Tom Fisher Clarifies the LCMS and WELS on Their False Doctrine

 

Dear Pastor Jackson,

I decided to attempt to clarify what LCMS and WELS actually teach regarding the doctrine of justification. Neither WELS or LCMS were able or willing to honestly answer my questions. 

Here are my questions to LCMS that remain unanswered:

1.The Brief Statement says:

"Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world righteous in Christ."

Has God already declared the world to be righteous in Christ prior to and without faith?

Has God already declared little infants righteous in Christ prior to baptism and faith and the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Ghost?

2. The CTCR report states:

"But because theologically justification is the same thing as the forgiveness of sins, it is Biblically and confessionally correct to refer to the great sin-cancelling, atoning work of the Redeemer as the "objective" or "universal" justification of the whole sinful human race."

Has God already forgiven and cancelled the sins of the whole world prior to and without faith?

Has God already forgiven and cancelled the sins of little infants prior to baptism and faith and the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Ghost?

Renowned, powerful doctors of theology in LCMS are unable or unwilling to answer these questions. They refuse to reveal what the LCMS actually teaches concerning the doctrine of justification. Oh my! Could LCMS be officially teaching justification prior to and without faith in Christ?

C.F.W. Walther, the first President of LCMS preached that God forgave the sins of the whole world at Christ's resurrection. This clearly teaches God forgave the sins of the whole world prior to and without faith in Christ.

In contrast Scripture teaches no one is justified or forgiven without faith in Christ.

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Scripture teaches we are justified by faith in Christ.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:16,17

"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." Habakkuk 2:4

Faith is a flickering elusive thing. Many times our faith seems so weak we are convinced we have lost our faith. God wants us to be certain of our justification so He instituted the sacrament of Holy Baptism in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

Our Baptism into Jesus Christ is with us forever. We can always find our Baptism into Christ. Our Baptism into Jesus Christ depends entirely upon God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Our Baptism into Jesus Christ does not depend on our " accepting", or "asking Jesus into our hearts", or "making a decision", or "devoting ourselves", or "dedicating ourselves", or any other invented work that depend on us. Our Baptism into Christ is entirely God's work. 

In contrast LCMS officially teaches Objective / Subjective Justification that is contingent on you "accepting" it as true for you personally. Wait a minute!! The true justification in the Bible is permanent not contingent. Luther warned us it is very easy to slip and slide away from justification by faith.

This reminds me of an old John Wayne movie titled "McClintock". A huge fist fight broke out on top of a hill between the cowboys and the homesteaders. It was muddy so there was a constant stream of both cowboys and homesteaders sliding down the hill into a muddy pond at the bottom. Everyone was working to keep their balance and footing. This picture is similar to Objective/ Subjective Justification where you are constantly working to continue "accepting" Universal Justification as true for you personally.

Are you beginning to see the difference between true justification by faith and justification by works?  When we were helpless infants God baptized us into Jesus Christ, and justified us in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Here in our baptism into Christ we are permanently and eternally clothed in the righteousness of Christ and justified in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

In contrast 0bjective / Subjective justification is temporary, not permanent. It is also contingent on you "accepting" it as true for you personally. It occurs prior to and without faith, baptism, the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. It is uncertain because it depends on you. God does not justify anyone prior to and without faith, baptism, the washing of regeneration, and renewal of the Holy Ghost.

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7.

True justification by faith is personal, permanent, certain, and eternal.  God calls us by name and baptizes us into Jesus Christ in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Notice that God is personal with us calling us by our name as He clothes us in the righteousness of Christ and justifies us in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in our Baptism.

In contrast LCMS Objective / Subjective justification is impersonal, contingent, temporary, and uncertain. Notice that you must be personal with God in order for God to justify you personally. You must "accept" Universal Justification for you personally. This is justification by works not justification by faith in Christ.

