Spoiled Rotten

 

Entitled petulance reigns supreme.

Government largesse has risen well beyond anything that could possibly have haunted the founders in their worst nightmares. Government no longer provides just services that are mandated, taxpayer dollars are spent as if there is an infinite supply of funds for all manner of, not only unnecessary services, but those that government has no business providing. When this great nation was founded, power to the federal government was intentionally limited. The majority of the power was delegated to the States. The US Constitution tasked the federal government to provide for a national defense, finance the government, transact with foreign nations, regulate commerce, and any matters that impacts all states.

Today, the federal government employs over 2 million people, operates 15 departments and over 400 agencies. Since Congress has been unable to pass a budget, Congress has used a continuing resolution to fund the government. The federal government spent in excess of $6.8 Trillion in 2024 and has spent over $3 Trillion so far in fiscal year 2025. The national debt is approaching $36 Trillion. Interest payments on the debt are approaching $1 Trillion annually. Currently, the federal government spends more than $1 Trillion over their receipt of taxes and fees collected. Every year overspending leads to increasing the national debt. The federal government borrows over $1.5 Trillion per year. This is absolutely not sustainable.

Without reduced spending, the US will become a debtor’s nation, beholding to those who hold our debt. Or worse yet, our currency will no longer be amenable as an investment, and we will no longer be able to secure those loans. If the US dollar loses value on the world stage, other countries will no longer trade in the dollar, setting the stage for hyper-inflation. Without reduced spending, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will become insolvent. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was instituted to root out fraud, waste, and create efficiencies in the federal government. It has paid dividends in identifying wasteful programs to the tune of over $100 Billion in its’ first month of existence. Yet, democrats cry bloody murder over the possibility of downsizing and creating a more efficient government. Democrats sue and radical judges enjoin the executive branch. George Soros funds leftist protests that vilify the process of identifying fraud and those exposing a government run amok. How could forcing government to be accountable to the people be problematic?

President Trump has already declared Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as off limits to any cuts in benefits. Any cuts made will to be to end the fraud and waste that is discovered, and it is estimated that Medicare fraud is in excess of $100 Billion annually, Social Security over $700 Billion, and Medicaid over $100 Billion. There is almost $1 Trillion that is depleting those entitlements every year, bringing those programs ever closer to bankruptcy. Yet, democrats cry in unison that Trump is going to eliminate those benefits and the legacy media amplifies their false complaints. Democrats are bitter clingers to their bloated, wasteful government and the benefits they derive from fraudulent spending. Do the math. How can so many of our elected representatives, from both parties, inflate their net worth by 10’s of Millions while earning an annual salary of under $200,000? The question is, where is that money coming from? Is it just from “shrewd” stock trading, or something more nefarious?

“A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands. And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become! I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors, they can find in me no iniquity that is sinful.” Hosea 12:7-8

Legacy programs that many depend upon for retirement and medical benefits is in danger of failing. Waste and fraud are sucking the very lifeblood from those programs. Without eliminating the bloat, inefficiency, waste, and fraud, what will those who depend upon those programs do when the benefits end? Democrats should be cheering Elon and DOGE so that their constituents can enjoy their retirement without fear of losing their homes, feeding themselves, and having the wherewithal to receive necessary medical treatment. Before Trump was President, many of the democrat leaders bemoaned the waste and fraud and called for reform. The reason for the change of heart is apparent. Obstructing Trump is more important than saving Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. They are hellbent to destroy Trump even if it means destroying this nation.

“Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul. Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perversity, from those who leave the straight paths to walk in the ways of darkness, from those who enjoy doing evil and rejoice in the twistedness of evil, whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.” Proverbs 2:9-15

Yet there are those that say Scripture does not pertain to current times.

 

 

Darkness Exposed

 

 Bring Light to the Shadows

Evil flourishes in the dark. But, today, evil thrives in plain sight. The evil one is quite adept at convincing humankind that what is evil is good and what is wrong as right. To overcome evil, one must first recognize it as evil. Acquiescing to or ignoring the evil that is overcoming the world will only allow it to grow and fester, ultimately destroying civil society. Tolerating and accepting what we know is truly wrong just oils the slippery slope that the evil one uses to encourage the weak and unbelieving. Yielding to what is obviously wrong and deeming it as right allows evil to grow unimpeded. Use what God has written upon our hearts to test the new things that are of this world and see through the veil of lies. The evil in this world cannot withstand the light if we are bold enough to shine God’s light upon it. Evil will be defeated if good people cast that light and stand up for the Gospel. Far too many of God’s churches proclaim a “generic” evil that must be resisted, calling out the usual suspects, such as the seven deadly sins, etc., but fail to cite specific examples that so permeate western society. By far the most dangerous and insidious lie being perpetrated is the lefts’ headlong rush to redefine human sexuality.

Humans are sexual beings. Human sexuality is a gift that God intended to be shared within the confines of marriage. Man’s law may redefine marriage, but Scripture is quite clear that one man and one woman form a team to procreate and raise their children. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 3:4. Jesus said, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Matthew 19:4-6. Although man has decreed otherwise, God, the creator of all that was, is and will come to be, makes it clear that marriage is a sacred bond between one man and one woman, a sacramental covenant before the King of Kings. In marriage, each parent brings disparate and unique skills to bear in their children’s development. Parents are to instill in their children faith, morals, and values.

