Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Not Called to Amateurish Ecclesiastical Bungling and Blundering

From a comment by Pastor Clint Poppe on The Brothers of John the Steadfast website:
Friedrich Wyneken, in his 1860 Synodical address, said:

God has put into our hands His “sword,” i.e. His holy, eternal Word, especially His saving Gospel. Through the Word, He has led us back to Luther’s writings. And through Luther’s writings, He has led us to the chief article of justification in particular. And He raised from the dead the proven commanders-in-chief of our spiritual fathers and has placed them at the head of our army. We have not been called to amateurish ecclesiastical bungling and blundering, to present from beautiful paragraphs well-enumerated orders for ecclesiastical government. We have not been called to drill and train well-dressed honor guards with pretty uniforms-in whose revolutionary tiny machinations today’s religious faith seeks and finds most of its special satisfaction and edification. We have not been called to haul together building stones for the empty space of an empty-headed, wavering church of the future… However, as we well know, everything hinges upon the following fact: that the article of justification be and retain its place correctly in this arena. This is what diferentiates between those who merely strike in the air and are warriors of the devil, and those who are true Christians and warriors of God [1 Cor. 9:26].

“At Home in the House of My Fathers,” p 412-3.

1 comment:

Dennis Peskey said...

Scott - I always am impressed with the clarity and directness employed by our "grandfathers" when they sought to define who we should not be and what course need be followed to remain on the way, in the truth, guided by the light. Thank the Lord for my father's household - following the path of Joshua.
Peace,
Dennis