tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post4821605295493478866..comments2024-03-29T04:31:15.219-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: I did not hear any Gospel. . .Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-58537592409318008682015-01-26T13:04:50.348-06:002015-01-26T13:04:50.348-06:00The Gospel is indeed a stumbling block. But I can...The Gospel is indeed a stumbling block. But I cannot agree with the statement that “We have come to define "gospel" in rather generic terms -- anything that makes me feel better”. I cannot include myself in that “we”, and neither does St. Paul, when he writes, in the same place where he describes the Gospel as “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles,” 1 Corinthians 1:24, “but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God”.<br />Quite honestly in my 78 years of life I have never heard anyone describe the Gospel as “anything that makes me feel good”. What I have noticed, time and time again, is that most of my fellow believers cannot get their heads around the fact that the Gospel is all sufficient for their salvation. In other words, they simply cannot believe that there is nothing they must do in order to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Even committing the same sin over and over again does not disqualify them. And here I have to blame most of the preachers I have heard who, under the compulsion to preach both Law and Gospel, present the Law in such a way that it makes people doubt their salvation. In my entire life I have only heard one LCMS pastor make the statement, “When are your sins forgiven? As soon as you commit them”. <br />For some reason, most believers accept the idea that they have done nothing to become sinners – they were born that way. But they have difficulty understanding that to become righteous they do not have to do anything either. They are simply born into the Kingdom by water and the Spirit, and thereby become righteous before God. Just as we received an inheritance from Adam, which we did not ask for, we receive an inheritance from our Lord, which we did not ask for, and according to Luther’s explanation of the Third Article of the Creed, could not and did not want to ask for. But, as it is written in Hebrews 9: 15, “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living”.<br />Peace and Joy!<br />George A. MarquartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-69504296255409738902015-01-26T10:38:16.987-06:002015-01-26T10:38:16.987-06:00It is true that sometimes a pattern of sermons ove...It is true that sometimes a pattern of sermons over a period of time by some pastors may address contemporary social norms and "church" issues but lack Biblical clarity and exclude Gospel truths. Taken together with too much entertainment as worship, too many personal anecdotes, too little serious insights, and perhaps a too casual or even silly atmosphere can indicate that it is time to go to another church. Pastors are not perfect, as none of us are, but those who no longer lead their flock, but want to just entertain them, have lost the light they have been given....Being a pastor is a calling and not all are worthy of it. John Joseph Flanaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06596324816480709495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-89906543902987697702015-01-26T08:55:24.585-06:002015-01-26T08:55:24.585-06:00I agree with the post but most of the time I hear ...I agree with the post but most of the time I hear people say we never taught the Bible. Mainly it is because the evangelical church either A. Does expository preaching or B. Does a sermon series, usually on some obscure verse/s, with a so called lofe application (law). What is happening is that these accusations come from people who do not attend the Pastor's Bible Study, which is our primary expository mode... The sermon leaning proclamatory. As to reason B., we must also consider that we may not be preaching the law well... And God forbid, but if that is the case they will not be able to receive hear the Gospel in its full sweetness.<br /><br />-Ryan Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com