“There will be strange things happening to the sun, the moon, and the stars. On earth whole countries will be in despair, afraid of the roar of the sea and the raging tides. People will faint from fear as they wait for what is coming over the whole earth, for the powers in space will be driven from their courses. Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in a cloud with great power and glory. When these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your salvation is near.” Luke 21:25-28
In these verses Jesus describes the day of His coming, the day of judgement. Confusion similarly reigns today, not only in our nation, but worldwide. Ideological differences confuse and paralyze our government and threaten the very fabric of our nation. Governmental agencies are used to target political enemies and political leaders use fractured and false testimony against those they disagree. More and more seem confused about their gender identity when selfishness and progressive ideology persuade them to abandon their biological reality. Confusing and conflicting religious doctrines are acclaimed by “progressive churches”. Many of the world’s religions are overtaken by radical factions that twist the intentions of their founders, spreading death and destruction in the name of their god. Far too many of God’s “churches” are preaching a gospel unrecognizable from that which our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ taught. Even worse, some of those called to preach the word, reach out against the very God they have pledged to serve.
Case in point, ELCA Bishop, Kristen Keumpel shared an article calling the Reverend Franklin Graham’s ministry, Operation Christmas Child (OCC) that prepares shoeboxes with presents and a message about Jesus Christ to impoverished children around the world. The recommended article contains the assertions that "Samaritan’s Purse president Franklin Graham spews ever more hateful rhetoric about immigrants and Muslims" and that Operation Christmas Child is one of the "more toxic forms of charity." She goes on further to recommend that donations be redircted to the ELCA Good Gifts program instead of OCC. Bishop Keumpel’s ire was also directed at the Salvation Army when she retweeted, "A reminder this holiday season that the Salvation Army is a homophobic, transphobic, uncaring, garbage organization." Seems to me that casting stones at legitimate mission outreaches, such at OCC and the Salvation Army, is counterproductive to what is God’s church mission is to the world. I thought we were supposed to be on the same team with a goal to reach the lost, but apparently that is lost to those drowning in the apostasy that is the ELCA. Apparently, Christian organizations that fail to tow the line of the heretical teaching of the ELCA, are to be reviled and rejected.
What do we tell the world when those who dedicate their lives to Christ become enamored of the world? When Christ becomes secondary in the church’s teaching to diversity, homosexuality, abortion rights, transgenderism, borders, gun control, and any and all leftist goals and programs, it ceases being God’s church. I’m sorry, but if a church is so inclined to abandon their core beliefs in order to be more welcoming, diverse and tolerant, it is no longer performing the functions that our Lord and Savior intended. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 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, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
There is one thing lacking in these progressive churches that is all too apparent. Jesus Christ is simply an afterthought within the walls of many of the ELCA churches. There is far more emphasis on virtue signaling to an already lost world. Without our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the world spirals into disarray and chaos. Without our Lord and Savior, our great nation and its’ founding are at risk to the progressive, leftist agenda that seeks to replace our God with ever burgeoning government overreach. Without our Lord and Savior, we fall back into our selfish nature and society suffers as a result. Without our Lord and Savior to guide us, we lose our way, scurrying about like roaches in the light.
We are at a crossroads in this day and age. The progressive left is taking over God’s church. The progressive left is taking over the democrat party. The progressive left is taking over academia and the media. The progressive left is advocating for a global form of government. The progressive left has the same agenda as the prince of darkness and if we sit by idly, more and more will be lost to him. The time has long past for good Christians to rise up and speak out for our God. It is not too late to stem the tide if God’s good people decide to “go and make disciples of all nations” by proclaiming His Word to everyone. Let the world see that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ by not only your actions, but by your words.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
Showing posts with label human sexuality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label human sexuality. Show all posts
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Commonality
Much of human history has involved being able to find common ground and compromise. Conflict begins when we cannot come to terms. As children we beg our parents for that extra piece of pie, to stay up past our bedtime “for just 10 more minutes” and to the number of chores we are assigned. As we age, the stakes may be higher, but negotiations continue in an effort to obtain those things we want. Legislation is passed with each side of the political aisle cooperatively bargaining in order to achieve a common goal that ultimately benefits both sides and the public at large. Today, our political dialogue has devolved into nothing more than an increasingly negative rhetoric, escalating into hateful and demeaning memes posted on social media, directed at those with opinions different than their own. The rise of the leftist agenda and the embracing of those ideals by academia, the media and the Democrat party are first and foremost in driving the decline of our political discourse. Those institutions attempt to cast the blame upon the rise of conservative talk radio for our ever increasing political divide. That is far from the truth.
This embrace of the leftist ideology has driven us to the place we now find ourselves. Since the birth of our nation, conservatives and liberals have had common goals. Our disagreements centered on the methods used to attain those goals. All can agree on the goal to eradicate poverty. Liberals favor the big government welfare state and trickle up economics. Conservatives want to provide our economy the tools necessary to produce wealth, facilitate the environment necessary for those that are able, to enter the workforce so that they can create their own wealth and contribute to society, rather than simply take. Both agree that those who cannot work and need assistance should receive it. The left does not want to end poverty. The left wants to tear down our economic system and replace it with total government control. Those who have amassed wealth will have it taken away and redistributed to the masses. The left does not share a common goal with the vast majority of Americans.
The Green New Deal proposed by freshman Congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, is painstakingly impracticable and unattainable. Yet, the declared Democrat presidential candidates (Corey Booker, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, and others) agree that they could support this policy. The Democrats are leaning more and more toward the leftist concept of no borders that allow unfettered immigration with its’ inherent problems, such as drugs, criminals, terrorists, and diseases entering the country uncontrolled. Allowing this to occur is the true immoral action. The Democrats ever increasing support for socialism is rising from the shadows and being bandied about by all their declared candidates for president. Tolerating the murder of unborn children up to and apparently after birth, is touted as important to maintain a woman’s control of her body. This is reprehensible conduct that is simply government approved homicide. The normalization of same sex relationships has long garnered support from the left and has rightly occurred. Any person acting in a lawful manner should never be ostracized or reviled. This is not enough for the radical left, as the same sex relationship has expanded to include other behaviors including the attempt to normalize transgenderism, or what should be classified as a mental disease. These are but a few examples of the leftward lean of the Democrat party.