In the Old Testament, Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities overcome with unrestrained sexual depravity and were ultimately destroyed by God. They abandoned their God and replaced Him with the worship of their bodies and the pleasure afforded by their unbridled sexuality. Is it so different today? Tinder and other “hook-up” sites for anonymous unrestricted sex acts may be tame compared to those cities God judged as unredeemable. Fatherless families dominate the African-American community as 69% of all births are out of wedlock. How is that working out as fatherless children commit more and more crime? More and more couples are rejecting marriage, choosing to remain single, cohabitate, have and raise children, opting to disengage with God in their relationship. Half of all first marriages in the US end in divorce after an average of 8 years. Second or more marriages divorce at an even higher rate.

It has become commonplace to define oneself based upon a chosen sexual identity. What was once gay or lesbian morphs into LGTBQ+? No longer is there simply male or female, there are now a plethora of genders to choose from, including “non-binary, which is no gender at all. The transgenderism movement accuses God of error, “misgendering” the person choosing to disregard their assigned sex at birth. Current medical science can only change a person’s gender outwardly and cannot recreate a functioning member of the opposite sex. Once procedures are undertaken to alter the gender, that person will no longer be fully functional as either sex, unable to birth or father a child. Additionally, many persons who undergo hormone drugs or sex reassignment surgery will likely not be able to fully experience sexual intercourse and will often be unable to achieve a climax. Children who take puberty-blocking drugs or undergo sex reassignment surgery are also forty times more likely to attempt suicide. Transgender activists are targeting children with propaganda endeavoring to legitimize this depraved sexual conduct. Indoctrinating young children to accept this behavior as normal while distorting reality, by claiming that there are more than two genders, is evil incarnate.

Transvestites, crossdressers or what are now known as “Drag queens” (You see, that verbiage is much more palatable to the masses), are being mainstreamed as normal and acceptable. Drag queen story hour and other “performances” elicit sexual arousal for those mentally ill individuals. Is it not readily apparent that the performances are directed at children and not adults? How convenient it is for pedophiles to be welcomed into our schools and public libraries. School administrations that allow these degenerates to interact with children should never again be allowed into positions of authority in our educational system. If teaching staff would be found to be engaging in this type of behavior, they would be arrested, terminated from their jobs and after conviction, become registered sex offenders. Our society is losing its’ collective mind. If one wants to engage in the fantasy of transgenderism that is their problem. Don’t expect others to approve of their fantasies and especially expect resistance when they try to teach children to believe their behavior is normal. Any sane person cannot believe that the current societal trajectory of “anything goes” sexuality is reasonable.

Recognizing evil in our midst is just the first step in exposing it. As Christians, we are called to embrace what is good and to resist evil. Resist evil, not fight evil. That is not what God has called us to do. Fighting evil is a conflict reserved for God. It is up to God to separate the weeds from the wheat. Our house must be in order. We must speak the truth but do so gently and with love. We must preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. God wants all of his children to be saved. Those overcome by the evil one are loved by their Father in heaven. We are to shine the light of truth on their error and let God do the judging. We are to plant those seeds and God will water them and cause them to grow. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. anything less makes our actions just as evil, maybe more so, than those unduly influenced by the evil one. Pay heed to Scripture and light the path for those lost. That is our calling. Jesus said “Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness. So if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, you will be radiant, as though a lamp were shining on you.” Luke 11:35,36

Pray unceasingly for our leaders and for those who have been led away by the father of lies. God wants all of His children to come to know Him and to be saved. Let’s not be a stumbling block. 

Peaks and Valleys

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38.

Our lives have many peaks and valleys, ebbs and flows. Our highs can be as brilliant as the sun, while we can also fall into the utter darkness of our lows. No matter how hard we try, some things will always be out of reach. Even our greatest successes come with the realization that our journey is not complete. Reaching the mountain peak ends with the trip back down that is just as arduous, perhaps even more dangerous than our ascent. No matter what achievements we accomplish, there is another hurdle waiting for us to conquer. No measure of fame or fortune will ever fully satisfy our longing. We were carefully crafted by our Creator. There is a deliberate emptiness ingrained into our souls that can be filled with the one and only thing that truly completes us.

Problem is, we need to deny our very self in order to welcome this life saving thing into our lives. Our selfish nature fights against giving in to the very thing that can truly fill our empty hearts. Self-preservation is the natural state of humanity and giving up our autonomy grates against that fact. What is so special about this thing that saves us from ourselves? That one special thing that your heart longs for is the saving grace of Jesus Christ. How do we get it? Open your heart and allow Jesus Christ to enter your heart. What is the cost? The cost was already borne by a Savior that stood in for you. When we come to the realization that we are bound to sin and cannot free ourselves without His saving grace, we can finally let go. No matter what we do, we cannot earn our salvation. No matter what we say can free us from the condemnation that is the consequence for our actions and inactions.
But, when Jesus was nailed to that cross, He took with Him all of our sins. He freely substituted Himself for us and accepted the punishment we rightly deserve. Three days after His death His resurrection opened the door to eternity for each and every one of us. How can this be? Don’t we have to earn this grace? Don’t we have to obey all the rules? It is simply having faith in the Risen Savior. That’s all. Allow Christ into your heart and let Him fill you with the joy of your salvation.

