Note: Rev. Mark Dankof's series, "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" continues to be on hold due to time restraints with his graduate studies.
One of the unique features of the LMS-USA is that it is to be a forum for
ongoing theological discussions among clergy and laity. This year will be
the fifth of these annual forum meetings. Professor Kurt Marquart of Concordia
Seminary, Fort Wayne, will be with us once again this year as our guest
presenter. Professor Marquart's focus this year will be on "What is Distinctively
Lutheran About the Doctrine of Ministry." A couple of other presentations
are planned by member pastors of the LMS-USA. These Conference presentations
will take place beginning on Sunday afternoon (June 7) and continue into
Monday morning.
As enjoyable and helpful as these forum sessions promise once again to be,
there is also a need to conduct some business. This year will be the third
annual meeting of the LMS-USA Synod Convention. The Synod business is conducted
by the voting members of the church body. Voting members include Subscription
Pastors and Congregations. Each Subscribing pastor has one vote, and each
Subscribing congregation is represented by one voting delegate.
As last year, the Convention Worship Service of Holy Communion will be held
Sunday morning (June 7) at 10:30 AM. Rev. Richard Barley will be the
Preacher.
Convention Business
The following are among matters to be dealt with at the LMS-USA Convention
this year:
In 1941 Casper B. Nervig wrote a book he titled, CHRISTIAN TRUTH AND RELIGIOUS
DELUSIONS. In the preface to the book, Nervig wrote "The numerous religions
in America constitute a real problem in the minds of many Christians." If
this volume had been written today, the author would have likely not only
addressed the differences between religions, he would also have felt it necessary
to have addressed the differences between the various Lutheran bodies.
Included here are two sections from chapter two of Nervig's book. The first
deals with the Lutheran Church as it was and ought to be today, the second
is pertanent in that with the talk about "Apostolic Succession" in conncection
with the proposed ELCA agreement with the Episcopal Church, Nervig shares
with his readers what true Apostolic Succession ought to entail.
THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
The Church of Truth
The Original Apostolic Church Restored
Apostolic Succession of Faithfulness
It is a mistake to think of the Lutheran Church as being four hundred years
old. It is over nineteen hundred years old. True, its name and its confessions
date from the Reformation period, but as a historical church it does not
date from the time that Luther nailed the Theses on the door of the Castle
Church, nor from the time he stood before the Diet at Worms, nor even from
the Diet at Augsburg. It dates from the first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit
came upon the New Testament Church. Martin Luther was not the founder of
the Lutheran Church; he was the re-discoverer and the restorer of the original
church. This church did not come into being in the manner of modern denominations
and sects, These later founders of churches have gathered a personal following
around their personal leadership. Together they have spread their teachings,
usually among members of older churches, winning converts and organizing
these adherents into new congregations.
What happened in the Reformation era was not the organization of a new church
at all, as so many today believe. Nor was it a revolt of a small section
of the church to form a separate organization, as Catholic propagandists
manage to get it into some high school history books. The Roman Catholic
Church as we know it today was not the mother of the Lutheran Church. What
happened was truly a "reformation," a purifying of the church.
The apostolic and scriptural truth had long been buried under a vast accumulation
of falsehood which had been piling up for centuries. This accumulation included
false doctrines, human fabrications, superstition, worldliness, with unbelief,
corruption, and immorality rampant in the papacy and its court of cardinals.
Papal supremacy, purgatory, transubstantiation, penance, indulgences, Mary
worship, prayers to saints, are but a few of the many errors which had
accumulated.
Hundreds of honest Christians had long realized the terrible state into which
the church had fallen, and they longed for a better day. Some had tried to
start a house cleaning to rid the church of error, but the papacy had
successfully prevented it through oppression and bloodshed. Peter Waldo tried
in France but suffered a martyr's death. John Wyclif tried in England and
although he died a natural death, the papacy persecuted his followers and
expressed its anger by exhuming his body and burning it. John Hus tried in
Bohemia but was burned alive at the stake by the Roman Church. Savonarola
tried in Italy but he was hanged and burned because he dared oppose the popes.
In each case the followers of these men were hunted down and nearly extirpated
with the terrible tortures of the popes' inquisition.
