"Jesus First's" glowing review and Dr. Charles Mueller's
endorsement of Werning's book "Healing and Health for the LCMS,"
sent to all the delegates, demonstrates their priority for political
objectives over pure doctrine.
Werning insists that he supports the Athanasian Creed. I do believe that in
his own terms he really thinks he does support it. However, he is simply
incapable of writing about or clearly repeating what it says in his own words.
"Jesus First" knows this. But he is too useful to them, so they
endorse whatever he says.
Let this be a lesson for anyone who takes on the 695 plus theological
misfits, opportunists, and rebels of "Jesus First." Those who speak
against them had better learn to enjoy Dispute Resolution.
In his latest letter to Otten, and the Elders of Redeemer Lutheran Church,
Werning continues his doctrinal confusion.
1. Werning writes:
"The Sacraments do not even fit in the Christology [study of Christ]
issue." I ask, then why does Chemnitz talk so much about the Lord's
Supper, Communion, and the Sacramental Union in his "Two Natures of
Christ?"
2. Werning writes:
"I did not reduce God to three forms of communication . . ." I
ask, then why does he write about the Trinity, ". . . the Triune God,
as he shows . . . three forms of address 'You shall!,' 'You may!,' 'You
can!'?"
3. Werning writes:
"The Confession of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit is what
distinguished Christianity from all other religions." Again, Werning
can't stop talking about Modal Monarchianism. It is not "God as"
but God "is" God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost,
not three forms of the same God, but three Gods in one God. As the
Athanasian Creed says, "So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the
Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God."
4. Werning writes:
"I will not tolerate further condemnations in public, but ask you as
Board of Elders to request him to respond in a Christian manner
privately." Werning sent a four-page letter condemning me as every kind
of sinner imaginable to my Board of Elders and a copy to Herman Otten and
says he wants to keep the matter private!
Why does Werning compare the Trinity to Green, Red and Blue when Red,
White, and Green, the colors of the Italian national flag, would be far more
appropriate?
We question if Werning is capable of logical sequence or is able to
comprehend the meaning or significance of his words.
Werning writes: "You are compounding your vicious sins by refusing to
communicate privately, but lie and slander publicly." Just file the
charge Waldo and get it over with. Speaking with Werning on the phone is an
exercise in futility. He contradicts himself in nearly every sentence and
forgets what he said. His most recent attack now claims I am charging him when
he called me three days ago and said he was charging me. What am I supposed to
do? I am still waiting. May be he will charge me for charging him when he
charged me first?
His 200 page, 8 1/2 by 11 book, "Healing and Health For the LCMS"
sent to all the delegates of the 2001 LCMS Convention lists my name and
criticizes and judges me more than 100 times in his book. Yet, if I even
question his position on the Trinity, I am guilty of slander. Everyone who
mentions his name is guilty of slander.
Werning gave me the honor of more attacks than far more eminent Synodical
figures in his book such as Scaer, Marquart, Otten, Preus, Weinrich, Wenthy,
Just, Pless, and many more. At least I should receive some royalties!
Even though I hold no elected or appointed office or exercise any authority
in the Synod Werning and "Jesus First" have seen through my cover
and recognized the amount of control I actually have over the entire LCMS and
the threat I pose to "Jesus First."
For all that he writes about me, I'm surprised Werning failed to mention my
part in the campaign to elect Dr. A. L. Barry in 1992, the removal of Alvin
Schmidt from the Seminary faculty in 1989, and overwhelming political
influence of the "National Free Conference on C. F. W. Walther" just
to name a few.
Werning told me twice on June 25th that he was going to file charges
against me in Dispute Resolution. But that will be the easy part. It is all
the letters and raving I must now endure, so far more than 20 pages in three
days. There will be much more, much more. Waldo, please, just file your
charges.
In order to believe what Werning writes I would have to give up the English
language or use his own invented dictionary. Werning denies that he has said
anything in agreement with Unitarian Sabellian Modal Monarchiansim.
Pieper writes about Sabellianism Vol.1 Page 382: "God has REVEALED
Himself successively in three different MODES, or FORMS: In the Father as
creator, in the Son as Redeemer, and in the Holy Ghost as Sanctifier."
Any good dictionary or thesaurus states that "manner" is a
synonym for "mode" or "way." Take a second look at the
sentence from Pieper above. Notice Pieper uses the word "modes".
Notice also how Werning uses the words "manner" and "way"
below which are a synonyms for Pieper's use of describing "modes."
Then also notice in Werning's quotations about the Trinity below, how he uses
the words "form" and "revealed" just like Pieper does in
describing Sabellianism.
Werning writes:
1. " . . . experiencing God in a three-fold MANNER."
2. "who says that as God REVEALED Himself in three WAYS,"
3. "three MANNERS of being"
4. "three FORMS of address"
5. "the three WAYS in which God has REVEALED"
Now, also notice Werning's blatant use of charismatic, experiential,
anti-Lutheran verbiage. I challenge him to show me one place in the Lutheran
Confessions where it speaks about feeling, experiencing, or sensing God.
Werning writes:
1. " . . . new experiences with God."
2. " . . . experience Christ as Savior through prayer,"
3. " . . . and sense the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives,"
4. " . . . possibilities of experiencing God"
Since Dr. Werning has asked the Board of Elders to have me repent or be
removed, Reclaim News has provided the phone number of the Head Elder
of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Mr. Gary Bacon. "Jesus First," this is
your chance.