UOJ - Above the Fold in Christian News

I got the new Christian News, August 20, 2007.

They are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Brief Statement.

"Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ., Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthiasn 5:18-21; Romans 4:25..."

Thanks to academic incest, everyone kept being trained in this nonsense until it permeated the conservative Lutheran synods.

Ichabod readers will note that the cited passages from Scripture do not teach the proposition at all. That is the kind of legalism I wrote about earlier. The proposition becomes the ruling norm (norma normans) and Scripture is interpreted and twisted to fit the proposition.

The cited passages teach the doctrine of atonement. Christ died for the sins of the world. This is what the Book of Concord calls the treasure of the Gospel. But the treasure is in one heap until it is distributed by the Holy Spirit through the Means of Grace. Luther and the Book of Concord are consistent in teaching exactly what the Scriptures reveal. Therefore, people do not have grace, forgiveness, and righteousness until the Word, the instrument of forgiveness, plants faith in their hearts.

UOJ supporters are no different from those who teach Gospel reductionism in ELCA - everyone is forgiven. Period.

UOJ Enthusiasts also love the Church Growth Movement.

UOJ fanatics do not defend their doctrine - they personally attack critics of their false doctrine. They go into a feeding frenzy. Nevertheless, they do not defend their false doctrine. When they begin their attempts, their deceptions and manipulations are easily revealed to everyone.

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Right after I posted this, the message below appeared as a potential comment. It is a typical personal attack from a Minister of the Gospel, vituperative, avoiding all doctrinal issues. Thank you, Anony-mouse, for proving my point so quickly.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "UOJ - Above the Fold in Christian News":

Well, Greg, you've finally shown your true colors. In the WELS and CLC you have been self-destructive as far as your ministry is concerned, and, unless it had been for the grace of God, you would have destroyed the congregations you served. Now you call the doctrine of universal justification "nonsense" and "legalism." I wish your readers would see you as you really are--and its not as a champion of confessional Lutheranism!

Those who want to study the only large collection of material on this subject can read the chapter I wrote about justification. Lutheran laity prodded me to deal with the issue. I know one parish pastor who vocally opposed forgiveness without faith.

UOJ and Church Growth go together like apple pie and ice cream.

Robert Preus rejected UOJ in his final book.

Justification by Faith, Thy Strong Word

"Nowhere in the Bible is any man constituted or declared righteous ‘without faith, before faith.’” R. C. H. Lenski, Romans, Augsburg Publishing House: Minneapolis, 1963, p. 382. Romans 5:19-20.