Delegate Newsletter -- No. 14

The Spirit of Saul or Paul at the LCMS Convention?

Which One Depends upon You!

  Both Saul and Paul fervently believed in the one true God of Israel. Both were extremely zealous for true religion.

Both were the same man, of course, but something changed the Pharisee Saul into the Apostle Paul. A confrontation with the risen Jesus of Nazareth on the road to Damascus radically transformed Saul, from inside out and from top to bottom. After his encounter with the Gospel-in-the-flesh Messiah of Israel, Paul spent years in the desert and elsewhere rereading the Scripture and redoing his theology under the Holy Spirit’s guidance. He was no longer Saul the Pharisee, protector of the Law and zealous persecutor of Jesus’ followers. Instead, He was Paul the Apostle, proclaimer of the Gospel and partner with all who were working “in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel” (Philippians 1: 7). In his preaching and writing he always sought to “promote Christ” (in Luther’s words) or to put Jesus first. 

Two Driving Forces in the LCMS           

On the threshold of the synodical Convention Jesus First is prayerfully asking each delegate to evaluate the two very different driving forces at work in the LCMS and to determine the dominant spirit in each. Which manifests the spirit of the Law and of fear (so dominant in Saul the Pharisee) and which the spirit of the Gospel and love (so dominant in Paul the Apostle)? So as not to be misunderstood, we certainly affirm the proper use of both Law and Gospel in Christian life and proclamation, but only the Gospel and love are at the core of our fellowship and proper motivation for our mission and ministry. 

No one denies that the Spirit of God is at work in the people supporting both driving forces. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Alien spirits are a problem for all of us, and unless they are recognized and resisted, they will do their dirty work at the Convention.  Your obligation as a delegate is to determine when and where the Spirit of Christ is most discernable and to vote in a way that promotes the Gospel in the life and mission of the Missouri Synod. 

Where the Fruit of the Flesh Abounds

Jesus tells us “a tree is known by its fruit” (Matthew 12: 33). In Galatians 5 the Apostle Paul lists two kinds of fruit: fruit of the Spirit and fruit of the flesh. The works (or fruit) of the flesh—enmities, strife, anger, quarrels, dissensions, and factions—are found throughout our Synod. But nowhere are they so entrenched as in the often scurrilous pages of Christian News, the personal publication of a man denied accreditation on the roster of the LCMS clergy, who with incredible energy and considerable success over the past forty years has set himself up as judge of who, in the Synod, is orthodox and who is not. The materials sent from Christian News open wide the door to the spirit of Saul the Pharisee who was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” in order to crush every perceived heresy and to punish everyone who deviated from the traditions of the father. Those who ally themselves, actively or passively, with the spirit and agenda of Christian News are, in our opinion, allying themselves with a spirit that ultimately undermines the Gospel foundation of our church.

The traditions of our synodical fathers contain much good. Synod’s resolutions and practices are a valuable resource. However, they are not infallible. We need continually to reexamine them in the light of the Gospel that has the power, when it is God’s will, to change both us and our positions. How do we know God’s will? God’s will is known when the Holy Scriptures are read and interpreted in the light of the Gospel and with the wisdom of the Spirit who continues to lead us into all truth.

An example of an evangelical interpretation of our tradition was the ministry and faithful witness of Dr. David Benke in Yankee Stadium. On the other hand, an example of the intrusion of an alien spirit disturbing the unity and outreach of the synod is the action of the majority members of Synod’s Board of Directors. They are seeking to undermine the spiritual foundation of Synod’s governance, replacing it with a power-centered business model.

Harvesting the Fruit of the Spirit

 Paul tells us that the “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5: 22-23). Seeking to be faithful to Jesus and His Gospel is the key to harvesting this good fruit. 

We believe that President Kieschnick’s agenda is faithful to Jesus and His Gospel and that it will advance both our internal fellowship as believers and our outreach to unbelievers. It is an agenda that dares to follow the Spirit of Christ into the future, exhibiting daring faith, genuine love and lively hope.

  Test the Spirits. Then Vote!

“Test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (I John 4: 1) is advice as important to us in the 21^st century as it was to the first century church. As you judge candidates and issues, test them to see which predominates: the spirit of fear or the spirit of love, the spirit of Law of Gospel, the spirit that shackles us to the traditions of our fathers or the spirit that frees us either to affirm or to revise the traditions in the interest of faithful Gospel mission and ministry. 

Then vote! Our prayer is that the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ will prevail in you, in the Convention and in our Synod. Let’s follow the Spirit who will lead us into the future as He led Saul the Pharisee to become the Apostle Paul, Let’s faithfully and powerfully proclaim the Gospel to the joy and edifying of many present and future believers.

 

Rev. Eugene Brueggemann is Pastor Emeritus