Shortly before President Obama was elected, he stated that the fundamental transformation of this country was days away. We are watching as it unfolds right before our eyes. As with the radical Muslims that want nothing more than to destroy our society, so does the left. Anarchists, such as Anti-fa, Black lives matter and the occupation movement, are apparently supported by the Democrat party, as evidenced by their silence and failure to condemn their behavior. The United States will not be conquered by an invading army. The United States will not be destroyed by bombs and bullets. The United States will fall from within, as more and more leftists gain more and more power. The media and academia have been brainwashing our population for decades now and it apparently is beginning to have the desired effect. Many millennials believe that socialism is the cure to capitalism, imagining that it will create a more equal society. It will do nothing of the sort. Socialism is the great equalizer, tearing down everyone, so that everyone suffers the same misery, except for those that lead. For those who are too lazy or complacent, content to let others determine our fate, our entire way of life stands in the balance. For those of you that do not take your responsibility to properly inform yourselves and to say no to this plague that is descending upon us, and stop it at the ballot box, you will wake up one day and find that the country that you love and cherish is gone. Allowing these leftists to gain power will take us where every other socialist country has ended, in ruin. It is imperative that we take our responsibility seriously and fight against this disease that is the left. Our way of life is in the balance. What will you do to protect those you love?
This embrace of the leftist ideology has driven us to the place we now find ourselves. Since the birth of our nation, conservatives and liberals have had common goals. Our disagreements centered on the methods used to attain those goals. All can agree on the goal to eradicate poverty. Liberals favor the big government welfare state and trickle up economics. Conservatives want to provide our economy the tools necessary to produce wealth, facilitate the environment necessary for those that are able, to enter the workforce so that they can create their own wealth and contribute to society, rather than simply take. Both agree that those who cannot work and need assistance should receive it. The left does not want to end poverty. The left wants to tear down our economic system and replace it with total government control. Those who have amassed wealth will have it taken away and redistributed to the masses. The left does not share a common goal with the vast majority of Americans.
The Green New Deal proposed by freshman Congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, is painstakingly impracticable and unattainable. Yet, the declared Democrat presidential candidates (Corey Booker, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, and others) agree that they could support this policy. The Democrats are leaning more and more toward the leftist concept of no borders that allow unfettered immigration with its’ inherent problems, such as drugs, criminals, terrorists, and diseases entering the country uncontrolled. Allowing this to occur is the true immoral action. The Democrats ever increasing support for socialism is rising from the shadows and being bandied about by all their declared candidates for president. Tolerating the murder of unborn children up to and apparently after birth, is touted as important to maintain a woman’s control of her body. This is reprehensible conduct that is simply government approved homicide. The normalization of same sex relationships has long garnered support from the left and has rightly occurred. Any person acting in a lawful manner should never be ostracized or reviled. This is not enough for the radical left, as the same sex relationship has expanded to include other behaviors including the attempt to normalize transgenderism, or what should be classified as a mental disease. These are but a few examples of the leftward lean of the Democrat party.
Shortly before President Obama was elected, he stated that the fundamental transformation of this country was days away. We are watching as it unfolds right before our eyes. As with the radical Muslims that want nothing more than to destroy our society, so does the left. Anarchists, such as Anti-fa, Black lives matter and the occupation movement, are apparently supported by the Democrat party, as evidenced by their silence and failure to condemn their behavior. The United States will not be conquered by an invading army. The United States will not be destroyed by bombs and bullets. The United States will fall from within, as more and more leftists gain more and more power. The media and academia have been brainwashing our population for decades now and it apparently is beginning to have the desired effect. Many millennials believe that socialism is the cure to capitalism, imagining that it will create a more equal society. It will do nothing of the sort. Socialism is the great equalizer, tearing down everyone, so that everyone suffers the same misery, except for those that lead. For those who are too lazy or complacent, content to let others determine our fate, our entire way of life stands in the balance. For those of you that do not take your responsibility to properly inform yourselves and to say no to this plague that is descending upon us, and stop it at the ballot box, you will wake up one day and find that the country that you love and cherish is gone. Allowing these leftists to gain power will take us where every other socialist country has ended, in ruin. It is imperative that we take our responsibility seriously and fight against this disease that is the left. Our way of life is in the balance. What will you do to protect those you love?
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Mirror Image
In 1995 the ELCA was formally examining man’s relationship with God in regards to our sexual nature. The study, The Church and Human Sexuality, a Lutheran Perspective, was being discussed by many churches in the ELCA and my church was among those having what were called “cottage meetings”. During one of our “cottage meetings” one of our congregants suggested that since Jesus said that divorce was unacceptable to God, but since the church now accepts divorce, that perhaps the church should also accept the gay lifestyle. (Back then the homosexual movement did not have the wide variety of acronyms that we see today) I suggested that as far as I have learned, two wrongs do not make a right. We travel on a slippery slope when we decide to disregard God’s commands and replace them with our human sensibilities. Like so many of the “new things” that the leaders of the ELCA promote, this is simply flawed human logic. To reach a conclusion that because the church decided to stray from God’s commands in one matter that one would necessarily conclude the next logical step would be to disregard another of God’s commands just makes one head spin.
This “study” meant to provoke discussion, was weighted with opinions that led the reader to the conclusion that the Biblical teaching on homosexuality did not necessarily condemn that practice, especially in loving, monogamous relationships. So, as far back as 1995, the leaders of the ELCA promoted that the only logical conclusion was that homosexuality should be acceptable to all ELCA congregants if one was to properly love one’s neighbor. Mark 10:6-9, Jesus said, “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” While Jesus did not comment specifically on homosexuality, He was clear that marriage is reserved for one man and one woman. It becomes problematic when man looks upon himself as the earthly authority that somehow is more enlightened than the Holy Spirit inspired authors of Scripture.
