(pri)DEMON(th): The Kretzmann Corrective

If you recall, last fall the WELS released a Bible study called "An Honest Conversation about Sexuality" focusing on LGBTQ+ topics. Video three used the conversation of the woman at the well in John 4 as an example where the specious claim that Jesus "heard her story", "wins her over with love", "gives her the Gospel" and "then points out her need." If you recall, I then walked through the story of the woman at the well and showed how this absolutely was not the case. In fact, it violates the Lutheran understanding of the law and gospel.

https://www.nihilrule.com/2024/08/woke-in-wels-honest-conversation-about_01418767192.html

Let's consider a superior exegete, Paul Kretzmann, from his "Popular Commentary of the Bible":

A disconcerting request: V. 16. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. V. 17. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband; V. 18. for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband; in that saidst thou truly. Jesus, throughout the conversation, showed the true missionary's skill. He had properly prepared the woman's mind to listen to Him as to one that might have a message worth listening to, and not mere idle talk to dispense. The next step is to bring her to an understanding of her sin, to a realization of its guilt. To this end Jesus tells the woman to call her husband, her legal spouse. He knew her heart, mind, and circumstances as well as she did, and better. The woman was struck by the question, but answered quite frankly: A husband I have not. This was a truthful answer, but did not go far enough. And therefore Jesus disposes of her doubtful meaning by emphasizing: Well hast thou said, A husband I have not. She had had five husbands, and had left them all in quick succession. The matter of divorces in Palestine at the time of the Lord was fast approaching the condition in which momentary likes or dislikes decided a woman's choice. This woman was now living with a man without the formality of a marriage ceremony, or at best in a common-law marriage. The Lord told her all this, by His omniscience, for the purpose of making her realize her sinfulness, of making her see the depth to which she had fallen. She must become fully conscious of her guilt against the Sixth Commandment and the entire Law before she would have the proper desire and longing for the riches of Christ's salvation. Note: It is always thus when the Lord converts a sinner. At first there are only a few faint sparks of penitence, which would be extinguished without the aid of the Holy Ghost. But then He deepens the consciousness of transgression and guilt, in order that the longing for salvation may be instilled by the sweet message of salvation, by the Gospel. Very often the real battle in the heart of a person begins only after the desire for salvation has been felt. Then Satan tries to drive the sinner into despair. It is then that grace must much more abound.

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This inversion of law and gospel is not just a slip in the "Honest Conversations;" it's also Mike Novotny's claim in Taboo:

"There is a time, after lots and lots of love and lots and lots of gospel, when you can talk to your LGBTQ+ friends who profess Christianity about their biblical sexuality"

You can't use the Gospel on a hardened sinner to lead them to the law. Your LGBTQ+ friend can't profess Christianity without first repenting of their unbiblical sexuality.

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Our WELS pastors need to spend less time with Tim "heterosexuality does not get you to heaven, I happen to know this, so how in the world can homosexuality send you to hell?" Keller and more time with Paul Kretzmann.