LCMS Objective / Subjective Justification is not permanently valid. If you die without properly and adequately and personally "accepting" Universal Justification as your own it is immediately changed into eternal damnation. This is a horrible horrible teaching. This is justification by invented works. 

True justification by faith in Christ is personal, permanent, certain, and eternal. It is entirely God's work and will never be cancelled. Notice the certainty of justification by faith in Romans 8:29,30. 

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Romans 8:29,30

LCMS theologians have deceitfully camouflaged Objective / Subjective Justification as justification by faith. They refuse to answer my questions.  They are slippery evasive eels. LCMS pastors and theologians lie and deceive by God's name and Word.

 C. F. W. Walther, the first President of LCMS is still their hero and mentor. Walther clearly taught a Universal Justification prior to and without faith, without baptism, without the washing of regeneration, and without the renewing of the Holy Ghost. 

C.F.W. Walther said, "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." (The Path To Understanding Justification, Gregory L. Jackson, PhD; pg. 12; ISBN 9781072530428)

C.F.W. Walther clearly teaches everyone is already justified prior to and without faith, without Baptism, without the washing of regeneration, and without the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Note that this is not a permanent or personal justification. It is a temporary justification contingent on you "accepting" Universal Justification as true for you personally. 

This reminds me of being confronted by a "ask Jesus into your heart" fanatic. I was busy grocery shopping when this woman comes up to me and starts asking me one question over and over: " Have you accepted Jesus into your heart as your personal Savior?" I replied, "I am Baptized." She brushed my Baptism into Jesus Christ aside as irrelevant and said, "Sir, you must accept Jesus into your heart as your personal Savior." I firmly replied, "No I don't. I am Baptized!" She softened her tone and pleaded, "Sir, please pray with me. Just repeat after me. Dear Jesus I accept you as my personal Savior." I firmly refused and said, "Go away! I am baptized." I noticed her tone became increasingly threatening. "Sir, you must accept Jesus into your heart as your personal Savior or you will be eternally lost." I firmly replied, "No I don't need to do that. I am Baptized." I noticed her demeanor changed to deep sadness as she said, "Sir, I will pray God will help you to accept Jesus as your personal Savior. I am very concerned you are not a Christian." I firmly replied, "Go away! I am Baptized." I suddenly realized she would never go away. I had to weave my way into a crowd of shoppers to make my escape.  

Luther warned us that the greatest threat to our Christian faith would come from those adding things you must do to be a Christian. C.F.W. Walther, the first President of LCMS added an invented work you must do to be forgiven and saved. He added his version of synergism named "faith". How cute! He camouflaged justification by invented works as " faith". C.F.W. Walther said:

"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."  (The Path To Understanding Justification, Gregory L. Jackson, PhD. ; pg.12; ISBN 9781072530428)

All of these invented works that our old nature adds to justification reminds me of the towering patch of rag weeds in my parent's huge garden. My brother and I would spend the whole summer chopping and hacking away to no avail. Soon new sprouts would shoot up from the roots.

 Reasoning, the highest powers of our old nature, constantly brings forth new rag weed "invented works" that we think need to be added to justification by faith in Christ. This is why Christ our Lord said:

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:5-7

Christ our Lord is speaking of the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost in our  baptism. 

" Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:5-7

Notice God baptized us, clothed us in Christ's righteousness, justified us, gave us the Holy Ghost, and made us His children and heirs of eternal life in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:26,27

When you were a helpless little infant God baptized you into Christ and clothed you in the righteousness of Christ. Heaven opened and God the Holy Ghost came to be with you forever. God the Holy Ghost is the gift you needed the most. Here in your Baptism God gave you the gift of the Holy Ghost to keep you in the one true faith believing in Jesus Christ His Son, true God and true man in one person. Jesus took all your sins upon Himself, was crucified, dead, buried, and rose again from the dead the third day, ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father for you.

