycle, getting on the carousel before I could pay. Since I wanted to be strict with her, I limited her to eight rides. However, when I tried to take her back to a meeting place to see her parents, I witnessed the fury of a two year old.

Children always view their mother as the sole obstacle standing in the way of their happiness. Sons can be very difficult at a younger age, daughters in their teen years. Nevertheless, love is not always expressed in hugs and kisses. Children do not want to give away how much they love their parents. In time this love becomes evident and the source of enormous happiness.

     

Grandparents

God rewards parents by making them grandparents in due time. Being a grandparent is like riding the best roller coaster in the world, with all the thrills and none of the fears. No one has invented a drug that will generate the excitement and contentment of one tiny grandchild, boy or girl. If a pharmaceutical company could package a fraction of the power of grandchildren, they would have a nation of contented but goofy people. People are nostalgic about the thrill of falling in love for the first time. They think they cannot recapture that feeling. They are wrong. Holding grandchildren, watching them play, talking gibberish with them, blowing a paycheck on their needs and desires: all this can make all the years collapse and the happy memories flood the mind. We remember the events that led up to this happy moment, the blessings of God, the warp and woof of the family genetic code. One of the greatest blessings of God is to see our children’s children.

KJV Psalm 128:1 Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. 2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. 3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. 4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. 5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. 6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

KJV Psalm 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; 18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

KJV Proverbs 17:6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

Funniest Comment about the Arkansas, Ohio State Game

Lou Holtz, former Notre Dame coach

Just before the Arkansas-Ohio State game, Lou Holtz was introduced as an announcer.

Mrs. Ichabod said, "He gets a lot of money to watch a football game in a suit."

I get to hear humor like that all the time.

Arkansas played extremely well and almost beat the Buckeyes. The expert announcers had the Hogs written off early, but they came within 5 points on some brilliant plays.

Have Fun With Me, Not With Others

Typical day of blogging.

I leave the comments fairly open because people need a place where they can discuss issues safety, without someone retaliating against them. That also helps people across the synods see that they are not alone in experiencing the horrors of apostasy.

I do not mind people taking whacks at me because they hate Luther's doctrine. That just makes the blog more interesting.

But I loathe people who use their anonymous freedom to launch personal attacks against others. Eventually everyone will find out who the writers are. If not, God knows.

Notice how muted the fake Icha-blogger is, now that everyone knows he is WELS Pastor Tim Glende, another Church and Changer. It is one thing to lob anonymous stink bombs behind the scenes, as he loves to do. It is quite another to have someone attach a name to the stink bombs.

Poor Tim thinks he has to watch my blog. That is his only job. Like ELCA Pastor Bruce Foster, he has the same nasty message every two months.

Look over the fake Icha-blog and see how funny it really is, especially coming from a known bully and Groeschel addict, as shown by a carefully written letter from a lawyer. I have linked Glende's blog so everyone can see how seldom he writes. He should have lots of time since he has a free sermon-writing service, but he manages to blog every other month. I can hardly wait for the next time he unburdens his soul.

Remembering the Epiphany in chalk « Churchmouse Campanologist

Remembering the Epiphany in chalk « Churchmouse Campanologist

This is good reading, Ichabodians.

NALC Video Takes on ELCA, About 23 Years Late

Ohio ELCA Bishop finally had enough, after cheering on the merger of 1987.

No one seemed to be seconding the motion when I said published similar criticisms in 1987.

Some Readers Like This Blog

M. Loy was a pioneer in several areas. His hymns and translations are worth noting and singing.


Hello again Pastor Jackson,

First and foremost, I hope you enjoyed your Christmas and New Year's. I hope your family is doing well.

Now...onto the meat and potatoes:

Sometimes I think you take the name Lutheran truly to heart, modeling yourself after the great reformer in both his efforts to go back to God's Word and in his crash, often times tongue in cheek, humor. It's at times refreshing.

That said, I know many people criticize perhaps too much for your style. I have been mildly offended at times, true, but that shouldn't stop anyone from reading the context and content of the blog, not just individual remarks. So if anyone thinks you to be nothing but a crass, bitter old man, this latest post reveals your desire to truly be Lutheran. Others may not like your style of calling people out. And perhaps at times it does go too far or goes on for too long. Yet the reason behind your blog is to make people think, push them to be like Luther and find out what does the Word really say.

This paragraph says it all:

 "I would like to leave Lutheran pastors and laity with this thought, that they still have what the false teachers can never take away—the Word of God. No weapon fashioned by man can defeat the work of the Holy Spirit. No matter how weak and flawed we may be, God’s Word remains powerful, effective, active, and filled with eternal-life-giving energy. We should not and cannot judge how successful we are, since God alone is glorified in the ministry of the Word. Who would have guessed that a widowed housemother at a tiny college was raising four sons who would be pastors, three serving as professors at three different Lutheran seminaries, two of them respected authors to this day, one of them a seminary president? Mrs. Pieper lived in the humblest circumstances and probably never imagined she would be mentioned in various books as an example of how God works. Martin Luther expressed this faithfully in his thoughts on Matthew 7, where Jesus compared sound doctrine to false doctrine."

We are but jars of clay. Cracked, broken, sinful. And yet we have the greatest weapon, the greatest defense - the Word of God.

So thank you for your work. If nothing else, it has spurred me on to digging deeper into matters I thought I had down. Let my faith never grow complacent.

Someone

***

GJ - My only goal is to have people familiar with Luther and the Book of Concord...and to have a little fun with my opponents who love Sweet, Stetzer, Driscoll, C. Peter Wagner, and Knapp.