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| There he goes. Quack. Quack. There he goes. Quack. |
narrow-minded has left a new comment on your post "Synodical Conference Junk Food":
Jesus, via Mark 16:16, tells us that belief and Baptism are required for salvation. Conversely, He tells us that unbelief damns. Where the SynCon intellectuals mess up is in saying that JBFAers teach belief as a work of man. That's where the Means of Grace come in. Our belief is passively received through Word and Sacrament. The only part we can play regarding Faith is to reject the Word.
I'm just a dumb layperson, but this ain't rocket science. The above quote from Prof. Scaer is nonsense. What is sad is to see seminarians follow this guy around like a bunch of teenage girls at a rock concert. Try the Book of Concord, Fort Wayne, since LCMS pastors swear to abide by it as the proper exposition of Scripture.
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GJ - Faith is that trust which is created and sustained by the Holy Spirit in Gospel, whether it is the invisible Word of teaching and preaching or the visible Word of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.
The passive aspect is repeatedly emphasized by the Apostle John in using the expression "to receive."
KJV John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to
them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
KJV John 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by
Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only
begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. [GJ - literally, He is the exegete of the Father]
KJV John 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them,
and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
[GJ - The old NIV translates the verb as "accepted" rather than "received." The difference is crucial, since "accepted" is generally used in the sense of making a decision for Christ.]
The SynCons cannot discuss the Christian Faith in terms of the efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace. Therefore, they capitulate to various forms of Enthusiasm and fall prey to every fad that marches by - off they waddle.