“He points them to Jesus in whose name they were to be baptized. In connection with their baptism they would receive the forgiveness of their sins. Whether the phrase expresses purpose or result matter little. What is important is that forgiveness is joined with Baptism. (See also Acts 22:16). Baptism is not a symbol, but a means by which the Holy Spirit creates and confirms faith in the heart – faith that receives the blessing of forgiveness.”
Sermon Studies on the Epistles, Series C, for Acts 2:37-47, page 194. Northwestern Publishing House.
Authors of this volume - who should be excommunicated at once -
Dan, Jon, and Richard Balge, John Brenner, Charles Cortright, Randy Cutter, Ken Engdahl, Marc Frey, Bryan Gerlach, Richard Gurgel, James Huebner, James Langbartels, Tom Nass, Larry Olson, Don Pieper, Bill Shaefer, Mark Schroeder, Paul Wendland, and Jim Witt among them. The editor was then-Sem Prof. Richard Balge.
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GJ
A WELS member pointed out that UOJ and justification by faith alone have existed side-by-side for decades. That is certainly true. The Gausewitz catechism was justification by faith, but JP Meyer was teaching and publishing rank UOJ.
"Only recently – in the past 3 to 5 years or so – has it become “our way or the highway!” with “our way” being only UOJ and nothing else. That’s what is so wrong about what happened to Rydecki."
He - or she - also observed that many passages on either side of the issue could be cited from various WELS sources.
Many could have publicly sided with Rydecki, but they silenced themselves. Bullies get away with their tactics because pastors do not trust that God will take care of them. Times of confessional crisis are fruitful for discussions, essays, books, and hymns. God is far more powerful that the abusive sect that is obsessed with teaching universal salvation for non-faith.
The trouble is, WELS has taught non-faith so effectively that its clergy no longer believe in God's power and grace. Nor do they even imagine the efficacy of the Word. Watch the carnivals expand while churches try to hang on to life with their day-care businesses disguised as "Christian Academies."