Why is it so important to the leadership of the ELCA to normalize homosexuality? Can we not welcome our brothers and sisters who are homosexual in their understanding as fellow sinners, just like each and every one of us, in need of love and forgiveness by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? It would appear that the leaders of the ELCA promote that their membership fashion a god in their own image, one that will let them live as they please, one that does not rain on their parade with unfair rules and commands. Unfortunately, when we rely upon our own understanding we place our Lord in a secondary role in our lives. When we focus on ourselves and question our Lord’s authority, we look into a mirror and see the image of the god we pledge our allegiance. Only when we give ourselves to our Lord and Savior, fully and absolutely will we find true meaning in our lives. The only way to give yourself fully to the Lord is to discard those things of this world that you believe will be fulfilling, yet never seem to fill that emptiness in your heart. Deny yourself and place Christ first in your heart. Throw away the things of this world that cause you to sin and become a new creation, one that pleases our Lord.
Matthew 18:7-9, Jesus said, “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” Every one of us sins every day, in thought, word, and deed. No one is righteous in God’s sight, no one. Try as we may, it is impossible to be obedient in all matters of faith for us imperfect human beings. That is why we have a Savior that took the punishment for a sinful humanity. Why then does the leadership of the ELCA advocate a different path, one that is wide and undemanding? By encouraging their membership to accept that which the Lord prohibits, the leaders of the ELCA elevate the status of man, requiring no self-denial, no repentance and no need for faith in the Risen Christ.
John 3:16-21, Jesus said, “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 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. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” While the ELCA pronounces that the Bible is the true word of God, that they abide by the Creeds and that they are one with the Augsburg Confessions, they continue to cast doubt upon the very God they are called to serve. The leaders of the ELCA continue to hide their deeds in the shadows, claiming that these "new things" are not their official teachings while they are promoted in their publications and in their seminaries.
God comes freely, openly offering His wonderful gift of grace to all who believe. God wants all of His children to be saved. Who do you see when you look into that mirror, a sinner in need of a Savior or one who knows better than the Creator of all that was, is and is yet to come? Continue to pray for those brothers and sisters lost and adrift amid the heresy of the ELCA.
This “study” meant to provoke discussion, was weighted with opinions that led the reader to the conclusion that the Biblical teaching on homosexuality did not necessarily condemn that practice, especially in loving, monogamous relationships. So, as far back as 1995, the leaders of the ELCA promoted that the only logical conclusion was that homosexuality should be acceptable to all ELCA congregants if one was to properly love one’s neighbor. Mark 10:6-9, Jesus said, “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” While Jesus did not comment specifically on homosexuality, He was clear that marriage is reserved for one man and one woman. It becomes problematic when man looks upon himself as the earthly authority that somehow is more enlightened than the Holy Spirit inspired authors of Scripture.
Why is it so important to the leadership of the ELCA to normalize homosexuality? Can we not welcome our brothers and sisters who are homosexual in their understanding as fellow sinners, just like each and every one of us, in need of love and forgiveness by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? It would appear that the leaders of the ELCA promote that their membership fashion a god in their own image, one that will let them live as they please, one that does not rain on their parade with unfair rules and commands. Unfortunately, when we rely upon our own understanding we place our Lord in a secondary role in our lives. When we focus on ourselves and question our Lord’s authority, we look into a mirror and see the image of the god we pledge our allegiance. Only when we give ourselves to our Lord and Savior, fully and absolutely will we find true meaning in our lives. The only way to give yourself fully to the Lord is to discard those things of this world that you believe will be fulfilling, yet never seem to fill that emptiness in your heart. Deny yourself and place Christ first in your heart. Throw away the things of this world that cause you to sin and become a new creation, one that pleases our Lord.
Matthew 18:7-9, Jesus said, “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” Every one of us sins every day, in thought, word, and deed. No one is righteous in God’s sight, no one. Try as we may, it is impossible to be obedient in all matters of faith for us imperfect human beings. That is why we have a Savior that took the punishment for a sinful humanity. Why then does the leadership of the ELCA advocate a different path, one that is wide and undemanding? By encouraging their membership to accept that which the Lord prohibits, the leaders of the ELCA elevate the status of man, requiring no self-denial, no repentance and no need for faith in the Risen Christ.
John 3:16-21, Jesus said, “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 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. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” While the ELCA pronounces that the Bible is the true word of God, that they abide by the Creeds and that they are one with the Augsburg Confessions, they continue to cast doubt upon the very God they are called to serve. The leaders of the ELCA continue to hide their deeds in the shadows, claiming that these "new things" are not their official teachings while they are promoted in their publications and in their seminaries.
God comes freely, openly offering His wonderful gift of grace to all who believe. God wants all of His children to be saved. Who do you see when you look into that mirror, a sinner in need of a Savior or one who knows better than the Creator of all that was, is and is yet to come? Continue to pray for those brothers and sisters lost and adrift amid the heresy of the ELCA.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Reconciled in Christ
To: Mark Hanson, presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
On Sunday, January 16, 2012 our congregation sang a praise hymn entitled Speak, O Lord. I can’t recall the last time this praise hymn was used in one of our services, but the Holy Spirit spoke loud and clear through this hymn of praise. If you haven’t experienced the words in a while, here they are for you. “Speak, O Lord as we come to know You, to receive the food of Your Holy Word. Take Your Truth and plant it deep in us. Shape and fashion us in Your likeness, that the light of Christ might be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith. Speak O Lord and fulfill in us all Your purposes for your glory. Teach us Lord, full obedience, holy reverence, and true humility. Test our thoughts and our attitudes in the radiance of Your purity. Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see Your majestic love and authority. Yours are words of power that can never fail and let their truth prevail over unbelief. Speak O Lord and renew our minds and help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us. Truths unchanged from the dawn of time that will echo down through eternity. And by grace we'll’ stand on Your promises and by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us. Speak, O Lord till Your church is built and the earth is filled with Your glory.”