So many in the secular world decry Christianity as simply a religion of rules that cannot be kept, a religion that is critical of non-believers, and a religion that excludes, rather than welcomes. Why would anyone choose to belong to an organization with people who cannot even remotely live up to the commandments they profess to believe and revere? Because it is not about us. Because we are every bit as sinful as those who do not know Christ. Because nothing we can do or say can earn even a portion of the grace granted those who believe in God’s one true Son. Yet, the only thing God asks in return for this gift is your heart. When you believe in the Risen Christ, all is granted to you. When you step away from the shackles of this life that constantly pull you down and accept the freedom that comes with giving your heart to Christ, a great weight is lifted. When you realize that God is in control, the emptiness fades. From Casting Crowns praise hymn, "All You’ve Ever Wanted", “All You've ever wanted, all You've ever wanted, all You've ever wanted was my heart. Freedom's arms are open, my chains have all been broken. Relentless love has called me from the start. And all You wanted was my heart. I was chasing healing when I'd been made well. I was fighting battles when You conquered hell. Living free but from a prison cell, Lord, I lay it down today. So I'll stop living off of how I feel and start standing on Your truth revealed. Jesus is my strength, my shield and He will never fail me. No more chains, I've been set free. No more fighting battles You've won for me. Now in Christ, I stand complete.”

Mainline Protestant churches fight to stem the loss of members by watering down the Truth, choosing to fight for social justice rather than proclaiming the Gospel, affirming sinful behavior rather than standing for the authority of Scripture and acquiescing to secular society rather than leading the lost to Christ. The leaders of the ELCA, UCC and Episcopal churches have lost their way. Far too many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have put their trust in churches that are leading them away from the Truth. Pray for those adrift in the heresies promoted by these errant denominations, that they open their hearts, eyes and minds and return to the path that the Lord has set before them. “Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32.

You Can't Have it Both Ways

You can’t profess your morality in one particular way and then disregard those beliefs when you don’t want to apply them is a particular situation. To do so would be hypocritical. When one has a set of values that they espouse, those values should hold true, in all circumstances. We cannot abandon our core beliefs if the situation changes or if it is inconvenient for us. If a vegetarian has chosen to forgo the consumption of meat in his or her diet, with the exception that he or she likes to eat bacon, that person is not a true vegetarian. You can’t profess to be strict with your children, yet allow your child to do whatever they please. You can’t be a good example for others when your failings are all too apparent. You can’t say one thing and mean another. Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.“

The ELCA continues to serve two masters. On one hand the ELCA’s Confession of Faith states that this church confesses the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. That Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation. That the proclamation of God's message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ. That the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God, inspired by God's Spirit and speaking through their authors, they record and announce God's revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God's Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world. They accept all three creeds and all the confessional writings of the Book of Concord. All is in order in the ELCA, or is it?

But wait, they also accept the doctrine of “bound conscience” which allows one to have their own interpretation of Scripture, as long as they truly believe in their hearts, placing them in authority of Scripture and thereby relegating God’s word to a lesser standing than their own experience and tradition. Others are called to respect their interpretation, even if it is in obvious error. The gospel of affirmation is also acceptable to the ELCA, accepting the belief that God will affirm us within our sin with no need to ask for forgiveness. Universal salvation, the belief that everyone is going to be saved, regardless of faith, is also accepted by the ELCA. Congregations may engage in goddess worship and still maintain their “good standing” with the ELCA. The Lutheran Magazine, the ELCA’s official publication in an April 2008 feature article on Easter, questioned the deity of Jesus Christ and cast doubt upon the Resurrection. Other Essays, published on the ELCA’s website at the Digging Deeper section, since removed for clarification, also casted doubt upon the Virgin Birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The ELCA revels in its’ diversity of opinion and beliefs. Nothing is out of bounds for this misguided denomination.

What is it going to be then? Do we take the ELCA at their word that their confession of faith is placed ahead of their social agenda and drive to be diverse and all accepting, or have they fallen in love with one doctrine while hating the other? Or do the leaders and scholars of the ELCA say one thing, but really believe something else?  Unfortunately for the ELCA there are absolutes in this world. No matter how hard you try or how much you want it to be different, when you add two plus two, the answer will always be four. It would certainly be nice if we could follow any old whim and believe whatever we wanted. But, that is not what our Lord has asked of us. God has given us a number of absolutes and no matter how hard the leaders and scholars of the ELCA proclaim that He is now telling us “something new”, these truths remain. John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” So, for a church to accept doctrine that denies that faith in the Risen Christ is not necessary to gain our salvation, to accept sinful behavior specifically prohibited by God’s word and to accept those that practice their faith contrary to their stated confession of faith, is not a church at all. For if the absolutes that our Father has placed before us do not matter to this church, this church should not matter to anyone who professes their faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Our Christian family that remains trapped within the ELCA is another matter. We must be diligent in our prayers that more will be rescued from this wayward denomination so that no more fall prey to these false teachings. The salvation of too many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are at risk to simply walk away.

The Great Deceiver

Genesis 2:16-17, “And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” God gave free rein to man with only one condition, that he must not eat of just one tree in the entire Garden. Man was given dominion over all the earth with only one law given to him by the Lord. Sounds pretty easy. Not so much. Genesis 3:1-7, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” The first time humankind is tempted by Satan, the decision is made to accept those words more pleasing to their ears, believing that they could be as enlightened as God Himself. And by using their limited experience and knowledge, original sin is given birth and thus begins humankind’s continuing discord within our relationship with God.

Jesus said in John 14:5-7, “Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” No one comes to the Father except through faith in the Risen Christ. But, the leaders of the ELCA promote a kinder, gentler way. They want to please all those that want what their itching ears long to hear. They promote that all faiths have a path to heaven and all faiths are to be valued, even to the point of embracing the tenets of other faiths and blending them into their own. Their false gospels of univeral salvation and affirmation deceive their members with lies. These false gospels do not recognize sinful behavior and do not require a Savior, because this deceitful doctrine promotes no repentance for sin and salvation for all, regardless of your faith. If one would accept these false teachings, why then should we accept and have faith in the Risen Christ? Because, the leaders of the ELCA promote that although there are many ways to gain one's salvation, Christianity is a “better” way than some of the other world religions.  So, according to the doctrine of universal salvation, one is free to accept Christ or not, just continue in fellowship with the diversity that is the ELCA and continue to give your money to help them spread their message.  Does this sound like the church that Jesus commanded us to build?

