Not everyone who uses the term UOJ is a UOJ fanatic. The vast majority who use the term are clergy who were trained in this nonsense in seminary. The synods realize that their UOJ system does not bear scrutiny, so they avoid real discussion about this new doctrine. This leaves many clergy suspended in mid-air, somewhere between the teaching of the Bible/Book of Concord and the real UOJ agenda.
For example, I used OJ and SJ in the first edition of Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant. My understanding then was close to Joe Abrahamson's, expressed in the previous post. I learned the OJ/SJ distinction from Pieper, but I associated the terms with the Atonement of Christ (OJ) and justification by faith (SJ). Extensive conversations with Lutheran laity moved me to study the entire UOJ issue and to deal with it in Thy Strong Word.
UOJ is another example of Lutherans abandoning their trust in the efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace.
Here are my questions for the UOJ fanatics:
- Why do you have God declaring the entire world righteous, without faith?
- Why bother with evangelism and worship if "everyone is already saved", as WELS proclaimed in its failed evangelism campaign.
- If forgiveness equals salvation, why are there "forgiven sinners in Hell" in the Wisconsin sect? FIC AnswerMan.
- If Baptist decision theology is wrong, why does the Wisconsin sect insist that people must "accept OJ" to be forgiven?
- If Lutherans always taught UOJ, then why is the terminology so new?
- If Lutherans always taught UOJ, why is it missing from the Book of Concord?
- If Lutherans always taught UOJ, why are Luther, Melanchthon, Chemnitz, J. Gerhard, and others silent on this blessed insight?
- If Missouri always taught UOJ, why did they fail to teach it until the Brief Statement of 1932?
- If Lutherans call separating the Holy Spirit from the Word of God Enthusiasm, why do UOJ fanatics embrace Enthusiasm with their strange opinions?
- Why are Church Growth gurus like Bivens and Valleskey so keen on UOJ?
- Why do the UOJ Stormtroopers deceive people about the novelty, confusion, and Enthusiasm of their position?