Listener emails and Seminary experiences

May 24, 2009

In this Edition of Radical Grace Radio we go over some listener emails, and Pastor Greg LeSeiur Tells about his days at ELCA Seminary in Gettysburg...  Where apparently he learned the Jesus is reduced to being a condiment on the burger of World Religion.  Apparently other religions are just fine, but they are better if you add Jesus...  We know, it's bad.

Larry in KY Writes

Something Matt mentioned in the last was the first time I’d heard someone else really articulate it, someone who’d been there once and that is the spirit of antichrist wafting in the protestant church.  I use to tell my wife back during my struggles with “was Christ really for me”, that dark, dark, dark time, “I believe more deception and covering up of Christ occurs not so much overtly but under the guise of “nice” and smiles and from well meaning fellows and pastors.  Not the kind of guys you’d label, ‘that’s my enemy’.”  I’ve told her, “…I think we’ve been tainted by dispensationalism and Hollywood…we think antichrist and Pharisees are these ‘dark smoking back room hand wringing plotters’, or the church Lady on SNL a few years back. 

But I’m beginning to think that’s a fake or rouse to keep us from looking at the real antichristic spirit of our age, even in the protestant church.  For the real Christ and him crucified cover uppersare not at all like that.  In a sense that would be obvious and EASY to avoid…like a thief coming at you a mile away with his gun drawn.  No now days it’s sold to you under nice things and generally morals we all want.  Christ is covered up more there than anywhere so that either you end up overly proud of yourself that you are doing it OR you end up in despair thinking, ‘I’m lost for sure’.”  If you’ve been in that you know what that is like and its hard to uncover.  In a sense a Hollywood Pharisee would be refreshingly easy to refute!

You all have done a WONDERFUL job of reorienting what antichrist and all involved is.  It donned on me the other day listening that it makes sense – the deception even of dispensationalism.  If the devil can get the church laity to be looking for the boogy man in some political figure, he can then sneak in under the radar under morals and things whether from Rome or within the protestant church itself in general and REALLY cover up Christ.  Because we can unite with Rome around a moral issue but at the price of the Gospel itself.

Great, great, great work brothers…keep it up you have no idea how much you feed us!

_____________________________________________________________

Josh writes...

I heard the "water valve" illustration and find it to be compelling.  However, I feel that illustration still places a burden on the PERSON and not on GOD because the person can close the valve.  In working with this illustration, we all close the valve all the time.  So, how does the valve stay open for some even when they try to close it and for some it closes.  If election is truly based solely on God, then he must choose whose valve opens and whose valve closes at the end of their life.  I don't see how you can get around the fact that God elects for salvation and selects some for condemnation.  If condemnation is based on something in us denying God's offer of salvation then, by default, salvation is also based on the lack of that same thing IN US.  I don't believe you can have election for salvation from God without selection for condemnation by God as well.

_____________________________________________________________

Jason writes...

I am listening to the program on "The United States of the Beast".  Didn't Luther, Calvin, and all the Reformers point to the dynasty of the Popes as the beast of Revelation?  It seems to fit to me.  Maybe I am getting ahead of myself because I didn't get to the end yet.  Some Lutherans sound really anti-Calvinist.  Am I damned for being Calvinist?  If so let me know why before it's too late.  I love Lutherans no matter what they say.  Martin Luther rocks.  In Christ, (unless Calvinists are damned)

Jason
Just heard the end.  I agree with Luther.  Luther rocks!