Now, you may wonder why this letter is entitled reconciled in Christ, because in the ELCA, this phrase denotes those churches that reach out to the LGTBQ community. Well, if you really read the words above and let the Holy Spirit fill your heart and allow you to discern what “new thing God is saying”, you will discover that there really are not two hermeneutics or paradigms at work that are irreconcilable in the interpretation of God's word. His words are timeless and everlasting. His words are true and most assuredly pertinent to our lives today. Obeying His commands bring us great joy, because we truly want to please the One we love. Because it is when we abandon our goal to please ourselves and decide to turn our lives over to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we find true fulfillment in the goal of pleasing Him. When we give our lives to Christ, we will find that we need not fulfill ourselves with the things of this world, our fulfillment is simply leading a life pleasing to our Lord and Savior. This means abandoning our identities and becoming Disciples of Christ. And Disciples of Christ love everyone, even if it means correcting, rebuking and encouraging--with great patience and careful instruction.
Bishop Hanson, please reconcile the doctrine of bound conscience when we are called to let Scripture lead us in all matters of faith and in our Christian lives. Tell us how this false gospel teaches us full obedience when those that accept this doctrine place themselves in authority of Scripture. Explain how this allows His Truth to remain unchanged from the dawn of time and echo through eternity. Defend the ELCA officially disregarding Scripture and overturning God’s law by enacting doctrine to declare homosexuality right in God’s eyes. Enlighten us on the method in which bound conscience allows us to let His truth prevail over unbelief. Justify how this shapes us in His likeness and does not, in fact, open the door for man to try to make God in his own image.
Bishop Hanson, describe just how a diversity of beliefs causes our faith to rise and to see and understand His majestic love and authority. Illuminate us how those who declare that faith in the Risen Christ is unnecessary to gain salvation can still walk as God walks with us. Rationalize to us poor uneducated, unwashed masses that accept that without faith, we cannot enter into His kingdom. If our Lord and Savior told us that He is the way and the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him, how does the ELCA acquiesce to this misguided belief and not reach out in true Christian love to bring back those who have gone astray?
As the leader of a church of over 4 million, you sir, have the responsibility to preach the pure Gospel so that those that hear can be inspired by the Holy Spirit to come to accept the Truth that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You must help feed the food of His holy word so that Truth can be planted deep within us. By appeasing every wayward belief under the sun and allowing those to fall off the narrow path is certainly not what the Lord called you to do. With great authority comes great responsibility and every brother and sister lost to the Lord because you choose to neglect the responsibilities of your office pleases no one but the evil one. His are the words of power that can never fail. With those words our Lord will fulfill in us all His purposes for His glory. His words can renew our minds and help us grasp the heights of His plans for us. Bishop Hanson, it is time to lead your flock back to the Lord. Jesus said in John 17:15, 17, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Our prayer is that you return to the true Gospel and uphold sound Christian doctrine so that all of God’s children come to Him.
On Sunday, January 16, 2012 our congregation sang a praise hymn entitled Speak, O Lord. I can’t recall the last time this praise hymn was used in one of our services, but the Holy Spirit spoke loud and clear through this hymn of praise. If you haven’t experienced the words in a while, here they are for you. “Speak, O Lord as we come to know You, to receive the food of Your Holy Word. Take Your Truth and plant it deep in us. Shape and fashion us in Your likeness, that the light of Christ might be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith. Speak O Lord and fulfill in us all Your purposes for your glory. Teach us Lord, full obedience, holy reverence, and true humility. Test our thoughts and our attitudes in the radiance of Your purity. Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see Your majestic love and authority. Yours are words of power that can never fail and let their truth prevail over unbelief. Speak O Lord and renew our minds and help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us. Truths unchanged from the dawn of time that will echo down through eternity. And by grace we'll’ stand on Your promises and by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us. Speak, O Lord till Your church is built and the earth is filled with Your glory.”
Now, you may wonder why this letter is entitled reconciled in Christ, because in the ELCA, this phrase denotes those churches that reach out to the LGTBQ community. Well, if you really read the words above and let the Holy Spirit fill your heart and allow you to discern what “new thing God is saying”, you will discover that there really are not two hermeneutics or paradigms at work that are irreconcilable in the interpretation of God's word. His words are timeless and everlasting. His words are true and most assuredly pertinent to our lives today. Obeying His commands bring us great joy, because we truly want to please the One we love. Because it is when we abandon our goal to please ourselves and decide to turn our lives over to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we find true fulfillment in the goal of pleasing Him. When we give our lives to Christ, we will find that we need not fulfill ourselves with the things of this world, our fulfillment is simply leading a life pleasing to our Lord and Savior. This means abandoning our identities and becoming Disciples of Christ. And Disciples of Christ love everyone, even if it means correcting, rebuking and encouraging--with great patience and careful instruction.
Bishop Hanson, please reconcile the doctrine of bound conscience when we are called to let Scripture lead us in all matters of faith and in our Christian lives. Tell us how this false gospel teaches us full obedience when those that accept this doctrine place themselves in authority of Scripture. Explain how this allows His Truth to remain unchanged from the dawn of time and echo through eternity. Defend the ELCA officially disregarding Scripture and overturning God’s law by enacting doctrine to declare homosexuality right in God’s eyes. Enlighten us on the method in which bound conscience allows us to let His truth prevail over unbelief. Justify how this shapes us in His likeness and does not, in fact, open the door for man to try to make God in his own image.