In the Great Commision, Jesus commanded His disciples to go out and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:18-20, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The leaders of the ELCA have determined that it is inappropriate for those appointed as missionaries to proselytize. In other words, they are not to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations where they serve the Lord. Using the concept of "accompaniment” they forgo their responsibility to proclaim the Gospel, instead deferring to their mission partners and decide that they better accomplish their mission for the Lord as a facilitator, not as evangelists. The leaders of the ELCA claim on their website, that in the past they established, funded, and directed mission around the world. Now as a result of missions established around the world, they have become a partner in the global mission. These newly established churches will take on the command of the Great Commission and proclaim the Gospel. Apparently, the ELCA views it’s work around the world as done, needing only to supervise the few seeds they have planted. This is apparently why the mission budget for the ELCA took the brunt of the loss of revenue due to many congregations leaving and those redirecting benevolence. There is much more to do in this world since our Lord's message has yet to be heard by all.

Incest, adultery, bestiality, and homosexuality were forbidden by God. Numerous passages reiterate these laws against sexual immorality. Homosexuality was called detestable. Bestiality was a perversion. Incest was called dishonorable. Adultery was wickedness. Using clever and appealing words the leaders and biblical scholars of the ELCA have contrived doctrine to deceive their membership into believing that homosexuality is acceptable to God. Bound conscience was invented to legitimize “same gender oriented individuals living in loving monogamous relationships”. The ELCA enacts doctrine that disregards Scripture in order to placate those that wish to remain in sin without remorse, free to continue to feed the desires of the flesh without the need for repentance.  Wouldn't it be nice if all could engage in their chosen sinful behavior without the necessity of asking for forgiveness?  Wouldn't our children be happy if we allowed them to eat as much candy as they wanted?

Just as Satan appeals to our innermost desires and uses words that are so convincing, the leaders of the ELCA would have us believe that God is now telling us something new and we are within our rights to put aside those obsolete laws from the Bible. With friends like this, who needs enemies? This misguided denomination continues to uphold the things of the world while minimizing our Lord. There are so many well intentioned Christians that are falling into the trap set by the leaders of the ELCA. We must accept the responsibility to expose the heresy that is so prevalent in the doctrine of this church. We must continue in prayer, asking God to open the eyes and hearts of His children that remain trapped within the ELCA and errantly acquiesce to these false doctrines. These leaders and scholars of the ELCA use the same tactics as the “Great Deceiver”. We must remain diligent in proclaiming the true Gospel of Jesus Christ since we can no longer rely on the ELCA to conduct God’s business as He has commanded.

Walk the Walk

A popular wrist band seen on Christians over the last several years read WWJD, or What Would Jesus Do. This wrist band was to remind the wearer, when faced with decision making, to temper their choice by pondering what our Lord would do if faced with the same circumstances. The wrist band has waned in popularity as of late, but its message remains true. As we dwell in His Word we learn how our Lord responded to the people and the circumstances that he encountered. Jesus was compassionate, loving and kind, especially to those in need. Jesus fed the hungry, healed the sick and lame, gave sight and hearing to the blind and deaf, cast out demons and instructed us about God’s Word throughout his ministry on the earth. Even death was not a barrier to His healing ministry. Not only did Jesus heal those afflicted by physical ills, He healed those that were suffering in their spiritual life. But, Jesus did not simply heal their infirmities. He forgave them and cleansed them of their sins. Jesus then guided them toward the path of righteousness.

Jesus taught about God’s Word using parables that were very pertinent to the people of that day. They identified with Jesus’ teachings because He included references that were applicable to the daily lives of the people He taught. Some of these parables are not as easily understood using our modern sensibilities. Simply reading the parable and considering it literally does not always afford the reader the capacity to properly understand the lessons Jesus was teaching. This is where a good study Bible is necessary to help one understand in today’s terms the lessons that Jesus was communicating. You will find that even though Scripture was written long ago, it continues to speak to each one of us and remains just as relevant to our daily lives today as it was to the people living in Jesus’ time. Thessolonians 2:13, "And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe."  Engaging in regular Bible study is also a very important step to take in your faith journey. The fellowship afforded and the insights gathered by two or more meeting in our Lord's name will allow for His Spirit to positively influence your understanding of the Word.

It is so very important to spend time in God’s Word on a daily basis. We all can set aside ten minutes of quiet time that we can share with our Lord. Every time we read God’s Word, our Lord is speaking to us. Hebrews 4:12-13, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Each and every verse of Scripture is written for our benefit. In these troubling times we need to rely on what our God has put to writing, rather than what the enlightened leaders of the ELCA and other misguided churches would want us to believe.  God's truth is there for us.  He is not telling us something new in order to satisfy selfish human desires.  If we fail to dwell in His Word, we may just fall prey to these "new" teachings.  So, rather than hit that snooze button again, use that time to commune with our Lord and read His Good News for us. Use a daily devotional  guide to help you get started, or you may just want to open the Bible randomly and begin reading. God speaks to each of us, individually, through His Word. We need only to take the time to open His Word, read it, and open our hearts and minds to hear Him.

We don’t need a wrist band to remind us how our Lord wants us to conduct ourselves in this world. We have His instruction manual for us and if we simply read and study His Word, we will have all the information we will need to walk the walk with our Lord. Learn to live out the words of the Sunday school song, “Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by HIS love.” When we explore God's Word we will grow in our Christian faith and love. As we begin to understand His plan for us, we will discover how to share the abundant and unending love our Lord has for us. 2 Corinthians 4:13-18, "It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  Praise be to God!