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:4-6

God laid all our sins on Jesus and clothed us in Christ's righteousness. Luther said:

 "By this fortunate exchange with us He took upon Himself our sinful person and granted us His innocent and victorious Person." (Martin Luther, CPH; LW; Vol. 26; pg. 284)

Then let us feast this Easter Day

On Christ, the Bread of heaven;

The Word of Grace hath purged away

The old and evil leaven

Christ alone our souls will feed,

He is our meat and drink indeed:

Faith lives upon no other. Hallelujah!

(Christ Jesus Lay In Death's Strong Bands; Martin Luther; The Lutheran Hymnal; CPH; 1941; Hymn 195)

Christ our Lord true God begotten of His Father from all eternity and also true man born of the virgin Mary is true God and man in one person. He took all our sins upon Himself, crucified, dead, buried, risen from the dead the third day, ascended into heaven and sits on God the Father's right hand for us. Christ is risen from the dead for you. He speaks to you today saying:

"Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Luke 24:38,39

Christ is risen from the dead for you! He speaks to you today with the same words he spoke to Thomas saying:

"Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." John 20:27

Christ is risen from the dead for you! He ascends into heaven to make His Father your Heavenly Father and His God your God.

"I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." John 20:17

Christ is risen from the dead for you! Believe in Him. Trust in Him alone. He is your true God and only Savior. He has swallowed up your death and hell in a victory for you. Christ has abolished your death and hell.

"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes." Hosea 13:14

Christ is risen from the dead for you! Behold, He comes in the clouds to raise you from the dead on the last day. Trust in Him. He is your true God and only Savior.

"Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD." Ezekiel 37:12-14

Christ is risen from the dead for you! He speaks to you:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:24-29

Believe in Christ. He is your good Shepherd.

"And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:40

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." John 10:27-30

In Christ,

Tom Fisher

KJV John 21 15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

Reformation Seminary - Thirty Minutes with Martin Luther

 The lecture will explain the main subjects of Martin Luther's work.

 

The Importance of "A Little While" When Everything Seems Lost

 

Cross and Crown - this was often used in stained glass windows and pulpits.
"A Christian does not have to look for the cross. It is already on his back."

Be sure to read the Daily Luther Sermon Quote today. We are living in a stretch of time where everything good is being rejected and covered with insults and betrayals. That is the broad view. Besides that, there can often be a joyless and comfortless life, when people are inclined to say, "What's the use."

The Gospel for this Sunday is Jubilate, the Little While passage in John's Gospel. The word used by Jesus and His disciples is "a little while" - seven times! (John 16) But it is only one word turned into our English phrase - mikron. There are two o's - the little 0 is o-mikron. The big 0 is o-mega. A side note - Of course Jesus spoke in Koine Greek. So did the disciples. It was their universal language. Doubtless they spoke others as well.

In times of great anguish, the suffering is almost impossible to bear. As Luther emphasized, the disciples were facing a terrible time for them when all their happiness would seem to vanish forever. But that will be for just a little while. They did not understand what they were taught at that moment. What did they do when Jesus was crucified? They were lost, confused, locked up in a room because they were the obvious next step after Jesus' death. The found out how "a little while" could seem like eternity.

Paul knew about such anguish, which is described in 2 Corinthians 12. I am convinced that his condition was profound depression, difficult to detect and far worse than physical pain. His labors and travels were bad enough, but opponents sought to crush him and destroy his work with the Gospel. 

Opposing the Gospel of faith in Jesus Christ is Satanic. That will make the up-to-date clergy and council members snicker. They know how strong and united they are. They love and admire ELCA managers but wrinkle their faces if anyone says not. I said once or twice, "Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas," and that scandalized them. 

Those on the cusp of demonic hatred have to practice a few things that will enrage, then grow stronger, and finally vanquish the evil spirit of this age. 

The first thing is to laugh and love. The sour-puss Gospel haters sound so mean and terrible, so eager to make the faithful slip and fall. Those are little invisible badges the faithful can wear with confidence, because the first level of opposition is anger, hatred, bitterness, hurling insults.