When God could no longer tolerate such a state He raised up the man Martin
Luther and others with him. These were men imbued with the spirit of truth
who carried through a reformation of the church and a restoration of the
pure doctrine of the apostolic age.
The net result of the Reformation was two-fold: first, the return to the
authority of the Word of God. In every clash between the reformers and the
papal party it became increasingly evident that they stood on different ground.
The Lutherans supported their position by citing Scripture as the final
authority. The papists quoted tradition and decrees of popes and councils.
As long as the Romanists insisted on the authority of tradition and the church
above that of the Word of God it was impossible to arrive at agreement. The
Lutherans would not surrender the authority of the Bible and held to the
principle of the Word Alone.
In the second place the Reformation resulted in the restoration of the Gospel.
When the accumulated errors of the preceding centuries tunes were stripped
away, the Gospel truth was brought to light telling the glad tidings that
the "just shall live by faith." Jesus Christ and His atonement for the Sins
of man became the central theme in all the evangelical Lutheran thinking
and teaching. Jesus Christ and Him crucified for the salvation of sinners
is the message of the Word of God and of the church. Neither good works nor
the church as such can save the sinner; Christ alone is his salvation. These
achievements of the Reformation are summed up in the familiar motto of the
Lutheran Church: The Word Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone.
When the Roman Catholic Church today propagandizes America with the idea
that she is the "original church" and the "mother church," it is a falsehood.
The church of the Middle Ages was the mother of the present Roman Catholic
Church just as she was the mother of the Lutheran and the Reformed. After
the division of the medieval church there arose the various "confessional
churches" taking a stand on a specific statement of doctrine. Just as the
Lutheran is the church of the Augsburg Confession, so the Roman Catholic
is the church of the "Decrees of the Council of Trent." The Lutherans returned
to the Bible and to the doctrine of the Apostles and formulated them in the
Augsburg Confession. This confession contains nothing new; it is all found
in the Epistle to the Romans. The Romanists clung to the errors and formulated
them in the Decrees of Trent.
The Roman Catholic claim that Catholicism is the original church, is based
entirely on its centralized organization in the papacy. Apostolic Succession
is substituted for Apostolic Truth. It claims to have had a continuous unbroken
organization centering in the papacy with its so-called "apostolic succession"
from the early church.
The Lutheran Church is the "original church," not because it has been a continued
visible organization since the Apostolic days, but because it has continued
faithful to the truth. Jesus gave no instruction for any continued visible
organization but He said much about a continued faithfulness to His Word.
"If ye continue in my Word then are ye my disciples indeed" (John 8:31).
We might well speak of a true "apostolic succession" faithful men. Paul
admonished, "Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me,
in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed
unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us" (II Tim. 1:13-14).
Then later, "The things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses,
the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also"
(II Tim. 2:2). Paul had taught God's truth to Timothy. These "sound words"
Timothy should "hold fast." He should also "commit them to faithful men."
They in turn should keep them faithfully and teach others in an endless
succession of faithful men, receiving, holding fast, and passing on to others
unto the very ends of the world and to the end of time. A chain of "faithful
men should link together the visible church throughout the world and through
all ages.
This is the only kind of apostolic succession established by our Lord Jesus
or which is known in the Bible. It is one of "faithful men," not of popes
and bishops. It is not external in episcopal organization and ordination,
but internal in spirit and in truth. That was Christ's plan for evangelizing
the world. Therefore we find such oft repeated admonitions as, "continue
thou in the things which thou hast been assured of" (II Tim. 3:14). A true
pastor must be one who is "holding fast the faithful Word as he hath been
taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince
the gainsayers" (Tit. 1:9). Each pastor is to be one in an endless procession
of torch-bearers holding high and handing the Gospel light to the end of
time. This is the apostolic succession of faithful men which ties up the
Lutheran Church with the church of the Apostles.
It was said of the Apostolic Church in its earliest beginning, "They continued
steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine" (Acts 2: 42). That is true even to
this day of the Lutheran Church. It is truly the Apostolic Church of today.
Luther said, "All the world must admit that we have the gospel as pure and
unadulterated as the apostles had it; it has come back to its original purity.