Bishop Hanson, describe just how a diversity of beliefs causes our faith to rise and to see and understand His majestic love and authority. Illuminate us how those who declare that faith in the Risen Christ is unnecessary to gain salvation can still walk as God walks with us. Rationalize to us poor uneducated, unwashed masses that accept that without faith, we cannot enter into His kingdom. If our Lord and Savior told us that He is the way and the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him, how does the ELCA acquiesce to this misguided belief and not reach out in true Christian love to bring back those who have gone astray?
As the leader of a church of over 4 million, you sir, have the responsibility to preach the pure Gospel so that those that hear can be inspired by the Holy Spirit to come to accept the Truth that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You must help feed the food of His holy word so that Truth can be planted deep within us. By appeasing every wayward belief under the sun and allowing those to fall off the narrow path is certainly not what the Lord called you to do. With great authority comes great responsibility and every brother and sister lost to the Lord because you choose to neglect the responsibilities of your office pleases no one but the evil one. His are the words of power that can never fail. With those words our Lord will fulfill in us all His purposes for His glory. His words can renew our minds and help us grasp the heights of His plans for us. Bishop Hanson, it is time to lead your flock back to the Lord. Jesus said in John 17:15, 17, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Our prayer is that you return to the true Gospel and uphold sound Christian doctrine so that all of God’s children come to Him.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Fool Me Once
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. If someone pulls one over on us, we can chalk this up to our naivety, learn from it, and not be fooled again. When that person attempts to deceive us in this manner again, that person should know better than to try to mislead one who has already experienced this same deception. If you fall prey once again, there is no one to blame but yourself. This old saying fits in well with the false teachings of the ELCA. They use the doctrine of bound conscience to fool their membership into believing that they can reinterpret Scripture in order to empower themselves within their chosen sin. This doctrine contradicts the very foundation of Lutheranism, that the Bible is the written word of God, our sole authority in matters of faith and theology. This errant doctrine is used to not only justify sinful activity, but serves to question the reality that we are by nature sinful and unclean. So, those that choose to engage in sinful activity and don’t want to give up that behavior, are fooled into believing that they can continue in that sin because the false gospel of affirmation teaches that God loves and affirms you within that sin. The leaders of the ELCA promote that bound conscience allows one to believe just about anything. They deliberately deceive their members into believing that since God created them, they are inherently good and any and all proclivities that feed the flesh are acceptable. This "new thing" promotes that there is nothing that is unacceptable in the eyes of the Lord, since He loves and affirms us unconditionally..
One of the verses excluded from the Revised Common Lectionary is the last verse of the story of the paralytic that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. John 5:14, “Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” Our God does not affirm us in our sin, but He will forgive us of our sins if we only ask for His forgiveness. For if we fail to confess our sins to our Father, believing that we are without sin, or that somehow, it doesn't matter what we do, will only allow our sinful acts to lead us away from Him. Over and over again, those that believe that they are acting in true Christian love, are fooled by the deceitful leaders and scholars that foist these errant teachings upon the faithful. It is terribly wrong for a church to lead its people astray by pursuing doctrine that is contradictory to God’s law. It is the responsibility of the church to preach the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ and that through the Holy Spirit, those that hear may understand and accept.
Even though our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ died on that cross, suffering the punishment that was meant for us, we must not engage in the willful disregard of God’s laws with an unrepentant heart. We all fall short of God’s glory and our feeble attempts at righteousness are met with abject failure. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, so we fall into a myriad of sinful activity, intentionally and unintentionally. 1 John 2:1-6, “But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” There is no truth in the false gospel of affirmation. We cannot turn to our modern sensibilities and reject our Lord's teachings and still remain a good Christian. Although we try to walk as Jesus did, we all continue to fall into sin. But, we know that we have our Savior to intercede on our behalf, to plead our case, who aids and defends us, and who represents our interests before the Father. It is when we decide that our Father is not the authority in our lives and place ourselves and our own opinion and experience above the Lord that brings us all kinds of trouble.
When the leaders and scholars of the ELCA concocted the doctrine of bound conscience, confessional Lutherans disagreed. This doctrine, explained as a way to welcome more of God’s children who view themselves as on the fringe of society, who felt it was necessary for them to be truly loved by the church, their lifestyle choices needed to be accepted. It has become nothing of the sort. This doctrine calls upon the faithful to recognize differences of opinion in spiritual matters and to respect the opinions of others, even if that opinion is contrary to Scripture. In the matter of human sexuality the ELCA went even further. Now those that uphold the authority of Scripture and accept God’s word that marriage is between one man and one woman, and that sexual relations are acceptable only within this relationship, actually hold beliefs contrary to official ELCA doctrine. A synod bishop of the ELCA tried to explain that Scripture is not clear on the matter of homosexuality and questioned whether it is actually sinful. He also said that since God loves us all and because we all fall short, God accepts us as we are, no matter what our sexual preference may be. He further explained that this doctrine was never intended to pertain to matters affecting the salvation of one’s soul. But, since the leaders of the ELCA have already fooled so many of their members, it is being cited to bolster arguments that deny the existence of hell, promote universal salvation, questions the truth of the Resurrection, casts doubt upon the Scriptural account of the Virgin Birth, and even the deity of Christ was debated in the featured Easter essay in the Lutheran in April of 2008.
The definition of synod is to “walk together”. Shame on those that continue to walk together with a synod that denies the very truths of Christianity. Shame on those that accept bound conscience in order to place their own opinion over the will of our Lord. Shame on those that continue to lead the faithful astray with false doctrine. Ecclesiastes 10:2, “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.” We won't be fooled again! Choose to walk the right path with our Lord and expose the heresies promoted by the leaders of the ELCA. Pray unceasingly for the ELCA to return to the Lord.