The counter to the screamin' demons is to laugh in their faces or just smile. This is how one person summarized my response to attacks at a meeting, "You just sat there and smiled!" Of course I did - I was winning. Whoever yells in a debate has already lost. 

They use silence to scare us. One good way to spot haters is to notice their determined, obnoxious silence. They are not just quiet - they shun with a vengeance. Sincere believers can easily be left out and shunned. One pastor called me up and denied what I had published about Holy Mother WELS. He then said, "Where did you get this?" I said, "From your fellow pastors." The pastor screamed and slammed down the phone (in the good old days of heavy duty phones).

The cub editor of Christian News went bonkers over my support for Justification by Faith, publishing against me and cutting off that supply of boring, tedious Pietism. Oh! Oh! Oh!

Christina was always a cheerleader for telling the truth. She was rattled at first by the venomous email that came in (all gone now) and the evil but anonymous posts on this blog (also gone). She soon realized the reason for the toxic waste being dumped by the LCMS on someone who broadcast from the "spare room of a rented house." That attempted insult was - and still is - good for laughter. 

Nothing against Christ and His Kingdom will last. 

KJV Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Easter 3 - "But notice what further follows. Just as you, he says, shall not be robbed of a view of me forever, nor remain in your sorrow, so they shall not rejoice over your misfortune forever; but it shall be for them also only a short season, and be, as they say, a dance at high mass."

 

Complete Sermon - Third Sermon: Christ’s Death and Resurrection; the Comfort Christ Ministers to his Disciples, and the World’s Joy

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

21. True, the first “little while” that you now see me and still have me with you, until I depart from you — that you can suffer and pass through. But the other “little while,” until you shall see me again — that will be an especially long and hard time for you. For it is the hour of true sorrow, when I will be to you dead, with all the joy, comfort and assurance you had from me, and you yourselves will be totally lost. However, my dear little children, only think of these words and forget not entirely what I now say to you. It shall not be so forever. A little while I shall be lost and not be seen. This you must now learn by experience. But only retain this much, that I called it “a little while,” and in my eyes it is only a little, short hour, although in your hearts and feelings it is not a little but a long while; yea, an eternally long while and a long eternal while. According to your feelings you will not be able to think differently, for when I am taken from you, you have lost all, since I am the eternal good and the eternal consolation. When that is gone, there is no longer a little while, nothing but the eternal; namely, eternal sorrow and death.

22. Notice, Christ preaches here for the comfort of his disciples and of all Christians when tempted thus by God, whether it takes place inwardly or outwardly, bodily or spiritually, especially in the highest form, which is called losing Christ out of the heart; that they may learn this passage, and retain this drop of the lavender water, by which to refresh and strengthen their hearts. Christ, my Lord, has surely said it shall be only a little while. Although I now lose him and know of no joy whatever, but lie prostrate and languish in pure sorrow, yet I will use that drop and cling to the cordial that he shall not continue to be lost to me. He says that it shall be only a little, short season, although it appears to me indeed to be great, long, and eternal. He will come again, as he here and in John 14:18 says: “I will not leave you orphans: I come unto you,” etc. And thus we shall possess in him eternal comfort and joy instead of this little season of sorrow.

23. On the other hand, Christ says further that you must endure it that the world rejoices over your suffering and sorrow, for which it has no reason except that of pure satanic jealousy, by which it is so completely blinded, embittered and exasperated that no joy relieves it until its jealousy sees you stumble and become ruined. This is its heart’s delight and pleasure and it esteems it a heavenly, eternal joy. Then it says: Let us now see whether God will save him; is he the Son of God, then let him come down from the cross, etc. Mark 15:31-32. As if they should say: He is now out of the way, and we are done with him forever.

