The Nihil Rule

Many of our modern-day pastors make a primary virtue out of winsomeness. Lenski offers a corrective: "To call brotherly love the articulus stantis aut cadentis ecclesiae  [that is, the doctrine on which the Church stands or falls -nihil]  is to think that apples can grow where there is no tree . Ἀγάπη is the love of true comprehension and understanding coupled with corresponding purpose . Thus its decline is lack of this understanding with which diminution of the energy of its proper purpose goes hand in hand. As for the understanding and purpose of love, note how Jesus makes it plain: “If a man love me, he will keep my words” - Lenski's commentary on The Revelation of Jesus Christ, 2:4.

WELS' "Meditations" for November 20, 2021  More probable: "Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Master" (Mt 25:21) Lenski: The slave is rewarded beyond all deserts. Being his master’s slave, he and all his labor and skill belonged to that master, thus also all the profits the slave might acquire. But this master is to be a picture of Christ with all his heavenly generosity. The single adverb, “Well!” i.e., “it is well,” is complete in itself, a judgment or a verdict. We might translate, “Fine!” or, “Excellent!” The same is true in regard to δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ, which is an exclamation that is complete in itself. The adverb εὖ is a verdict on the work, the vocative a verdict on the worker, “Slave excellent and reliable!” and thus furnishing his master great satisfaction. No higher commendation can come to any believer from the lips of Jesus. This significant praise outranks all the flattery and the honor the world may bestow. Jesus h...

From the WELS daily devotion - November, 17, 2021 , highlight mine: At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. Mark 13:26,27 Jesus Return One of the remarkable promises Jesus made about the day he returns to judge this world is that when he returns, every eye will see him. How is that even possible? The Bible is very clear about how that is possible. It says that the angels will pick up all believers in Jesus on judgment day and take them to the very place that Jesus is returning. It doesn’t matter where in the world you live or precisely where Jesus chooses to return. God will use his angels to get you there.... Is that really what the passage says? Maybe we should compare to another translation. Here's the ESV: 24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give...