. . . The papists themselves know that in all these and all other doctrines
we are the same as the Old Church and may truly be called the Old Church;
for these things are not new, not invented by us" (Luther, X, p.471)
It must be added in the interest of historical honesty that there have been
Lutheran individuals and groups who have been unfaithful to the truth and
have departed from the pure Word and Sacraments. At certain times in history
this has affected a larger portion of the church so that the confessions
have been forgotten and ignored. This was true in the 18th century at the
time when Rationalism had the upper hand. It has been true in Europe during
the "Neo-Protestantism" or "Modernism" of the last two generations. Such
individuals and groups have been untrue to their church and unfaithful to
their heritage. They have sold their spiritual birthright for the lentils
of human fancy and reason. They have lost the right to the name, for the
Lutheran Church must always be the church of the Lutheran confessions. But
during such times there have been strong forces within those same sections
of the church which have held high the symbols of faith. Under these banners
they have rallied the faithful and have called the others back to the faith
again. Thus, for instance, the last decade has seen a remarkable "back to
the confessions" movement sweeping the Lutheran lands of Europe.
In the closing paragraph of the above article, Rev. Nervig speaks of how
some have, at various times throughout history, departed from the pure Word
and Sacraments, and they have done so to the extent that many have even forgotten
and/or ignored the Confessions. Nervig does not mince words when he says
"Such individuals and groups have been untrue to their church and unfaithful
to their heritage. They have sold their spiritual birthright for the lentils
of human fancy and reason. They have lost the right to the name, for the
Lutheran Church must always be the church of the Lutheran confessions."
This very issue is that which lead to the formation of the LMS-USA. We have
concern that if one is to call themselves "Lutheran" they ought to be Lutheran
(i.e., be faithful to that which the Reformation sought to restore - Salvation
by Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, as revealed in the Word Alone. It is
this Faith that is set out for us clearly in the Lutheran Confessions.
Confessions to which we subscribe because they are the true exposition of
Scripture.
We do not consider the Confessions to be equal to Scripture. But because
Scripture is true, and becasue they faithfully explain the teachings of Scripture
(that which is true) we 'subscribe' to them even as we 'subscribe' to the
Word itself. And thus, if we are faithful to the Word, and faithful to what
has proved to be a faithful and true exposition of the Word, then we can
have confidence that we are being faithful to our Savior and Lord of the
Church, and we are faithful in the mission of the Church to which our Lord
has called us. (i.e., Matthew 28:19-20).
Lord keep us steadfast in Thy Word and faithful in ministry.
by Rev. Ralph Spears
This year's Holy Week television was graced by programing on the origins
of Christianity and early Christians by PBS, promising more substance than
the usual 'mysteries' associated with Biblical subjects that have been regular
fare on another Cable Channel. Having missed the first part, dealing mostly
with material from the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi Library (both
of personal interest to me and found in the late 1940's) and the added insight
they give to the subject, I was inclined to watch the final part of the PBS
effort.
What I saw was both disappointing and unfortunate, despite all of the assembled
scholars queued for extended cameo interviews and expert commentary. Mostly
from the (once) prestigious Ivy league Divinity schools including Union
Theological Seminary and a smattering of large Southern schools, what the
'experts' were presenting had nothing to do with faith. The hour instead
became 'a tag team match' of highly critical commentary on historic material
from the Gospels. The four Gospels were strictly reviewed as "period literature"
written against the backdrop of a widely differing (in their opinion) variation
of years and geographical settings.
What an odd way to cover the Gospels and the early Christians! Whereas some
of this may be helpful to the understanding of each Gospel, it became the
only criteria for the fine tuned scholarly comment from the panel assembled.
[One of these scholars I had admired in the past for her careful scholarship
in other Biblical areas and her work on the Gnostics.]
What immediately came to mind was a conversation I had had with Dr. Theodore
Gaster. Dr. Gaster was the first scholar to translate the Dead Sea Scrolls
into English and provide with his rendering a brilliant introductory commentary
(in l956) which is still valued by many present day scholars. He was the
son of an eminent Jewish scholar Moses M. Gaster and a man of faith. I had
mentioned to Dr. Gaster that I had read a book by a Union Seminary professor
on the "Secret Gospel of Mark" which I found both lacking in scholarship
and any content involving faithfulness to the material as Scripture.