24. But notice what further follows. Just as you, he says, shall not be robbed of a view of me forever, nor remain in your sorrow, so they shall not rejoice over your misfortune forever; but it shall be for them also only a short season, and be, as they say, a dance at high mass. For I will soon come to you again and make it worse and more bitter for them than it has ever been before. This was fulfilled in them after Christ’s resurrection, so that the Jews have no severer suffering than that they must hear and see Christ, our Lord. Although it pleases them a little that they slander Christ and his mother Mary and us Christians in the most ignominious manner, yet true joy they can never possess as they desire. And they continually hope that their Messiah will come and uproot all Christians.

25. Thus, also, our Caiaphas and Judas, the pope, with all his factions, who continually console themselves with the hope that we shall yet be uprooted cannot be happy while we live and the Gospel spreads. Nothing that causes man to rejoice has any effect upon them. Some are so angry that they cannot cease their raging and roaring until we all are dead. When that takes place they will be once happy, but the joy for which they long shall never be theirs. For, although we are dead, the Gospel will still remain and others will take our places, and that will be to them a new heart agony.

The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) - Downsized So They Could Liquidate Your Properties.

This ugly monstrosity was the late Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. They had to sell it to the U. of Chicago and sign up for rental space in a Roman Catholic center for orphaned Catholics and Protestants - schools, groups, whatever.

W. Passavant bought this land on Lake Michigan because he anticipated the need for a seminary and the local pastors would not do it themselves. Later they saw the light and built the first seminary, which later became Wrigley Stadium. The new seminary was in Maywood, and later up to seven Lutheran seminaries merged into the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, which looked like Darth Vader's Command Center.

The entire faculty of LSTC today, including the President.

The big picture is all denominations closing down parishes and schools. Mergers help this process because the title to properties, once owned by people who knew each other, often individually owned. Merging "to save money" really meant - "a cool way to put the money under our control."

Each church merger has proved to be a wonderful experience in getting the apostates in charge of colleges, seminaries, and denominational offices. Never overlook the importance of extra helpers paid juicy wages for overseeing "mission churches" and mortgaged churches, plus special duty pastors paid to promote stewardship and sales of irrevocable charitable trusts (or - there goes Grandma's estate).

LSTC sold their building to the Rockefeller University of Chicago, for $18.5 million. That sounds like a lot, but all those seminary mergers were melted into that one figure. The shrunken size of the faculty is almost down to one (1) faculty member for each degree offered.

The hilarity of bigger being better comes from the fact of future ELCA pastors being able to graduate from almost any seminary in North America, for almost any reason. Yale Divinity has merged with three other seminaries - Episcopal, Andover, and Newton. (Andover-Newton merged earlier for survival.)

Needless to say, these combinations and mergers water down doctrine and allow the radicals to jettison the conservatives. They are just loaded with diversity, equity, and inclusivity, which makes it easier to replace the faithful, the highly trained, and the heterosexual. 

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton (Harvard MDiv) has completed five of the six months allotted for her leave of absence.

Reformation Seminary - New Testament Greek - Making It Easy. 11 AM Central

 

Zoom link - 

The Gospel of John in Greek, Traditional/Stephanus

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=TR1550

The Gospel of John, KJV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201&version=KJV

John 1

1 εν αρχη ην ο λογος και ο λογος ην προς τον θεον και θεος ην ο λογος

2 ουτος ην εν αρχη προς τον θεον

3 παντα δι αυτου εγενετο και χωρις αυτου εγενετο ουδε εν ο γεγονεν

4 εν αυτω ζωη ην και η ζωη ην το φως των ανθρωπων

5 και το φως εν τη σκοτια φαινει και η σκοτια αυτο ου κατελαβεν

John 3:16f

3:16 ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον αυτου τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον

17 ου γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τον υιον αυτου εις τον κοσμον ινα κρινη τον κοσμον αλλ ινα σωθη ο κοσμος δι αυτου

18 ο πιστευων εις αυτον ου κρινεται ο δε μη πιστευων ηδη κεκριται οτι μη πεπιστευκεν εις το ονομα του μονογενους υιου του θεου