One of the verses excluded from the Revised Common Lectionary is the last verse of the story of the paralytic that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. John 5:14, “Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” Our God does not affirm us in our sin, but He will forgive us of our sins if we only ask for His forgiveness. For if we fail to confess our sins to our Father, believing that we are without sin, or that somehow, it doesn't matter what we do, will only allow our sinful acts to lead us away from Him. Over and over again, those that believe that they are acting in true Christian love, are fooled by the deceitful leaders and scholars that foist these errant teachings upon the faithful. It is terribly wrong for a church to lead its people astray by pursuing doctrine that is contradictory to God’s law. It is the responsibility of the church to preach the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ and that through the Holy Spirit, those that hear may understand and accept.
Even though our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ died on that cross, suffering the punishment that was meant for us, we must not engage in the willful disregard of God’s laws with an unrepentant heart. We all fall short of God’s glory and our feeble attempts at righteousness are met with abject failure. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, so we fall into a myriad of sinful activity, intentionally and unintentionally. 1 John 2:1-6, “But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” There is no truth in the false gospel of affirmation. We cannot turn to our modern sensibilities and reject our Lord's teachings and still remain a good Christian. Although we try to walk as Jesus did, we all continue to fall into sin. But, we know that we have our Savior to intercede on our behalf, to plead our case, who aids and defends us, and who represents our interests before the Father. It is when we decide that our Father is not the authority in our lives and place ourselves and our own opinion and experience above the Lord that brings us all kinds of trouble.
When the leaders and scholars of the ELCA concocted the doctrine of bound conscience, confessional Lutherans disagreed. This doctrine, explained as a way to welcome more of God’s children who view themselves as on the fringe of society, who felt it was necessary for them to be truly loved by the church, their lifestyle choices needed to be accepted. It has become nothing of the sort. This doctrine calls upon the faithful to recognize differences of opinion in spiritual matters and to respect the opinions of others, even if that opinion is contrary to Scripture. In the matter of human sexuality the ELCA went even further. Now those that uphold the authority of Scripture and accept God’s word that marriage is between one man and one woman, and that sexual relations are acceptable only within this relationship, actually hold beliefs contrary to official ELCA doctrine. A synod bishop of the ELCA tried to explain that Scripture is not clear on the matter of homosexuality and questioned whether it is actually sinful. He also said that since God loves us all and because we all fall short, God accepts us as we are, no matter what our sexual preference may be. He further explained that this doctrine was never intended to pertain to matters affecting the salvation of one’s soul. But, since the leaders of the ELCA have already fooled so many of their members, it is being cited to bolster arguments that deny the existence of hell, promote universal salvation, questions the truth of the Resurrection, casts doubt upon the Scriptural account of the Virgin Birth, and even the deity of Christ was debated in the featured Easter essay in the Lutheran in April of 2008.
The definition of synod is to “walk together”. Shame on those that continue to walk together with a synod that denies the very truths of Christianity. Shame on those that accept bound conscience in order to place their own opinion over the will of our Lord. Shame on those that continue to lead the faithful astray with false doctrine. Ecclesiastes 10:2, “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.” We won't be fooled again! Choose to walk the right path with our Lord and expose the heresies promoted by the leaders of the ELCA. Pray unceasingly for the ELCA to return to the Lord.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Shock and Awe
The war in Iraq began with a campaign entitled “Shock and Awe”. The attack was to be so swift, so intense, and so decisive that the enemy would be overwhelmed. Communications, supply lines, and military equipment was targeted and destroyed with the goal of eliminating the Iraqi Army’s will to fight. Much of the Iraqi army was scattered without any connection to their battle leaders and this strategy did lead to the surrender of numerous Iraqi battle groups in the field. The Iraqi army was easily defeated, with few Coalition forces lost. The attack on the foundations of our faith has been much more deliberate. The ELCA has been moving toward the creation of a new Lutheranism for decades. Using the hot button issue of homosexuality as a smoke screen, the ELCA has contrived doctrine to allow us to commit sin without remorse. Many were shocked after the 2009 ELCA Church Wide Assembly actions. The leadership of the ELCA stood by and allowed the Assembly to vote to disregard God’s law, knowing full well that all that chose to speak out against these actions would be looked upon as homophobic, intolerant and hateful. The leadership of the ELCA then used this to their advantage. The doctrine of bound conscience, invented to bolster the argument for the Human Sexuality statement, was utilized in a much more insidious way.
Bound conscience is the ELCA's way to justify their argument that we must not break fellowship simply because we have “differing viewpoints.” This false doctrine enables the ELCA to have a "Big Tent" and to draw in a new and diverse membership. You see, the ELCA has been hemorrhaging members almost from the day that it began. The ELCA has lost almost one million members since their inception in 1988. As they have moved further left, pursued a stated goal of social justice, and have left our Lord behind, there is little left to attract new members. Those looking for Jesus need not look to the ELCA to advocate for our Lord when there is so much else that is more important in this world. Filling your heart with the love of Christ is not on the radar screen of these enlightened leaders of the ELCA. It is indeed shocking, that a Lutheran Church would betray the Lord, relegate Him to a place secondary in their ministry, while publicly refuting God’s word, the Holy Bible. This is just beyond our comprehension. This church, in which many of us found the Lord, has fallen away from Him. As shocking as this “fall from grace” that has overtaken the ELCA, know this, God has a plan for us and nothing happens that is not part of that plan, including the troubling times in the ELCA.
Part of that plan is the work that the Holy Spirit is doing with Christians that were complacent in their faith. This includes many of us that attended Sunday services regularly but did not take the time or have the interest to dig into God’s word. I am awestrck as to how, in these troubling times, so many Christians have awakened and have been invigorated in their Spiritual lives. You can count the writer of this blog as one those Christians that has been awakened from his slumber. So many traditional, Bible based congregations have seen a marked increase in congregants reassessing their relationship with the Lord and are now attending Bible studies and getting involved in the church. You see, sometimes it takes a veritable slap in the face to awaken those that take their faith for granted. Indeed, when times are tough, it is difficult to discern why God does the things that He does. Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Everything that happens, does so because God intends for it to happen in that way. God’s purpose may not always be evident, but rest assured, He does those things to benefit those that love Him.
