Terminology: UOJ, Atonement, Justification

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS and Universalism":

Again, could you please define your terms? According to the most recent couple of posts, according to you, atonement does not equal justification but forgiveness does equal salvation. So does justification equal forgiveness, while atonement does not equal forgiveness? Again, what's the difference between atonement and justification?

It seems to me that this entire thing is simply a case of terminology. It sounds like you and the WELS/ELS/LCMS are saying the same thing, only you're using the term atonement and they're using the term justification to talk about the same concept.

In other words, it seems like the WELS/ELS/LCMS speak of objective justification and subjective justification while you speak of atonement and justification. Same concepts in both cases, just different labels.

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GJ - A significant number of pastors think that UOJ is the same thing as Atonement, but the UOJ fans reject that idea. Quoting the late Dr. Robert Preus:

Objective justification which is God’s verdict of acquittal over the whole world is not identical with the atonement, it is not another way of expressing the fact that Christ has redeemed the world. Rather it is based upon the substitutionary work of Christ, or better, it is a part of the atonement itself. It is God’s response to all that Christ died to save us, God’s verdict that Christ’s work is finished, that He has been indeed reconciled, propitiated; His anger has been stilled and He is at peace with the world, and therefore He has declared the entire world in Christ to be righteous. [emphasis added]

I used to equate OJ with the Atonement, but then I realized how the circle of Walther disciples invented a new doctrine and imposed it deviously on the Lutheran Church. Robert Preus' last book repudiates UOJ. I will cite that tomorow, deo volunte.

The Word is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Word, yet both work together at all times, never apart from each other. There is a similarity with the Atonement and justification. They are not the same thing, but the message of the Atonement of Christ generates faith in listeners, who receive this priceless message in faith. In receiving the message of forgiveness through God's grace, they obtain what God promises: remission of sin, peace, eternal life, and the fruits of the Spirit.