"Why of course!" said Dr. Gaster in his robust way, "They don't believe anything
over there", gesturing in the general direction of Union from his office
at Barnard College in upper Manhattan. "I believe much more of the Christian
Scriptures than most all of them do !" His reply on that hot afternoon
twenty-five years ago both surprised and delighted me and result in several
more visits with him as he patiently gave incisive and helpful comments to
my inquiries on the Essenes and the early Christian Church.
Jesus posed the appropriate question on the subject, "How can the blind lead
the blind?" 'Will they not both fall in the pit of unbelief?' We have this
great treasure expressed in the Gospels, which document Faith, written faithfully
to deliver 'faith to all of the saints', as the memorable passage of Jude
says. And yet this element was completely absent in the PBS presentation.
We are not Bible 'thumping' fundamentalists on the nature of Scripture, but
rather simple believers who ask that the fundamental basis of our Gospels
be given a fair hearing or at least be represented in their true nature.
Mark, Matthew, Luke and John were individually represented as mere reflections
of what was going on in the Christian community at the (supposed) time of
their writing. For example:
Totally lacking in this account is a reliable tradition passed over by these
scholars that a complete copy of the Gospel of Matthew was carried into India
by Thomas about 50 A.D. suggesting that Matthew was written even earlier
than most scholars want to believe that Mark (which they have long called
the first Gospel) was written.
Luke and John were similarly dismissed as products of their 'time' and not
essentially as documents of Faith. John was written at a much later time,
they said, when Christians were being persecuted by Jews and the Romans alike.
Therefore, John refers to the "Jews" as persecutors which would draw together
the persecuted fellowship of Christians and provide the most super-natural
account of Jesus and the Resurrection and His appearances to the Apostles
said these same scholars, because 'that's what was needed in that the
time'.
One of the panel of experts made a motion to dismiss the often repeated
suggestion that what we have in the Four Gospels is four witnesses to the
same event from differing perspectives. "No" said this scholar from Atlanta,
rather suggesting again, that these most valued of books to all Christians
were fabricated from a common pool of knowledge and skillfully tailored to
the needs of the time and place where the writers found themselves
Fortunately the theories and suggestions of these scholars, were very weak
themselves. If we followed their logic, we could not see how Christianity
could have grown at all to become the vibrant, faith based doctrine of The
Way that spread in every direction from Jerusalem.
Furthermore, the presentation was given from the stance of dissembling rather
than from a positive position of critiquing the subject.
Dr. Gaster long ago, pointed out that The Gospel of John could have easily
been an earlier writing and not Second Century A.D. as the scholars said,
because his use of words and phrases were so close to the language of the
Dead Sea Scrolls of the time of Jesus. [This is true also of the language
and word usage of the Epistles of Peter and John, and of James according
to Dr. Gaster.] Besides there is a hint of interior evidence that John had
originally been a follower of John the Baptist and at the very least familiar
with the Essenes. (John 1:35-40)
The Gospels can only be properly understood by Faith. As our faith grows
and deepens, our conviction on this matter also strengthens and some of our
sophmorish ideas fade in the depth which profound faith rings to us.
The richness and utter consistency of the Gospels become more and more a
wonder as time ages our faith in the same way that it ages fine wine. How
can anyone possibly see anything, without Faith ?
If we really read John, for instance, how can we miss the measured 'first
hand' quality of witness from the 'Beloved Apostle'? How can we put aside
the urgency in his words; "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence
of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written
that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing
you may have life in his name".
I have always had the uncanny feeling that those words were written in earnest
by John to ME. And in faithfulness I must speak of them of to all and pass
them on as a faithful witness. I can no longer sit by and watch my beloved
Gospels systematically dismantled by scholars without any element of faith
involved on their part.
And I would ask of P.B.S. that equal time be provided to scholars of faith
on the subject of the Gospels and the early Christians. This would make for
a far more interesting and informative series.
June 6-8, 1998
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
2837 East New York Street
Indanapolis, IN
Our Conference Guest Presenter once again is Professor Kurt Marquart
Professor Marquart is associate professor of systematic and practical theology
at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN.