The direction that the leadership of the ELCA is taking their membership is contradictory to what faithful Christians have been taught since they were old enough to attend Sunday School. This attempt to transform the ELCA into this welcoming, tolerant, and all accepting social club that denies the very foundation of our faith has fueled the righteous anger of many faithful Christians. Ephesians 3:10-12, “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Now that this church, the ELCA, is ignoring our Lord’s intent and is spreading a gospel other than the Gospel our Lord taught, we must seek out a new church, true to the Lord, in which we can “walk together” in our faith journeys. We must also be diligent in our efforts to expose the heresies being promoted by the leadership of the ELCA so that no more of God’s children will fall prey to these false teachings. Continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ so that they too may see the truth.
Bound conscience is the ELCA's way to justify their argument that we must not break fellowship simply because we have “differing viewpoints.” This false doctrine enables the ELCA to have a "Big Tent" and to draw in a new and diverse membership. You see, the ELCA has been hemorrhaging members almost from the day that it began. The ELCA has lost almost one million members since their inception in 1988. As they have moved further left, pursued a stated goal of social justice, and have left our Lord behind, there is little left to attract new members. Those looking for Jesus need not look to the ELCA to advocate for our Lord when there is so much else that is more important in this world. Filling your heart with the love of Christ is not on the radar screen of these enlightened leaders of the ELCA. It is indeed shocking, that a Lutheran Church would betray the Lord, relegate Him to a place secondary in their ministry, while publicly refuting God’s word, the Holy Bible. This is just beyond our comprehension. This church, in which many of us found the Lord, has fallen away from Him. As shocking as this “fall from grace” that has overtaken the ELCA, know this, God has a plan for us and nothing happens that is not part of that plan, including the troubling times in the ELCA.
Part of that plan is the work that the Holy Spirit is doing with Christians that were complacent in their faith. This includes many of us that attended Sunday services regularly but did not take the time or have the interest to dig into God’s word. I am awestrck as to how, in these troubling times, so many Christians have awakened and have been invigorated in their Spiritual lives. You can count the writer of this blog as one those Christians that has been awakened from his slumber. So many traditional, Bible based congregations have seen a marked increase in congregants reassessing their relationship with the Lord and are now attending Bible studies and getting involved in the church. You see, sometimes it takes a veritable slap in the face to awaken those that take their faith for granted. Indeed, when times are tough, it is difficult to discern why God does the things that He does. Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Everything that happens, does so because God intends for it to happen in that way. God’s purpose may not always be evident, but rest assured, He does those things to benefit those that love Him.
The direction that the leadership of the ELCA is taking their membership is contradictory to what faithful Christians have been taught since they were old enough to attend Sunday School. This attempt to transform the ELCA into this welcoming, tolerant, and all accepting social club that denies the very foundation of our faith has fueled the righteous anger of many faithful Christians. Ephesians 3:10-12, “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Now that this church, the ELCA, is ignoring our Lord’s intent and is spreading a gospel other than the Gospel our Lord taught, we must seek out a new church, true to the Lord, in which we can “walk together” in our faith journeys. We must also be diligent in our efforts to expose the heresies being promoted by the leadership of the ELCA so that no more of God’s children will fall prey to these false teachings. Continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ so that they too may see the truth.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
2012
2012 is the last year of the Mayan calendar, believed by some to set in motion great calamities and perhaps the end of time, as the movie 2012 illustrated with spectacular special effects. 2012 will bring to us local, national and presidential elections. 2012 will also bring a new task assigned to each congregation belonging to the ELCA; The implementation and accountability report of each congregation’s implementation of the Human Sexuality; Gift and Trust statement. To quote from the implementing resolutions that were passed by the ELCA church council in April of 2010; *To call upon all congregations, synods, early childhood education centers, elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, seminaries, campus ministries, outdoor ministries, social ministry organizations, public policy advocacy ministries, and all church-wide units to carry out the substance and spirit of this statement; and to call upon Church in Society and other appropriate churchwide units to oversee a process of implementation and accountability for this social statement and to report on implementation to the Church Council in early 2012.*
Understand that the ELCA social statement entitled Human Sexuality; Gift and Trust consists of 44 pages that most people have not had the time or inclination to read. This particular document includes the following language; *As Lutherans, we believe that we are justified by grace through faith. The Lutheran Confessions guide us in our understanding of justification by identifying three intersecting affirmations: solus Christus, sola gratia, and sola fide (Christ alone, grace alone, and by faith alone).3 Deeply grounded in Scripture, understood as the living Word of God, these together proclaim Jesus Christ as central to the Gospel: These three emphases also tell us that sin does not have to do simply with the keeping or breaking of rules or laws. Rather, we sin when we turn away from God and look to ourselves. Sin turns us toward obsessive self-concern, with disastrous consequences for ourselves and others. We live therefore within the paradox that in our sexuality, as in other aspects of life, we always encounter both our own sinfulness and God's grace. It is only through Christ that we can turn in faith to trust God, which leads immediately to our baptismal vocation to love and serve the neighbor.*
These words that are solid Lutheran doctrine, would lead one to believe that this social statement is, in fact, true to the foundational principals of Christianity. Indeed, our greatest sin is placing ourselves, our wants and desires above our Lord, which all of us do with amazing regularity. When we place the emphasis on the love of our neighbor above the love of our Lord, we break what our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ taught was the greatest commandment. To quote from the above statement, “obsessive self concern”, in this case when that person's sexual identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and acceptance of those lifestyles as good and right in the eyes of the Lord and His church, is of utmost importance. It's not enough to love our neighbors as ourselves, it is now necessary to place the acceptance of our neighbor's sexual identity over our love for them. This social statement places those identities over and above the love of the Lord and our true identity as disciples of Christ. This emphasis on the self breaks the greatest commandment and we, in fact, worship the self above our Lord. This statement from the document contradicts the very doctrine cited to support it; *The church's historical experience supports its confidence that solemn promises, made before a company of witnesses who ask for God's blessing on a man and a woman, have the power to create a unique framework within which two people, a new family, and the community may thrive. Consistent with that experience, this church has confidence that such promises, supported by the contractual framework of civil law, can create a lifetime relationship of commitment and cooperation. Recognizing that this conclusion differs from the historic Christian tradition and the Lutheran Confessions, some people, though not all, in this church and within the larger Christian community, conclude that marriage is also the appropriate term to use in describing similar benefits, protection, and support for same-gender couples entering into lifelong, monogamous relationships. They believe that such accountable relationships also provide the necessary foundation that supports trust and familial and community thriving. Other contractual agreements, such as civil unions, also seek to provide some of these protections and to hold those involved in such relationships accountable to one another and to society.*
