Who are the Pfaffen?
[by C. F. W. Walther; Part 4]
But who are such Pfaffen? — They evidently fall into four main classes.
First of all, to the Pfaffen belong all false teachers who overturn the foundation, who, while passing off their doctrine as God's Word, preach the word of men, thoughts and poems of their own heart, their self-made laws and dreams. For all such are priests [Priester] of a false god and, as blind guides for the blind, lead the souls following them into hell, pretending to save them. For of them Christ says, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matt. 7:15. And John writes of them, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 9-11.
The second class of Pfaffen includes those who preach God's Word but, out of fear of men or to please men, do not fully, or rightly divide or apply it. These are those preachers who preach only what people like to hear from God's Word, but keep silent about what might anger them and make them enemies. They neither punish false doctrine nor ungodly life seriously. If they do punish publicly, they are careful not to hit the rich and noble and those who are favorable to them; but they do not dare to say to an obvious sinner, like Nathan to David, “Thou art the man,” [2 Sam. 12:7] especially if the sinner is rich, respected and influential.
[1] If faithful pastors and stewards of God's mysteries suspend unrepentant, unforgiving, slanderous, drunkards and the like from Holy Communion, such Pfaffen will inevitably hand them the body and blood of the Lord.
[2] If those who have been punished by a faithful shepherd from God's Word separate from him, they will find the most willing reception and the richest consolation with such Pfaffen.
[3] If unrepentant sinners run away from church discipline somewhere, these Pfaffen welcome them with open arms.
[4] If justly banished persons come to them, they are quite welcome guests to these Pfaffen.
[5] That in truly Christian congregations those who are members of secret societies are admonished to renounce them, and therefore prefer not to join those congregations, is quite dear to such Pfaffen; for they gladly accept such secret allies without ever weighing down their consciences with warnings and punishments from God's Word.
[6] If parents bring ignorant children to them, whom a faithful pastor could not confirm for the sake of conscience, then such Pfaffen immediately show themselves ready to lay hands on the children and solemnly confirm their ignorance.
[7] If a righteous servant of Christ cannot marry a couple because they are related in a degree that prevents marriage, or because one or the other is not validly divorced according to God's Word, or because they lack parental consent, or because the alleged bridegroom or bride is already validly engaged elsewhere, etc., then such Pfaffen do not make the slightest difficulty for such a couple desiring marriage, but bless it immediately.
[8] If the relatives of a deceased person who despises [page 50-3] God's Word and the Sacrament until death, or who has lived in sin, in manifest avarice, in drunkenness, in all worldly vanity, etc., cannot obtain a Christian burial from a conscientious servant of Christ, then such Pfaffen do not hesitate to give a touching funeral oration to the one who has passed away without repentance.
Where God's servants punish, they comfort; where those curse, they bless; where those bind, they loose. The door of their congregation opens to everyone; the only necessary key is the promise of a regular monetary contribution.
.jpg "Dr. Henry J. Eggold († 1982)")
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