Hope and Change

Hope and change was the rallying cry for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. His administration has begun the process of changing the very fabric of our nation, and many now hope and pray that our nation will survive as the founders intended. A kindred spirit, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, looks to change Lutheranism with the hope of drawing in a new and dynamic audience. Obama pledged to fundamentally transform America. The leadership of the ELCA has been on a course to fundamentally transform Christian Lutheranism even before its inception in 1988. This new administration of the United States is attempting to abandon the core principles of a nation established on Judeo-Christian beliefs and values. The ELCA is rewriting Scripture and tearing down the core beliefs of our faith. Patriots that respect this nation are welling up in a grassroots effort to bring it back to its foundational principals. Lutherans strong in their faith are boldly speaking out for the Lord and challenging the doctrinal shifts advanced by the leaders and scholars of the ELCA. Strong parallels exist between a President that professes that the United States is no longer a Christian nation and a Lutheran denomination that questions the very foundations of our Christian faith.

Our hope is in the Lord. Psalms 42:5, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Those true to the Lord rest their hope and prayers with the Lord and trust in Him. The leadership of the ELCA has always been in the forefront of doctrinal change for the Lutheran Church. Progressive scholars and leaders look to modernize God’s Word to make it more appealing to the secular world. The authors of Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit, are accused of being uneducated, biased, and influenced by their own experiences and history. Their scholars cast doubt upon the truths of Jesus’ Resurrection, the Virgin Birth, promote universalism and categorize the Bible, not as God’s Word, but as a book of faith stories, indelibly connected to the time that it was written and not always pertinent to today. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” They question the validity of the Lutheran Confessions simply because they were written 500 years ago and, as such, their scholars consider them outdated and obsolete. What will be left if these learned “Biblical” scholars continue to cast doubt upon the very foundation of Christianity?

These self proclaimed “enlightened” ELCA scholars and leaders look at Scripture and determine that, for centuries, we have either misconstrued God’s intent or that, somehow, God is now telling us something new and different. They use Scripture to bolster their secular arguments, but deliberately fail to cite verses that would discredit these new doctrinal shifts. The leadership of the ELCA calls for respect from those that challenge this false gospel, and then accuse them of incivility, willful misunderstanding and forming hurtful caricatures of those with whom they disagree. The Bible is God’s Word, plain and simple, now and for all time. It is our Lord’s instruction manual for us, His children. When children stand up and are willfully disobedient, they are subject to discipline from their parents. Our Father loves us beyond human understanding, but how long will He tolerate those that discredit and disregard His Word. Our path to salvation has been sealed by our Savior’s suffering, death and resurrection. God’s grace is freely offered if only we believe. If we are to truly believe and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, why then would we wish to remain in fellowship with a church that denies Him? We must continue in prayer for all who remain trapped within the ELCA. Remember, there are still those that are unaware of this false gospel and we need to continue to proclaim God’s Word and expose these misguided doctrinal shifts so that all will hear and make themselves right with God.

Suppression of the Truth

The truth that is our Savior, Jesus Christ is under attack. While the secular world openly maligns Christians and their faith, this attack is much more insidious. This attack comes from the very institution charged to uphold the truths of the Christian faith, one of our Lord’s own churches, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The front page of the ELCA website proclaims that the ELCA accepts the following creeds as true declarations of the faith of this church: the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Augsburg Confessions. Chapter III — The Son of God, confesses: …..Our churches also teach that the Word – that is, the Son of God – took on man’s nature in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary. So there are two natures, divine and human, inseparably conjoined in the unity of his person, one Christ, true God and true man....  

But on the ELCA web-site they proclaim that: This statement, ......has not closed the doctrinal debate over Jesus’ conception for many Lutherans, and by inference that includes ELCA members. So for the ELCA the debate still rages as to the validity of the divine birth of Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary. Luke 1:26-38, “God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth to a virgin...named Mary. ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you...You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus... Mary asked the angel, ‘How will this be since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God’.” Matthew 1:18-25, “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit... An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and said, Joseph do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit...Joseph did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. He gave him the name Jesus.”  These verses make it clear that Mary, who was a virgin, conceived through the Holy Spirit, and declares that Jesus is truly human and divine Son of God.

Luther’s explanation of Second Article of the Apostle’s Creed states; "I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won [delivered] me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, in order that I may be [wholly] His own, and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true." The ELCA is skeptical of the very truths that it is charged to uphold and preach to the world. Furthermore, those that would reject this false teaching and stand true to God’s Word are persecuted and admonished by the leadership of the ELCA. The Holy Spirit inspired the authors of Scripture to make known what our Lord expects of us. Scripture is unmistakably clear in emphasizing the moral and ethical behavior that our God expects his children to follow. Why is it so difficult for the leaders of the ELCA to understand that there is a reason that our God wants us to behave in a certain manner? Yet, this progressive denomination continues to cast doubt upon our Lord’s intent by challenging the veracity of the Biblical authors that were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Bishop Mark Hanson said that this is a time for reconciling and calls for restraint and civility. He cites the Small Catechism, Luther’s explanation of the Eighth Commandment, We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, [think and] speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything. This is an admonition to those that embrace our Lord’s Word and choose to keep Him at the center of our lives. Bishop Hanson accuses those who stand up for God’s Word and challenge this false gospel that the ELCA is perpetrating upon those susceptible to these false teachings, as liars. And now, the leadership of the ELCA punishes pastors that remain true to Scripture and have the audacity to challenge these heretical teachings.