Saturday, June 6
Sunday, June 7
Monday, June 8
Those affiliated in any way with the LMS-USA, but also anyone interested
in 'checking-out' or in learning more about the LMS-USA, is welcome to attend
any or all of the scheduled events of either the Conference or Convention
meeting, June 6-8, at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Indianapolis, IN. There
is no registration fee or cost for anyone wishing to attend. However, gifts
designated LMS-USA, and placed in the worship service offering, and/or in
the offering basket at meals during the convention, will go toward meeting
expenses of the gathering.
With regard to lodging, some rooms are available with church members, but
there are also a number of motels, reasonably priced and in the area. For
further information and/or to register, contact Rev, Ralph Spears. You may
do so by phone, letter or email.
Rev. Ralph Spears
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
2837 East New York Street
Indianapolis, IN 46201
(317) 637-8878
RevralphS@juno.com
Directions to St. Matthew - Turn south off I-70 on Rural Ave. Continue south
to East New York Street. Turn east (left) one half block on East New York
St.
The following:
THE DEERFIELD STATEMENT ON THE LUTHERAN CONFESSIONSwas unanimously passed
and recommended for adoption by the LMS-USA Convention by the LMS-USA Ministerial
at their gathering in Deerfield, IL, April 3-4, 1998.
The pastors and congregations of the Lutheran Ministerium and Synod - USA,
without reservation, believe, teach, and confess, that the Lutheran Confessions,
i.e. the symbolical books contained in the Book of Concord of 1580, namely:
are to be accepted, not insofar as [quatenus], but because they are [quia] the presentation and explanation of the pure doctrine of the Word of God and a valid summary of the faith of the Lutheran Church, and recognizes them as normative for its theology.
by Dr. Martin Luther
If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your
sin.
I Corinthians xv. 17
Firmly believe that Christ has taken upon Himself your sin and death. For
that is how the virtue of the resurrection is given to me and to you and
to all of mankind who believe in Christ. For if I do not make use of it in
this way I do my Lord Christ great injustice, for I let His triumph and victory
remain barren. It should not remain barren, for He wills that it shall bear
great fruit, namely, that in all affliction, sin, and fear, I should see
nothing but Christ triumphant rising from the dead.
Whoever can picture this victory in his heart, is already saved. But whoever
has no Good Friday and Easter Day, has no good day in the year, that is,
whoever does not believe that Jesus suffered and rose for him is without
hope. For we are called Christians because we can look to Christ and say,
Dear Lord, Thou hast taken upon Thee my sin and hast become Martin, Peter,
and Paul, and has trodden my sin underfoot and consumed it! There I look
for my sin as Thou hast directed me. On Good Friday I still see my sin as
before my eyes, but on Easter Day a new man has been born. His hand has been
made new and sin is seen no more. All this Thou has given to me freely, and
hast said that Thou has overcome my devil, my sin, and my death.
Sermons from the year 1530
W.A. 32.44
After having to postpone the meeting a month earlier, the LMS-USA pastors
gathered at Trinity Seminary, Deerfield, IL, for their annual meeting on
Friday and Saturday, April 3-4. Trinity provided an excellent setting for
our meeting with its guest room suites and fireside meeting room in a nearby
location.
Matters of business included:
The LMS-USA is
Biblical
We stand on the inerrant and infallible Word of God (cf. Indianapolis
Statement).
Confessional
We subscribe to the ENTIRE Book of Concord because it is the true exposition
of Scripture (cf. Deerfield Statement).
Evangelical
We are in the world, but not of it. We cooperate with other Bible-believing
Christians, and share the Sacraments with all who have a right understanding
of them ( Augsburg Confession, arts. VII & VIII).
We are mission-oriented.
Liturgical
We use the historic liturgy, lectionary, and vestments (Apology art. XXIV).
Congregational
We support the autonomy of the local congregation against any form of
hierarchical control, be it bureaucrats, bishops, doctrinal inquisitions,
or councils. Yet, our "subscription" holds us accountable to each other under
the Word.
In summary, the LMS-USA is a Biblical, Confessional, Evangelical, Liturgical,
Congregational expression of the universal (catholic) orthodox Church on
earth