Matthew 19:4-6, "Haven't you read," he (Jesus) replied, "that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God had joined together, let no one separate." So, because certain behavior is acceptable in civil society, the leaders and scholars of the ELCA have come to the conclusion that God must be wrong to prohibit that conduct. Soon, the substance and spirit of this statement is to be taught in our ELCA schools, beginning with early childhood centers. Apparently the ELCA needs to reach them early to instill this secular agenda with our children. It is indeed unfortunate that those that truly want to love their neighbor accept this false doctrine, not realizing that they are elevating themselves above the God that they truly love. We cannot disregard the word of God. When we truly believe, we are under grace, no longer under the law. But, when we are truly filled with the love of our Lord, we will do anything to please Him, including denying ourselves the pleasures that He has expressly forbidden. We are nothing without our love of our Lord and our faith in the Risen Christ. Why would anyone want to endanger the grace that is so freely given to us worthless sinful human beings? Matthew 22:37-39, “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” We must place ourselves and our love of our neighbor secondary to our love of the Lord and obey Him. In everything we do, we must conduct ourselves as our Lord commands and accomplish those things to give the glory to Him.
* denotes* Copyright © 2009 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Produced by the Church in Society program unit, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Understand that the ELCA social statement entitled Human Sexuality; Gift and Trust consists of 44 pages that most people have not had the time or inclination to read. This particular document includes the following language; *As Lutherans, we believe that we are justified by grace through faith. The Lutheran Confessions guide us in our understanding of justification by identifying three intersecting affirmations: solus Christus, sola gratia, and sola fide (Christ alone, grace alone, and by faith alone).3 Deeply grounded in Scripture, understood as the living Word of God, these together proclaim Jesus Christ as central to the Gospel: These three emphases also tell us that sin does not have to do simply with the keeping or breaking of rules or laws. Rather, we sin when we turn away from God and look to ourselves. Sin turns us toward obsessive self-concern, with disastrous consequences for ourselves and others. We live therefore within the paradox that in our sexuality, as in other aspects of life, we always encounter both our own sinfulness and God's grace. It is only through Christ that we can turn in faith to trust God, which leads immediately to our baptismal vocation to love and serve the neighbor.*
These words that are solid Lutheran doctrine, would lead one to believe that this social statement is, in fact, true to the foundational principals of Christianity. Indeed, our greatest sin is placing ourselves, our wants and desires above our Lord, which all of us do with amazing regularity. When we place the emphasis on the love of our neighbor above the love of our Lord, we break what our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ taught was the greatest commandment. To quote from the above statement, “obsessive self concern”, in this case when that person's sexual identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and acceptance of those lifestyles as good and right in the eyes of the Lord and His church, is of utmost importance. It's not enough to love our neighbors as ourselves, it is now necessary to place the acceptance of our neighbor's sexual identity over our love for them. This social statement places those identities over and above the love of the Lord and our true identity as disciples of Christ. This emphasis on the self breaks the greatest commandment and we, in fact, worship the self above our Lord. This statement from the document contradicts the very doctrine cited to support it; *The church's historical experience supports its confidence that solemn promises, made before a company of witnesses who ask for God's blessing on a man and a woman, have the power to create a unique framework within which two people, a new family, and the community may thrive. Consistent with that experience, this church has confidence that such promises, supported by the contractual framework of civil law, can create a lifetime relationship of commitment and cooperation. Recognizing that this conclusion differs from the historic Christian tradition and the Lutheran Confessions, some people, though not all, in this church and within the larger Christian community, conclude that marriage is also the appropriate term to use in describing similar benefits, protection, and support for same-gender couples entering into lifelong, monogamous relationships. They believe that such accountable relationships also provide the necessary foundation that supports trust and familial and community thriving. Other contractual agreements, such as civil unions, also seek to provide some of these protections and to hold those involved in such relationships accountable to one another and to society.*
Matthew 19:4-6, "Haven't you read," he (Jesus) replied, "that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God had joined together, let no one separate." So, because certain behavior is acceptable in civil society, the leaders and scholars of the ELCA have come to the conclusion that God must be wrong to prohibit that conduct. Soon, the substance and spirit of this statement is to be taught in our ELCA schools, beginning with early childhood centers. Apparently the ELCA needs to reach them early to instill this secular agenda with our children. It is indeed unfortunate that those that truly want to love their neighbor accept this false doctrine, not realizing that they are elevating themselves above the God that they truly love. We cannot disregard the word of God. When we truly believe, we are under grace, no longer under the law. But, when we are truly filled with the love of our Lord, we will do anything to please Him, including denying ourselves the pleasures that He has expressly forbidden. We are nothing without our love of our Lord and our faith in the Risen Christ. Why would anyone want to endanger the grace that is so freely given to us worthless sinful human beings? Matthew 22:37-39, “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” We must place ourselves and our love of our neighbor secondary to our love of the Lord and obey Him. In everything we do, we must conduct ourselves as our Lord commands and accomplish those things to give the glory to Him.
* denotes* Copyright © 2009 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Produced by the Church in Society program unit, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
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