Romans 1:18-19, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of human beings who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.” What is problematic for the leaders and scholars of the ELCA is that by their very status with the church, God’s will has been made very clear to them. The membership of the ELCA trusts the leadership to uphold proper doctrine and teaching. Those who lead God’s church are willfully straying from the path that God has set before them, putting their membership at risk. In this secular world, Christians deal with enough derision and persecution without our own ELCA scholars rejecting the very tenets of our faith. These learned Biblical scholars of the ELCA discredit Scripture in order to advance their secular desires and hide the truth from those thirsting to hear God’s Word. They alter doctrine to feed the desires of those that long to hear that their behavior is acceptable in God’s eyes. These leaders and scholars of the ELCA reject the validity of Scripture and uphold their secular aspirations, defiantly declaring God’s Word a book of faith stories that are not always pertinent to this time and place. They twist the words of Scripture to justify their false teachings and declare that God is telling us something new. This truth is self evident; that God sent His only Son, in human form, to take upon Himself all our sins, to suffer and die in our place and to defeat death so that we may live. Yet, the leadership and Biblical scholars of the ELCA seek to suppress the truth of our Lord’s victory and supplant it with their more enlightened and modern sensibilities.

How very sad this must make our God. Those that are charged to uphold the doctrine of our Christian faith are leading the faithful on a path away from Him. Will these enlightened leaders and scholars of the ELCA have their names written in the Book of Life at the final day of judgment? Will our Lord welcome them as good and faithful servants, or will He separate them from the wheat and throw them into the burning fire? Our path to salvation has been paid for with the blood of our Savior. Do not place your gift of grace at risk by following the false gospel promoted by the ELCA. Do proclaim His Word everywhere and to everyone!

The New "Normal"

Our current economic crisis has left almost 10% of United States workers unemployed and 17% under employed. Personal wealth and investments have plummeted, leaving many retirement plans underfunded and causing much consternation and worry. The tax and spend policies of our government has caused the national debt to soar. News reports indicate that a 10% unemployment rate will become the new “normal”. The doctrinal shifts of the ELCA mirror the U.S. economic upheaval. The leadership of the ELCA has determined that passing their radical social agenda is worth losing up to 20% of their membership. Pastors and congregations that remain true to the Word are leaving the ELCA and flocking to traditional, faithful Synods like LCMC and NALC at numbers that just may dwarf the ELCA leader’s estimates. These progressive leaders of the ELCA are exploiting the benevolence of ELCA members to promote their idea of social justice. This is causing many congregants to redirect their giving to other ministries that remain true to the Word of God. The combination of the economic downturn and redirection of benevolence has caused the ELCA to slash their budget, cut retired ELCA pastoral pensions by 27% and eliminate almost 40% of their staff.

One would think that this would give pause to the leadership of the ELCA and perhaps cause them to reassess the course they are charting. Not these enlightened leaders and scholars that know better than our Lord. It’s damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead with a progressive, liberal social agenda, leaving our Lord behind! What you learned in Sunday School and in Confirmation classes is no longer deemed appropriate by the leaders and scholars of the ELCA. They profess their faith in the creeds and confessions on the front page of their web-site, but then publish essays that cast doubt upon the tenets of our Christian faith, directed at those that are "new" or "returning" to church. Just like our economy will mean less jobs and more taxes, the ELCA gives you less Jesus and more justice. This new “normal” for the ELCA means that you needn’t trouble yourself with that bothersome resurrection thing. You no longer need to have faith in the Risen Christ. Everyone is saved no matter what you believe. They believe and teach that there are now many paths that lead to your salvation.

This new “normal” in the ELCA means that that troublesome book with all those inflexible rules, also known as the Bible, can be disregarded and replaced with your “bound conscience”. The ELCA’s new Lutheranism is easy. Don’t like the fact that God looks upon homosexuality as a sin, not to worry, the ELCA will put together a task force and have the Church Wide Assembly vote to ignore Scripture and adopt doctrine contrary to God’s law, because, of course, we cannot truly love and accept someone if we don’t also accept their sinful behavior. The old adage "love the sinner and hate the sin" is no longer valid, because the ELCA is in the business of eliminating sin. Never mind what God says in His Word, He didn’t really mean it because the ELCA scholars have discovered that He is now saying something new. Upset that God refers to Himself in masculine terms, no problem, the radical feminists have that one covered with their “mother within us” Lord’s Prayer. They have not only eliminated all references to the masculine God, they have replaced Him with a pagan goddess. In this new and enlightened ELCA, anything goes. Apparently the leaders and scholars of the ELCA believe that since we are under grace, the law is no longer of any consequence so they advocate ignoring God’s Word if you find it bothersome.

Romans 6:15-18, “Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed you allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and become slaves to righteousness.” Those that wish to remain faithful to the truth that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will have a tough road to follow should they choose to continue in fellowship with this wayward denomination. As the leadership of the ELCA adopts doctrine that drifts further away from the path that the Lord has set before us, eventually it will take a toll on its’ membership. Faith saves, but misguided love can deceive. The ELCA is deceiving its’ membership in a never ending love affair with the things of this world. Remember, this world is the dominion of the evil one. We are to resist the desires of worldly things and to hold fast to the promise that is our Lord. Those of you that remain true to the Lord, know this; The ELCA has already left you and if you decide to remain, you may eventually learn to accept this new “normal” that denies our Lord and Savior.

