Saturday, July 19, 2008

1960 "The Deepening Wedge of Error" - Essay

The Deepening Wedge of Error, Paul F. Nolting, 1960

In 1960, Pastor Paul F. Nolting writes about the errors creeping into the Wisconsin Synod. His essay focuses on four areas:

1. The Doctrine of Fellowship
"If the Synod ever [breaks with the LC-MS], it will be making a long overdue right decision for the wrong reason."
2. The Doctrine of the Call
"One pastor after another has had his divine call terminated in one of two ways: either by direct vote on a motion to terminate said call or indirectly by rejecting the Scripture-based ministry of the pastor... In no case ... has any pastor been accused of false doctrine, scandalous life, or willful neglect of duty... Official representatives of the synod have ... been assuring [congregations] that they agree perfectly with the men who have left ... 'only they were a bit hasty!'"
3. The Doctrine of Scripture
"... in recent years [Rom. 16:17,18] has suddenly become most difficult and unclear..."

"... Satan used a very pious question to destroy the authority of the Word in the Wisconsin Synod. That question is: 'When is the time, the right time, to begin to obey?'"
4. The Doctrine of the Church
"The false proposition has been permitted to stand that withdrawal from the synod includes resignation of the call. Thus the synod is undermining both the right of ordination and and the rite of installation - both of which bind the pastor to the Scriptures and the Confessions, not to the Synod."