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| Luther paraphrased Paul, Galatians 1:10. |
Dear Dr. Jackson,
I just received my copy from Amazon of The Faith of Jesus and devoured it over two days. Once again you have produced another thorough book that absolutely crushes the UOJ doctrine. It is certainly rare to read a theologian that writes with fire and this is also why I’ve enjoyed your work over the years.
As I’ve mentioned to you in the past, it certainly has opened my eyes to the works of the Reformers, Luther especially. I find it incredibly sad and disheartening that many pastors and teachers and especially laity do not pick up Luther and actually read what the man said beyond a watered down WELS version of the catechism. It is no wonder that when current church leaders speak of the Word, they do so without any real life or nerve. Luther’s words leap off the page and are still relevant, which is quite remarkable for someone who hasn’t walked the earth for about 470 years!
I did notice some editing issues at least in my copy. These probably have already been corrected (GJ - I wish), but I wanted to bring them to your attention nonetheless.
On page 139, “On Sunday old Reble delivered a blistering sermon…” Was it supposed to be Little instead of Reble? GJ - Yes, it was Reble, but obviously unclear.
On page 159, “(name tnot!)” GJ - Oops.
On page 161, “a move Webber borrowed from Professor Deutschland of WELS.” GJ - er
On page 168, “Paul McCain and Jack Casione…” GJ - The Cardinal's name?
On page 172, “David Jay Weber said…” GJ - Floyd's best pal in the Ukraine?
On page 177, “that are organically connected to justification. ( (Webber, p. 23)”
The double parentheses before the Webber citation. GJ - Oops again.
Your book came to my house at a time when I was going through Luther’s Works and his examination of the first four chapters of Galatians. It is clear after going over Luther as well as reading The Faith of Jesus that the only conclusion I can reach is that Webber has never actually read Luther’s work on the subject. Or if he did, it was with some UOJ rose-tinted glasses because nowhere can I find any trace of UOJ in Luther’s great examination of justification by faith.
For instance:
“Therefore faith is a constant gaze that looks at nothing except Christ, the Victor over sin and death and the Dispenser of righteousness, salvation, and eternal life. In his epistles, therefore, Paul sets forth and urges Jesus Christ in almost every verse. He sets Him forth through the Word, since Christ cannot be set forth any other way than through the Word and cannot be grasped any other way than through faith.” (LW, Volume 26, page 356)
“Therefore we conclude with Paul that apart from faith in Christ, all the statesmanship and laws of the Gentiles, no matter how good and necessary, and all forms of worhip (sic) and religion are subject to sin, death, and eternal damnation unless, as follows next, there is added the promise on the basis of faith in Christ Jesus. A great deal has been said about this earlier. Therefore the proposition “Faith alone justifies,” which our opponents find altogether intolerable, is true.” (LW, Volume 26, page 333)
“Thus if I am to gain comfort in a struggle of conscience or in the agony of death, I must take hold of nothing except Christ alone by faith, and I must say: “I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who suffered, was crucified, and died for me. In His wounds and death I see my sin; and in His resurrection I see victory over sin, death, and the devil, and my righteousness and life. I neither hear nor see anything but Him.” This is the true faith of Christ and in Christ, through which we become members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones (Eph 5:30). Therefore in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).” (LW, Volume 26, page 357)
As I’ve read the materials in your books, Ichabod, and in the quoted-UOJers that you’ve collected, a thought struck me if UOJ is truly believed: doesn’t the work of the Holy Spirit become absolutely worthless? After all, why would we even need sanctification in the first place? If even those that perished in the flood and Judas were all saved, why do we even need the Spirit? If Ahab, Jezebel and the locals from Sodom and Gomorrah are walking around heaven without a care in the world, then why would I even need the Holy Spirit? I’m saved regardless so let me eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow I die, right? (GJ - Correct. That is why WELS--almost 100% UOJ--is the most abusive, alcoholic, and adulterous sect.)
That seed of faith is planted by the Holy Spirit through water and the Word. The Holy Spirit’s work goes on in the life of every Christian from the moment we first draw breath in the waters of Baptism to the moment when we release our last breath.
But UOJ destroys that too. We have all been justified, regardless of faith, so why does one even need the Holy Spirit? Why need sanctification? UOJ not only makes faith pointless, it makes sanctification pointless as well. Why go to church? Why partake of the Lord’s Supper? Why own a Bible? None of it is needed with UOJ.
Thank the Lord that He sent true theologians such as the Reformers and Luther so they could examine the truths of Scripture and therefore encourage others to examine them as well. No matter what the list of degrees that come after the name of a “theologian”, if they cannot grasp basic concepts such as justification by faith alone, then their education is worthless. If a Lutheran minister cannot take the trouble to actually read Luther, then why should they ever be taken seriously?
Again, thank you for the work you do and thank you again for saying what needs to be said and writing what needs to be written.
May the Lord bless you and your family,
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| "Our Fathers" who first used OJ and SJ in print? - the Calvinist Leonard Wood Jr. |
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| And Ed Preuss joined the Church of Rome, becoming a famous editor of their famous magazine, America. Did Bob Preus mention this? No. Jack Cascione? No. Paul McCain? Anyone? Anyone? |
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| Growls about CG and Church and Change privately, expels justification by faith publicly. Yes, pure GA form - doing double-talk, lying, and being a total jerk. |
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| His righteousness is extra nos, outside of us, received through faith. |
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One last belch from SpenerQuest
One last belch from SpenerQuest
Alan Lubeck (1431) Senior Member Username: 1431 Post Number: 1351 Registered: 11-2004 |
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Believe He has reconciled you to the Father and God's wrath against your sin Has aready been satisfied in the life death and ressurection of Jesus. You brother, had nothing to do with that. You are objectvely justified even without faith. Subjectivly justfied as God's Word works faith in you to receive what He had alresdy done for the world. |
