I am Nothing

The contemporary praise hymn, I am Nothing, by Jeremy Camp realistically portrays our part in all of this. Without our Lord and Savior, we are indeed nothing. From the first verse, “I realize I'm still clay, And this piece that's being shaped, Will be a beauty you create.” Of our own volition we tend to tarnish the beauty instilled in us by our Creator. In our vain attempts to express our inner self, we engage in foolish behavior and indulge in decadent pleasures. In our arrogance we deceive ourselves into believing that we are superior beings, but in reality we truly are lost without our Lord. Without a potter, the clay remains a formless lump. With our Father’s help, we all can be made to be a thing of beauty. Isaiah 64:8, “Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.“ When we take it upon ourselves to disregard our God and decide to go it alone using our own imperfect judgment, we will invariably end up making a mess of things. We must deny the self, surrender our selfish cravings, give ourselves to our God, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with our Savior’s love. Only then will we be able to approach that which our Lord desires.

Yet, the leaders of the ELCA continue to celebrate the self and minimize our Lord’s role in their ministry. Why is it so difficult for the leaders of the ELCA to realize that it is Christ first? When you please yourself instead of pleasing God, you worship yourself.  Why do they not understand that our primary purpose as Christ’s church is to bring the lost to Him? Why do they continue to accept that which God prohibits, and place a greater emphasis on simply maintaining fellowship? When God’s church allows doctrine that deemphasizes sin and cares not about repentance, it places its’ member’s very salvation at risk. If the ELCA allows doctrine promoting salvation without Christ, how can they still be part of Christ’s church? 1 Peter 1:8-9, “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Many in the ELCA chastise those obedient to God’s word, calling them hateful and intolerant. Obeying God’s word does not make one intolerant. We are called to be obedient to God’s word. God’s word also commands us to love one another, as He loves us. No sinner is any better than the next and we are all sinners. Why do those that consider themselves so tolerant, also the one’s spewing hatred at those who try to remain obedient out of their love for the Lord? Romans 3:21-26, “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,i through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

The ELCA proclaims God’s work, our hands as their mission statement. Is it really God’s work when social justice is promoted above the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? So much of what the ELCA calls God’s work is contrary to His will. It is difficult to understand the logic used by the leaders of the ELCA when they promote universalism, the gospel of affirmation and bound conscience. Yes, most members of the ELCA still hold to the foundational beliefs of Christianity, but these false gospels lurk in the wings and are more frequently emerging in mainline denominational assemblies, conferences, retreats, and are prevalent in theological discussions, writings and seminaries. How long before more are convinced to accept these improper doctrines? We are called to be in the world, but not of the world. Why is the ELCA so obsessed with reaching out to those whose identities they believe are at the fringe? Our identities should be as Christians, disciples of Jesus Christ, not some earthly definition of ourselves. When we place identities as central to our existence, we only reject our God and worship ourselves.

I am Nothing finishes with the chorus, “I am nothing without Your love. I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough. I'm completed by Your touch, But I feel like I've been given so much. I am nothing. You are everything. So I thank you. I thank you. Lord I thank you.” We have been given so much by our Savior. We truly are nothing without Him. It is time to abandon the identities that we create for ourselves and elevate our Savior to His rightful place. No one is on the fringe. We are all God’s children, brothers and sisters in Christ. We must reach out to everyone with the Good News of Jesus Christ and help bring them to the Lord.

Where's the Beef?

In a 1984 commercial a group of elderly women complained when looking at the size of a hamburger, “Where’s the beef?” This clever ad by Wendy’s poked fun at the McDonald’s Big Mac and Burger King’s Whopper, pointing out that the bun and the condiments overwhelmed the central reason one purchases a burger, the beef. Now those of us true to the Word cry out to those involved in all of the periphery that permeates the ELCA, where’s our Savior? The core of Christianity is our faith in the Risen Christ, God’s only son, our Savior who took the sin of the world to the cross. Why are the issues of this world so important to the ministry of the ELCA? Why is the bun of social justice and the condiments of bound conscience replacing our Savior’s role in their ministry? While our Lord’s name is always mentioned by the ELCA in their ministries, He often is no more than an afterthought, simply given lip service. So much emphasis is on the self, not on our Lord and Savior, it would seem that this is an organization promoting self improvement. 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” This supposedly outdated manuscript that the leaders and scholars of the ELCA discredit is as relevant today as it was when it was written. For one to read Scripture and come to some of the conclusions arrived by ELCA scholars is beyond comprehension.


As the leaders of the ELCA proclaim that God is now telling them a new thing so that they can reinterpret Scripture in a way that will please their itching ears, they boastfully promote the love of self. Don’t take the word of a simple blogger to reveal the heresy promoted by the leaders of the ELCA, read their own words posted on their website. Their own words convict them. The Lutheran Magazine, Seeds of the Parish, Living Lutheran, and the now under construction “Digging Deeper” section of the ELCA website. These writings contain articles that are spiritually uplifting along with others that are filled with heretical teaching. No disclaimers over opinions contrary to God’s word, only the encouragement to offer one’s opinion, no questions asked. Is it not the church’s role to lead the lost to Christ and to uphold proper Christian doctrine or is it more important to allow God’s children to formulate beliefs that lead them away from our Lord? The ELCA promotes that it is more important to have fellowship with each other, regardless of belief or opinion. The doctrine of bound conscience allows one to twist Scripture to justify any worldly desire that you may wish to partake. Fill your heart with Christ and there will be no room for selfishness, only the goal to please our Lord.

The leaders of the ELCA want to create a God in their own image. They want a God that will allow them to conduct their lives by their own rules. Our God is who He is. His word provides us with His law and boundaries for our acceptable behavior. His word is clear. His love for us is never ending. Beware of those that promote a gospel other than the one our Lord preached to you. Jude 1:17-23, “But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” Stay in the word and know His truth. Preach the Gospel everywhere and to everyone. Expose the lies perpetrated by the leaders of the ELCA and pray that our brothers and sisters in Christ will hear, understand and reject the false gospel of the ELCA.