More Proof The LCMesS Really Is Ablaze!

More LCMesS news for your Saturday consideration. From Reclaim News:

"CCM Says "Follow Synod's Position": Walther Said "Follow Christ's Doctrine"

The LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) adopted new rulings that
are binding on all parties in the Synod in its Orlando, Florida meeting
October 16-18, 2005.

These rulings reverse the congregational autonomy taught by C. F. W. Walther
and demand that congregations must obey "the position of the Synod."

There was a time that all "positions" of the Synod were advisory and
everyone was to follow Christ's doctrine.

The CCM writes:
88. Activity of Small Groups Within the Synod (05-2443)
"Accordingly, it is not in harmony with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod for any member of the Synod or any groups within the Synod to teach publicly, publicly advocate, or promote any position contrary to the position of the Synod."

Walther wrote: "But if the Synod would say, 'we have decided it; we are the highest court; you must obey us, or we shall excommunicate you' then the congregation would have to say, 'Farewell, Synod! It was nice knowing you.' You see, you are assuming the role of Christ; you are an assembly of outright popes. We want to be and remain free; that is what it means to be
Lutheran." ("Essays for the Church" Walther, "Duties of an Evangelical Lutheran Synod Iowa District Convention, 1879, Volume II CPH 1992 Page 29-30)

Walther wrote: "The Synod is only an advisory body." (Page 31)

Walther wrote: "If our Synod would ever say, 'every congregation must contribute one cent every year,' then the congregations should say, 'Not even half a cent. You must beg; yes, we'll gladly give to a beggar. But if you try to give us orders, our friendship is over.'" (Page 31)

Walther wrote: "According to our Constitution, no synodical resolution is binding on the individual congregations. No resolution. Mark that well! What we resolve here in convention the pastors and lay delegates must report to the home congregations and say, 'This is what the convention resolved.' But they cannot say, 'Now you must also observe this.' No, on the contrary the congregation can say, 'As soon as it is a matter that has been left free for us as Christians, we can disregard the resolution of the convention.' And the Synod can say nothing against that.'" (Page 31-32.)

The majority of the members of the CCM were appointed, not elected to their office, by Synodical President Gerald Kieschnick. Kieschnick, the CCM, and the COP, all say that the rulings of the CCM are binding on all parties in the Synod. This includes all pastors, teachers, and congregations.

Now, Second Vice President Dr. Paul Maier lends his support to Kieschnick in the Nov. 2005 issue of "Jesus First." Maier says that the Synod has been controlled by right wing extremists for the past 30 years and was only set free by Kieschnick in 2001.

Maier writes: "Through careful politicization, our right-wing extremists have managed to control the LCMS for the last thirty years, or until the July 2001 Convention."

Yes, Maier applauds Kieschnick for compelling everyone in the Synod to agree with the "position of the Synod" something that the Synod's founder condemned.

Maier is a learned man and uses his knowledge to convince people to follow the Synod's position. At least he admits that the liberal Seminex machine, that ran the LCMS until 1974, is the group he calls "Biblical centrists."

Walther writes: "Accordingly, a pastor cannot say, 'I've studied for 9 or 12 years; I must know better than you what is right and what isn't.' No, here all are equal. Everyone must himself deal with Christ; therefore no one can dictate to him what he must believe. Only Christ can do that. And for that reason also no one can let himself be tyrannized, but every individual must say, 'Show us; how is it written?' The proverb has always proved to be true, 'The more learned, the more mistaken.'" (Page 28)

Maier is fighting for his political life in the Synod and denounces the lawsuit against the Synod as "unjustified, ill-conceived, inept, unnecessary." He appeals to the biblical centrists, who really don't know what is happening or what the Bible and Walther said, as follows: "Although the vast majority of believers in both the ELCA and LCMS are biblical centrists who avoid both extremes, the ELCA has an unusually vocal left extremist faction, while the LCMS is the mirror opposite: We are beset by an unusually vocal right extremist faction."

An extremist in the LCMS today is anyone who vocally defends the teaching of the Synod's founder, C. F. W. Walther.

Walther wrote: "When the Word of God has neither commanded nor prohibited something, then the congregation must decide, no synod, no pastor, no presbytery, no consistory. That is the position of our church. That is a free church. That is not a community under clerical control, but a community of members of Christ, united by an evangelical, gentle bond of love." (Page 26)

"Accordingly, the congregation should refuse to obey, not only if the pastor teachers false doctrine, but also if his teaching is sound but he proposes something that God has not commanded. Then the congregation should guard its independence and say, 'We'll take that matter under advisement, and if our thinking differs from yours, pastor, then we'll follow our judgment.' Every faithful Lutheran pastor takes the great pains to assist the congregation in securing its freedom, whereas false pastors keep it hidden from the congregations. (Page 27)

Walther wrote: "A synodical convention is therefore a representative of the church. Should it not therefore be empowered to make demands of a congregation, make rules for it that it must obey for the Lord's sake? No. Just as little as a pastor can make rules and regulations for a congregation, so little can a whole assembly of pastors together with as many laypeople do that. For also the church has no power to make a rule that would bind the conscience of individual Christians or even of whole congregations. For in the kingdom of God we are all equal." (Page 29)

Somehow, the definition of a right wing extremist in the LCMS is someone who wants the Synod to conduct honest elections and follow the laws of the State of Missouri? At this time the LCMS is plagued by "leaders" who have little regard for the word of God and the laws of man.

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