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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Our Only Stay – The Lutheran Doctrine of Justification (LDJ) 4 of 4

This post continues from Part 3 (on G. Stoeckhardt) about true Mental/Spiritual Health. (Table on Contents – Part 1)
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But even without going to Concordia Historical Institute, even without scouring old reports, old journals, scholarly research on what actually happened to Friedrich Wyneken or George Stoeckhardt after their "breakdowns"... even without these I know a priori with Job:
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth – Job 19:25
and so I know that Job needed no more than his faith for his notorious trials.  Why do you suppose the Holy Spirit gave us the account of Job?  So that we would believe God at His Word.  I know the "patience of Job" (James 5:11) came from believing God at His Word, and so I know "the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy". (James 5:11)

So when you believe that God is already reconciled to the whole world even before our faith, you can then "Taste and see that the Lord is good" – Psalm 34:8  You can then (with Job) "know that your redeemer liveth".

Today's LC-MS thinks it has LDJ right and so it wants to go on from this to teaching about "Natural Law" and the "Third Use of the Law", and "Antinomianism" (here).  Could it be that it rather should be going back?...  back... Back To Luther? ... Back to Walther?... Back to Pieper?  Back to teaching and defending the true Gospel?  Even the error of "Antinomianism" cannot be corrected without the right Doctrine of Justification.  The Law cannot be spiritually taught unless the pure Gospel is preserved.  That is why Pastor Jeremiah Gumm of the WELS has such a difficult time with Walther's "extremely harsh, blunt Law preaching" which is nevertheless a spiritually pure use of the Law.  Why?  Because Pastor Gumm is struggling with the pure Gospel... a message that is far too good to be true for man's thinking. (1 Cor. 2:9)

==>> Prof. Charles P. Arand – maybe you should (politely) ask CPH to allow you to publish not only your foreword but also the full English translation (by Everette Meier) of Walther's Die lutherische Lehre von der Rechtfertigung, ... you know, pages 30 - 63 of Essays for the Church, Vol. 1, 1857 - 1879 ... you know, from the book of Walther's great essays that is no longer available.  And when you have done that, I recommend that you personally deliver a copy of it to Pastor Todd Peperkorn who has openly admitted to having trials and struggles.  You will tell Pastor Peperkorn that the Doxology counseling program with "insights of contemporary Christian psychology" for struggling pastors is nothing compared to the pure Lutheran Doctrine of Justification (LDJ).  President Wyneken recommends that you do this for he said that LDJ was his only stay.

Maybe some readers think I am joking... or that I should not speak of "living, individual authors" – but they are sadly mistaken, for I speak of matters of spiritual life and death.  Dear God! ... you are a witness to my tears!
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
–– 2 Corinthians 12:9

2 comments:

  1. Re Natural Law: if one minimizes the Law, also by denying natural law, one minimizes the Gospel.

    Thanks for a great site.

    Robert C. Baker

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