Suffer the Fools

Proverbs 13:20, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Some declare that they see no problem remaining in fellowship with the ELCA and its’ diverse views of Scripture. There are those that maintain that differences in the varying beliefs and teaching in the ELCA are not so much of a dilemma for them as it may be for those that are not as tolerant of viewpoints that are different than their own. 2 Corinthians 11:4, “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” In this verse Paul is chastising the church in Corinth because they have been unquestionably tolerant of deceivers and false apostles in their midst and continue in fellowship with those deceivers nonetheless. As for those who continue to be unsure about breaking fellowship with the ELCA and its false teachings, are they as foolish as those Corinthians that Paul describes?

Some struggle with circumstances in their lives that cause anxiety and  undue fear, so they decide to abide by their own opinions and to not fully trust in the Lord. Know this; The ELCA is on a fool’s errand in an effort to increase their membership by being more welcoming, accepting and tolerant of everyone and everything by watering down or disregarding God’s Word. Some cast aspersions upon those that desire to obey God’s Word and advocate breaking fellowship with a church that no longer believes in the foundational principals of our faith. This only proves that those who claim to be more accepting are nothing of the sort. As their membership dwindles the leaders of the ELCA congratulate themselves and accuse their detractors of incivility, willful misunderstandings and bearing false witness. It is apparent that the position of the leadership of the ELCA is, to accuse those that adhere to Scripture and want to obey God’s Law, of spreading slanderous lies about the false gospel that they attempt to foist upon their membership. We are compelled to be faithful to God’s Will, not the bidding of those enlightened scholars and bishops that revel in revisionism.

Those that pretend to have the moral responsibility to maintain fellowship with this organization that casts doubt upon the very faith that they are charged to uphold, are engaged in much more that simple foolishness. Romans 16:17-18, “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naïve people.” Remaining in fellowship with a denomination that rejects, not only God’s Law, but questions the very truth of Jesus’ Resurrection, is a recipe for disaster. The heavy handedness of the leadership of the ELCA will eventually overtake and strangle any Scripturally based teaching. Remaining in the ELCA while this false teaching overtakes the pulpits of their churches and begins to indoctrinate our children, is too great a risk to not break fellowship.

As more and more of those that are true to Scripture leave, who will be left to impede the ELCA’s charge into the abyss? We are not to be so naïve that we will blindly accept the willful misinterpretation of Scripture that advances the leadership of the ELCA’s vision of a new Lutheranism. With no one left to question their head long rush to replace Scripture with their new modern and secular doctrine, the leadership of the ELCA will lead many of their membership away from God to follow their false gospel. Many more will wake up one day and find themselves nowhere near where the Lord wants them to go. Eventually, the ELCA will wither away, unable to meet its financial obligations to promote their secular aspirations. But, how many brothers and sisters will be lost to these false teachings in the mean time.

Then there are those that wish to remain because they claim that there is little in Scripture to guide them in the decision of breaking the fellowship of the church. This church promotes doctrine contrary to God’s Will. Our unity is not just with A church, our unity is IN Christ, first and foremost. If the church denies our Savior and rejects the Scriptures, for what purpose would we remain in fellowship, other than to save our brothers and sisters from these false teachings. Those that argue that they want to remain on the fence or not voice an opinion do nothing but bolster the line of reasoning that the leadership of the ELCA uses to support this false gospel. Those that feel that the doctrine of bound conscience will protect them from the greater ELCA’s new policies on ministry standards have another thing coming. ELCA pastors are already finding that the doctrine of bound conscience only goes one way. Those that preach the Gospel and question the ELCA’s new doctrine are facing disciplinary actions. As more scripturally bound congregations and pastoral candidates leave the ELCA, how long will it be before the social gospel of tolerance is preached from the pulpit of those faithful congregations that choose to remain?

Keep the Faith

In the parable of the weeds, Matthew 13:24-31, Jesus teaches us about the kingdom of heaven and compared it to a man who sowed wheat seed in his field. While the man slept an enemy came and planted weed seeds among the wheat. When the weeds grew, the man’s servants wanted to pull out the weeds. The man advised his servants to leave the weeds grow among the wheat, so that none of the wheat would be lost when pulling the weeds. He said that the weeds and wheat should grow together until harvest, when the weeds would be collected in bundles to be burned. Then the wheat would be harvested and taken into his barn. In Matthew 13:36-43, Jesus explains that the weeds are the evil doers of the world, planted by the evil one, and that they will be separated from the wheat, those judged as righteous, at the day of judgment. The field is meant to denote the world around us that is filled with evil. As we go about our lives in this world, evil is all around us. The evil one sows many seeds of discontent throughout our world and tempts us with worldly desires. At the final judgment, all who do evil will be cast into the burning fire of hell and the righteous will dwell in eternity with our Lord.

As this enlightened ELCA evolves, more and more of God’s Word is challenged, maligned and twisted to be more acceptable to their modern sensibilities. Often, the message that is underscored by the leaders and scholars of the ELCA is one of skepticism. The Bible is referred to as a book of faith, a collection of stories by authors trapped within their own time and influenced by their own opinions, traditions, and experiences and whose values and teachings are not suitable to the issues facing this current generation. Of course, how could someone from thousands of years ago have any idea of the dilemmas that 21st century humans would encounter? It is because that God himself authored, by inspiring those human writers, the very Scripture that the ELCA so conveniently cites when certain verses bolster their secular ideas and reject those verses that refute their secular desires. What they do not understand is that all of Scripture was inspired by our Lord, including those verses that provide evidence that the current doctrinal changes promoted by the ELCA are contrary to God’s Will.

