Monday, November 17, 2008

Guthrie on WGN

I'll be discussing Jewish evangelism, the gospel, and other topics with Rabbi Yehiel Poupko and host Milt Rosenberg on WGN Radio's "Extension 720." The program is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. Central. Call-ins welcome during the second hour. Chicago-based "Extension 720" is heard on 720 AM in 38 states.

posted by Stan Guthrie at 6:49 AM

2 Comments:

Blogger Peter Prange said...

I sent the following article to Extension 720 last night via email. Not at all surprised that it was ignored.

--quote--

FREE FORGIVENESS

Some years ago I had the privilege of attending a fascinating religious debate. One debater was a respected rabbi from a prominent synagogue. The other debater was a distinguished Baptist seminary professor.

The subject of the debate was the identity of the “Suffering Servant of the Lord” in Isaiah 53. The question: Who is the “he” in the following Bible verses?

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6)

The rabbi went first. He explained that some Jews believe that the man will be a Messiah who is to come. Others teach that the person suffering here is the prophet Isaiah himself, who was stricken when people didn’t listen to his heartfelt message. But, explained the rabbi, most Jewish scholars believe that the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 is the Jewish people themselves, who suffered in the Holocaust, with the resulting lesson for the world that such genocide should not happen again.

In his first turn, the Baptist seminary professor explained that Christians have always seen Jesus in the words of Isaiah 53, including many details of the crucifixion. During his explanation he used the term “vicarious atonement,” explaining that Jesus paid the full price for our sins and as a result we have forgiveness and peace with God the Father.

The rabbi had a chance for rebuttal. He said, “We see no evidence in the Scriptures of what you call ‘vicarious atonement.’ In fact, Ezekiel says that each person is responsible for his own sin. That’s exactly what’s wrong with you Christians. You think that because someone else is responsible for your sin you can do what you want. You think that you are forgiven without strings attached, and so you live unholy lives. That’s what causes religious wars today, and that’s what caused the atrocities of the Crusades and even the Holocaust.”

While the rabbi was speaking, I was anticipating what the professor would say to explain the connections between justification and sanctification. How would he present the connection between repentance and faith? Here was an opportunity to explain to the many Jewish people present how Christians lead good lives as a result of grace, not in order to earn heaven.

Instead, the Baptist seminary professor replied, “You misunderstand me when you say that Christians teach you are forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ with no strings attached. Christians do teach that you have to repent and keep the Ten Commandments, or at least try, in order to go to heaven. The only Christians who teach that you are freely forgiven, without any strings attached, are conservative Lutherans, and even a lot of them are giving it up.”

The only Christians who teach that each human being is freely forgiven through faith in Jesus as Savior, without any strings attached, are conservative Lutherans, and even a lot of them are giving it up.

We have a precious message. Who will speak it if we do not? If it is not on the lips of our children, who will speak it to our grandchildren? May the Lord preserve the preaching and teaching of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus among us, with every clear gospel implication.

Contributing editor Paul Prange, president of Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Michigan, is a member at St. Paul, Saginaw.

http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1712&cxDatabase_databaseID=1&id=8932&magazine=Forward%20in%20Christ

--unquote--

In general, Dr. Rosenberg didn't seem to be all that interested in really talking about the matter of eternal life and whether or not faith in Jesus is essential to eternal life. He more or less poo-pooed the idea of any afterlife or even the existence of God, it seemed to me (Psalm 14:1).

May I also say that I was saddened by your perpetuation of the false idea that Luther was anti-semitic and that he was "willing to kill for [his] beliefs." Luther opposed the Jewish false teachers, not the Jews as a race. Like St Paul in his letter to the Galatians (see 5:12), Luther became frustrated by the continued proclamation of false Jewish teachings which tear down the very truth of the Gospel.

If you want to do some serious research on this subject, I would suggest that you start by reading Uwe Siemon-Netto's "The Fabricated Luther" (Concordia Publishing House, 1995).

I could write much more, but I'll resist.

11:14 PM  
Blogger Stan Guthrie said...

Peter,

Thank you for writing. Unfortunately, given the format and time constraints, it would have been well nigh impossible for us or Dr. Rosenberg to respond to your detailed letter, but perhaps he will be able to read it at another time. I apologize if I said sommething wrong about Luther, whom I esteem as a great but flawed servant of God. I was speaking generally, and perhaps imprecisely. I will do a little more study on the matter.

Best wishes,

Stan Guthrie

10:45 AM  

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