Werning and 'Jesus First' Change Doctrine of the Trinity
By Rev. Jack Cascione

 

In his May 20, 2002, five-page letter to the Synodical President, Synodical officials in the South Wisconsin, North Wisconsin, and Michigan Districts, and officers of Redeemer Lutheran Church, St, Clair Shores Michigan, Doctor Waldo Werning continues to attack the fundamental doctrines of the Trinity. The Athanasian Creed confesses: "Neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance." The Creed also states: "Which faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly."

Werning Argues that Jesus is not God on the Cross

In the following quotations from his May 20, 2002 letter, Werning claims that he will not be trapped into saying that Jesus is God on the Cross or that in Christ, God died on the cross. He claims it is false doctrine to say that every person of the Trinity is all of God apart from whom there is no other God and yet there is only one God. He claims that Jesus died in the flesh, but that God did not die on the Cross in Christ. He claims that Jesus is part of God, and not all of God. He divides the substance of God and makes Jesus less than God.

Werning writes in part on May 20, 2002:

"In your attempt to trap me by the use of your fabricated statements to explain the mystery of the Trinity, you have become guilty of false doctrine, and since you are adamant and refuse to listen or to understand what the Athanasian Creed (Unity and Substance of the Trinity) and the Apostle's Creed (Three Persons in one Godhead, three Articles) you have become guilty of false doctrine and heresy, as seen in the Dec. 27 and Feb. 26 Transcripts."

"John 3:16 tells that God (the Father) sent His Son Jesus to the Cross, but He did not send Himself or the Holy Spirit to the Cross."

"Matt. 1:21 does not say that Mary will give birth to a son who is God the Father or is God the Holy Spirit, but a son who is Jesus."

". . . , you have confused the entire issue of the Son of God taking upon Himself human flesh in the Son of Man, who died, not His eternal Spirit, for Jesus said, 'Father into Your hands I commit my Spirit.'"

"1Peter 3:18-19: '(Christ) was put to death in the body but was made alive by the Spirit, through whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison.' Your philosophical statement that all of God died on the Cross, not one third of god, not dividing God, literally not only denies the Personhood of the Godhead (Apostle's Creed), but denies the humanity of Jesus, and insists on making it appear that the Father and the Holy Spirit also become human and took human flesh. At the same time, your misinterpretation leads to the conclusion that the eternal God was dead and in a grave for three days."

Doctor Waldo Werning defends his teachings about the Trinity in his book "Health and Healing for the LCMS." The book was sent to every 2001 LCMS Convention delegate. "Jesus First," the political action group most responsible for the election of President Gerald Kieschnick, endorses Werning's book. Former Chairman of the Council of Presidents, John Heins, is Werning's witness in Dispute Resolution and the South Wisconsin District President and other officers have published signed letters defending Werning 's teaching on the Trinity.

Luther and Chemnitz on the Unity and Persons of the Trinity

The following quotations from Luther and Chemnitz teach that every person of the Trinity is all of God in His own Person, yet, there is only one God. No Person of the Trinity can be just a part of God. Jesus is God on the Cross. In Jesus, God suffered, died, was buried, and rose from the dead.

Chemnitz writes:

"That is to say, Scripture bears witness that the three persons and the entire Trinity are the one true God, and that each person is perfectly and in all respects that one true God." (Martin Chemnitz, "Loci Theologici" CPH 1989, Page 74)

"For with respect to us the three persons are at the same time and each individually the one, true, undivided God, so that when the dove descended, one can correctly say that this is the one true God and beyond Him there is no other God, as it says in John 14:9, 'He who sees Me, sees My Father also. ' And again in v. 10, 'I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. On this basis we can understand how the church directs its prayers sometimes to the Father, sometimes to the Son, and sometimes to the Holy Spirit. For it believes and confesses in its prayers not only that the three persons are the one true God, but that each person is not just a part of that one divine essence but rather is the entire divine essence, that is, the one true God, than whom there is no other God.'" (Martin Chemnitz, "Loci Theologici" CPH Page 76)

Luther writes:

"You may say very correctly of the dove: That is God, and there is no God beyond that one. And yet it would be incorrect for you to say: That is God the Father; that is God the Son. You must say: That is God the Holy Spirit. (Luther's Works 15:304)

"You may say very correctly of this voice: That is God, and there is no God beyond that. But it would be incorrect to say: That is God the Son or God the Holy Spirit. No, you must say: That is God the Father." (Luther's Works 15:305)

"You can say very correctly of the man [Jesus Christ] that is God, and there is no other God beside Him." (Luther's Works 15:305)

"However, it is also correct to say that God died for us, for the Son is God, and there is no other God but only more Persons in the same Godhead." (Luther's Works 15:310)

"You have heard earlier that the Father is the God and Father of us all, that the Son is the God and Father of us all, that the Holy Spirit is the God and Father of us all, and that, for all of that, not more than one God is our Father. For the essence is undivided, therefore no matter which Person you may mention, you have named the one true God in three Persons, since each Person is the same, one, perfect God." (Luther's Works 15:310-11)

". . . unless He became a man like us, so that it could be said: 'God died' 'God's passion,' 'God's blood,' 'God's death.' For in His nature God cannot die; but now that God and man are united in one person, it is correctly called God's death, when the man dies who is one thing or one person with God." (Lutheran Confessions, Formula of Concord, Article VIII, Par 44, Concordia Triglotta pages 1029-1030)

The Loss of the Trinity is the Loss of the Christian Faith and Salvation

God cannot be divided or He is not God. Each Person of the Trinity is all of God apart from whom there is no God and yet there is only one God.

The proponents of the Church Growth Movement such as Dr. Waldo Werning, "Jesus First," and members of the COP have become so comfortable in making up their own worship they are now bold to claim the right to make up their own God.

Romans 10:9 states: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Belief in this verse must not be interpreted to mean that a proper understanding of the Trinity is not necessary for salvation.

According to the Athanasian Creed, the gates of hell await any who divided or confuse the substance of God. If Jesus and every person of the Trinity are not all of God in His Person, then what part of God is Jesus? Werning refuses to answer the question. Werning also refuses to confess that Jesus is God, not a part of God, on the Cross.

Indeed, in his most recent letter, he refuses to confess that Jesus is God. Just like Arius and the Unitarians, Werning prefers to call Jesus, "the Son of God." This is a true statement if Werning means that "the Son of God" is God. However, in Werning's teaching, He will not describe Jesus as God on the Cross.

The most troubling part of Werning's false doctrine is that it has such broad based support among so many LCMS officials and pastors. Their attitude is that loving Jesus is more important than confessing the correct doctrine of the Trinity. Indeed, stewardship may have become more important than the Athanasian Creed.

Never in the history of the Synod have LCMS clergy challenged the official doctrine of the Trinity with such impunity as Werning and his allies are now doing.


Rev. Jack Cascione is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS - MI) in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He has written numerous articles for Christian News and is the author of Reclaiming the Gospel in the LCMS: How to Keep Your Congregation Lutheran. He has also written a study on the Book of Revelation called In Search of the Biblical Order.
He can be reached by email at pastorcascione@juno.com.

May 24, 2002