Because modern science cannot justify the virgin birth or the bodily resurrection of Jesus, the ELCA casts doubt upon the very foundation of the Christian faith. There is no need to understand the science, we only need to believe that there is nothing that God, who created the very universe that our world is a part of, cannot accomplish, despite what the learned scientific community or leadership of the ELCA believes. If our Lord’s resurrection and victory over death did not occur according to Scripture, we will have believed in vain and lost our salvation. How can those who have the responsibility to defend God’s Word and to safeguard proper doctrine, that in which we believe and profess, continually question the validity of Scripture? The ELCA is charged to enforce discipline against those that teach false doctrine and to guard the historic and orthodox Christian faith. How can the ELCA discipline any church when they promote doctrine that contradicts Scripture?

While the ELCA continues to sow the seeds of doubt in the field, how do we remain as the faithful wheat while remaining in fellowship with his wayward denomination? The Apostles taught that we should gather with other believers in order to keep our faith strong. We are taught to pray together and dwell in the Word. In His Word, our Lord has prepared a plan for us to keep our faith strong. We need to continue to grow in our faith with Bible study, prayer, and continued fellowship with believers, encouraging and supporting each other in our Lord’s name. Jude 20-21, “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourself in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

Just Words

In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The ELCA cites our Lord’s name in many of their social justice agendas and committees. The “Reconciling in Christ” task force sounds so appropriate. The Greater Milwaukee ELCA website has a link to the RIC annual report. Our Lord is obviously not the primary focus of this committee. This committee’s primary focus is, “empowered by the gospel we work for the equality and the inclusion of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the ELCA.” In most correspondence regarding the Gospel of Christ, capitalization is used to underscore the significance it has to the family of Christians. Perhaps they cite a different gospel.

As the ELCA attempts to change the world into the welcoming, tolerant, and accepting place that they believe it should be, they continue to fail our Lord. By lifting their struggle for social justice above the call to lead people to the Gospel of Christ, they fall right into the evil ones trap. Without Jesus Christ as the central authority in our mission, we neglect our responsibilities as disciples of Christ. Words mean nothing if we fail to put them into action. Invoking our Lord’s name to add credibility to the social justice agendas promoted by the ELCA is nothing more than window dressing. Using our Lord’s name without promoting His agenda, is an empty promise to a humanity thirsting for God’s Word, God’s love and acceptance, and to those searching for their salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in Matthew 15:8-9, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” As the ELCA discards God’s Word and replaces it with the words that fulfill their human desires, they worship in vain and lead others away from the Gospel of Christ with their human rules. Without our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as the primary emphasis in our mission, we will surely fail. Those that follow the path that the ELCA promotes will also fail our Lord and fall away from Him. Luke 17:1-2, Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone though whom they come. 2 It would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around your neck that for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble.” Those that promote a false gospel and lead people astray are subject to God’s judgment. Christ’s mission for us is to be His disciples, share the Good News and lead our fellow man to the Lord.

The ELCA uses empty words that promise equality, social justice, acceptance and tolerance without the promise of God’s love and approval. Amending His law by replacing His Word with earthly terms is unacceptable for man, biblical scholars or the church. Our Lord is the sole authority and Scripture is His law for us. Using His name to attempt to justify an agenda that is contrary to Scripture will only cause believers to stumble and others will lose the opportunity to come to the Lord. Psalm 119:160, “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”

Just Listen

The Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways. If we open our hearts and minds to the Lord, we will find that He does indeed communicate with us. Subtle nudges from the Spirit push us to do the right thing and resist wrongdoing. If we choose to ignore those gentle cues, we often recognize that the Spirit was encouraging us to do God’s will. How do we know if it is the Spirit that is directing us? Since we are, by nature selfish and sinful, it is fairly obvious when the Spirit is leading. Placing others before ourselves, volunteering for charitable causes, living out our lives as the Lord directs us, engaging ourselves in His Word, and speaking out for our Lord. These are just a few of the tasks that God places before us. We need only to open our hearts and minds and listen to God.

We must also realize when we substitute our own judgment in the place of the Lord’s will. When we fail to listen to Him, we can end up dismissing God’s word as antiquated or not appropriate for this day and age. Exercising one's "bound conscience" places our own selfish wants and desires over God’s plan for us, leading us away from Him. Romans 8:5 “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires: but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Those that place self above the Lord and believe that the Scriptures are just a set of values no longer pertinent to our more "enlightened" society are leading others to a false gospel. Our Lord has set before us a guide to lead us toward a godly life. If we pick and choose what part of Scripture is valid for today, we are falling toward agnosticism. Proverbs 10:17 “Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.” God speaks to us through the Holy Scripture and gently nudges us through the Holy Spirit to correct us and lead us on the right path.

If we follow this new concept of bound conscience and place our opinion above God’s Word, we will continue to minimize sin and eventually, learn to ignore sin as irrelevant. Social justice and good works are all part of doing God’s will and should always be an important duty of any religious organization. Good works do not alone make the case for salvation. Martin Luther said, “The first and chief article is this: Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised for our justification. He alone is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and God has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own good works and merits, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, in His blood. This is necessary to believe. This cannot be otherwise acquired or grasped by any work, law or merit. Therefore it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us.”

We must continue to do the good works as God directs us. But, first and foremost is our faith in our resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ that is our salvation. We must also work to bring others to Christ as we continue to do His work. This is where the ELCA fails the members of its denomination. By overemphasizing the importance of good works, the ELCA broadens the gap between the Lord and His people. By minimizing sin and disregarding “unpopular” portions of Scripture, they are promoting a false gospel and putting their members at risk of losing their salvation. We must continue to pray that all Christians keep strong in their faith and rebuke this false gospel of the bound conscience. As for the leaders of the ELCA, perhaps they should open their hearts and minds and just listen to what God is telling them, rather than trying to satisfy their earthly desires.