"More input."
Universal Objective Justification
UOJ is this opinion, expressed in the 1932 LCMS Brief Statement:
Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 4:25; that therefore not for the sake of their good works, but without the works of the Law, by grace, for Christ's sake, He justifies, accounts as righteous, all those who that is, believe, accept, and rely on, the fact that for Christ's sake their sins are forgiven.
Why the strange words in bold? Walther's Easter absolution sermon became an article of faith, reprinted to support this false doctrine. According to Walther's Easter sermon, God absolved the whole world of sin when Jesus rose from the dead. The ELS loves this sermon and teaches this strange opinion. The ELS is just as fanatical as the Wisconsin sect in promoting UOJ. Missouri has done the same, but tries to hide the UOJ behind justification by faith. The 1987 Theses of Abomination are an example of this verbal trickery.
If the Brief Statement had said, "Christ has already died for the sins of the world," the sentence would have been Biblical and orthodox. Atonement is not justification by faith. Redemption is not justification by faith. Reconciliation is not justification by faith.
The Moravian Pietists began with the Gospel and then addressed the Law. UOJ came from Pietism via Walther and is very similar in expression to Moravian Pietism. Earlier statements reminded me of this. For instance, one pastor said he told people who came to confess their sins, "You were already forgiven, before you came here." Gospel first, Law second = Moravian Pietism. All American Lutherans have been profoundly influenced by Pietism. Notice how this Pietism is conducive to works-righteousness on one hand (orthodoxy proven by synod membership and DNA) and riotous hedonism on the other hand (Don't worry, my beautiful music director, we were already forgiven before we stopped at the Off-Ramp Inn.)
Short circuit 1: What does UOJ do for confession and absolution when everyone is already absolved?
Short circuit 2: If everyone is already forgiven, why would anyone be in Hell? This was Neuhaus' contention - that Hell is empty. Christian News often reprinted the Neuhaus statement, which makes sense given the assertions of UOJ, taught at the seminary they attended at the same time (Concordia, St. Louis). The recent WELS AnswerMan file is labeled: "Forgiven sinners in Hell."
Short cicuit 3: If WELS, Missouri, and the ELS are so far from ELCA, why are they teaching the same thing about salvation? Granted there are variations in how the clergy express themselves, from the Pentecostal to the crypto-Unitarian. Nevertheless, how is it different to have ELCA say everyone is forgiven and to have WELS/LCMS/ELS say God has declared the world righteous?
Chemnitz was wise in saying that we need to set aside all confessions and return to the Scriptures. Of course, Chemnitz was quoting others who recognized the problem of comparing confessions and avoiding the sources. People say, "Return to the sources," but they often mean a pathetic essay printed or posted on the synodical website.
The sources can only be the Scriptures. They are the revelation of God's will. If someone cannot deal with the unified message of God's Word, then all the conference and faculty papers mean nothing. Ultimately, everyone must face these issues and not ask for some authority figure to substitute for the thinking process.
Short circuit 4: If everyone is absolved, believers and unbelievers alike, then why does God's wrath abide on unbelievers?
KJV John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
If UOJ advocates cannot deal with this one verse of Scripture, their entire scheme falls apart. They cannot, so they avoid John 3:36. They cannot explain forgiven sinners roasting merrily in Hell. They cannot describe how someone is justified twice, first objectively, then subjectively.
Lutherans have engaged in idolatry for over 100 years, and that has not helped matters. Once a revered figure has stated a thesis, that proposition is defended as if it is the very Word of God. Could Walther, Pieper, J. P. Meyer, Sig Becker, Valleskey and Kelm all be correct in all their statements? Why does death confer infallibility? The Scriptures are bent and twisted by synod idolators to make certain verses fit synodical theses.
Short circuit 5: Why all the deception? I have found the UOJ Storm Troopers eager to deceive and play tricks to maintain their imagined orthodoxy. They have lied about UOJ being in the Scriptures, the Book of Concord, J. Gerhard, and Calov. I have yet to find a Gerhard citation supporting UOJ. Robert Preus quoted Quensted and Calov to exclude anything other than justification by faith.
Short circuit 6: Look at the bitter fruits of UOJ! The Lutheran Church has declined precipitously since 1932. There are no signs of health at all. Doctrinal indifference and unionism prevail; apostates are rewarded without shame or reluctance. The cited heroes of conservative Lutherans, the very people quoted today with approval, if not awe, are: Waldo Werning, C. Peter Wagner, Donald McGavran, Kent Hunter, Leonard Sweet, and Reggie McNeal.
