Buchholz:
But this preaching of the law is exactly what is required. We cannot preach the gospel to people who are comfortable loving their 401(k)s, their automobiles, their jobs, their leisure activities, their travel plans, or even their children more than God. We are to expose their idolatry and warn them to repent. We are not to rail upon the outward sins of the flesh that condemn all the wicked Hollywood movie moguls, slam the purveyors of porn, and indict the murderers and pedophiles at the state penitentiary. We are to condemn the sins that lurk, cold and sinister, within the hearts of our hearers in the pew. We cannot make excuses for people’s apathy, stinginess, lack of Christian charity, and indifference to the means of grace. We must tell them in the words of Christ, “Unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:5). Essay, Part 2 , Page 5
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.
8 And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on Me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see Me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
This is why genuine justification posts enrage the WELS Sanhedrin members. The Holy Spirit convicts them of the sin of unbelief, the foundational sin. That is also why they seldom let the words "justification by faith" enter their speech or writing.
Calvinists and Babtists avoid -
Holy Communion, Holy Baptism, the sacraments, and the Creeds.
The Emergent Church missions promoted by Jon Buchholz, Mark Jeske, and Mark Schroeder also avoid those terms and practices.
Ski/Glende's The CORE promoted itself as a congregation (not so) but avoid Holy Communion with the excuse they were waiting for the right custom equipment to be made. Imagine Jesus offering the same excuse for delaying the Last Supper. And St. Peter's was so poor, with a $1 million plus annual budget that they could not loan or buy a temporary set. You get my drift, yes?
Repeat the same with Jeff Gunn and the Sacraments. Why are these Emergents so allergic to the Sacraments? They do not believe the efficacy of the Word and they are afraid of upsetting their anti-Lutheran prospects.
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| Jesus cleansed the Temple, long before Lutheran churches sold cakes, cookies, cookbooks, and other trinketsin the narthex. Ski/Glende - they are very big on commericalism in the congregation. So is Thrivent. Art by Norma Boeckler. |